MGRP Limited Ch 9

Chapter 9: With The Demon King In The Flames


☆ Rain Pou (11 hours and 20 minutes remaining)

She raised her hand to block out the brightening night sky. It was not quite daytime yet.
举起手遮住尚末完全转变成白天的泛白天空。

Maou Pam reverted the coats she had given Postarie and Rain Pou back into black wings.. Freed from her distressing bonds, Rain Pou wanted to rotate her neck, but she resisted that impulse. If she got hit again, her cheeks might burst.
魔王帕姆将原本让波斯塔丽与梦幻彩虹穿在身上的外套变回黑色翅膀。终于从窘迫的束缚中获得释放，让梦幻彩虹忍不住想转动脖子，但她克制住了。再继续被揍下去的话，她的脸颊就要裂开了。

Maou Pam stuffed Postarie and Rain Pou between a row of three vending machines beside a building, ordered them to “not leave this place under any circumstances”, and then flew off on her own.
魔王帕姆将波斯塔丽与梦幻彩虹塞进三台排排站的自动贩卖机与建筑物之间，丢下「绝对不可以离开这裡喔」便迳自飞走。

The instant she did not have to worry about being under Maou Pam’s gaze, Toko immediately popped her head out of Rain Pou’s breast pocket.
不用顾虑魔王帕姆视线的下一秒，多可立刻从梦幻彩虹的胸前探出头来。

“She said there was a traffic accident.”
「她刚才说有交通意外吧。」

“Looks like it. But I didn’t hear a crash, so it probably didn’t happen nearby.”
「似乎是。但是没听到任何声响，所以应该不是发生在这附近。」

“She must have found it by sending out a wing.”
「看来是派出去的翅膀发现的吧。」

“Those wings… I knew they could change freely, but I didn’t expect them to be able to do that.”
「那个翅膀……能够如此自由自在地变形，想不到还具备那种功能呀。」

“Ah…”
「那个……」

Postarie injected herself into Toko and Rain Pou’s conversation.
波斯塔丽介入多可与梦幻彩虹的对话。

“What do you think?”
「你觉得如何？」

“What do you mean?”
「什么如何？」

Postarie glanced at Toko, and then quietly continued:
波斯塔丽偷瞄了一眼多可后，稍微压低声调才继续说道：

“Do you want to… tell Maou Pam everything?”
「要把所有的事情……告诉魔王帕姆吗？」

“Come off it! Are you kidding me!”
「少来了！你是在开玩笑吧！」

Toko thrashed and kicked in anger. Rain Pou frowned at the itchy sensation and she pressed on Toko’s body through her clothes.
多可生气地乱踢、乱甩手。这股令人痒得不得了的触感，令梦幻彩虹忍不住皴眉，从外面隔著衣服轻轻按住多可。

“Oi, Toko. Don’t squirm around inside my clothes.”
「喂，多可。别在我的衣服裡面动来动去的。」

“Do you or do you not know what’ll happen if you tell everything to Maou Pam? What the hell! Are you planning to sell me out? Postarie, are you such an ungrateful Magical Girl?”
「你到底知不知道，把那种事情全部告诉魔王帕姆会造成什么结果吗？搞什么嘛？难不成你是打算要出卖我吗？波斯塔丽你是那种会恩将仇报的魔法少女呀？」

“What do you mean ungrateful… it’s not like that…”
「什么恩将仇报……才没有这回事……」

Postarie lowered her head, thought a little, and then asked Toko:
波斯塔丽低垂著头，稍微思索一会儿后，反问多可：

“Is it true what Maou Pam said? Toko, are you being chased because you did bad things?”
「魔王帕姆说的是真的吗？多可你做了坏事，所以才被追捕？」

Toko arched an eyebrow, then lowered it. She raised her elbows, palms to the sky, and then shrugged.
多可挑起一边的眉毛，然后放下。弯起手肘，双手向上一摊，并耸了耸肩。

“Of course they’re the bad guys. They made themselves look like the good guys, and painted me as the bad guy. Frankly speaking, it’s quite upsetting how you took her words at face value. Postarie, didn’t she slap you all the time as well? She’s using violence to force you to give in because she’s a bad person. I’m a good fairy and I won’t use force.”
「当然是对方才是坏蛋啊。把自己的行为正当化，然后把我塑造成坏人。不是我在说，你就这样全盘接收让人很伤脑筋耶。波斯塔丽你不也一直被她赏巴掌吗？因为那家伙是坏蛋，所以才会用暴力逼你们就范。我是善良的妖精，才不屑使用暴力呢。」

Postarie’s head remained lowered as she sank into thought. After Toko emphasised her staunch refusal again--
波斯塔丽仍然低垂著头，陷入沉默。多可再次强调自己的坚决反对后——

“RIght now, you shouldn’t be worrying about following Maou Pam. Hurry up and run away! How long are you going to skulk around here?!”
「现在该思考的不是是否要跟随魔王帕姆吧。你们还不快点逃跑！到底是要鬼鬼祟祟地躲在这裡到什么时候啊！」

“But she told us not to run.”
「但是她叫我们不可以逃跑啊。」

“And why do you have to listen obediently to her?! You don’t have to listen to that sort of thing. Since she and her wings are gone, now’s the best chance to do so. If not now, when?”
「为什么要乖乖听她的话！那种事情根本就不用听。既然她本人跟翅膀都不在，现在就是最好的机会耶。现在不逃更待何时。」

Postarie’s attitude was shy and retiring, but she seemed determined not to back down. There was no telling what would happen if Toko were discovered by Maou Pam, so Toko was putting up a stubborn resistance. Postarie tugged on Kaori’s sleeve and asked, “What should we do, Kaori-chan?” while Toko thrashed around in the depths of her breast pocket. Confronted with their opinions, Rain Pou closed her eyes and thought for a good 30 seconds before she mentioned something.
波斯塔丽态度畏畏缩缩的，但似乎又不打算让步。被魔王帕姆发现的话，多可不晓得会被怎么样，所以才会顽强地抵抗。波斯塔丽拉扯香织的袖子询问「怎么办？香织」，多可则在她的胸口处内侧气愤地乱踢。同时被两个人徵询意见的梦幻彩虹，闭上眼睛三十秒钟细细思索后，提出一个意见。


☆ Kurukuru-hime (10 hours and 53 minutes remaining)

Using the car as bait had not been as successful as expected. The original plan was to have the enemy chase the car and open them up to an ambush from behind while they were distracted. However, the enemy had driven after them for some reason, so the plan had become “remote control the car into the barrier and crash into it, hoping that the enemy would crash into it too.”
用汽车当诱饵的策略不如预期顺利。原本打算趁敌人追赶汽车的空档，由她们半自暴自弃地从背后发动偷袭的作战策略，也因为敌人不知道为何开著汽车追了过去，而变成「透过自动驾驶让汽车开往结界，并一头撞上去。顺利的话，希望敌人也会跟著一头撞上去」的计画。

Ripple and the others should have escaped the enemy’s sphere of influence by now, but Kurukuru-hime had chosen to move on her own. Ripple and the others had warned her that it was too dangerous and advised her not to do it, but she had not listened. She ran in the opposite direction of the others, as though she was abandoning them.
莉普儿她们应该已经逃离敌人的势力范围，转转姬则是单独行动。虽然莉普儿她们说这样太危险、劝她别这么做，但她听不进去，几乎是甩开其他人般独自朝反方向飞奔。

Whose hair had Frederica used to activate her Magic? Mana, 7753 and Ripple had simultaneously stated that Frederica had not had the chance to take their hair. Ripple said that Frederica’s massive collection of Magical Girl’s hair should have been confiscated. In other words, they were theorizing that Frederica had used the hair of someone from inside the barrier. If that were really the case, then it was most likely Kurukuru-hime’s.
菲列特莉嘉到底是使用了谁的头髮，来发动魔法的呢？麻奈与7753、莉普儿都异口同声地表示，菲列特莉嘉并没有机会夺走自己的头髮。莉普儿说，菲列特莉嘉所持有的数量庞大的「魔法少女头髮」收藏品，应该已经遭到没收了。换句话说，她们推测菲列特莉嘉是在结界内弄到手的，真是如此的话，转转姬的可能性最大。

In that case, how had Frederica obtained Kurukuru-hime’s hair? Apparently, Pythie Frederica carried a massive crystal ball and wore a headscarf speckled with star-shaped decorations, as well as a long skirt parted daringly at the front, and she had long black hair which descended to her ankles. Kurukuru-hime’s memories did not contain such a Magical Girl. In other words, she had not seen her. How could someone she had never met possess Kurukuru-hime’s hair? As she pondered that question, a bad feeling grew within her.
那么，菲列特莉嘉到底是如何夺得转转姬的头髮？据说，比缇.菲列特莉嘉携带著巨大的水晶球、披著缀有星星装饰的头纱、穿著前方有大胆开衩的长裙，以及一头长及脚踝的黑髮。转转姬的记忆中并没有这样一名魔法少女。也就是说，她并没有见过对方。从来没有碰面的人，为什么手上会握有转转姬的头髮？对于这个问题，她只觉得一股不祥的预感油然而生。

Kurukuru-hime cried and pleaded with them to let her visit her home for a bit, and then she split off on her own. If only Kurukuru-hime was being observed by Frederica, then having her act independently would not inconvenience the others. Thus, it was the most sensible course of action.
转转姬边流泪边苦苦哀求让她回家一趟，并单独行动。如果受到菲列特莉嘉监视的只有转转姬，她採取个别行动并不会对其他人造成困扰，这么做才是最合情合理的举动。

Ripple, 7753 and Mana should have known better than anyone that they would never be able to escape Frederica’s surveillance if they travelled with Kurukuru-hime. However, nobody said so, because they were kind-hearted. All they had to do was sacrifice Kurukuru-hime, whom they had just met, but nobody proposed it. That being the case, it was all the more important that she bring it up by herself. Besides, it would be fine to let Kurukuru-hime move about on her own, because she had other things she wanted to do.
莉普儿、7753与麻奈应该都再明白不过，只要跟转转姬共同行动，她们就无法逃离菲列特莉嘉的监视。但没人说出口，也是因为她们拥有一颗温柔的心。明明只要牺牲才刚初次见面的转转姬一个就行了，却没人提议。既然如此，更应该由她自己主动说出口。更何况，让转转姬单独行动也好，她有其他想做的事。

Kurukuru-hime told everyone else Himeno Nozomi’s number, and Ripple warned her to watch her back. If Frederica got a hold on her, she would be finished.
转转姬将姬野希的手机号码告诉其他人。莉普儿则是建议她要随时注意背后，一旦被菲列特莉嘉的手抓住，就死路一条了。

With Ripple’s lecture ringing in her ears, Kurukuru-hime ran back to the Himeno house, watching her back all the way. Before long, she reached her house door. She had originally intended to transform back to a human being and then take out her key to open the house door -- however, not long after reaching the door, she realized that her plan was unworkable. That was because the lock was gone, and the place where it had been was now jet-black.
转转姬听从莉普儿的叮咛注意背后并往姬野家赶，不用多久时间即抵达家门口。她原本打算变回人类后，再拿出家裡的钥匙开门——然而，在抵达家门不久，立刻发现这个计画根本派不上用场。因为玄关的门锁不见了，门锁周围变得黑漆漆的。

Screaming words which even she did not understand, she wrenched open the door, and when she saw the red liquid that had spread all the way to the doorway, she shrieked without being aware of it, at the top of her voice.
她喊著连自己也无法理解的话语，拉开玄关的门，看到从走廊扩散至玄关垫脚台的红色液体后，下意识地放声尖叫。

☆ Pythie Frederica (11 hours and 20 minutes remaining)

When Frederica saw the black-colored Magical Girl in the sky ahead, she almost cried out.
菲列特莉嘉看到出现在前方上空的黑色魔法少女时，差一点叫出声来。

Her ample curves were covered by a few scraps of cloth, and her long, slender and black tail, tipped with a pointed, spear-like head, had a red ribbon tied on it. She had a pair of horns on her head, and her pupils were red. While Gekokujou Hana was also a red-eyed Magical Girl, these eyes were tinged with a hint of black, making her think about the cliched phrase of how “she felt like she might be sucked into those eyes”.
仅以些许布料覆盖的丰满身躯，又黑又细长、前端彷彿矛头般尖锐的尾巴上，装饰著红色的蝴蝶结。头上长著一对黑角，瞳孔是红色的。虽然下克上羽菜也是拥有一双红色瞳孔的魔法少女，但这个红则是微微泛著黑。令她联想到，光是盯著那双眼睛就像是快被吸进去般的陈腐形容词。

