Eventually, the problem that had occupied my mind for days and nights.
Just like when I called the service provider because the internet speed was slow, the problem was resolved quickly.
A virtual name and a resident registration number sent via text.
A person who doesn’t actually exist, but clearly exists on paper.
Because I was missing just a few letters of this name and its resident registration number, there were so many things I couldn’t do.
Once that part was neatly resolved, it was an added frustration that I was at a loss as to where to begin.
The messaging app that I had always felt empty without using.
Now, with the message saying that guardian consent was necessary, I confidently pressed the yes button and entered the fictitious parent’s personal information.
Feeling almost resentful that I had been unable to do this all along.
I installed mobile games I hadn’t tried before.
I signed up for online games I hadn’t attempted.
Feeling grateful to the parents who only exist on paper, I indirectly experienced the life of an adult.
What I did after returning from school was to immediately sit in front of the computer and turn on an online game.
“Damn it, does this make sense?”
On a typical day, while spinning a random box and cursing.
I had tried 80 times with a 5% chance and hadn’t won even once, questioning if there was probability manipulation.
“Mary, I want to do it too.”
“Wait a second, it’s an important moment right now.”
A small friction arose between Shiyeon and me after I acquired fictitious parents.
There was only one computer, but two people wanting to use it.
Especially when I started using the computer seriously, Shiyeon, who was watching videos well, had her share of it reduced.
Even if I handed her the phone and let her watch magical girl animation, Shiyeon often wanted to imitate what I was doing.
I didn’t want to drag Shiyeon into an RPG game full of beating and cursing, and if I found a suitable game for her, my computer usage for the day would be over.
However, buying another computer wasn’t an option, as there was not enough space, and expenditures had been too high recently.
Hmm…
Still, there are no parents who can be beaten by their children, so today too, Shiyeon, who is like a daughter, took my computer, and I fiddled with my smartphone from the second floor of the bed.
Taking a breather from the smartphone games due to a lack of energy.
I decided to head to a search engine filled with news and see what absurdity awaited me, leaving my time in the hands of the algorithm.
[Animal protection civic group, ‘If communication is possible, it is clear abuse’ criticizes magical girls.]
[Monster expert Professor Lee, ‘Absurd nonsense’ denies with solid evidence.]
[The appearance of the octopus doctor demanding dialogue leads some communities to mock, ‘I knew it…’.]
[Incheon, monster appearance rate dropped to 0%, requests for clarification met with ‘please wait’.]
[Is it really a safe city now? This area, housing prices ‘skyrocketing’.]
“Now even animal protection groups are ridiculous.”
As always, I left an absurd lament while looking at the articles filled with sensational titles.
If you just treat dogs and cats as animals as usual, that would be enough, but there are too many meddling.
If it’s really abuse, why not directly communicate instead of causing a fuss for us?
If an evacuation alert sounds, they would run away in a hurry, dialogue or not.
‘What can you do if they are making a fuss?’
I scrolled through the smartphone, mocking the civic groups making ridiculous claims in my mind.
If you really hate it, why not cause a scene in front of monsters with a sign saying ‘Monster extermination is violence!’ until the magical girl arrives like those vegan groups?
If they get caught up in an attack, wouldn’t it be natural death?
Of course, the civic group that aims to dodge taxes wouldn’t have the guts for that.
As I scrolled down with a negative view of society, a sudden call screen filled my smartphone.
[Restricted Caller ID]
There is only one person who would call this way.
After sliding my finger to accept the green button, I spoke out of courtesy.
“Hello.”
“Sun? Are you thinking of coming to Seoul this weekend? Just think of it as sightseeing in Seoul, okay?”
The minister asked immediately after I picked up the phone if I had thoughts on coming to Seoul.
“Uh? I don’t want to.”
Naturally, I cringed and reflexively said I didn’t want to.
Calling me for a simple sightseeing trip to Seoul after all this?
This was not someone who just made sweet-talk.
There must be something planned; what could it be?
In that moment, one of the news articles flitted through my mind.
[Incheon, monster appearance rate dropped to 0%, requests for clarification met with ‘please wait’.]
“Oh.”
I wasn’t sure, but I could be somewhat certain.
The response of ‘please wait’ to the request for clarification; were they thinking of holding a press conference?
“I’m not doing a press conference.”
“No… I’ll write out the entire script, you just have to read it while transformed! And you can sightsee in Seoul with Shiyeon while you’re at it?”
As it quickly became clear, the reason for ‘sightseeing in Seoul’ turned into ‘there’s not much to do’.
Was it intended to weave Shiyeon into this conversation? The minister was clearly trying to shout over from the smartphone.
Quickly pressing the volume button to lower the call sound to the minimum so I could barely hear it.
“Shiyeon! Shiyeon! Don’t you want to go sightseeing in Seoul this weekend?”
“I turned the volume all the way down.”
No voice reached Shiyeon, who was concentrating on the magical girl animation, no matter how loud I yelled.
