I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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“……Huh.”

I exhaled deeply.

I managed to hold my ground somewhat during the spar with Ha-yoon.

It’s kind of funny how people’s hopes work. They can collapse over something so small, yet just a slight tug at those little bits can bring them back to life.

Still, there’s a lingering unease; I wasn’t quite back to where I was before.

But, I could still fight again. At least, I was confident I wouldn’t be drenched in blood like when I faced that alien.

“Not like it’s some minefield or anything.”

“Huh? Ji-eun, what did you say?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Ha-yoon reacted to my mumbling, so I quickly shook my head.

There’s no way it was that bad, really. It’s just that I’ve been through some serious mental shaking. Yeah, that’s it.

“How did it go?”

Anyway, it wouldn’t be fair for me to feel like I was the only one who got my strength back. So I asked Ha-yoon.

“Yeah. You were great.”

Ha-yoon replied with a gentle smile, easing my worries.

…… Once again, I owed Ha-yoon.

It was thanks to her that I could become a Magical Girl, and it was also her support that helped me regain my strength.

Honestly, if it weren’t for Ha-yoon, I wouldn’t have understood the world we live in. If it was just a ‘world invaded by aliens,’ I probably would have lived my life thinking it was just that and eventually died.

…… No, maybe not.

Watching the Magical Girls flying in the distance, I might have just been seething with jealousy all alone.

If there was a being that dropped me here, they probably intended for me to suffer while watching Ha-yoon, but she genuinely cared for me.

Only because of Ha-yoon, I could achieve everything.

Even when trying to harbor bad feelings, she was someone I just couldn’t manage it with. That’s how it was with Ha-yoon now.

“By the way, Ji-eun.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh… are you still in contact with that person?”

“Ah, yeah.”

It became clear that she wasn’t my family. After further checking through Cherry, it turned out she was indeed a completely different person.

But that didn’t mean I was ready to cut off ties immediately.

I’m naturally a very suspicious person. Just in case, I had Cherry dig a little deeper to find out what that person’s ties with Noir Corporation were.

The result was, ‘There were no ties at all.’

I think they had some information about me, but it was only ‘I might be that person’s daughter.’

Perhaps that person had been searching for their daughter, leaving such information behind. Noir Corporation seemed to want to use that.

The effect was far better than they anticipated. Normally, they would’ve sweet-talked my ‘parents’ into making me quit being a Magical Girl, but it worked on me even better than that.

And because of that, I couldn’t feel at ease. After all, they had caught on to my weakness.

They might really come after my real parents with their eyes wide open.

The reason I couldn’t wield my power properly might be due to that.

“It’s kind of pitiful.”

“Ji-eun…”

Hearing my words, Ha-yoon looked at me with a hint of sympathy.

Well, my situation was indeed pitiful. To others, I must look very sad. An orphan. A child raised in an orphanage.

But that’s why I was free. At least now, I’m doing what I want to do. The moment I almost lost hope was purely because I thought the fence I imagined was gone forever.

“… Ah, right.”

I suddenly remembered and looked at Ha-yoon.

“Did you let that officer go for now?”

“Yeah…”

Ha-yoon’s head slightly drooped.

“Well, I thought that if we just kidnapped them right off the bat, it would cause even bigger problems.”

“I see.”

That makes sense. An officer of a company, after all.

Even if we were furious, reckless blows could collapse the thin line between the Federation and the corporation.

In reality, Ha-yoon’s action might have been crossing that line. No, they had crossed it first. People who cross lines usually don’t care about the rules.

So, is the corporation…… desperate somehow?

“And that person who helped was a combatant?”

“Yeah.”

Ha-yoon nodded.

“Though they didn’t show their face until the end.”

Still, it was clear they were the combatant who stuck around until the very end, fighting alongside me.

That meant, at the very end, that person crossed the line for Ha-yoon, a line they couldn’t cross as a Magical Girl.

“……”

Why would they do that?

“Are you worried?”

“Yeah, sort of.”

Honestly, I didn’t really know.

I didn’t even know that person’s face well.

