Chapter 80

“Graaah-!”

In the short span of three years, we have become accustomed to violence as a means.

Not long after starting as a Magical Girl, Shiyeon had been disgusted by such methods.

Perhaps because she has seen us beating Gomtaengi so often, her resistance has diminished compared to the time when we fought the wolf monster.

Whenever she asked to assist by casting spells, it seemed that she had trouble controlling her magic after not using it for so long, and the ice would burst forth, enveloping the monster’s body.

Of course, every time that happened, I would melt it away again and let it experience the hell of fire.

Watching Shiyeon, who was intently focused on the crocodile’s snout being cooked, I felt a mix of pride and uncertainty.

Only after the process of peeling its skin off while it was still alive and searing its flesh, could the crocodile monster finally be reduced to powder and scattered.

Shiyeon gazed at the spot where the monster had vanished, looking somewhat pitiful and apologetic, and said.

“Do we really have to go this far?”

“Yeah, if we don’t, the bad monsters won’t think twice about bothering people again.”

She might feel sorry for it, but in the end, a monster is a monster.

Just as monsters suddenly pop up regardless of festivals, class times, or holidays, we don’t need to consider their feelings either.

In that regard, the octopus monster we tried to negotiate with was quite wise.

To put it bluntly, if my response had been the same as other Magical Girls, would that octopus monster have come seeking us?

The answer is NO.

“I see….”

“That’s right.”

Nodding at Shiyeon’s moderate understanding, I resolved to teach her step by step the method of dealing with monsters that would make our lives as Magical Girls easier.

However, the so-called easy method for dealing with monsters only requires us to act based on a simple choice of maximum suffering for the maximum number.

Once the crocodile monster had completely disappeared, we flew up into the sky and, in a deserted alley, released our transformation.

“It’s getting late, so let’s hurry back.”

“Okay!”

After taking a long time to teach Shiyeon various things about monster hunting.

The media would certainly stir up a fuss about this few minutes, but the real issue lay elsewhere.

“Ugh, it’s chaotic.”

[‘I thought it would be safe…’ The monster alarm rang out of nowhere]

[Monsters appeared right at the start of the festival, is the promise a lie?]

[‘I knew it,’ monsters appeared, breaking the peace.]

Just a few dozen minutes since the monster alarm sounded.

The internet was flipped upside down with reports about the shattered peace with monsters.

The monster alarm ringing out in the safety zone right from the first day of the leisurely festival was enough to stir up people’s anxieties and provide the media with an aggressive lead-in.

But regardless of that fact, we were driving up to Seoul.

After all, we had handled the monster well, so shouldn’t we enjoy the festival?

While fiddling with my smartphone, I scrolled through articles crafted from the delusions of ridiculous reporters, when Senior Jiun, who was driving, casually asked me.

“Mary, didn’t the monster say anything to you?”

I pondered over the conversation I had with the monster.

At best, it said I was cowardly and had a few initial bravado lines.

After that, there were only screams echoing pain and despair, begging for mercy.

Nothing particularly special stood out, so I replied to the question casually, without showing any signs of concern.

“Well, I only heard it begging to be spared.”

“Considering what Mary usually does to the mascot, that’s a bit terrifying…”

Jiun suddenly brought up Mary’s treatment of the mascot, and I could see her picturing the monster-hunting process in her mind and expressing her fear.

No, that has nothing to do with monster hunting….

‘Does it?’

It seemed like it might be unrelated, yet it also could be.

As those questions deepened, I undid my seatbelt as we approached our destination and simply concluded.

“Maybe it was just one of those who broke the rules?”

“Really…? I don’t know, but if Mary feels that way, then it must be true.”

As Jiun’s casual musings faded, the car’s engine died down, and Shiyeon and I stepped out of the car, heading towards the restaurant inside.

The intoxicating scent of oil wafted in from outside the building.

“Okay, I’ll come to pick you up when the event ends.”

Once she confirmed we had completely gotten out, Jiun restarted the car.

After all, with the wedding only two months away, it’s the time to present herself well to her in-laws.

Without adding any unnecessary words, I simply waved my hand along with Shiyeon, wishing her to be careful on the way.

“Drive safe!”

“I’ll see you in the day after tomorrow!”

Seeing Jiun’s hand waving inside the car, we slowly walked from the parking lot into the restaurant.

Sure enough, as soon as we opened the door, the strong smell of oil hit us.

