Chapter 32

On the second floor of the hotel, there was a grand reception room called the Grand Bloom.

Given the current situation, it’s a bit awkward to use the Association’s funds, so Eve personally paid for the venue and even hired an external makeup team, not affiliated with the Association, to do my makeup.

Of course, Eve is not present at this event.

Strictly speaking, Eve and I should have no contact.

That is, the evil organization Mogmog Group and the Magical Girl Association should officially have no contact.

At least, officially.

“Mom, you’re so pretty!”

Sitting on my lap, Kabe looked up at my face, repeatedly exclaiming in admiration. I patted her head and looked back at the mirror.

Indeed, um. Having lived as a man until now, this is my first time getting makeup done, but the transformation is truly astonishing.

Throughout the makeup session, I heard praises about my skin being so good, but I wasn’t particularly moved. However, seeing the result now, it’s really… impressive.

“Mom, am I pretty?”

“Yes, totally pretty!”

Kabe couldn’t take her eyes off my face. Her mouth was agape, continuously exclaiming in admiration.

Well, being pretty is good, right? Beauty is power, isn’t it?

Holding the script I was looking at, I gently set Kabe down and stood up from the chair.

“Kabe, when Aunt Dusik arrives later, you must stay close to her, okay?”

“Okay, I got it, Mom.”

Listening to Kabe’s spirited reply, I looked at myself in the mirror in my transformation outfit. It always gives off a uniform vibe. It suits the word “dashing” more than “feminine.”

Facing the mirror, I smiled and then left the room.

The clock showed 5:45 PM.

—

“It’s dazzling. Please take it easy with the photos.”

I said expressionlessly, and many of the reporters awkwardly lowered their cameras.

The questions were nothing special.

What did I do before? You wouldn’t know.

What are my future aspirations? World domination.

What about the magical girls? They’re all enemies, so I’ll defeat them.

I have no intention of playing the likable villain now.

Even if I tried, it wouldn’t work.

After causing such a scene, a likable villain? That’s just laughable.

“Could you comment on the incident at Samsung Police Station yesterday?”

Right.

This question came later than I expected. I thought it would be the first one.

I picked up the microphone in front of me.

“This question came quite late. I thought you’d be most curious about this.”

I looked around. Almost all the reporters were focused on me.

“That was self-defense. It was a justified action in response to the insults my subordinate and I received.”

“Self-defense is hard to understand. Wasn’t it an attack on humans?”

I stared at the female reporter who asked the question.

She didn’t avoid my gaze and looked straight back at me.

Bold. Should I say she’s fearless?

“Reporter, let me ask you this. So, even if it was an attack on humans, is that bad?”

“Yes, it is.”

The answer came back without hesitation. I expected as much.

“Why is it bad?”

The reporter looked slightly taken aback by my counter-question.

Even elementary school kids know that hitting or bullying others is bad.

And here I am, asking the reporter why.

“Because violence is bad…?”

Holding the microphone, I stood up. Slowly, I walked around the press conference table and stood in front of the reporters.

As my full figure was revealed, camera shutters clicked and flashes went off. Ignoring the minor details, I looked around at the people.

“Ten years, just ten years have passed, but it seems many of you have forgotten. I am the leader of the Mogmog Group. The leader of the evil organization Mogmog Group that invaded you. I am not human; I am a minion. Before the magical girls appeared, many humans died by our hands, and many lost their property. And now, you’re going to lecture me that attacking people is bad?”

The reporters looked somewhat flustered.

Understandably so. I look human, and it’s widely known that the leaders of the Mogmog Group have always been human. Except for those like me who had no interest.

“Why does the Magical Girl Association have transnational power? Isn’t it because they are a military force with power far surpassing the weapons you humans have developed?”

I flipped my coat. I raised my left hand, dark magic emanating from it.

“With this hand, I have already defeated Priqu and Prilly among the magical girls. Now, do you understand? If I had truly acted hostile yesterday, you would be covering a memorial service at Samsung Police Station instead of this press conference. Understand? Reporter, does that answer your question?”

Does it answer?

But the reporter who asked me couldn’t respond.

He just nodded a few times and sat down, and as if passing the baton, a hand rose from the back, and I nodded at him.

“I have a question.”

It was another reporter. A rather large man with deep-set eyes.

“Through unofficial channels, I heard that the reason Mother Eve destroyed Samsung Police Station yesterday was due to insults to her subordinates. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And the first target of the attack was… a student named Go Tae-sik. Did you know his status?”

He had done quite a bit of research. How did he gather such detailed information in just a day?

“I know. I heard he’s the son of some high-ranking official.”

“Then why did you carry out such an attack?”

