Episode 74 – Unstoppable (4)
“I’m not worried about it; you said he’s someone else, yet here you are, looking out for him. So, did you really dislike Rene forming and operating the organization called Casilena?”
“No. Like I said, I don’t care at all. I just wanted to let you know a fact you should consider as a leader of a faction, not a kid. Still, even if Rene gets knocked down like this, I doubt she’ll give up because of her personality.”
The world is unreasonable and cold. The Demon Realm I survived in was particularly rough, but the act of trampling the weak and ignoring them is the same in human society.
In fact, someone like Rene, who borrowed the appearance of a Magical Girl and acts on her own strength, would likely be stronger than your average S-rank Magical Girl. However, the more burdens you carry, the more power you need.
Even if I found an excuse to get rid of Karin, who could be a major obstacle, it didn’t mean I could relax.
“If I had something to bear while frolicking around like this, I wouldn’t have gone on a rampage like I did now. Let’s head back.”
I turned toward the facility.
The hardest moment in my life was during the civil war in the Demon Realm, competing for the title of Demon King. No matter how strong I was, I had never needed greater power than during that time.
Achieving something significant is a tough ordeal.
“…But I think you achieved your goal to some extent. You showed your power, so those who feared you even before will be more inclined to avoid you now.”
“That’s more convenient. Let them crawl around.”
In the room I stealthily returned to, only the soft snoring of Kim Soo-jung could be heard. I released my transformation, yawned, scratched my belly, and sprawled out on the bed.
The exam was right around the corner.
A common life far from violence, slaughter, and chaos. When I first came to Earth, I thought only of relieving my nostalgia from the past and having fun. But unlike before, when I thought I couldn’t live without those things, these days I find joy in this simple daily life. Duh, dragons don’t just wander around for fun.
“Still, you should provide some results… that Karin you threw away today wasn’t exactly a performance either.”
“Oh, come on.”
However, the murmuring voice of Ren just before I fell asleep was enough to annoy me.
“You have plans today?”
“…Yeah. But why are you staring so wide? I know you have plans too.”
“With who?”
It was breakfast time in the bustling restaurant. As usual, Kim Soo-jung, sitting next to me with a spoon in her mouth, casually turned her head to me, skipping over the news about the recent Magical Girls’ uproar from the previous night, and spoke lightly about today’s schedule.
Her eyes narrowed at my mention of going out due to plans.
“What are you going to do with that information?”
“I-I told you who I’m meeting today.”
As I scoffed, she hurriedly urged for a response, flustered. To the casual observer, she simply looked like a friend curious about another friend’s schedule, but I, knowing full well what dark intentions lay beneath her surface after the spirit had invaded her, could only click my tongue.
“With Park Tae-jun. The purpose is to study with your classmates since the seniors are all too busy with their own studies. He’s been begging to study together, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
“What?!”
Of course, I had no particular reason to hide it or to consider her desires, so I spoke honestly.
Kim Soo-jung, shocked, turned into a stone statue while I continued to eat. The meeting time wasn’t that far off.
“You’re just going to go without anything happening, right?”
“Stop with the pointless fantasies.”
I popped a chestnut into her head as she became all serious. The problem was that I had intended to prepare at my leisure, but having seen something fluttering outside, I couldn’t.
In this bright day, something green and flaming, like a will-o’-the-wisp, flickered.
It was the fox fire handled by the Gumiho, my teammate Gabi, who had come here with me, calling for me.
“By any chance, have you met Jeon So-hyun… or rather, So-hyun unni lately?”
“No. I don’t think I’ve seen her recently. I just happened to see her passing by once, and she looked really tired. Is it because of studying for the exam?”
I casually informed Kim Soo-jung as I returned my tray. She widened her eyes, then shook her head. I couldn’t help but grin slightly at this testimony.
In fact, Jeon So-hyun wasn’t studying. She was just receiving training from Gabi in her innate supernatural powers.
Being drained, it seems she’s diligently training. I mean, since Gabi took charge, she probably couldn’t afford to slack off.
“What on earth does she gain from teaching her like that?”
“Finding and nurturing talented individuals is a lord’s virtue. This doesn’t concern the Magical Girl realm; it’s our Demon Realm’s business. Mind your own business.”