I held the door for Shiyeon as she followed behind, and after she entered, I bowed my head and greeted the senior Magical Girls who had already arrived.

“Hey, haven’t you ever made jeon in your life?”

The dining area, where the smell of food was the most faint, was claimed by those who had arrived first.

While searching for a nearby seat to lay down, I naturally gravitated toward the kitchen, where uncles who had been beginners just a few years ago had now become skilled enough to take charge of the cooking.

There’s a saying that a frog doesn’t remember what it was like as a tadpole, and that is exactly the situation now.

If I think back to the Chuseok two and a half years ago, my mouth twitches, but to avoid sparking family discord by speaking unnecessarily, I tried to refrain.

“Even you struggled to make jeon in your early days.”

Despite my efforts, a sneer echoed from the far table.

The uncle who had been haranguing me about making jeon was now flaring up, shouting at a senior sitting with his phone.

“Hey?! When did I?! I was better than these kids!”

“You got beaten by the Minister until your back was bruised.”

“Kugh…”

The uncle, unable to argue against the factual statement, fell silent.

Everyone should have witnessed that refreshing back smack two and a half years ago.

Anyway, since he couldn’t properly rebut, several other uncles turned to him, as if to confirm the truth.

“Wait, is that really true?”

“Shut it, you brats! Make the jeon!”

Ultimately, the uncle’s flimsy lies were exposed, and unable to say anything, he resorted to barking at everyone.

Watching this unfold, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the seniors and sisters nearby.

In this light, they were no different from relatives gathered for a festival.

Sharing small jokes and teasing each other as they cooked together.

Such was the peaceful day of the festival.

Unlike when the Minister was in charge, we shared meals together with the uncles.

Typically, during the festivals, the kitchen would only be the Minister’s domain.

However, one of the Magical Girls, noticing the absence of that figure, directed her question to the group of gathering uncles.

“Where did the Minister go?”

“He had to head up to Incheon urgently because a monster appeared out of nowhere.”

‘So that’s why….’

I had also found it strange, but did not feel compelled to ask.

Only now, upon hearing one uncle’s response, did I realize the reason, and even if it seemed like they were being lazy, I felt they were diligently working as I chewed on a piece of galbitang.

“Incheon…? Oh, isn’t Shiyeon and Mary from that area?”

“Yeah!”

The question directed at Shiyeon and me, who were munching away.

Shiyeon’s mouth smeared with the braised galbi sauce.

“…It’s everywhere! Yes, that’s right.”

Quickly pulling out a few sheets from the tissue box, I pointed out Shiyeon while also responding to the question.

“Mphh.”

Even while mumbling incomprehensibly, Shiyeon didn’t dodge my hand.

I scrunched up the brown-sauce-stained tissue and quietly set it beside the large bowl.

“What happened?”

“When you ask what happened… it just suddenly appeared.”

“Oh… that makes sense, you wouldn’t know the reason.”

In the awkwardly interrupted conversation, we continued eating.

It seems that, overall, the uncle’s cooking skills are improving every year.

This galbitang is much easier to pull apart than last year’s.

“……”

“……”

Clink; the sound of spoons clashing against dishes echoed in the silence.

My fellow Magical Girls, who gather only during these rare occasions.

Surprisingly, when we come together like this during the festival, there isn’t much to talk about.

“My daughter is going to be a middle schooler this year, and she just won’t listen.”

“Eh, at that age, everyone’s like that. My son is also like that, so it’s not just because she’s a daughter.”

Conversely, the uncles, who seem like they’d see each other every day, are more lively in their chats, having already gotten their words in.

It’s not easy to gawk at holiday food, so I grabbed the empty bowl and headed straight for the tray piled with dishes.

Once again, the most popular holiday dish was the galbitang.

I poured a generous portion of the white rice into one corner of a wide bowl, and after serving about four pieces of galbitang along with a ladleful of soup, I carefully poured it over the white rice.

‘Now this is how it’s done.’

In the remaining space, I piled up colorful assorted skewers and pancakes.

The moment I returned to my seat, several others stood up again and headed toward the tray.

Swish, I mixed the galbitang sauce into the white rice and devoured it with my spoon.

One bite of jeon, one bite of well-mixed white rice, one bite of galbitang.

Thus, I shamelessly emptied my second bowl.

Only then did I feel quite satisfied, the meal now complete.

‘That was delicious…’

I touched my belly to signify my full satisfaction.

Somehow, I felt slightly bloated.

‘…Did I gain some weight?’