episode_0004

Being embraced by someone is more suffocating than one might think, a common knowledge for most.

Especially when it’s like being tightly held by a pillow by a bigger opponent, it becomes even more so.

It’s the story of the magical girl of justice, Blanc. How wicked it is for her not to let me go.

The savior bringing justice, a magical girl, is that right?

Ah, if keeping evil suffocating like this and not letting it out is considered upholding justice, then she passes.

But in tormenting ordinary civilians like this, she fails.

“Blanc, please… wake up… it’s suffocating…”

To the pitiful justice who seemed unwilling to wake up, I attempted a feeble rebellion of righteous evil.

I pushed and shook Blanc, trying to wake her up.

“Wake up! I’m telling you to let me go!”

After shouting for a while, Blanc finally started to come to her senses, tossing and turning.

“Ugh, just a little more…”

“Wake up and quickly let me go. I said wake up!”

After struggling for a while, Blanc finally got up and released me, allowing me to regain freedom of movement.

“Huh? V…Vine…? Oh, sorry! Was it very uncomfortable?”

“Ah. You finally woke up… sigh… aren’t you a messed up magical girl.”

“Vine, I’m sorry… I-I was very uncomfortable?”

“Yes. Sigh… this, makes sense, ugh… fine, please pay the agreed fee.”

“Oh, right.”

“Ten thousand won per hour, we’ve been together for over 12 hours. And just the suffocating part alone seems to exceed the scope of special treatment.”

“Vine, you don’t have an account or anything, right?”

“Yes, I don’t. I request payment in cash only.”

“Then, let’s go to our house.”

“What? Blanc, if it’s your house, isn’t it the magical girl dormitory?”

“How do you know that?”

“You don’t need to know that. I’ll bring it to you separately later. I’ll be going now.”

No, I should make sense.

No matter who I am, there’s a line to be respected. Going into the house of a magical girl, a dormitory with other magical girls, as a villain like me? Knowing what I might face.

It’s better to avoid unnecessary conflicts with this useless magical girl.

After the collapse of Eden, living quietly is already difficult enough.

And now, crawling into the den of magical girls who may harbor evil intentions towards me? Absolutely not.

“No, the payment will be given at our house. If you want it, come with me.”

Sigh, in the end, they’re trying to lure me to that den with money.

Right now, it seems more urgent not to be dragged there than to find out the reason.

“I refuse. Why are you trying to drag me to that magical girl den? Bringing this villain there, neither you nor I will benefit. You know that, don’t you.”

“No, this can’t be changed. I will definitely give you the payment at our house.”

Really, constantly using payment as a threat…

If I don’t receive that money, I’ll be in trouble again, with the overdue rent and Eden compensation…

If I can’t get that money, I’ll probably be kicked out of that house, living on the streets, meeting civilians in the park, and facing harassment and abuse. It’s a harsh reality.

“Sigh, do I really have to go.”

“Yeah, if you want the money. Just come with me quietly.”

“Even if I say I really don’t want to?”

“Yeah.”

“You, a magical girl, how can you have such villainous thoughts without hesitation… sigh, I give up. I’ll take the money and leave immediately.”

“You promised to come, right? Let’s go! Quickly!”

“First, please wash your face. You look… sigh.”

“Ah, ugh…?”

Clueless. Thinking she’s the strongest magical girl around.

I threw off the shower gown I had on and left the hotel.

A building in a residential area not far from the bustling district where the hotel is located.

Ah, I really didn’t want to come here.

To think I would walk into the cave where those magical girls are lurking.

I have some bad memories associated with this place.

Well, there couldn’t have been any good memories to begin with.

When Ellie was brought here against her will, it was to rescue her.

I can’t believe they brought the unconscious Ellie here after causing a ruckus with just one monster, and kept her confined in the underground facility.

Dragging the weaker Ellie like that…

Ha, I ended up coming back here after all.

“Come in. There’s nothing special, but make yourself comfortable.”

“I’m so uncomfortable, so just hurry up and bring me. Are there any other magical girls in this house right now?”

“Well, Yoo-ri unnie is sleeping, Seo-hyun and Arin went to school… and Hye-won went to see her sister. I can’t really say who’s here.”

“Anyway, someone is here, right?”

“You know Yoo-ri unnie’s personality. She sleeps a lot and doesn’t bother with annoying things.”

“Anyway, someone is here, right? And if it’s Yoo-ri, isn’t she the magical girl with the pink hair?”

“Magical girl Plum, you’re probably right about that.”

“Ha, isn’t that even worse? Thinking about what that damn part-timer did, I don’t think I should stay here.”

“Oh, right. That? Ah, Yoo-ri probably forgot about it too. She’s not the type to dwell on such things.”

