Hearing Sayaka Miki exclamation, Lancer simply offered her a small smile before turning his gaze back to Mami Tomoe, who still had her guns leveled at him.
In truth, Lancer wasn't particularly bothered by her threat. He hadn't seen her ultimate move, so he couldn't be sure about that, but during his "surveillance" over the past few days, he had seen the power of these flintlock pistols plenty of times. Because they were fueled by magic, their lethality was much higher than an ordinary flintlock, but they still lacked the raw power of a high-caliber anti-materiel rifle. At the very least, if Lancer fully braced his muscles, they wouldn't pose a fatal threat to him.
Even being discovered by the other party was a result of Lancer intentionally exposing himself. Choosing to appear at this specific moment was, in his mind, the most optimal timing.
If he had appeared too early, Madoka and the others wouldn't have met Mami yet, and Lancer actions might have drawn the unwanted attention of a certain mastermind. If he appeared too late, he might not have been able to prevent certain events from unfolding.
Because Lancer had only seen the first three episodes of the show, he wasn't entirely clear on the specific plot direction. However, he knew enough to realize that Mami Tomoe actually very much wanted Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki to become magical girls. He wasn't sure of the exact reason, but after observing her for a while, Lancer had developed a theory.
In the eyes of her schoolmates, Mami Tomoe had always been the "Perfect Lady."
A beautiful face, a figure far more developed than her peers, a meticulously kept school uniform, and a polite demeanor toward everyone. She fit the "Ojou-sama" archetype perfectly. Combine that with her love for black tea, and she looked like a character straight out of a storybook.
But Lancer observations told a different story. It wasn't that her true nature was the opposite; it was just that she seemed to care deeply—perhaps too deeply—about the attitudes of her classmates, teachers, and even distant relatives. It felt to Lancer like she was desperately clinging to these connections, yet he couldn't find a reason why...
Perhaps she was just someone who was deathly afraid of being lonely?
It was just Lancer intuition, but he felt his guess was correct. In that case, her constant attempts to persuade Madoka and Sayaka to become magical girls weren't strange. Perhaps she was simply longing for "companions" in the truest sense of the word.
When a Senpai who is perfect in appearance, personality, and conduct approaches with good intentions, few people can refuse—or at the very least, they won't feel much resentment even if they don't want to follow her lead.
Lancer only thought regarding this was: "Pitiful."
A well-meaning girl, being deceived by a monster without human emotions, was unconsciously leading other innocent girls into a trap. Lancer even wondered if Mami would descend into total hysteria if she ever learned the truth...
So, Lancer decided to step in at this moment to stop it all.
"I've shown myself. Does this young lady have some business with me?"
While Lancer was just planning to make an appearance, Mami Tomoe was incredibly tense. Just moments ago, Kyubey had specifically warned her that it sensed that strange aura again. It wasn't the first time Kyubey had mentioned it, but Mami hadn't paid much attention before, as Kyubey always said it couldn't find anything afterward. But today, when it warned her again, she decided to test it—and to her shock, someone actually appeared.
But now that Lancer was actually standing there, she felt a bit lost.
Though she had been a magical girl for a while and had taken down many "Familiars" and the "Witches" that controlled them, none of those enemies were human-shaped. Facing Lancer suddenly left her unsure of how to proceed.
"Kyubey, is he a 'Witch' too?"
Mami voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for Lancer. Lancer, who was trying his best to look serious and professional, suddenly didn't know how to react. Could she not tell just from the literal definition?
Kyubey, however, lacked the capacity for "sarcasm." It merely scanned Lancer and shook its head.
"No. This is a man. He isn't a 'Witch,' and I don't feel the presence of a 'Soul Gem' either."
Thud~
With that, Kyubey leapt from Mami shoulder and landed in front of Lancer.
"Kind sir, may I ask who exactly you are?"
It had to be said that Kyubey cute appearance paired with its intentionally adorable tone was quite persuasive. Even Madoka and Sayaka, hiding behind Mami, instinctively focused their attention on it.
Lancer really wanted to skewer the creature right then and there, but he knew that doing so would cause unnecessary trouble. So, he pulled out his pre-prepared cover story.
"Lancer. I'm currently a doctor at Mitakihara Municipal Hospital. But I assume that's not what you want to know. My other identity is a 'Magus'."
Lancer emphasized the last word intentionally. He wasn't exactly lying; he was a Magus, he just normally relied on an "Orbment" and only used Runic symbols when pushed. As for the magecraft that actual Magi excelled at... Lancer basically couldn't learn any of it.
"A Magus? Kyubey, have you heard of such a thing?"
"No. I have never heard of such a profession in this world."
The so-called "Magical Girls" were essentially "new things" created by the Incubators using the mental energy possessed only by girls of a certain age. Thus, it was completely bewildered by the concept of a "Magus."
"Are you that surprised? Since 'Magical Girls' exist, isn't it only normal for 'Magi' to exist too?"
Seeing Lancer matter-of-fact expression, Mami found herself unable to argue for a moment. But it must be said that Lancer lack of hostility from the start had earned him some "goodwill points."
"Though I don't mind continuing our chat, I personally suggest we change locations. Shall we?"
As Lancer finished speaking, two bright beams of light suddenly cut through the distance. Mami and Kyubey tensed up again; in their imagination, perhaps a terrifying beast was lurking in the shadows. But then, Lancer simply walked toward the light.
Click~
With the sound of a lock turning, Lancer pulled open a car door. Only then did they realize the "terrifying light" was just headlights.
"Get in."
Lancer seemed perfectly relaxed, but the four girls present had extremely nuanced expressions.
After much hesitation and some "persuasion" from Kyubey, Mami finally sat in the passenger seat. The other three exchanged looks and climbed into the back.
Everything that had happened in the span of less than half an hour had completely overturned the three girls' worldviews. In their confusion, they reflexively chose to follow the person who had just saved them—Mami.
As the engine started, none of the four girls realized that their lives had just veered onto a completely different path...