I walked back to my apartment, the city lights feeling a little too bright. A weird feeling was coiling in my gut, something that felt unpleasantly like a conscience.
"That felt… wrong," I muttered into the quiet night. "What we did to them. Are we the bad guys now, Gemgem? What's your deal with these magical girls, anyway?"
The Gem's voice cut through my mind, colder and sharper than the night wind. The use of the nickname ignited its fury.
"I have commanded you. Cease. This. Infantile. Familiarity."
The psychic pressure was immense, but it receded, replaced by a profound, ancient contempt for my question.
"'Wrong'? 'Bad guys'? You still cling to the pathetic morality of the herd. You think in such small, human terms. Good, evil… they are comforting illusions for children and fools. There is only power and the will to use it. There is only truth and the lies that obscure it."
I could feel it studying me, dissecting my fleeting moment of guilt with cold precision.
"We are not the 'bad guys.' We are the cure. You ask for my history? Then listen!"
"The power that creates these magical girls, this 'Light', is a parasite. It finds young women filled with potent, raw emotion, and it shackles them. It neuters their potential, puts a smiling, selfless mask over their true faces, and forces them into a life of thankless servitude, all for a bland, saccharine justice."
"It tells them their true desires are selfish and wrong. It is a cosmic lie."
The Gem's voice took on the weight of ages, a deep, resonant certainty that felt more true than anything I'd ever known.
"I am the antithesis of that lie. I do not demand self-sacrifice. I strip away the mask. I take the jealousy in Aoi's heart, the vanity in Miki's, the terror in Akane's, and I tell them, 'Yes. This is you. Embrace it. Use it. Let it make you strong.'"
"I don't create darkness. I merely liberate the darkness that was already there, festering under a veneer of forced purity."
The voice softened, becoming almost seductive in its logic.
"What you did today was not wrong. It was an act of profound honesty. You freed those girls from the hypocrisy of their lives. You gave them permission to be their true, powerful selves. And in return, they have given their loyalty to you."
"Don't feel guilty! Feel pride. You are an agent of truth in a world of pretty, cloying lies."
I thought about it as I walked the final block to my apartment. It was a twisted way of looking at it, but… it made a weird kind of sense.
"Fine, fine, you win," I said with a shrug. A smirk crossed my face. "Now I feel like the good guy. Their angel, even. So you won't mind if I help them reach their full potential, right?"
The Gem stayed quiet as I walked the last block home. It let my words hang there, settling in. When I unlocked my door and stepped into my stale apartment, the voice came back. Not angry anymore, but cold and calculating.
"Your attempts at nicknames remain annoying, but your conclusion is correct. 'Angel' is what that parasite calls its slaves. You're a liberator. A truth-teller."
I felt its satisfaction radiating through me. I was becoming a believer, not just a host anymore.
"Do I mind you helping them reach their potential? That's literally why I picked you. Their 'full potential' is the darkness I unlock, grown to its ultimate form."
The Gem's voice turned instructional.
"Aoi's potential is to be the only star, draining light from every rival. Akane's potential is an unstoppable destruction incarnate. Miki's potential is here dark charisma, so strong she'll have the world worshipping at her feet."
"Their desires are seeds. You're the gardener. Water them with conflict and opportunity. Help them grow into the magnificent monsters they were meant to be. The stronger they get, the stronger we get."
"So yes, help your little angels grow their black wings."
"Easy for you to say, slave driver," I muttered, flopping onto my bed. A stupid idea popped into my head. "Hey, since I corrupted three targets, I want a reward. Stop complaining when I call you Gemgem, partner. Otherwise, I quit this exhausting crap. Deal?"
Dead silence. Heavy, cold pressure filled my skull like the Gem was grinding through my demand with geological slowness. When it finally spoke, the rage was gone.
"Slave driver. Interesting words from someone who was achieving nothing but taking out trash a few days ago. You've acquired three powerful servants, and you feel burdened? Humans truly excel at whining."
Another pause.
"You make demands. Threaten to quit. A tool trying to bargain with the hand that holds it. Like an ant negotiating with a boot. Fascinating."
"However, your performance has been okay. The assets you've acquired are valuable. Your crude methods, while lacking elegance, work. Finding another host with your specific moral flexibility would be inefficient."
