I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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Hope is not something you can only feel in bright situations.

Rather, it can be a feeling that shines even brighter in dark times.

A single ray of light stands out more vividly and intensely against a dark backdrop.

Ha-yoon’s feelings likely arise from such context.

Objectively, the situation isn’t great, but at least right now, Ji-eun is by Ha-yoon’s side.

Just a little while ago, there was a time when Ji-eun seemed like someone they might never get back.

“…Magical Girl…!”

There were indeed some combatants in the facility.

As if to prevent us from going to the first floor, more combatants emerged the lower we went, and by the time we reached the third floor, groups of combatants clad in tight black combat suits flooded out.

Ha-yoon’s sword dances.

She dodges a punch aimed at her face with a slight shift to the side and slashes at the wrist with a sword made of magic.

The bright pink blade tore through the energy enveloping the combat suit with ease.

Fsshh.

The circuit in the combatant’s wrist is cut. It didn’t explode as dramatically as when striking an alien’s circuit, though.

A white beam zipped past Ha-yoon, piercing through several combatants blocking the way. Those who tried to obstruct us vanished from sight in an instant.

“…”

Iris blinked, a bit surprised.

Did she not expect to pierce through so many enemies at once?

It was unfortunate for the combatants. Surely those hit by that beam were injured. They’d heal quickly in a treatment facility, but recalling how Ji-eun had been hurt left an uneasy feeling.

Yet still, there was no choice but to fight now. Ji-eun was fighting alongside them, after all.

Numerous combatants rushed at Ji-eun, but as they witnessed the threatening weapon that could make massive cracks in the walls and floor, they found it hard to approach easily.

From the beginning, it was a chaotic rush without any tactics, and as the ground shook, they hurriedly fell back, making things even more chaotic.

The sheer number of enemies caused the spacious hallway to become a mess. Those in the back tried to move forward while those in the front refused to advance, getting tangled up with each other.

It was Dalia who drove a wedge into the situation.

Spheres of magic flew from behind, striking the combatants.

They weren’t terribly threatening. It seemed Dalia had adjusted the power so they wouldn’t be too hurt.

It was probably equivalent to the power of an adult man swinging a fist. Dressed in combat suits, those hits didn’t seem overly threatening, but when the two magical girls lined up on either side approached without fear of the numbers, the combatants must have realized they stood no chance.

Leading the charge were Ha-yoon and Ji-eun.

With a glowing sword dangling in one hand and Ji-eun gripping a hammer with a fierce expression, the combatants in the front bolted in terror.

Just then, those in the back also noticed that the situation was not so favorable.

As a result, their formation crumbled.

Some of the few who had been in front disappeared after being hit by the beam, and those watching quickly turned to flee.

At first glance, it looked like they vanished in a single attack, but in reality, they merely moved far away. While they might get hurt, they would definitely not die.

They knew that, but even if they were aware, summoning courage was a separate matter.

Dalia continued to scatter her small magical bullets, while Delphinium hovered a terrifyingly large sphere of magic above her head. Just a little mistake could send it flying straight at the combatants, and the magical mass radiated a stronger light than any artificial source around, making it feel utterly meaningless for someone to stand firm at the front.

Seeing some flee, the remaining ones eventually turned to run as well. The magical girls momentarily stopped, staring blankly at the tangled mass of fleeing figures.

Thus, Ha-yoon, Rose, and Ji-eun no longer had to engage in combat with the remaining combatants.

“Something feels… a bit empty.”

Rose mumbled, seemingly feeling a little empty since she hadn’t even had the chance to fight.

“There could still be enemies left.”

Ha-yoon, as if trying to console her, said, and Rose broke into a small smile.

“Is that so?”

Their conversation felt reminiscent of the talks they had back when they still fought under the Federation.

It wasn’t that she wanted to return to the Federation. Even if they did, they couldn’t bring Ji-eun back to her original life.

Rather, it felt like they had returned to a time when they still thought of themselves as righteous magical girls. A time when they shared light conversations and little worries about their daily lives, unlike now when they were consumed by worries every day, which brought a slight lift to her heart.

The circuits were revolving.

It was a circuit of hope.

Ha-yoon’s emotions were revolved alongside those of the other girls, moving with vigor.

—Except for Ji-eun’s circuit.

Among them, only Ji-eun had a puzzled expression.

Ha-yoon had noticed that the power of the hammer Ji-eun wielded had strangely weakened. The propulsion system’s output had also diminished. The magic that had been swirling around her body had decreased a bit as well.

Ji-eun’s strength was fading.

Yet Ha-yoon didn’t see that as entirely bad.

She felt a bit sorry for Ji-eun, but Ji-eun’s circuit didn’t return with good feelings.

Ha-yoon overheard the conversation James and Cherry were having.

The Squeaky Adult’s speech was so different from human language that she couldn’t completely understand it, but if she hadn’t misunderstood, there were certainly such words mixed in.

The word ‘Despair.’

She couldn’t be sure it was related to the circuit. It was possible that during the breakdown of the circuit, they had concluded it was “hopeless.” Perhaps they were chatting about Ji-eun and her situation being ‘despairing’ by chance.

