NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17 – Under the Lamp? (2)
“Seems like there’s definitely something going on.”
That was the thought that crossed my mind when I heard Jeon So-hyun’s news of wanting to go home. Honestly, I believed everyone else thought the same too.
“But I can’t force her.”
The issue was that she had already grown up to a certain extent, and if she didn’t wish for help herself, I couldn’t lend a hand forcibly. Still, it was strange for me to care this much anyway.
“Let’s go this way.”
Kim Soo-jung and I were led somewhere else by another person. Anyway, we had successfully secured a fairly decent new base as I intended.
“But your expression doesn’t seem too comfortable.”
“Well, I’m quite worried.”
I left the situation feeling uneasy. It’s natural to see things through to the end once you start.
I scratched my head. The help I could offer wasn’t much. It was just about smashing things and killing them.
“Then let’s just give it some time. They need to manage their own situation.”
Ultimately, we decided to wait for the time being.
“There are plenty of friends here… Just relax!”
The teacher who led us explained the facility. The Management Bureau, responsible for various incidents including Magical Girls, had established this kind of facility for a simple reason.
“Health checkup?”
“Since there are so many bizarre cases related to monsters, magical girls, etc.”
The teacher explained with a hint of humor. I understood immediately, even with that euphemized expression.
Just recently, I had discovered horrific experiment subjects aboard an international crime organization’s ship.
After all, those experiment subjects could still survive.
“Ahh… Agh!”
“Oh no! Seung-jun!”
“Mr. Park! Quick, bring the tranquilizer!”
Just like that. Startled, Kim Soo-jung clung to my side.
Even the teacher leading us blocked our view with her body.
“Don’t worry. That child is just a little sick. She won’t harm you at all.”
“…Okay.”
It’s a bit hard to believe, especially when her own voice was quivering. The child suddenly started convulsing, her body covered with blue scales that kept appearing and disappearing.
I could see the chaotic magic energy rampaging inside the child. Uncontrolled magic is lethal. It gnaws at the subject gradually, causing pain.
“Hmm, I can feel the engraved malice. It’s definitely the malice left by whoever did that to her body.”
Ren’s words served as confirmation. I held onto Kim Soo-jung’s hand, who was still trembling and had buried her face in my arm.
“It hurts. My arm.”
“S-sorry, Jin-ah…”
“Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to happen. Please guide us to a room, teacher.”
I tried to wake the two of them up. The teacher looked startled but nodded.
Though I was concerned, there was nothing I could do. I didn’t genuinely want to act like a little girl.
“This is the room where you two will stay. No fighting, okay?”
The place we were shown was a small room connected to a hallway with multiple rooms. The two-tiered bed in the room strangely reminded me of something familiar.
“It’s a dormitory.”
I snorted. It looked very similar to the double room dormitory I lived in during my college days before joining the army.
“I’ll explain the details shortly. Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Lee Sun-young, and I’ll be your main contact for now.”
“Yeah, take your time.”
I sent off our teacher, Lee Sun-young, who mentioned she had business to attend to, and closed the door. The facility itself was not bad, as expected from a government agency.
“It’s good here, right?”
“…Yeah. But it’s a bit far from freedom.”
I clicked my tongue while looking out the window. The small window wasn’t even wide enough for a small girl to fit through.
The security around the facility was strict.
It might be safe and cozy for obedient children, but for someone like me, who began with the premise of rebellion, such tight security wasn’t appealing at all.
“I wish So-hyun unnie had come here instead.”
“…She might not be too far from coming here.”
It was a brief relationship, but I believed I had grasped it well enough. We might meet again quite soon.
“Did you wait long? First, I’ll go over some basic rules.”
As the sunset approached, the staff member Lee Sun-young returned. The first thing she said upon seeing our faces wasn’t something I was thrilled to hear.
“The rules must be strictly followed. It’s absolutely necessary for your safety.”
“Of course.”
“…Really?”
She asked me with a hint of suspicion. This was a bit troublesome. Did they already have suspicions? I hadn’t even done anything yet.
“Of course.”
I forced a smile. Though her expression changed to something more doubtful in response to my smile, she pressed on.
