Episode 69 – Light and Darkness (9)
Everyone’s mind flickered with the thought, could such a dreadful act really occur in broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of everyone?
Despite the magical girls’ emergence, the fundamental truths had not changed.
“Ugh, AAAAAH!”
“KYAAAH!”
But the world was already welcoming change.
Rene’s lightning axe swung with a deafening roar, crackling blue electricity as Kwon Do-hyun, drenched in splattered blood, screamed with all his might.
Those who had belatedly discovered the real Rene also gasped in horror at the sight. An arm was severed as easily as slicing tofu, dropping to the ground.
The lightning axe seared the severed edge instantly, the blood pooled, barely filling a cup.
“You’re not the only one. All the instigators will be judged.”
“AAAH!”
Rene’s axe didn’t stop there.
Whether student or teacher, no one dared step forward, while in the middle of the hallway, arms and legs fell apart with each flash of lightning.
And finally, when the chains broke, and an unconscious body fell limp to the ground, Rene realized she completely dominated this space. The absolute power she had long desired.
‘And to protect this, I must uphold this terror and justification.’
Her heart was surprisingly calm and composed. It was only the first step she’d taken.
“Hurry and report! Call the police, dammit!”
“Please save us! Teacher, please!”
“But… but…”
With Kwon Do-hyun, one of the perpetrators, brutally attacked before everyone’s eyes, those left behind at school who felt guilty were busy fleeing.
But Rene wouldn’t take no action.
Like before, the barrier around the school only restricted access to certain individuals.
As students hurriedly evacuated, only a few remained inside, crying and desperately banging on the protective shield.
Watching the scene outside, the young teacher squeezed his eyes shut. No matter how hard he pounded, the shield didn’t budge.
‘Someone must come. But who?’
The rampage led by Rene and Casilena had already begun, but no one had attempted to intervene. Or rather, they couldn’t.
The magical girls feared them. There was no reason for them to intervene. The once rowdy Fairy Company couldn’t even step forward; they were silent now.
Moreover, it was impossible for the military or police to confront them.
‘…Aria.’
In such a situation, the only name that came to mind for everyone, including the young teacher, was one. A true warrior who everyone hesitated and feared.
But Aria never showed up. She only had one body to face an entire organization like Casilena.
“Hiiik!”
“Don’t come! Don’t come!”
Ultimately, those who couldn’t receive any help or escape saw Rene slowly approach, clacking her heels, wielding an axe as big as her upper body.
“St-stop!”
“…How mysterious.”
Rene, reeling in panic, was intrigued by this young male teacher who shouted at her, tilting her head. She was seeing a “good person” with a magical girl’s perspective for the first time.
“I know why you’re doing this. But stop. It’s too harsh.”
Faced with Rene, the trembling teacher opened his mouth with a shaking voice. This confidence stemmed from assuming Rene was a female student of similar age to the kids he taught, thinking he could calm her with words being the adult here.
“You’re under a delusion too.”
“A d-delusion?”
“…Do you truly think what I’m doing is selfish and indiscriminate terror?”
But it was a misstep. The dimly smiling Rene overwhelmed him, and he staggered.
“Consider this after today. You created us, prompted us to move, and given us this power.”
Rene was fully aware of what she was doing. The activities of Casilena, parading as justice and judgment, were, in fact, political actions reflecting her desires.
Thus, she provided no leeway. She gauged public sentiment, manipulated the visible aspects for her intentions, and exploited the vulnerabilities to frame her narrative.
It wasn’t mindless; she calculated that it was acceptable to act this way.
“You know how many are weary and beaten down by absurdity and abnormality in this world, what they truly desire. And that is neither us nor anything else; it’s produced and spread by this society, by you.”
“N-no!!”
He shouted, but Rene had no intention of listening to such futile cries.
Once again, her lightning axe swung, flashing, as she scattered dismembered limbs across sky and ground, accompanied by screams.
*
“Now! Immediately! Use any means necessary to stop them! How many more must die before we catch those rioters! Today, many healthy students had their limbs cut off!”
In the Management Bureau conference room. Already, shouts echoed as the sun set. The head of the Bureau, Director Lee Min-hyung, remained tight-lipped, saying nothing.
The shouting came from outsiders who had unexpectedly come to the Bureau.
“Speak up, Director. Is there truly no backup plan?”
“That’s not the case. We will quickly devise a response.”
“Let’s hear it. What is it?”
A lean, stout middle-aged man glared at Director Lee Min-hyung. Accompanied by some politicians, he was abruptly summoned: Presidential Chief of Staff Woo Jin-seok.
They were sent on a mission from the president to solve the chaos Casilena was creating.
“…Leader of Casilena, Rene. She is certainly a being that can be communicated with.”
Internally sighing, Lee Min-hyung opened his mouth, anticipating their reaction. Negotiating with Casilena would mean conceding defeat and restructuring society as they claimed.
However, the existing powers would never allow that.
“Director, you know this world isn’t a fairytale.”
“Of course.”
“There’s no room for negotiating with a puppet organization seeking to overthrow the state. Think of another way.”
Woo Jin-seok made it clear he wouldn’t consider it. Lee Min-hyung struggled to swallow the bitter smile creeping up.
Why hadn’t they been this serious when Takilas was causing chaos?
‘Well, Takilas was an unclear calamity. But Casilena is different. Their objective is too clear, and that’s the problem.’
Ultimately, they were worried it might come for their own necks. As Rene recognized, Casilena had become a political force with the power to sway public opinion.
“There aren’t many magical girls cooperating with the Management Bureau.”
“That’s impossible. They are indeed on our side, but they’ve slightly changed recently. They’ll likely agree with Casilena to eradicate the filthy powers of our society.”
Even with his response, Woo Jin-seok’s eyes twitched. But he couldn’t easily deny the truth, and Oh Yoon-seo bowed her head.
In truth, Aria had changed.
She no longer moved as the loyal hunting dog of the Management Bureau. Rather, there was a possibility that the Bureau itself could be crushed in her hands.
“Nonsense! That girl’s information must already be recorded! She has no reason to refuse our orders! If she continues to disobey…”
“She’s still a minor!”
As Woo Seok-jin flared up, Oh Yoon-seo stepped forward in shock. The already tense atmosphere grew even more hostile.
“Power comes with responsibility.”
“That responsibility should fall upon us adults first.”
“Enough, there’s actually another way.”
Oh Yoon-seo didn’t evade the dismissive gaze of Oh Seok-jin. Director Lee Min-hyung calmly interjected, using his body to shield her.
“There’s a way?”
“Just received a report. ‘That person’ is willing to move, so let’s wait and see.”
“That person…”
Both Woo Seok-jin and Lee Min-hyung were shocked. The atmosphere shifted dramatically with the shocking news.
“An SS-level who’s been busy with real life, but is set to appear again after five years.”
Under the alias Karin, with twenty years of experience but effectively retired for the past five years.
The first magical girl renowned worldwide, dominating even the top spot in the Republic of Korea before the emergence of Takilas.
The fact that such a being would return in chaotic times was staggering.
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