Ch.12Chapter 2. Private Life (6)

# Truth be told, I had my reasons for helping catch the stalker.

After all, I need to survive, don’t I?

Of course, corporations have their own frightening aspects. But that fear is… well, to be honest, somewhat ambiguous.

Bluntly speaking, even if I quit the corporation right now, it wouldn’t make running the orphanage impossible. Things might get a bit tight, but I don’t think we’d fall short of the government-supported operating costs.

I have my excuses ready too.

I have no idea what the reporter looks like. I figured I could just insist that I genuinely mistook them for a stalker, and that would somehow work out.

Anyway, meeting with the corporate people would happen tonight at the earliest, and right now, the magical girl in front of me is more terrifying.

I’ve never been hit by a corporate executive, but I have been hit by a magical girl. If I had to choose between the worst and the second worst, wouldn’t the second worst be slightly better?

…

I have to admit I was emotional.

But still, Hayun is my friend.

I wanted to stay by her side without arousing suspicion. Besides Jihye, who lives in the same orphanage, Hayun was the first friend I ever made.

Anyway, my complicated thoughts led me to act impulsively.

“A civilian helped capture a Kaijin?”

And because of that, I’m now in an incredibly awkward situation.

I only thought about saving Hayun and being done with it. I never imagined I’d be face-to-face with a rainbow of magical girls.

For now, Hayun and Iris weren’t in their transformed state.

Since passersby were already taking photos and calling them magical girls, disguises had become meaningless, but there was no reason to transform after capturing the culprit.

On the other hand, the three people who came running after Hayun’s general call were already transformed.

They must have judged it to be a dangerous situation, thanks to the uproar on social media.

“It’s admirable what you did, but you could face retaliation later. In these situations, you should just leave it to the professionals. Even if they’re your friend, it’s a bit troublesome when civilians enter professional territory.”

The one making these principled statements was a woman in a red dress.

Well, no, “woman” might be a bit much. She’s still young enough to be called a girl.

She’s probably only a year younger than me anyway.

Her fiery red hair was cut in a bob. But it stuck out here and there in a somewhat boyish style. Though the dress clung to her body in a feminine way, her overall aura and the gauntlets on her hands made her anything but delicate.

I’d been hit by those gauntlets once. Three of my ribs were broken that day. Until I got treatment at the medical center, I had to walk carefully, taking shallow breaths.

I felt cold sweat running down my back as I swallowed hard.

“What’s the big deal?”

The girl in the yellow dress spoke.

Her long brown hair swayed behind her back. The yellow dress had a deeply cut back, but her hair mostly covered it. I think in the webtoon she said something like “That’s what service is all about.”

She looked younger than Rose but definitely not as young as Hayun or me. Maybe it’s her relaxed demeanor?

Happy Dalia.

What she held was a large staff. Her ranged magic is excellent, but above all, that wooden staff is incredibly hard. If you get hit with the curved part at the top, your shinbone breaks.

I’ve been carried on a stretcher to the Noir Corporation employee general hospital before. That’s when I learned that breaking a leg bone hurts much more than breaking ribs.

I found myself shaking one leg nervously before managing to calm it down with my hand.

“…Such a strategy… in such a place… relying too much on coincidence… following such a strategy…”

The one speaking with an unusual number of ellipses was Delphinium.

She was also wearing a blue dress matching her name, but her outfit was closer to the “witch” stereotype.

On top of her bob haircut, which was neatly trimmed at the neck, sat a large witch’s hat. She also had a robe-like cape on her back. Whatever it was made of, it sparkled with starlight, which was beautiful.

And looking at that starlight, I felt goosebumps on my arms.

…Delphinium’s magic is threatening. While the attacks from the other magical girls make you think “that hurts, I should avoid it,” Delphinium’s magic makes your scalp tingle and gives you a sense of mortal danger the moment you see it.

I’ve never actually died from being hit by it, so she must control her firepower, but the sensation of feeling like your body is about to burn up is something I never want to experience twice in my lifetime.

Usually in battle, you face one or two opponents at most. Even in group battles, each person fights against a few opponents.

And anyway, once a fight breaks out, we get defeated and immediately go to a hospital or treatment center, so there’s rarely a chance for a “second round” where we face more than two magical girls in a day.

But now, I’m the only villain here, and there are five magical girls.

“…Jieun.”

Seeing me trembling in my chair, Hayun called my name cautiously.

“Don’t worry too much.”

“…Yeah.”

“Are you scared the corporation might retaliate?”

No, I’m scared you all might punish me.

But I couldn’t say that directly, so I shook my head.

“I’m, I’m just a bit cold. We were outside for a long time.”

“Ah, I see.”

Hayun nodded calmly at my words and then said:

“Then, Jieun. I’m really sorry.”

Hayun looked at me with genuine regret on her face.

