episode_0047

“Why?”

Those were the first words that came out of Ji-hye’s mouth.

In front of her were people.

People who should protect citizens.

Of course, nothing can be perfect. There is no country in the world where public safety is so flawless that the crime rate is ‘0’.

But still.

Even so, it shouldn’t have been like this.

“Why did you do that?”

She asked without directing it to anyone in particular.

Several police officers around Ji-hye reached out to help her up, but Ji-hye just looked at their hands and said, “You saved me. You fought against the rampaging monster. You did what you couldn’t do, so why?”

Did she break the law?

That might be true.

But even so, was it necessary?

Did Ji-eun really think she had to do all those things?

“Student, you seem very shocked right now—”

“Why did you do that?”

Ji-hye shouted at a middle-aged man who seemed to be approaching to help her.

“You helped us! Did you really have to do that!?”

She repeated the same words several times.

Standing up and grabbing the man’s clothes, who was wearing a bulletproof vest. The inner clothing was black.

Is it because Ji-eun would shoot a gun? Is that why he wore this outfit?

As the police officers nearby seemed to try to pull Ji-hye away, the man raised a hand to stop them and calmly said while looking at Ji-hye, “Wait.”

Then he addressed the magical girl who was speaking to them.

And as if acknowledging that things were better off, he lowered his hand.

Ji-hye also let go of the man.

Her vacant eyes were fixed on Blossom.

“…Ji-hye.”

“Do you know?”

“Yes… She’s Ji-eun’s friend.”

“Oh.”

The man’s expression became somewhat ambiguous at that explanation.

To the police officers present here, the name ‘Jung Ji-eun’ was not just a stranger’s name. It had been a name they had heard so frequently over the past month that it almost felt like an earworm.

Some people would react strongly just to hear the name.

Although her friend’s face had appeared in the news, it was usually pixelated and not clearly visible. They had heard about calling her in for questioning, but there was hardly any special team dedicated to listening to such cases. They usually only knew about the perpetrators they needed to suppress.

Retreating a step back, they knew that no matter what they said now, Ji-hye wouldn’t be convinced.

“You…”

Ji-hye tried to say something to Ha-yoon but stopped herself.

“How could you… do that?”

Upon hearing those words, Ha-yoon’s mind went blank for a moment.

Objectively speaking, Ha-yoon hadn’t attacked Ji-eun today. On the contrary, they had fought together, which is why they could win.

Blaming her for being late wasn’t unreasonable, but—

Perhaps that wasn’t what she meant.

Rather…

“Ji… Ji-eun, like that…”

Her eyes were trembling.

It was clear that what Ji-hye was saying wasn’t coming from a rational place but from a state of panic, wanting to shift blame onto someone else.

“Until now, Ji-eun…”

As Ji-hye spoke, her legs gave out.

Ha-yoon quickly grabbed Ji-hye.

She thought about lifting her up, but it wasn’t the right moment for that. Looking again, Ji-hye had bruises on her lower body.

Realizing it wasn’t just mental shock, Ha-yoon quickly sat down in front of Ji-hye.

“No, no…”

Ji-hye held her head in her hands.

“I didn’t want this. Why did it have to turn out like this?”

Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Ha-yoon’s heart sank.

Because Ha-yoon had been thinking the same thing.

Why?

How?

They could have ended it well without shooting. Ha-yoon was there. The police probably knew about their relationship.

The news had been featured countless times, not as a special report but as a story that was highlighted repeatedly. Deceiving a magical girl and continuing as a terrorist by her side.

“……”

Biting her lip to hold back the tears threatening to fall, she remained silent.

Even now, Ji-eun’s voice seemed to echo in her ears.

The sight of her relentlessly trampling on the car while running wild flashed before her eyes.

She must have wanted to do that a long time ago.

And it wasn’t something she wanted to end with.

She must have wanted to beat up the person who shot her. She must have had thoughts of finishing it all off.

It was a voice she had never heard before. Not just Ji-eun, but no one she had ever encountered had uttered such words.

She didn’t know.

No, she must have known. Even if she knew, she probably pretended not to. She must have been so caught up in self-pity, worrying only about herself, pretending not to know.

“Ji-hye, let’s calm down first, okay?”

“Ji-eun, what should we do? What do we do now? There’s no turning back, right?”

However, faced with Ji-hye’s persistent questions, Ha-yoon eventually found it unbearable.

Ji-hye grabbed Ha-yoon’s arm tightly and looked up at her.

Then she asked desperately, “What should we do? Should we go to jail if we get caught? Why? Did Ji-eun really do that? No, right?”

No. Definitely not.

But she couldn’t say that now.

If a magical girl were to make such statements without proper evidence, it would put the authorities in a very difficult position—

“……”

Disgusting.

Someone inside whispered softly.

She’s still saying things like that.

The whisperer was Ha-yoon.