“First, I’ll let you know the schedule to follow until your school is assigned.”
Naturally, what followed wasn’t pleasant news for me. One obvious common sense that I had momentarily forgotten during my long time in the Demon Realm came rushing back.
To gain freedom in this world, a price must be paid. The opposite also holds true. There’s a cost for gaining a secure and comfortable shelter.
That cost is, quite simply, control.
“…Dinner at 5 PM and washing up. Sleep at 9 PM? Plus, anyone under 15 years old is banned from going outside alone? What the hell.”
In front of the closed door, as I received the schedule, I couldn’t hold back my cursing.
—
“The food is plentiful and tasty, which is great, but it feels a bit uncomfortable…”
That evening, while eating beside me, Kim Soo-jung muttered. She’s an ordinary girl, but how about me?
Truthfully, I was itching for something. I craved food rather than this healthy fare.
“It’s very bureaucratic.”
I vented my annoyance. Maybe it was less so for the slightly older kids, but for us younger ones, the control was stricter. Even our clothes were aligned with identical white t-shirts and black shorts.
“What are you doing tonight? Want to watch TV? You can watch whatever in the lounge now.”
“Sure, whatever.”
I nodded vaguely. Sorry, but I couldn’t find satisfaction with TV.
Especially with cartoons aimed at kids. It seems I’d have to move when others are asleep, if I truly sought freedom.
—
“I absolutely agree on needing to move in secret. But you’re doing it not for results, are you?!”
“What does that matter? Have I handled fewer results so far? Tell me.”
“Well, um…”
As I pulled on both of his ears, Ren desperately shook his head.
Currently, Kim Soo-jung was peacefully sleeping on the top bunk. There was no chance she would wake up. I had used magic to put her deeper to sleep.
Kids should go to bed early if they want to grow. But for adults, 9 PM is just the beginning.
“First, let’s find some cash, what should we do? Grab a drink? Play games?”
I cloaked my body with magic. Just like an octopus camouflages its body to match the environment, I blended my power into my surroundings.
Then, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
Avoiding both the CCTV and the eyes of the teacher on duty watching the corridor, I stepped outside the facility, quickly changing outfits before soaring into the sky.
“Right! I understand you need to relieve stress! But what are you planning? You don’t have money or even acquaintances!”
“I’ll just find money when I need it!”
I sped through the urban air. The senses of a Magical Girl were quite convenient for moments like this. Among all the evil surrounding me, I spotted a more unique malice and flew towards it.
“Over there! A mugging! A mugging!”
I revealed myself from hiding in a dark alley near the scene, shedding my disguise. With my current infamy, people would probably freak out upon seeing me.
“Get out of the way!”
“Agh! Mommy!”
I drew my weapon, shoving aside the female police officer trying to catch herself and watched a man running away. The victim was bleeding and collapsed, while the nearby crowd couldn’t help him.
I timed my move perfectly, appearing from the alley and tripping him up.
“Ugh…”
Alongside the ugly sound was a refreshing noise of a face meeting asphalt, a nice crunch.
The sound of a broken nose and shattered teeth followed suit.
“Grab him!”
“Hey police… where did they go?!”
A few citizens rushed to seize the subdued guy. I quietly slipped away from the scene. My goal wasn’t to catch a thief from the beginning, but to acquire the byproducts.
“As a Magical Girl, preying on a villain’s money is impossible. But what about the victim’s money?”
While everyone was in a frenzy, I quickly snagged the wallet from the bag the thief had dropped while fleeing.
I had just returned to the person who almost had their belongings stolen; is it really surprising that some reward should be expected? Looking at the bag, it seemed luxury, and in this day and age, having cash in that wallet was quite hefty.
“This… this crazy girl.”
Ren’s astonished praise continued. Grinning, I activated my magic again to become invisible.
No one would have noticed me.
“What to do now?”
For the first time since falling into this world, it seemed I could genuinely enjoy nightlife. My heart raced like a child.
Is it because the existence of monsters and magical girls is real here?
The entertainment district on this Earth was far more intense and indulgent than the one I lived in, which always tried to impose control under various excuses.