I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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I don’t get how aliens can casually cruise around in their spaceships.

This space we’re in is truly nothingness. Even Jupiter, the closest celestial body, is actually really far away.

There are rumors of someone surviving brief exposure to outer space from a space station, but that was only because it was close to Earth. Jupiter constantly radiates massive amounts of radiation. Just stepping outside for a moment might fry our circuits, and we could end up toast.

Taking everyone on a spaceship and fleeing as far as we can could be a way out.

But, can we even buy ourselves time to get that far?

“How about the others?”

“…At least, the only people here registered are us. It seems like no one could have possibly done research on aliens here. They probably didn’t have the resources for that.”

We haven’t had much time since the coup. If there were folks in the company who weren’t too keen on or cooperative with the coup, it makes sense that taking over completely would fail.

“….”

But can we really escape with the chairman?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m not saying I don’t know if we can escape or not.

Am I really thinking about whether I want to save him?

I haven’t heard about the chairman’s true intentions yet. Of course, I might hear it from James. If we manage to get out, that is.

Can we escape with the chairman?

I’m so exhausted. For the first time, we’ve hit our physical limits. Usually, as long as the circuits are functioning, we could somehow push through, but right now, even though the circuits are working, we can’t transform properly. The kids couldn’t make weapons, and I couldn’t even lift off.

In this situation, I had to somehow carry Pang-pang and the chairman and dash to the spaceship.

It’s a long way to the spaceship. Even if we manage to get there and board, can we escape far enough to avoid the explosion of this station?

You won’t know unless you try.

Yeah.

We’re still alive. I really have no idea how much control Puff has over the facility. I don’t know how many safety mechanisms might be in place here.

Bang.

The ground shook, as if something burst. It wasn’t deafening, but it seemed like one of the distant locations had exploded.

Putting aside the noise hammering at my ears, I said, “For now, let’s run.”

I should be able to manage carrying the chairman. Even if it means abandoning all those life-support devices hanging around there… well, I don’t even know if we can survive or not.

As I turned to dash out, someone grabbed my wrist.

“Ha-yoon?”

I saw Ha-yoon suddenly stop me.

She looked up at me with a serious expression, as if determined about something.

“I’m not sure if this is the right time to say this…”

Ha-yoon brought up something a bit detached from the current situation, a rather out-of-the-blue thought.

“But still, given our relationship until now and how we’ve acted…”

Her earnest eyes looked up at me.

In my previous life, her eye color was something that ordinary people wouldn’t have—like the color of cherry blossoms.

“I think this might help just a little.”

“Uh, hey, Ha-yoon?”

For some reason, I suddenly felt a bit scared.

It’s weird to say, but I felt more terrified about whatever Ha-yoon was about to do than about being swept away by this massive explosion.

I don’t know why. I don’t even know what that action involves.

The ground shook again.

Strangely enough, amidst this chaos, no one said anything about our stillness. The kids just stared at us, their mouths slightly agape, looking dazed.

Magical girls fight for hope.

And that hope is, in some sense, tied to ‘dreams.’

Only those who dream about the future can hold onto hope.

Is it because they’re kids?

“Even if it fails, it might be our last chance now.”

Ha-yoon’s eyes sparkled.

“So, I really wanted to say this.”

Ha-yoon said, “I like you, Ji-eun. Not just as a friend, but as something more.”

My feet were firmly on the ground. The explosion below us hadn’t happened yet. Still, I found it oddly uplifting, like I was floating just a little.

Ha-yoon slightly raised her heels.

And just like that, both of us touched the hope for a fleeting moment.

A soft sensation brushed against my lips, and for a brief moment, all feeling in my body vanished. I thought maybe that’s because I had died instantly due to the explosion without feeling any pain, or perhaps… hmm.

I might have died from shock from my first kiss.

But then, thinking it over, that didn’t seem quite right.

The next sensation I felt was her arms wrapping around my waist.

Her lips were soft. Warm, too. Ha-yoon’s body was pressing right up against me.

What can I even say?

No, I mean, yeah.

I really wasn’t thinking at all.

The only thing I knew for sure was that the circuits in my wrist were spinning like crazy.

“…”

We pulled away from each other. The parting was a bit hurried. Ha-yoon fell back first, as if she were running away.

After looking at my outfit, I understood why she did that.

My outfit had turned into my usual magical girl attire. Ha-yoon’s too.

…No, I could say it was a little different from ‘usual.’ Our outfits had become, I don’t know how to put it, much more extravagant than usual. My look resembled the one I had when the generator broke down, and Ha-yoon’s skirt had elongated as if she were wearing a wedding dress. Looking at it like this, I could totally believe there’s a pink wedding dress out there.

“…This time, I was the first.”

Hehe, Ha-yoon scratched her cheek. In this moment.

“So about that signature… I never got my first one.”

No, I mean, in this situation?

That seemed far too effective. If transforming were that easy, I’d just need to kiss every time I transformed, right?

“Ji-eun.”

Hearing someone call my name, I turned my head and felt someone pulling my neck forcefully, different from Ha-yoon’s touch.

Then our lips met.

Hey, Ji-hye.

That was exactly where Ha-yoon had just kissed me, is that okay?

But looking at Ji-hye’s expression once she pulled back, she seemed alright. I mean, if she didn’t care, who was I to worry about it?

Ji-hye’s outfit also had turned into magical girl clothes. Like Ha-yoon, it was variously… ah.

This one, too, had changed into something resembling a bit of a puffy wedding dress.

And before I could even think about that in detail…

The kids all charged at me.

I wasn’t prepared to react at all. I was still in a dazed state, struggling to process what had just happened with Ha-yoon, so I couldn’t resist at all.

Did I even try to resist?

Even if I knew all that, would I have truly tried? I’m not sure.

But.

I looked at the kids who were staring at me.

They all had faces filled with excitement. They were looking at me with flushed cheeks, but each had completely different expressions.

Ji-hye was hiding her face as if she were about to burst.

Seo-hee was torn between laughing or being angry.

Yeon-woo looked a bit pouting, but she couldn’t hide the corners of her lips attempting to rise.

Chae-yeon wore a blank expression, but her cheeks were faintly flushed.

Jua had the same silly grin she greeted me with back then, like Iris from that webtoon, smiling big.

“…”

They all looked like they weren’t in the least unhappy about kissing me, leaving me completely perplexed.

But amidst that moment, a sound sliced through the air.

Bang.

Another explosion echoed. The frequency was increasing, and the noise was getting louder; it sounded like the explosions were happening closer and closer.

“…Alright.”

I said.

“Well, everyone has the strength now.”

For now, let’s focus on resolving what we can.

At my words, the kids nodded.

I saw Pang-pang off in the distance, looking dazed, and she quickly nodded at me.

“Okay, Pang-pang. First, I’ll carry you.”

As I said that and approached Pang-pang—

I experienced the sight before me being completely enveloped in blue.

Pang-pang, the only one who hadn’t kissed me in this room, lunged at me, stealing my lips.

“…”

“Oops, sorry about that.”

“…No, no need to apologize.”

Not knowing what to say, I managed to say, “For now, yes. Let’s survive first, then we can have a real deep chat later.”

I said it that way.

Right.

A really deep conversation is needed.

We need to figure out where everything began to unravel and why I had no clue about it. That’s what matters.

Am I right?

 

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