And then, there were the four black wings. People who did not understand would not think of them as wings. The four black oblongs deployed behind the Magical Girl’s back floated in mid-air, and that hovering force not only let them float in mid-air, but they let the Magical Girl float as well.
还有四片黑色翅膀。毫不知情的人看到，绝对不会认为那是翅膀吧。四片黑色四角形在少女背后展开，四角形飘浮于半空中，那股浮力不只能让那些四角形飘浮，也能让少女飘浮。

It was Maou Pam. Even if they were not Magical Girl maniacs like Pythie Frederica, there were probably many people who knew her name. She was the person who most interested Frederica, the one which she had been investigating and researching all this time, the master of the Magical Girl “The Forest Musician Cranberry”. People mentioned her name with a mix of fear, resentment, jealousy and reverence.
是魔王帕姆。即使不是身为魔法少女狂热者的比缇•菲列特莉嘉，知道此人大名的人也不在少数吧。此人是菲列特莉嘉最感兴趣，一直以来持续调查、研究的魔法少女「森林的音乐家克莱莓」的师父。人们提起她的名字时，大多怀抱著畏惧、憎恨、嫉妒与崇拜等各种複杂的情绪。

Finally, Frederica looked at her hair. Her dull blonde hair had been neatly cut just short of her shoulders, while her bangs seemed a little messy. It was unremarkable… or perhaps “uninhibited” might be a better word, because she could not sense any constraint about her.
最后，菲列特莉嘉看向她的头髮。黯淡的金髮被剪成不及肩膀的整齐短髮，浏海似乎有点乱翘。不起眼……应该是说毫放不羁，从她身上看不到任何一丝拘泥。

Frederica’s gasp was tinged with awe. Why was it that such unadorned short hair could seem so lustrous and captivating? She wanted to stroke it, rub it, nuzzle it against her cheek, take it into her mouth and savor its taste. She also wanted to lick the horns growing out of that hair, lick them nice and clean.
菲列特莉嘉吁出的气息掺杂著一丝讚叹。为什么没有任何装饰的纯粹短髮，看起来竟会如此充满光泽且耀眼迷人呢？好想抚摸、揉搓、用脸颊磨蹭.，好想含在嘴裡细细品尝滋味，也好想舔舐从头髮裡长出来的尖角，将它舔得乾乾淨淨的。

“Master, you’re drooling.”
「师父，您的口水。」

“Oops. Pardon me.”
「哎呀，失敬。」

Frederica accepted the handkerchief Tot Pop offered, which had a demisemihemidemisemiquaver design on it, and wiped the corner of her mouth. The fact that her foe was incomprehensibly potent had transformed into an overwhelming charm which had flooded through her.
菲列特莉嘉接过托托流行乐递过来、有著二百五十六分音符图案的手帕，并擦拭嘴角。对方强大到不行的事实，化为压倒性的魅力朝她排山倒海而来。

Pukin had already drawn her sword and Sonia had taken a fighting stance, standing in front of Pukin. This was the first time Pukin had become serious ever since escaping from jail. Pukin was no longer smiling in satisfaction, and neither did she have an arrogant smile on her face, and neither were her eyes narrowed in displeasure. Pukin regarded Maou Pam with a wary look on her face.
谱金已经拔出剑，索妮雅则是摆好架势，站在谱金前方。越狱之后，第一次看到谱金认真起来。如今的谱金并没有得意洋洋地笑著，也没有露出一副唯我独尊的自大笑容，更没有不悦地眯起眼。谱金带著毫不鬆懈的表情，望向魔王帕姆。

Maou Pam resembled a Buddha statue, and she had a similar look on her face. After what must have been a round of mutual assessment, they seemed to have reached a decision. Each must have sensed that the other was a powerful foe.
魔王帕姆彷彿镜像般，脸上也带著类似的表情。想必是互相打量一番后，做出了结论。双方皆确实地意识到，彼此是强敌的事实。

Maou Pam landed without a sound. The four wings moved to shield her. Frederica quietly warned everyone. She knew that the other side would hear even if she whispered, but she could not bring herself to speak loudly.
魔王帕姆完全没发出任何声响地降落地面。四片翅膀覆盖著本体。菲列特莉嘉小声地提醒大家，虽然她明白即使小声说话对方也听得到，但就是没办法大声嚷嚷。

“She is Maou Pam. She belongs to the Foreign Affairs Division, and she is considered a powerful Magical Girl.”
「她是魔王帕姆。隶属于外交部，被人们视为强者的魔法少女。」

“Oh~ powerful, then? How dare they gloss over my existence.”
「喔〜强者呀？竟然无视于吾辈的存在。」

“In this age, not throughout all history.”
「是现代的强者，并非历代最强。」

Maou Pam looked their way, and it felt as though she could see right through them. Frederica did not feel that she was overthinking this; her body temperature fell by two or three degrees, and a great shudder ran through Tot Pop’s body.
魔王帕姆看著这边，让她有一种全身上下都被看透的错觉。菲列特莉嘉并不认为自己多心。她的体感温度明显下降了两、三度，托托流行乐甚至大大地颤抖了一下。

Maou Pam shifted her line of sight, regarding Hana, who lay at Sonia’s feet. After staring at Hana for a while, she snapped her eyes back up.
魔王帕姆移动了视线，眼神停驻在躺在索妮雅脚边的羽菜。凝视著羽菜几秒钟后，立刻收回视线。

“And who might you be?”
「你们是什么人？」

It was English. So she had overheard them. Her pronunciation and accent were like a native, but the most important thing was the penetrating quality of her voice. Surprisingly enough, it made Frederica think of Cranberry, though the voice and tone were different. Perhaps it was simply wishful thinking on Frederica’s part. Pukin, on the other hand, was entirely unmoved by Maou Pam’s presence. She thrust her chest forward, her head held high, and answered:
是英文。对方果然听到了她们之间的对话。发音与当地的母语人士无异，最重要的是声音相当具有穿透力。不可思议的是，声音与语气明明不相像，却令菲列特莉嘉联想到克莱莓。也许纯粹只是菲列特莉嘉自己一厢情愿这么想吧。谱金则是完全不为魔王帕姆的气势所动，抬头挺胸地回答：

“Is it not polite to state your own name before asking someone else for theirs?”
「在询问别人名字之前，先报上自己姓名才合乎礼仪吧？」

“My name is Maou Pam. Are you the assassins?”
「吾乃魔王帕姆，你们是暗杀者吗？」

“My name is Pukin, and referring to me as an assassin is a grave insult.”
「吾乃谱金，称吾辈为暗杀者真是太无礼了。」

Sparks flew between them.
两人之间迸出火花。

Tot Pop grabbed one end of the rope binding Hana and dragged Hana back to the Fury, planning to stash her on the other side of the vehicle.
托托流行乐抓起绑住羽菜的绳索一端，拖著羽菜跑向严重受损的复仇女神，打算将她藏在车子另一侧。

However, the rope suddenly snapped and Hana’s body floated into the air.  Tot Pop, who was holding the end of the cut rope, froze in surprise and looked at Hana. One of the four wings had taken a human shape and was cradling the powerless Hana while floating in the air. Not only were its movements swift, but drawing attention to herself while simultaneously employing her Magical Skill from elsewhere spoke of great skill.
然而，绳索竟然断了，羽菜的身体浮在半空中。拿著绳索断面的托托流行乐，因为吃惊而带著一脸僵硬的表情看向羽菜。四角形的翅膀变成人形，抱起虚弱无力的羽菜，飘浮于空中。不只是动作迅速，将众人的注意力吸引到自己身上，再从别处施展魔法，手法实在高竿。

“We do not need hostages.”
「不需要人质这种东西。」

Pukin, on the other hand, was entirely unmoved by Maou Pam’s actions… at least, from what Frederica could tell. The corner of Pukin’s mouth twisted, and she pointed her sword at Maou Pam.
面对魔王帕姆的行为，谱金完全不为所动……至少就菲列特莉嘉看到的范围内是如此。谱金像是瞧不起对方般唇角微微一歪，以剑尖对淮魔王帕姆。

“Snatching away a captive without even paying a ransom? How rude.”
「连赎金都没付就抢走吾辈的俘虏，这种做法实在有失礼仪呀。」

“Such words should not be coming from the mouth of one who tortures their captives.”
「我可不想被拷问俘虏的无礼之徒这么说。」

Sonia stopped Pukin from lunging forward, instead taking a step forward herself. She grabbed her left fingertip with her right hand, plucked off the glove there and threw it at Maou Pam. The wind carried the white glove over, depositing it at Maou Pam’s feet.
索妮雅制止打算向前的谱金，自己反而向前一步。她以右手夹住左手指尖，摘掉左手手套后丢向魔王帕姆。白色手套在风的吹拂下飞了过去，落在魔王帕姆脚边。

Sonia planted both her hands on her waist and stood with both legs wide before bellowing:
索妮雅双手扠腰，双腿站得开开地大喊：

“Fight me fair and square, one on one!”
「来一场堂堂正正的一对一决斗吧！」

There were four of them. By numbers, they held the advantage. Frederica did not understand why Sonia wanted to abandon that advantage and demand single combat. What lay behind Sonia’s sudden actions? Frederica glanced to Pukin, who had taken a step back and whispered:
她们有四个人。以人数来说，她们比较占优势。菲列特莉嘉不懂索妮雅为何要放弃这个优势，特地发出一对一决斗的战帖。索妮雅突如其来的行动背后，是何意图？菲列特莉嘉于是转而望向谱金，谱金朝后退了半步，小声地低语：

“Once Sonia gets serious, she does not differentiate between friend or foe. She is telling us that she intends to duel the enemy, and we should fall back if we do not wish to get caught up in it. Sonia! I’ll leave it to you!”
「一旦索妮雅认真起来，是完全不分敌我的。她是在告诉我们……自己要跟对方进行一对一决斗，不想被牵连就快退开。索妮雅！交给你了！」

Being caught up in that fight would be a very bad thing. Frederica fell back with Pukin.
被牵连进去就不好玩了。菲列特莉嘉也随著谱金一起往后退开。

“To think I would actually meet a Magical Girl who would challenge me to single combat! It’s been a while since that last happened!”
「竟然会碰上要求与我进行一对一决斗的魔法少女！好久没有碰上了！」

Maou Pam loudly returned Sonia’s cry, and her expression was no longer icy and calm, Her face, from the tip of her chin to the top of her forehead, was twisted with glee, and her expression clearly displayed the joy in her heart.
魔王帕姆大声地回应索妮雅的呼唤，表情不再如先前般冷静自持。从她的下巴前端一直到额头髮际处，都因为喜悦而扭曲，整张脸都在表现著内心的欢喜。

“What is your name?”
「你叫什么名字？」

“...Sonia Bean.”
「……索妮雅•豆豆。」

The black humanoid carrying Hana sprouted a pair of gigantic wings and  flapped away into the distance. Maou Pam looked down from above upon Sonia, who had hunched over in readiness for battle. To think someone could make looking down from above look like a work of art, Frederica thought as she savored a pleasure unknown to anyone else.
抱著羽菜的黑色人形生出巨大的羽翼，啪桫啪桫地飞起，接著飞远。魔王帕姆则是居高临下地看著将身形压低、摆出备战姿势的索妮雅。想不到竟然有人能把居高临下的行为表现得如一幅画作般美丽，菲列特莉嘉细细品尝著不为人知的喜悦。

“Sonia Bean! I accept your challenge! Come have a go if you’re hard enough!”
「索妮雅·豆豆！我接受你的挑战！放马过来吧！」

Sonia immediately broke into a sprint, and Maou Pam swiftly flapped her wings.
索妮雅立刻飞奔起来，魔王帕姆则是迅速震动翅膀。

☆ Maou Pam (10 hours and 53 minutes remaining)

