Magia Record Main Story Chapter 4: The Guardians of Rumors
Chapter 4: The Guardians of Rumors
Section 1: The Water Vendor with an Owl Sign
Learning that Nemu's family were regulars at Tsuruno's Chinese restaurant, Iroha goes to eat there every day. However, she's unable to find them. Tsuruno explains they only come once a month. Iroha thinks back to the events of the previous chapter. In a flashback Yachiyo explains she doesn't know what Iroha did to destroy the Rumor, but suggests she use Grief Seeds to keep it from happening again. Back in the present, Yachiyo suggests Iroha find Nemu's house on her own. They get a phonebook, which is apparently the first one Iroha ever saw. Iroha finds four results for Nemu's last name.
Iroha searches three houses, but fails each time. She then sees a store with an owl sign selling water. The old man running the shop gives her water for free. Iroha is not the only customer, as Kyoko Sakura and a new magical girl are present. The new girl is later identified as Felicia Mitsuki. The three of them drink the water, which they find to be really refreshing. The old man is only giving them one, however. Afterward, a piece of paper falls onto Iroha's head, with the number 24. She then reaches the last Hiiragi house and finds a girl there. Iroha asks about Nemu, but the girl claims no knowledge of her. Another paper with the number 23 on it falls on Iroha.
Iroha meets up to Yachiyo to explain her failure. Yachiyo asks Iroha if it's okay she keeps coming to Kamihama. Iroha says she'll be moving to the city soon away. Yachiyo scolds Iroha for not telling her, since they're friends. Iroha points out she's an assistant, and Yachiyo claims it was a slip of the tongue. Iroha explains she's moving because her father has to go abroad for work, and her mother is accompanying him. Iroha will be staying at the dormitory of her new school. Yachiyo recognizes Iroha's new school as the same one Tsuruno goes to. It's also attached to Yachiyo's university. Iroha then reveals the school doesn't have rooms available, even though her parents are leaving next week. Suddenly another paper with the number 22 on it falls on Iroha. Iroha explains the papers to Yachiyo, who realizes it's a countdown.
Section 2: The Mercenary Felicia and the Mysterious Papers
Iroha bursts into Yachiyo's room and shows her more papers with numbers on them. She says she found them on her pillow after sleeping. Yachiyo admits she hasn't heard anything like this, and asks Iroha if something happened yesterday. Iroha tells her about the water vendor. Yachiyo goes to investigate the rumors, while Iroha goes to find the water vendor again. Iroha then finds the water vendor is gone. Felicia then appears, upset she can't find the water. Iroha asks her if she has papers falling on her head too. Felicia says she does, but hasn't paid attention to them. Iroha asks Felicia to help her, but Felicia refuses until Iroha offers to make her food. The two introduce themselves to each other.
Elsewhere, Yachiyo finds a bizarre creature talking to some schoolgirls. Although Yachiyo can't see what it is, but the other girls are speaking normally to it. Kyoko appears and confronts the creature, which disappears. The other girls start wondering who they were talking to. Yachiyo confronts Kyoko, who admits she doesn't know what the thing was either. Kyoko reveals she also has papers falling down on her. Yachiyo tells Kyoko about the Rumors and asks her to help. Kyoko refuses, explaining she doesn't see much in it for her.
Iroha tries to tell Felicia about the rumors, though Felicia doesn't believe her. Felicia then senses a witch and runs off to it's barrier, revealing to Iroha that she's a magical girl. They fight familiars, but the witch leaves. Felicia is angry and Iroha tells her to calm down and threatens to not make food for her. The two head for Yachiyo's place.
Section 3: The Black-Feather Girls
Felicia recognizes Yachiyo, while Iroha reveals that Felicia is actually a magical girl mercenary. Felicia has a bad reputation, as she is known to go out of control when she fights a witch. Iroha explains that Felicia is affected by the water vendor paper, and that she still has to make her food. Tsuruno appears and nearly gets into a fight with Felicia. Yachiyo stops it and then talks about the creature she saw. She said she believes the creature was trying to spread a rumor that would eventually become real. She heads off with Tsuruno, while Iroha stays with Felicia for the time being.
