“But first, before sightseeing, we need to find a place to stay.”
In any trip, the most important thing is accommodation.
As I said this, Billy, who was next to me, pointed somewhere with his finger and said, “There’s a place nearby with good value and hygiene. Let’s go there…”
But…
“No way? It’s been a while since I’ve been to San Francisco. I can’t stay in some cheap place.”
“…Huh?”
I immediately shook my head.
At my quick refusal, Billy looked a bit flustered and asked, “…Do you have a place in mind?”
“Yep, follow me.”
With a sly smile, I led Billy and Emma to the place I had in mind.
When we arrived at the not-too-distant location…
“…You want to stay here?”
…A dazzling building with a name that still remains synonymous with luxury hotels in America came into view.
“Wow~ It was still under construction when I left, but they really built it lavishly.”
After admiring the hotel’s exterior, I tried to head inside.
But Billy stopped me.
“…Wait a second!”
“Huh? Why?”
“This is… a place where only the most distinguished guests stay when visiting San Francisco. The daily rate is no joke…”
Even in this era, trains are still considered a luxury mode of transportation.
The concept of hotels, which had just started to appear, was truly a place only for the wealthy.
“Yeah, I know. I’m one of those distinguished guests.”
But despite Billy’s warning, I walked in without hesitation.
Seeing me stride in so confidently, a flustered Emma and Billy hesitantly followed.
“Welcome.”
As expected of a luxury hotel, a well-dressed doorman opened the door for us.
I casually accepted the service and headed to the counter.
“Welcome.”
I loudly addressed the equally polite counter staff, “One suite available immediately. For three people.”
“…!”
“…!!”
At the mention of a suite, both the counter staff and Billy were taken aback.
The only one not surprised was Emma, who didn’t know the meaning of a suite.
The counter staff quickly glanced at our appearance and chuckled, “Sir, we do have a suite available, but the cost is quite high.”
It sounded like a subtle hint for us to know our place.
Well… it’s true we don’t look like the type to stay in a suite.
Billy and I were dressed neatly, but at best, we looked like a middle-class young couple.
Billy was in a typical office look.
And most importantly, why would I spend so much on a suite?
But there was a reason I insisted on the suite.
Even if I didn’t pay, I had a reliable backer, right?
I turned around and asked Billy with a smile, “The suite is expensive, but it’s okay, right?”
“…Huh? Why are you asking me that…?”
Billy looked genuinely surprised and waved his hands in refusal.
I tilted my head and cheekily said, “Huh? Luke said you’re the guide, right?”
“…What?”
“If you’re the guide, you should handle the accommodation. Isn’t that obvious?”
Well, it’s not really obvious.
But I decided to be shameless.
Billy, not backing down, exclaimed, “…A guide isn’t someone who pays for accommodation! And I was trying to recommend a place with good value…”
“I don’t care. I won’t sleep anywhere but here.”
The South Brotherhood’s influence stretches all over San Francisco.
The budget-friendly place Billy recommended?
It was probably run by or deeply involved with the South Brotherhood.
They were likely planning to keep a close eye on me.
I had no intention of falling into Billy’s trap.
“If I don’t sleep here, who knows what I might do? Huh? Want me to cause a scene?”
“This is just unreasonable…”
No matter how smart someone is, they can’t win an argument against sheer stubbornness.
Realizing that persuasion was futile, Billy shook his head and brought up a practical reason.
“…Even if you throw a tantrum, it’s no use. Do I look like I have the money to pay for a suite?”
But…
“Hey, just put it on Luke’s tab or use the South Brotherhood’s name.”
“…!”
I already knew too much about San Francisco.
As Luke’s aide, Billy had limited access to the mayor’s authority.
If that didn’t work, he could use the South Brotherhood’s name.
The South Brotherhood already had significant influence in San Francisco, so they couldn’t ignore a tab under their name.
“Stop arguing and just pay. I came here in a first-class train. Of course, I should sleep in a suite.”
“……”
After my persistent requests, Billy sighed in resignation…
“…I’m Billy Jin, the chief aide of San Francisco. Please bill the mayor’s office.”
“…!”
He showed his ID and a badge indicating his position as the mayor’s aide to the counter staff.
“My apologies. Right away…!”
I had noticed it earlier when talking to the coachman…
The mayor, Luke, held significant meaning to the citizens of San Francisco.
The staff, who had subtly looked down on us earlier, immediately guided us to the suite as soon as Billy revealed his position.
Thud.
Following the staff to the suite, Billy clenched his teeth and said to me, somewhat angrily, “…We’ll only cover the accommodation. If you push any further, we won’t be able to help.”
“Got it, got it. Thanks.”
Honestly, once the suite was taken care of, there wasn’t much else to spend money on.
I nodded with a satisfied smile.
“This is where you’ll be staying.”
Meanwhile, the staff led us to the suite.
The door was elegant and luxurious, resembling something royalty or nobility would use.
And when the staff opened the door…
“Wow…”
“……”
A massive interior with several connected rooms and an even more luxurious decor greeted us.
“There are five rooms, each with a private bathroom, and if you pull that cord, our staff on 24-hour standby will come.”
“……”
“Enjoy your stay.”
Thud.
The staff who guided us closed the door politely and left.
Meanwhile, we explored every corner of the suite where we’d be staying for the next few days.
“I came because you said so, but this is insane…”
It was my first time in first class, and of course, my first time in a suite.
I marveled at the sparkling chandelier on the ceiling, while Emma, with the same dazed expression, looked around in awe.