It would seem she could not go easy here. Her mission directives stated that she could not kill the assassin and she could not permit anyone to kill the assassin, but it was troubling to encounter an opponent whom she could not hold back on. Even so, a thrill of excitement rose through her heart. If she did not fight with the will to kill her opponent, she would be killed in turn. That was how powerful her opponent was.
看来无法手下留情。这次的任务主旨为不淮杀死暗杀者、不淮让人杀死暗杀者，但碰上无法手下留情的对手实在令人困扰。儘管如此，却有一股亢奋的情绪涌上她的心头。如果不抱持杀死对方的心态应战，自己会被杀死。对方就是这么强大。

She was certain that bringing the four wings to the scene of the car wreck was the right decision. Patchwork and the swordswoman and were powerful foes which she had never encountered before. Fighting duels, stating their names, fighting alone because she could no longer tell friend from foe… all these things made Maou Pam strangely excited.
她再一次确定，带上四片翅膀赶赴车祸现场的决定，绝对没有错。剑士与补丁是过去不曾碰上的强敌。一对一决斗、报上姓名、由于会敌我不分，所以自己独自战斗比较好的话语等，一切的一切在在令魔王帕姆感到兴奋莫名。

She had cast aside her original professionalism. The reason she had rescued Hana was not because she wanted to save her colleague, but because she felt that things would be bad if the opposition tried to use a hostage against her. The selfish desire to enjoy battle occupied 90% of her mind.
原本的职业道德不受控制地暴衝。刚才会先救走羽菜，其实也不是出自拯救伙伴的想法，而是基于对方以人质要胁的话，状况会对自己不利的盘算。想要好好享受战斗乐趣的私欲，占据了她大脑的九成。

Sonia’s fingers led the way, like a raging bull, and she could feel her surging fighting spirit. The other three had already hidden away. They had not run, but were observing the battle from elsewhere. She had to observe their movements, or there might be danger.
索妮雅以指尖刨著道路，彷彿斗牛般的动作，让人感受到高涨的斗志。其他三人已经躲藏起来了。并非逃跑，而是在某处观战。也必须注意她们的动静，否则也会有危险性。

Faced with Sonia’s charge, Maou Pam quietly intoned:
面对奔跑过来的索妮雅.萱宣，魔王帕姆低声轻喃。

“[Keeper of the Great Gate - Hadaniel].”
「希丹尔——巨大守门人。」

She folded a wing over and over before her like a wall, deploying it between herself and her opponent. At the same time --
将一片翅膀层层相迭化为牆壁，并在自己与对方之间展开来。与此同时——

“[Sacred Lance - Longinus].”
「朗基努斯——圣枪。」

She transformed two wings into lances and had them attack Sonia from both sides.
将两片翅膀变化成长枪后，让它们分别从左右攻击索妮雅。

Victory in battles between Magical Girls was heavily affected by “adaptability”. She had chosen this style of combat to eliminate that same adaptability as a factor from the battle. She had to predict her foe’s movements. If she could respond promptly to her enemy’s intention to attack, she would not suffer the miserable fate of bearing her enemy’s pre-emptive strike. Maou Pam used the wall to block her opponent’s vision, and while the wall defender her, she used her lances to pierce her foe from her blind spot.
魔法少女之间的战斗胜负，相当容易受到「适性度」左右。而她该选择的战斗方式，就是让那个「适性度」无法影响战局。她得预测敌人的攻击动作。只要能够即时对敌人的攻击企图产生反应，就不会落得遭敌人先发制人攻击的妻惨下场。魔王帕姆以牆壁遮蔽对方视线，透过牆壁进行防御的同时，从死角伸出长枪刺穿对方。

She shared her eyesight with the wings she had turned into walls and lances. The fact that she could block any direct line of fire between herself and her opponent, combined with the fact that she alone could see what was going on, would be of tremendous help during the next attack. Under these circumstances, the key factor would be in reading her opponent’s intentions through their subtle movements. If her opponent was a Magical Girl with a retaliatory Magical Skill, she would be radiating an air which said, “which point should I be aiming for now”. In that case, she should not launch a direct attack with the lances, but observe the situation.
她与翅膀形成的牆壁、长枪共享同一视力。除了屏蔽与对手之间的射击线视角，再加上自己能够单方面视物的好处，在接下来的攻击中能发挥极大作用。在这种情况下，关键在于透过视线或细微的举动读出对手的企图。如果对方是持有反击系魔法的魔法少女，通常到这个时机点就会散发出「瞄淮哪一点」的氛围。此时，就不能用刺出长枪之类的直接攻击，得先观察一下状况。

Sonia was charging singlemindedly at her, with no intention of evading the lances. It was not that she could not dodge them in time, but rather that she did not plan to dodge them at all. Maou Pam observed Sonia and wondered, “does she have a defensive Magical Skill”? It would seem her foe could either deflect the lances or she did not care if they pierced her. Sonia’s reaction seemed quite similar to the Arabian dancer she had fought in the air.
索妮雅只是一股脑儿地衝过来，并不打算避开长枪。看起来不像是闪避不及，而是完全没有打算闪避的意思。魔王帕姆观察起索妮雅，心想「难不成她拥有防御性魔法」。看来对方能够弹开长枪，抑或是被长枪刺中也没事。索妮雅的反应与先前在上空对战的阿拉伯舞者很像。

The two Longinus simultaneously pierced Sonia’s body from either side, but their points crumbled away like they were coal ash, vanishing without a trace. Even the Hadaniel could not stop Sonia at all, and she bashed a Sonia-shaped hole into it. Full of energy, Sonia sprinted at Maou Pam.
两把圣枪分毫不差地分别从左右刺入索妮雅的身体，但枪尖却脆弱地彷彿煤灰般，并消失见。就连防御用的巨大守门人也完全阻挡不了索妮雅，就这样被她撞开一个人形的洞。索妮雅活力充沛地朝魔王帕姆奔驰而来。

Sonia seemed to be using a Magical Skill that “disintegrated any object she touched”.  Maou Pam’s initial hypothesis that Sonia possessed a defensive Magical Skill was only half-correct. The right answer was that it combined offense and defense. A single Longinus was sharp enough to easily penetrate multiple slabs of bedrock, while the Hadaniel could take a nuclear strike at close range. However, both of these powerful weapons vanished without a trace after a single touch from Sonia, ignoring their offensive and defensive power entirely. All that remained were scraps of dancing ash.
索妮雅似乎是使用「能够消灭接触到的物体」的魔法。魔王帕姆原本怀疑索妮雅拥有防御魔法的猜测只答对一半。正确答案是攻守合一。圣枪拥有能够轻易贯穿数道厚实岩盘的锐利度，巨大守门人则是能够在极近距离之下承受核武攻击。然而这两个强大的武器，都在被索妮雅碰触到的瞬间，在无视于所有攻击力或承受力的情况下，不堪一击地消失得无影无踪。只有彷彿碎屑般的东西飞散开来，仅仅如此。

The three wings she had transformed into lances and a wall had all been destroyed, and the last wing was rescuing Hana. No obstacles stood between Maou Pam and Sonia. Sonia’s movements were readily apparent -- she was simply rushing right at her. She seemed to be trying for a flying tackle to embrace Maou Pam. She understood that much from her muscle movements.
化作两把枪、一道牆壁的翅膀，全都遭到突破，用掉了三片翅膀。最后一片则是挪去拯救菜。魔王帕姆与索妮雅之间，不存在任何的障碍物。索妮雅的举动一目瞭然，她不只是一味地跑过来而已。似乎打算使出擒抱式扑倒法，压倒魔王帕姆。从她肌肉的动作即可明白。

Could she block that hit? Blocking it, that was to say blocking a tackle bearing down from above, was impossible. She could not grasp the timing needed to smash her foe’s face in with her knee. In all likelihood, even Maou Pam’s body would be eradicated by Sonia’s Magical Skill. Anything she touched would be instantly converted to dust.
自己能够挡下这一击吗？说是要挡下，但是由上往下压制是不可能挡得住的。她也无法瞄淮时机以膝盖重击对方脸部。想必对索妮雅的魔法而言，即使是魔王帕姆的身体，也能够毫不例外地抹杀掉吧。被她接触到的瞬间就会化为灰尘。

I have to defeat the enemy before we clash!
必须在交锋前击溃敌人！

Maou Pam raised her right foot by ten centimeters, then channelled her strength into it before stamping down forcefully. Around her foot, the concrete road cracked open, shattered and caved in, as though some gigantic finger were pushing down with its pad. Sonia stumbled as the road suddenly sank beneath her feet, breaking her attack posture.
魔王帕姆将右脚举高十公分左右，将力量灌注于脚上后用力踩下去。水泥路面以魔王帕姆的右脚为中心裂开、碎裂、下陷，彷彿指甲肉刺般尖尖突起。而索妮雅由于前方的水泥地突然下陷的关系，绊了一下，攻击姿势瞬间瓦解。

While using her freely transformable wings to fight was Maou Pam’s specialty, that did not mean that she was defenseless without their protection. As a Magical Girl, relying solely on the power of one’s Magical Skill while disdaining punches, kicks and other forms of direct combat meant that one was finished. That was Maou Pam’s opinion on the matter.
虽然使用可任意变形的四片翅膀进行战斗，是魔王帕姆的看家本领，但并不代表被翅膀保护的本体脆弱得不堪一击。身为一介魔法少女，若是仗恃魔法的强大而嫌弃踢腿、出拳等直接的战斗方式，就等于完蛋了。这就是魔王帕姆抱持的主张。

Maou Pam leapt back to open up the distance between them. Then she gave the order to regenerate her lances and her wall. Regeneration took about five seconds, and she had to hold on until then.
魔王帕姆向后跳开拉开距离，下达再生出长枪与牆壁的指示。再生约需费时五秒钟，必须撑到那个时候。

Sonia leapt to the right, and then to the left, continuing her sprint towards her. She was no longer charging single-mindedly; she had incorporated feints and leaps into her movements. On the surface, Maou Pam demonstrated techniques like aerobatic stunts, hopping, leaping and twirling away from Sonia’s fingertips. However, several strands of her hair blackened and disintegrated from where she had not completely dodged her opponent. It would seem her evasion had been too relaxed. Maou redoubled her concentration.
索妮雅向右一跳，再向左一跳，接著继续奔驰而来。她不再是一味地向前衝，还加进假动作与跳跃。魔王帕姆在地面上施展出宛如飞机特技般的动作，跳跃、飞身、旋转，从索妮雅的指尖下逃开。然而，由于没有完全闪避导致数根头髮瞬间变黑，纷飞凋零。看来她的闪避动作过于鬆散，魔王帕姆更加集中注意力。

Opponents whose magic only worked by touch were actually quite easy to deal with. If her foe lacked the ability to fly, Maou Pam could simply rain death from above upon them. However, this location was not ideal for that. Maou Pam surveyed her surroundings as she pulled away from Sonia. The streets looked wide enough, but they would be too narrow if Maou Pam cut loose with her full power. In addition, the city center was nearby, and even if Maou Pam soared into the sky where her opponent could not follow, her foe would most likely run into the city, which would make pursuit difficult.
只靠接触就能发动魔法的敌人，其实算是相当容易解决的对手。若是对方不具飞行能力，魔王帕姆飞到空中持续以炮火猛攻就可以解决，不过地点欠佳。魔王帕姆一边拉开与索妮雅之间的距离，一边将视线投向四周。四线道的道路乍看之下很宽敞，但要供魔王帕姆使出全力暴走，又过于狭窄。再加上不远处就是市中心，即使魔王帕姆逃到对方无法出手的天空，想必对方也会逃进市中心，这样一来就不好追了。

Fighting within the city would only increase casualties. Maou Pam had not been sent here to massacre innocent civilians.
在市中心爆发衝突的话，只会平白扩大伤亡而已吧。魔王帕姆可不是为了滥杀无辜市民而被派来这裡的。

Fortunately, they were at the city limits, and the only things here were traffic signs, vending machines, grass fields, crop fields, crash barriers, and the like. The only places which might contain people were the museum or the library. However, nobody had come out of the doorway which the car had hit, so it was most likely empty. After this, as long as she could finish the battle before the ambulances or police vehicles came, she could avoid making unnecessary casualties.
幸好这裡处于市区边缘，最多只有交通道路标志、自动贩卖机、草原、农田、防撞护栏等东西而已。唯一可能有人的地方，是博物馆或资料馆之类的建筑物。不过，即使汽车撞上那裡的门柱也完全没有人出来查看，可见裡面空无一人。接下来，只要能够在救护车或警车赶来之前分出胜负，就能够避免造成不必要的伤亡。

