I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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[Hey, guys!]

A desperate voice echoed from the communicator.

The communicator used by the Magical Girls is like a radio that utilizes a sort of magic, so there’s no need for a relay station, but distance is crucial.

From the crackling sound, it seems they were trying to reach us from just within the range for communication.

Since it was ‘magic’, naturally, the communication range is way longer than an average radio. Simply looking around wouldn’t make it easy to find us.

It seemed that the federal spaceship had arrived.

[Guys, please respond!]

Cherry shouted urgently.

Ah, right, of course.

The station we were supposed to be at was shattered to bits. I’m not quite sure what it ended up looking like. After realizing that we had all survived, I was so drained that I just collapsed anywhere on the floor.

…..

Well, not really ‘anywhere’ though.

Ha-yoon was snugly beside me.

Jua was next to her.

Seo-hee and Yeon-woo, who had been a bit late in trailing behind us, seemed to be venting their frustrations before just flopping down somewhere nearby.

The other kids were all tending to the Chairman.

So, it looked like I was in a very crucial position that they’d want to keep occupied, barring any other reasons.

I still couldn’t guess what that reason was, though.

…Well, whatever.

For now, we all survived. Sure, everything hurt and ached, and it would take a while to get up, but we made it. None of us were seriously injured, after all.

Lying crumpled on the floor, I managed to move my hand and reach for the communicator hanging on my shoulder.

“We’re all okay…”

Hmm, I guess my voice doesn’t really sound all that okay.

[Ji-eun!?]

I could tell this was the output of the communicator; it seemed Cherry shouted loud enough to make it ring. No, precisely, it was the translation device making the sound loud. Squeaky Adults can’t make Earthling sounds, and Earthlings can’t understand Squeaky Adults. The thing must have a mic or something, so it makes sense it would ring.

“I’ve escaped… and I’m a bit far away.”

[I’ll come look for you! What’s the situation?]

“…”

I took a moment to gather my thoughts.

Alright. First, this spaceship is housing the main culprit of this incident. And that main culprit was probably riding alongside the monsters they’ve created, along with the original Chairman of Noir Corporation.

The generator was in pieces, our circuits were in pieces, and our clothes had reverted back to how they originally were, so it would be normal for no energy to be emanating from us. Yet, strangely enough, the ‘air conditioning unit’—not even the generator—was still running.

To sum it up neatly, I could simplify it all, but that would be a stretch.

“…I think it would be better if you come and check.”

I simply answered that way because I didn’t have the strength to say any more.

[I’ll be right there!]

And then the communication briefly cut off. Ah, but I didn’t mention our location.

…..

Well, I’m sure there’s some way to figure it out. Maybe a radar or something?

Honestly, I just wanted to take a little break right now.

As the tension in my body and mind eased, my eyelids grew heavy.

When I let my hand drop, the kids came closer to me from my side. Ha-yoon and Jua.

How on earth did I end up with these two being so fond of me?

…..

Well, it’s not just about these two, really.

“…”

Alright. Now I’m really going to only think about logging out. If I think any more, my head might explode.

No, should I say my heart might burst instead?

What a strange sensation.

My heart was pounding like crazy.

I thought the warmth surrounding me was comforting at the same time.

*

When I came to, I saw a bright, clean ceiling.

It wasn’t the inside of the spaceship we had smashed to bits.

This must be a hospital.

It seemed we had finally arrived on Earth.

It wasn’t a private room.

“Ugh.”

I still felt muscle aches here and there, but my bodily injuries had been neatly treated. There were some twinges as if I had fallen asleep in a bad position, but it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t move.

When I sat up, I found the ward itself to be a normal multi-person room.

However, all the kids in that room were familiar faces to me.

Based on the window-side bed where I lay, Ji-hye was next to me. Next to her was Seo-hee, and next to her was Yeon-woo.

Across from me was Ha-yoon, and next to her was Jua. And, of course, the remaining bed was Chae-yeon’s spot. One bed was empty.

I still hadn’t seen Pang-pang. Well, she must have been fine and didn’t have any reason to be admitted. But somehow, I recklessly concluded that Pang-pang had stayed beside us. She must have just stepped out for a moment.

