“Mai, your next class is career counseling.”

Called in by Teacher Lorl’s laid-back voice, I grabbed my papers and headed to the guidance room.

Stacks of colorful pamphlets lined the tables, and even a “career aptitude spell” was prepared.

“So, Mai… any jobs you’re hoping for?”

“Uh… magical girl?”

“That’s more of a lifestyle than a job!”

“Ehhh!?”

It hit me then—I’d never really thought about my future.

I loved helping people as a magical girl. But as a career? Income? A stable life?

(Wait… am I basically just a magical girl now, but destined to end up… a part-timer?)

While I spiraled, it was Rei’s turn.

He sat in his chair as usual, calm and quiet.

“…I don’t care about careers. I just want a job where no one notices me.”

But Teacher Lorl leaned in with a sly smile.

“Rei, you’ve been told before you should become a Demon Lord, right?”

“…Yeah. I keep refusing.”

“Think of it the other way. If you do become Demon Lord… wouldn’t that mean people would leave you alone?”

“…That… actually makes sense.”

Yes—Lorl was pro-Demon-Lord.

Step by step, he was trying to quietly nudge Rei down that path.

“And you know, Mai’s rumored to be a Demon Lord candidate too. Don’t you think the two of you, as Twin Demon Lords, would be groundbreaking?”

“…But Mai wouldn’t like that.”

“Then convince her!”

Meanwhile, I was lost in a maze of pamphlets in the library.

“Future dreams, future dreams… Teacher said ‘magical girl’ doesn’t count…”

Fortune teller? Teacher? Adventurer? Cake shop owner?

Flipping through pages only made the storm in my head worse.

“What… do I even want to become?”

Dreams. Futures. The path forward.

For now, my answer was still hidden, somewhere beyond the light.

Maikado Mai, age eight.

Taking her first steps into thinking about the future—

and getting hopelessly lost in the process.