In the end, the problem I had been pondering for several days became clear.
Just like when the internet speed was slow and I called the service provider, the issue was resolved quickly.
The virtual name and resident registration number sent via text.
Someone who doesn’t truly exist but definitely exists on paper.
So many things were impossible just because I lacked these few characters of a name and a resident registration number.
Now that that part has been neatly resolved, my mind goes blank wondering what to do first.
The messenger app I’d been unable to use felt so empty.
With a proud “Yes” clicking the button because now I can, I filled in the fictional parents’ details.
It’s almost infuriating to realize how simple it was to get past this hurdle that had held me back.
I tried to download mobile games I had never played before.
I also registered for online games I had never tried.
Feeling grateful for parents who only exist on paper, I experienced adult life, even if just indirectly.
After coming back from school, the first thing I did was sit in front of the computer and boot up the online game.
“Damn, does this make sense?”
On a typical day, I curse while spinning the random box.
After the 80th attempt with a 5% chance, I hadn’t won even once, and I was starting to suspect it was rigged.
“Mari, I want to do it too.”
“Hold on, this is an important moment right now.”
After gaining virtual parents, a small friction arose between Siyeon and me.
There’s only one computer, but there are two people who want to use it.
Especially as I started using the computer more seriously, Siyeon’s share of screen time watching videos decreased.
Even if I gave her my phone to watch magical girl animations, she often wanted to do what I was doing.
I didn’t want to drag Siyeon into the RPG game full of beating, killing, and curses, and if I found a game that suited her, my computer time for the day would be over.
But buying another computer was out of the question because there wasn’t enough space, plus expenses had recently been too high.
‘Hmm….’
Yet, no parent can outsmart their child; today too, I was robbed of the computer by Siyeon and was fiddling with my smartphone from the top bunk.
Taking a break from smartphone games since I lacked energy for a moment.
I decided to head to the search engine filled with the day’s absurd news articles and let the algorithm take my time.
[Animal Protection Citizens’ Group, “If conversation is possible, it’s clearly abuse,” criticizes magical girls.]
[Monster expert Professor Lee, “Nonsense,” refuses to take responsibility despite clear evidence.]
[With the appearance of an octopus doctor demanding a conversation, some communities mockingly said, ‘I knew it.’]
[Incheon, monster appearance rate plummeting to 0%, waiting for an explanation: ‘Please hold on.’]
[Is this city really safe now? This area, house prices ‘skyrocket.’]
‘Now even animal groups are going crazy.’
As usual, I left an absurd complaint while perusing articles laden with sensationalist headlines.
If they just treated dogs and cats like normal animals, it would be fine, but there’s so much interference.
If it really looks like abuse, why not directly converse with the animals? Why spill nonsense on us?
They’d run away the moment the evacuation alarm sounds.
‘What if they’re being annoying?’
I scoffed and scrolled through my smartphone, poking fun at the ludicrous remarks from civic groups.
If it bothers them that much, why not act like the vegan groups and shout in front of the monsters until the magical girls show up, holding signs that say, “Monster extermination is violence!”?
If they get caught in an attack, isn’t that considered natural selection?
Of course, a civic group whose objective is tax evasion wouldn’t have the guts to do that.
As I scrolled down, looking at society with a negative lens, a sudden phone call filled my screen.
[Caller ID Restricted]
There’s only one person who would call me like this.
After sliding the green button to answer, I casually said the first words.
“Hello?”
“Sun? Are you thinking of coming up to Seoul this weekend? Just think of it as sightseeing in Seoul, okay?”
Immediately upon answering, the Minister asked if I was planning to go to Seoul.
“What? I don’t want to.”
Naturally, I frowned, reflexively voicing my disdain.
To ask me to simply come to sightsee in Seoul after going through the trouble of a phone call?
This isn’t something someone would say lightly.
There has to be something behind this; what could it be?
At that moment, one of the recent news articles flashed through my mind.
[Incheon, monster appearance rate plummeting to 0%, waiting for an explanation: ‘Please hold on.’]
‘Ah.’
I couldn’t be sure, but I held a certain level of conviction.
Were they planning a press conference, responding to the demand for an explanation with “please wait”?
“I’m not attending a press conference.”
“Oh, I’ll even write the script for you! You just have to read it while transformed! Plus, you can go sightseeing with Siyeon while you’re at it!”
As soon as they were caught, the justification of “sightseeing in Seoul” transformed into “there’s not much to do!”
It seemed they aimed to include Siyeon in this conversation too, because the Minister began shouting through the smartphone.
I quickly lowered the volume button so I could barely hear.
“Siyeon! Siyeon! Don’t you want to go see Seoul this weekend?”
“I turned the volume down.”
No matter how loud she yelled, her voice couldn’t reach Siyeon, who was focused on her magical girl animation.
