episode_0015

“……”

After the disappearance of the officers and combatants, Blossom and Iris blinked their eyes for a while.

“……Huh?”

Then, Iris belatedly murmured so.

It was an obvious mistake.

Losing a few combatants wasn’t a big problem. Researching the circuits was important, but if the magical girls retrieved any devices left by the company, they would automatically malfunction. Since magic was involved, Iris speculated that such devices must be of that kind.

Samples could be obtained during battles, and as long as the malfunctioning parts didn’t overlap, gradual progress was being made in the research. But…

This was the first opportunity to arrest an officer.

“A warp point?”

Blossom walked out of the room, speaking. The magic on the staff in his hand seemed diminished compared to a while ago.

Blossom didn’t show a particularly impressive expression toward Iris.

Just the usual expression of understanding.

“…I, I also wouldn’t have rushed in like that if…”

Right. Startled by the sudden face that popped out in front of her, she inadvertently warped away.

It was a wicked attack. It precisely aimed at Iris’s face, which was exactly in line with the officer’s ugly face.

In hindsight, it was a trick.

The technology for personal warp points hadn’t been perfectly researched yet. At least, Nuahr Corporation was determined to lack related technology. If there had been such a thing, they would have provided it to the officer to prevent today’s events from happening in the first place.

The combatants knew this and quickly assessed the situation.

Whether it was a gamble or a carefully calculated action, it’s irrelevant now since the result turned out this way.

Blossom’s body was engulfed in a bright light.

As he returned to his everyday attire, he turned to look at the generator.

“It’s okay. At least we’ve protected the generator.”

And there was a smile on his turning face.

“Even if we arrest the officer, we’ll have to release him soon, right? And the information we can extract from the officer is limited.”

The only armed group officially active on Earth, specifically in South Korea, under the Galactic Federation, is the magical girls.

And those magical girls, even if they “subdue,” do not “torture.”

Just as many countries on Earth say, “We don’t engage in inhumane acts like torture,” and then proceed to extract information through torture or coercion, the Galactic Federation might do the same. However, at least for now, it didn’t seem like they would consider having the “magical girls” engage in such actions.

So, once the officer was caught, they just needed to bide their time without revealing anything.

No matter how much the Galactic Federation entrusts the role of magical girls and acknowledges the extralegal rights of their officials, they cannot completely ignore the law.

“I’ll write up the report together. You did well. It could have been dangerous if you had made a mistake.”

“Dangerous…?”

Though Blawson spoke as if to comfort her, his tone seemed to deeply wound Iris’s pride.

It wasn’t a battle with a superior officer, but a defeat in a battle with an ordinary soldier. She hadn’t been outmatched in combat, but in strategy. Iris had.

“….”

But since there was nothing to say, Iris clenched her fist.

What would Delphinium, who still hadn’t arrived, say when they saw this? And looking at Iris like that, Blawson once again keenly felt the importance of “cooperation and strategy.”

Shall we take some time next time to have a proper conversation?

By the way, Blawson looked back at the place where the soldier had been until the end and turned to Iris.

“Joo-ah.”

“…When I’m in this uniform, please call me Iris. Why?”

Still, it was fortunate that she had the presence of mind to answer, and Blawson asked her.

“Have you met that soldier before? It seems like you’ve heard about it from earlier.”

“Yes. Every time we meet, he mutters annoying things and runs away, that cowardly fellow.”

“Was he in the same uniform last time?”

“No, this time the uniform had changed. Seems like he got promoted or something, I guess.”

“But how did you recognize him?”

“Huh?”

“The method of recognizing the change in uniform. I want to know a little too. If I remember, I can find out next time.”

Under Blawson’s gaze, which was fixed on her, Iris’s face flushed.

“T-that’s, that’s how it is. Remembering the location of the scratch on the helmet.”

“But didn’t you say the uniform had changed this time?”

“Y-yes, but he was still wearing the same helmet! Maybe it’s an attachment helmet or something! And, and, the body too!”

“The body too?”

“N-nothing!”

In the end, Iris couldn’t explain one of the ways to recognize him.

As Blawson seemed to be earnestly listening to the story, Iris wanted to tear her hair out.

*

After waiting for about 30 minutes shivering in the cold, the car that was supposed to bring the officer finally arrived.

It was a large sedan. It wasn’t a typical vehicle. Just looking at it, it seemed to be worried about being shot, as each plate looked very thick, and the tires were much larger and higher than those of a regular car.

When the rear passenger door of the car stopped in front of her opened, the man sitting deep inside opened his mouth.

“It’s a very pitiful face.”

“What the heck!”

The first words James uttered when he arrived were sarcastic. Naturally, Balter was furious.

Not only was he already in a bad mood after being rescued by the operatives just a while ago, but now he was further agitated by James arriving in a luxury car and making snide remarks.

