episode_0006

“…So you’re saying a polar bear suddenly appeared, smacked the tentacled monster with an oar, and then disappeared?”

“Yes!”

Murata Misaki, head of the Neo Dongtan Special Investigation Bureau’s ‘Monster’ Countermeasure Division, forced back a sigh at the high school girl in front of her who was on her third bowl of gyudon.

“Was there anything distinctive about it, or something like that?”

“It was just a white polar bear! But, um, it wasn’t like a doll costume you’d see at an amusement park; it was more like animal pajamas…?”

“Wearing a polar bear mask with animal pajamas…? Was it wearing a hood?”

“Not a hood, um, what should I call it… Ah, this!”

The black-haired high school girl extended the screen of her smartphone with red straps forward.

“It looked something like this!”

“A bodysuit…?”

“Hehe, you could say it’s a ‘suit,’ so maybe that lady is one of those people too? You know, those sisters who retire from active duty and work as ‘riders’!”

“In Neo Dongtan, there are no ‘witches’ strong enough to defeat a tentacled monster, Magical Girl Seiya.”

“Not a witch, please call me a rider! Witches seem a bit old!”

“…….”

Although Misaki felt like the spicy ramen she had for lunch was boiling inside her, she managed to suppress her boiling emotions.

Her opponent was a 17-year-old high school girl, while she was a 27-year-old adult.

Even though she was a magical girl, in society, she was an adult.

“By the way, if we can’t find that lady… what happens to the extermination fee?”

“The extermination fee of 4 million yen? Naturally…”

“Is it coming to me?”

“…If an unidentified witch defeats a monster and disappears, it means they have no intention of receiving the extermination fee for defeating the monster. Therefore, naturally, all of that amount would go to Magical Girl Seiya, the second contributor to the extermination.”

“Wow!”

Seiya jumped up from her seat, delighted.

“Then just give me 10%, and give the rest to the courier company over there. They suffered quite a bit this time…”

“If we call it suffering, it’s just the outer wall of a building collapsing, and some parcels getting damaged. The amount involved is…”

“I’m fine with just 10%!”

“…….”

That 10%, the amount of 4 million yen, was almost equal to Misaki’s annual salary. While someone would be lucky to receive it, for her, it was an insurmountable gap that she couldn’t overcome with her own efforts.

She was just a civil servant receiving the country’s gratitude by passing exams, and the high school girl in front of her had been chosen by ‘Sepira’ since childhood to awaken the blessing of mana and become a magical girl.

It was a difference in privilege before talent.

If her father hadn’t smoked at home, if she could have avoided passive smoking, could she have received the blessing of mana?

Such futile thoughts held no meaning.

What was truly important was the mystery witch who caused all the extermination fees to go to this girl –

“If you have any thoughts on the [passing polar bear], please message me. For example, the color of mana.”

“Oh, yes! I’ll tell you right away! I have so many questions once I find her!”

The high school girl, Magical Girl Seiya, stood up, bowed at a 90-degree angle, and left the headquarters.

“…Phew.”

Although she didn’t smoke, there were moments when she understood why people who smoked cigarettes did so.

“Magical girls are really something. Even without transforming into a magical girl, she can eat three bowls of gyudon like that and maintain such a figure.”

On the desk.

The empty bowls of gyudon, not leaving a single grain of rice, were placed there, even though one was a special ‘extra beef’ gyudon.

“Youth is truly enviable.”

While society demanded justice from magical girls to that extent.

“Receiving what another witch carries and taking a day’s salary from others, anyone would wish to become a magical girl. Ha.”

But Manager Misaki continued to lament.

“At 27, being a magical girl, what nonsense.”

It was too late for miracles to come to her.

“I should find someone. Ugh. I’m so tired of working now…”

* * *

“Pfuh-chwi.”

I’m coughing even though I’m not sick.

Those around me glare at me with eyes that seem to say ‘Could it be the flu?’ but I just put my hands together and bow my head, focusing on the food.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had restaurant gyudon.”

There’s a tempting gyudon in front of me even if I eat it in one bite.

Well-cooked meat and raw egg yolk are placed in the middle, with sliced green onions decorating the yolk.

“Even if I don’t know who you are, thanks to the person who dropped a thousand yen.”

