What is Right (5)

What is Right (5)

“We can probably meet most of your demands as requested.”

“That’s all well and good, but what about you?”

“I’m confident it will work out well.”

Adele Bryant, the project’s overall director from The One Road, picked up his teacup with a grimace on his smirking face.

“As you know, cooperation from Korean political circles is most important for perfect success. Designating Magical Girls as illegal and completely eradicating their position in this country.”

“Don’t worry. If we follow performance and justification, inciting public opinion is no big deal. There’s a very good word in this country that means the public, do you know what it is? Pigs and dogs, pigs and dogs.”

The old man, Lee Jong-pil, who listened to Adele’s words and smirked as if it was nothing, also emptied the teacup in his hand.

They had already planned out their cooperation. All that’s left is to execute it.

“By any means necessary, I’ll remove the obstacles and help you move the political circles to allow you to operate freely institutionally and legally. Banning the activities of Magical Girls by law would be one of those things.”

“…In return, your faction will become the mainstay of this country’s political circles and gain eternal power. Of course, that’s not for a scientist like me, but for other power holders to do.”

After confirming each other’s intentions once again, Adele stood up. However, his expression wasn’t very good.

‘Trash.’

From Adele’s perspective, who considered himself an innovative scientist unrelated to politics, old Lee Jong-pil and his gang were disgusting politicians themselves.

Those trash politicians who would sell their country, people, and beliefs for their own advancement.

“Don’t worry too much about them. The party will take care of such matters.”

“Team Leader Oh.”

Someone dressed as a researcher approached him as he left his seat. It was Oh In-sun, one of the team leaders of the Far East branch who had entered Korea in advance and was active.

“How did the 8th experiment results turn out?”

However, Adele didn’t think very highly of her either. Although she was a fellow scientist, Oh In-sun was a loyal communist party member who was more devoted to her homeland than to academia and progress.

“Of course, it passed.”

“…Good.”

However, Adele could no longer ignore the Far East branch she belonged to at will.

This was because the achievement of finally being able to mass-produce individuals capable of handling magical power by completing the previously unfinished experiment came from the Far East branch.

‘How on earth? It was a place where we couldn’t even expect anything.’

She knew there must have been a trigger that could unblock something. But she had no way of knowing what it was.

“Oh, yes. I’m on my way to escort them now.”

On the way to the research facility, riding in a vehicle.

Oh In-sun followed Adele’s vehicle while making a call to somewhere.

“The plan is progressing smoothly. We no longer need to secretly gather subjects. The Korean government will step in to recruit test subjects for us.”

“But the mental intervention formula to be secretly implanted is not yet complete.”

“We have no choice. For now, we’ll have to be satisfied with erasing magical girls from this peninsula.”

Leaning back in her chair, she was overflowing with composure. After all, their position had risen incomparably in just one go.

In fact, the merit they had established was certainly monumental enough to be recorded in human history.

“…So. That mysterious being hasn’t appeared again?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’ve already gained everything we needed anyway.”

She smirked at her colleague’s words coming through the phone.

The reason why they couldn’t, or rather wouldn’t, step forward more confidently despite such a great achievement.

It was because this innovative technology was not obtained purely through their own efforts.

‘Whether it’s a strange being or whatever, who cares.’

In In-sun’s mind, the black-hooded strange life form that visited her in the middle of the night was still vivid. The unidentified being that revealed the method to graft magical power onto humans and the formula to control magical power.

That arrogant being showed clear displeasure while explaining the method, but she didn’t care.

“The formula we know is incomplete, isn’t it?”

“Well, yes. But so what? That suspicious being seems to have tried to put a leash on us, but we have plenty of opportunities anyway. We just need to experiment, analyze, and fill in the gaps.”

She glanced outside. The sprawling city, the countless people living there. If they become the new order of this land, all of that will be theirs.

‘Would the Magical Girls be easily pushed aside? They might have been before, but the Magical Girls of this land are a bit special.’

However, to achieve that, the Magical Girls were precisely what needed to be removed.

***

“I failed the test!”

“…Be quiet, will you.”