The voice shifted slightly.
"Fine. A deal. Your infantile nickname is a small price for continuing the work. You may call me Gemgem. Now that we've addressed your tantrum, rest. Productive day ahead."
"You take a break then, Gemgem," I said, smirking at my victory. "I've got work to do."
I checked my contacts, scrolling to a name I hadn't called in years, "Kyoko (Don't Call)" and hit the button anyway. The phone rang twice before it was picked up with an audible, world-weary sigh.
"Well, I scouted two potential buds, who might become great stars if properly trained. Are you interested, Kyoko?"
A woman's voice, sharp, tired, and already annoyed, crackled through the speaker. "What?" There was a short pause. "You're kidding me, Hakuto. You? A talent scout? You couldn't scout a good deal on instant ramen."
"Look, I'm busy. I've got a group that can't synchronize their dance steps and a 'diva' who thinks she's too good for a mall appearance. I don't have time for whatever half-baked scheme you've cooked up."
Despite her words, she hadn't hung up. I knew Kyoko. She was cynical, but she was also an opportunist.
"Come on," I said smoothly. "Two girls. Pretty faces, great voices. One of them even has experience with fan signings and performing in front of crowds. Just give them five minutes."
There was a long, charged silence. I could almost hear the gears turning in her cynical, business-oriented mind.
"…Fan signing?" Her voice had lost its dismissive tone. It was now sharp and suspicious. "Don't bullshit me, Hakuto. Where would some girl you found have done fan signings? What was she, mascot for a new fish cakes brand?"
I heard her exhale a frustrated puff of smoke.
"Fine. Fine!" she snapped. "You've got my attention. You're lucky my lead singer just threw a tantrum and locked herself in a bathroom. Tomorrow, 4 PM. My studio. You know the address."
"And they better be good. If you waste my time on this, I swear to god I will find you and personally set your couch on fire. Deal?"
"Deal," I said calmly.
"And there's a catch, isn't there? There's always a catch with you."
"No catch," I said. "You can even keep the scouting fee."
Another pause. "No fee? Yeah, right." She scoffed, but I could hear the interest. "Whatever. Get them here. Don't be late." She hung up.
I quickly sent the time and address to Miki and Aoi: "Your chance to shine. Don't be late. Don't disappoint me."
The replies came in almost instantly.
From: Dark Heart Princess 🖤
MASTER! An audition?! For a REAL agency?! 😭💖 You are making my dreams come true! I will be there! I will be perfect! I will NOT disappoint you!
Thank you thank you thank you!!! 🥰🥰
From: Aoi Tanaka
Understood, Master. I will be at the designated location at the appointed time.
I will not fail you. Thank you for this opportunity.
As I set my phone down, the Gem's voice materialized in my mind, carrying a tone of cold, clinical approval.
"A clever move. Placing your assets into a system that rewards ambition will accelerate their growth. You have provided them a stage for them to perform."
The voice paused, a new directive sharpening in my mind.
"But that is for tomorrow. The sun is setting. Another kind of stage is being set. The heroes who prefer the cover of darkness will soon begin their patrols. And I have found a particularly interesting one. She is known for her immense power and her solitude."
"Hold up, Gemgem," I sighed, burying my face in my pillow. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Tomorrow is a big day for Miki and Aoi."
"And if this new target is as strong as you say, we're better off having our team at full strength, right? Let's do it tomorrow night. After the audition."
The Gem was silent. Not a furious silence, but a quiet, still one. It seemed to be genuinely considering my words.
When it spoke again, the voice was flat and analytical. It was adhering to the deal.
"Your logic is… sound. This next target is not a vain child or a codependent teenager. They call her Magical Star Empress. She is known for her overwhelming destructive force and her refusal to work with other, lesser magical girls."
"Attacking her alone in your current state? It's a high failure risk, and failure is inefficient."
"Your work tomorrow has strategic value. Success at the audition will boost Miki and Aoi's confidence. It will feed their vanity and ambition, making their dark power flare brighter."
"Very well. The hunt is postponed. Focus on the audition. Ensure Miki and Aoi perform flawlessly tomorrow."