Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Being Too Safe Isn't Always a Good Thing
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Magical Girl Seriel had betrayed the citizens she was supposed to protect, as well as her fellow Magical Girls.
"Alright, everyone! Good evening again today!"
It had only been a single day since the incident unfolded. Even those who paid little attention to Magical Girl affairs were aware that the government's response this time was unusually swift.
"Magical Girl Review Even Florida Understands! Your long-lost Dr. Bella is here!"
The woman chattering energetically in front of a few cameras in a small studio saw this incident merely as a rare chance for major content.
"So, originally, we were planning to analyze Licorice to celebrate the new Magical Girl Raiser director today, right?"
That was why people tuned in—to figure out on what basis they'd branded a Magical Girl a traitor after just one day, and why they'd suddenly released all the subjugation records and detailed info they'd kept hidden for so long.
"But! As everyone knows, just this dawn... last night, to be precise! There was a massive, massive incident! I believe even our viewers who ignore the news would know about this one!"
The self-proclaimed Dr. Bella—internet streamer Ha Yu-ra—displayed the newly public data on Seriel on a large screen as she spoke.
"That's right! Today, your former Magic Power studies PhD, Bella, will analyze the data on the revealed traitor Robelia... formerly known as Magical Girl Seriel!"
Sure enough, the chat exploded with more intensity than any review of a famous Magical Girl.
'Well, even I didn't expect a Magical Girl to get branded a traitor.'
Magical Girls fundamentally needed a pure heart that prioritized others over themselves. There were apparently other conditions too... but everyone in the industry knew at least that much. How often did such Magical Girls turn traitor?
"Okay, okay, everyone calm down. If you don't calm down, I can't start the review, can I?"
With that, she skillfully soothed the rampaging chat. Before diving in properly, she displayed Seriel's image from Magical Girl Raiser—the one viewers knew best—on the screen.
"Oh man, she's gorgeous. All Magical Girls are pretty, but Seriel has this mature vibe that's refreshingly different."
Ignoring the chat's chatter about "pretty trash" and "punishment by eating Seriel," Yu-ra slowly opened the government-released data on Seriel.
"Let's see. Magical Girl career... whoa, almost nine full years? That's veteran level—even Seoul's current Magical Girls would have to bow to that experience."
Most Magical Girls didn't stay active frontline for long. Sure, it was called being a Magical Girl, but it was basically 24/7 on-call duty. Once they gained experience, they usually shifted to support roles leveraging their specialties.
"Whoa... why is her total Magic Power like this? It's incomparable to other Magical Girls."
In fact, excluding Seriel, the average for domestic Magical Girls fell far short. Even the lowest total Magic Power among them—sans Seriel—was easily over five times hers.
"And... huh? This is weird... Detection-type? Not Combat-type?"
Yu-ra tilted her head in confusion... then grinned, collecting the chat hooks like bait, and turned back to the camera.
"Oh, remember when I explained before? Magical Girls are basically divided into Combat, Detection, and Healing types. Sure, it gets more complex subdividing... but the key here is that Seriel's Detection-type."
Detection-type meant specialized in finding things or sensing crises over direct combat. Most Detection-types leaned toward ultra-long-range support or lacked combat prowess altogether.
"But a Detection-type wielding that massive greatsword for over eight years... whoa, seriously. Subjugation record's nearly four digits? What is this, for real?"
As Yu-ra scrolled through hundreds of subjugation records, she finally understood why the download took so long, her face going blank.
"...No way. Hold on."
While quickly skimming the Demonic Beast subjugation logs... had she spotted something else odd?
"Eighty percent of these Demonic Beasts were taken down before crisis rating?"
Yu-ra forgot the chat filling with hooks again, propping her chin seriously as she pondered.
"Hang on, I'll analyze that separately later. For now, filter for properly rated ones... Amber-level and up?"
The analysis shifted from broadcast-friendly to purely satisfying her own curiosity. She gestured at her off-screen manager as if she'd forgotten they were live, rapidly flipping through the pages.
"Solo Amber-grade subjugations nearly at a hundred so far. Three solo Ruby-grades? And she preemptively stalled most out-of-jurisdiction Rubies before other Magical Girls arrived? Her detection's insane, right?"
Then, as if realizing something key...
"...Ah."
Yu-ra turned back to the camera with a gasp.
"Hey, viewers. Did you know? Even in rural areas, no Magical Girl has ever single-handedly guarded an entire city for four years... actually, never at all."
The government hadn't dumped this data because they lacked interest in Seriel. They'd broadcast their own embarrassment across every news outlet precisely because only they grasped the incident's gravity.
"Looks like today's stream's running long. It won't be 'Florida-understandable' simple from here, so let me sum it up briefly."
She glanced at the sole blacked-out page amid the subjugation records.
"...Looks like we're in big trouble."
What if Seriel—no, Robelia—saw this and stormed in? Yu-ra continued the stream with a terrified expression.
Pfft, it's not that bad.
"Whatcha watching?"
"Magical Girl Review Even Florida Understands."
I told Bell—who was asking with a grumpy face like I'd stolen his spot—as I lounged on the now-familiar living room sofa.
"Was gonna check it out since they said Licorice review, but they suddenly started talking about me."
"You're awfully laid-back."
"If you're gonna say that, why not turn off that Magical Girl Raiser auto on your phone?"
Sheesh. The nerve. He was sprawled out too, phone running auto on Magical Girl Raiser beside him, potato chip bag ripped open at his waist, tablet propped on his belly for anime—and calling me laid-back?
"Doesn't matter how you look at me, these chips aren't for sharing."
"I wouldn't eat them anyway."
"How rude."
In the sudden silence amid our trivial banter...
"Well, anyway... the people in this neighborhood must have eyes like knotholes."
"......"
"'Continued favors turn into assumed rights,' they say. This place is exactly that. Right?"
I tried ignoring Bell's snide chuckle...
"Well, who could've guessed demonic outbreaks rose because it was too safe? Haha."
...but couldn't ignore what followed.
"...What're you talking about?"
"Oh? You didn't know?"
"That's why I'm asking."
I had to set down the stream I'd been watching and ask Bell directly.
"It's not your fault, Ha-yul. Think about it... this city rarely even gets a proper alert. Thanks to who? Even the small fry that cops or military should handle—you snag 'em all."
"......"
"Humans are like that. Safety breeds dark thoughts. You know how Demonic Beasts spawn, right?"
Now it clicked. Excessive safety bred complacency... and negative emotions surged, boosting Demonic Beast spawns.
"Tch."
"Like I said, not your fault. Just modern society's slothful sin."
It wasn't news anymore, but still...
"Feels gross."
People remained ugly. That fact kept gnawing at me... so with those words, I turned my back to Bell and quietly closed my eyes.
"Tomorrow... I wanna go home."
"Yes. Let's do that."
Mind made up, it was time to tie up loose ends.