Under the Lamp?(1)

Under the Lamp?(1)

“Why are you so scared?”

“B-but we did something bad after all…”

“It’ll be fine, just relax.”

I glanced at the magic mirror. The room we were waiting in was essentially like an interrogation room. It’s so common in movies, how could I not know?

No doubt they’re listening to everything from the other side.

“What if they just send us home?”

“If the law is that lax, then we’ll just have to come out again.”

I snorted. I was certainly a bit anxious, but they wouldn’t be able to treat us carelessly anyway.

“Have you all been waiting?”

Just then, someone opened the door and came in. I now know for sure who she is.

Oh Yun-seo, the Policy Director of the Management Bureau. She was one of the people deeply involved with magical girls in this country.

But there was someone else with her. As soon as I saw her, I flinched and hid my hands below.

“W-why are you doing that?”

[Come to think of it, when the transformation is undone, mascots aren’t visible to other magical girls… It’s nothing. That girl is a magical girl. The one we saw last time]

“How do you know that?!”

Ren’s eyes widened in shock. She certainly didn’t seem to be able to see Ren right now.

[I can feel her magical power]

Is it because she’s still recovering from her injury? I could sense the very faint flow of magical power circulating through her body.

“Don’t be too guarded. This is Han Eun-seo. She’s a student I’m close with.”

“That’s right. And I also ran away from home.”

She said casually. But for some reason, that face looked familiar to me, though she probably wouldn’t know. Kim Su-jung seemed interested in those words and lowered her guard a little.

“From now on, you’ll have some counseling with the teachers. If there’s anything you want…”

“Please promise me one thing.”

I smirked and spoke first. If you ask if there’s anything I want, it’s only natural to tell you.

“Hmm?”

“This kid and I, we’re not going back home.”

I made it clear from the start. I could see Policy Director Oh Yun-seo was slightly taken aback. The woman introduced as Han Eun-seo also furrowed her brow.

“W-why? Even if there are problems, we can solve them well…”

“I don’t believe in that anymore. If you force us to go back, well, we’ll just have to leave again. Next time, we’ll be more careful not to get caught.”

I didn’t bother to lower my stance. Kim Su-jung fidgeted and grabbed my short sleeve, but I ignored her.

“You’re thinking about this too simply.”

“I don’t think so. We know our personal circumstances best, don’t we?”

Han Eun-seo said something, but I immediately shot back. This time her eyebrow twitched. Even when not transformed, I could somehow catch a glimpse of her Magical Girl form.

“O-okay, I understand. Let’s start with the examination for now.”

Oh Yun-seo intervened to settle the situation. I backed down there as well. If I provoked her any further, it really looked like she might hit me.

“W-why did you do that?! That sister looked really scary…”

“Don’t worry. And remember, this world never takes pity on those who suffer silently. So if you want something, go for it by any means necessary.”

That’s common sense in the Demon Realm. However, I was certain that it was sometimes applicable common sense here as well.

“Ahem. Hello?”

“Hello?”

We each went into different rooms to meet with a counselor one-on-one. I smiled brightly at the counselor who greeted me as she looked at me.

It would be easier if I appeared as normal as possible here.

“Oh, what a bright child. Come to think of it, Jina, you said you went out for a bit that time, right? But why did you go out in the middle of the night?”

“I just went for a walk.”

“Alone…?”

As I made up an excuse, I tried to think hard. I don’t know anything about psychological treatment, but I wanted to create the best possible outcome.

“It won’t be that difficult. Do you like drawing by any chance?”

Her first suggestion to me was to draw a rainy scene.

It wasn’t difficult at all. I immediately grabbed the paper.

“Let’s say we settle in like this. Now, are you going to live normally?”

[Normally? What does that mean?]

“Like other girls, going to school obediently! And stopping the acts of slaughter, I mean.”

[I should act, but why should I stop the slaughter? I’m just punishing evil according to the rules]

As it got a bit quiet, Ren started chattering next to me as if he had been waiting.

I snorted at his words. I could invest to enjoy it. However, I had no intention of imposing restrictions on myself.

[I know what you’re worried about, but just keep quiet. I’m sure nothing will happen. Don’t you see how the company is keeping their mouths shut?]

“Damn it… That’s the problem. Why isn’t the company saying anything!”

Ren struggled, pulling his big ears. Strictly speaking, my agency, Lana Land, is just thoroughly fulfilling the contract.