“Please speak sensibly. Do you mean to say that the part-timer has been persistently targeting only me since that day?”

“Really? That’s unlikely. And besides, he’s deeply asleep now, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Ugh, I understand for now. Please hurry up with the payment. I don’t want to stay here any longer.”

The interior of the lodging house is like organized chaos, somewhat tidy but definitely not clean.

I know that all these magical girls receive government support and have some personal income, yet they don’t even hire a housekeeper and leave it like this…

Well, is this my job? I want to go back to my precious little place, even if it’s a bit shabby…

“Yeah, just sit for a moment. I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes. Please hurry. I want to go back.”

Blanc sat me down on the chair like that and went into her room.

So many thoughts come to mind. Why am I sitting here?

Why did I spend the night with Blanc yesterday?

Ugh, really. I followed Blanc out of impulse back then, but now that I’m here, wouldn’t it have been better to just leave without causing a scene?

As I pondered a bit of self-reflection, Blanc returned with two white envelopes in hand.

“Here, this is the money we agreed on. And this, would you like to see it?”

“What? What is this… No, what is this?”

“What you can get when you accept my offer. One per month.”

“I would never accept your offer, so this money is just a pipe dream. I’ve settled all debts, so there’s no need to see it. I’ll be going now.”

As I tried to get up from the table with the envelopes, Blanc stopped me.

“Then, let’s not call it an offer, let’s make a bet.”

“A bet? I’m not really interested.”

Seriously, not interested. I’m sick of getting involved with magical girls.

I don’t want to get involved again, even if I don’t commit any misdeeds.

“I’ll leave. Goodbye.”

And with that, I closed the door of the lodging house and left.

Now I really want to go home. Dealing with mental fatigue is tough…

* * *

Alright.

Finally going back to our peaceful home.

Where no one will pick a fight with me.

A place where I can be alone and quiet.

But it seems like a persistent headache has attached itself to me on the way home.

Clearly, I didn’t say I wouldn’t see you anymore.

Why are you following me?

I can feel you following me secretly.

“Blanc, I see you. Come out.”

“…”

“It’s just that your magic usage is blocked, but your magic detection isn’t, so don’t hide and come out. You want to talk??”

“…”

“If you don’t come out now, you won’t have this chance again.”

“Oh, okay! Yeah, I followed you to make a proposal.”

“What proposal? Are you going to listen and then leave?”

“I will officially hire you!”

What?

Hire? A magical girl hiring a villain?

“Do you want to sabotage something? Destroy a building, kill someone, or terrorize a place?”

“Oh, no, it’s not that kind of hiring!”

“Hiring a villain is usually for those reasons. So, why do you want to hire me?”

“I want you to live with me at my house!”

“No, thank you.”

“Don’t reject so firmly, please think about it again. I’ll pay you as much as you want. I’ll provide accommodation, and give you a generous bonus…”

“Blanc, why are you so fixated on me? I’m a villain. Can’t you imagine the consequences if it’s known that a magical girl like you is living with a villain?”

“Just because you can just relax and have fun without doing anything… Please… Huh?”

“Blanc, come to your senses. Don’t you have other magical girl leftovers in your house? Are you not considering their opinions?”

“I thought they would understand my decision. It’s just your choice.”

“Why are you doing this to me? Do you need to keep an eye on me to feel at ease? Is that it?”

“No, it’s not like that! It’s just that…”

“Look. You can’t even explain the reason to me. Let’s not tire each other out.”

“I couldn’t protect you…”

“If you’re fixated on me for such a trivial reason, it’s better to stop this fixation and go save other civilians.”

“Why do you belittle yourself like that!”

“I’m a villain. I’m an existence that the world doesn’t need.”

“Who decided that the world doesn’t need you! Who decided that!”

“That’s just the natural order of the world, isn’t it? Villains should disappear. How many times do I have to say it.”

“But you, you’re not an existence that should disappear.”

“I am a villain. It’s not as simple as dividing it like that.”

“Are you committing evil deeds right now? Are you? Didn’t you say you stopped committing evil deeds?”

“Yes, but I have paid for my sins! All that’s left is you, not a villain! What’s the problem!”

“I’m a villain. Blanc, people don’t change easily.”

“No, the you from Eden and the you now are different enough.”

“No, they’re not different.”

“Then, let’s make a bet. Live with me and see if you’ll return to being the ruthless villain you were back then.”

“Fine. That’s easy.”

“The criteria are accepting each other’s clean surrender.”

“Whether I change or not, right?”

“Yes, if you win the bet, we can do anything to each other.”

“Okay. It’ll be over soon.”

This sudden bet made in anger, defeating someone like Blanc, and living quietly.

In my house where no one comes.