Chapter 42

“Won’t you let go of this?”

She’s strong.

With this level of strength, it’s hard for me to resist in my current untransformed state.

But I can’t let that show.

“Let go.”

“Listen to me.”

“I said let go.”

Seoah was smiling slightly.

Somehow, I’m not in the mood to smile.

“Let go of this.”

“You don’t have any long-range attack methods, do you?”

“Huh?”

That’s my biggest concern right now.

If I get close, I can land a hit. But that requires getting close, and I could take significant damage in the process.

Moreover.

“Even if you get close, you have almost no combat experience, so you’ll be read like a book.”

“That’s none of your business.”

Before I knew it, Seoah had let go of my hand.

But I couldn’t leave my spot.

Seoah’s words, which accurately pinpointed my issues, had me listening to her as if entranced.

“I’ll give you a tip, let’s have a canned coffee from the vending machine. That should be fine. I’ll get it right in front of you.”

“No, I’ll get my own drink.”

I can’t fully trust her yet, but if she’s preparing this much, it should be okay.

“Older sister.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know my name?”

“Yes. Was it Seojina?”

“That’s right. Did you hear it from Dusik?”

“Yeah.”

Prabel, or rather, Jina, was quite friendly.

We didn’t have any particular bond, just met by chance once and ate ice cream together, but before I knew it, she was by my side, chattering away.

“Are you from the same orphanage as Dusik?”

“Yes.”

“What was Dusik like when he was young?”

Uh, I don’t know.

“He was just ordinary.”

Even as I dodged the question, Jina stuck to my side like glue, not letting go.

She kept asking what Dusik’s favorite food was, his hobbies, if he liked any particular fandom, and so on. Honestly, it was getting a bit overwhelming.

“Let’s talk among ourselves. The kids are playing.”

Seoah grabbed Jina by the scruff of her neck and dragged her away.

That strength is no joke.

I took the coin Seoah handed me and pressed the button for a canned coffee from the vending machine.

“It’s hot.”

It might be a bit early to drink the still-warm canned coffee, but the coffee that rolled out was steaming.

It might have been prepared in advance, so I checked if the can was opened like a Welch’s, but it wasn’t.

Just in case, I checked for needle marks, but there weren’t any.

Prilly was watching me inspect the can with a look of disbelief.

“Hey, I just got it. Why are you going that far?”

This is all your fault.

You made me like this!

“Don’t you know your own sin?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, never mind.”

I flicked Dusik’s forehead as he stuck his face close to mine and sat down on the bench.

“I don’t know what wind blew this way.”

I opened the can and took a sip of coffee. The taste… well, it’s just coffee. Thankfully.

“So, what’s the deal with my long-range attack?”

It’s important for me to have a long-range attack method.

Keru said that from now on, I’ll have to fight twice a month and maintain a win rate of over 50%.

Of course, right after hearing that, I stomped on Keru for making me raise my win rate after they got beaten so badly, but what can I do? If they say so, I have to do it.

“Well, I heard from Eve that you don’t have a unique spell. So, have you thought about how to use that magic power?”

Seoah brushed her hair back in the wind and asked me.

Even if I think about it, Keru said my style is a first for them, and I have an overflowing amount of magic power but no means to release it…

“Close combat is definitely strong, but what’s the use if you can’t get close?”

“I know, you don’t have to keep saying it.”

Even good things get annoying if said too many times.

It’s obvious that I don’t have a long-range attack and that I need to find a way, but emphasizing it over and over is irritating.

“Ask Keru for a gun.”

…A gun?

“Suddenly feels like I’ve been dragged into reality. What gun?”

“A gun is a gun. Did you think there wouldn’t be guns in the magical world?”

“Yes.”

Seoah sat next to me and sighed.

“There are guns. But instead of using real bullets and shooting like a real gun… there are guns that shoot magic bullets, or rather, magic bullets.”

“Are you sure? Then why don’t you guys use them?”

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

I need to be able to trust this.

Seoah, who had been staring at me, tilted the can and drank the coffee.

“But it’s more efficient to just use that magic power to deploy a magic circle, so we don’t use them. Some kids who are not yet skilled at deploying magic circles use them for self-defense. Ask Keru to get you one. They have them in the Dark Realm too.”

If such a thing exists, it would definitely help me.

But what bothers me is why she’s teaching me this.

“Why are you teaching me this?”

“Well.”

“What’s your angle?”

“Even though I’m a bit of a crazy girl.”

“I know.”

Seoah finished her coffee and threw the can.

The can soared high into the air.

Seoah aimed her hand, shaped like a gun, at the can.

“Piercing.”

A small magic circle formed at the tip of her extended finger, and a small beam shot out, piercing the center of the can.

“I have some attachment to this world, so I want you guys to do better.”

The late autumn, early winter wind lightly ruffled Seoah’s hair.

Is that so.

Maybe this girl has some circumstances too…

“Don’t act all cool. Why are you acting like you have some circumstances now?”