While Kim Soo-jung went to freshen up, I returned to the room, where Ren was causing a commotion for information about Jeon So-hyun.
After all, Ren already knew my true identity.
“It has to relate somehow! Either way, she’ll be active in this world!”
“Oh? Are you suggesting that she’s keeping an eye on us as a representative of the Magical Girl realm?”
“That’s not it, but…”
“There are monsters known as ‘Ghoul’, who conduct experiments and research however they please; why should we care?”
I grinned down at the twitching Ren. It was clear my intention was to have Jeon So-hyun utilized here and there. But training a warrior locally like this was incredibly merciful.
If I so chose, I could mobilize the entire Demon Realm to crush this land. It’s just that Earth is my homeland, and due to the watchful eyes of the Celestial Realm, I refrained from doing so.
“And you might bring me the results you’re so fond of.”
“Ugh, and so now you want to meet her in that form?”
Seeing my transformed appearance, Ren sighed and sat down as if she had given up entirely.
*
“Ugh…”
“Now, the… uh, that person will come and evaluate whether you’ve at least met the minimal qualifications.”
This was the room assigned to high school students. They generally have their own rooms, which are reasonably spacious.
However, since early Saturday morning, there were two people taking up space in this room. To be precise, a silver-haired woman with nine fluffy tails swathed in pure white fur and a female student hanging upside down with her hands bound in midair.
Just as Gumiho Gabi was about to light her pipe with a frown while hanging Jeon So-hyun upside down.
“You’ve come.”
The startled Gabi opened her eyes wide, tossed the pipe aside, and hurriedly knelt in a somewhat docile position.
‘This crazy fox is acting like that?’
Jeon So-hyun, face flushed and moaning as blood rushed to her head, was internally taken aback by Gabi’s demeanor. Up until now, Gabi had only shown a strict and eccentric regal demeanor, befitting a leader of the Yokai.
“Why on Earth is she hanging like that?”
But when someone emerged from the quivering shadows on the floor, Jeon So-hyun could only forget everything else and take a deep breath in amazement.
“T-Takilas!”
Jeon So-hyun was horrified at the sight of Takilas hanging upside down. Their last meeting had been quite a while ago, not under pleasant circumstances.
After all, they had faced each other twice before, witnessing gruesome happenings both times; for Jeon So-hyun, Takilas was a figure of terror.
“How dare you…!”
“Calm down, Gabi. Is that supposed to show?”
So startled that her fox ears perked up, Gabi failed to notice she was baring her sharp teeth in anger.
Takilas smirked and quickly waved off Gabi, who looked like she might reveal her identity at any moment.
“Ahem. This is nothing serious. It’s just that the results of the training haven’t been good, so this is merely a punishment.”
“Ugh.”
Real Gabi flicked her fingers and let Jeon So-hyun fall to the ground, releasing the restraints. She landed with a thud, immediately clutching her head in agony on the floor.
“The results aren’t good?”
“I’ve met the criteria you set, but compared to her innate power, her talent to handle it is abysmal. Just telling her the heat barely yielded any output. I thought I was going to die of frustration, Jeon… uh, Takilas-nim.”
“The standards are unrealistic. This girl isn’t a Yokai but an ordinary human girl.”
Taking issue with Gabi’s complaints, Takilas laughed as he dragged a chair over to sit.
While she was being cautious, Gabi, suppressing the pulsing pain in her thumping head, squatted beside Gabi, looking up at Takilas.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Y-Yes… or rather, it has.”
“You look quite confused; it’s nothing special. Why would it be strange for a Gumiho to exist in a world rife with Magical Girls and monsters?”
‘Isn’t it perfectly normal?’
Takilas, speaking leisurely, made Jeon So-hyun feel hesitant to articulate her true thoughts, so she forced herself to shake her head.
Throughout her relatively rough life, her greatest weapon was none other than her keen perception.
It wasn’t surprising that there was a Gumiho expert in spiritual powers serving the strongest and most infamous Magical Girl.
“Why?”
However, there was a hard-to-ignore fact.
“Why did you save me that day and not only that, but also send Gabi to teach me how to handle powers?”
This had been a fundamental question she had carried in her heart for quite some time.
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