However, Ha-yoon still believed that the word was connected to Ji-eun’s circuit.

Hope and despair. Aren’t those completely opposite concepts?

She didn’t expect Ji-eun to answer definitively if she asked her—

…Her heart ached.

If Ji-eun’s energy truly represented despair, then it meant Ji-eun was suffering at this very moment.

What should she do to give Ji-eun hope? How could she pull her out of that despair?

She still knew nothing.

But at least she knew one thing.

Ji-eun’s energy had been gradually decreasing from a certain point onwards.

Therefore, Ha-yoon could hold onto hope. If just being by her side could offer hope, Ha-yoon could stay with Ji-eun for as long as needed.

“…”

Yet still, Ji-eun wore a dark expression.

Not yet, it wasn’t perfect.

Thus, Ha-yoon tried to smile. She couldn’t become Ji-eun’s despair.

Just like before, when Ji-eun looked at Ha-yoon with a face that seemed like she might crumble any moment, it couldn’t happen.

Ha-yoon confidently stepped forward.

Even if Ji-eun’s strength waned, she would never let her get hurt and would certainly protect Ji-eun at her side.

Just as young Ji-eun had supported Ha-yoon so she wouldn’t fall apart.

That role was one she never wanted to hand off to anyone else.

*

While she wanted her anxiety to spin her circuits back, it wasn’t easy.

She didn’t want to be protected. She wanted to fight on her own.

Even if that might seem like a baseless pride.

She… wanted to defeat Ha-yoon. Even now, that feeling remained. Even if Ha-yoon said she was great, her inferiority complex hadn’t completely vanished.

However, the more she stayed with Ha-yoon, the more her power gradually faded.

That made her anxious.

Did she absorb Ha-yoon’s power?

The power of the surrounding magical girls strengthened as well. She could hear the vibrations of circuits even from a distance.

Before she could even fight someone, the enemies were already running away.

I…

“Let’s keep investigating for now.”

Rose opened the door.

“Is there any paperwork, like prototypes?”

“Or perhaps, they might have left behind some parts. The more circuits, the better. We can make anything.”

“Right. No matter how much they clean up, some items will have to remain. They can’t just throw away important items. Besides, in a space this large, organizing the department will take some time, no doubt.”

Cherry chimed in, supporting James’ words.

Indeed, the places where the combatants were numerous tended to have quite a few items. Ha-yoon couldn’t confirm the importance or value of those items…

“Fabrics could also be left behind— Hmm, aren’t we acting a bit too much like thieves?”

“…We are thieves, though.”

Dalia muttered, and Delphinium responded.

“It seems like it might shake our identity as magical girls…”

Iris lamented.

“…”

Ha-yoon remained silent.

What was she supposed to say? At this rate, she was only going to act as a transport tool to move those kids around.

If she voiced such worries, Ha-yoon would probably say, ‘That’s an important job too.’ Perhaps she would even say ‘You fought too.’

But even if she heard such words, Ha-yoon knew she couldn’t easily accept them. Her character was just that twisted.

Feeling hope while simultaneously feeling despair. Her circuits still hadn’t broken. At the very least, she had enough energy to go back.

That was a reflection of her dual feelings. Even while observing bright lights, she was still caught in her inferiority complex.

At some point, Ha-yoon seemed to have noticed her looking in her direction.

Ha-yoon was peering at her little by little.

She averted her gaze.

If their eyes met, she didn’t know what kind of expression to wear. Like a little child who gets angry without knowing how to be angry and pretends to be mad even after calming down, unsure of how to end it.

Ending.

Right. Thinking back now, all the trouble started because she got angry.

Should she have just sacrificed herself? Like those kids had intended to sacrifice themselves—

Bang.

As her thoughts sank deeper, a loud sound broke through.

She snapped her head up.

What if aliens appeared again? The combatants remained, so it wouldn’t be strange if more aliens were around.

Bang.

“Wait a moment.”

When the second sound rang out, Ha-yoon raised a hand and said that.

We all came to a stop.

Then we looked in the direction of the sound.

It wasn’t hard to find. The direction was right ahead of us in the distance.

The inside of the research facility building wasn’t a wide, open space. Just like how several stores occupy space within a shopping mall, the internal research facility was laid out similarly. The key difference was that, unlike malls with at least one side completely open, there were many rooms arranged in a grid with pretty wide corridors on both sides.

There weren’t many places with doors. Was it designed so that the researchers could comfortably move around?

However, right in front of us, at the end of the corridor, there was a place that resembled a hangar.

The children entered combat mode with confident expressions. I gripped my hammer tightly.

A warning sound rang out. The yellow warning lights attached to the large doors opened above and below began to flash, and slowly, the doors opened upwards from the bottom.

“Do you know that place?”

I asked James’ drone.

“If I know it, then I do. They researched weaponry that operated via circuits here. Though, even if they theoretically designed something, there was no human who could operate it, so they ultimately gave up. That place was where they stored such unfinished products.”

