episode_0028

What should I do?

While not having any conversation with Ji-hye, I racked my brain.

The circuit was still in my hand under the blanket.

I can’t tell how well it performs. Each circuit I’ve received so far had different performances.

I put the circuit on my wrist while wriggling my body.

It looks no different from a smartwatch on the outside, so I hope no one notices it’s a circuit. If I noticed it right away, others might as well.

If I stay here, will someone eventually come to arrest me?

Then what? Am I going to a juvenile detention center because I’m still a minor? Or prison?

I was unfairly treated.

What I did… was supposed to be legal.

What NuAr Corporation does is “supposedly” legal, so what I do shouldn’t be something the police would catch me for.

No, will the terrorist incident end with me being caught by the police?

I heard people died. How many? There are far more injured people than that.

A building collapsed. It’s one of the important buildings for NuAr Corporation. Unless they rebuild the whole complex, it will be difficult to use. The central part has collapsed completely.

Was it because I went berserk?

Then what’s going to happen?

Even if I say it wasn’t intentional, if people died, wouldn’t it become a crime involving “fatal” consequences?

If NuAr Corporation files a lawsuit against me? The moment a verdict comes out demanding substantial compensation for the huge damage, it’s over for me. I won’t be able to pay it back even if I live my whole life.

No, then, the circuit I have right now is also a problem. How did I manage to get this? Could it be James—

“Eunji.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

I could barely stop thinking at the sound of Ji-hye’s voice.

Ji-hye looked at me with wide eyes, as if surprised.

“Your face looks pale.”

“Ah….”

My fingertips were cold.

Terrifying.

It’s terrifying, but I can’t tell anyone else. Ji-hye still doesn’t know the story about how she almost got involved because of me.

What will the news say?

Will they say I destroyed the building? Will they show my picture and loudly proclaim that it was my doing, even if it wasn’t?

But I didn’t do it.

I… may not be an entirely clean person, but I didn’t deliberately bring down the building. It was an explosion that had been prepared in advance.

Am I being punished for a crime I didn’t commit?

Or is what I’ve been doing all this time coming back in this way?

“…You seem really tired.”

Saying that, Ji-hye got up from her seat.

“Well, it’s understandable. You’ve been unconscious for so long. Your body isn’t in good shape, right?”

Wisdom looked at me with a face full of worry and said, “Rest well. I’ll come tomorrow.”

“Ah…”

“I thought about going to bed too, but I can’t. It seems like your treatment process still has a little way to go.”

I didn’t want to be alone. If I were alone, it felt like someone else would come looking for me soon. They would come and blame everything on me.

But I couldn’t ask Wisdom to stay with me.

Because Wisdom still doesn’t know anything.

She might have known that I was a combatant. Maybe that’s why Nuar Corporation regularly donated to the orphanage.

But when I got involved, I couldn’t know what would happen. I don’t even know what will happen to me now.

“…Yeah. See you tomorrow.”

When I answered like that, Wisdom’s hand on my shoulder tightened slightly.

“Should I call the doctor?”

“No, it’s not that serious.”

“Yeah.”

Wisdom put the bag near the bed on the bed and took out various things from it.

“Still, it seems okay to drink beverages, so I bought some things for now.”

I woke up today, and the bag had been under the bed since I woke up.

Maybe she bought new things every time she came to see me. Perhaps she went out briefly and asked before coming back.

Maybe she searched online and only bought things that could be eaten right away.

“Thank you.”

“….”

Wisdom’s expression clouded slightly.

“Is it really okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

At my answer, Wisdom barely nodded her head.

“Well, I’ll come tomorrow. See you then.”

I nodded my head.

It felt like my throat was making a creaking sound, but still, Wisdom could smile when she left.

Watching the door close, I took a deep breath.

Yes, let’s calm down.

Not everything is happening right now. James came to warn me, and I’m still in the hospital.

At least until I leave the hospital, there should be time.

