Chapter 59 – The Virtues of a Magical Girl (9)
“You really are something else. When I recommended the path of a Magical Girl to you, I meant for you to just have fun and clear your head.”
Late at night. I arrived here still transformed. The dazzling night view of the city, with clouds beneath my feet at high altitude.
There stood Rene, her face set in a stern expression, as if firmly planted into the ground.
“I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”
“I heard a bit of the story.”
I chuckled and nodded at her words. Apparently, the news had been relayed through the Fairy Company and then passed to Ren via the mascot. Certainly a better way than tossing the mascot aside.
“So, why did you want to see me?”
“I had something I wanted to ask.”
Rene’s eyes, which seemed to try to avoid me, turned toward me. I read a hint of fear in those eyes. In my encounters with the Demon King, I had never felt anything but interest and curiosity, so I flinched momentarily.
“Did you hear rumors about me?”
“Here, even though you are not the Demon King, the people fear you. They say you are a violent, rampaging monster. Is that… perhaps your true nature?”
“Judging my actions is your responsibility.”
I didn’t feel the need to justify or refute her question.
While I had enjoyed my freedom in this world, having distanced myself from my role as a ruler in the Demon Realm, I still believed that I had adhered to my own principles.
“I merely judged those who deserve judgment. Judgment is the right of the strong. Judging challengers follows the same rule.”
“Then! Are you considering becoming a true judge in this world, as a Magical Girl?”
Rene’s eyes widened in surprise as she urgently exclaimed. It seemed she had put some thought into this after all.
“A power to fill in the gaps of imperfection. If you use this power, you could rectify what is wrong or gain what seems unattainable. I want to see you reproduce the strength you showed in the Demon Realm here.”
“That’s a perspective worthy of an imperial princess who learned about imperial studies. I heard you made some sort of bet with Aria, but I’m not interested.”
She looked genuinely desperate, but I shook my head. I was merely an outsider. There were major problems piling up in this world even at this very moment, but as a Magical Girl who claimed to execute justice, I paid them no mind whatsoever.
My involvement in matters was only where my mood was disturbed or I was harmed.
“Honestly, I don’t think this current life is bad at all. Sometimes it feels like a constraint, but it gives me that much more peace. I think I understand now why dragons enjoyed their games so much.”
A brand new life, just like when I first fell into the Demon Realm.
But the situation now was entirely different from then.
Back then, I had to kill, devour, and grow just to survive, trampling countless lives until I reached the peak in a place where weakness was a sin. The peaceful life I longed for after meeting death was not at all what I desired. What I truly wished for was similar to the life I have now.
“Moreover, I have power now. The ability to deal with those who threaten me without compromise. Today, I skipped class, was kicked out of the classroom, and was called to the teacher’s office where I was scolded about my behavior, but surprisingly, I felt no ill will. It’s all part of my life, and I’ve had the assurance that everything is in my hands. I don’t want to shatter that assurance. It’s my accomplishment built through all the ups and downs I’ve faced here.”
“That…”
“So, if you have something you want to do here instead of just loafing around, Seria Rene Raose, achieve it with your own power. You came to the Demon Realm, becoming a ghastly tentacle creature due to your brother. That feeling of helplessness and injustice you experienced back then, do you really think solving it by borrowing my hand will relieve it?”
I had seen many who self-destructed intoxicated by the power of others. So I sincerely advised her. Her eyes widened, shaking as I struck a chord.
“I get a rough idea of what you want, so if your heart is set, prove your ability and strength here, in this world, as a Magical Girl. Your power and identity as a Magical Girl will help you.”
She was a wild, ambitious beast with a longing for freedom, not a bird born in a cage. That fire she had harbored inside her had not been extinguished since the moment she first met me as a captive sold to the Demon Realm.
Thus, she would one day return to her homeland.
“If you succeed, you will become a new order; if you fail, you will become a corpse.”
“…Thank you.”
Having gained some realization, her gaze transformed, and she bowed to me. Then she quickly vanished, but I still lingered in the air afterward.
