episode_0072

Crime has blossomed in Seoul. Quiet illegal activities flourished between empty shopping malls and streets. It was different from the crimes that occurred after the goblin invasion.

After the invasion, financial austerity and systematic budget distribution according to priorities created a temporary security vacuum, which led to organized crime, but this was soon resolved. The vacuum in security was already an expected result at the policy preparation stage, so a large-scale deployment of police personnel began immediately, and this was effective in destroying criminal organizations.

The current breakdown in security had other causes. A region that was put on the back burner for a while due to priorities. The capital also underwent late restoration depending on the importance of the region, but it was not comparable to the provinces. Some important local cities received decent support, but most did not. They were left as is and very few went bankrupt.

However, since it is Yumina’s opinion, I don’t know if it is trustworthy. I’m not really interested in these political issues.

Yumina walked next to me and said.

“Local security is broken and new criminal organizations are forming and expanding their influence into Seoul, but they are bragging about saving the budget and catching criminals. How annoyed can I be? Don’t you think so?”

First of all, since you are leading a group of magical girls that are close to a group of semi-criminals, you need to listen seriously to their opinions, but the world can’t be that bad, right? Maybe you’re only focusing on the bad things. First of all, it will be even more so if you only live in places with poor security.

In fact, it is true that public security has worsened, but personally, I do not feel it that much. Maybe it’s because I don’t go out of the house much. It’s true that it’s gotten worse, but it doesn’t mean it’s gotten much worse.

“What do you mean they live in a safe skyscraper?”

Yumina lost her temper and punched the air. The appearance is close to a fight, so you can tell that they don’t usually fight. Well, I’m not going to fight since I’m carrying a gun. Even now, when I see a bag on my side, I think a pistol is an accessory. What are you going to do if you get arrested unexpectedly?

“But if you carry a gun, won’t you get caught?”

“this?”

Yumina pointed to the bag on the side and I nodded.

“This isn’t a gun. It’s a bag.”

The zipper was open, so I took a peek inside. There was an intact pistol.

I looked up and saw Yumina laughing. cute.

“First of all, the finger was pointing at the bag, so it’s not a lie.”

“yes?”

Yumina looked through the glass wall of the shopping mall. It was empty because it had not been rented.

“But wouldn’t it be a big deal if the police came up and asked?”

“Don’t worry. There are no police officers who want to cause trouble with a girl who looks like a magical girl during a simple patrol anymore.”

Weren’t the criminal organizations in the Seoul area completely defeated? There is a blatantly quasi-criminal organization here. Was it difficult to suppress them by force because they were minors? Of course, it would be a very difficult choice politically.

“It’s like here. Let’s finish this and go to the cafe! I’m sorry, so I’ll shoot!”

“I see.”

Originally, they had promised to meet at a cafe, but they broke the schedule because Yumina couldn’t finish her work on time. Next to Yumina was Laplace, and when he arrived, he said he was going home and went back. There’s no need to do it, but Yumina says she’s having a hard time buying it for no reason. I know that Schrödinger asked Laplace to escort Yumina, but he is being careless. Can you escort me like that? Always risk your life.

Yumina pulled the glass door of the store. Since it wasn’t leased, it should have been locked, but somehow it was just opened. As I quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor, I felt a magical feeling. After passing a certain number of stairs, the silence was broken and the girls’ boisterous voices were heard. There is no soundproofing magic among the skills, so it must be some kind of magic from a magical girl. Good, I should remember that.

Yumina burst open the second floor door.

“Everyone stop! If you run away, I will not let you go as the acting general manager!”

Beyond the door, magical girls were having a drinking party. A magical girl looked at Yumina, widened her eyes and hiccuped. Wow, there are a lot of problems. How can middle and high school students have a drinking party in broad daylight? Ah, culture shock. I stumbled for a moment, holding my forehead. I wasn’t dizzy, I just stumbled once. Was it a bit middle school-like?

Yumina looked around the room with a straight face. When I wondered what was going on, it seemed like they were cracking down on magical girls who deviated from drinking parties. As Laplace said, there is no need to do it yourself with the position of acting general manager. Buy and suffer.

But doesn’t he drink too?

… … I came up with something very contradictory, but since high-ranking people are exempt from the rules, let’s move on.

“Ugh! Director! Drinks are spilling!”

When Yumina lifted the cloth and looked at the floor, the magical girl was startled. As he said, a beer can fell over and spilled the drink.

“Oh sorry.”

What if I apologize there?

Yumina smiled awkwardly and looked at the magical girls.

And after hesitating, I blurted out.

“…Nothing’s wrong. Thank goodness!”

It’s not.

There is something wrong.

There are so many.

For a moment, I felt the urge to refute, but I held back since I was not an official. No, but there are a lot of problems, right? Anyway, I endured it.

“Hey, we don’t do that. Since you’re here, would you like a drink too, Mr. Manager?”

The magical girl shook the beer can.

“I have an appointment right now so it’s hard to drink here.”

“Then take a can!”

Yumina received a can of beer. what. Aren’t they here to crack down on alcohol? I don’t understand. Is this a generation gap? Is it like that? No, I’m also a middle school student.

As she left the mall, Yumina opened a can of beer.

“What did you just do?”

“……huh?”

The answer was slow, perhaps because he was lost in thought.

“I thought the atmosphere was about alcohol control, but I guess it’s not?”

“I drink alcohol too.”

“then?”

Yumina stroked the edge of the can with her finger.

“It was a drug bust.”

uh… … .