I tried moving my fingers. The joints still creaked, and it hurt as if being pricked by needles. Side effects of the circuit? Magical girls didn’t seem to have such side effects.

…If there’s good positive energy and bad negative energy, the bad side almost always has side effects. It didn’t come out in the webtoon, but it’s just annoying for me.

I lay on the bed.

The drinks still on the bed were visible. Most of them were sports drinks. Hydration without caffeine.

Anyway, she’s meticulous.

I reached out and picked up one of them. It was still a bit cool, perhaps because it had been in the bag.

I opened the bottle cap and was about to take a sip when I heard a knock on the door of the hospital room.

Before I could respond, the door opened.

The people who came in were doctors and nurses.

“Jung Ji-eun.”

Upon hearing that, I closed the drink cap again.

“In fact, we should have come as soon as you woke up, but it seems the patient has something urgent, so we waited a bit before coming. Can we do a brief examination?”

I nodded.

I put the drink back on the table.

“Yes, then… Since you’ve been asleep for a long time, there might be some parts of your body that aren’t feeling well. If there’s any pain, could you tell us where it is?”

“Oh, that’s…”

Both the doctor and the nurse had calm expressions.

I felt a little relieved and explained my symptoms.

*

“Ha Yuna! Ha Yuna!”

What woke up Ha Yuna, who had fallen asleep on the desk, was an animal that looked like a large hamster.

No, in fact, it only looked like one; it wasn’t a real animal. If classified, it would be an “alien.” Its lifespan wasn’t short like other rodents.

Even if we exclude the fact that it can speak, its appearance was different from a hamster.

If you were to describe it, it would be like shrinking a cat and making it a bit plumper, designed to walk on two legs. Its ears and tail were more similar to a fennec fox than a cat.

“Cherry?”

Ha Yuna called out the name of the strange creature as she rubbed her eyes.

The window in front of the desk was slightly open. The chilly wind outside made Ha Yuna shiver.

“What’s wrong?”

Cherry was a “mascot.”

Its real name was different. It made a sound that was difficult for humans to imitate, much like the chirping of a real rodent. The device hanging around Cherry’s neck, resembling a pet collar with a star-shaped device, was a translation device symbolizing the Milky Way Federation.

Without that device, this conversation would have been impossible.

Apart from appearance and sounds, it was a highly advanced engineering creation from a planet, and even the circuits used by magical girls were also creations of this species.

And probably, it was assumed that Noir Corporation’s technology was also from the same extraterrestrial source.

Anyway, although Cherry had unintentionally become a mascot due to frequently accompanying magical girls in a support role shortly after starting to work as a magical girl, it actually specialized in a more professional field.

Lately, unless going to headquarters, there was hardly any chance of meeting.

…Cherry’s expression didn’t seem particularly welcoming. If it was an urgent matter, they could have contacted through emergency channels.

The fact that Cherry had come all the way here meant that there was something important that needed to be conveyed without the knowledge of the Milky Way Federation.

“Something big has happened. Something big has happened.”

Cherry continued to speak, fiddling with her hands rather than her front paws.

To someone unfamiliar, it might seem merely cute. However, when Cherry looked like this, the individuals she faced were usually extremely dangerous criminals, even in the Milky Way Galaxy.

“Why? Speak honestly and slowly.”

Even after hearing Blosum’s words, Cherry hesitated for a long time. It seemed as if she was worried about whether it was okay to speak here.

“Is it something you shouldn’t say in front of others?”

“No, no, it’s not that… It might actually require the power of other magical girls?”

“I’m listening.”

Blosum adjusted her posture. The cold air seeping in through the window oddly helped clear her mind.

Several papers were spread out on the desk. Cherry stiffened upon seeing them. Blosum carefully moved Cherry aside and roughly put the papers into a drawer.

It was a note organizing what she wanted to say to the author. She was struggling to figure out what to say, unable to organize her thoughts just by looking at her face.

