Chapter 127 – The Essence of a Magical Girl (7)
“Ah.”
Kim Soo-jung let out a short sigh. A magical girl, this explains everything. But it can’t just end with this kind of reaction.
“When did this happen?!”
“…Relatively recently.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her wide-eyed, sudden leap from her seat. Her eyes grew even wider.
I could roughly guess her emotions.
Kim Soo-jung was once a girl who blamed her own weakness, dreaming of becoming a magical girl while idolizing them at the same time.
Her gaze mixed with relief that someone like me, who she thought was in a similar predicament, became a magical girl and fear about what it meant for herself.
“I have to say… congratulations…”
“That’s up to you. But remember this: nothing changes.”
I’m not her parent, so I couldn’t comfort her completely. I didn’t even think that was the right thing to do in the first place.
But I still wanted to say something.
“A magical girl is ultimately just a fantasy. No matter how strong a magical girl is, she will eventually revert to her normal life. You and I are fighting by the same rules, so let’s focus on our own battles without getting sidetracked.”
“Our battles?”
“Everyday life.”
I expressed the idea of fighting for everyday life. I didn’t think it was very different. Whether at school or work, people fight against the myriad of challenges before them, winning or losing, evolving or retreating.
“Don’t forget the essence while chasing fantasies. It’s fine to pursue illusions, but the moment you become consumed by them, it’s over.”
I had to throw in a bit of a serious talk there.
I couldn’t be sure if Kim Soo-jung understood, but from that point onward, it was her realm to navigate.
Fortunately, she seemed to grasp it, her face calm compared to the confusion that had haunted her earlier.
“A magical girl is an illusion. That’s their essence. So… is Takilas, the strongest magical girl, like that too? She must be attending school somewhere.”
Just as the conversation was wrapping up, Kim Soo-jung muttered something that made me flinch unnecessarily.
“In the end, I’ve spilled everything to those two. About those anxious kids, too. While Park Tae-jun is a bit dubious, isn’t Kim Soo-jung a concern?”
“He’s serious about anything related to me. Don’t worry, the secret is safe.”
While Kim Soo-jung was away to wash up, I lay on the bed chatting with Ren. Ren was sulking, annoyed that after I revealed my identity as a magical girl to Kim Soo-jung, he had to further entertain the topic he had initiated.
“Well, I do agree with your point about maintaining our everyday lives. That’s what mascots emphasize most. Don’t mess up your everyday life with magical girl activities. Of course, that’s not an easy task.”
“Isn’t it about building up results? Surprising.”
“Cut it out and look over the invitation. The banquet is upon us.”
As I mocked him, Ren shouted, bouncing on my chest before pulling out something much larger than himself from his pocket.
It was something Rana had once given me, which I had kept.
“The very intention of this gathering is impure. After Casilena and the Special Task Force appeared, the urgency to summon you all arose, didn’t it?”
“…I can’t deny that. They called for an emergency session as the council is currently under extreme circumstances.”
Ren pressed his head into my fist but continued sharing the current state of the fairy companies.
Since Casilena’s appearance, the control over magical girls started slipping, and their standing weakened significantly.
Meanwhile, the advent of the Special Task Force aiming to drive magical girls away brought them to the brink of losing all influence on Earth.
While things have reversed somewhat due to the instability faced by The One Road, still…
“I heard the council is divided into factions and they’re fighting it out.”
“That’s nasty.”
“Anyway… if you do go, obviously, a lot of eyes will be on you. Be cautious.”
He warned me in a serious tone. Hearing that made me sigh. Honestly, my compliant attendance was also about warning against doing anything rash.
“I hear the magical girls from around the world will gather. That means there will be a gap in their activities. What’s the plan for that?”
“The banquet hall is a place created with special abilities. Time doesn’t flow there. Everyone gathers, but in reality, it’s just a moment in time.”
The preparations were surprisingly thorough.