Only Sonia remained within her line of sight. It would seem the other three were spying on them from somewhere. Maou Pam issued an attack order; against this particular foe, defense was useless.
她的视线范围内只有索妮雅一人，看来其馀三人躲在哪裡窥探吧。翅膀完成再生后，魔王帕姆立即下达攻击指令。面对这个敌人，防御一点意义都没有。

“[Flames of Hell - Gehenna].”
「焦热地狱——炼狱之炎。」

A wing transformed into fire and plastered itself over Sonia’s body, but it disintegrated where it touched her, scattering into floating ash, while Sonia did not seem to have been burnt.
化为火焰的翅膀舔舐著索妮雅的全身上下，却从碰触到的那一端开始，零零落落地飘散开来，索妮雅并没有受到任何烧伤。

“[Word of Wisdom - Logos]”
「逻各斯——真言。」

A wing transformed into a directional sonic blast and collided with Sonia, but vanished to no effect whatsoever.
变化成具有指向性破坏音波的翅膀撞上索妮雅后，在完全没有引起任何效果的情形下消失。

“[Bright Star of the Morning - Lucifer]
「路西法——启明星。」

A high-temperature attack born of concentrated light lanced forth, but the beam of superheated light blackened and rotted away like ash from where it had touched Sonia. It was a hellish sight even for Pam, who was named after a Demon King. Sonia did not seem to be bothered by the blinding radiance, running with great gusto.
由集中的光线转变而成的高温攻击发射出去，但高温光束却从被索妮雅碰触到的部分开始彷彿煤炭般燻黑腐朽。那副场景连名为魔王的帕姆，都不禁认为彷彿人间炼狱。只见索妮雅完全不觉得光线刺眼般，活力十足地奔跑著。

“[Roaring Windstorm - Minos]”
「米诺斯——咆哮狂风。」

She could not blow her away with the wind either. Sonia held her right hand before her to block the wind, which crumbled into black ash and scattered behind her.
也无法以强风颳走。索妮雅以右手遮在前方挡住强风，化成黑色碎屑的风随即朝索妮雅身后散去。

“[Venomous Serpent - Echidna].”
「厄客德娜——毒蛇。」

She experimentally generated poison gas, but as expected, it had no effect.
抱著尝试看看的心态而製作的毒气，果然完全无效。

“[Frozen Nadir - Cocytus].”
「悲叹之河——冰封地狱最底层。」

Since applying heat did not work, what about depriving her of heat? She experimented with trying to freeze Sonia’s attacks with low temperatures, but it did not work. Anything Sonia touched instantly vanished like smoke.
既然加热的攻击行为毫无意义，那么夺走热能的攻击行为又如何呢？尝试性地透过低温冻结索妮雅的攻击，并没有发挥作用，一被索妮雅碰触到的瞬间立刻烟消云散。

After so many attacks, she still could not keep Sonia from closing in. Thus, Maou Pam was forced to dodge. This was a game of tag, with Sonia as “it”, and the penalty for being caught was death.
即使尝试过这么多攻击手段，却仍然无法阻止索妮雅逼近，因此魔王帕姆必须不时躲避。鬼抓人游戏的鬼是索妮雅，被她碰到只有死路一条。

In addition, the combat area was limited. Maou Pam could not escape as she willed. If she fled in the wrong direction, she would only cause more damage. This was the only place Maou Pam could flee -- this crossroads.
加上场地受限，魔王帕姆无法任意逃窜。如果逃错地方，只怕会造成伤亡扩大。魔王帕姆能够逃的地方只有这裡——四线道的马路而已。


☆ 7753 (10 hours and 48 minutes remaining)

Hana was flying.
羽菜在空中飞。

Mana pointed to the sky and began shouting, and Ripple ran over. 7753 looked like she had been thoroughly bamboozled by this string of incomprehensible events happening one after the other, and it took a long time before she could catch up with what had happened.
麻奈手指著空中并大声嚷嚷，莉普儿追了过去。一直不断地发生自己无法理解的事情，7753像是被耍得团团转般，好不容易才跟得上事情变化的脚步。

Before long, Ripple returned with Hana in her arms. Hana was covered in wounds, one of her ears had been cut off at the middle, and she looked like she had been subjected to inhumane treatment. Mana began screaming again. Hana cracked her eyes open, and subtly moved her mouth. She was smiling.
过不了多久，莉普儿便抱著羽菜返回。羽菜全身都是伤，再加上一边的耳朵从中间被割断，总而言之就是遭到惨无人道的对待。麻奈再度大声嚷嚷起来。羽菜微微睁开眼，微微地动了动嘴巴。她笑了。

“To think… I actually came back alive.”
「想不到……竟然能够活著回来。」

“Hana-san, please don’t push yourself.”
「羽菜小姐，请你别太勉强。」

“I hadn’t been planning to… still, I really didn’t expect to come back alive from there.”
「我原本并不打算勉强自己的……不过，我真的没想到能够从那裡生还。」

Her eyes and ears had been stopped up during the rescue, so she did not know who had saved her, but by process of elimination, she had arrived at someone.
获救的当下，由于眼睛与耳朵被堵起来的关系，羽菜无从得知是谁拯救了自己，但还是透过删去法锁定了某号人物。

“If everyone’s here… that means… Maou Pam-san saved me…”
「大家在这裡……也就是说……是魔王帕姆小姐救了我吧……」

“A black ball carried you here… it turned into a rectangular plate and then flew back. If I’m not wrong, that ought to be Maou Pam’s wing… I think.”
「黑色的球体带著你飞过来的……变成四方形的板子后又飞回去了。如果我没看错的话，那个应该是魔王帕姆的翅膀……吧。」

“Ahhh, then it was Maou Pam-san… thanks to her… I was saved.”
「啊啊，那么果然是帕姆小姐……托她的福……我才能够获救。」

“Who did this to you? Was it Frederica and her people?”
「是谁把你打成这副模样？是菲列特莉嘉一伙人吗？」

Ripple ran towards the direction Hana had come from. If the information was correct, then there was more than one enemy. Ripple must have been going to back up Maou Pam. 7753 wondered if she should give chase as well, but then she realised that she would be useless even if she did go, and decided to stay with Hana.
莉普儿朝羽菜飞来的方向飞奔而去。如果情报无误，敌人不只一人。想必莉普儿是前去支援魔王帕姆吧。7753思索著自己是否也该追过去，但一想到即使自己跟去也无法派上用场，便决定留在羽菜身边。

Her superior’s directives appeared on her goggles: Hana is very weak. Take her to a quiet place where you won’t be noticed and treat Hana.
上司的指示显示在护目镜上。羽菜非常衰弱，找个不会引人注目的僻静之处，在那裡治疗羽菜吧。

Those instructions made a lot of sense. Hana was in a fragile state now, so they had to take her to a place without anyone to treat her injuries. 7753 said as much to Mana, and they brought her into the shadow of a vending machine three alleys away.
这道指示说得非常有道理。羽菜现在很衰弱，必须将她带到没人的地方进行治疗。7753对麻奈说出一样的话，将羽菜搬到距离三条巷弄的自动贩卖机阴影处。

Her superior must have a map of this city. The instructions to “go three alleys down and look for the rest point behind a vending machine” were very concise.7753 was very grateful for the clarity of these instructions.
想必上司的手边有这座小镇的地图吧。走过三条巷弄后、自动贩卖机阴影处，对于歇脚处的指示下得相当详细。而这些指示能够如此具体，实在令人感激不尽。

Mana held a piece of paper in one hand and began inscribing a magic circle. Then, she lay Hana in the center, and began incanting in an occult language as she held her staff. This must be some sort of healing magic. She did not know if Hana had any idea what Mana was doing. All she saw was her thin smile as she lay on the ground. 7753 gripped Hana’s hand tightly.
麻奈单手拿著便条纸并描绘起魔法阵。接著，扶羽菜在中央处躺好，持手杖开始唱诵咒语。想必是打算使用疗癒系魔法吧。不知道羽菜是否清楚麻奈在做什么，只见她露出浅浅的笑容横躺在地上。7753紧紧握住羽菜的手。


☆ Maou Pam (10 hours and 39 minutes remaining)

She had tried cutting with sharp blades, igniting gunpowder to set off explosions, burying her in huge quantities of stone, even squashing her with a machine press, but none of her attacks worked. Sonia closed in on Maou Pam with a gleam in an eyes like a child who had just gotten a new toy.
她试过用锐利的刀刃砍杀、引燃火药并引爆、用大量的土石掩埋、以巨大的压模机压扁，但所有的攻击都无效。索妮雅有如刚得到新玩具的孩子般，双眼闪闪发光地逼近魔王帕姆。

--Haha, am I the toy, then?
——哈哈，我是玩具呀。

How cruel, to be regarded as a toy even though I’m a Magical Girl. As Maou Pam laughed at herself, she felt the mysterious excitement of a child with a new toy as well.
身为魔法少女竟然被视为玩具，还真是残忍呀。当魔王帕姆如此自嘲的同时，也自觉自己也宛如刚得到新玩具的小孩般兴奋莫名。

Maou Pam observed Sonia Bean as she fled. Everything she touched turned into black ash which scattered away. She could spend a hundred years throwing conventional attacks at her and not be able to take her opponent down. It would seem she had no choice but to change her way of thinking.
魔王帕姆边逃边观察索妮雅•宣宣。被她碰触到的所有事物，都会化为黑色碎屑飘散而去。如果用正常的攻击手段，即使耗费一百年也无法攻下对方。看来自己得改变，一下思考方式。

“[Hatred - Mastema]”
「莫斯提马——憎恨。」

She turned three wings into a screw propellor that moved on along the road. She was not targeting Sonia, but the road under her feet.The propellor carved away at the road with ferocious force, throwing up a cloud of dust.
将三片翅膀变成螺旋状后，在道路上移动。她瞄淮的并不是索妮雅，而是索妮雅脚下的马路。以猛烈的气势旋转的螺旋桨刨削著道路，扬起阵阵粉尘。

The screw propellor did not just destroy the road, but the ground beneath it. It did not simply tear away but dug down. Sonia had been wondering why the wings had stopped attacking, but then she turned toward Maou Pam. Not enough! Maou Pam had to go deeper.
螺旋桨破坏的对象不只道路，也包括水泥下的地面。除了刨削的动作，还向下挖凿。尘埃与水泥碎片滚滚卷起，原本一脸困惑地看著翅膀停止攻击的索妮雅朝魔王帕姆的方向来。还不够！魔王帕姆继续凿得更深。，

She single-mindedly attacked the ground, digging a hole. The ground near Sonia’s feet grumbled and rolled in. The hole had to be deeper, and in any case she had to excavate as much as possible. A bird’s eye view might reveal a circular hole cut out of the earth. Maou Pam wrapped a black wing around herself like a suit, covering her body tightly and not permitting any air to escape. The dust was so thick that it would be unbearable without a suit for protection.
她一股脑儿地攻击地面、挖洞穴。索妮雅脚边的地面也因此塌陷、向下滚落。洞穴要深，总而言之就是尽量挖凿。从上空鸟瞰的话，应该会看到地面被割出一块圆形。魔王帕姆将黑色翅膀变形成作业服，密不通风地紧紧包覆住全身。粉尘实在太严重，没有作业服难以待在其中。

Maou Pam stood at the base of the hole, and on the other side of the smoke she saw a human shape.
魔王帕姆站在洞穴底部，在烟尘的另一头目视到蠕动的人影。

Sonia was still running, and within this limited space that was only 30 meters across, there was nowhere to flee. The attacker had an immense advantage here.
索妮雅依旧奔跑著，在直径三十公尺有馀的有限空间裡，几乎无处可逃。攻击方占有绝佳的地利之便。

Maou Pam deployed a black membrane between herself and Sonia -- a thin, stretchy and movable wall of a membrane -- and covered the entire hole. This was not to impede Sonia’s movements. After all, nothing could stop Sonia’s movements. This was intended to block line of sight.
魔王帕姆在自己与索妮雅之间张开黑色的膜——可以算得上是柔软又会移动的薄牆膜，遍布整个洞穴。这并不是用来妨碍索妮雅的行动，毕竟没有物体能够阻挡索妮雅的行动，这是用来遮蔽视线的。

