episode_0002

Year 2020.

Humanity was invaded by an existence from beyond the universe.

Or, one might say that the nations which could be called “advanced countries” on Earth were the only ones to describe the act as an “invasion.”

The representatives of the Galactic Federation, who visited Earth, evaluated it as “unlawful” towards the superpowers that could be said to dominate and rule over this planet, after confirming how this world operates.

They judged that not only the underdeveloped and developing countries, which are being crushed under the weight of the wealth possessed by the advanced countries, but also the countries being exploited where even “development” is not properly taking place, were being “oppressed on a global scale.”

They also paid attention to the groaning terrestrial ecosystem, suffering from human-induced environmental destruction.

And within that groaning ecosystem, the human population was also included.

In their eyes, the people of Earth seemed to be a race driving themselves to extinction.

The Galactic Federation immediately took action.

When we talk about the Galactic Federation, it seems like membership would be done on a planetary basis, but the Galactic Federation respects the independence of each nation. In reality, it is structured quite loosely, similar to the European Union, with each country or colony joining as a unit.

The superpowers at the universal level, starting from the countries that would be at the very back if lined up according to the “order of wealth” on Earth, were invited to join the federation.

As a result, ironically, the countries classified as “advanced countries” on Earth did not join, and instead, the countries that had been suffering almost unilaterally were the first to join the Galactic Federation.

Moreover, their rate of development was noticeably fast.

The superpowers naturally resisted. The “expansion policy” carried out by the Galactic Federation, exerting influence on Earth, was such a significant event that it turned the space development history upside down.

Warp points directly connected to the headquarters of the Galactic Federation were created, a headquarters where a citizen representative group would stay was established, and a shipyard for spacecraft for use on Earth was built.

The plans of the advanced countries, which had been developing space using astronomical amounts of money, all turned into waste paper.

And naturally, upon witnessing these actions, the advanced countries shouted like this—

“This is an invasion!”

Christmas Eve, Gwanghwamun Square.

An unpleasant voice erupted from the crowd holding large placards.

“Aren’t they talking about colonizing Earth? Think about it! What will happen if they join hands with the North?”

That’s an excessive exaggeration. The Galactic Federation also manages its image.

They came to Earth in the first place, criticizing the advanced countries as unlawful, and now they are going to join hands with dictators? Of course, they will thoroughly manipulate and force them to join as a preliminary step.

After all, they are aliens. It shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

Actually, the countries that the Milky Way Federation wants to join the most are the very countries that were initially excluded by the bars of those “advanced countries.” Even if they are aliens, other advanced countries that cherish nuclear weapons or gather around such powerful nations seemed very dangerous.

If by any chance we accidentally provoke a war on Earth and it self-destructs, it seems like it would tarnish the reputation of the Milky Way Federation.

Following this cliché worldview, the people of this world perfectly satisfied the conditions of “a technologically backward planet with weapons developed to the point of madness.”

So the Milky Way Federation is delicately skirting the trigger button and threatening in a slightly different way.

We have better technology than you. If you don’t cooperate with us obediently, we will make the countries beneath you live better than yours.

… Do you think that will happen?

Originally, the work I was looking at is a kind of absurd comedy. It’s a comic with a worldview that twists the clichés of magical girl stories as the author pleases.

If phrases like “How despicable, how despicable, you Earthlings…!” don’t come out, it’s disappointing.

You’re going to convert the horn part of Africa into a metropolitan port city? While you can’t even handle the Somali pirates? I can’t understand why a ship belonging to the Milky Way Federation is being attacked by Somali pirates.

Announcing that Earth’s religion is wrong and unscientific has seriously upset all the religious groups on Earth. The warp points that were painstakingly created are regularly targeted by homemade rockets made by local insurgents.

They call themselves “peacekeeping forces,” so they can’t engage in large-scale massacres. But that doesn’t mean they’ve brought lasting peace to the region either.

They are a bunch of clueless people who thought they could clean up everything in a few years, when the US itself couldn’t have done it from the start.

…

Anyway.

In summary, North Korea is somewhat removed from the continent where this mess is happening, and its image is already very, very sinister.

