Chapter: 119
My name is Kim Lulu, and I haven’t really kept count of my age. It’s been ages since I started living like this. Currently, I’m attending school while also working as the magical girl Pure Rodeo!
But the true identity behind this facade is…!
The Master of the Capital Knights Order, Lulu, who protects the peace of Crownhall in the empire!
After narrowly losing to the purple Magic Tower owner, I concluded, “I lost because I lacked magic!” So, I doubled my food intake. Every night, the sounds of the kitchen staff in the Capital Knights’ mess hall can be heard as they wail.
Somehow, I gained the ability to travel to another world through my dreams!
At first, I thought it was just an amusing dream, but upon telling my deputy about it, they started freaking out, saying, “That’s highly likely a dimensional magic!”
When I asked why, my deputy began to tirelessly explain the history of dimensional magic research but quickly changed to a more accessible level of education.
While checking my vital signs as I lay on the operating table, my deputy simply stated.
“Commander, your head is empty, so you lack the ability to imagine such a world.”
“Hey, I’m smart!”
“What is 5 multiplied by 7?”
“21… No, I mispronounced it! 30… plus 5…? You can’t just spring these questions on me without any warning!”
Setting aside my deputy’s malicious schemes, I realized that up until now, I had never felt any new flavors in my dreams.
Ah, I see, I went to another world in my dreams! And it made sense.
Tap tap. My deputy flicked the syringe.
“It’s time for your magic stabilization. Sleep well, Commander. And if you go to that other world again, gather as much knowledge as you can and come back to explain it to me.”
“Ugh, I hate injections.”
“Stop whining; it’s not your first time. And I’m not joking. Gather as much knowledge as possible! Got it? If you can bring back even one proper question… well, it could earn us quite a profit from a department in the empire.”
My deputy’s glasses gleamed with gluttony. Even though they spoke lightly, their emotions were palpable. They didn’t even lend an ear to my story about making friends in my dreams…
Before long, the needle pierced through the blood vessel, and my consciousness sank deep again. As my body, a walking magic reactor, was being delicately recalibrated, I dreamed once more.
And about three days later, when I woke up, I announced.
“Crepes are delicious.”
“What’s a crepe?”
“It’s tasty… with whipped cream… and fruit… something like that!”
After this exchange repeated three times, my deputy assumed a completely relaxed expression. “Just enjoy yourself thoroughly, and if anything goes wrong, deal with it there.” Thus, some relinquishments can be made quickly.
While I somewhat regretted that I couldn’t use my vast powers as the Master of the Capital Knights in the dream, I gained the new strength of being a Magical Girl instead.
Besides, the dream world was incredibly forgiving.
Out there, for a sublimated being to recklessly wield power was unacceptable, making me stay confined in the headquarters, and whenever I fought, I would just get scolded for the building repairs or how much money it would cost.
If only an old man were there, I wouldn’t be so bored. While on this trip, my body was itching.
Even if I returned injured, I’d be bombarded with lectures. The forest got devastated, and I caused another problem. No matter how much I love fighting, can’t they at least say something like the need for concern if my arm gets broken?
Well, when was I treated like a person? I was a walking bomb. I had long given up on that.
But here was different.
If I fight a lot, I’d get a lot of cheers and compliments. Plus, my magic power increased. In this infinite positive cycle, for a moment, I even worried if it was okay for me to be this happy.
Just as I was savoring my dreams without hearing a single lecture…
“Didn’t I tell you to throw punches properly!! What on earth did you do with what I taught you?”
“Ah~!! Oh Dae-su, you’re so loud~!!”
A nagger appeared in my dream.
This nagger’s name was Oh Dae-su. With orange hair fluttering, she looked like a slightly fox-like beautiful girl. Her breast size just perfectly fit in my hands.
And how did I know her breast size, you ask? Oh Dae-su offered to teach me how to fight, and while following along with various movements, I tripped and fell.
Oh Dae-su was really unfortunate. She was so picky, just like my deputy.
Whenever we fought together, she constantly offered unsolicited advice and would raise her voice, calling me an idiot, which was quite annoying. If she felt frustrated, she could just move herself instead of meddling!
Still, she’d wipe cream off my mouth with a handkerchief or tie my shoelaces when they unraveled, so… maybe she wasn’t that much of a nuisance after all.
Perhaps “annoyance” was a better description?
Being fellow Magical Girls, I attempted to get along with her. I thought that if we got a bit closer, the nagging would lessen. So, with a bold heart, I showered her with compliments, and she reacted:
“Hey, Oh Dae-su, you look pretty today? You’ll probably get ten love letters.”
“Are you picking a fight from the morning?!”
