I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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I’m not foolish enough to jump straight into action just because I have a draft of a plan.

Of course, I have my impulsive moments, like that time I stormed into the headquarters.

But back then, there weren’t many viable alternatives. I couldn’t hide forever in Pang-pang’s house. The longer I stayed in the city, the higher the chances of getting caught, and above all, I felt guilty towards Pang-pang.

I came out without knowing things would turn out this well, but with the situation somewhat improved, I had to be more cautious with the plan.

First, I would hit another important target before storming the compound.

Ideally, I would make it so that the Noir Corporation gets confused about our intentions.

“The headquarters is that building in front of Seoul City Hall. Honestly, it’s not as impressive as you might think. It’s just the headquarters; there’s not much actual research or design happening there. Sure, management and strategy are essential parts of any company, but what you need isn’t management strategy, right?”

That’s right.

It might be the most critical building for a corporation. It’s where the direction of the company is decided, and the stock prices fluctuate based on what the people working there say.

How many companies run without money in this world?

“That means the corporation is aware of potential threats. Since you escaped relatively unscathed, they must ultimately be targeting the compound itself. Think about it rationally; they need to win.”

“And then?”

“You just have to show that you’re not the most rational person they think you are. Honestly, you’ve never shown any rationality in the first place. They’ll definitely be fooled by your actions.”

Hmm.

Something about that didn’t sit well with me.

I’m aware of my behavior, but being pointed out by someone else is a whole different story.

Thinking about James’s comment, it did suggest that the corporation wouldn’t believe I was deeply contemplating and strategizing.

“Wouldn’t it also be a strategy to use what the opponent thinks is a weakness as your strength?”

“…So, you want to make them think I’ve lost my rationality and am neglecting the most important parts to hit odd targets?”

“That’s exactly right. Isn’t that what you want? To unleash your anger by smashing things left and right without any rhyme or reason? If those targets happen to be the ones who put you in this situation, I don’t see a reason for you to decline.”

Not wanting to outright deny that, I hesitated for a while.

“Alright, fine.”

In the end, I nodded. What can I say? It’s easier to forget about stress when I act mindlessly. Until now… I’ve felt that sensation quite a bit.

“However, I’m not alone right now. The magical girls are also moving alongside me. What if they devised a plan and informed me? You’re in this too.”

“If that’s the case, then you just need to show that this group is fracturing. You go wild, and the magical girls hurriedly try to restrain you.”

“That is…”

But someone interrupted James’s words.

Ha-yoon raised her hand slightly, looking a bit worried as she glanced between James and me.

“Isn’t this going to worsen Ji-eun’s situation?”

“Well, isn’t it already at a low point? And ultimately, if we succeed and clear our name, the negative image will quickly improve. I’d like you to remember that everyone here has already crossed a point of no return to some extent.”

“….”

At James’s words, Ha-yoon fell silent.

He glanced around briefly to see if anyone was going to object before he continued slowly.

“And while we’re at it, you magical girls should also express your unrest. The more decoy targets, the better.”

I looked towards the kids.

Everyone just looked lost as to how to respond.

Even if some claimed it was just a job or that they were politically involved, and there were half-realistic settings due to the webtoon’s nature, magical girls are magical girls.

Wonderful kids fighting against enemies powered by hope.

Given their emotional nature, it was only natural they would react this way to requests to smash things here and there.

“…Since we have the luxury for now, let’s take a bit more time. If there are any shortcomings, let me know.”

Only after I said that did the kids nod.

James said it was all about a guerrilla operation to achieve our goal, but in reality, it was somewhat different.

This ultimately meant that for my objective, they had to get more deeply involved as well.

No, they might already be too involved to back out now.

“Then I’ll sift through the targets. I’ll need a few days to gather information, so during that time, please behave as usual. I know everyone is already aware, but please don’t go too far afield.”

*

Should I ask James to make me a gaming console?

Even if it’s not a state-of-the-art console, maybe a simple black-and-white toy-like gaming console could be possible.

Then again, I’ve never had anything like that in this life. Forget about gaming consoles; I didn’t even have a personal computer. If I had assignments, I had to use the shared computer at the orphanage, and buying one just for myself would have been a socially awkward move even if I had the money.

Usually, I passed the time chatting with Ji-hye about various things, or just went out somewhere.

Someone once said that farming requires a lot of diligence.

Farming is essentially a battle with nature. What people consider nutritious is mostly nutritious for other animals, and the land that can grow such beings is also suitable for other beings to thrive.

In fact, we cultivated the fields with magic.

Calling it “we” is a bit grand. I didn’t really need to worry about it since Dalia and Delphinium took care of it by themselves.

So, the saying “you have to be diligent” was somewhat distant from me.

Rose roamed around looking for places to fix the house. She was still young enough to be considered a little girl, yet even without being a magical girl, she had a robust body and displayed her strength whenever she engaged in various tasks.