And because they’ve dragged their feet for so long, there are places they haven’t been able to pay attention to.

Giant interplanetary corporations reaching out to Earth.

They won’t share their technology with advanced countries?

So those advanced countries made a choice.

Then they bought outdated technology from those giant interplanetary corporations at a low price.

The Milky Way Federation tried to regulate those corporations late, but oh dear, some of those companies had already established huge subsidiaries on Earth. Some had even relocated their headquarters.

Since those corporations were technically “Earth-based companies” under loose intergalactic international law, regulation was impossible unless the advanced countries on Earth that hosted those companies joined the Milky Way Federation.

Alright. There’s no abundant natural resources, nor is the population particularly large. However, this region has drawn the attention of numerous mining companies due to its deep-rooted indigenous cultural content and a less-than-stellar market size.

A splendid tax haven and a place for money laundering in their eyes. To them, it’s a different kind of goldmine, spread out here on the third planet of the solar system.

So, it was the year 2025, five years into the story’s timeline.

By the way, the setting, except for the mention of the invasion in 2020 at the very beginning and the statement that five years had passed since then at the end, doesn’t directly appear in the webtoon. It’s something I’ve learned over the sixteen years I’ve lived in this world.

…Perhaps, the dialogues and situations that were sporadically presented in the webtoon were adjusted to fit into the history of this world just to make it funny from time to time.

“They will take our land! They will take our jobs! And finally, they will even take away the god we believe in! If that’s not an invasion, what is!”

…

Ignoring the group of elderly people, I walked vigorously, clutching a paper bag tightly in my hand. Inside was the OST album of an animation I recently saw at the theater. It wasn’t a limited edition or anything like that, just an ordinary CD in a plastic case.

In this day and age, and considering I don’t have much money to spend on hobbies, it might be a bit extravagant for me to own it. After all, in a world where you can earn money once a month and enjoy unlimited streaming, it might seem excessive.

However… still, the realm of hobbies was never about rationality or efficiency, but rather about emotions. It resonates with me that it’s a kind of physical playlist created by those who compose music, arranging each piece one by one. The fact that it’s a “collection” touches my heart.

…No matter how tight life may be, a little healing is necessary, isn’t it?

I don’t have a girlfriend. I hope you’ll cut me some slack for seeking solace in a second-hand watch I picked up on the street.

Beep beep.

“Ugh, what now.”

I glanced at my left wrist where the smartwatch was, feeling annoyed.

It’s a call.

All combatants are to gather at Dongmyo Front Station in full combat gear. Within 30 minutes.

I furrowed my brow in arrogance.

No, if you’re going to call, give us a bit more time.

What’s 30 minutes? It’s an impossible timeframe if I were at the orphanage.

And if I’m late again, the officers will surely throw a fit.

I sighed deeply as I changed my stride.

…Right, it’s not Christmas.

It’s disappointing without battles between evil organizations and magical girls.

*

The Galactic Federation, interplanetary multinational corporations.

Initially, such settings were probably meant for “laughs.”

But you see, these kinds of settings inherently end up becoming elements that ultimately lead to serious stories.

Black Jerks rolling around, third-rate combatants. The oddly realistic setting is laughable at first glance. Among them, there’s a guy with a family and a pretty daughter at home, which adds an ironic twist. But what if such a character repeatedly faces the protagonist of justice? What if one of these combatants ends up dead? Irony must end as a one-time short story. If it extends beyond that, it will turn into an episode about the struggle for the rights of employees.

When my webtoon “Magical Girl Happy Cherry Blosum” was officially promoted to a webtoon, I left a comment on the original blog saying, “This time is much better.” It was for that reason.

And perhaps, the reason I was reborn in this world was also the same.

“Sigh, student. You’re out again today.”

Surprisingly, all the combatants of Noir Corporation are non-regular workers. Including me. It’s not just made up of Earthlings. Once you’re in combat gear, it becomes impossible to distinguish who is from Earth and who is from the Proxurian planet Frakgru. By the way, the middle-aged man standing in front of me is a Proxurian. He immigrated from a planet far away, with his family. He only came along when the company headquarters moved because he had nothing else to learn.