“I have a feeling her personality might stir up something big. Hmm.”
“She’s not a child. She must have her own thoughts.”
Ren began to worry as a habit. It wasn’t unfounded concern. She had become another irregular distinct from me.
And quite proactive at that.
“Whatever happens, she’ll take care of it.”
In the end, I returned to the facility and released my transformation. The reality was that I had come here in a rush, so I needed to hurry back.
“Everyone is waiting, so come inside. But where on earth did you go at this hour? Not even to the bathroom.”
“I just had something to take care of. But you didn’t follow me to the bathroom, did you?”
“N-No, I didn’t!”
Hong Soo-young, whom I ran into in the hallway, flinched. Even though she said no, her rigid character made it obvious she was lying.
“Right, that’s true.”
Since I was observing with my narrowed eyes in silence, she became restless and finally confessed.
“Why? I can’t really guess what happened.”
“Well, I might have done something bad sneakily. Um, something like smoking.”
“???!”
However, her next statement was surprising enough to catch me off guard. I had no idea why that topic suddenly came up.
“Why would you bring that up? Are you asking because you really don’t know my reputation? How could a teacher tell me to keep an eye on you so that you don’t go astray… Hm.”
“…I see.”
Flustered, Hong Soo-young had said something that shouldn’t be said, but I didn’t really care. Initially, I was labeled a delinquent for hanging out with Park Tae-jun.
“Let’s go. You said you’d study.”
“Uh-huh.”
I clearly didn’t care, but I hated being misunderstood or bothered unnecessarily. There was a midterm exam coming up soon.
It seemed wise to use that opportunity to somewhat neutralize this bad reputation. After all, the biggest element in evaluating students has always been their grades.
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask.”
Today was the day I decided to study in the lounge with seniors like Hong Soo-young and Kang Jin-soo. They were all diligent students, and at this moment, their concentration was above average.
“Is it too hard?”
[No. It’s too easy; I feel this time is wasted.]
As I blankly stared down at my book, Ren chuckled and said, but I could only snicker in response.
*
“What do you plan to do?!”
“If there’s no transcendent strong being to set a standard and provide stability, then we must create one. But it’s impossible to create something like that. So, let’s become a collective.”
At that time, Takilas, who had returned to daily life, was casually flipping through a book, while Rene, who had taken to the skies after leaving Takilas, landed on the rooftop of a nearby building.
Her head was a jumbled mess, but her heart was surprisingly clear.
“A collective?! What does that even mean!”
“Is it against the rules? In the regulations book of 1689 that I read on the first day, there is no rule stating that Magical Girls couldn’t unite to establish a new order.”
“Did you memorize that after just one read… No, that’s not it! That’s just—!”
Fluffy was utterly flabbergasted. Such a notion hadn’t even crossed her mind. No, it was completely physically impossible from the start.
However, the fact that both Takilas and Rene were irregular Magical Girls—slightly special cases—became a crucial blind spot.
‘Can it work? Or not? No, even if it does, is that even okay…?’
Fluffy, more veteran than Ren, was sweating bullets.
Until now, no Magical Girl had ever stood above the Fairy Company. They were the absolute power, and Magical Girls were merely tools in comparison.
Was there even any regulation that considered such a situation? Of course not. What they wanted from the current Magical Girls was not true justice.
“Is this about achievements? Don’t worry. If this plan succeeds, perhaps we can alleviate that inefficient competition for results a bit.”
“No, that’s not it…”
“And I want to start with Aria. I heard she’s my age.”
Rene even blocked off any escape routes in case she might flee.
“Find her.”
With her eyes gleaming with determination, Rene rose and cast a spell toward the sky.
It was some kind of searching magic, releasing a magical wave for locating a marked target. Its range encompassed the entire city of Seoul.
For now, she intended to confirm something.
To see just how much of this land’s justice was worth, and if it disappointed her like her homeland, she wouldn’t hesitate to execute her plans immediately.
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