I often helped Rose when she was around. In the end, it was usually her who moved the bigger things.

Iris was busy creating and adjusting various equipment with James. James wanted “information” and “concealment,” and as they brainstormed together, the situation gradually improved. While they didn’t have the components to create something like a TV yet, there was more information to hear through sound than expected.

Ha-yoon also meticulously searched for spots to improve. Always smiling, she took on even the more unpleasant tasks, which allowed us to spend time together without much friction thanks to her leading by example.

In such an atmosphere, I couldn’t really let my temper flare up.

Even I manage to read the situation at least a tiny bit. After all, I’m just sticking around, so getting angry on top of that would be downright ugly.

I felt that all too keenly after having seen it last time.

I would’ve felt more at ease if the others were angry and distancing themselves from me.

…

As a day passed and dusk approached, I washed up.

Ha-yoon and I were together as usual.

During that time, it was simply impossible to relax. I always sat with my back to Ha-yoon, and I figure she must’ve been the same.

Getting as clean as possible and drying my hair the best I could, I had nothing else to do afterward.

I passed the time wandering outside.

When working, there wasn’t much time for conversation, and pretending to focus on something could substitute for a response.

But it was different when we were resting.

The magical girls chattered about various topics and tried to include me in their conversations.

I felt uncomfortable and unaccustomed to such situations, and so it became a routine for me to just take a lap around this village where it was just us left.

And every time I stepped out of the house, there was always a little presence following me.

The soft pitter-patter of footsteps could only be Ha-yoon.

When I first came here, Ha-yoon’s condition wasn’t too great, but at some point, she got well enough to hum little tunes.

I vaguely realized that this was because I was “with her.”

What am I even to her?

…

But I couldn’t possibly say that in front of her. I’m sure just hearing that would make her look hurt.

The village wasn’t that big, so it took less than ten minutes to get to the end.

Once I got there, I casually sat down on a nearby wooden bench.

It was the kind of wooden bench you’d see in a movie set in a very old school, with the paint peeling a bit and looking somewhat shabby.

I found it in some ruins, dusted it off, and brought it here.

Even though there was a slightly open path leading from the forest, right now, it seemed dark. Only the faint beams of passing car lights occasionally hinted that we weren’t entirely cut off from civilization.

In fact, the glow of those lights often heightened a rather scary atmosphere. Even with light, it was impossible to see deep into the forest, and after those lights passed, the woods looked especially darker.

Ha-yoon sat next to me.

Once again, it was the bench I had placed here.

I kept this bench here so I wouldn’t have to drag it every time I went out.

Ha-yoon, before I knew it, had brought another chair beside me and began sitting next to me each time I came here.

Even while sitting in different chairs, the proximity felt a bit awkward.

Ha-yoon gently leaned against me.

Creeeak. The chair creaked again.

Ha-yoon’s hand rested on top of mine, slowly moving along my skin until our fingers touched.

Then, her fingers slipped in between mine, intertwining.

Maybe it was because she had just been in warm water, but Ha-yoon’s hand was incredibly warm and soft.

The scent of flowers wafted by again.

Now, I was sure it wasn’t just the shampoo. This fragrance came from Ha-yoon whether she washed or not.

Why did it take me so long to notice? It wasn’t like we had never hugged before.

Well, outside, there was no reason for us to be stuck together like this.

Both Ha-yoon and I kept our distance in normal circumstances. There wasn’t any particular reason for it. It was just how things felt like they should be.

So, every time we got physically close, I must’ve been too tense to notice any scent.

Did Ha-yoon always smell this nice?

Was I the only one oblivious to it? Or had she perhaps just not been able to mask it well?

I often thought about this whenever Ha-yoon stayed by my side like this.

Why?

Does it mean I’m an irreplaceable existence to Ha-yoon?

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but then clamped it shut again.

“….”

“….”

Ha-yoon also stayed silent for a long time.

She didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go of our hands. How long had it been? I felt like I shouldn’t even check the time right now, and so I remained still as if frozen.

I had been irritable yesterday, but I couldn’t do that today.

Having already acted ugly, I didn’t want to turn even uglier here.

I just chewed on that incomprehensible feeling that my head couldn’t quite grasp.

“I’ve been here before.”

“Oh, you have?”

But with Ha-yoon’s sudden words, I unconsciously echoed her question back.

It didn’t seem to bother Ha-yoon at all that I didn’t remember, and she continued speaking slowly.

“Yeah.”

“When was it?”

Even as I asked, Ha-yoon didn’t answer.

She just sat beside me, seemingly enjoying my body heat.

Eventually, when Ha-yoon stood up again, her shoulder was slightly damp.

I had to think for a moment whether I needed to wash up again.

*

That was when I was younger.

In middle school.

Ha-yoon felt a lot more pressure when she was in middle school compared to elementary school.