“Come on, what’s wrong with giving a compliment?!”
This was how it went.
Why did she get mad when I told her she’s pretty… What was going through her mind? Did she think she was not just pretty but extremely pretty? It was a part I just couldn’t understand.
So today, I steeled myself for the nagging. I even secretly put in earplugs.
As a signal that a monster had appeared, I transformed into a Magical Girl and rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, I saw Pure Knight, who had already transformed, was evacuating citizens.
A girl wearing a large pointed hat had emerged as an enemy.
She looked ridiculously hunched over, but on the other hand, she resembled a cat ready to leap.
If she merely looked like this, I wouldn’t have thought of her as a monster and would’ve mistaken her for a civilian, but her hair was dyed purple at the ends, and a magical hand was reaching out from under her hat, making her resemble an evil organization member.
“……, ……!!”
“……!!”
Oh Dae-su pointed accusingly at me and shouted something, but thanks to the earplugs, I couldn’t hear anything. Still, I felt like I could understand. It must be an attack signal!
“Alright, charge!!”
“…, ……!!”
Oh Dae-su gestured urgently for me to come back, but I ignored her. The enemy didn’t seem very strong, and I figured I could just run in right away and land a headbutt to win.
At that moment, all my brain cells triggered alarm bells.
What was I thinking? Why was I so terrified?
As I ran forward, I contemplated. This monster… didn’t I think I’ve seen it somewhere? Or not? Why did it feel so dangerous?
“Hey, don’t chicken out! I’m not certain yet, so I can’t be scared──”
“…, ……, ‘……’.”
Kiiiiiing──!!
A blinding flash of light erupted from the monster’s fingertips, and a chilling high-pitched sound pierced through my earplugs. I quickly summarized my emotions with the refined expressions I learned in the dream world.
“Crap!”
“…, ……?!”
Swhoosh──!
Just before I was hit directly by the terrifying destructive beam, Oh Dae-su dove to cover me, evading the attack.
The beam hit behind us, causing a heart-shaped massive explosion, and as the aftermath blasted us, Oh Dae-su and I rolled across the asphalt. My earplug popped out as we rolled.
As the ringing in my ear subsided, Oh Dae-su grabbed me by the collar and shouted.
“What were you doing!!”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Please, think before you act! If you get caught, a scratch won’t be the end of it. Seriously, stop rolling around like a steel golem!!”
“No, I was just fine! And if you dislike it so much, why don’t you just leave me alone…?!”
Oh?
Her gaze was a bit different. It wasn’t the reprimanding look of someone who thought I got into trouble again. Rather, it felt a little warm, maybe not fiery.
It felt somewhat like a look I had received long ago. Frowning, I whipped my brain into shape. Think, stupid head!
Then it hit me, and I asked.
“…Wait a minute, are you worried about me?”
Roderus, while gripping my collar tightly, leaned in closely and shouted, as if both frustrated and angry.
“Yeah, I’m worried, you idiot!!”
“…!!!!!!”
“I can’t imagine how fun it’ll be if Oh Hye-in schedules a badminton date tomorrow and you end up in the hospital! Stop with the nonsense and move!!”
What? She pretended not to care about those around her but had been listening all along? Plus, she even remembered that? As if it wasn’t even her business.
That felt strange. Worried?
No one had ever worried about me until now.
As I dazedly remained, Oh Dae-su checked my forehead with her hand, wearing a serious expression.
“…Are you hurt badly? Damn it, stay sharp. I’ll draw the monster’s attention; you need to contact Oh Hye-in and flee home.”
“…”
Not to say, this was just a dream. I mean, I’m incredibly strong, after all, Oh Dae-su.
And besides, I didn’t get hurt. It was you who covered for me… you seemed to have gotten hurt a lot, though. There was no need for that.
Thump.
Thump thump.
My heart began to throb violently. Heat flushed over my face, and I felt elated, unable to calm down. I found it oddly hard to face Oh Dae-su.
It was a first-time experience.
Oh Dae-su shoved me into an alleyway and dashed off to fight the monster. Everything around felt slightly different than usual, like a film peeling away or a layer emerging.
Watching her desperately fight off the monster for my sake while trying to push the battle away as far as possible from the alley… The blue scent she left behind.
The serious expression etched on her face.
It was all… so strangely… strangely real.
The battle lasted about ten minutes. Was the destructive beam her ultimate move? The monster flitted about like someone distracted elsewhere before eventually retreating.
“Y-You’ll pay, magical girl! I, Existence of Infinite Void… Unaris! I’ll be back, again and again! I’m, infinite. And empty…!!”
“Get lost!”
“…Yes, yes! Have your lovely romance! I really don’t know!”