“I need to handle the aftermath of this incident. I probably won’t be able to hang out with you anymore today…”

“Ah, okay.”

While I felt genuinely sorry for Hayun saying this, to be honest, I was a bit relieved.

If I could just get away from here, at least I wouldn’t be subdued by magical girls.

I looked at the Kaijin who was still unconscious.

His face was intact. The human-like face of the man was a mask.

Blue skin, antennae on his head.

He was from the same planet as the Earthaboos. As he said he had modified his body, one of his eyes was mechanical.

Seeing that he was still unconscious made me a bit worried. …He will wake up, right?

“Don’t worry too much.”

Seeing my gaze directed at the stalker and thinking I was still concerned, Hayun placed her hand on my shoulder and said kindly.

I nodded stiffly, feeling a strange mix of worry, guilt, and relief.

*

On the way home.

I was lost in thought and had been quiet for a while when Jihye, sitting next to me, finally spoke up as if she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Um… I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this after what we’ve been through.”

“Huh?”

I had been looking out the window and turned to Jihye a bit late.

Jihye was already showing me a notebook.

…When did she buy that?

“Earlier, when you were talking with the magical girls, I ran to a nearby store and bought it.”

“…Did you get autographs?”

“Yes! Two each, including yours.”

It was true. Jihye opened the notebook to show me, and there was one signature per page, for a total of ten pages.

I wasn’t surprised that Hayun, Rose, or Dalia would enjoy giving autographs. But I didn’t know that Dalia and Iris would sign too.

Well, while I’m not sure about Dalia, Iris secretly craves public attention. Maybe that’s why she was jumping around on the rooftops today, wanting to show off her achievements.

…She was staring at me for a moment earlier. Was it because I was too forward?

Maybe I should have just stayed put.

“Are you still worried?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Right? Your friend— Oh.”

Jihye was about to say something but quickly closed her mouth. Then she looked around.

We might appear in the news, but our faces haven’t spread around the bus yet. After all, we’re just ordinary people, not celebrities, so it would be hard for someone to recognize us at a glance.

Still, I appreciated that Jihye remembered and was being careful. That’s why I brought her along today.

…

Come to think of it, Jihye got caught up in this too.

Maybe I’ve been too focused on myself.

I almost let out a deep sigh but remembered Jihye was beside me and held it in.

*

True to the company’s habit of immediately calling in combatants when they make mistakes, I received a contact that very evening.

I had anticipated this, so I deliberately went outside while Jihye was taking a shower.

After shivering in the cold and pacing around for about an hour, I finally received a text message.

[We need to urgently discuss today’s events. Please come to the company.]

It was a message from Executive James.

“…”

For an “executive,” he meets with a low-level employee like me too frequently, I thought.

It’s probably because he knows I’m friends with a magical girl.

I let out a small sigh and headed straight for the bus stop.

*

The view from Executive James’s office was as impressive as always.

It wasn’t taller than all the surrounding buildings, but with Seoul Plaza right in front, the view was wide open even in the heart of the city.

But before I could appreciate the scenery, James had laid out large printed photos on his work table.

…Not on the guest table.

He probably meant for me to walk over there and stand while listening.

Thinking he was going to point out my mistakes, I walked over and stood at attention, waiting.

After arranging all the photos, James sat down.

I glanced down at the photos.

It was a picture of Hayun and me arm in arm.

My expression wasn’t very visible. In contrast, Hayun was looking up at me with a bright smile.

“You two seem very close.”

James spoke.

There was a smile on his lips, but his eyes weren’t particularly smiling.

“After a bit of investigation, I found that you two have been classmates since elementary school.”

“…”

“Were you close since then?”

“…”

“Well, fine. It’s your ‘private life,’ I suppose. I won’t touch on that.”

James picked up a tablet that was near his seat and turned on the screen.

Then he showed me a large article displayed on it.

[Alien Stalker Defeated… Joint Operation Between Citizen and Magical Girl]

I’m doomed.

My face was in that newspaper photo.

It wasn’t clearly visible though. It was more like a forced enlargement of a distant shot. If I had to be specific, the focus was on the magical girls standing around me, and I was in the background.

But that was enough for James’s eyes, it seemed.

James didn’t say anything for a while.

That silence was frightening.

Usually, I thought he just had a frivolous impression. During combat, he would just shout loudly, and after battles, he would always take out his frustrations on the combatants.

Maybe it reminded me of the executives from children’s special effects shows I watched when I was young.

But now, for some reason, he was scary.

Suddenly, I remembered the face of the stalker I saw today. When I first saw him, he was just a middle-aged Earth man, but when he removed his disguise, his face turned into that of a blue alien.

The James in front of me now also had an Earth human face.

What real face might be behind it, at least I didn’t know.

“Ms. Jieun, I have quite high expectations for you.”

James stood up from his chair and looked down at the view outside.

