I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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If someone who helped me suffered disadvantages just because they knew me, what is the first emotion I should feel?

Naturally, it would be ‘apology.’

Just the fact that they took the risk to help me is already something to feel sorry about, and if it even led to them getting involved in a violent situation, it’s only normal to feel shameless. I was someone who could feel at least that much.

However, I certainly wasn’t someone with a commendable character.

The next thought that popped up was, ‘I just want to run away.’

That’s how I’ve been feeling these past few months.

I’ve been placed on the front lines, being pushed and pulled from both sides as if I’m being tested to see whether I’ll lean this way or that.

Why am I holding on? Wouldn’t it be easier to just give up? If I fled to some place where I wouldn’t need to think, wouldn’t that make it all irrelevant?

“…Huh.”

But I exhaled and shook my head. I slapped my cheeks with both hands.

In the end, the one who was placed in that position was none other than me.

If, and that’s a big if,

I hadn’t felt jealousy towards Ha-yoon. If I hadn’t felt unnecessary inferiority and hadn’t ended up becoming a combatant on the opposite side, none of this would have ever happened.

I would have just lived my life as one of the faceless extras around Ha-yoon, getting by without any highs or lows, just scraping by.

There would have been no need to become this famous, no reason to rise to the position of a Magical Girl. There wouldn’t have been any occasion to attract attention from others, and both Ha-yoon and Pang-pang could have lived their lives without any issues.

Whatever Noir Corporation was doing, the Magical Girls would have resolved it anyway.

Yeah, in the end, it was all because of me.

All of it.

So I must resolve it.

“Ji-eun…”

Just a moment ago, Ha-yoon, who was calling me in a cheerful tone, said my name. Her voice sounded a bit weak now.

I glanced down at my clothes.

Slowly, they were turning black.

The light from the circuit was also gradually fading.

The circuit is powered by a person’s intense emotions.

With almost no good feelings, and having my emotions tilting heavily towards the bad, it seems I was quite the optimized talent for the circuit in that sense.

Despair and hope are ultimately human emotions.

Whether in despair or holding onto hope, I must not give up for the circuit to keep running.

It’s not that I haven’t given up; it’s simply that I can’t.

When will this situation come to an end?

When will I be able to live without giving up?

“…”

There was no one to comfort me, saying it would be okay. Frankly, even if someone did offer comfort, I surely wouldn’t be able to accept it properly. I would probably respond sharply.

It’s not even those kids’ fault.

It feels foolish to think that just moments ago, I was feeling hope.

I looked around the room again. It was shocking how much I could destroy this place, despite it not having much in it.

Looking at the posters stuck to the wall, I became speechless again.

I couldn’t say this country was peaceful. Somewhere right now, there’s probably a murder happening, maybe a robbery or even a sexual assault.

I couldn’t claim that this planet was peaceful either. Compared to times in the entire world when peace was absolute, wars were far more frequent.

In fact, it’s said that various problems have been solved thanks to the arrival of aliens.

They claim to have tried to admit warring countries into the federation to maintain peace. Though they failed multiple times like other nations did in the past, seeing how they are continuously stationed there without withdrawing gives it some credibility.

As soon as the aliens arrived, environmental issues in this world began to improve immediately. The aliens thought humanity was killing its own planet and devised several ways to restore Earth’s environment completely.

They proudly told us about such ‘achievements.’

So they urged us to quickly join the federation. To become part of this proud member.

“…”

Can they really say such things after witnessing this?

Perhaps they might say that in the federation. That they don’t know about it. That it was something initiated by Noir Corporation.

They would probably say that to us, whom they are essentially toying with like dolls. No, maybe they at least have a modicum of shame. After all, they haven’t shown even a minimal willingness to approach us directly until now.

“James.”

I called out to the drone that had flown around silently until then. Of course, James was inside it.

“Have we been exposed while we’re here?”

“I don’t think so.”

James answered directly.

“If we had really been exposed, they would have first hit this place before you managed to escape.”

“Then was it a coincidence? Coming in like this, turning everything upside-down, kidnapping Pang-pang, and even setting traps inside? Did they disturb us just to lure us in?”

“First of all, I had no significant interest in your social connections. Relationships within the company are extremely personal, and while I can investigate such things, it wouldn’t yield that much great success. The turnover rate among combatants is very high. Even if you work for years, wages don’t really go up, so you can’t gauge loyalty over a few years.”

“But alien combatants…?”

“If there’s more money to be made elsewhere, I think they would choose the riskier but better-paid jobs. Moreover, that girl, Pang-pang, was a unique case. She was someone not working for the company but had made it her goal just to live on Earth.”

“…If there was a job on Earth that paid better, she would have moved elsewhere.”

“Or she would have gone to a place where she could see Magical Girls more closely and safely. Well, I didn’t investigate this when I was an officer. It’s information I got to know while spending time together. In any case, just attending the same company doesn’t necessarily mean forming strong bonds. Who in the world would risk their life to keep working just because their coworker has been taken hostage?”