The moment Kim Soo-jung re-entered the room, I tossed Ren out of bed and reclined comfortably.
*
“If I go to the banquet, I’ll be able to meet Lulu, right?”
“You will. Ren said he would come too.”
“Okay, good.”
While some were ready to kick back and chill, on the rooftop of a tall building, where the cold night breeze swept, she stood with a faint smile in response to the words of her mascot, Lulu.
Magical Girl Aria. Having fully recovered, she stood once again before the world.
Many things had changed from the past. Her personal color, once a bright red, was now darkened to a bloody hue, and her eyes were deeper and redder.
“Eun-seo, what are you going to do now?”
“Don’t worry too much, Director. I’m just planning to work as a magical girl, like before.”
Standing at the railing, she turned back and smiled ruefully at Oh Yoon-seo’s worry. In truth, she did not plan to act immediately.
There was no longer any urgency. She distinctly remembered the last moments before her existence ceased.
Those memories were essentially the goals she needed to reach once again.
“I’ve made my path clear.”
She resolved to forge a new path based on that foundation.
Though she knew that Takilas had saved her, she felt no fear. Even if she were to die again, she wouldn’t stray from that path.
“I’m relieved you’re safe… but do you know you have that crazed look in your eyes like those wild memes circulating the internet?”
Karin, who was with Oh Yoon-seo, sighed and scratched her head.
It was a natural reaction when someone who had died and returned declared they would fight again.
“I’m different now. Back then, I had no clue and just moved based on what others said and directed me. Even if my actions are similar to before, I am now moving by my own will.”
“The political battle is in our favor right now. Public opinion has turned against The One Road. There’s no need to jump in.”
“That’s true this time. But such individuals could pop up at any moment, so I intend to stop them.”
Aria claimed she would continue the actions she had taken previously.
She vowed to tackle the absurdities, injustices, and corruption plaguing society, aiming for a system grounded in righteousness.
Of course, there would be no more rampage along the way.
Having confirmed the potential within herself to vaporize Takilas’s arm and sustain a concussion, she chose to believe in herself and keep training and growing.
“I believe in you, Eun-seo.”
With that assurance, Oh Yoon-seo decided to abandon her attempts at persuasion, opting instead to support her.
“So, what do we do now…?”
“We have to get back to our daily lives. I’ve missed too many classes; what should I do?”
After Oh Yoon-seo and Karin left, Aria was left alone, reverting to the ordinary high school girl Ha Eun-seo. She smiled sheepishly at Lulu’s words.
Having neglected her daily life due to recent rampages, she decided to restore that ordinary life first, now that she had realized her true essence.
“…You, you!”
“Hello.”
To accomplish that, she headed to school and met Jeon So-hyun.
The person who ran for her, fought for her, and ultimately got hurt badly because of her.
“I’m sorry.”
She bowed her head first to Jeon So-hyun, who froze with a drink in hand that she had dropped.
“It was true. What Takilas said…”
“Yeah. She saved me. I don’t know how it all happened.”
In her straightforward nature, Jeon So-hyun had already forgotten the past fights and struggles and was far more shocked by the very fact that Ha Eun-seo had returned than by her apology.
Especially since she had witnessed the final battle and the moment Aria vanished.
Although Takilas and Gabi had repeatedly told her not to worry, in truth, Jeon So-hyun did not believe that.
“What happened?”
“Honestly, I hardly remember anything. But there’s one thing I do recall.”
“A gigantic, radiant light.”
In response to Jeon So-hyun’s question, she recalled her fragmented soul’s only memory: light itself.
That light enveloped her and helped reconstruct her existence.
It never seemed like it was Takilas’s power. It was more akin to the opposite of the profound darkness Takilas possessed.
“So I must meet her again.”
Glancing casually at the invitation Lulu was holding in her mouth, she murmured softly. Though everything was shrouded in mystery regarding Takilas, at least right now, there was a definite connection.
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