Perseus, upon hearing that one must strike to survive, revealed a greatly bewildered expression.
But then he swiftly shook his head and said to Chae-a,
“No need for violence.”
“Roar!”
“But… why are you trying to hit me when I just asked for a kiss?”
“I don’t know!”
Perseus chuckled at Chae-a’s bold reply, then gently hugged her before lowering her down.
“Next.”
At this, Yuna hesitated, stepping forward with trembling hands.
Perseus tenderly patted her head as he slowly lowered her, asking,
“Are you doing well?”
Yuna, feeling awkward and shy speaking to Perseus, simply nodded. Then, hugging him tightly, she whispered softly,
“Thank you…”
Perseus smiled happily after receiving Yuna’s gratitude, then gently set her down.
Realizing it was my turn last, while I was pondering what to do, Perseus picked me up without asking.
“Hae-un, you should eat more.”
“…?”
I blinked in surprise since it sounded exactly like what the elders would say.
Perseus carefully placed me down, patting my head as he spoke,
“If you ever need help, just ask. If you call, I’ll come running.”
“…Nyeh.”
Embarrassed by his blind support, I awkwardly laughed before rushing to hug Chae-a.
Feeling Perseus watching me fondly made me squirm as I fidgeted with my fingers.
* * *
After the “shipwreck incident,”
I went upstairs to check the remaining gifts while the other kids went underground to build their city (or play).
Gazing at the heartfelt presents from the elders, I decided that expressing gratitude was necessary.
“It’s only natural to thank someone after receiving a gift, right?”
Thinking of it as proper conduct, I contemplated how best to express my thanks.
“I’d love to visit each elder personally and thank them, but…”
Considering it might inconvenience them and realizing it’d be physically impossible to visit everyone, I opted for letters instead.
Thinking they’d enjoy handwritten letters filled with gratitude, I grabbed a pen.
“The issue is the stationery. I’ll have to ask Seorin.”
With plenty of saved pocket money, I could afford stationery easily.
Feeling confident, I firmly gripped my pen and began writing.
Though technically not much of a letter, it was more like a written “thank you” note.
Despite the simplicity, I struggled due to shaky hand control and weak finger strength. Clutching the pen awkwardly, like an upside-down umbrella, resulted in atrocious handwriting.
I sighed deeply, lamenting the difficulty of writing.
“Ah, forget it!”
Deciding to give it my all, I continued writing despite my struggles.
Just then, Seorin playfully pinched my cheeks and teased,
“Will you write one for me too?”
“…?”
Of course, I could always write one for Seorin, though verbal thanks might suffice.
Still, wanting to please her, I nodded.
*
Writing letters took longer than expected. Midway through, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa came to help—or rather, join the fun.
Chae-a’s letter particularly stood out, making quite an impression:
[Hya-mmm cute! Toot-toot cuckoo! Love ya!]
Though bizarre, I wondered if sending such messages was okay. But Seorin insisted it was better this way.
Eventually, with everyone’s help, the letters were completed.
Perseus watched proudly, then affectionately ruffled our hair, praising us.
“The elders will surely love these.”
Relieved by this, I nodded. Then Perseus added,
“Oh, and the central government wants to award you for saving the World Tree.”
Having heard this before, I simply nodded as Perseus congratulated me and carefully gathered the letters.
“It’s not a big deal. If it bothers you, you can decline.”
Wait… Isn’t an award from the government important?
Confused, I tilted my head as Perseus chuckled and disappeared.
* * *
The next day,
We finished building the underground city sooner than expected thanks to numerous hunters helping out, finding it fun.
According to Han Arin, it was because “boring hunter life meets a once-in-a-lifetime big event.”
Not understanding fully, I giggled nervously and hugged my tail.
Anyway, after completion, we left the underground city alone because…
“Chae-a wants to live here.”
“Tired…”
“Snuggle.”
The other three girls declared they didn’t want to go anymore!
Despite finishing construction, we abandoned it. Ignoring this minor setback, I observed the lounging children.
“Should I cover them with blankets?”
It was getting chilly as autumn approached. Leaving them like this might make them catch colds. As I headed to the bedroom to fetch blankets, my phone buzzed.
Answering it, I heard Seorin’s voice.
“Hey Hae-un, it’s your sister Seorin. Can you bring some documents from the bedroom? They’re in a brown envelope!”
Spotting the brown envelope in the distance, I confirmed its location and agreed to fetch it, successfully grabbing it with Somtul’s help.
“Then meet me at the training grounds!”
Used to errands, I ended the call. Just as I was about to leave,
“Koom?”
I locked eyes with Seoa.
“Ppiyagi… Ddzzi!”
Piggy? Chicken?
Though unclear, I guessed she wanted to come along based on past references to piggyback rides and chicken stories.
“Sure!”
Seizing my hand eagerly, Seoa bounced happily as we set off.
“Just a quick trip.”
Quietly leaving so as not to disturb the others, Seoa and I headed toward the training grounds where Seorin waited.
* * *
[The sound of frog songs plays.]
Yuna lazily stared at the ceiling, listening to the music beside her.
Lying down merely mimicked Chae-a, with no real reason.
As she lay there, memories surfaced—cold, dark, lonely days trapped in ice, far different from the warm embrace of sunlight now.
Though frightening to recall, being with Hae-un, Chae-a, Seoa, Arin, and Seorin made her feel safe.
Looking around for Hae-un to hold her hand,
“Where are you?”
She noticed Hae-un was nowhere to be found.
Worried, she searched until Chae-a dramatically announced,
“She’s run away…!”
“Wha-?”
Shocked, Yuna covered her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