She didn’t think it was something that absolutely couldn’t be shown to others, but still, it was a bit embarrassing to show it so openly.

“….”

“Cherry?”

But Cherry had been stiff since she saw Blosum’s writing.

“Blosum. No, Hayoon.”

Cherry spoke up.

“Yeah?”

This time, Hayoon froze at Cherry’s words.

In fact, Cherry already knew about Ji-eun’s existence. Of course, she didn’t know that she was a combatant.

Ji-eun was Hayoon’s most frequent friend, and thus, the most frequently mentioned person when talking about school incidents in front of Cherry.

However, she hadn’t shared excessively personal stories, but still, Cherry would have some idea of who Ji-eun was to Hayoon.

After thinking that far, Hayoon realized that Cherry’s words were a bit strange.

“Why? Is what you’re about to say related to Ji-eun?”

“….”

Cherry looked up at Hayoon.

The tip of her nose twitched uneasily.

“Hayoon, don’t be too surprised. Listen calmly and think first.”

“Yeah.”

Looking at Hayoon like that, Cherry finally spoke.

“Today, that girl Ji-eun is going to be arrested.”

“Arrested?”

Hayoon didn’t understand for a moment what she had heard.

“Arrested? Why?”

Nuar Corporation is bad. However, it cleverly takes the government’s side and carries out its own legal activities. When the government wants to put pressure on the Eunha Federation, it is said that Nuar Corporation is the one to use without direct friction.

So, Nuar Corporation’s operatives are rarely arrested. If they were arrested for merely doing their job, it would be extremely difficult to find someone to work.

The author was an operative.

“The child was implicated as the cause of the recent explosion. Hayoon, were you there?”

“Yeah. I was there. And Jieun had nothing to do with the explosion. The explosion had already occurred before Jieun went wild. It was Delphinium…”

“Right. I’ve seen the report and heard the testimony, so I know.”

Cherry looked at Hayoon with a serious gaze.

“But there’s a problem. There’s only testimony, no evidence.”

“No evidence?”

“There’s no CCTV footage.”

Hayoon narrowed her eyes.

She knew they would be recorded. They anticipated it before entering.

But not using such footage in the company.

“There must have been some conversation between the Eunha Federation and Nuar Corporation.”

“But there’s still no evidence that Jieun did it.”

Even as she said that, Hayoon became anxious.

“Right. That’s true. And even if they fabricate evidence, they’ll have to consider it as a company responsibility. It’s a story that something happened because of a problem in Nuar Corporation’s circuit. Perhaps everyone involved will end up leaving the company. And that girl Jieun probably won’t have any major legal problems. She might not even go to prison.”

“Then…”

“She won’t go to ‘prison’.”

Cherry’s voice lowered. Her ears tingled. Her gaze shifted back and forth, as if she were afraid someone might be listening.

“What do you mean?”

There’s still no evidence of what kind of energy Nuar Corporation is using. The energy contained in human emotions is very rich. But if they’re using a complex mix of emotions as energy, it’s extremely difficult for us to detect it from this end. The energy that comes out when the circuit is activated is ultimately just “magical energy.”

“I know.”

“But she seems to have connected to something more fundamental. It’s similar to the hope you all use.”

“… ”

“The Eunha Federation sees that as a new possibility.”

Cherry looked at Hayoon with a frightened face.

The energy, no matter how you look at it, doesn’t seem to come from a positive direction. It’s massive energy, and the range of usability seems remarkable, but based on what I’ve researched so far, the emotions felt by the combatants while fighting are not like “hope.” From the company’s side, it seems like they call it courage, but we all know that’s a lie.

Terrified, but at the same time not hesitating to speak, with his large ears lowered and holding her hand, Cherry looked up at Hayoon and said, “Hayoon, I don’t think the Milky Way Federation is as just a place as it seems.”

“….”

“But no matter how much I think about it, doing such actions… doesn’t seem right. No matter how beneficial it may be, joining hands with that company and pursuing such research.”