At my words, Seoah made a “heh☆” face and winked.

“Caught, huh?”

“Yeah, no matter how you dress it up, you’re still a pervert and a psycho. Attachment my ass, what nonsense. I’m leaving. Enjoy your coffee.”

“Next time we meet, I’ll remember to hit you!”

“Yeah, make sure you do!”

Next time we meet, I’ll really beat the crap out of you.

“A gun?”

“Yes.”

“A gun… I’ve never seen one before.”

Tonight’s menu is soft tofu stew.

It’s the dinner menu provided by the hotel.

Not a bad taste, but it’s too fancy for soft tofu stew, which makes it a bit burdensome.

“You’re not saying…”

Next to Dusik’s stew pot is a small bowl. At a glance, the red broth with onion and squid legs peeking out, could it be…

“Yeah, the leftover from the fried rice the other day…”

“That was real? You really eat like that? No, more importantly, isn’t that spoiled?!”

I told Dusik I’d treat him more often so he wouldn’t eat like that after having fried rice, then jjajangmyeon for a second meal, and jjamppong broth for a third.

I thought he wouldn’t go that far, but it seems he really did.

“Older sister, the hotel food is too fancy for my taste…”

“Oh my… Dusik…”

I spotted an empty bowl.

“Give me some too. It’s too fancy, I need to rinse my mouth.”

“Right? Hehe.”

Dusik smiled like a fool and scooped up a generous amount of jjamppong broth and ingredients into my bowl.

One spoonful and the cheap taste of seasoning spreads in my mouth.

Ah, this taste is just right… No, that’s not what I wanted to talk about.

“Anyway, about the gun. Earlier, Prilly said it’s used by those who aren’t yet skilled at deploying magic circles.”

“Not yet skilled… like you?”

Well, it’s not that I’m not skilled, I just can’t do it at all.

If I don’t have a unique spell, that’s it, why can’t I use magic at all?

I really don’t get it.

“Anyway, so that gun… I was wondering if you’ve seen it before.”

“No, I haven’t. Most magical girls are given their unique weapons and spells upon awakening and figure out how to use them on their own.”

Is it because I’m an evil magical girl that I can’t?

“I’ll have to talk to Keru.”

I took the last spoonful and finished both the soft tofu stew and the jjamppong broth.

Ah, I’m full.

It’s true that my appetite has decreased.

It’s much less than before.

Unlike before when I had to eat two bowls, sometimes even one and a half, and finish all the side dishes to feel full, now just one bowl fills me up.

Even after eating just that, I don’t feel hungry until the next meal. How efficient is this body?

“I’ll clean up the dishes. Do you want some water?”

“Yes.”

As soon as I put down the spoon and swallowed the rice in my mouth, a glass of water was placed in front of me.

And the dishes were skillfully cleared away.

A tissue to wipe my mouth.

And one for Kabe too.

“Kabe, did you eat well?”

“Yep.”

“You should say, ‘I ate well.'”

“Jaal meogeotseumnida.”

“Say it properly.”

“Aah!”

When will those teeth come in? Seeing the white gums, it seems the permanent teeth will come in soon.

Maybe I should take her to the dentist.

“Has Eve contacted you?”

“No, what about you?”

“Hmm, no.”

She said she’d contact us once Kabe’s registration was done. Well, that was last night, so it’s unlikely it’s been resolved already.

Even though I know it won’t be done quickly, since it involves Kabe, I’m a bit anxious.

“Are you taking her to the dentist?”

“I think I should. Her pronunciation is off, and Kabe must be uncomfortable too.”

“Yep.”

“Right. Eeeeng. Our little girl is so pretty.”

“Hehe.”

As I patted Kabe’s head, Keru crawled out from the corner.

I wondered where he went, but it seems he was sleeping in the corner.

“Hey, Keru.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you hear what Dusik and I were talking about?”

“The magic gun, right?”

“Why do you always say you heard when there’s something, but don’t say anything when there isn’t?”

“Hmm, a magic gun.”

“Yeah, a magic gun. What? Is there a problem?”

Keru, who had been staring at me, sat down and scratched his head with his hind leg.

What’s this? Why isn’t he saying anything?

“I’ll go to the Dark Realm for a day or two.”

“Suddenly, why?”

“Even though you’re the boss of the Mogmog Group, I can’t just give you any magic gun. I need to get you a good one.”

I don’t know what’s up with him.

Keru has rarely been helpful, so him saying he’ll get me a good one is suspicious.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at Keru.

“A good one?”

Surprisingly, Keru didn’t avoid my gaze and looked back at me.

“Even if I tell you, no one here would know. Anyway, I’ll be back. If I finish early, I’ll come back sooner, but no later than two days.”

“Alright, got it. Come back safely. Can I expect something good?”

“Hmm, you can expect something good.”

“Alright.”

With that, Keru disappeared.

This is strange.

I feel weird.

The vibe feels a bit off.

Maybe it’s just my mood.

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