“Do you have any idea how much I suffered there!? Did you even give me accurate information? Your story doesn’t match up!”

“I believe providing the internal schematics was sufficient.”

Balter was left speechless by James’ response.

James looked at Balter as if he were pathetic. His mohawk was bent to the side, taking on a more aggressive form. His clothes were torn here and there—well, that didn’t make much of a difference, considering he usually dressed like a ragamuffin.

“I’ve been claiming from the start that it was premature. But it was you who insisted on going in before it was fully constructed. What more should I have done?”

“….”

“More importantly, where did all the operatives I lent you go? You didn’t lose them all, did you? The number of operatives being captured is increasing, causing our operational costs to soar. I will report this loss as a deduction from the publicity budget. That was the condition, wasn’t it?”

“….Tch.”

Balter clicked his tongue and entered the car.

“Do you understand the frustration now? Why our company insists on using a separate ‘operatives team’ instead of subcontracting.”

Balter remained silent.

“Moreover.”

Whether he spoke or not, James continued.

He manipulated the tablet PC he was holding and opened a video.

It was a headcam recording of someone.

“Hey!”

Balter flinched again upon seeing what was on the headcam.

In the video, Balter was tied up tightly with shining ropes. And the owner of the headcam was running with Balter in hand and then threw him forward with all his might.

Naturally, Balter thought the person watching the video was trying to provoke him, but James’ face seemed quite serious.

“What do you think about the previous operatives?”

“Huh?”

Balter watched the video again.

The operative released Balter, exchanged a few casual words, and then simply ran off.

A very light step. Just like an employee leaving work.

Of course, it really was the appearance of an employee leaving work, except for the fact that the attire was not formal.

“….Hmm.”

In response to James’ question, Balter crossed his arms and fell into deep thought.

“Is he using the new circuitry? Even so, he fights well.”

“Is that so?”

“Why? Are you considering promoting him?”

“Yes. I’m thinking about it.”

Balter’s expression became subtle.

“Why are you like this?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

Balter said, looking at James.

“So, you’re praising that guy. I wonder what kind of person he is… No, I’m not curious. He must be incredibly strange.”

“Is that so? I think of him as a new talent who will lead our team in the future.”

“Huh. Why? To make him an officer?”

“If we nurture him more, who knows? There might be potential.”

“…Are you serious? A position as an officer for a human?”

“I am someone who values ability. Also, I am a realist. With such a discriminatory view, I cannot earn money properly here on Earth.”

“But if you promote him to an officer right away, there would be talk.”

“I hope you don’t think of me as foolish as you are. Naturally, his performance would have to improve significantly. Besides, there are still uncertain aspects. Only after those are ‘definitely’ resolved can he be promoted to an officer. It’s just the first step. There’s still a long way to go to achieve the results I want.”

As James spoke, his eyes gleamed.

It was like the expression of a beast drooling in front of delicious prey.

Balter moved a little closer to the door. At first glance, he seemed fine, but in reality, his personality was not very good. Here, he used polite language, but when it comes to combat situations, he spews all sorts of profanity at the combatants while using a shield. And he enjoys mentally tormenting others.

Balter couldn’t exactly figure out what kind of person the other combatant was, but he felt a little sympathetic.

*

This battle did not appear in the news.

Perhaps in terms of scale, it was one of the largest battles I participated in, but the problem was that the fight took place in a location classified as confidential by the Galactic Federation.

Naturally, the story did not flow into the media. Rather than media regulations, they probably took measures to prevent the story from leaking in the first place.

It seemed that Nuar Corporation also had no intention of spreading stories about the battle.

The existence of the power plant is kept secret by both sides. Even if they can hide the emotions they use, it’s not easy to hide the story of ‘moving humanity’ to achieve something.

“…”

“Why?”

“Do you have something good happen?”

Wisdom asked me, lying in bed, rolling around under the blanket, without getting up from my seat from late last night until this afternoon.

“Something good?”

“Men, as expected, huh?”

Wisdom didn’t answer my question and asked straight away.

“If you come in late at night and feel this good the next day, there’s no reason other than having a boyfriend.”

… It’s a fairly reasonable guess, but it’s wrong.

There were many men, but…

“Just one of those days. It’s a day with absolutely nothing going on.”

The reason for my good mood was simple. Finally, I could get back at the magical girl.

Of course, I couldn’t really land a solid hit on Iris. My fist never actually connected with her. However, I could still use Iris’s attacks against her and take advantage of them. The expression she made at the last moment was quite satisfying to see.

“….”

Right after having such thoughts, I felt a twinge of guilt. Iris is detestable. Honestly, if someone were to ask if I could like her, I probably wouldn’t be able to give any answer other than it being difficult. I already knew the character narrative from reading the webtoon, and I understood that it was an environment where such feelings of resentment would naturally arise. When I read it as a comic, I honestly thought she seemed a bit pitiful. I even thought she was cute at times. That was before I got hit by her radiant beams in this world. No matter how pretty the opponent may be, when you keep getting hit, you eventually want to strike back at least once from your side. This time, I indirectly succeeded for the first time. It was a possibility. Whether I can win or not, the fact that there’s a possibility for me to directly oppose the magical girl. That was the reason for my good mood.