Hayoon stood up from her seat.

She looked at the clock. It was late.

“Let’s go. Can I tell the others?”

“I’m not sure, but if you want, I’ll help.”

“Thank you, Cherry.”

Hayoon carefully lifted Cherry onto her shoulder and found the circuit, tapping it on her wrist.

*

“Another hospital, you say?”

I asked the doctor.

“You said your whole body hurts? We can’t know where or how it hurts. Let’s move you to a hospital where we can make a more accurate diagnosis.”

“….”

I looked at the people.

There are… many doctors.

And many of the men in white gowns were quite big. All the nurses were men.

I clenched the hand under the blanket tightly. Pain seeped through my fingers.

“This hospital has CT and MRI…”

“We do have them. But having the equipment and having the capability to diagnose are different things.”

“It’s Nuar Corporation’s hospital, isn’t it? I heard the doctors here are top-notch.”

“It’s quite far from where you live. It might be better to transfer you to a closer hospital.”

“…I’ll just go to a clinic.”

“A clinic can mostly treat physical trauma. There’s no definite way to treat internal injuries yet.”

“….”

I looked around at the people again.

It’s scary. They were all staring through me.

Sweat dripped from my palms.

“…Alright.”

That’s how I answered for now.

“You’ll have to be moved in the bed, is that okay?”

“…Yes.”

I nodded with a trembling voice.

The people who came to move me didn’t seem to have any ill intentions right away.

Even when our eyes met, they even smiled slightly at me.

But I couldn’t trust them.

If I hadn’t heard James’ words a little while ago, I might have been oblivious. But James spoke and left.

“…By the way, which hospital are we going to?”

For a very brief moment, the other person couldn’t answer.

I got up from my seat.

That might not have been a good idea after all.

It might have been better to just get caught and stand trial. In a trial, there would be a chance for defense, and if minimal charges apply, the sentence might not be too long.

Running away like this might actually make the situation worse.

But still.

Still, it was unfair.

To receive such treatment for something I didn’t do.

All the combat helmets have cameras attached. If they check that, they’ll know I’m innocent.

Or maybe the CCTV inside the building.

… Have those things all been dealt with? Is the company really trying to cover up something?

And if so, wouldn’t the outcome never turn out well?

“Stop!”

Someone shouted, and an arm wrapped around my waist.

I hit the face of the man who had embraced me from behind with my elbow and twisted one finger outward. A scream came from behind, and then his right arm fell from his belly.

It fell and hit the bed. My already painful body became even more painful.

I heard a whining sound, and when I looked at my wrist, the circuit was running.

“He’s got the circuit!”

I heard that voice.

I pushed the bed with all my strength towards the people in front of me. The bed wheels rolled forcefully, pushing two of them backward. It didn’t push them back much, but it was possible to make them hit the wall.

I heard the sound of someone rushing towards me, so I quickly turned my body.

I lowered my head and avoided the hand, but my hair was caught.

I struck a fist into the nape. A sound of deflation came from the mouth of the man in nurse’s clothing, and he weakly dropped to his knees.

A person in a doctor’s gown was shouting into a walkie-talkie.

I ran.

I turned my body as fast as I could.

Still, since I was already in the lobby, I could barely run to the hospital entrance.

My whole body hurt, and people were already running towards me from far away.

They were shouting something. They were saying something about surrendering peacefully—

—Would you surrender if you were in my shoes?

I don’t want to be arrested for a crime I didn’t commit.

And more than that, I felt even worse. Something felt very, very wrong.

I don’t know where that feeling is coming from. But I just wanted to escape.

My left wrist trembled a little. It felt like the smartwatch was vibrating.

The circuit was running. I don’t know exactly what percentage.

… Can I believe this?

Actually, did James just lie to make me run?

My head was confused, and my body hurt.

But I had to run. I decided to do so the moment I got up from the bed.