Case 57: Researching into polyamorous culture.
Moeka spent her next few days quite leisurely. Over the week, she mainly stayed at home and entertained herself with colorful news around the world, sometimes going on dates with Himeko, sometimes visiting Fumiko's lab. There were a few incidents caused by The Legion's commanders, though Rose, the number one magical girl herself, swiftly took care of them before Moeka could even think about dispatching herself.
Orion University had also announced its reopening date, which would be next Monday. Moeka found herself having nothing to do in particular for the weekends. So, naturally, her mind wandered over the topics she had put aside for some time—about working as a role model for other Omegas... and about dating multiple women at once, per Yurika's suggestion.
'Actually, both of these headaches came from that girl...'
Moeka still got chills from the time Yurika tied her up on the bed. What a terrifying, perverted mind hidden behind that doll-like facade, she thought.
Nevertheless, for either of these problems, Moeka decided to ask the internet. Although the web was now filled with bots and poorly constructed AI algorithms controlling search results, she could at least attempt some research. For the rest, she planned to consult acquaintances who had expertise in these areas.
In the year 2094, where the term 'Magical Girls' had been normalized and their market had become quite saturated, simply being a magical girl would not be enough to generate interest. If Moeka wanted to become a model Omega who could inspire others, she would have to either accomplish feats on the top magical girls' level... or she would have to dip her feet into the celebrity world.
The former option was difficult to achieve. Having slept with Rose herself and sensing her immense prowess, Moeka felt it most vividly. Besides, she was not a stranger to the number one's unreal performance, which often aired on television. Although...
''...Cherry.'' Moeka softly muttered.
Heeding her call, a pinkish, chibi cat popped out, tilting its head at the girl.
''How much do you think my magical power has gotten stronger?''
Cherry pondered for a second, then raised its paw, which had exactly four toes, ''Four percent!''
''...''
Moeka silently hugged her face, an ambiguous emotion surging within. A whopping four percent increase in magical output after a mere few rendezvous with her Alpha colleagues... was this rate of absorption too fast...?
As a self-respecting person, Moeka did not know whether to feel happy about the prospects or ashamed that she had inadvertently grown through this method. As it stood, the process of getting stronger for a magical user required intense training and experience. Even then, Moeka's rate of progress was something not even a genius could possess.
At this point, becoming as powerful as Rose was actually not out of the picture; Moeka painfully realized.
Spotting the visible distress on the girl's face, Cherry tilted its head further, ''Isn't it a good thing?'' The mascot asked, ''You get to bond with these cute girls and get stronger!''
''No, but morally, it's... forget it.'' Moeka sighed.
The cat tilted its head the other way this time, ''I don't understand. You humans and your values are so strange.''
''I could say the same about yours.''
Moeka vaguely remembered hearing about the mascots' culture regarding marriages and romance. These aliens, whose true forms were incomprehensible to human minds, approached dating quite open-mindedly. Allegedly, all types of relationships could be found among these creatures. Friends with benefits were common enough; then came polyamorous and harems, and even the cursed 'open relationship' was normalized in their societies.
For humans and their human-like values, it truly did seem as though they were satisfied as long as they could have a partner, fulfill their needs, and reproduce.
In reality, thanks to their immense influence on Earth, the marital laws in most countries had been modified to please the mascots who had migrated to the planet. In short... polyamorous marriages had once again become legal. Some rejoiced at the change, while others expressed contempt. Moeka, who was born in the new generation yet still held pure human values, stood firmly in the middle. She was unfamiliar with these ideals, though not opposing them.
It also appeared that those raised in the capital Helios, where The Federation had its roots planted the deepest, were more influenced by the mascot race's culture, which could explain Rose, Ruri, or even Himeko's nonchalant attitude toward dating.
Curious, Moeka put aside other problems and looked up examples of these relationships, only to be promptly stunned by the sheer normality of polyamorous practice in this country, especially those belonging to higher societies.
For instance, even the matriarchs of Rose and Ruri's family had several partners each, among countless other examples, be it celebrities or rich CEOs. Politicians, at least outwardly, seemed to favor monogamy, perhaps to maintain their appeal to the masses.
'No wonder those two are like that...' Moeka sighed.
Subsequently, Moeka researched the reception of these public relationships. She knew the opinions were split, but she wanted to get a faint sense of the balance.
Yet, the web, which had existed for more than a century, was unfathomably rich in content. Even after limiting the search range to after the laws were changed and only selecting domestic replies, Moeka could hardly get a feel for it. In the end, she decided to find another way to grasp these concepts more accurately afterward.
''Hah...''
Sprawling out on the bed, Moeka stared blankly at the ceiling.
Ultimately, what mattered the most was not the public's opinion on her relationship, but sorting out her own feelings and getting Fumiko's input.
'Do you mind if I date other people alongside you?'
Moeka wished she could just ask that question and get an answer. Still, she was deathly scared that Fumiko would come to despise her if she ever dared to make such a brazen move. Doing so while being unsure of her feelings would only hurt their relationship. Yet, Moeka also felt as though she could consider the possibility more clearly if Fumiko gave an answer.
After chewing on her unstable thoughts for a while, Moeka sighed deeply. She desperately needed someone to consult, the girl thought. So, after a peaceful dinner, Moeka sat down with her mother, Kisaragi Yuzuki.
''Um...''
Moeka was quite shy. Yuzuki, on the other hand, was delighted that her daughter was relying on her so much. Smiling kindly, she patted the girl's shoulder. ''Take your time.''
It took some time, but Moeka eventually spoke about her situation.
''I need advice,'' She said, ''Frankly... I don't know what to do now.''
Yuzuki, whose face was tinged with a sense of excitement, replied, "This is indeed an important turning point. We need to think it through seriously.''
''...''
''Hmm...'' Yuzuki pondered, ''Well, at the end of the day, your feelings are yours alone. No one else can decide who to love but you, Moeka.''
''...I understand.'' Moeka nodded.
Seeing her grimace, Yuzuki tentatively hugged her daughter, ''Rest easy. I'm your mother, aren't I? It's only natural for a mother to help her children.'' She said, ''If you are not ready to confront Fumiko about this... let me talk to her. It's about time we have a conversation anyway.''
''...Huh?''