Under the Lamp? (2)

Under the Lamp? (2)

“It seems there really is something going on after all.”

That was my thought when I heard the news that Jeon So-hyeon was going to return home. In fact, not just me, but everyone else probably thought the same.

“But we can’t force her.”

The problem was that she was already grown to some extent, and if she didn’t want help herself, we couldn’t force it on her. Well, it’s strange that I’m even this concerned about it.

“Let’s go this way.”

Kim Su-jung and I were led by another person’s hand to a different place. Anyway, we have now succeeded in finding a decent new base according to my intentions.

“But your expression doesn’t look very comfortable.”

“Well, I’m really worried about it.”

The aftertaste wasn’t very refreshing. Usually, once you start something, you should see it through to the end.

I scratched my head. In fact, there’s not much help I can offer. All I can do is just smash everything and kill.

“Then let’s give it some time for now. She needs to take care of herself.”

In the end, we decided to wait and see for now.

“There are many friends here… Anyway, you can stay comfortably!”

The teacher who brought us here showed us around the facility. The reason why the Management Bureau, which handles various incidents including Magical Girls, has such facilities under its jurisdiction was simple.

“A health check-up?”

“Because there are so many strange cases when dealing with monsters, Magical Girls, and the like.”

The teacher explained with a bitter smile, somewhat softening the description. I understood immediately, even with the softened expression.

The horrific experimental subjects found on the ship of an international criminal organization not long ago.

Such experimental subjects could potentially survive.

“Aah… Aaagh!”

“Oh no! Seung-jun!”

“Dr. Park! Quick, the sedative!”

Just like that child. Surprised, Kim Su-jung clung tightly to my side.

The teacher guiding us was also startled and shielded us with his body.

“D-don’t worry. That child is just in a bit of pain. He absolutely won’t harm y-you.”

“…Okay.”

But even his own voice was trembling. Blue scales were rapidly appearing and disappearing on the body of the child who suddenly started convulsing.

Even I could see the magical power raging inside the child’s body. Uncontrolled magical power is extremely toxic. A poison that slowly eats away at the subject and causes pain.

“Hmm, I sense engraved malice. It’s definitely the malice left behind by those who did this to that child’s body.”

Ren’s words hit like a confirmation shot. I held the hand of Kim Su-jung, who was still trembling with her face buried in my chest.

“It hurts. My arm.”

“S-sorry, Jina…”

“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. Please show us to our room quickly, teacher.”

I snapped the two of them back to reality. The teacher nodded with wide eyes.

It bothered me, but there was nothing I could do. Just because I looked like a girl, I didn’t want to act like a real child.

“This is the room where you two will stay. No fighting, okay?”

The place I was guided to was a small room connected to a hallway with several rooms. The room with bunk beds evoked a very familiar nostalgia.

“It’s a dormitory.”

I chuckled. It was very similar to the two-person dorm room I lived in during my college days before joining the military in my previous life.

“I’ll give you a detailed guide shortly. I’m late with introductions, aren’t I? My name is Lee Sun-young, and I’ll be in charge of you for now.”

“Alright. Have a good trip.”

I showed our supervisor, Lee Sun-young, who said she had some business to attend to, out and closed the door. As expected of a government facility, the accommodations weren’t bad.

“This place is nice, isn’t it?”

“…Yes. But it’s a bit far from freedom.”

I clicked my tongue while looking out the window. The not-so-large window was too small even for a petite girl to pass through.

The security around the facility is also strict.

While it might be perfectly safe and cozy for well-behaved children, for someone like me who considers deviation as a baseline, strict security wasn’t a particularly appealing option.

“It would have been better if So-hyeon unnie came here too.”

“…She might end up here sooner than we think.”

Though our acquaintance was brief, I think I’ve figured her out to some extent. We might meet again in the not-too-distant future.

“Did you wait long? First, I’ll tell you the basic rules.”

Around sunset, our supervisor Lee Sun-young returned. And the words she uttered as soon as she saw our faces weren’t very welcome to me.

“You must strictly follow the rules. It’s for your own safety.”

“Of course.”

“…Really?”

She asked me again. This is a bit troublesome. Don’t tell me I’ve already been marked? I haven’t done anything yet.

“Of course.”

I smiled. Her face became even more sullen at how I received that smile.

