There's a pregnant pause for a moment, where Itsuki begins to wonder if maybe she shouldn't have said anything. Madoka had been intrigued enough by her earlier that she couldn't help but think it'd be fine, but... even the short version of her old enemy wasn't anything to take lightly.

And then she smiles, and Itsuki realizes she's probably in a little deeper than anticipated. She returns a smile of her own, if one that's a little cheerier. "Maybe a little, but it's more that there are people to protect here, too. And I'm... a little scared that something could happen to me again, if I'm being honest. So the best way to prevent that is to strike first, right? Take no chances."