Hearing this made me understand why James didn’t specifically threaten me by taking Pang-pang hostage.

“Since she likely didn’t know that girl had been hiding you, it wouldn’t make sense to say, ‘because of you, I kidnapped her.’ If they were planning to draw attention and buy time, it would be more efficient to simply cause terror instead of targeting a specific individual.”

“…”

I quietly stared at the broken turret.

“Why would they set something like this up?”

“It may be unreasonable to say they brought it in from the very beginning. While a bomb can be carried in a bag, it’s quite difficult to carry something like this machine gun without hiding it. Plus, down below, there are mechanisms to automatically detect and shoot at enemies. It must have taken some time to set this up. At the very least, it would be troublesome to install it before we arrived right after the explosion.”

“Then, are you saying Pang-pang set this up before people could come in from outside?”

Could Pang-pang even have such abilities?

If James and I had been inside, it might have been possible. Just keep it running with my circuit and James could have just crafted something like a gun and set it up.

But we erased all traces of ourselves when leaving that house. And naturally, those traces included the parts of the human-like robot that James had been using.

Even if Pang-pang had some engineering skills… well, after several months, if she had prepared, she could have managed something.

“…Did she know it would be dangerous for her to have connections with me and took precautions?”

“I still can’t believe that an ordinary person would possess such military weapons.”

Listening to James, Jua also nodded in agreement.

“Though it varies from country to country, in places like ours where gun control is strict, energy-based weapons are illegal.”

Yet, despite that, Jua was handling firearms with such ease, and even if they were not in the form of a gun, the weapons of other Magical Girls all fall under the category of ‘energy-based weapons,’ but let’s overlook that for now.

“I’ve heard that there have been cases of hobbyists gathering parts at home to create such things, but did that person here have such a hobby?”

“No, I doubt it.”

Why would I call her an Earth Buddy otherwise?

The room didn’t have much stuff, but the little that was there consisted entirely of Earth-related items.

I had thought that because of the usual conversations, she was only interested in idols, movies, and Magical Girls, but it seems she had left behind traces of having quite seriously studied Earth as well. Although not to an expert level, there were several books and cultural texts that could be considered classic ones made on Earth.

I’ve heard of history enthusiasts going down the military otaku path, but it’s hard to imagine Pang-pang truly becoming a maniac to the extent of making real firearms.

If she were to craft anything, it would more likely be in the form of Earth firearms. And that wouldn’t have been for this ‘practical purpose.’

“Then, there’s only one answer.”

“…One answer?”

“Someone provided it. So that it could be used properly. Looking back, Pang-pang might not have fully understood how to use this weapon. After all, she was kidnapped, and the weapon only activated after we arrived.”

“Who on earth?”

At James’s words, all of us, including Jua and Ha-yoon, perked up our ears in the direction of the police over there.

It seemed that the fire truck and other police had arrived a little late, as I could hear sirens outside.

“Probably… someone who anticipated this situation.”

“So who is that? Who could think of the connection between Pang-pang and me that the company didn’t even consider and prepare in advance? Especially from Pang-pang’s perspective?”

“…”

James fell silent.

Seeing the drone move, it seemed he was concerned about the police.

“One thing is certain: this machine gun is a product of Noir Corporation. It runs on energy, not live ammunition, and operates via a circuit. Of course, it’s not powered by your circuit, but by fuel imported from an alien planet…”

Sure enough, a liquid was flowing from the broken machine gun turret.

Most magical power comes from extraterrestrial beings. It’s said that when a living being infused with magical power dies, its body can turn into something resembling oil.

Of course, it’s much more environmentally friendly than burning something like oil. It’s simply using what’s available to utilize magical energy. If an engine had been used that runs on gasoline inside this house, the toxic gases could have killed someone.

“Is there no way to figure out who assisted? Or else…?”

The drone from James turned toward me.

And seeing that it remained silent, I concluded it wasn’t that he was unable to speak; he simply wouldn’t.

I couldn’t see James’s expression, but the fact that he suddenly became this cooperative suggested that there was definitely something going on.

“What should we do?”

Ha-yoon asked with a serious expression.

The pleasant smile she had shown earlier in front of the building was nowhere to be seen.

“We are—”

“Wait a second!”

Before I could even respond, a loud voice called out from the entrance.

Turning that way, I saw a woman in a suit, breathless.

I had no direct evidence, but for some reason, I felt that she was likely the ‘woman in a suit’ Ji-hye had mentioned.

“Before you go, please, let me explain something!”

“…”

I frowned.

“…An explanation.”

The last discussion I had with the official hadn’t exactly been pleasant.

Since she had even tried to use Ji-hye, I was feeling even worse. If she was the one Ji-hye had mentioned, the already low spirits could plummet to the underground level.

But before I could show any intention to refuse, the woman bent at a 90-degree angle.

“I’m sorry!”

Seeing that action, the three of us momentarily looked stunned.

Then we looked at each other and back at her.

“What?”

“I apologize for the events that have transpired. It’s the duty of the police to prevent such occurrences, yet…”

“…”

That was indeed true. It pertained to public safety.

