Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Please Tell Me the Important Stuff First
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Whoosh.
The distinctive sound of a hospital sliding door opening filled the room, and the first thing that entered the eyes of the woman lying in the bed was a magical girl in white robes. She was about 150 cm tall, with pink hair swaying lightly, and wore the most exhausted expression imaginable.
"How's your condition?"
The magical girl—Aruel—glanced casually at the chart in her hand as she approached the woman's bedside. She briefly recalled how the patient had been wrapped head to toe in bandages not long ago, then asked slowly.
"Well, who treated me? Of course I'm fine."
The woman, who was on the verge of turning thirty yet had skin as flawless as if time had skipped her entirely, lifted her arm triumphantly and smirked. Aruel had to press her temple firmly with the pen she was holding.
"That's not what I meant. Mei Mei… no, Yeon-hwa."
"Whoa… Hearing my real name like this after so long. Sis, say it one more time. Just once more."
"I really shouldn't have said anything…."
Aruel gazed at the woman who could no longer be called a magical girl—Joo Yeon-hwa.
"So, what are you going to do from now on?"
Aruel, the director of the magical girl specialist hospital, asked indifferently.
"Hmm… From now on, you say. I figured I'd be a magical girl until the day I died, but now it's all so vague."
In response to Aruel's question, Yeon-hwa scratched her head awkwardly… admitting she'd never even thought about it.
"Do martial arts dojos still sell these days?"
Maybe she could spread the Chinese martial arts she'd diligently learned as a kid back home, or even Korean ones.
"Or the police might be good. Oh, but I heard the police exam is brutal… I'm not great with stuff that uses my brain…."
With her experience fighting as a magical girl, she could join a police or military special response team to protect civilians.
"Umm… Yeah, I got nothing."
A few ideas came to mind. But none of them really clicked. Perhaps that's why Yeon-hwa, who had been excitedly rambling moments ago, now slumped with her head down. Instead of answering, Aruel simply patted her shoulder.
"Take your time thinking. You're not in a rush to make a living, right?"
Aruel knew it too. Ever since becoming a magical girl, Yeon-hwa had never looked at another path—her future must feel utterly blocked.
"Ahaha. You're right, sis. I've got tons of money saved up, so I could just live it up playing around."
Aruel averted her gaze from Yeon-hwa, who forced a bright smile.
"That kid… Seriel. No, Robelia now? The one you cared about."
"……."
"Do you know… what happened with her?"
Unlike her forced cheer just moments ago, Yeon-hwa's voice now sounded utterly deflated as she spoke. Rather than look at her, Aruel scribbled something on the chart—scratch, scratch—before slowly replying.
"Well, I don't know the exact details."
"So you know the gist."
She chose silence over a response.
"When I first saw her on the news, I thought… the kid just snapped from stress. Maybe if we met later, a good smack would set her straight. That's what I figured."
"……."
"You know what she said after blowing up bombs in the city? That she wanted to protect us. Isn't that totally insane? That was my first thought."
It sounded like scolding. Yet Yeon-hwa's voice carried a hint of glee, even a giggle.
"So, you threw the fight on purpose?"
Perhaps finding Yeon-hwa's attitude absurd, Aruel smirked despite her usual tired expression.
"There were plenty of ways to lose without going all out. Especially against something in human form…."
"Ah— no—? Who said I threw it?"
The former Magical Girl Mei Mei shook her head firmly, insisting it hadn't been intentional.
"I'm a magical girl. I fight at full strength—because it's a demonic beast."
"Stubborn as ever, even after all these years."
To Yeon-hwa, that meant Robelia was still someone worth protecting.
"Did the other girls do it too? Lose to Robelia."
"Yeah, pretty much."
"The government's still up to their shady tricks, huh."
"What can you do? They're just doing their jobs."
Yeon-hwa sighed at Aruel, who kept scribbling on the chart as if recording her words.
"Anyway, now that I've lost too… think they'll make their move?"
She met Aruel's gaze as the woman finally stopped writing and looked up, her face twisting unpleasantly.