Maou Pam shared her vision with the membrane, and evaded her in an anticlockwise direction along the edges of the membrane. Just then, the wing flew back. It was the wing she had sent to take Hana to a safe place, now free from the constraints of its order. Maou Pam ordered it to become a sticky, flammable liquid, which then poured into the hole.
魔王帕姆与膜共享视线，以逆时针方向在膜的周遭移动，拉开与索妮雅之间的距离。与此同时，翅膀飞回来了。是她派去把羽菜送至安全场所的翅膀，从命令的束缚中获得释放。魔王帕姆让飞回来的翅膀在洞穴上方变成可燃性的黏液，接著顺势倒入洞穴裡。

“[Flames of Hell - Gehenna].”
「焦热地狱——炼狱之炎。」

Ignited by the flames, the entire hole became a sea of fire. Unlike the previous Gehenna, this attack was not intended to burn Sonia. High temperatures were useless against Sonia. Maou Pam lit the fire while taking care not to be touched by Sonia, and continued to produce liquid fuel to keep the fire burning. Even if Sonia destroyed the membrane, it would continually regenerate, disrupting Sonia’s judgement like a maze.
以火焰点燃，将整个洞穴化为一片火海。这招与先前的炼狱之炎不同，目的并非直接灼烧索妮雅。高温对索妮雅•宣宣无法起任何作用。魔王帕姆小心翼翼地在不被索妮雅碰触的情况下点火，为了保持火势持续不断地生产出可燃性黏液。而膜即使被索妮雅消灭，也还是会一直不断张设新的膜，彷彿迷宫般扰乱索妮雅的判断力。

Finally, Sonia’s movements began slowing down. Maou Pam slowed down herself to match her pace. She could not let Sonia abandon the attack. Thus, Maou Pam let Sonia feel her presence at all time, keeping just barely out of arm’s reach. She fuelled the flames into a roaring inferno, taking care not to be touched directly by Sonia as she moved.
最后，索妮雅的动作终于逐渐迟缓下来，魔王帕姆则是配合著她的步调放慢速度。但绝对不能让索妮雅放弃攻击，于是魔王帕姆让索妮雅时时刻刻都能感受到自己的气息，保持在手再伸长一点点就能够触及的距离下。让火焰一路延烧成熊熊燃烧的火海，并在移动中注意不被被索妮雅直接碰触到。

Sonia’s body wobbled. Her footsteps were unsteady, and she looked like she was about to collapse. Even so, Sonia still came at Maou, holding on to the hope that, “just a little more and I can touch her”. Sonia burst through the membrane, her tongue sticking out as she panted in misery. Her face, lit by the roaring flames seemed to glow a brilliant red.
索妮雅的身形摇晃起来，脚步不稳，看似快昏厥过去。即使如此，索妮雅仍然抱持著「只差一丁点就能碰到」的一丝希望，朝魔王帕姆而来。衝破膜的索妮雅，吐著舌头痛苦地喘息不已。在熊熊烈火映照下的脸庞，散发出豔豔红光。

--Excellent.
——很好。

It was working.
起作用了。

Against external attacks, Sonia possessed an absolute defense and offense. No external attack could penetrate Sonia Bean’s Magical Skill. That being the case, Maou Pam thought… instead of attacking Sonia herself, why not take away her “ally”?
对于外部攻击，索妮雅.宣宣具备绝对有效的攻击力与防御力。无论从外部如何攻击，都无法突破索妮雅.岂登的魔法。既然如此，魔王帕姆心想……那么就别攻击索妮雅.宣登本身，若是夺走她的「盟友」呢？

Without special gear or Magical Skills, Magical Girls had to breathe. No Magical Girl, however strong, could move without oxygen. Maou Pam had been burning up oxygen endlessly in this limited space to impede Sonia’s breathing. Even a Magical Girl’s exceptional lungs could not function forever. Of course, Maou Pam had stored ample supplies of air within her suit when she had come up with this scenario.
只要没有特殊的装备或魔法，魔法少女就得呼吸。缺氧的话，无论是多么顽强的魔法少女都无法活动。魔王帕姆在洞穴这个有限的空间内，不断燃烧氧气，阻碍索妮雅呼吸。就算是魔法少女优秀的肺部，也无法保证能够永无止境地运作。当然，帕姆本身早就设想好这种情况，在作业服内蓄积空气。

By the time she realised that she could not breathe, it was too late. Sonia was too committed to the battle.
等到察觉自己无法呼吸时，已经为时已晚。索妮雅太过埋首于战斗之中了。

Sonia seemed to be trying to shout something, but her voice was hoarse and she could not vocalize.
索妮雅似乎想大喊什么话语，但声音嘶哑地无法出声。

Sonia was probably trying to use her Magical Skill to dig through the wall or ground to widen the hole. However, whenever she tried that, Maou Pam would surround Sonia in flames and stalk her like a shadow.
想必索妮雅会使用自己的魔法挖掘牆壁或地面，藉此拓宽洞穴吧。不过，就算如此，魔王帕姆还是会让火焰团团包围住索妮雅，形影不离地追赶她。

Sonia had no options. Even when she tried to dig into the walls to crawl out, Maou would instantly pulverize the protruding surfaces. She extruded tentacles from her wings to destroy every foothold Sonia could find, leaving her nothing she could step on.
索妮雅没有任何选项，即使她将脚踩上壁面突出处想要爬出洞穴，魔王帕姆也会立刻打碎突出的壁面。从翅膀伸出去的触手，打掉索妮雅脚下所站之处，让她踩了个空。

Maou Pam dispelled the membrane between them. Sonia turned around, glaring at Maou Pam, who had finally showed herself. Sonia, who had been fighting happily all this time, now had a look of naked hatred on her face.
魔王帕姆拿掉原本挡在其中的膜。索妮雅转过头来，狠狠地瞪著终于现身的魔王帕姆。原本一脸愉快地战斗的索妮雅.宣岂，如今脸上流露出赤裸裸的憎恨之情。

Sonia fell to one knee, both hands on the ground, arching up her waist. This was not a prelude to a collapse. By the time Maou Pam realised that it was a runner’s start, Sonia had already begun her furious charge. Sometimes, irrational, emotional behavior could determine the strength of a Magical Girl. Sonia Bean was already like a candle flickering in the wind, but she had probably poured all her strength into that rush. The ebbing candle flared up in a last burst of fire, as a Magical Girl who had been driven to her wits’ end expended all the remaining reserves of strength within her.
索妮雅·豆豆单膝著地，两手撑在地上，抬起腰部。这并不是她即将倒下的前兆。当魔王帕姆察觉到那是起跑姿势时，索妮雅已经奋力地衝了过来。非理性的情感波动，有时也能左右魔法少女的强弱。如风中残烛的索妮雅•宣苣，恐怕是耗尽全部的体力使出衝刺。快熄灭的蜡烛一鼓作气猛烈燃烧，被逼到绝境的魔法少女激发出潜藏在体内的气力。

Sonia rushed across the blaze in a single movement, reached her target, and hugged Maou Pam’s body tightly. She did not discover that it was a fake as she bore her down.
索妮雅一口气衝过火焰、达阵，紧紧抱住魔王帕姆的身体，并在没有发现那是冒牌货的情况下，向前倒去。

Even though her foe was on the verge of death, Maou Pam did not lower her guard. She had fashioned the membrane-wing into her shape and had it appear in front of Sonia -- who was at death’s door -- as a tempting lure. Her senses clouded from a lack of oxygen, she took the bait. The Maou-wing vanished, and Sonia remained motionless on the ground.
即使面对濒临死亡的对手，魔王帕姆也不会轻忽大意。她将原本用来当膜的翅膀变化成自己的模样，出现在垂死边缘的索妮雅面前，引索妮雅上勾。因为缺氧而意识朦胧的索妮雅，就这样上勾了。以翅膀变成的魔王帕姆消失不见，索妮雅则是倒在地上一动也不动。


Maou Pam stepped away from the wall, reverting her suit to its original state. Maou Pam concentrated the fire and the flammable liquid that filled the hole onto Sonia’s body, which lay on the ground.  While waiting for the right moment to finish her off, she transformed the sleeve of her clothes into a shield to deflect the stream of music notes from outside the hole.
魔王帕姆离开牆壁，将作业服变回原样。魔王帕姆把覆盖住洞穴的可燃液体与火焰朝倒在地上的索妮雅身上集中，一边瞄淮时机给予致命的一击，一边将服装的手臂部分变化成盾牌，挡下从洞穴外攻击而来的音符奔流。

She had already knew that the cowards who challenged her to one on one combat would surely come out to interfere at some point. She did not intend to rebuke them as despicable or shameless. After all, this was war.
她早就知道，故意强调单打独斗，向自己下战帖的鼠辈，一定会在某个时机点出手干涉。她并不打算骂对方卑鄙、无耻，毕竟战争就是这么一回事。

Since she had dispelled her heatproof suit, a great wave of heat instantly assailed her. It was not unbearable for a Magical Girl, but she did not want to linger here.
由于她解除了防热衣的关系，全身上下瞬间遭到大火烘烤。虽然并不是魔法少女无法承受的热度，但也不想在此地久留。

Each and every music note could pulp flesh and shatter bone. She could not allow herself to be hit by them. After that, she sensed a powerful surge of murderous intent from behind her -- the swordswoman and the fortune-teller.
每一道音符都具备能够打碎骨肉的强大威力，绝对不能被击中。接著，她感受到背后传来强烈的杀气——是剑士与占卜师。

One wing was transformed into flammable liquid. One more was a fire. The Maou-imposter wing had not yet regenerated. The last wing had been transformed into a coat, but it was now holding off the music note attack and protecting herself. Their enemies must have been thinking that Maou Pam would have to take their attacks on by herself, and with two-to-one odds, she would surely be slaughtered.
一片翅膀变成可燃液，一片翅膀变成火焰，而变成魔王帕姆替身的翅膀，遭到索妮雅破坏还来不及再生。剩下一片翅膀则是变成外衣，现在用来变成盾牌阻挡音符攻击，保护自己。想必敌人早就计算好了，魔王帕姆必须凭一己之力对付接下来的攻击，如果是二对―，她一定会被宰掉。

Of course, Maou Pam had already anticipated this.
当然，魔王帕姆早就预测到这个局面。

Maou Pam could use her Magical Skill to control a maximum of four wings at once. Unlike those four wings, there were two more wings. But why say “unlike those four wings”? That was because those two wings were Maou Pam’s original wings. In other words, they were subordinate creatures, like a Magical Girl’s costumes or limbs. They could not leave the main body or change their nature. She usually shrank them down so others would not notice them. Only in case of an emergency would she would revert those two wings to their original state.
魔王帕姆能够透过魔法操控的翅膀上限为四片。不同于这四片翅膀，另外还有两片羽翼。为什么会说「不同于这四片翅膀」，是因为那两片羽翼为魔王帕姆原本的羽翼，也就是魔法少女装扮或四肢的衍生物，无法离开本体也无法变化属性。平常因为缩得小小的，所以不会被人注意到。只有万一发生什么事情时，才会让那两片羽翼恢复原本的模样。

This was just such an emergency.
如今正是那个万一发生什么事情的时候。

Maou Pam vastly extended a wing on her back, shunting away the flashing sword, and used the other wing to block the fortune-teller’s flying kick. The enemy did not seem to be able to react in time to the unexpected actions of their enemy. The fortune-teller hesitated, but the swordswoman did not. Thus, she ought to deal with the swordswoman first.
魔王帕姆将背上的羽翼大大地伸展开来，格开刺过来的剑，并用另一.片羽翼挡下占卜师的飞踢。面对预料之外的举动，敌人似乎反应不及。占卜师有所迟疑，剑士毫不迟疑。因此，应该先对付剑士。

Maou Pam swung a wing, punching at the fortune-teller’s side. While she managed to mount a defense, she could not hold off Maou Pam’s incredible strength and was sent flying ten meters to the side, slamming into the wall of the hole.
魔王帕姆振翅，揍向占卜师的侧腹部。虽然占卜师确实地进行防御，却无法挡下魔王帕姆惊人的力道，整个人横向被打飞十公尺，撞上洞穴的牆壁。