Just that Ren, being only a middle manager, doesn’t know about it.

“Ji, Jina? Did you perhaps draw rain?”

“Ah.”

At that moment, startled by the counselor’s words, I unconsciously put down the bright red crayon I was holding. While I was distracted talking to Ren, I had ended up drawing the highly toxic red acid rain that falls in the Demon Realm.

“It was really a mistake. I’ll draw it again.”

“Oh… okay. Try… again.”

“I’m serious.”

This is bad. I looked at the counselor’s serious face and drew the rain again.

It’s like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, but there’s nothing I can do about it.

*

“…Why are you interested in that child?”

“She just seemed rude. Very much so.”

At that time, while the counseling for the children involved in the incident was in progress, Oh Yun-seo approached Han Eun-seo, who was watching the counseling room camera.

The one Han Eun-seo was focusing on was one of the two youngest girls. She was a girl with short black hair and a somewhat cold impression.

“Jina. She certainly seemed bold.”

“First, her common sense test was… top-tier. They say she’s smarter than most adults.”

“Really?”

“But she’s crazy.”

Han Eun-seo nodded. In fact, the girl, Lee Jin-a, had already caught her attention. She told Oh Yun-seo about Jin-a drawing the blood-red rain.

“Don’t say it like that. Our job is to treat and protect children like her.”

“I suppose so. But somehow, that kid…”

She trailed off. It was difficult to express her thoughts.

‘It’s almost like Taquilas.’

Her intuition was quite sharp. But she didn’t have the courage to confirm it.

“Are those kids going to be sent to the Management Bureau facility?”

“Jin-ah was right. There’s no use sending back the ones who don’t want to go. We should look into it and send them to the facility for now.”

Oh Yun-seo nodded. Han Eun-seo didn’t say anything more. But this time, Oh Yun-seo brought up a different topic first.

“She’s from the same school as me?”

“Her name is Jeon So-hyeon. Have you ever heard of her?”

“…Not at all. They said she doesn’t even come to school.”

The topic was about Jeon So-hyeon, who was the same age as her and one of the runaway girls involved in this incident.

“…”

This was the counseling room where the counselor had left. Jeon So-hyeon was sitting with her mouth tightly shut.

‘What should I do now…?’

Her hands, clenched on her thighs, were trembling. She didn’t want to go home either. But she also didn’t want to go to a facility. To begin with, she wasn’t in a state where she could act on her own.

‘They, they’ll come after me.’

She flinched as she looked down at the small tattoo on her wrist.

This stigma engraved on her innocent body was what she had offered in exchange.

She had traded what she wanted – money – for her freedom. They already had several ways to control her. As time passed, her heart grew more anxious.

“Jeon So-hyeon, Class 1, 3rd Year.”

“..!?”

And then. Someone entered the counseling room. It was her classmate, Han Eun-seo, with a strange expression.

“Who…”

Jeon So-hyeon flinched and quickly scanned Han Eun-seo’s body, realizing that the uniform was from the school she used to attend, and froze. She instinctively crossed her arms and legs.

It was a reflexive defensive posture.

“Who are you? A student from Semun High?”

“That’s right. I’m from the class three doors down from yours.”

“…But why are you here?”

Her voice automatically became harsh. However, Han Eun-seo, or rather Magical Girl Aria, was already seeing something others couldn’t.

‘The malice emanating from an evil person… but not all of it is this girl’s malice.’

“You should go back to school.”

“Tch.”

“Or maybe there’s a reason you can’t attend school. What have you been up to all this time?”

Han Eun-seo openly interrogated her. Jeon So-hyeon’s face crumpled, but she couldn’t bring herself to talk back.

“Be honest, So-hyeon. The gang you were involved with is connected to a criminal organization that does all sorts of things like drugs, human trafficking, and instigating violence.”

However, her crumpled expression quickly changed to despair. Oh Yun-seo appeared behind Han Eun-seo.

Oh Yun-seo delivered the final blow to Jeon So-hyeon, who had been holding out by mentioning law and crime.

“It’s really nothing.”

“…Then you might face disadvantages, So-hyeon. The law has changed, and now even high school students can face criminal charges.”

“R-really.”

Jeon So-hyeon barely managed to make an excuse. Of course, no one here believed those words, including Jeon So-hyeon herself.

But she had to say it.

“I’d rather… go home.”

She said that in a voice that sounded somewhat resigned.

I think it might be better to say I’m going home, then leave the house again.