“For now, I’ll tell you the schedule you’ll have to follow until your school is decided.”

Of course, her following words weren’t welcome to me either. A common sense I had forgotten due to my long life in the Demon Realm suddenly came back to me.

In this world, to gain freedom, you need to pay an equal price. The opposite is also true. The price for gaining a safe and cozy shelter.

That price was control.

“…5 PM dinner and washing up, 9 PM sleep? Moreover, those under 15 are prohibited from going out alone? Damn it.”

In front of the closed door, holding the schedule, I couldn’t help but curse.

*

“The food is plentiful and delicious, which is good, but it’s a bit inconvenient..”

That evening. Kim Su-jung, who was eating next to me, mumbled. If this ordinary girl feels this way, how about me?

I was really starting to get annoyed. Rather than this healthy food, I wanted a variety of foods I actually craved.

“They handle things like true bureaucrats.”

I got irritated for no reason. It seemed less strict for the older kids, but for young ones like us, the control was more severe. Even our clothes were all the same – white short-sleeved shirts and black shorts.

“What are you going to do later tonight? Want to watch TV? We can watch as much as we want in the lounge now.”

“Whatever.”

I nodded halfheartedly. Sorry, but I can’t be satisfied with just TV.

Especially not with cartoons for kids. It seemed that for true freedom, I’d have to move when others were asleep.

“I agree a hundred, no, a thousand times that we need to move secretly. But you’re not moving for the sake of achievements, are you!?”

“What does that matter? Are the achievements I’ve handled so far not enough? Tell me. Hey.”

“W-well, that’s not it…”

Pulling both ears and stretching them, Ren shook his head desperately.

Currently, Kim Su-jung was sleeping soundly on the top bunk. There’s no way she’ll wake up. I used magic to make her sleep even deeper.

Kids need to sleep early to grow tall. But for adults, 9 o’clock was just the beginning.

“First, let’s get some money, then what should we do? Have a drink? Play games?”

I covered my body with magic. Like an octopus camouflaging itself to match its surroundings, I blended the magic covering my body with the environment.

Then I opened the door and went straight into the hallway. Avoiding both the CCTV and the eyes of the duty teacher monitoring the corridor.

After leaving the facility, I changed my outfit and flew up into the sky.

“Okay! I understand that you need to relieve stress too! But what are you going to do? You have no money and no acquaintances!”

“Money can be obtained easily!”

I crossed the urban sky at high speed. The senses of a Magical Girl are really convenient at times like this. This malice filling the air everywhere. Among this malice, I found a slightly more special kind of malice and flew towards it.

“Over there! It’s a mugging!! A mugging!”

I removed my invisibility and disguise in a dark alley near the scene. With my current notoriety, people would be terrified just by seeing me.

“Get out of the way!”

“Kyaah! Mom!”

I saw a man fleeing after threatening a policewoman who tried to catch him with a weapon. The victim was lying on the ground bleeding, and the people around who were shouting couldn’t stop him either.

I timed it perfectly with when the guy came running out, casually appearing from the alley and tripping him.

“Puoeuk..”

Along with an unsightly sound, there was a satisfying noise of a person’s face being grated alive on the asphalt.

Accompanied by the sound of a nose breaking and teeth being crushed.

“Catch him!”

“Where did the police… go?!”

A few citizens rushed over and grabbed the incapacitated thief. I quietly slipped away from there. My goal from the beginning wasn’t to catch the thief, but rather the byproduct of that action.

“As a magical girl, it’s impossible to target a villain’s money. But what about the victim’s money?”

While everyone was distracted, I quickly snatched a wallet from the bag the thief had been carrying and swiftly pulled out a golden piece of paper.

Isn’t it only natural in this world to give a small reward for recovering one’s belongings that were almost entirely stolen? From what I could see, the bag was a luxury brand, and even in this day and age, the wallet was stuffed with cash, so this much is nothing.

“You… you crazy bitch.”

Ren’s astonished praise continued. I smirked and used my magic to conceal myself again.

No one should have seen me.

“What should I do now?”

For the first time since falling into this world, it felt like I could properly enjoy some entertainment. My heart was pounding childishly for no reason.

Is it because this is a world where beings like monsters and magical girls actually exist?

The entertainment districts of this Earth were much more extreme and hedonistic than the Earth I lived on, which tried to control everything with all sorts of excuses.