It was dinner time at the facility. The children in the exam period were talking about nothing but tests. Our senior, Kang Jin-soo, sitting nearby, was no exception.

“D-Did you really get everything right?”

“Yes.”

Kim Su-jung kept asking about my scores, seemingly unable to believe that I got everything right. As if I would make mistakes on middle school level problems.

“That’s not what’s important right now.”

However, the tests I’ve already taken and the ones I’ll take tomorrow were no longer important to me.

The news was playing on the TV in the cafeteria. The One Road and even this country’s government moved quickly, as if they had been waiting for this moment.

“They’re recruiting people. For the newly established special forces.”

“Why, do you want to join?”

Kim Su-jung, who was watching the news, muttered absentmindedly.

The news content was about recruiting suitable candidates to implant magic circuits and become awakened ones.

“…I’m not sure.”

Magical Girl wanted to become stronger, but she hesitated, seemingly confused. Seeing this, my brow twitched slightly.

Implanting a processed magic stone as a power source and circuits to emit it into the body. Putting aside its inefficiency, it’s undoubtedly a procedure possible even in the Demon Realm.

However, I despised it because this act ultimately disregards one’s own vessel, essentially self-destructive.

“Once you decide, it’s irreversible. Is that power truly your own?”

“No! You don’t understand. You, you’re always so carefree. As if you don’t care about losing anything.”

I casually expressed my thoughts, but her reaction was a bit strong. Enough to startle the other girl sitting across from us.

Of course, Kim Su-jung, surprised by her own outburst, closed her mouth and looked around nervously.

“…I’m sorry.”

Then she got up first, taking her tray with her. I didn’t bother to follow her. I wasn’t particularly upset. I understood her emotions somewhat.

“But it’s not without problems. Is she the only one wavering? There are many in this land who crave power for their own reasons. It means they won’t struggle to recruit troops.”

[I know that too]

As I brought another spoonful of rice to my mouth, I nodded in agreement to Ren’s words buzzing above my head.

[So what do you want me to do]

Still, I didn’t want to move as Ren desired.

“Their intentions are obvious. Have you heard the news in political circles? They’re saying we should officially recognize the special forces created by The One Road. What does this mean? Isn’t it about driving out the Magical Girls from this land?”

“That, that’s…”

“You need to stop that.”

In the garden in front of the cafeteria. Alone here, I sat on a corner bench and continued the conversation with Ren.

“You want to take the easy way out, right? You want me to step up and kill them all. My notoriety is already well-known, so it won’t be a big problem for public opinion.”

“But you’re a Magical Girl now too. This is a crisis for everyone!”

“Shut up. How dare you try to use me as a tool right now.”

I grabbed the guy’s collar and growled. It was true that The One Road was annoying and irritating. However, I didn’t like how the fairies were trying to take the easy way out without thinking of doing anything themselves.

“Then what do you plan to do? I admit it. The current Fairy Council isn’t very capable. But if even you give up, magical girls might be completely pushed out of this land!”

“As you know, my image has been in the gutter for a long time. You might think it’s fine, but it’s absolutely not. If I act recklessly without justification, people will surely curse me and the magical girls. They’ll make it that way from the start. Using the media and speakers. You don’t know how terrifying the instigation and fabrication of this era are.”

“You taking action isn’t the answer? Then what should we do?”

Ren flailed his arms and legs as if frustrated.

As he said, in the current situation, if I act recklessly like I’ve done so far, we’ll suffer great losses. This is a battle of public opinion or power struggle for everyone.

Then, how can we make people, public opinion, side with us?

“The magical girls, including Renée. They need to step up directly. They can’t just continue competing for performance like now. They need to take care of their own livelihoods.”

I decided to meet Renée once. She’s skilled in politics and must have some ideas.

But personally, I wanted resistance from this society itself more than from Renée.

Do people really not know that The One Road is venomous? Absolutely not. Then there must be those who will oppose them, whether in politics or government.

I was thinking of considering them allies and giving them some support.

“This is interesting?”

Now that it’s come to this, I’ve become somewhat intrigued. My experiences of diplomacy and mind games from my Demon Lord days came vividly to mind.