“Because my subordinate was insulted. Let me ask you, reporter, if a lawsuit comes in because of an article you wrote, doesn’t your company protect you?”

“Yes, they do.”

“It’s the same logic. As you can see, I am different from the previous bosses. Insults to my subordinates are considered insults to me, and I will retaliate with corresponding, if not greater, force. Reporter, does that answer your question?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Due to time constraints, we will now prepare for the regular broadcast. Mother Eve, we will conclude the press conference here. Is that okay?”

“Okay.”

I returned to my seat and took a sip of water. There’s a 10-minute break, they said. Meanwhile, the makeup team came over to fix the makeup that had been smudged.

“There are three cameras. Left, center, and right. Just look at the camera with the red dot on top when speaking. Any other questions?”

“No.”

I answered casually while scanning the room. Kabe has been missing since earlier. Dusik must have returned; is she with Dusik?

I’m anxious.

I can’t see Kabe anywhere, and I don’t know who she’s with, so I’m really worried.

My eyes kept darting around, and the staff, concerned, tried to talk to me, but I waved them off, saying it’s fine.

“Then, we’ll start in 3 minutes. Please take your seats.”

“It’s fine. I’ll stand here.”

Like when I was answering the reporter’s questions earlier, I stood in front of the table.

It seemed like it would look good on camera, and when the staff saw me standing on the camera screen, they gave an okay sign.

Kabe is nowhere to be seen.

I can’t hear Kabe’s voice.

What is Keru doing?

Is Karin watching over her?

She should be with Dusik.

This is too unsettling.

“Starting in 5 seconds!”

Nothing will happen. Yes. Of course. Nothing will happen. The red dot was on the center camera.

“I am the new leader of the Mogmog Group, Mother Eve. Given our recent quiet period, I believe we’ve had enough rest.”

Deliberately making my heels click, I slowly approached the camera. My cold expression was reflected in the camera lens.

“Now, it’s time to end the rest. You humans may only trust the magical girls, but you’re foolish. Look at this.”

I flipped my coat and raised my left hand. The black miasma emanating from my left hand created a rather grotesque atmosphere.

“Forget the Mogmog Group of the past. Under my leadership, the new Mogmog Group will part ways with the ridiculous past and bring destruction and despair to you humans and, furthermore, to our sworn enemies, the magical girls.”

Uh, what’s next? The script, the script is on the table… Oh darn. I should have just sat down. The script is where I was sitting.

“And, and…”

While I was fumbling because I couldn’t remember the next line, a staff member was frantically waving their arm.

Wondering why, I looked and saw the camera’s red dot had moved to the right camera.

Meaning, only my side profile was on screen now!

“Anyway, only a painful future awaits you, so while I’m being nice, support…”

This isn’t it!

“Or rather, surrender. To those who surrender, I will grant absolute pain.”

This sounds off. Why didn’t they give me a prompt? Memorizing scripts is so outdated.

“No, to those who surrender, I will grant forgiveness. To those who resist until the end, only pain will remain…”

Then it happened.

“Mommyyyyy! Aunt Dusik and I are hereeeee!”

Kabe’s voice rang out.

Soon, Kabe’s figure appeared from behind the camera, and Dusik, chasing after her, also came into view. At the same time, Kabe, running towards me, tripped over a cable connected to the camera and fell with a thud.

“Kabe!”

“Kabe!”

My voice and Dusik’s voice rang out simultaneously. But I was much faster.

“Ugh, uh, Mommyyyyy, waaaaah!”

I quickly picked up Kabe, who was crying on the floor. Holding her, I patted her bottom and comforted her.

“Kabe, it’s okay, it’s okay. You’re not hurt. Mommy will protect you, so don’t cry. Stop, stop. Okay?”

“Uh, ugh… ow…”

The floor was marble, so I was worried, but… she didn’t seem hurt.

Then I remembered the microphone in my hand.

Ah, this is live. I need to wrap up the broadcast.

In an awkward position, I tried to hand Kabe over to Dusik, who was looking at us with a worried expression from outside the camera, but Kabe wrapped her arms around my neck and refused to let go.

-It still looks good, just go with it.

The staff held up a sketchbook with those words written on it, and I felt like fainting. Is this really the time to care about how it looks?

Wait, couldn’t they have just written my lines on that sketchbook?

“…Anyway, you humans and… the magical girls… to announce the revival of our Mogmog Group, we declare here that on the 32nd of October, in Itaewon, try to stop our attack. Magical girls. That day will be the first step in showing our overwhelming power.”

-It’s not the 32nd, it’s the 31st.

“October 31st. Remember that.”

A declaration of war while comforting my young daughter.

I wonder how effective this will be.

That’s why I didn’t want to do this broadcast…

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