She pulled away from the fortuneteller to set up a one-on-one scenario. She could not let the fortune-teller re-enter the fray; she had to settle things with the swordswoman here. The wing that had been flammable fluid transformed into a human shape and went after the fortune-teller. Since this was to buy time, an automatic engagement routine would suffice. She could not dispel the fire-wing yet. She would leave it there until Sonia died once and for all.
拉开与占卜师之间的距离，製造出一对一的情境。绝对不能让占卜师重新加入战局，她要在这裡与剑士分出胜负。将变成可燃液的翅膀-转化成人形后朝占卜师而去。这是用来拖延时间的，用自动模式即可。目前还不能解除变成火焰的翅膀，在索妮雅完全断气前先留在原地。

The remainder focused on the swordswoman, with both wings launching a pincer attack from both sides. The swordswoman evaded the right side’s attack with magnificent footwork, seeking to use her rapier in time with the left side’s attack. Thus, Maou Pam broke off the attack, shrinking the wing to avoid letting it touch the rapier. The enemy seemed to be trying to take the hit on her slender rapier.
剩下的全都倾注在剑士身上，以两片羽翼从左右包夹进行攻击。剑士以侧身滑步华丽地避开右边的攻击，并打算配合左边攻击的时机使用西洋剑。因此，魔王帕姆硬生生中断攻击，将羽翼缩小藉此避掉西洋剑的接触。敌人似乎是刻意让细长的西洋剑去承受攻击。

Her opponent seemed to have a sinister objective in mind. Every move she made seemed calculated just to score a light touch. It was very likely that it was a magical weapon, so she could not touch it carelessly.
对方的目的很诡异，一举一动彷彿只要碰触到就行了。看来极有可能是魔法武器，不能随便碰触。

Then came a thrust from the rapier. Maou Pam leapt clear of the first blow, then twisted her body aside to deal with the second one, and then ducked to avoid the third strike. At the same time, Maou Pam pasted her wings to the ground, using them as anchor points to jump and pin down the enemy with a flying kick. She drew her leg back before the fourth thrust could make contact with her calf, and this time she pivoted on her foot and flung out a kick. Her original plan was to kick the swordswoman’s right hand to pieces, but her opponent answered with an elbow, and her foot went briefly numb.
西洋剑发动的刺击攻了过来。第一击，魔王帕姆向后跳开，并扭转身体应付接著袭来的第二次刺击，再来蹲低身形躲避掉第三击。同时，魔王帕姆将两片羽翼贴附在地面上，以此为支撑点跳起，使出飞踢牵制敌人。在第四次的刺击碰触到小腿骨前收脚，这次则以脚为轴心伸出腿。原本想要踢爆剑士的右手，但遭对方以手肘迎击，脚背顿时感到一阵刺麻。

The fifth thrust came in. With one leg numbed and in an extremely unnatural position, Maou Pam should have had a hard time evading her opponent’s attack… or at least, it should have been that way. However, she used the two wings pasted on the ground to bring up a huge chunk of concrete and raised it up in time with her opponent’s attack. The rapier penetrated into the concrete chunk, while Maou Pam ducked behind the chunk.
第五次刺击攻了过来。在单脚麻痺、极为不自然的姿势下，魔王帕姆难以闪避对方的攻击……看起来应该会是如此。然而，她用贴在地面上的两片羽翼，举起自己脚边的巨大水泥块，配合对方的攻撃时机，立起水泥块牆。西洋剑刺进水泥块，魔王帕姆则是躲在水泥块背后。

She turned clockwise and attacked from beside the concrete chunk. The swordswoman abandoned her rapier, which was buried in the concrete, and punched at Maou Pam’s face. Maou Pam seized the fist with her left hand, blocking it. Maou Pam squeezed, seeking to crush her foe’s fist, but the fist was incredibly hard.
她朝顺时针方向一转，从水泥块内侧袭击敌人。剑士丢开插在水泥块上的西洋剑，以拳头打向魔王帕姆的脸，魔王帕姆则是以左手包覆住敌人的拳头，挡下攻击。魔王帕姆瞬间使力，打算直接握碎对方的拳头，但拳头坚硬无比。

One of Maou Pam’s wings circled around the concrete chunk, but the swordswoman stepped on it, and the swordswoman’s left hand, which had originally been holding her dagger, had taken hold of Maou Pam’s wrist. Thus, Maou Pam tried to attack with the second wing, but the swordswoman had stepped on the concrete chunk to keep it down.
魔王帕姆绕过水泥块的羽翼被剑士一脚踩住，原本持小剑的剑士左手则是抓住魔王帕姆的手腕。于是，魔王帕姆试著以第二片羽翼攻击剑士，但剑士却用脚压住水泥块。

Her wings were blocked by the swordswoman’s feet. Their arms were both tied up with each other, and it could not hold. That being the case, why not a kick? But before she could kick, she was overwhelmed by the swordswoman’s strength. The hand which had been holding the dagger, and the right fist were all applying pressure and closing in on her. Maou Pam was being steadily forced back. If she tried to kick, she would be pushed back as well. She had lost to the swordswoman in strength. She had thought that the swordswoman’s strong points would be technique and speed, given her rapier, but her physical strength was also superhuman.
她的羽翼被剑士的脚挡下。双手则是彼此交握，僵持不下。既然如此，就出腿吧。但在她踢腿之前，就被剑士的力气压制住。原本持著小剑的左手、右手的拳头，都逐渐朝她的方向增加压力而来。魔王帕姆渐渐被推回来，出脚的话，也同样会被回推。她在力量上输给剑士。原本认为剑士的强项是以技术和速度为主的西洋剑，想不到臂力也超乎常人。

--Interesting!
——有意思！

The swordswoman pressed down with even more force, and Maou Pam picked this moment to use a headbutt. She savagely smashed her forehead onto the swordswoman’s nose, but even so, the swordswoman’s strength did not decrease. Instead, she headbutted Maou Pam’s chin. Maou Pam did not back down, but headbutted heavily, smashing the swordswoman’s nose with the crown of her head. Her nose bled, her skin split, and fresh blood flowed freely. She headbutted again, and her opponent met it with her forehead. The intense collision caused them both to rebound away from each other.
剑士更加用力地压过来，魔王帕姆看淮这个时机使用头捶。她以额头狠狠地撞向剑士的鼻头，即使如此剑士仍然没有减轻力道，反而用额头攻击魔王帕姆的下巴。魔王帕姆毫不退缩地使出重重的头捶，以头顶撞烂剑士的鼻子。鼻血横飞、皮肤绽裂，同时也混杂著鲜血。她再度使出头捶，敌人以额头迎击，双方的头在剧烈撞击后，因反作用力而朝后一仰。

Her opponent still refused to ease  up. Maou Pam moved her wings, slowly approaching her enemy’s arm. Since headbutts were not enough to attain victory, should she tear out her opponent’s throat with her teeth? With that thought in mind, Maou Pam looked at the swordswoman’s face, and at the same time she sensed something odd about the swordswoman’s expression. Her forehead was cut, her nose was smashed flat, but those were fine. The problem was the swordswoman’s expression. It was a look of doubt, as though she had seen something incomprehensible, and it was not directed at Maou Pam. The swordswoman was looking past Maou Pam’s face, behind her.
敌人仍然不肯减轻力道。魔王帕姆一步步.地移动羽翼，慢慢接近敌人的手臂。只用头捶无法分出高下，是否要咬断对方的喉咙呢？一思及此的魔王帕姆看向剑士的脸，顿时察觉到剑士的表情有异。额头有撕裂伤、鼻子被撞扁，这些都没有问题。问题是浮现在脸上的表情。彷彿在看什么无法理解的事物的狐疑表情，而且不是对著魔王帕姆。剑士越过魔王帕姆的脸，看向后方。



As she thought about what the swordswoman might have seen, something pierced her belly through her back, and Maou Pam coughed up blood. Her coughed blood stained something bright red, something which radiated a blinding glow amidst the crimson flames. It was brighter and clearer than those which one would see after a rainy day. It was a multi-colored rainbow. She had not sensed anything. Not heat, not sound, nothing.
当她思索著剑士到底看到什么的下一秒，已经遭到某个东西从背部一路贯穿到腹部，魔王帕姆吐出血来。被魔王帕姆吐出来的血染红的那个东西，盛接著火焰般的红光散发出耀眼光芒。比起在雨后的天空所见的那个，要更加清晰地存在于此。那是一道七色彩虹。完全没有感觉到任何气息。无论是热度或声音，完全察觉不到。

--A rainbow? Why?
——彩虹？为什么？

The rainbow which had penetrated Maou Pam’s body had torn open the swordswoman’s belly with incredible force, and the swordswoman lost her balance and fell. By the merest of margins, she grabbed the rapier lodged in the concrete. However, the rapier could not take the swordswoman’s weight and slid free, and the swordswoman cast aside Maou Pam’s hand as she rolled to the ground.
贯穿魔王帕姆身体的彩红，就这样以惊人的气势撕裂剑士的腹部，剑士因失去平衡向前倒，在千钧一髮之际抓住了插在水泥块上的西洋剑。然而，剑身承受不住剑士的重量而脱落，剑士随著向下坠的气势一併甩开魔王帕姆的手，滚落地面。

Maou Pam tried to escape the rainbow, but her legs could not exert any strength. She could not advance and she could not retreat. She was pinned in place by the rainbow that had pierced her.
魔王帕姆尝试逃离彩虹，脚却使不上力。她无法追上去，也无法回头，被贯穿自己身体的彩虹架著。

A second rainbow, a third rainbow came, and she could not avoid them.
第二道彩虹、第三道彩虹袭来，无法躲开。

Maou Pam’s body was cut to pieces by rainbows, and she died.
魔王帕姆被七色彩虹五马分尸，气绝身亡。


☆ Pythie Frederica (10 hours and 20 minutes remaining)

Pythie had only agreed on the surface with Pukin’s demand that they save Sonia. She had no intention of saving Sonia at all, only the wish to defeat Maou Pam. In order to eliminate a first-rate Magical Girl like Maou Pam and eliminate the biggest obstacle in their way, she concluded that it would be better to let Sonia martyr herself. She had not entered the battlefield to save Sonia, but instead she was aiming for the moment when Maou Pam would finish off Sonia, when she was most focused, and then they would take her by surprise. With the three of them together, they should have had a chance.
对于谱金说要前去搭救索妮雅的主张，菲列特莉嘉只在明面上同意。在她内心根本没有打算拯救索妮雅，有的只是打倒魔王帕姆的心愿而已。为了除掉魔王帕姆这种极品魔法少女，兼目前最大障碍物，她判断还是让索妮雅壮烈牺牲为佳。她并不是为了拯救索妮雅而闯入战局，而是为了瞄淮魔王帕姆给予索妮雅致命一击的瞬间、精神最集中的时机点，攻其不备。只要三个人齐心协力就有胜算。

She asked Pukin to allow her to determine the right time to step in, and then deliberately delayed the ambush. They ran to Sonia with the intention of saving her, but they were too late to do so.
她请求谱金让她判断出手时机，并刻意延迟袭击行动。以拯救索妮雅为前提，为时已晚的飞奔至索妮雅跟前。

The timing was just right… or at least, it should have been. That was the best time to attack her enemy’s exposed vulnerabilities, when Maou Pam could not use her full complement of four wings. She was using one wing for defense and still lacked two more -- in other words, Maou Pam would have to defend against their attacks with her own body. All Frederica needed to do was to pin down Maou Pam, because even a single scratch from Pukin’s attacks could be fatal.
时机非常刚好……原本应该如此。那是最适合攻击敌人空隙的完美时机，魔王帕姆无法使用全部的四片翅膀，一片用来防御攻击，还缺了两片——换句话说，面对她们所发动的两次攻击，魔王帕姆必须仅凭肉体成功躲过两次才行。菲列特莉嘉只需要牵制住魔王帕姆即可，因为谱金的攻击即使只是擦伤，也能够造成致命伤。

However, Maou Pam had even surpassed Frederica. In all the vast body of knowledge she possessed, she had never heard of Maou Pam possessing a fifth or a sixth wing. It would seem she had a card up her sleeve in case of emergencies.
然而，想不到魔王帕姆竟然更胜菲列特莉嘉一筹。在菲列特莉嘉所具备的庞大知识中，魔王帕姆并没有第五片、第六片翅膀。看来是为了以备不时之需所留的一手。