Iroha and Felicia stumble across the witch from before, (Stacey). In her rampage, Felicia attacks Iroha and apologizes. Iroha tells her to pay attention to her surroundings. Felicia explains she can't help it, since it might be the witch that killed her parents. She admits she doesn't know for sure, but that's why she can't let them get away. The two are able to defeat the witch. Afterward, Felicia admits she might have killed the witch who murdered her parents already, but it doesn't matter to her. She won't stop until every witch is dead.
Iroha and Felicia then see the creature Yachiyo saw previously. They listen to it talk about the rumor. According to the rumor, drinking the water from the old man's vendor will cause misery twenty-four hours later. Felicia asks if the old man was a bad guy, but Iroha thinks she was something like an illusion. The girls realize that based on the numbers on the papers, they only have five hours left. Felicia admits she's already had plenty of misery, and doesn't care if something else happens. The creature runs off. While the two try to chase after it, they're stopped by black-cloaked figures.
The black-cloaked girls drag the others into an ally. They say they don't want to fight, but Felicia attacks them anyway. Yachiyo and Tsuruno arrive. Tsuruno interrogates the black-cloaked girls. They tell the others to stop getting involved in rumors. Tsuruno deduces they are trying to protect Rumors somehow. The girls can't accept that they're protecting rumors that can hurt people. The two groups fight, and the black cloaks are defeated easily. Felicia then says that she's willing to join them if they cut a deal. They agree, and Felicia turns against the others. Yachiyo, Iroha, and Tsuruno withdraw. Afterward, Yachiyo reveals she had hired Felicia to pretend to join the black-cloaked girls. Felicia's betrayal was really an act.
Section 4: The Wings of Magius
With two hours left on the countdown, Iroha and Yachiyo wait for Felicia to return. Tsuruno appears saying she tried to follow them but lost the trail. They decide to retrace Tsuruno's steps. Elsewhere, a black-cloaked girl promises Felicia will get her reward and can hunt witches freely. Yachiyo, Iroha, and Tsuruno then come up to the place where Tsuruno lost sight of Felicia. They find Felicia waiting for them. Felicia explains that she genuinely decided to join the black cloaks. Iroha is shocked, while Yachiyo says she overestimated Felicia. Tsuruno points out that Felicia doesn't understand her situation.
Felicia says that with her parents dead, she can't imagine anything more miserable happening. Iroha tries to bring up Ui, but Felicia doesn't care. Iroha then asks if Felicia has anything important to her. Felicia says she does: A cow doll her parents bought for her at a ranch. Iroha points out it might disappear, which immediately causes Felicia to change sides. The girls reach the "Sankyoin Educational Academy." Felicia explains that past the school there's an entrance to the underground sewers where the black cloaks are hiding. The girls run into the sewer, with only an hour left.
On the way, the girls are surprised by bats before being caught by the black cloaks. They introduce themselves as the "Wings of Magius". They are an organization that act as the wings of the Magius who rank above them. The black-cloaked girls are called "Black Feathers" and their objective is to save magical girls by freeing them from their curse in Kamihama. Iroha realizes they're saying the same things the fake Ui from Chapter 3 did. The Black Feathers say that in order to free magical girls, the rumors cannot be eradicated. Yachiyo doesn't really understand how that works, and points out that the Black Feathers don't understand either.
Kyoko then arrives and says they don't have time to waste listening to the enemy. Felicia and Iroha are surprised to see her. Kyoko explains she saw them in the street and followed. Yachiyo asks Kyoko if she can work with them, and Kyoko reluctantly agrees. The group defeats the Black Feathers, who tells Yachiyo she should know what it means to free magical girls. Yachiyo says she understands the meaning, but feels putting innocent people at risk is wrong. The group heads deeper into the sewers.
