Chapter 46: Plea (2)

The pupils of both girls glowed with a reddish hue.

Not only that, but parts of their bodies had what looked like mechanical devices attached.

However, at least on the surface, they didn’t look any different from ordinary humans.

The devices weren’t haphazardly bolted on like the chimeras Hojoon kept around, but rather substituted for parts of their skin.

“What’s your name, unni…?”

“…Ianna.”

And above all, they had that uniquely cheerful energy only children possessed.

“I’m Winter! I was born in winter, so I’m Winter. And she was born in spring, so she’s Spring.”

“I see…”

Winter introduced herself and Spring in turn, pointing to each of their faces.

On their foreheads were tiny engraved numbers.

Winter had the number ‘9,’ and Spring had the number ‘7.’

And then—

Clank.

The infirmary door opened.

“…Are you okay?”

A familiar voice rang out.

“Teacher….”

It was the “Teacher” who always brought sweet treats whenever she visited the infirmary.

A tall woman with an impressionable pair of blonde twin tails.

She wore a white lab coat, and as always, had large round glasses perched on her nose.

“Teacher, candy…!”

“Yes, well done, Summer.”

The teacher scooped a handful of snacks from her pocket and gently poured them into the politely waiting hands of Summer.

“What… happened? How long… was I out…?”

“You were unconscious for about three to four hours, Anna. Do you remember teetering on the edge of death? But then, somehow, you recovered miraculously. Just like a magical girl.”

As she added the words “magical girl,” the teacher stepped in closer to me.

Just like always, she pulled out an orange candy from her pocket and gently placed it in my hand.

I took it without thinking and tossed it into my mouth.

Once I tasted the sweetness, my sense of the situation began to return.

Apparently, I hadn’t been unconscious for very long.

…Was it thanks to Ianna?

Either way, it was a relief.

“Teacher, me too…!”

“Me too….”

The teacher couldn’t keep up with the two girls clinging to her legs.

With a helpless smile, she gave each of them a candy as well.

The once rowdy girls instantly fell quiet.

The teacher placed a candy stick in her mouth.

“…A cigarette?”

“It’s candy.”

Looking closely, it really was a lollipop.

The translucent red orb on the end peeked out just a bit.

‘I was going to ask her for one…’

After inspecting my condition, the teacher gave a call sign.

“There’s nothing wrong at all, Anna.”

“…Okay.”

Though I still felt a bit unsure, I let out a sigh of relief since she said there was no issue.

And then, things I had forgotten started to resurface.

The state of the Lieutenant.

Hojoon and Byeolmuri’s relationship.

How to respond to the evolved creature.

A flood of thoughts began to surge into my mind.

Of course, the first thing I had to check on was someone else.

The one who protected me.

Someone I could safely call my ally.

“…Um, Teacher.”

“Yes?”

“What… happened to the Lieutenant…?”

I started to worry about the Lieutenant’s condition.

A magical girl’s strength far exceeded that of a normal human.

It was like heaven and earth.

Even if Byeolmuri held back, it could have been fatal to the Lieutenant.

My chest tightened.

The image of the Lieutenant convulsing and collapsing was burned into my mind.

It was far from a reassuring situation.

“Well, um…”

The teacher avoided my gaze and trailed off.

“Wh-What… kind of… situation is it…?”

Cold sweat began to run down my back.

If—by any chance—the Lieutenant were to die…

I felt like I would start to hate Byeolmuri.

I looked pleadingly at the teacher’s face.

Please, anything but the worst-case scenario.

Let the Lieutenant be safe.

“The surgery is finished, but… it looks unlikely they’ll wake up anytime soon.”

“…”

A swirl of emotions surged up—relief that the Lieutenant was alive, and resentment toward Byeolmuri for putting her in that state.

“…What do you mean?”

“We’ll have to observe, but… it looks like the coma might last quite a while.”

The strength drained from my arms.

I no longer had the right to lift my head.

The Lieutenant risked their life just to protect me.

Even knowing they stood no chance against Byeolmuri.

Just like when Heosang and Cheonching had appeared, they had bravely stepped forward.

And this… was the result?

‘…’

I was overcome with doubt.

I never wanted others to get hurt.

