Chapter 19: The Story Begins (2)

Silence.

A strange silence lingered in the surveillance room.

“…Disgusting.”

Everyone who saw the screen twisted their faces in horror.

Some gasped in shock, others gagged.

What Heosang was doing to Ianna on the screen was beyond comprehension.

Even Hojoon furrowed his brow in disgust.

It was an act no ordinary human could ever understand.

[Die!! Die!!! Just die!!!]

She choked the struggling Ianna, punching her in the stomach whenever she seemed about to faint.

When she tried to flee in terror, she would tighten her grip again, forcing her into Cheonching’s arms.

Cheonching embraced Ianna from behind.

Over and over.

Ianna foamed at the mouth in sheer panic, desperately trying to break free, but Cheonching held her in place with crushing force.

Red marks of restraint covered Ianna’s body.

As she groaned in pain, trembling all over, Heosang’s fist struck her abdomen again.

[Urghhh…]

Blood-tinged bile burst from her mouth.

A stream of yellow fluid leaked from between her legs.

Heosang grinned so wide it looked like his lips would split.

Cheonching, amused by her reactions, kept recording the writhing Ianna with a smartphone.

No one in the surveillance room dared to speak.

They couldn’t.

They had known magical girls were dangerous, but not like this.

Least of all to someone who had once been one of them—like Ianna.

None of them had imagined she’d become the target of such brutality.

Except Hojoon.

The two had made the Deputy disappear without a trace when he entered to save Ianna.

“…Shall we classify this as treason?”

“Wait.”

Hojoon’s agents believed the Deputy had been killed.

But Hojoon knew he was still alive.

The signal from the biometric chip attached to the Deputy hadn’t cut off.

It seemed Heosang had used his ability to relocate the Deputy.

[…Why.]

Ianna, her broken body crawling along the floor, muttered something.

[Because it’s fun.]

Heosang sneered as he replied.

Everyone in the room recoiled in shock.

The true danger of magical girls, their hideous nature, was being exposed.

The world had begun to stabilize, while magical girls, expanded far beyond their prime, were going berserk.

The Twelve Seats were drowning in arrogance and violence, influencing the synthetic girls.

Someone had to step up.

Someone had to eliminate them, no matter the cost.

Hojoon’s agents believed this to be their sacred duty.

That purging the magical girls was the first step toward a noble ideal.

“Was it recorded?”

“Every second, from start to finish.”

Hojoon smiled with satisfaction.

The footage recorded by micro-cameras would serve its purpose—evidence to blind the committee.

“Patch me through to Byeolmu-ri.”

The preparations were complete.

Ianna couldn’t be allowed to die.

She still had a role to play.

Static crackle

The monitor displayed a luxury solitary confinement room designed for magical girls—equipped with a large bed, monitor, state-of-the-art computer, spa tub, and every convenience imaginable.

Byeolmu-ri sat curled up in a corner, knees hugged to her chest.

Hojoon spoke her name.

“Magical girl of Byeolmu-ri.”

“…”

Byeolmu-ri gave no reply.

With a gesture, Hojoon brought up a live feed on the room’s large monitor—Janwol’s room.

Crack!

On screen, Heosang mercilessly stomped on Janwol’s head.

“…This is real. Heosang and Cheonching are trying to kill Director Janwol. Please stop them.” “…”

Byeolhwa, the magical girl of Byeolmu-ri, stared at the monitor.

[I’m sorry…]

Ianna was being trampled.

Trembling, she pleaded for forgiveness.

‘…Serves her right.’

Karma.

She had driven a dear comrade to death.

It was only fitting that Janwol, too, should die.

The two who had nearly died following Janwol’s orders had every right to take revenge.

But.

Something felt off.

The more she watched Janwol being trampled, the more uncomfortable she felt.

When Janwol was near death, Byeolhwa found herself shaking uncontrollably.

‘This is too much…’

It shouldn’t be like this.

Even Byeolmu-ri, who possessed Lemegeton—a tool that could reduce humans to shells of themselves through unbearable pain and terror—felt this was excessive.

Still, that didn’t mean Ianna should be saved.

They were vile and revolting.

She didn’t want to save them.

She wanted to kill them.

Not yet. Not just yet.

She was still holding back.

“…No.”

“Director Janwol will die.”

“Let her. It’s karma. You’re the ones who set this trap. You’re next, Hojoon.”

“Han Byeolhwa.”

Hojoon brought up the surveillance room feed on the screen.

“Listen carefully. If Ianna dies, I will press this button.”

“You think I’ll let that happen, Father?”

“…Struggle, then. If you can face hundreds of magical girls.”

In his hand was a red button.

It signaled a full-scale rebellion across all agencies.

Normally in the hands of each branch director, this one was effectively Hojoon’s, given his control over the Bureau.

The moment she saw the button, Byeolmu-ri flinched.

‘…Not yet.’

She couldn’t handle it.

She couldn’t fight hundreds, maybe not even dozens.

Unlike the Twelve Seats, synthetic girls couldn’t be reasoned with.

Their minds were hardwired for obedience and they’d fight to the death.

Magical girls, unwittingly controlled and led to their doom.

She didn’t want to face them.

“You’re not saving the Director. You’re saving Heosang and Cheonching. There’s no time.”

“…Fine.”

Byeolmu-ri brainwashed herself.

It wasn’t Janwol she was saving—it was the two others.

Even if Janwol survived, she’d be a broken shell.

Just like after her last rescue—if not worse.

She was only saving two comrades.

Just like before.

Heosang panicked, her face ghostly pale.

Byeolmu-ri cradled Ianna’s chilling body and bolted.

Heosang’s stored gamma ether had thinned significantly.

She could no longer teleport people or objects—not today.

Running was the only option.

“Byeolhwa…”

“Save your breath. I understand everything.”

As Cheonching whispered in her ear, Byeolmu-ri reassured them.

‘…Still.’

Ianna’s internal damage was severe.

She kept vomiting blood—sometimes mixed with a cold, bluish liquid.

There was no heartbeat.

She didn’t seem dead, as she still breathed.

‘Was it true?’

All records from Ianna’s rescue had been destroyed.

Remaining data were classified.

Rumours said she had been tortured so horribly her abdomen was left hollow.

But six months later, when Ianna reappeared with missing legs, pale skin, white hair, and clouded eyes—but otherwise fine—the rumours died down.

At least, her abdomen didn’t seem hollow.

‘…’

Most likely, her insides had been replaced with organs fit for synthetic girls.

Fragile, unreliable organs.

Heosang and Cheonching probably had no idea.

They must’ve done this not knowing.

‘…Wait.’

Could it be?

No.

It couldn’t.

It mustn’t.

It was only a theory.

Just a hypothesis from Byeolmu-ri.

But Ianna might…

“I-I healed her… I really did… So why, why…”

“…Enough whining. We’re here.”

Hiss

The medical ward doors opened.

Every medic in the Bureau was assembled and prepped for emergency surgery.

“Hand her to me.”

Hojoon stepped forward and took Ianna into his arms.