Deep within her, the part of Ha-yoon she had been avoiding.

Making excuses every time, lying prostrate on the desk, pretending to be innocent—it’s not acceptable.

She couldn’t say anything.

So what? Does that mean Ji-eun has to go to jail too for something she didn’t even do? Just because of some misunderstanding?

…No. I’ve never thought that way.

Even if you haven’t thought about it, thinking about it is no different.

Saying you’ll abide by the rules is just another way of saying you’ll make Ji-eun do that.

“……”

In the end, Ha-yoon couldn’t calm Ji-hye down.

It wasn’t until her colleagues rushed over and pulled Ji-hye away from Ha-yoon, after Ji-hye had bombarded her with questions several times, that the one-sided conversation could finally come to an end.

But the thought that had emerged within Ha-yoon once continued to linger.

*

News about the new magical girl spread like wildfire.

In a way, it was only natural.

The existence of ‘magical girls’ itself was scarce in South Korea. Just the addition of a new member would be enough to make headlines, but the current ‘magical girl’ circulating in society was no ordinary magical girl.

A magical girl opposing other magical girls.

That’s what people were saying.

When she was first revealed as a ‘terrorist,’ testimonies from students at the same school unanimously expressed, ‘I knew it.’

Her ordinary, unremarkable appearance led people to believe otherwise. They didn’t think she could be capable of such actions because she seemed diligent and kind—testimonies that were so common they didn’t even surface.

But now, when journalists approached for testimonies, the students’ reactions were somewhat different.

They didn’t say she had become kind. They didn’t say she had become ordinary.

They simply refused to testify.

Initially, the kids who were so excited and loud suddenly fell silent.

And the reason for that change was clear.

Fear.

Detailed information was not disclosed to the media.

The information that was somewhat public was censored to a certain extent, so the public didn’t know exactly what had happened.

They didn’t know there were warnings to prevent anyone from getting hurt. They didn’t know efforts were made to transport unconscious individuals.

They didn’t know the reason she initially attacked the monster was to save the hostage the monster had captured.

But even within this controlled information, there was one thing that was crystal clear.

That ‘terrorist’ is a ‘magical girl.’

An undoubtedly unjust, rampaging magical girl.

And that magical girl, in fights against the ‘Federal Magical Girls,’ has never once been defeated.

Even when causing terror, she confidently walked away. Despite numerous police officers chasing her, she disappeared abruptly after leaving a huge scar in the heart of Seoul.

She casually stole important items from the heart of the country’s largest corporation and gave them away without a care.

In a place where monsters, magical girls,

On the contrary, there were those who cheered.

Some believed in entities that opposed the changing system of this world. People dissatisfied with society, governments, subordinates, or those who deemed corporations evil, they cheered.

“…Darn it!”

And in that situation, the most frustrated individual was—

“You couldn’t find James? Why is it so difficult to find one measly rat…!”

—naturally, the one who had created that situation.

The current chairwoman of Noir Corporation.

The ‘former chairwoman,’ the elder sister of the current missing chairman, was an extraterrestrial with red skin.

Her somewhat clumsy middle-aged female appearance might seem alienating to humans, but at this moment, there was no one daring to smirk in front of her.

Not right now.

If they couldn’t catch the individual severely tarnishing the company’s reputation, soon enough, they wouldn’t just be facing ridicule but also a hearing.

It’s easy to violate the country’s orders and face consequences.

But doing so would soon attract the Federation’s pursuit. The only reason she could stay safe was that she was currently in hiding even within this country.

Deals are effective only when fulfilled. To be effective beyond the universe, they needed to execute their plans thoroughly from start to finish right here.

Completing both circuits.

That’s what the Federation wanted. Failing to achieve that and leaving Earth would literally be considered ‘fleeing.’

Moreover—

“We can’t find the chairman, nor the rat. What do these Federation folks even know…!”

Yes, they couldn’t find the ‘former chairman.’

It wasn’t just about the Galactic Federation’s pursuit. The chairman, while the company was in such a predicament, was probably observing from afar, planning to reappear and oust the ‘current chairwoman.’

That’s why they sought help from the Galactic Federation.

“The techies are quite passive in finding individuals on their own planets—”

“You didn’t know that!?”

Thud!

The chairwoman slammed the desk hard.

The man with Mohawk-style hair, standing before her, flinched, his shoulders trembling.

“You didn’t know, so you weren’t planning to handle it properly from the start! What good is getting paid well if you don’t know how to do your job properly! If you had handled it properly from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened!”

At least one thing was certain: the rat was with that ‘Black Magic Girl.’

The hammer she wielded was undoubtedly a techie’s technology, enhanced with the circuit’s unique output, resulting in an ‘unbelievable’ firepower.

“…That magic girl. Combatant. Her name was Jeong Ji-eun, right?”

“Yes!”

The man with the Mohawk stood at attention, responding to the chairwoman.