While digging into my ears while lying on the bed, I began to hear an annoyed voice from the other side of the smartphone.
“The kid has no cute spots!”
“It’s not easy to take advantage of. Thank you for the utmost compliment in this harsh society.”
“But this time it’s not about whether you like it or not… you really have to come, if it gets noisy like this, it won’t be good for either of us. Let’s just pretend it’s not happening and wrap it up, okay?”
“…”
I pondered for a moment upon the minister’s rather serious tone.
If this noise doesn’t cease, it won’t be good for either of us.
That wasn’t an incorrect statement, so I thought, how long could it take anyway? Reluctantly, I agreed.
“You’ll write the script for me, right?”
“Of course! I’ll send the same two people as last time. It’s better to have familiar faces, right?”
“Yes.”
I casually replied and called out to Shiyeon, who was engrossed in the magical girl animation from the second floor in preparation for the approaching weekend.
“Shiyeon? Shiyeon?”
“Yeah?”
Shiyeon, who had been absorbed in the magical girl animation, turned her head upward.
Seeing her puzzled face, I put my smartphone down on the bed and spoke.
“This weekend, I’ll go to Seoul with the uncles we saw last time.”
“Seoul? Where is that?”
“Um, it’s a rich people’s neighborhood?”
I gathered the words that came to mind for Shiyeon, who still didn’t know various regional names, and summarized it briefly.
It may not be that way in reality, but that’s the perception.
Thus, the weekend arrived as time flowed smoothly.
Somehow, two civil servants who looked a bit out of it came to our house again.
Well, weekends aren’t that fun for business trips; I should have asked for some other people instead.
After all, they were the ones who treated me to free chicken.
“Oh, welcome! It’s the first time seeing both of you in person, isn’t it?”
We rode the official vehicle from last time, heading to Seoul.
The magical girl and the minister were meeting for the first time in person.
If seen this way, she may look like a nice lady, but don’t forget she’s a seasoned snake who survived the political arena.
“Hello!”
“Oh, so you’re Shiyeon?”
“Yes!”
With Shiyeon’s cheerful greeting, the minister smiled with that ever-pleasant demeanor, rubbing Shiyeon’s cheek.
Shiyeon, who didn’t even know why she was called, was just happy to have traveled far in a car.
Breaking the warm atmosphere, I spoke to the minister.
“So, what are we going to do?”
“Right! Mary just needs to read the script as it is…”
Upon receiving the pre-prepared script, the minister offered various pieces of advice.
She cautioned not to answer too seriously to the reporters’ questions and to pass if a question was awkward, and provided her well-intentioned tips.
Furthermore, she said to ignore overstepping questions that would draw out the transformation release command, and just say what’s on the script.
“Shiyeon, please!”
“Oh, okay.”
Naturally, it wasn’t something Shiyeon could take on, so I decided to go alone to the press conference.
I left Shiyeon with the two civil servants and quickly scanned through the contents of the script.
Entering the much-anticipated press conference hall, the intensely bright light directed toward the podium created a tense atmosphere.
Click, click—the sound of cameras shuttering came rapidly, and flashes lit up in front of me almost blinding me.
[Magical Girl Sun]
[Can monsters really communicate?]
“Hello, I am Sun.”
The first section I was to read was the core topic of this press conference.
Can monsters really communicate? was the question.
With an adult tone that categorically denied it, I looked straight at the script and explained to the reporters, taking questions after each paragraph.
“Next question, please.” Upon ringing the short cue, the reporters’ hands shot up in unison.
“Yes, reporter Kim Mi-seon from X Daily.”
“I am reporter Kim Mi-seon from X Daily. You just stated that monsters cannot communicate. Then how do you explain the sentences inscribed on the metal plate in that photo?”
The question landed squarely on the script.
They had thoughtfully prepared expected questions within the script, and I just had to respond accordingly.
Even a working magical girl would find these excuses quite plausible.
“I suspect that information from Earth is sent to them randomly through some means. It is certain that they have no understanding of the meaning of that writing.”
After going through several rounds of questions and finishing the entire script, it was time for open questions.
Not from the initially polite few reporters, but from the horde of reporters with bloodshot eyes, desperately trying to dig up any scoop, the indiscriminate questioning began accompanied by camera shutters.
“Is there a unified transformation release command for magical girls?”
“This is journalist Lee Hyun-chang from Mugung News. How old are you really?”
“Oh, that’s a bi….”
“There’s public opinion that monster extermination is animal abuse. What do you think about this?”
“Animal abuse? Monsters are those that attack people….”
“Do you agree with the notion that magical girls are involved in child abuse and exploitation?”
“How do you locate the monsters and appear on-site?”
The press conference venue turned into a lawless zone.
There were too many people for me to engage each one before their words overlapped with each other, rendering me incapable of answering any questions.
Just then—
As I was about to respond to one reporter looking straight ahead, the flash from a camera hit me directly in the eyes.
“Damn it…”
I was already scolding myself in my head not to say anything, but my mouth had betrayed me.
“Did these guys learn home education?”