I approached Emma, who was working.
“How’s it going, Emma? Don’t you think it was a good idea to follow me?”
“……”
In Justice Town, I always saw Emma’s cold face, but now that we were outside, I could see her various expressions.
This time, Emma smiled helplessly and replied.
“Yes, I don’t want to admit it, but I do think it was a good idea to follow you to San Francisco.”
When we came here, we took the first-class train directly to San Francisco and stayed in a suite at a luxury hotel.
Plus, if the South Brotherhood catches Django and Josephine, we could earn an extra $10,000 to $20,000…
‘This is the real deal.’
Making money and enjoying a vacation.
To be honest, I was quite hesitant about coming to San Francisco at first…
But now that I’m here, it’s like killing two birds with one stone.
**
Kid.
Among the gang members of the South Brotherhood, there’s no one who doesn’t know that name.
The same goes for Billy, Luke’s chief aide.
Especially since she had a connection with Kid a few years ago…
‘…Boss. I want to be the one to keep an eye on him.’
‘You? …It could be dangerous.’
‘…But I really want to do it.’
…Billy volunteered to be Kid’s watcher.
‘Please take care of him. Your name was… Michael Jackson, right?’
Of course, Kid didn’t seem to remember her at all, but that didn’t matter.
Billy wanted to closely observe what kind of person Kid was by staying by his side.
And the Kid she saw up close… that is, Noah…
‘The suite is expensive, but it’s fine, right?’
‘If you’re the guide, you should take care of the accommodations too. Isn’t that obvious?’
…He was just a total punk.
When I saw him before… and when I heard about him from others, he seemed more serious…
But in reality, he’s just a punk and a brat.
“Alright, now that we’ve unpacked… shall we go out and have some fun?”
Billy watched Noah, who seemed like he was heading out to a playground, with a bit of pity…
‘No… this could all be an act…’
She immediately suspected that he might be putting on a carefully crafted performance and followed him.
Billy’s benefactor, superior, and boss, Luke, had entrusted her with watching over Noah.
So Billy was determined to keep a close eye on Noah to make sure he didn’t cause any trouble in San Francisco.
But…
“Alright, I’ll head this way, so Billy, take good care of Emma and guide her around.”
“…Huh?”
Billy couldn’t help but be flustered by Noah’s words as soon as they left the hotel.
“…Take good care of Miss Emma? What are you planning to do, Noah?”
“Oh, I have somewhere I need to go. So, I’ll leave it to you.”
“……”
Noah confidently walked away as he said that.
Seeing this, Billy, who was momentarily stunned, quickly snapped out of it and grabbed him.
“Wait a minute-!! Noah! This goes against the agreement with the boss!”
“Huh? What agreement?”
“I was assigned by the boss to be your watcher. You agreed to this, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, so while you’re guiding Emma, keep an eye on me too. I’ll just go somewhere for a bit and come back.”
“No… I’m supposed to be watching you, not Miss Emma…!”
Despite Billy’s shouts, Noah acted like he didn’t hear her and kept walking.
‘Ugh…! He’s too strong…’
Realizing she couldn’t overpower Noah with brute strength, Billy considered pulling out her pistol as a last resort.
Sensing this, Noah sighed, stopped, and looked down at Billy.
“Look, I’m not running away. I don’t plan to break the agreement with the boss. I swear to God, I won’t cause any trouble. I just have something to take care of. Is that still not okay?”
“……”
Noah put on an innocent face and pleaded with Billy.
Billy hesitated but…
“…No. The boss’s orders come first, no matter what.”
Of course, she refused Noah’s request.
At Billy’s firm refusal, Noah genuinely looked disappointed and slumped his shoulders…
“…Alright, then…”
Whoosh-!
“……!”
Taking advantage of Billy’s moment of distraction, Noah suddenly took off running.
“Wait-! Noah-!!”
Billy sprinted after him at full speed, but…
Tap tap tap-!
‘Why is he so fast?!’
She couldn’t catch up to Noah, who was running at an insane speed.
“Stop-! If you don’t stop, I’ll shoot!”
Even though there were people around, Billy had no choice but to pull out her pistol to stop Noah.
But then…
Tap tap tap-!
‘Over there…!’
As soon as Billy pulled out her gun, Noah ducked into an alley.
The place Noah was heading to was San Francisco’s famous slum, known as Saint Michel.
Even with a gun, Billy was extremely reluctant to go in there.
“…Damn it.”
As Billy reluctantly stopped, Noah’s voice echoed from somewhere.
“I’ll be back by evening, Billy! Oh, and since it’s Emma’s first time in San Francisco, make sure to show her around-! Thanks! See you later!”
“…That damn guy.”
Billy felt like cursing, but Noah had already disappeared, along with his voice.
As Billy clutched her head in frustration over Noah’s sudden disappearance, Emma caught up and approached her.
Looking at Emma, Billy asked in a slightly irritated voice.
“…Is that guy always so reckless and stubborn?”
Even though he was a legendary figure in San Francisco, Noah was now just “that guy” to her.
Emma, seemingly embarrassed by Noah’s behavior, answered with a slightly flushed face.
“…Well, he’s been a bit more mature lately.”
“…How old is he that he’s only now maturing? And is that what you call mature?”
“…I’m sorry.”
In the end, it was Emma who ended up apologizing for Noah’s bratty behavior.
Anyway, Noah had run off… and now only two awkward women remained.
![[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")