If you asked whether I was worried or not, then yes, I was. I wouldn’t exactly call them a friend, but they were like a rival to me in a way. My side was definitely stronger, though.

So, it made me think bigger.

Why?

Could it be that they really are a fan of Magical Girls? Do they genuinely like me?

I really don’t know.

But I want to meet them again someday. Whether I get to or not in the future, that’s another story.

“I hope I’d find out if the corporation files a lawsuit against someone.”

“Because that person being sued might be that combatant?”

“…… Yeah.”

“Ji-eun…”

Ha-yoon seemed to ponder something before slowly speaking up.

“But, by the time that happens, that person might not be on Earth anymore.”

“Yeah?”

“They didn’t have circuits on their wrist. That means they are an alien.”

“Ah.”

I see.

Noir Corporation, after all, operates within the bounds of legality. Even if they commit illegal acts, the government lets some things slide.

In a way, they are entities like us.

So if someone acted against them… they might just chase them out into space.

“No, maybe they could still be on Earth.”

I thought about it from another angle.

“Because if it’s outside the universe, we’d have to resolve it under the Federation’s laws.”

And the Federation hates Noir Corporation. Just like other alien corporations on Earth.

They might even try to protect them instead.

“…… I see.”

But whichever side it is, it doesn’t seem like a good future for that combatant.

I let out a light sigh.

*

After recovering both body and mind to a certain extent, Ha-yoon and I decided to have a little fun for the first time in a while.

The other Magical Girls probably had a good chat in the break room, not having been able to relax properly thanks to me.

However, there weren’t too many places where Ha-yoon and I could go and have fun.

Though karaoke was fun, the state we were in after our first round couldn’t make us go again right away. Ha-yoon wasn’t into games, so we wouldn’t go to a PC room either.

Inviting her to the orphanage was… a bit scary still. I thought we’d call her after I was more mentally prepared and after discussing it with the teachers.

So where could we go, I wonder?

We decided to go see Pang-pang after a long time.

Pang-pang always has such a cheerful personality. Plus, adding coffee makes her even more cheerful. Sometimes, she gets a little too cheerful, but she’s still a fun friend.

At first, it seemed like Ha-yoon and I were a bit self-conscious about being Magical Girls, but soon it didn’t matter at all, and they became a bit unruly in front of us.

If anything, they seemed even more relaxed in front of us. That makes sense; they must feel that close.

……

If we weren’t there, it would feel lonely, wouldn’t it?

With a plastic bag in hand filled with several cans of coffee and energy drinks, we stood in front of the semi-basement door where Pang-pang lived.

And we knocked, knock, knocked on the door.

There was no sound from inside for a while.

Ha-yoon and I exchanged glances.

Had she gone to work?

Usually, she would be home by six o’clock when we came over.

We knocked again, knock, knock, knocked.

After waiting a little longer, the door creaked open cautiously to reveal a nervous-looking Pang-pang, a face I had never seen before.

As soon as she saw us, Pang-pang broke into a bright smile.

“You’re here!?”

Then she shifted her gaze to the plastic bag I was holding.

“What’s going on?”

I noticed a glimmer in Pang-pang’s eyes, which seemed to want something, maybe alcohol, I thought.

“Uh… no?”

Seeing my narrowed eyes, Pang-pang shook her head.

“No, no. I’m really fine. It’s just… how do I say it? I was sleeping. Yeah… So I might have not heard you guys.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I had a bit of a rough day yesterday, so I was just… taking a proper rest.”

I had never seen Pang-pang stutter like this.

She’s not the smoothest talker, but usually, she’s pretty lively and chatty.

So being tired shouldn’t make her act this weird.

“…… Let’s just go in for now.”

Feeling a serious vibe, I suggested, and Pang-pang looked as if she might break into a cold sweat.

…… Could it be that she got involved in something odd because she was short on money?

No, if it was Pang-pang, that seems unlikely… But she could have easily faced some unjust treatment somewhere.

In the end, Ha-yoon and I nearly pushed her inside.

 

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