As I lay in bed, digging into my ear, an annoyed voice came from the other end of the smartphone.
“Is the kid not cute at all!”
“Not easy to take advantage of. Thank you for the highest compliment in this harsh society.”
“But this time, it’s not about liking or disliking… You really have to come. If it gets any louder like this, it won’t be good for either of us. Let’s just brush it off and end it, okay?”
“….”
For a moment, I hesitated at the Minister’s somewhat serious tone.
If the noise doesn’t stop, it won’t be good for either of us.
That wasn’t wrong either. Whatever, how long could it take? So I reluctantly agreed.
“You’ll write the script for me, right?”
“Of course! I’ll send those two from last time; it’s better to see familiar faces, right?”
“Sure.”
With that vague answer, I turned to Siyeon, who was engrossed in her magical girl animation, from the top bunk.
“Siyeon, Siyeon?”
“Yeah?”
Siyeon, who was deep into her magical girl animation, looked up.
I put my smartphone down on the bed and said.
“We’re going to Seoul this weekend with the uncles we met last time.”
“Seoul? Where’s that?”
“Um, it’s the neighborhood where the rich people are?”
I threw together some words that popped into my head for Siyeon, who still didn’t know various region names and wrapped it up simply.
It might not be true, but that’s how it’s perceived.
Time flew by naturally, and the weekend arrived.
Somehow, two dazed-looking public official uncles visited our house again.
Sure, I didn’t want a weekend business trip; I could’ve requested someone else!
They were generous enough to buy us free chicken sticks, after all.
“Oh, welcome! It’s your first time seeing each other in person, right?”
We headed to Seoul in that government vehicle from last time.
Today’s magical girl and the Minister have never seen each other in person before.
If you just look at her, she seems like a nice lady, but don’t forget that she’s a seasoned snake who survived in the political arena.
“Hello!”
“Oh, so you are Siyeon?”
“It’s me!”
With Siyeon’s cheerful greeting, the Minister, with her supposedly lovely smile, rubbed Siyeon’s cheek.
Siyeon, who didn’t even know why she was summoned, was just happy to have come this far.
Breaking the cheerful atmosphere, I asked the Minister.
“So, what will you do?”
“Right! Mari just needs to read this script as it is….”
When I received the prepared script, the Minister offered various pieces of advice.
Things like not taking the journalists’ questions too seriously, or if a question is difficult to answer, just brush it off lightly.
Other than that, she mentioned to ignore any questions pushing for the transformation undo phrase, saying it’s just about reading the script.
“Siyeon, that’s your job.”
“Oh, okay.”
Naturally, it wasn’t Siyeon’s responsibility, so I decided I would go to the press conference alone.
Leaving Siyeon with the two public officials, I took a moment to scan through the script.
Entering the awaited press conference, the atmosphere was tense with bright lights shining on the podium.
The sound of cameras clicking came in rapid volleys, their flashes dazzling enough to blind me.
[Magical Girl Sun]
[Is it really possible to communicate with monsters?]
“Hello. This is Sun.”
The first part I would read was the key topic of this conference.
Is it possible to communicate with monsters? It was something I directly refuted in a mature manner, explaining to the reporters while answering questions after each segment.
“Next question, please.” The brief ring indicated more raised hands of reporters eager for answers.
“Yes, from Kim Mi-sun at X News.”
“This is Kim Mi-sun from X News. You just said that it’s impossible to communicate with monsters, but what about the phrases written on that metal plate in the photo?”
With that question, I focused on the script.
Since I had already written predictions for anticipated questions in the script, I simply had to respond.
Even if I’m a magical girl handling practical matters, those excuses were still quite plausible.
“I suspect that some information from Earth randomly reaches them through some channels. It seemed clear that they did not understand the meaning of that text.”
After several rounds of questions and finishing all the reading, it was time for free questions.
Instead of polite reporters like before, a swarm of journalists with fiery eyes began firing off indiscriminate questions with camera shutters clicking.
“Is the magical girl’s und transformation phrase standardized?”
“I’m Lee Hyun-chang from Mugung News. What’s your actual age?”
“Oh, that’s a….”
“There’s a growing opinion that monster extermination is animal abuse. What do you think about that?”
“Animal abuse? Monsters attack people….”
“Do you agree that magical girls are involved in child abuse and exploitation?”
“How do you find and appear on the scene to confront monsters?”
The press conference area had truly turned into a lawless zone.
The sheer number of people trying to interject made it impossible to communicate effectively before one could even finish a sentence.
Just then—
As I looked straight at a reporter to respond, a camera flash hit me squarely in the eye.
“Damn it….”
My head was telling me not to say anything, but my unruly mouth had already opened.
“Have these bastards self-taught their family education?”
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