“Young friend, I don’t know if you should keep doing this. Are you okay?”

I have a daughter myself, but honestly, I don’t really imagine it. Although gender and age distinctions seem to be quite blurred in the Galactic Federation, Proxurian people just look like blue-faced blobs to my eyes. How can they speak so clearly without a mouth? Every time I talk to him, I ponder deeply, but it seems a bit rude to ask.

Ah, is even this too much of an Earth-centric way of thinking? I’ve never been outside the universe, but in reality, maybe it’s more common out there—

“Mister, don’t worry! I’m a high school student! Teens from Earth are amazing! Probably after working like this, I’ll go straight home and go on a date with my boyfriend, right?”

—Or maybe not?

Despite having two tufts of hair and blue skin, this kid looks very similar to an Earthling, except for those details. Even in terms of appearance, she’s quite attractive by Earth standards. She looks around my age, but until I hear more about her, I can’t let my guard down. In reality, she might be around thirty years old and could be a man. Or maybe she’s a being from a place where the concept of gender doesn’t exist. Who knows?

Still, one thing can be known from his words and actions: he is what you’d call an “Earth enthusiast.”

To put it simply, that’s what it is. Among Koreans, there are those who greatly admire Japan, choosing to work, eat, and live there as a form of pleasure. Conversely, just as there are Japanese or Westerners who are infatuated with K-pop, this guy has fallen for the culture of “Earth.”

If we delve further, it goes back to around 2020 when the Galactic Federation began making contact—well, let’s save that story for later.

“Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and put on your helmet!”

Ah, the squad leader is at it again.

I’ve never seen the squad leader’s face. Whenever they show up, they always have their helmet perfectly secured on their head.

Our combat uniforms… well, they’re like something out of a Japanese tokusatsu show, with what looks like a motorcycle helmet on our heads. The female uniforms at least have a skirt-like structure around the waist, which is somewhat comforting.

Over there, it seems they don’t have that, so I guess they’re male.

We all hastily put on our helmets.

A simple UI is displayed on the visor of the helmet. A heads-up display… can I call it that? It only shows the percentage of energy required for the circuits to operate, nothing more.

Beep beep.

I checked the “circuit” on my wrist.

50 percent. Right. The energy of this circuit always starts at 50 percent. If the condition is particularly bad or if something unpleasant has happened, it might start at 60 percent, just barely acceptable.

This “circuit” is the reason NuArc Corporation came to Earth.

Only humans like me wear these circuits. Since the task leader doesn’t wear one, it’s natural to think they’re not from Earth.

“Are you ready?! Alright! Prepare for departure!”

“Hey!”

“Helmets, check!”

“Check, check, check!”

“Circuits, check!”

“Check, check, check!”

“Alright, then let’s go!”

The squad leader got into the back of the truck first, and the “troopers” all filed into the compartment.

…Shouldn’t we just be called to the destination from the start? Is there a reason to pick us up in the middle? They told us to come already dressed in combat gear.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

As long as we get paid properly. At least this company pays well.

Vroom, the old truck started with a loud engine noise.

—

“Kehehehe! You dirty Galactic Federation guys! You’re like the villains of cosmic capitalism!”

Shouting thus was a “superior officer” clad in black formalwear.

They boost morale at the forefront of battle and, if necessary, demonstrate their skills. Of course, the actual fighting is left to us troopers.

Beep beep.

A sound came from the circuit.

The percentage displayed on the helmet circuit is 55 percent.

…It seems I’ve adapted to it here as well.

When I stood for the second time, it was already at 80 percent at this point.

…Not good.

The reason they mix powerless earthlings among combatants is because of this circuit.

Looking at the clock, the needle in the middle was turning very slowly counterclockwise.

I tapped the clock, and the speed at which the circuit was rotating increased slightly.

57 percent.

Good.

I thought I would be driven away, but it went up a little more.

“Phew.”

I exhaled.

“People can’t live on money alone!”

The magical girl confronting the officer shouted.

“If people like you start driving out small business owners, the world will undoubtedly fall into the hands of corporations.”