However, even police cannot completely block all possible crimes. Most incidents lead to investigations after the fact, and criminals are caught after committing crimes. That’s just the law. Until the crime is committed, it’s not a crime.

Of course, that’s not to say it’s good that a bomb goes off in the heart of Seoul and that an illegal organization wielding dangerous weapons runs rampant.

By the way, the term ‘illegal organization’ here refers to the Noir Corporation. Strictly speaking, I am also wandering around illegally.

“Was the person here a… important individual?”

James’s drone swiveled toward me.

Since it was gazing at me intently, it seemed there were many things it wanted to say, but it was being cautious in front of the police.

I don’t know how sensitive the idea James had brought up was, but at least it indicates that it wouldn’t be overheard by the police. It probably wouldn’t be good to forcefully extract words in this situation.

“I won’t ask what that person meant to you.”

The woman spoke as if she knew what I was about to say. The way she extended both hands suggested that she was afraid I might leave at any moment.

“Last time, we committed a grave mistake. This isn’t how persuasion should work…”

“Would you call that persuasion?”

When I replied, she nodded.

“You’re right. It was a threat. I apologize.”

“Are you speaking on behalf of the police or the government? Or as an individual? If you mean as an individual, that’s really unnecessary for me.”

When I said that, she fell silent.

That was understandable.

As a public servant, she couldn’t apologize on behalf of the government. And it’s not easy to extract an apology from the entire government either. An apology is neither easy nor a straightforward matter at all. There’s always the issue of grounds and money that never simply concludes personally.

There’s a reason the term ‘cutting tails’ exists.

“I—”

“Apology should be done as I desire it, or if that’s not possible, at least arrange for proper compensation. After all, you’re not genuinely calling me to apologize, right? You want something from me since you called me here.”

I didn’t wish for money. Even an apology would mean nothing at this point.

I just wanted everything to return to its original position.

I couldn’t even tell if the government would go so far as to roll up their sleeves and do their utmost to settle it, given how tangled everything had become.

It’s a bizarre situation.

Perhaps because my emotions have surpassed the threshold, I found myself unusually calm. My mind was completely blank; it felt like nothing was seeping in yet I was still able to speak.

Maybe right now, I’m showing the most honest part of myself that I’ve portrayed throughout my life.

“Of course.”

Was this a statement I made on a whim?

“So, why did you call me? Are you suggesting we cooperate again?”

“Yes, yes! That’s it for now, but please listen for a moment!”

“…”

“I understand that you need immediate assets. You’re fighting against Noir Corporation, right? We can assist you.”

“So the government can protect us from the federation?”

Every piece of equipment I use is stolen from Noir Corporation, and all the equipment other Magical Girls use was taken from the federation.

Truthfully, if they were to apprehend us legally, they would have more than enough grounds. The only reason they haven’t is political and image-related motivations.

“Of course. I believe it will be much easier for you to continue functioning as Magical Girls if you have official titles.”

“So you’re saying we should become ‘government-affiliated’?”

I grimaced, and her face turned pale at my response.

“No, no! That’s not it! A relationship of employment… No, even if it’s just a transactional relationship, that’s fine!”

What on earth is making the government want to cling to us like this?

“Probably due to the energy issue.”

Jua quietly said.

“Since the rights to circuits have mostly been divided between the federation and the corporation, having two skilled alien technicians and six who can use the Hope Circuit, along with someone who can utilize uncharted energy…”

“…”

And I guess various political reasons come attached to that. I could well imagine the myriad of filthy reasons from all those high-ranking individuals I couldn’t even comprehend.

“I can assist as a surveillance asset.”

The woman stated.

“For instance, there are crime prevention CCTV cameras in Seoul…”

“That can be deceived too easily.”

Both James and I went around easily deceiving it.

“But there are many other things. Particularly ‘manpower’ isn’t something you can easily obtain as you wish. We can also protect your friend…”

She was careful to word it in a way that didn’t sound like a threat.

“…”

I momentarily fell silent.

“It would be possible to check what exactly happened in this place, in the best way possible. After all, the government certainly has a list of aliens who have entered the country in an official capacity.”

How long would I keep refusing the same thing? Or should I hasten to wrap this up quickly?

If I work with the government, it could help find Pang-pang a bit more easily and quickly. Though if she has already fled to outer space, it wouldn’t mean anything.

Even if I found Pang-pang, the government might stick to me like a leech.

In either case, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages in my situation.

But at the same time, I didn’t want to give up Pang-pang’s life. If you asked if she was the most precious person to me, I’d have nothing to say, but in this world… she’s my benefactor.

However—

“Wait, let me think it through. I can’t make such choices alone.”

I could only respond that way.

Right now, I wasn’t alone.

With so many entanglements, I already had five collaborators around me. Plus two aliens.

Yet here I was, unable to decide everything just by myself.

Thinking that way, I looked at Ha-yoon. She had a faint smile on her face.

Somehow, that smile made it feel like she would follow me no matter what, leaving me at a loss for how to respond.

 

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