And—

Blam.

“….”

“Oh, suddenly feeling bad.”

Ji-hye muttered while looking at my face, so I waved my hand and turned over, lying down.

Hayoon is a good kid. She cares for me, who has no friends, and in dangerous situations like last time, she always steps forward to protect people. That’s why she’s a magical girl, and that’s why she’s the protagonist. Strong and resilient. A perfect, dazzling girl just to look at.

Well, even such a person feels emotions. If she shows that people dislike her, she gets hurt, and she feels burdened by others’ expectations.

But still, when I look at her, I end up feeling a certain emotion. Jealousy.

Jealousy that I can’t become like her no matter how hard I try. No matter how hard I study, I can’t get the same grades as her, let alone better ones. Even though it seems like she studies less than me, Hayoon’s grades are always top-notch.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t surpass Hayoon. If there’s trash on the street, she picks it up and throws it in the bin. I wouldn’t even think of looking for that trash.

Hayoon is loved by everyone, but I’m the opposite. When Hayoon talks, it’s confident and impressive, but when I do, it’s ‘me boasting.’

As long as Hayoon is by my side, the gazes of the people around me strangely show a ‘sense of envy.’ Ironically, I was the one feeling envious.

When I think like this, I know I’m being too lenient, but I can’t help having these thoughts at all. Ha Yoon is nice. A really good friend, and I want to keep knowing her and being friends with her. It would be great if we could have a drink together in about 10 years. But even so, I want to win. Even though I know I can never win, by any means. Perhaps, when I accepted the offer, it was because of such twisted thinking.

“…Haha.”

That’s why there’s nothing to say to Iris and Dara. Turning my body in another direction, I chuckled to myself, and Ji-hye looked at me with a serious expression and said, “Ji-eun, would you consider seeing a psychiatrist? If you’re too worried, I’ll go with you.”

As I brushed off her hand on my forehead and made an incredulous expression, Ji-hye smirked. Then she stood up and said, “Want to listen to some music?”

“Sure. Play a song.”

The music CD Ji-hye played was an OST from some space action movie. Although it was an OST, it felt more like a collection of 20th-century hit songs. But there must be a reason why those hit songs are hits, right? The music that flowed out was so exciting that it lightened my mood. Anyway, she’s really good at reading people.

I chuckled as I watched Ji-hye mimic my usual posture of listening to music while sitting in my chair.

*

Winter break seemed long yet short. When I was working, I used to wish for about a month of rest, but now that I’m a student again, the break feels too short. Well, are there any vacations in the world that feel long? It’s like you close your eyes and when you open them, the holiday is over. Maybe I should call it fortunate, as the only things I had to enjoy were my smartphone and the CD player I picked up. So, I often stayed up late into the night.

The same went for battles. Since the last enemy invasion, the magical girls seemed to have gone into reorganization, and the company hardly seemed to be doing anything. I know my fixed amount is being donated to the orphanage, but what about the other fighters? I heard they are temporary workers.

Anyway, the absence of battles was good news for me. It meant there was no reason for me to wander outside late at night. Thanks to that, by the end of the break, I was in really good shape after a long time. I greeted Ji-hye as usual and slowly walked to the bus stop.

Ha Yoon was already there. Both of us go to school at a slightly early hour, so there aren’t many people waiting for the bus besides us. Ha Yoon could easily take a car to school.

“Hi~”

I was worried if she was struggling since the last battle, but as soon as she saw me, Ha Yoon waved and smiled broadly.

Seeing her smile was healing in itself. Who wouldn’t be pleased to see such a smile? Only those with twisted hearts wouldn’t appreciate it.

It’s not that I dislike it. I lightly shook hands with Hae-yoon, who was sitting next to me.

Sitting side by side, Hae-yoon opened her mouth with a slightly regretful tone. “We haven’t been able to meet often this vacation.”

“Yeah,” I replied shortly, and a brief silence passed. It wasn’t an awkward atmosphere. Our conversations were always like this.

“I heard there’s a new bakery in the neighborhood. Want to go check it out?” Hae-yoon started the conversation again.

“Sure, why not? We’ll finish early today anyway.” As I responded coolly, Hae-yoon nodded with a wide smile.

She still… doesn’t know, it seems. Well, she wouldn’t have known, considering I was in my combat uniform.

I let out a small sigh. The weather was still cold, and white breath escaped from my lips.

Hae-yoon leaned a little closer to me. Our arms touched slightly. I didn’t think just that would transmit body heat, but apparently, it did. Until the bus arrived, I felt a little warmer.