I have nothing to say.

“Drugs have become popular recently, and it seems like some magical girls are doing it too, so I checked.”

Magical girls and drugs. Well, it was worth it. When there was a lack of police manpower, magical girls cracked down on drugs, so they may have used the drugs they obtained at that time out of curiosity. Moreover, since they were middle school students who left home, they were even more vulnerable. It would be even weirder not to have a drug addict.

“They secretly investigated it with trusted people and attacked the scene.”

Yumina took a swig of beer. Doesn’t that make your throat sore?

“If you are addicted to drugs, it will be difficult to take care of it.”

“Yes. Still, if it’s necessary, you should do it. I was thinking of doing so….”

Yumina threw the beer can. The unfinished beer was flying everywhere. The can fell to the floor with a sound.

“I tried to do that, but there wasn’t a single one.”

Vulnerable and vulnerable. In this environment, it would be really strange if the results of a crackdown showed that not a single person had taken drugs.

“I’m glad there’s no one there…?”

Yumina smiled and asked. It felt like a question asking for confirmation as to whether I was truly fortunate.

Of course, this result is possible. Vulnerable or not, it was a very possible outcome if coincidences overlapped with coincidences and coincidences overlapped again. How miraculous it was that no one was using drugs.

But miracles are called miracles because they are miracles. Of course, Yumina also knows this.

“I don’t know, but I’d be happy if you felt lucky, right?”

Yumina hesitated at this answer and then smiled.

“I see, then that’s a good thing!”

“I know.”

I checked and if there is nothing wrong, it’s good.

“I’m so glad!”

“You don’t have to repeat it.”

“Is that so? That’s good!”

Yumina, who was distraught as if she lacked confidence, ignored it and turned around for a moment to look at the shopping mall. A magical girl who had been looking around with her head out quickly hid. Now, I’m not sure whether to continue the drinking party or the drug party on the second floor. You could tell if you felt the magic, but you didn’t have to.

Yumina spread her arms and spun around. It’s a mess.

“You’re not going to take drugs, are you?”

“Of course. There has never been anyone and there never will be again! Yumina continues to be a magical girl! I am a magical girl! A magical girl!”

There are three options for leaders who do not fit into the organization. Change the organization, leave the organization, or become influenced by the organization.

“Okay then. Let’s go to a cafe.”

You’ll figure it out.

But aren’t you embarrassed to call yourself a magical girl and call yourself a name?

Is that middle school emotion? Do you have to learn it? Is that it?

I learned later and walked a few steps away for now.

* * *

“Pet?”

The real Yumina asked.

“Yeah. I feel like I’ve been doing some things that have crossed the line with Do Yoo-geon lately, so I think I’ll keep my distance for a while.”

“That’s a good idea, but why are pets there?”

“I’m so delicate on the inside, so if I spend time apart, won’t my future self feel lonely?”

Yumina blinked.

“So, as a precaution, a pet to relieve loneliness… why are you looking at me so embarrassed?”

“I didn’t look at you to make you feel embarrassed.”

“You looked at me like that because I was embarrassed.”

“That’s our lady’s conscience at work. It’s been a while since she worked.”

It’s absurd. I opened my mouth to retort for a moment, but I couldn’t come out, so I stopped retorting and just drank cappuccino.

“But! Our lady may be truly delicate on the inside.”

“And there’s no need to add really, right? I feel like I’m being delicately attacked on the inside.”

“Don’t do it… my conscience tells me not to lie.”

“Tell your conscience to leave the house.”

Slice the cake with the side of a fork. When I took a bite, it tasted sweet and refreshing. huh… … . The freshness is a bit strong. I soothed my tongue with a sip of coffee.

“Anyway, I’m wondering which animal would be better. Of course, a dog is fine, right? A cat is cute too, but….”

I don’t want to bring in more cats because Schrödinger sometimes comes and rolls around in the bed as he pleases. The fact that Schrödinger was created is also cute. It would be nice if people could just not talk.

“Even if you think about it later, have you thought enough about adopting one?”

“what?”

“The question is, have you responsibly accepted the entire process of raising, caring for, teaching, and caring for a living being, as well as the death that will come at the end of it, and further thought through this process sufficiently?”

uh… … .

He avoided eye contact with Yumina.

“……of course.”

If I were to make an excuse, I just thought of it half-heartedly, just like most parents create children in a haphazard manner rather than thinking things through.

“liar!”

I guess lying has never worked.

“But… it was just a fleeting thought, so I didn’t think much about it, so I made an appointment with you to think it over. I’d be embarrassed if you suddenly asked…”

Yumina’s sermon continued for a while. After spending some time blankly, the sermon came to an end.

“Did you understand? Pets that are raised carelessly and then abandoned are a big social problem!”

“huh.”

Of course I didn’t listen. I’m just using a technique to make it look like I’m listening even though I’m not listening. This is know-how I acquired at work in my previous life.

I told Yumina, who had a satisfied expression, the conclusion I came up with while I was idly thinking.

“If animals don’t work, I guess I can raise plants.”

“Plants won’t help much with loneliness. How about making more appointments with me?”

“Plants also help with loneliness. Of course, they are definitely less effective than animals. So wouldn’t it be okay to treat plants like animals as a supplement?”

“…What does that mean?”

“So, you grow the plants, take care of them, teach them, and take care of them.”

“There are some strange words mixed in.”

“It’s not strange at all.”

“No, it’s definitely strange.”

It was a firm rebuttal.

“You’re mistaken. It’ll be different when you see it in person.”