While jogging, I dropped a thousand yen on the ground.

I waited about 10 minutes just in case, but no one appeared saying, “Has anyone seen a thousand yen around here?”

So I took it.

It could be considered a crime, but that person might have sympathized with my situation and let it go.

“If only it weren’t a curse.”

I checked the empty pockets of my clothes.

Then, I discreetly pulled up my sleeve to check my left wrist.

“……”

Ten rings invisible to others’ eyes.

Each ring sparkles in different colors, twisting like spirals, and even causes an optical illusion as I move my arms around.

It’s not a tattoo.

But it’s a tattoo and curse visible only to those who have reached the ‘ultimate.’

Moreover, since it’s a curse directed towards me personally, unless someone directly grabs my wrist in front of me, they won’t notice the true nature of these curses.

One curse: I cannot possess cash or material equivalent to over 100,000 yen.

It could be called a curse of poverty or a curse of destitution.

Fortunately, the demon who cursed me mistook yen for won, so if it had been 100,000 won instead of yen, I would probably be living in the mountains without a place to stay.

What happens if the curse is broken?

Well, that spot will be filled.

The demon of Cliport awakens, and genuine demons will reappear threatening the Earth.

“But now, maybe it doesn’t matter.”

Since the demons have started to reappear.

“I’m still carrying the curse, so if the demons reappear, isn’t this unrelated?”

As soon as I thought that, momentarily, ten faces flashed through the rings, each less than 1mm wide.

“Ugh.”

As I subtly hinted at negative thoughts, the demons immediately reacted and rushed towards me.

Even if I die, I will die holding onto this left arm until the end, because the curse on my left arm is truly dreadful.

Truly, humans are easily corruptible-

“Hah. You seem like you’re about to fall.”

Beside me.

“How can magical girls eat three bowls of this? I really can’t believe it.”

A black-haired woman who looks like a career woman is devouring an extra-large gyudon—costing over a thousand yen—with a face full of complaints.

It’s an enormous size that can’t even be compared to my basic 350 yen set A, looking like three times the amount of rice and meat.

Moreover, next to it, neatly arranged in a bowl containing four freshly grilled dumplings.

“Is she rich?”

This woman undoubtedly earns money well, whether she resolves stress by eating or whatever else she does.

No matter how much of a chain store it is, coming alone in the middle of a weekday and ordering a large katsu-don with sides.

“Huh…?”

Oh.

I guess I kept watching without realizing it.

“Excuse me….”

“Oh, sorry.”

I ended up causing trouble unintentionally.

I’m not the type to care about this kind of thing, but isn’t there a saying not to bother others while they’re eating, at least?

“…….”

The woman glanced me up and down, then her eyes flickered.

“Would you like to eat?”

“What?”

“Well, I ended up ordering a lot too. It’s a bit overwhelming to finish it all. Leaving it would be a hassle.”

“Is it okay though?”

“Yes. Please don’t refuse.”

Is she an angel?

“Well, then….”

I cautiously picked up a dumpling with my chopsticks.

“Sigh….”

Back in Korea, I wouldn’t even eat dumplings unless they were super cheap deals.

While there’s a difference between dumplings and potstickers, the general idea is similar.

“…….”

“Hey, would you like another one?”

“I won’t refuse.”

Isn’t this the advantage of chain stores?

A consistent taste guaranteed no matter where or when you eat.

I haven’t had that consistent taste for a while, not even Korean imported frozen dumplings.

They are ridiculously expensive.

“Thank you. By the way, do you happen to….”

“I am Misaki Murata, Team Leader of the Special Investigation Department Monster Countermeasures Unit.”

“Huh.”

Suddenly, the black-haired woman, Misaki, pulled out her business card and handed it to me.

“Um, well, so….”

“Excuse me, what do you do for a living?”

It’s rude.

Very rude.

“Uh, well, my name is ‘Mumei,’ I’m 27 years old. And my occupation is….”

Clang.

“…I’m unemployed.”

I’m a retired magical girl, but I can’t say that.

“Um, Miss Mumei.”

Misaki’s eyes began to sparkle.

“Would you consider working with our team?”

“……What?”

At the sudden scouting proposal, I dropped the dumpling I was about to pick up.

Plop.

The dumpling landed in the soy sauce dish.