Frederica’s and Pukin’s attacks were evaded thanks to the hidden wings, and Frederica herself was pinned down by a black humanoid, and she could not render any assistance to Pukin. However, as the battle became a desperate stalemate, Frederica could not help but feel a thrill of delight. The despicable Magical Girl Frederica’s plan of sacrificing her ally to attack her opponent had been mercilessly crushed. She would have expected nothing less of Maou Pam.
菲列特莉嘉与谱金的攻击，由于隐藏翅膀的关系而被躲过，菲列特莉嘉被黑色人形绊住，无法前去支援谱金。但是，当战局终于来到进退两难的窘境时，菲列特莉嘉也不禁感到一丝欣喜。菲列特莉嘉如此卑鄙的魔法少女所思考出来，为了攻陷对手而牺牲同伴的作战计画遭到无情的粉碎。不愧是魔王帕姆。

As she was slammed aside into a wall by the wing, Frederica could not help but revel in the sensation. Then, she witnessed everything -- those rainbows which had suddenly appeared, those rainbows which somehow possessed solidity and the ability to cut objects, and the way they had dismembered Maou Pam.
被翅膀扫飞的菲列特莉嘉在撞上牆壁的同时，也情不自禁地陶醉其中，接著，她目睹到了一切——被突如其来的彩虹……被不知道出于何种原理，竟然具备切割力的实体彩虹给五马分尸的魔王帕姆。

Her intoxicated mood evaporated like dispersing smoke, and she was pulled back to reality. Maou Pam’s body, arms, legs, head and hair flew away in a great spray of fresh blood. The flames vanished, Sonia had been burned until not even the ashes remained, while Pukin had vanished, leaving a trail of blood behind her. Frederica blinked in shock, but she had no time to stand dumbly in place.
陶醉的心情瞬间烟消云散，被拉回现实中。魔王帕姆的身体、手、脚、头、头髮，随著喷溅而出的大量鲜血飞散。火焰消失了，索妮雅早已被烧得连灰都不剩，谱金则是留下血迹消失得无影无踪。菲列特莉嘉吃惊地眨了眨眼，但她没有时间呆站在这裡。

When she crawled out of the hole, she saw three girls before her.
当她爬出洞穴来到外面后，眼前出现三名少女。

One of them was crouching down and trembling uncontrollably. She was a Magical Girl who reminded one of a postgirl.
一人是蹲在地面颤抖不已、令人联想到邮差的魔法少女。

One was a Magical Girl with a rainbow behind her, an evil grin on her face.
一人则是得意洋洋地露出奸诈笑容、身后是彩虹的魔法少女。

And the last was… a girl collapsed in a pool of blood. Her transformation had already worn off, and her trademark guitar, stout and powerful, was not here.
最后一人是……倒在血泊中的少女。已经解除变身状态，而注册商标的粗壮强悍的吉他并不在这裡。

Frederica immediately understood the situation. Frederica and the others were like a clam, and while they were clamped around the beak of a snipe in the mud, a fisherman had already circled around behind them. Hence the saying, “the snipe and clam struggle, to the profit of the fisherman” --  when two sides contended, it was the third party which benefited.
菲列特莉嘉立刻掌握到局势。菲列特莉嘉她们是蚌，夹住鹬的嘴在泥巴中与之奋战的时候，鱼夫已经悄然来到自己身后。于是，鹬蚌相争，鱼翁得利。

A small fairy flew out of the breast pocket of the Magical Girl with a rainbow behind her. Her face should have been cute and adorable, but it was twisted and ugly now, the evil smile on her face shockingly similar to that of the Magical Girl’s.
从身后是彩虹的魔法少女的怀裡，飞出一隻小小妖精。原本应该可爱讨喜的脸蛋，丑陋地歪斜扭曲，脸上的奸诈笑容与那名魔法少女相似到令人惊讶的地步。

“Well done! You defeated Maou Pam and that stranger. While her origins weren’t clear, given the way she was struggling with Maou Pam, she must have been really strong. In other words, there’s two fewer strong opponents now! Wonderful!”
「干得好！魔王帕姆跟那个来历不明的人都被打倒了。虽然来历不明，但看那个人与魔王帕姆战得不分轩轾，可见实力很强。换句话说，少掉两名很强的对手！太好了！」

“It would be wrong to say I defeated them. However, I did finish off Maou Pam.”
「你说打倒并不正确吧。不过，至少魔王帕姆确实是被我解决掉了。」

“Yup yup! Saying you finished them off would be right. This is an incredible accomplishment! Rain Pou, you’re number one on the list of Magical Girls I want to hug!”
「没错没错，应该要说解决掉了才对。这可是超级大功绩！现在在我心目中最想抱的魔法少女排行榜，第一名变成梦幻彩虹你了。」

“There’s no point in you hugging me.”
「被你抱一点意义也没有。」

The two of them held their bellies and laughed loudly.
两人就这样捧腹、毫不客气地放声大笑。

“Now, there’s only the one who ran away just now. There’s also one more, a Child of Cranberry, right?”
「接下来就只剩刚才逃跑的家伙了。还有一个是克莱莓的孩子们吧？」

“Ahh, that person won’t be a problem. We fought before, she’s not that strong.”
「啊啊，那个人的话不会有问题。我们稍微对战过，她并没有多强。」

The rainbow girl stepped on the postgirl. The postgirl was knocked over, looking up at the rainbow girl with fearful eyes.
彩虹少女就这样咚的一声，用脚踩住邮差少女。邮差少女被踢倒在地，以胆怯的眼神抬头望著彩虹少女。

“We still won even with a piece of excess baggage like you in tow.”
「即使身边带著这样一个拖油瓶，我们还是获得胜利。」

“As expected of you, Rain Pou. Looks like there won’t be any more problems.”
「真不愧是梦幻彩虹。看来是不会有问题了。」

“Therefore, strictly speaking, there’s only one more person who might be a problem besides the one who ran away.”
「所以喽，严格说起来，除了逃掉的那个家伙，还有一个人会是问题吧。」

The two of them looked at once to Frederica. Right now, Frederica had no friends and no crystal ball with which to use her magic. All she could fall back on was wordplay. She had to make a deal or win them over with words and try to find some way out of this.
两人一致看向菲列特莉嘉。现在的菲列特莉嘉并没有任何同伴，也没有能够使用魔法的水晶球。她能做的事情就只有善用口才。她必须与对方进行交涉或巧言令色地笼络对方，想办法脱离这个困境才行。

“I have a suggestion…”
「我有个提议……」

“I’m not interested in hearing it.”
「我可不打算听。」

She was shut down the moment she opened her mouth.
才刚开口就立刻遭到否决。

“I just want to eliminate witnesses. After dealing with you, I’ll kill the one who just ran off.”
「我只打算杀人灭口。尽快解决你之后，再去杀死刚才逃跑的家伙。」

It would seem the opposition could not be persuaded with words. Given the current circumstances, it would be very hard for her to flee as well. To Frederica without her crystal ball, her opposition far exceeded her abilities. Turning and running from her opponent while having to evade rainbow attacks would burn through her stamina and would result in injury for her.
看来对方不是能够用口才说服的对象。根据现况看来，她也很难逃跑。对于失去水晶球的菲列特莉嘉而言，对方大大超过她的能力范围。如果转过身背对敌人逃跑，同时还得避开彩虹的攻击，不只会消耗过多体力，还会负伤。

Frederica looked at the girl in the pool of blood. She was Frederica’s disciple, who had the gift of being able to get along with anyone, and also Frederica’s top student. After sensing that Frederica was looking at the girl’s body, Rain Pou smiled even more brightly.
菲列特莉嘉望向倒在血泊中的少女。那是菲列特莉嘉的徒弟，拥有与任何人都能够融洽相处的天赋，同时也是菲列特莉嘉的头号大弟子。察觉到菲列特莉嘉看著少女的尸体，梦幻彩虹露出更加灿烂的笑容。

“If only you had been outside the hole, it would have saved so much trouble. How unfortunate.”
「如果是你在洞穴外的话，就省事多了。真是不走运呀。」

The fairy added with a smile:
妖精则是紧接在后笑著道：

“I didn’t expect we’d be able to eliminate Pythie Frederica. Still, why are you here? Weren’t you locked up? Rain Pou, she’s incredibly famous, you know.”
「万万想不到竟然能够解决掉比缇·菲列特莉嘉。不过，你为什么会出现在这裡？你不是被关起来了吗？梦幻彩虹，这家伙可是超级大名人喔。」

Frederica made an objective observation of herself at the present moment, and she was surprised. Pythie Frederica was furious about the murder of Tot Pop. No matter who the other party was, she could make use of them to achieve her aims. So long as she could bring herself pleasure, morals, ideals and humanity were less than garbage to her. Even if this philosophy had ultimately resulted in her imprisonment, she had not shown any sign of repentance. Frederica had revelled in the joy of releasing the two monsters, Pukin and Sonia.
菲列特莉嘉客观地观察到此时此刻的自己，并感到惊讶。比缇.菲列特莉嘉因为托托流行乐遭到杀害的事实而气愤不已。无论对象是谁，都可以利用来达成自己的目的、只要能够对她自身带来快乐，道德伦理与人情根本比垃圾还不如。即使如此的价值观造成自己最后被监禁，她也丝毫无反省之意。菲列特莉嘉沉浸于释放谱金与索妮雅•宣宣这两个怪物的喜悦中。

In addition, there was a calm side of herself, objectively observing the angry, hateful side of herself. To think even someone like me could get mad, Pythie quietly mused as she dragged her feet forward.
另外也有个冷静的自己，正客观地看待愤怒、憎恨的自我。想不到连我这种人也会感到愤怒呢。菲列特莉嘉一边冷静地评论自己一边滑步向前进。

The smiles vanished from Toko and the rainbow girl. Rainbows of different sizes appeared around the girl; there were so many of them that they threatened to drown the entire area. Frederica was fully aware of each rainbow’s sharpness.
多可与彩虹少女的笑容从脸上消失。少女的周遭浮现出大小不一的各式彩虹，数量相当庞大，彷彿要将整个空间掩没般。菲列特莉嘉相当清楚，每一道彩虹所拥有的锐利度。

The rainbow girl whistled.
彩虹少女吹了吹口哨。

“Toko, look. She’s really serious about fighting.”
「多可，你看。那家伙似乎是真心想战斗呢。」

“What a disappointment. I was hoping to see the fugitive beg pathetically for her life.”
「真令人失望耶。原本还很期待看到越狱犯摇首乞怜的落魄样的说。」

“I trust you’re not looking down on me now, are you?’
「我该不会是被人小看了吧？」

“Well, you are the pitiful Pythie Frederica, after all. You probably don’t even understand the situation you’re in now, do you?”
「毕竟你是可怜的(注6比缇与pity同音)菲列特莉嘉嘛。想必你根本没搞清楚现在的情况吧。」

Ahh, Frederica thought, as she considered that she could not possibly beat her foe without her crystal ball. Even so, she continued stepping forward.
啊啊，即使菲列特莉嘉暗自确信自己在没有水晶球的状况下，不可能赢得了对方，却仍然向前踏出炉\伐。

The rainbow girl grabbed the postgirl by the collar and whispered:
彩虹少女一把揪住邮差少女的衣襟，在她耳边轻声说：

“I want you to be my hostage after this, so I’ll spare your life for now, Tacchan. But if you run, you’ll be the first person I kill. I’ll make you a higher priority than that granny over there. Got it?”
「在这之后，要请小达你来当我的人质，所以姑且留你一条小命。不过，你想要逃跑的
话，我就会第一个先杀了你再说。比那边的老太婆还优先喔。明白了吗？」

This was not so much whispering as intimidation. The proof was that even Frederica had heard it clearly. All the postgirl did was turn pale and stiffly shake her head. And so, the rainbow girl smiled in satisfaction before tossing the postgirl behind.
与其说是轻声细语，倒不如说是威胁恐吓。证据就是连菲列特莉嘉都听得一清二楚。只见邮差少女铁青著脸，僵硬地猛摇头。于是，彩虹少女心满意足露出微笑之后，将邮差少女丢向后方。

☆ Gekokujou Hana (10 hours and 15 minutes remaining)

It was slow going, but her body was feeling better. She knew her wounds were healing with supernatural speed, and she was regaining her strength. Hana sat up and touched her right bunny’s ear. The cut was very obvious.
虽然速度缓慢，但她的身体确实有逐渐轻鬆起来。她知道自己的伤口，正以超过天生治癒力的速度癒合中，体力也逐渐恢复。羽菜坐起上半身，以手碰触右边的兔耳。断得非常彻底。