This was before she became a magical girl. She had just entered middle school and was about to receive her first set of regular exam results.

Even though her grades had the front digit as ‘9,’ her parents were far from satisfied.

Their expectations were always set higher.

Even if it was objectively a high score, and even a high rank, they were people who wished for those numbers to never drop.

Ha-yoon tried hard. Being talented, she always strived to meet her parents’ expectations.

She had to attend cram schools in between, and with piano competition practices overlapping, it became nearly impossible for Ha-yoon to carve out any personal time.

There was no option of prioritizing things. Everything had to be perfect.

As she couldn’t play with friends, kids naturally began to drift away from her. She faced envy and jealousy as she struggled to maintain her grades.

They called her dramatic, said she only studied, and that she valued studying more than friends.

For Ha-yoon, quitting where she had started going was ‘not an option.’

Then, the first time her grades dropped was in the first exam of the second year.

Though her parents didn’t yell loudly, they couldn’t hide their disappointment.

They questioned whether she had been feeling alright lately. Was there something else she couldn’t concentrate on?

Both of those were true.

She was too busy, with stress bubbling up due to a lack of downtime, and it was challenging to focus since she had to resolve so many issues all at once.

There was no point in saying it.

“Should we take a little walk?”

During that time, she had heard such words from Ji-eun.

In Ha-yoon’s eyes, Ji-eun seemed infinitely free. Yet, that freedom didn’t take Ji-eun away from Ha-yoon.

Whenever Ha-yoon stayed back to study, Ji-eun would also remain to study alongside her. If she looked like she had something on her mind, Ji-eun would ask her about it, and if Ha-yoon was sitting alone somewhere, Ji-eun would quietly come to sit with her.

On their way home from school, Ji-eun pulled Ha-yoon’s hand and led her away.

“Shouldn’t we go to the cram school?” Before Ha-yoon could finish, Ji-eun was already leading her along a path she hadn’t seen before.

Literally, just walking.

After quite a bit of walking without even getting on the bus home, they arrived at a walking path.

Ji-eun plopped down on one of the benches there and patted the spot next to her.

“Sit here.”

“….”

Ha-yoon sat down with a perplexed expression.

Ji-eun didn’t say a word. Not for a while.

She just seemed to be there to be with her.

At some point, Ha-yoon started talking to Ji-eun about this and that.

Most of it was complaints about the situation she found herself in. She was surprised that she was even saying—no, thinking such thoughts, and poured them out freely.

Ji-eun silently listened to all of her words, not missing a single one.

Only after spilling everything did Ha-yoon feel flushed. She was embarrassed for having shared her thoughts with her friend.

Had she bored Ji-eun?

Would she, like the other kids, grow tired of her and drift away?

But Ji-eun seemed to ponder for a few minutes before suddenly saying,

“Then let’s go to the same high school.”

“Huh?”

Had she said something like that?

Oh, it seemed she had.

Ha-yoon attended a regular school nearby during middle school. Ji-eun lived nearby too and ended up going to the same school, just like they did in elementary school.

Her parents wished her to go to a different high school, and naturally, if she went there, it would be obvious that she would drift apart from the remaining friends she had.

“We can go together. School… It’s not like I’m not studying.”

“But still….”

Ha-yoon choked back words that were about to come out.

“There’s nothing you can’t do. You’re getting good grades right now.”

“….”

At Ji-eun’s words, Ha-yoon couldn’t respond for a while.

Slowly, some warm feeling rose from deep within her chest.

“And you didn’t go to cram school today. Should I go with you to complain?”

“…No, it’s fine.”

“If it really bothers you, just say my name. I can complain on your behalf.”

“…It’s fine.”

That ‘it’s fine’ was heartfelt.

Even in a situation where they couldn’t see each other often, Ji-eun did her best to stay right next to Ha-yoon and always waited until school was out to walk home together.

As Ji-eun noticed her troubles, it was only natural for Ha-yoon to think this much was unavoidable.

“Do you want to go now?”

Looking like she realized it too late, Ji-eun spoke with an embarrassed and guilty expression.

Her face glowed a little in the streetlight’s glow.

“…No. It’s probably too late anyway.”

Ha-yoon said that, leaning her head on Ji-eun’s shoulder.

“Just for a little longer. Let’s stay like this for a bit.”

“Sure.”

And they stayed like that for a long while.

It was about half a year later that Ha-yoon became a magical girl.

Just by becoming a “magical girl” and consistently doing that, her parents seemed to be satisfied in another way, as they allowed her to stop attending cram school.

And thanks to that, she ended up getting to spend more time with Ji-eun.

Ji-eun kept her promise and went to the same high school as Ha-yoon.

…Thinking back now, it’s possible that even if they hadn’t gone to the same high school, they would have still found a way to meet, right?

Looking at how they could still be together like this now—

“….”

Leaning against Ji-eun’s shoulder, Ha-yoon was lost in such thoughts.

 

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