“Get lost already-!!”
Oh Dae-su flipped the bird at the fading monster. And as she approached, I felt a tickling sensation.
Without realizing it, I clasped my hands together shyly.
My heart raced even faster. It was getting serious!
“…Hey, Kim Lulu. Are you alright?”
Looking up at Oh Dae-su, I quickly organized my thoughts. This was something I knew.
Though it was my first time, it wasn’t foreign. This symptom where my heart beats rapidly and my face feels hot, I had seen it in dramas. I wasn’t an idiot!
The very symptom that the male lead in the drama had lamented was…!!
“…Oh Dae-su, I think I have heart failure.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“If only I had eaten my vegetables more and not been picky…!”
That day, I scheduled an appointment at a university hospital.
===============================================================
After undergoing a health check-up, my behavior began to change a bit.
Originally, I would throw myself at anyone saying “Hello tackle!” while hugging tightly, and while Oh Hye-in would accept it, Roderus would shove me away in disgust.
Now, when I spotted Roderus, I would sprint towards them like a bull but suddenly halt.
“Hello tackle… Ah, uh, hello.”
“…… ”
Suddenly slamming the brakes, I awkwardly mumbled out a greeting.
Additionally, I started keeping a somewhat measured distance, and whenever I felt even a fingertip brush against me, I would flinch back like a cat that fell into water. Overall, I’d say the amount of physical contact decreased.
As I felt relieved, thinking it was a good thing that I behaved less annoyingly, Roderus felt a bit disappointed in the corner of their mind. Did they really hate the nagging so much?
Oh Hye-in and Mungae observed this situation quietly and seemed to realize something, whispering amongst themselves. Originally, Oh Hye-in was supposed to be the heroine in the plan.
“Is it really going to unravel like this…?”
“Oh Hye-in, what are you talking about?”
“Nothing, just… while working on a crossword puzzle, the words connected in an unexpected way. Right, Mungae?”
“That’s what it feels like. Unexpected, for sure!”
A bunch of nonsense. Roderus clicked their tongue, straightening their tie and adeptly arranging their wrinkled school uniform skirt. The face of Oh Dae-su was reflected in the restroom mirror.
The unfamiliar girl’s appearance was now at a point where I could merely raise an eyebrow slightly. Indeed, humans are adaptable creatures.
Quite a bit of time elapsed. I had gone back and forth between dreams and reality a couple of times.
I had also adapted quite a bit to modernity. Now I was proficient using computers and smartphones, and I could vaguely understand why Oh Hye-in was obsessed with malatang.
I developed a hobby too. After school, I would drop by the PC room with Kim Lulu to play ranked games. In a battlefield where I secured my parents’ honor while upholding my convictions, I ended up earning a gold medal.
Oh Hye-in (Platinum) advised me, “Don’t think you can win it all by yourself. It’s a team game, you know?” But how much would the noobs, mouths all filthy with rags, understand that?
I learned in history class that this country had passed through a tumultuous period where noble titles had been bought and sold, thus diluting the bloodlines. So, the players I bumped into online were almost all potential scum.
Thus, the judgment of aristocrats must be correct.
This set the mindset of Oh Dae-su, the unwavering “ban one-champ” (picked because she was an aristocrat).
And she…? Launched into planning. This was the biggest change yet.
Drawing circles on the calendar, reclaiming the next goal. Preparing for a school trip, Oh Hye-in’s birthday party, aiming to boast platinum before this season ends…
Perhaps, trying all the alleyway restaurant dishes one by one. She vowed to defeat that damned Yuri Frostlover someday. After all, the grudge of the tentacles needs to be repaid. Or maybe…
“Eh, scuba diving?”
“…Don’t go through my smartphone without permission!”
“What’s wrong with that! Do you have some naughty pictures hidden? Aagh! Don’t pull on my cheeks…!”
I had came up with a bucket list.
Pictures of stunningly decorated seas adorned with corals and the people swimming around them. Just one photo I’d come across online had planted a small dream in Roderus.
I wanted to see the ocean.
So, I even looked into part-time jobs at the convenience store. I planned to save up money with nighttime shifts to buy scuba diving gear. It was still just a dream, but…
If only I had the time, it’d happen anytime now.
The school lunchtime bell rang, and the Magical Girls headed to the rooftop, as if they had all made plans to do so. Having snacks together on the rooftop had become an everyday thing now.
Roderus sat side by side with the group and took a bite of a crepe. The intense sweetness made his tongue tingle, and his mood lifted naturally. He began humming a tune.
“But Dae-su.”
“Why, Oh Hye-in?”
“Um… I feel a bit hesitant to say this, but haven’t you become rather feminine…?”