“Hana-san, you can’t get up yet…”
「羽菜小姐，你现在还不能起身……」

“It’s okay, I’m fine. Speaking of which, lying with my arms and legs apart on a concrete floor in this weather is really cold. I feel like I’m losing energy just by lying down.”
「没关系，我没事。话说回来，在这个季节呈现大字型躺在水泥地上，实在是冷死人了。光是躺在上面就觉得我的体力一直流失。」

Hana laughed. She felt that it had been a long time since she had last laughed. She had honestly and truly been prepared to die, and she had even harbored tragic thoughts like, I should probably kill myself in a way that doesn’t inconvenience the others, or the moment I’m captured. Yet, she had also been rescued because of that. The way of the world was truly hard to understand.
羽菜哈哈大笑，总觉得自己似乎很久没有笑出声来。她可是真心做好.一死的觉悟，怀抱著至少要在不造成大家困扰的情况下，或是被抓到时就得立即自裁之类的悲壮心情。却也因此才能够获救，世事果真是难以预料。

Hana felt her right ear again. It was a clean cut.
羽菜再次摸上自己的兔子右耳，果然断得很乾淨。

--Could this… be healed?
——这个……有办法复原吗？

If not, it might cause a lot of inconveniences in the future. Losing a ear would have a devastating impact on her looks. People who met her for the first time would be wary of her, and it would affect her job too.
如果无法复原的话，可能会造成许多不便。耳朵被割掉一半的外貌太有衝击性，初次见面就让人心旌防备的话，工作也会受到限制吧。

Take Ripple, for example. She was a good-natured person, but her shocking appearance gave people a fairly extreme impression. No, on a certain level, one could use it to illustrate the stark contrast between one’s exterior and one’s heart. She would have to find a way to ask Ripple about this in a roundabout way.
就拿莉普儿来说。明明是个个性很好的人，但过于震撼的外貌却会带给对方相当极端的印象。不对，在某种层面上似乎也能够藉此强调外在与内心之间的极大落差。关于这方面的问题，她再想办法迂迴地询问一下莉普儿吧。

What had happened to Ripple, anyway? Hana subconsciously looked in the direction where Ripple had gone. The alley connected to the main road, and there was a watchmaker’s with its shutters pulled down, but she could not see anything other than that. Her thoughts that Maou Pam alone would be enough to deal with them had not changed. It was an absolute reassurance, like the kind a baby had for its mother.  Ripple, on the other hand, was a different matter. Had she been attacked by the enemy?
不晓得莉普儿现在怎么样了。羽菜下意识地望向莉普儿离去的方向。巷弄连接到大马路上，正对著拉下铁门的钟表行，再过去就看不到了。只要有魔王帕姆一个就能够解决那些人的想法，仍然没有丝毫改变。就像是胎儿面对母亲的那种绝对的安心感。但是，莉普儿就很难说了。该不会遭到敌人的攻击吧？

As Hana’s wounds slowly knitted, she regained the strength to worry about others. Hana’s hearing was polished and acute, and as she concentrated on the direction where Ripple had gone, she could hear the footsteps of someone rushing over at shocking speeds. It was not Ripple; the sounds of her footsteps were very distinctive thanks to her single-tooth geta.
随著羽菜的伤逐渐癒合，也开始有馀力去担心其他人。羽菜将听觉磨得锐利，朝莉普儿前往的方向集中，因此察觉到有人以惊人的速度朝这裡飞奔而来的脚步声。不是莉普儿，她的脚步声,因为单齿木屐的关系，辨识度十足。

Just as she exclaimed “Ah”, she saw the enemy. It was the swordswoman-themed Magical Girl who was with Frederica, Pukin, addressed as Your Excellency. She had her rapier in her right hand and she was pressing her belly with her left. She was bleeding heavily from her face, and her orange hair had been dyed a madder red. Her nose was smashed, and her exposed teeth were gritted in a malicious expression.
就在她「啊」一声惊呼的同时，已经看到敌人的身影。是与菲列特莉嘉一伙的剑士风格魔法少女，被称为阁下的谱金。只见她右手拿著已经出鞘的细剑，左手按压住腹部。脸上流著大量的鲜血，将一头橘色的头髮染成得绯红。鼻子被打烂，外露的牙齿正咬牙切齿地露出一副厉鬼般的表情。

Hana stood, knocking Mana and 7753 to the ground.
羽菜站了起来，将麻奈与7753拉倒在地。

A look of shock appeared on Pukin’s face. It would seem she had not expected to encounter them here. Given Pukin’s expression and her condition, she was probably evading pursuit. Was it Maou Pam? Or Ripple? They should probably take this chance to surround Pukin. Pukin was confused due to being on the verge of death, so she should not have the strength to kill them, and she would prioritize escape instead. However, anyone who stood in Pukin’s way would be kicked out of her path. Thus, it was not a perfect plan.
谱金的脸上浮现惊讶的神情，看来对方并没料到会在这裡遇见她们。从谱金的表情以及浑身是伤的情况看来，不难得知她正在躲避谁的追赶。是魔王帕姆吗？还是莉普儿？趁现在这个大好机会，应该能够包夹谱金。谱金现在因为自己面临死亡而陷入混乱状态，应该没有馀力杀她们，会以逃命为最优先才是。但是，只是堵住谱金前面的路，一定会被踢飞吧。这个方法也不完善。

Hana thought about how she should act. Danger was close, and her body should be able to move. Her wounds had healed, but she was a long way from a full recovery. This was not ideal for a face-to-face confrontation. She should wait for her opponent to step into the range of her ability and raise the acuity of Pukin’s senses. With wounds like that, just heightening the sense of pain ought to be able to make someone pass out in agony. After that, Maou Pam or Ripple could handle the finishing blow.
羽菜思考著该如何行动。危机迫在眉睫，身体应该动得起来吧。虽然伤口癒合了，但距离痊癒仍然很遥远。不适合与对方正面衝突。在对方踏入她的能力范围时，提升谱金感官的敏锐度吧。如果是那样的伤势，只要将痛觉变敏锐，应该能令人痛到昏厥过去。至于接下来的致命一击，就交给魔王帕姆或莉普儿执行了。

Before Pukin could enter Hana’s effective range, she suddenly stepped down hard. The concrete shattered, leaving a perfect footprint. At the same time, she accelerated with incredible speed. However, Hana would not lose to her opponent if it came to quickness. She would activate her Magical Skill the instant her opponent entered her effective radius. Since it was one on one, and because she was going up against Pukin, there was no need to hold back at all. Hana raised Pukin’s pain sensitivity to its absolute maximum. Even so, Pukin’s sword thrust over, as evenly as before. Hana squirmed under the blade and her bunny ears split open with the slightest graze, but she had avoided the attack.
谱金在踏入羽菜魔法的有效范围前，冷不防地用力一踩。水泥地碎裂，留下完整的脚印。并且随著用力一踩的同时，以惊人的速度加速。不过，要论速度的话，羽菜也绝对不会输给对方。
当敌人一踏进效果范围内，她就立刻发动魔法。既然是一对一，再加上对方是谱金，根本不需要手下留情。羽菜将谱金的痛觉敏感度提升至最大极限。即使如此，谱金手上的剑仍然稳稳地刺了过来。羽菜钻至细剑底下的空隙，兔耳被轻轻划过而裂开，不过还是躲过了攻击。

The Magical Skill should have activated, but Pukin did not react to it as she thrust straight at her. Pukin whirled aside and thrust, the unexpected attack cutting Hana’s right shoulder open and sending her to the ground on one knee.
魔法应该有确实发动，但谱金却毫无反应，笔直地将剑刺了过来。谱金一边旋过身体一边发出刺击，羽菜的右肩被出乎意料之外的攻击削开，以膝盖著地。

Pukin reached for her dagger sheath with her left hand, but halfway through the draw, she took aim at her opponent’s jaw with a palm strike. Pukin seemed to have wanted to take the attack on her jaw, but Hana had put her body weight behind it and Pukin’s head snapped back at the wall behind her.
谱金的左手伸向小剑的剑鞘，剑拔到一半时，羽菜早一步站起来，瞄淮敌人下巴，以掌底进行攻击。谱金原本似乎想用下巴承受攻击，不过羽菜用上全身的重量，使得谱金以后脑杓撞向牆壁。

Pukin groaned, and slumped against the all. Hana pressed her fingers against the center of her chest. Warm blood flowed out nonstop from between her fingers. Only hilt of the dagger Pukin had been holding remained outside. The rest of it was buried deep within Hana’s body.
谱金发出小声的呻吟后，身体承受不住地靠在牆上。羽菜以手按住自己的胸口中央，从指间不断流出温热的血液。原本拿在谱金手上的小剑，只剩下剑柄裸露在外，其馀的剑身深深地刺入羽菜体内。

Hana;s hand left her chest and the blood flowed out even more forcefully, staining her yukata red. It flowed down along the inside, all the way down to her thighs, and continued dripping on the ground. Hana clenched her fist and held it before her. The look on her face seemed to say, “Now I’m getting serious” as she stared at Pukin. She could not fall here. Maou Pam or Ripple would be here soon. She had to buy time until then.
羽菜的手离开胸前，血液以更加剧烈的气势流出，染红了和服，从内侧扩散至大腿处，并继续往下滴落。羽菜握紧拳头，举至面前。露出一副接下来才要「来真的」的表情，瞪著谱金。她还不能倒下。魔王帕姆或莉普儿再过不久就会来到这裡，她必须想办法拖延到那个时候。

She looked at Pukin’s face, and then she realized Pukin had a shallow cut on her cheek. Pukin’s magic could manipulate her foe, and with that in mind, she ought to have. Judging by how the bridal gown Magical Girl had acted, it must have been some sort of brainwashing and domination Magical Skill. Pukin knew Hana’s Magical Skill, so she had used her sword to scratch herself ahead of time before lashing out. Pukin had “manipulated” herself, and used it to withstand Hana’s Magical Skill. Surely she must have converted pain to something else.
她看著谱金的脸，才察觉到谱金脸颊上有一道浅浅的割伤。谱金的魔法能够对用剑砍到的对手动某种手脚，如此的认知应该不会错。从那个新娘礼服魔法少女的模样看来，恐怕是类似洗脑、降服之类的魔法。瞭解羽菜魔法属性的谱金，事先用剑划伤自己脸颊后才刺过来。谱金对自己动了「某种手脚」，用来对抗羽菜的魔法。想必是将痛觉变成了别种错觉吧。

She no longer had the strength to use her Magical Skill, but she would not show it on her face. The look on Hana’s face was one which completely disregarded her bleeding, one of nonchalance, and she stepped forward.
虽然她已经没有馀力使用魔法，但绝对不会表现在脸上。羽菜露出一副完全不把流血放在眼裡、游刃有馀的表情，向前踏出一步。

Even though Pukin had her sword pointed at Hana, she frowned after hearing the sound of a car collision from the direction she had come from. Pukin clicked her tongue unhappily and then fled with a flourish of her cape. All this had happened in the space of a few seconds.
儘管谱金已经将剑对淮羽菜，但在听到自己跑来的方向传来撞车的声响后，立刻皱起眉头。不悦地砸嘴后，谱金扬起身后的斗篷跑开。以时间来说，这一切只发生在仅仅几秒钟内。

Hana settled back against the wall of a nearby building in the alley. 7753 and Mana were both in tears as they took hold of her. The magma-like sensation in her chest was cooling rapidly, and a wave of cold spread through her body. Even her thought processes were being eaten away by the cold, becoming unclear and muddy.
羽菜将背抵在巷中的大楼外牆。从地上爬起来的7753与麻奈搀扶著她，两人都流著泪。胸口感受到的浴火般的灼热感逐渐冷却下来，一股寒意扩散至全身，脑中的思绪也被这股寒意给侵蚀，变得模糊不清。

The pincer attack had failed. Still, at least  Mana and 7753 were fine, so she had at least done her job as a bodyguard. As Hana thought that with a faint glimmer of pride, her consciousness slowly faded away.
包夹攻击失败了。但是，至少麻奈与7753没事，她算是有尽到保镳的本分吧。羽菜微微心满意足地想，渐渐失去了意识。