Conquering Villains and Capturing Targets Is Harder in Real Life than in Games

15: Why should the world exist if the person I love isn't a part of it?

Although it was Shizuka's locker that had been opened, it hadn't actually been her that screamed, but the female student a few lockers away from her who happened to catch a glimpse of the contents onside.

"W-What are those things, Yoshino-san?!" screeched the female student as she pointed a shaking finger at Shizuka's locker, seemingly frightened out of her mind.

Inside Shizuka's locker were the things a typical student would've had such as: neatly arranged notebooks, spare writing utensils and a few chocolate bars, and candies, with the strange addition of white squishy sausage-sized lumps precariously strewn amongst her belongings.

Are these...insect larvae? They look sort of familiar somehow...

Shizuka reached out a finger to touch one of the squishy lumps but was pulled away by Madoka at the last second.

When he had heard a shriek ring out from Shizuka's direction, Madoka had flew over instantly.

Behind Madoka stood a bewildered Satoru who asked, "What happened? Are you okay, Shizuka-chan?"

"There's something in my locker. I'm not sure what it is but from the looks of it, it looks like insect larvae maybe?"

The entire time Shizuka's expression remained unperturbed as she was a person who only had a few real fears and insects weren't one of them.

Was this what Unknown meant by punishments? Clearly, they don't know me that well. As if I'd be scared by a couple bugs.

Satoru moved closer to her locker to inspect it. After he picked up one of the lumps he held it up for examination. "It looks like the larvae of a rhinoceros beetle?"

Wait, could it be?!

Suddenly spirited, Shizuka wiggled her way out from Madoka's embrace and darted over to Satoru.

After taking the lump from Satoru, Shizuka ogled it seriously for a couple seconds. Then, she positioned it in front of her mouth and took a generous bite out its head—to the shock and horror of everyone present.

"Shizuka!"

"Shizuka-chan!"

After chewing for a while Shizuka wiped off a trace of clear residual from her lips. "Mmm~ fruity jelly filling."

"...Jelly filling?"

After nodding happily, she explained, "They're jelly filled gummies made to look like realistic insects! They're to size and scale and everything! I've heard people raving about these online and I've been wanting to try them! I thought someone was playing a prank on me but maybe it's actually a gift?"

Before Shizuka could finish off the last of the insect gummy, Madoka snatched it from her hands.

Shizuka made an unhappy face as she scolded Madoka cutely, "Geez, Madoka there's more in my locker. You don't have to take mine!"

"Eating too many sweets is bad for you. Plus, we don't know where these came from. They're not safe to eat," asserted Madoka as he began to to confiscate the remaining gummies from the open locker.

Shizuka pouted. "Aww but they're so fun..."

"If you want, I'll make you some sweets later."

Shizuka's eyes lit up hungrily. Madoka's legendary handmade sweets?

"You promise?"

Madoka nodded with a smile on his face and then headed towards the nearest garbage can to discard of the gummies.