“…… ”
Thud.
Roderus lost grip of their strength, dropping the crepe to the ground.
With trembling eyes, they looked down. Their legs were modestly crossed to avoid showing their underwear, tilting slightly to the side—very feminine indeed.
When…when did this happen?
Is it from the time I felt my sensitive chest being rubbed against my t-shirt, finally going bra shopping with Oh Hye-in?
Or was it the moment Kim Lulu sternly told me, “If you sit like that, everyone will see your panties! Even the boys!” revealing an uncomfortable truth?
Perhaps it was when malatang started tasting good…?
Oh Dae-su’s complexion paled as she kicked the rooftop door wide open, bolted out of school, hastily passed through the front gate, ran to Oh Hye-in’s house, and slammed the front door open.
“Mungae, come out—!!”
It was a crisis of masculinity.
===============================================================
Oh Dae-su practically screamed.
“When will the repairs be finished?! No, like, what even is this?!”
“First, calm down. Take deep breaths and drink a glass of water.”
“Water isn’t the point. Right now, what have I become…?”
“Five days left.”
“Huh?”
Oh Dae-su’s body completely stiffened.
“W-What did you say…?”
“I said it’s five days left. So, I thought it wasn’t a big deal to just stay quiet. I mean, it’s not like you’d have to wait a year, just five days until you return to your male body.”
“Five days? Just five days…?”
Thank goodness, thank goodness.
Oh Dae-su sincerely sighed in relief. If I let the body and heart be completely consumed and turn into a complete woman… well, not really. But now that I had a definite schedule.
In just five days, I could return to my male body.
“…”
So, it’s good news, yet why did my heart feel this heavy? Why did thick disappointment spread in a corner of my heart? Despite how much I wanted to become male.
Just as Oh Dae-su was lost in confusion, Mungae interjected.
“That’s right! So, you won’t have to be a Magical Girl anymore, and you’ll be free!”
“…Free.”
At that moment, Roderus finally understood the reason for the disappointment.
Right.
She will return to being Oh Dae-su, from Roderus. No longer a magical girl then. That’s fine; Roderus didn’t revel in battle anyway.
She honestly preferred… tasting delicious snacks, visiting the PC room with Kim Lulu, or chatting with Oh Hye-in. That was much better.
However, this was the end.
Oh Hye-in would reclaim her transformation device. Then the reason for Roderus to continue living with Oh Hye-in would disappear. I would no longer be able to attend school.
Kim Lulu… had no knowledge of Roderus still being male. If that fact came to light, she might feel cheated or dislike Roderus immensely.
Everything Roderus had thus far was all Oh Dae-su’s. Ultimately, Oh Dae-su was not Roderus.
Roderus murmured.
“…Free, yeah. Freedom is nice.”
“I’m glad to see you looking pleased!”
Roderus brushed her pale face with her hand, swaying, as she leaned against the door frame of her room. And without turning back, she spoke to Mungae.
“…I, today, I’m not feeling well. I’ll be staying in my room, so don’t look for me.”
“Got it!”
“…”
Thud.
The door closed.
===============================================================
Huddled under the blanket, Roderus felt a foreboding sensation and got up from the bed. She walked over to the window.
Whooooosh!
The weather was ominous. Dark clouds gathered, and the air twisted in spirals, forming a cyclone. The sun should have emerged by now, yet the world lay dark and monochrome.
It felt like it might rain.
Kim Lulu and Oh Hye-in were likely still in school; should I go out to pick them up with an umbrella?
Yet, looking at their faces right now…
“Roderus—!!”
“…Mungae?”
Roll roll roll.
The mascot, Mungae, came tumbling into the room, seeming to be in quite a hurry. I had told them not to come in.
I prepared to give a warning, but Mungae’s expression looked far too urgent.
The mascot gazed out into the swirling winds outside and announced.
“We received a declaration of war! From the evil organization!”
“…What does that mean?”
“In six days… they’ll launch a general offensive to settle everything! They sent a message saying that if we think we can block it, try!”
“Suddenly, what does this mean…!!”
At that moment, both Roderus and Mungae simultaneously sensed something. Their thoughts clicked together, and a chilling silence suddenly fell upon them.
The foretold general offensive would occur in six days.
However, Roderus’s transformation device would be repaired in five days.
A one-day gap.
On the very day the general offensive happens, Roderus wouldn’t be a Magical Girl.
After the long silence, Mungae awkwardly concluded the statement.
“…Just pretend you didn’t hear anything.”
“…”
Mungae walked out while frequently glancing back and used their tail to gently close the door.
Tap, drip. Light raindrops began to hit the window.
A storm was brewing. In reality, in my dream, and within my heart as well.
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