Especially not because of me.

Byeolmuri…

Even if it came from a misunderstanding, I couldn’t easily forgive her.

I had to make her apologize.

No matter what it took.

The moment I made that resolution—

“Director.”

A familiar, spine-chilling voice.

A sharp voice that made my hair stand on end just by hearing it.

“H-Hojoon….”

Hojoon entered the infirmary with a grave expression.

Before I realized it, our eyes met.

He smiled faintly, as if trying to put me at ease. But he was clearly gritting his teeth, nerves stretched taut.

Hojoon looked extremely tense. Byeolmuri, who followed close behind, was the same.

“H-Han Byeolhwa….”

“I’m sorry….”

The magical girl Han Byeolhwa, who looked clearly deflated, clung tightly to Hojoon’s side.

‘Are they… getting along better now?’

Hojoon didn’t seem to dislike her clinging to him either.

But then—

There was something like a necklace around Byeolhwa’s neck.

A plain, grey-white necklace with no decoration.

A soft green light shimmered across its surface.

“Director, are you all right?”

“…Yes, thank you.”

Hojoon stepped closer and gently patted my head with his large hand.

I didn’t hate that hand, so I closed my eyes and let myself lean into it.

But then—

When I glanced up at Hojoon’s face.

No, more accurately, his neck—

Cold sweat was pouring down.

‘…That Hojoon?’

Deputy Director Han Hojoon of the Bureau was known for always keeping a poker face.

He rarely showed emotion.

Especially not like this—visibly tense and rattled.

The Bureau functioned under Hojoon’s charisma alone.

In an organization where rebellion, coups, slander, and political games were the norm, this kind of reaction was unheard of.

Because there was far too much to lose.

And Byeolmuri’s reaction was just as strange.

She looked on the verge of tears.

No, more accurately, she looked absolutely terrified.

“Byeolhwa… Are you okay…?”

“Y-Yes…”

It was unlike Han Byeolhwa to be this flustered.

She spoke in a soft, quiet voice and looked genuinely shaken.

I didn’t understand what was going on.

I tried to stay calm. I tried to analyze the situation.

Why were those two so tense?

“Hojoon, but… the evolved creature, was it… dealt with safely…?”

“…Yes. Thanks to the cooperation of Aeweon’s magical girl.”

That was a relief.

If Aeweon had lent her strength, then handling it would’ve been easy.

I was glad no more victims had been made.

The sacrifice of the magical girls who died hadn’t been in vain.

…But then.

If the evolved creature was dealt with, why was Hojoon acting like this?

Could more unidentified entities have appeared?

The timing made sense.

It was just when the second episode of the story was beginning.

Cheonching and Heosang.

Their main storylines were just getting started.

“Is something… wrong?”

“…Yes.”

Hojoon looked deadly serious.

The teacher awkwardly looked away, sucking her lollipop like a cigarette, while the three girls devoured their candies in a daze.

A strange silence filled the room.

Eventually, Hojoon sighed and spoke.

“Aeweon’s magical girl wishes to meet you.”

“W-What…?”

My eyes widened on their own.

Aeweon’s magical girl.

Wants to see me?

‘…Why?’

Why was my first thought.

Was there something she wanted from me?

Did she have a request?

No, Aeweon and I only shared a past connection.

After Ianna was brutally assaulted, we hadn’t met even once.

Logically, there was no reason for Aeweon to seek me out.

Just thinking about it gave me chills.

A non-human pretending to be human—it was a terror far beyond imagination.

A terrible feeling settled in.

Meetings with magical girls had always brought disaster.

This would be no different.

I remembered when Heosang and Cheonching had shown up.

I remembered how I opened the door out of sheer excitement.

And just like that—

“A-Ah….”

I curled up, wrapping my arms around my stomach.

I must not meet Aeweon.

My instincts screamed.

“P-Please… just t-tell her… I-I’m not here… or that I-I’m sick…? I-I need a little time… please explain and… send her away….”

I pleaded desperately to Hojoon.

Just this once.

Please protect me.

Of course, that hope was immediately dashed.

“…Aeweon is standing right outside the infirmary door.”

My lower body went warm.

I had wet the bed.

In front of everyone.

‘…’