“Look for someone useful around her. Someone who could potentially be used as leverage. I remember seeing one last time.”

“…Chairwoman, even so, messing with Earthlings—”

“What do you think this company has been doing all along?”

The chairwoman asked, frowning.

“This company has been exploiting Earthlings to extract energy. Even this Earth nation agreed to it, and most major corporations in other countries are doing similar things. We’re harnessing far more magical power than the other planetary beings possess, all possessed by Earthlings.”

The chairwoman sat back down, leaning back in her chair as if burying herself in it.

“They agreed because it benefits them to have their own kind trapped inside. Will they bat an eye if one or two sacrifices are made?”

“…”

The man with the Mohawk had a slightly dazed expression at the chairwoman’s words.

“So, let’s get it straight. We’re a company, right? We need to meet our customers’ demands.”

The chairwoman said with a slightly weary expression.

“For now, summon that magic girl and reclaim the company’s assets. If we can handle it while we’re at it, let’s do it.”

Looking intently at the man, the chairwoman continued, “Ask for help from the Galactic Federation too. She might be classified as the first Earthling monster. If she turns into a monster due to energy influence, there’s no evidence to claim that the source of that energy isn’t the monster itself, right?”

“If we ask for more help in the current situation…”

“Well, do you think we’ll be the ones benefiting if the weight shifts over there?”

Chuckling, the chairwoman said, “We’re a company. It’s part of our job to search around and poke here and there for better clients. Do you think being on the receiving end of money flow doesn’t matter?”

“No, that’s not what I meant… But if the core technology is transferred—”

Even so, the government can’t directly establish production processes. Someone has to bid for the business, and the advantage lies with the company that handles the technology best.

…

“This kind of opportunity being wasted just to avoid a minor tax seems absurd, don’t you think? It would be better for us to take on the government’s hopeful project and proceed with it.”

It’s not like the company that has captured another country’s territory is unaware and not doing anything about it.

Although the thought made him feel like it was crawling up his throat, the man remained silent.

“Creating a new world by monopolizing technology? Do you think such a futile endeavor is possible? It’s impossible for it to pay off. If resources keep increasing endlessly, it will only lead to endless conflicts.”

The chairman turned his chair around to look down below the building.

There were numerous lights there. Each one, significant sources of energy, was bustling around busily.

To the chairman’s eyes, it looked like jewels.

If we attach efficient circuits to each individual and put them on a ship, how efficient of an energy source could they become?

How much could we sell them for? If we limit the supply and make them exclusive, it could become a more profitable venture.

“A company is not a religious organization. Moving forward while looking at events billions of years ahead, there should be a limit to such futility.”

The chairman said so while furrowing his brows again.

“That woman’s granddaughter is on this planet. Find out her location. If she’s not human, it should be easy to locate her.”

“…Understood.”

In the end, the man with the Mohican hair nodded his head.

*

“But hey, are you okay?”

At my question, Jigubba’s hesitant voice rang through the room.

“Huh?”

“I mean… you’re not working at the company. That was supposed to be the place where you could earn the most.”

“Oh.”

Jigubba took a drag from his cigarette before replying.

“Well, it’s not like I can’t survive without it. We’re splitting the rent between the two of us. In fact, it seems like our living expenses have improved a bit.”

His words didn’t seem empty. With a gaze directed towards the void, his contemplative expression seemed like he had calculated his living expenses quite thoroughly.

After a moment of calculation, Jigubba nodded with a somewhat satisfied expression.

“The rent has halved, so that’s a big relief. I can cover that with my food expenses. Well, to be honest, I am working more days now.”

So, previously, he would work a day, then spend the money leisurely for a few days. Now, with more frequent work, his financial situation seems more stable.

“…Is that so?”

I looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression, but Jigubba just shrugged his shoulders in response.

I could only nod my head.

What other reaction could I have shown?

It had been about two weeks since the incident in Chungmuro.

My body had recovered much faster than expected, allowing me to return to work quickly.

As February was coming to an end, we were able to spend our days peacefully. Going out in the morning to work part-time jobs and returning home after earning our daily wage became our routine.

During this time, James sat in the corner, continuously working on something.

Since he only spoke theoretical, mind-boggling ideas whenever asked, I gave up on asking what he was making.

He seemed to enjoy seeing me struggle with his complex theories.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Even if I stay still, he will continue to do this and that on his own.

I lay back on the floor roughly.

And blankly stared at the stained ceiling.

Are both of them okay?

Honestly, I felt like I might go crazy with worry. I wanted to go check on them and see if they were okay, but the fact that I couldn’t made me even more frustrated.

In the end, what surged within me was a desire for revenge.

I ended up in this situation because of a petty internal conflict within the company.

Now it’s not because of what James said.

I want to smash those bastards’ heads before going to confront them, and I vowed never to stop until I do.

If I think about anything else right now, I might lose my mind.