It wasn’t quite midnight, but in this season when days are short, the outside was already completely dark with night scenery.

Looking down at the small lights moving below, James spoke in a weighty voice.

“What was your reason for cooperating with the magical girl today?”

“Well—”

I quickly opened my mouth.

“—the magical girl noticed first.”

James turned slightly towards me.

“If I hadn’t cooperated there, the magical girls might have suspected me.”

“Ah, I see. So that’s why you helped the magical girl, even using a tracking program.”

Although he added the word “I see,” he didn’t look particularly convinced.

I opened my mouth to make more excuses, but James slightly raised his hand to cut me off.

“Ms. Jieun, do you know about the mechanism of trust?”

“…”

“If you think someone isn’t trustworthy, you wouldn’t trust them in the first place. I don’t trust ordinary combatants. So when I plan operations, I assume they will fail rather than succeed.”

James walked around the desk towards me, his shoes making a clicking sound.

“But, you know, even those unremarkable, untrustworthy types develop a knack after doing the same thing over and over. That’s when I start thinking, ‘Ah, this person has potential.'”

I kept my gaze fixed on the window, not looking at James.

“From then on, I entrust that person with more excellent operations.”

“…”

“But what if the first operation I entrust to that person fails? What would I think then? If there’s only one sample and even that sample is defective, wouldn’t the failure rate be 100 percent? Especially if the sample was ruined by the sample’s own will.”

I couldn’t say anything.

It was a clear fact that I had actively helped the magical girl.

After staring at me silently for a while, James suddenly burst into laughter.

“Well, that’s fine.”

After chuckling for a while, James picked up one of the photos spread on the desk and looked at it while speaking.

“It’s fortunate for us to have secured someone close to a magical girl. No, to be honest, this must be fate. Yes, your value is higher than those criminal-background laborers. So, I’ll consider your excuse as ‘reasonable’ and let it go this time. Besides, she’s your friend, right? I understand that some personal feelings are inevitable. However.”

James leaned slightly on the table and looked at me.

It was a position where his face entered my field of vision even if I avoided his eyes.

“From the second time onwards, we have no choice. If you fail once and succeed once, it’s at least fifty-fifty, but if you fail both times, it’s just 0 percent.”

“…I understand.”

James nodded at my response, seemingly satisfied.

“You may go now.”

I quickly turned around.

More than thinking “Was I called just for this?”, I felt relieved that I could end this without hearing much more.

However, when I was almost at the office door, James spoke again.

“Oh, by the way.”

As I stopped walking, James said in a somewhat ominous voice:

“About the donation we send you.”

“…”

I turned around.

“I haven’t told you yet, but recently our corporation decided to start social activities in earnest. With your situation in mind, we’ve taken over the operating rights of that orphanage.”

I slightly opened my mouth.

“So from now on, it’s not a ‘donation’ but ‘operating funds.’ Oh, don’t worry. I’m not saying we’ll run the place with just the amount we used to donate. If we did that, the funds would surely be ‘insufficient,’ wouldn’t they?”

I stared blankly at James.

“Once we’ve taken it over, we can’t neglect its operation. We never know what people who leave there might say.”

James looked at me with what seemed like an amused expression.

“Oh, but it’s possible. There could be a case where the teachers there commit some illegal act and need to be replaced. For example, child abuse.”

I clenched my fist.

The teachers there… they’re all doing their best. They’re not perfect, of course, but they’re more than enough for us.

“Or, ah, yes, there’s another way.”

James looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully, then spoke as if he’d had a brilliant idea.

“You’re going to be a high school second-year soon, right? Isn’t it time to decide on your career path? Employment or university. I’ve heard that many people these days choose to get a job right away. Especially if it’s an opportunity to work at a major corporation? I heard you have a roommate, and you two seem to be close friends.”

James turned the photo he was holding towards me.

It contained a picture of Jihye.

“How happy would your friend be to hear that she could get a job at a corporation with an excellent starting salary? Oh, of course, it’s not a real job since she’s not an adult yet… though an ‘intern who gets paid while learning’ would be possible.”

“Jihye is—”

“What? It’s not a bad offer, is it? Learning a proper job before even graduating high school would allow her to start with excellent conditions even if she moves elsewhere later. And our company could support various welfare policies. We could help her take the GED while working and even get a university degree at the same time.”

Looking at my astonished expression, James smiled.

“And then all those dreams could vanish suddenly if she drops out of high school and all those benefits are suddenly canceled. Who knows? The ways of the world are always unpredictable.”

“…”

I didn’t know how to respond to James’s words.

In the end… it was my fault.

“So, Ms. Jieun. Think carefully. We are not enemies. Though we could become enemies.”

“…I understand. I’m truly sorry about today.”

“Yes, I’m glad you’re reflecting on it. Well then, take care on your way home.”

With my heart racing madly, I turned around.