"Probably. They've been letting it slide so far because she's avoided human casualties on purpose… but this time, she crossed the line."
The response didn't sound like it came from a mere magical girl specialist hospital director—or even a doctor.
"I've covered for her up to now. She's chosen her path, so she takes responsibility from here."
Aruel added flatly, as if implying she'd deliberately obstructed the government until this point.
"Guess that settles the debt I owed that demon."
A sharp headache struck as she recalled her old rival—the one who'd saved Ha-yul from Robelia that day. But what could she do?
"Alright, rounds over. You're healthy, so check out whenever you're ready."
"Sure."
Leaving behind Yeon-hwa, who watched her curiously but wisely stayed silent.
"…Crown Theater Troupe, huh."
Aruel gazed quietly at the scenery outside, the spring breeze now carrying a touch of warmth through the slightly open hallway window. Her eyes grew distant, lost in memories.
"Contracts with demons never end well, Ha-yul."
She thought of the poor girl, no doubt dancing in that demon's palm right now.
No. This can't happen.
"…Stop it, please. I'm begging you."
I pleaded, staring at the horrific scene before me.
"Heh heh. Why should I?"
My plea fell on deaf ears; the man's voice—Bell's—was utterly cold.
"No, just… give me a little more time…!"
"No thanks?"
"Aaaah—!"
And so, I—
"Ugh. Sweet and sour pork is best with the sauce poured on, but eating it dry scratches the roof of your mouth."
"Hey, you bastard—!! I said wait until Seon-a brings the plate—!!"
—had to slump into my seat, glaring at the fiend who'd impatiently dumped a ton of sauce on the sweet and sour pork we'd just ordered.
"I was gonna dip it in ketchup!!"
How does someone even pour all that sauce the second I look away? Unbelievable.
"Eww, what? You already poured it?"
"Seon-a…!"
"Eh, I don't care if you pour or dip."
Not content with ruining the sauce, he was now stirring it vigorously with chopsticks to let it soak in evenly. I stared in disbelief at Seon-a joining in.
"Kyaa— Ptooey!"
"Ow, damn. That's gross, seriously… Ha-yul. Spitting in food is too much, even for you."
I'd gathered a mouthful of spit, thinking since I wasn't eating it anyway… maybe he'd choke on that. But no.
"Mmm— adding such a fragrant seasoning. Thank you, Miss Seon-a. I'll take this side, so don't worry."
"Wow, this guy's pretty crazy too. For real."
Bell picked up a piece smeared with my spit, sniffed it like savoring the aroma, then chewed it slowly. Chills ran down my spine.
A sinister grin spread across his face as he ate, those wicked eyes gleaming… and that's when I realized what I'd done.
"H-Hey… stop. I'll eat that, so…."
"Nah, don't wanna? In our line of work, this is a reward. Heh heh."
I'd forgotten. This creep… he'd openly declared my favorite magical girl as his top pick.
"Ha-yul. Give up. You should've known from how he acts normally."
Seon-a quipped that no one who still wore faded track pants from decades ago would be fazed by a little spit. She swiftly snatched a dripping piece before it fell.
"……."
I vowed to order sweet and sour pork separately next time. I used to be a guy, but after everything—and seeing that—I was starting to genuinely hate men.
"Oh, right. After we eat, there's something important to discuss, so don't get petty over this and storm off with the jjajangmyeon bowl."
Bell pointed at me with his filthy chopsticks. I quietly set down my spicy jjajangmyeon.
"What is it that you wanna talk about after eating?"
"Oh. Ha-yul, you were at your part-time job, so you missed it."
Seon-a seemed to already know.
"If it's not gross, spill now? I'm washing up right after."
I asked the guy inhaling jjajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork like he'd lick the bowls clean.
"We're moving. Tomorrow morning. First thing."
"Huh?"
No heads-up at all… wait, I was just crashing here anyway. Still, as he casually announced we'd move tomorrow like it was nothing—
"We've got tails on us♥"
—Bell beamed with the lightest expression imaginable. I dropped my heaping chopsticks of noodles with a splat and yelled.
"Tell me the important stuff first!!"