Section 5: A Sublime Goal
Iroha wonders if Ui is somehow connected to the Wings of Magius. As the girls run through the sewers, they find two girls in white cloaks. The white-cloaked figures say they just need to keep them from the Rumor for an hour. The girls introduce themselves as Tsukuyo Amane and Tsukasa Amane, White Feathers of the Wings of Magius. They attack with their musical instrument weapons. The music is powerful enough to prevent Iroha's group from advancing. Tsuruno notices Felicia is trying to sneak past the Amane sisters by herself. Tsuruno then starts arguing loudly with Felicia over cooperating with the others. Kyoko gets involved in the argument as well, saying that advancing while leaving the others behind is a form of cooperation. Tsuruno says they're magical girl who fight for justice. When asked why she's making a fuss, Tsuruno says she's making a fuss just to make a fuss, and then tells them to just make noise.
Yachiyo and Iroha watch this and realizes what Tsuruno is trying to do: Drown out the sound waves echoing from the Amane sister's instruments. As Tsuruno, Felicia, and Kyoko scream, Iroha and Yachiyo defeat the Amanes. Tsukuyo says they can't afford to fail the task the "Magius' Three" assigned to them. She then unleashes her doppel, explaining it as the proof that magical girls can be saved in Kamihama. Tsuruno suggests Iroha fight with her doppel, but Iroha admits she doesn't know how to do it. The doppel quickly defeats Iroha's group.
Kyoko realizes that Iroha was the human witch Mami talked about. She says it doesn't seem like a witch, but she can't call it a special move eithier. The Amane's say she is correct, explaining they are reflections of their emotions called doppels. They point out using it purifies Soul Gems. Yachiyo says she doesn't have time to waste listening and gets up to fight again. The Amanes summon Black Feathers and attack again. While Iroha, Yachiyo, and Tsuruno fight the Wings of Magius, Kyoko takes Felicia and runs past them. This distracts the Amane sisters, who are taken out by Yachiyo and Tsuruno. Yachiyo takes out Tsukuyo's legs, while Tsuruno stabs Tsukasa in the chest. They tell Iroha to go after Felicia and Kyoko.
Section 6: The Drinking Horn that Overflows with Misery
Iroha, Felicia, and Kyoko enter the Rumor's barrier. When they enter they find themselves tripping over things while rocks fall on them from above. They realize that this is the result of the rumor they're affected by. They defeat owl-like familiars while making their way through the barrier, dealing with falling rocks, bats, and stuff on the ground all the while. Kyoko figures they need to work together to win. They finally confront the Rumor, a bizarre drinking-horn creature. When Felicia approaches, a boulder falls over her head. Kyoko breaks the boulder before it hits. The girls realize that the Rumor is protected by these falling rocks. Iroha tries to hit the Rumor from afar, but it has no effect. The girls find they only have ten minutes left.
Felicia realizes they can reach the Rumor by getting there before the boulders fall. She suggests using the boulders themselves to reach the witch. Kyoko and Iroha take one of the fallen boulders so Felicia can kick off it. Felicia makes her move but gets hit in the face. After several tries, Felicia is able to kick off the boulder and then kicks off another one that's already falling. However, that boulder is sent toward Kyoko and Iroha. Meanwhile Felicia reaches the Rumor. She tries attacking it, but it seems to resist physical attacks. A boulder then falls over Felicia but is blocked by a net made by Kyoko. Felicia hits the Rumor hard enough to send it flying at Kyoko and Iroha. They use their attacks to destroy it.
Once the barrier vanishes, Iroha sees a flying ball in front of her. The ball opens, with a congratulations message. Kyoko says she got one too. The girls rejoice over beating the Rumor before it was too late and are met by Tsuruno and Yachiyo. Iroha credits their victory to Felicia's quick thinking, but Felicia says she didn't really think, she just sent the Rumor flying because she didn't know what else to do. Iroha is surprised to find it was just a coincidence.