“…Isn’t that dangerous? I mean, because I’m here…”

“Who knows?”

James’ drone lifted up and down as if shrugging its shoulders.

“What’s beyond there might not be what I knew. At least if it’s what I knew, it shouldn’t be a match for you guys. It seems the magical girls have reclaimed ‘Hope’.”

The hamster remained uncooperative as always.

Or maybe it was saying that to control my emotions?

Right now, she wished they could just put up with it a little longer.

As the hangar-like door opened halfway, as if something inside was about to burst forth…

Crack.

A huge hand came out from within and grasped the door.

Then it hurriedly pulled it upwards. The area where the white fingers touched seemed to tear apart like paper.

“Haha!”

And then a carefree laugh poured forth from the other side. The voice didn’t come directly, rather like a variable sound distorted as if almost speaking right next to a loudspeaker.

“James! My friend!”

“Who the hell is a friend?”

James muttered, as if he knew the owner of that voice.

I frowned. It sounded vaguely familiar, yet I couldn’t quite place it. It was likely a voice I had never really heard before.

“And my subordinate.”

Ah.

Could it be him?

“…Mohican?”

“That’s right.”

James responded to my mumble.

However, the being beyond the door was… not unarmed.

What stood there was a massive giant, rugged from head to toe.

Well, at least it was a good thing that it didn’t seem to be a human modified.

The design resembled that of the armor aliens wore, but was far larger. It looked like an adult man could fit inside.

So, that was a real ‘Robot.’

“No aliens, just a robot. Well, it seems they’re still slow learners on their side.”

James’ voice flowed from the drone.

“There’s a reason they usually put aliens inside of them.”

“What!?”

Mohican, the one presumably inside, shouted.

“It’s pointless without aliens. If the magical girls slam into it with full power, it’ll just fall apart!”

In response to James’ words, Iris took a step forward.

Then she fired a beam toward the robot.

However—

“Guh… Hahahaha!”

Of course, it didn’t work.

“It seems it was too big for me to just blow away, huh?”

“…Well, I expected that.”

Iris sighed deeply as she pulled a bolt. A fuse rolled and fell on the ground.

“Well then, I guess we should start with a much stronger attack, right?” Rose said.

And from behind, a sound as if something was swinging around was heard.

Bang!

It was so loud it felt like the building might collapse in that instant.

“…Don’t worry. I calculated it.”

Did I look a little frightened?

Delphinium spoke up.

“Delphinium is quite the confident one, huh.”

“…”

As if feeling her words were worthless, Delphinium kept silent and began preparing her next spell.

“See, this is how it ends up.”

The Mohican—robot said so.

Having crossed its arms to deflect Delphinium’s magic, its gauntlet area was dented, but the Mohican behind it showed no signs of injury.

“Haha, you really don’t know. James, there seems to be things you didn’t understand, huh?”

“The Noir Corporation is a big place. Of course, there are many projects I’m not aware of. There are probably many programs you’re not aware of too. All those circuits stuck in there excessively? They’re all resonance devices I designed. Honestly, just tell us. Are you functioning properly with production right now?”

“……”

“It’s no easy task to maintain the quality of items made by artisans without the artisan present. How amusing. Those who claimed to be able to make money with ‘Low-efficiency circuits’ end up trying to use high-efficiency circuits by utilizing the despair of magical girls.”

“You bastard…”

Mohican murmured, seemingly becoming enraged by James’ words.

“You guys can complete the plan without us.”

“Well, that is, if nobody obstructs you. But, hmm. At least here, there’s someone making it their objective to obstruct you.”

James’ drone turned to me.

“Additionally, I’d say it seems you won’t win with your current power levels.”

James said while looking at me with a knowing expression.

Was it that I couldn’t use my circuits properly, and there was another story involved?

“No need for long talks.”

Rose said with a grin, clenching her fists.

“Isn’t it better to just give it a try and find out?”

The circuit on her left wrist was spinning intensely.

“James.”

At Ha-yoon’s words, James’ drone turned in her direction.

“Is that person an important figure?”

“Oh, certainly.”

James replied in a voice that seemed like he would burst out laughing at any moment.

“He was my counterpart. There were of course more than just the two of us in the company, but if he filled my spot, he would undeniably have risen to an important position.”

“Is that so.”

Ha-yoon nodded.

“If you’re an important figure…”

And she stepped forward, saying. The blade gleamed dazzlingly.

“There are a few things I want to ask you after pulling you out from inside there. I don’t know how much you can answer, but I apologize in advance.”

While she spoke politely, her eyes were not smiling at all.

Flames of anger burned within.

It was as if her vengeance was speaking, more than any questions could.

Her heart raced intensely.

If this continued, fighting alongside Ha-yoon would surely lead to victory.

Even if some dangerous business arose along the way, somehow, the kids right now seemed able to overcome it all—

Despite spinning the circuit of despair, she strangely held onto the hope within her.

It seemed like Ha-yoon’s circuit screen sparkled a bit.

The circuits she had seen countless times in encounters with magical girls until now were spinning with an intensity unlike ever before—

 

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