The Chairman… was nowhere in sight. He was probably in some intensive care unit or something.

As for how involved the Chairman was in the company’s operations and just how much effort it took to get Noir Corporation to its current state, I still didn’t know. But judging that wasn’t our mission.

I didn’t see Ji-hye’s mother either. Given what happened, she would definitely need intensive care. …I firmly believe she’ll be okay. I didn’t want to see Ji-hye sad.

And, perhaps, Tutt-tutt might be in this hospital as well. Or maybe she’s already being transferred to prison? She’s not dead, anyway. Well, I’m not concerned. Whatever happens to someone who tried to pull something on us, why should I care?

I chuckled lightly at that being a bit of a troublesome thought for a Magical Girl.

All the kids were asleep. Warm sunlight was filtering through the thin curtains.

Just a little while ago—well, I’m not sure of the exact time, but it feels like it was at most a day ago—we were running around like that. It feels surreal in this peace.

And I finally realized it.

One of the things I had to do was over.

“Things to do…”

Funny.

Becoming a Magical Girl wasn’t something I did because I had to do it. Becoming the center of the Magical Girls just kind of happened.

I got noticed by Noir Corporation and became a target, or fought against the massive powers at play. It wasn’t because I had to do those things.

I just ran toward the hope shining in the distance, and that’s how it turned out.

Is this the fate of a Magical Girl?

I chuckled.

“……Ji-eun.”

A voice reached me.

Ha-yoon was lying across from me, staring at me with a dazed expression.

“…”

We stared at each other for a while.

The distance was a bit far. The beds weren’t right next to each other. Ji-hye, who lay on the adjacent bed, was much closer.

But somehow, I felt like if I reached out, I could touch Ha-yoon.

It’s all because Ha-yoon had pressed her lips against mine without warning. That, I still can’t fathom why.

“Are you okay?”

Ha-yoon asked in a voice that still seemed a bit muddled, as if she hadn’t yet organized her complicated thoughts.

“I’m okay. I’m perfectly fine.”

I answered back.

“And you, Ha-yoon?”

“I’m good too.”

Our conversation looped back around for another round.

I gazed at Ha-yoon for a moment longer before chuckling.

That laugh seemed to ease my heart. It didn’t stop at a simple chuckle, and soon my shoulders started to shake a little.

“Hahaha,” it didn’t take long for it to turn into a proper laugh.

“Hmm?”

Ji-hye stirred and sat up with a sleepy voice.

And she stared at me, who was laughing.

Ji-hye had kissed me too.

And one by one, the other girls who had kissed me—Seo-hee, Yeon-woo, Jua, and Chae-yeon—also started to wake up.

“What, what’s going on?”

Did she really come back because there was something to do, or did Pang-pang rush into the ward, panting as she asked?

Seeing her like that made it even more amusing.

Ah, right.

I unknowingly have been receiving the love of so many people.

I was trying to put in some effort, but I never expected it to actually yield results. And now it’s become too much of a problem.

Every time I think about it, my head is in disarray, and I still don’t know what’s going on.

…..

To be honest?

I don’t mind at all.

I can’t help but say I like it. With so many people liking me, what’s a girl to do?

Of course, I can’t reach a conclusion right now. I have no idea how our future will unfold.

“……Ah.”

As I stopped laughing and took a breath, all the kids were looking at me.

I felt like I had to say something, so I rummaged through my mind a bit and came up with:

“Everyone, are you okay?”

And I simply repeated the chat I’d just had with Ha-yoon.

Everyone looked at each other, then nodded. They all had their own slightly quirky responses.

Alright, then.

At least this one thing has been settled.

“Once we get discharged soon, let’s go eat something delicious.”

Of course, on a day with this kind of success, we should definitely have a celebratory meal.

What we could call a celebratory meal would just be going to a restaurant for a meal, but well, an adult’s feast doesn’t change much either. It just adds some alcohol.

At my words, the kids all wore somewhat peculiar expressions.

Right now, somehow, I found even that peculiar expression delightful.

It felt like I had returned the bewilderment they had felt aboard the spaceship.

I smiled brightly again.

Only then did the kids seem to relax a little, bursting into bright smiles in return.

 

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