“Hehe, what’s the problem with that? We can all become corporate employees together, right? Yeah? We take much better care of people than convenience store owners do!”

“No one knows yet what you’re up to behind the scenes.”

“Oh, oh, so a righteous corporate figure is being harassed by mere illegal activists.”

The person dressed like a high-ranking company official took off the large silk hat he was wearing on his head and said.

“In that case… we’ll have to demonstrate our power. ‘Legally,’ miss!”

“That’s what I wanted! Happy Cherry Blowsome will drive you away in the name of justice!”

What companies usually do is buy land and harass the people working there.

The government usually turns a blind eye. In fact, this is planned behind the scenes for ‘certain purposes.’

And that plan benefits the government as well.

The officer scolded Blowsome for being illegal, but it’s also just barely legal. After all, the government turns a blind eye.

If companies run amok, won’t the anger be directed at the country that granted them permission?

It’s about subtly favoring the just side while pretending to be fair.

Is it better to keep buying the technology of the company or to lean towards the Federation?

This “show” was also to gauge that balance.

“Let’s go!”

The team leader shouted, and the back door of the truck opened.

We poured out.

Trained in our own way, not very weak—

“Ah.”

“…!”

At the sound from where we got off, we all simultaneously turned our heads.

Beep beep beep!

70 percent.

The rotation of the circuit was now noticeable on the wrist without even having to look at it.

Oh, shoot, wrong number.

“If you repeat the same move three times, isn’t it boring?”

Clack, clack.

Walking slowly from the darkness over the crosswalk, the figure was a girl wearing a lavender off-shoulder dress, looking well in this weather.

She looks about my age.

A very delicate lavender ponytail shimmered under the streetlight, and her skin glowed as if it were receiving light. It looked like a mist filter was placed on a camera lens.

Click.

What she held in her hand was a long rifle. It looked like a sturdy bolt-action rifle that might have been used in World War II, but what it fired was not bullets, but magic generated by “circuits.”

Circuits that operated in a completely opposite direction to the ones we use. Inside it was not ammunition, but a disposable fuse that prevented the gun from exploding when fired.

“You absolutely cannot go to Blosom. This ‘Iris’ will send everyone to a peaceful place.”

Beep beep beep beep—!

85 percent.

However, against this “Happy Iris,” there was no hope.

She’s a being who doesn’t care about our circumstances.

“Darn it, everything’s scattered—”

Before the leader could finish his sentence,

Pshh.

A sound came from Iris’s muzzle.

A sound like a suppressed rifle often heard in movies.

But.

Kwai—!

Chills ran down my spine.

In the place where the man had been standing just moments ago, only a slender flame remained.

For a moment, the surroundings were too bright, and I couldn’t see the dark area properly.

I immediately turned and ran.

Thud!

I probably won’t die even if I get hit.

After all, a magical girl isn’t a murderer.

But, I’ll probably break a few bones. And I’ll be found somewhere far away.

That’s what Iris’s “magic” was like.

“Oh my.”

Iris laughed.

“You can’t escape so easily ★”

Hoo-hoo, after hearing the laughter, I heard the sound of someone leaping.

But I didn’t hear the sound of landing.

From above…!

“Ah—”

Thud!

The “Earth Pah” guy disappeared without finishing his scream.

“Eek!”

95 percent.

The circuits went crazy.

There’s no point in running away like this.

I stopped my fleeing steps.

Still, beyond the helmet, things looked better than a moment ago.

Almost half of the combatants had already disappeared. The ground around me was deeply pockmarked.

“Oh my?”

Iris narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, right, I remember. The scratch on your helmet. You’re… a human, right?”

Iris said, touching the ground.

“With a circuit.”

I waved my arm.

A black blade sprang from the circuit on my left wrist.

…Well, it looks overwhelmingly weaker than the weapon Iris has with her circuitry.

“Alright. Should I make you disappear? I’ll adjust the output so you don’t fly too far.”

Iris aimed the gun at me and said, “Your circuits are interesting.”

Oh, damn, I should’ve just run away.

…Shouldn’t have come out.

What is she doing on Christmas?