The girls then turn toward the Amane sisters, who try to attack the group again. However, they're stopped by the surprising arrival of Mifuyu Azusa. Tsuruno cries and throws herself at Mifuyu, happy she's returned. Their reunion is disrupted when Mifuyu reveals she's part of the Wings of Magius. Yachiyo asks if Mifuyu is real. Mifuyu deduces Yachiyo went to the Summoning Shrine and met the fake Mifuyu there. Mifuyu says she's fortunate to have a best friend who was willing to find her. Yachiyo still thinks Mifuyu might be fake, but Mifuyu points out they're in reality right now. Yachiyo tells Mifuyu to come back with her, but Mifuyu says she acts as a connection between Magius and the magical girls that follow them.
Yachiyo says the girls might be lying, but Mifuyu says she wants to cling to the hope of releasing magical girls. Yachiyo says Mifuyu should have been prepared for that, but Mifuyu says that only applies to Yachiyo even now. Mifuyu says she won't leave the Wings of Magius no matter what. Yachiyo asks if this because of something that happened one year ago. Mifuyu agrees and says it changed Yachiyo. In her case, Mifuyu thought that no matter what it takes, she will save "them" (presumably magical girls). She says she thinks Yachiyo will understand. However Yachiyo attacks Mifuyu, who is defended by the Amanes.
Mifuyu de-transforms and tells the Amanes to leave with her. The Amane sisters also de-transform, and the trio begin to leave. Before they do, Iroha asks about Ui. Mifuyu says she doesn't know anything, but admits she could be in the Wings of Magius without her knowledge. Shen then goes with the Amanes. Afterward, Yachiyo says she's been a magical girl with Mifuyu for seven years, and intends to keep erasing Rumors to find the Wings of Magius. She asks Iroha if she still wants to be her asisstant. Iroha agrees, thinking there might be a connection between Magius and Ui. Tsuruno also agrees to help as Yachiyo's friend, but Yachiyo says Tsuruno is her apprentice just like in the past. Felicia says they should go home, and Kyoko agrees. Iroha asks Kyoko if she can clear up the misunderstanding with Mami. Kyoko says next time she sees Mami she'll tell her she's over-thinking it and departs.
Section 7: To Iroha's New Everyday Life...
Tsuruno asks Iroha if she'll stop looking for Nemu, but Iroha says she'll investigate all her leads. Felicia then says Yachiyo promised her a Grief Seed to spy on the Wings of Magius. Yachiyo says her deal was voided when she switched sides for real. They start to argue, but Iroha stops it by saying she'll make Felicia a meal, after Iroha finds a place to stay. Iroha then asks Felicia if she's still going to be a mercenary. Felicia says she has to, since she doesn't have any other way to make a living. Iroha then asks Felicia if she will fight (and eat) together with her. Felicia is surprised and says she would have no way of paying Iroha back. Yachiyo suggests Felicia stay with her, as her home was originally a boarding house. She offers Felicia a job as an exclusive mercenary in exchange for a place to live. Tsuruno then offers Felicia a job at her restaurant. Felicia eagerly agrees.
Iroha then decides to head home, but Yachiyo has another idea. She asks Iroha if she can stay at her place. Iroha agrees if it won't cause trouble. Yachiyo says they're friends, to Iroha's surprise. Yachiyo tells Iroha to take her to Iroha's parents. Afterward, Yachiyo and Iroha are in Iroha's room. Iroha says she was surprised her parents are letting her stay at Yachiyo's. It turns out Iroha's mother recognized Yachiyo from the newspaper. Yachiyo notices the empty half of Iroha's room, once occupied by Ui. Yachiyo notes it isn't merely a disappearance if all trace of her is gone. The girls affirm their intentions to work together to find their loved ones. Iroha thinks that if Ui is part of the Wings of Magius she will set her straight.
External Links
JP Server
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 1
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 2
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 3
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 4
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 5
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 6
- Youtube Recording of Chapter 4 Section 7