Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Too Many Monkeys Even If There Are Many
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It's nothing new, but I can't help thinking there are way too many subhuman monkeys in this world.
"……."
Spring had arrived before I knew it. Leaning against a fence that separated the sidewalk from the road, I quietly watched the monkeys scurrying about as always, amid winds that carried a faint warmth rather than just biting cold.
"...Gonna puke."
Lately, on weekends, I'd come out to Seoul for no particular reason, packed with crowds of people. Watching them made my stomach churn, but... it helped me tighten up my loosening resolve.
Those who took being saved by Magical Girls for granted. Those who treated Magical Girls like mere spectacles. Those who recklessly dove into danger just to try grabbing a Magical Girl's hand.
They were all utterly brainless. If these things were the same species as me, it filled my gut with an indescribable revulsion.
Bzzz...!
I pulled out my phone vibrating so hard it shook my whole body from my coat pocket... and stared at Bell's contact, which somehow always showed up as 'Cool Captain♥' despite me fixing it every time.
"...You bastard, what the hell do you keep doing to my phone?"
I spoke with utter sincerity, laced with a new kind of disgust—one I could only feel because my body had once been male—different from the loathing I'd felt moments ago.
-Straight to the point, huh? Too much, Miss Ha-yul.
"Who's too much? The one messing with someone else's phone?"
-Hey now, messing? It's a youth protection security program.
"Keep talking like that and you're begging to die."
Youth protection program, my ass. It's a malicious hacking tool.
"So, what's the deal? You know I'm in Seoul today."
-Ah, about that... Are you near Yeoksam-dong right now by any chance?
"...You track my location too, you creep?"
-It has a lost child feature, but this time I pinpointed you via the bracelet's signal.
At those words, instead of replying, I glanced at the bracelet on my left wrist... and fell silent, figuring something had gone down, waiting for Bell to continue.
-The Villain Alliance is scheming something over there today, so I recommend heading back early if possible. Avoid transforming if you can.
Villain Alliance. That brought back the face of the auntie from last time, making me smirk... when suddenly, far off in my view, a pack of monkeys started bustling about.
"Should've called thirty minutes ago. I'll head back on my own, so don't worry. Hanging up."
It seemed too late already. I ended the call while eyeing the massive magic power surge I could sense even without transforming.
Beep―!
Red lights flashed on the Crisis Alert Devices stationed around the streets, blaring the familiar siren wail.
-This is an announcement to all citizens. This is not a drill—it's a real situation. Please remain calm and proceed to the nearest shelter or evacuation center. Repeating: This is not a drill—it's a real situation...
Since it's been a while, maybe I'll spectate. With that thought, I wove through the panicked crowd fleeing every which way, slowly heading toward the distant commotion.
"……."
Sure enough, looking around revealed all sorts of human trash.
Some moved calmly to nearby shelters following the broadcast. Others headed straight for the chaos. Still others held up cameras with eager grins, pining desperately for a Magical Girl to show.
"...Am I just as bad, watching like this?"
A twinge of annoyance hit me. Even if it was for observation, the idea that I might look like those monkeys I despised... That's when I wondered if I really needed to scope things out this much.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going? It's dangerous!"
"Huh...?"
"Quick! Over here!"
Suddenly, strong hands yanked my arm... followed by the fluffy feel of a sweater against my face as it buried into someone's chest.
"Guh... Let... go...!"
Breath cut off, I desperately shoved at the stomach of whoever had grabbed me with both hands.
"Ah... Sorry. You okay? More importantly... your parents? No one you're with?"
She seemed to finally realize what she'd done, backing off with a hurried apology. This nosy— no, incredibly kind-hearted woman with a generous soul looked at me in surprise and asked.
"...No, ma'am."
Overwhelmed by her boundless kindness, I unwittingly switched to polite speech before correcting myself hastily.
"Then it's dangerous—come with me! Hurry!"
"Wait, hold... Whoa!?"
With no chance to respond, I was practically dragged—half-carried—to an underground shelter I'd never been to before.
"Don't worry too much. Once the bad Demonic Beast is gone, sis'll make sure to take you home safe!"
"...Uh, sure."
Too drained to reply properly, I leaned against the surprisingly cozy shelter wall... and slowly observed the others gathered there, huddled against walls and staring at the large monitors.
'At least being in here means they're better than the monkeys outside.'
Small mercy. Bell had asked me not to transform if possible, and I'd been slightly worried about losing it if I saw more ugly monkeys.
"It's a Magical Girl!"
"The Magical Girl's here!"
Turning at those shouts from the people watching the shelter's monitor—which was styled like some pastel-toned rest stop lounge, contrary to expectations...
"...Mistia."
There she was on screen: Mistia, standing before a purple amorphous Demonic Beast. Dressed in a black-and-white halved gown like she'd stepped out of a masked ball, her face hidden by a butterfly mask.
"Oh, you know Mistia?"
"Kinda... ma'am."
Right after, the same woman who'd dragged me here spotted me again, came over complaining she'd been looking everywhere, and hugged me tight.
"That's why... I'm not a kid like you think, ma'am."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-one."
"No way, liar."
Looking at her innocent eyes—clearly seeing me as some little kid—I realized I couldn't escape until we left the shelter. I let out a sigh of resignation.
"Oh, right. Late intro. I'm A-jin. Yoo A-jin."
"...Ryu Ha-yul."
Finally blurting out my name reluctantly, she loosened her grip a bit. Together, we silently cheered on Mistia on the monitor as she spread a swarm of dazzling black-and-white butterflies and vanished with Boundary Inversion.
"By the way, Ha-yul, why were you out there alone?"
"Just walking."
"Hey, short with your elder sis."
Still treating me like some neighborhood elementary kid, she scolded me with a mock stern face.
"And you, A-jin?"
"Me? Hehe... Don't tell anyone? I was slacking off."
"Working on a weekend...?"
"Sadly, weekends are a luxury for working adults. Right, Ha-yul?"
Should I be shocked she had to work weekends, or that she was slacking off anyway? Staring at her in disbelief...
"But it's fine. It's work I do because I want to."
With the gentlest smile, she said helping the world was enough reward. But shouldn't you not slack if that's the case? Still... she looked happy.
"Then, glad to hear it."
"Right?"
"But slacking's bad, isn't it?"
"But thanks to that, I met you."
The moment I averted my gaze from A-jin's shamelessly corny line...
"Mistia's out!"
"Can we go now?"
Cheers erupted again.
"It over?"
I glanced at the monitor, figuring I could finally head home.
"……."
What the hell happened? Mistia, who should've handled even a Ruby-grade Demonic Beast without issue, was staggering on screen, covered in blood.
Squeeze.
A-jin, who'd been hugging me, gripped tighter, eyes wide. I patted her reassuringly on instinct... as Mistia, barely holding herself up on the monitor, raised a shaky hand in a victory V.
Clap clap clap clap―!
For a split second... I doubted my own ears.
"Good job, Mistia!"
"Wish she'd finished a bit faster, but eh..."
Even through a screen, how could they clap and say that to a girl staggering, covered in wounds like she'd collapse any second?
"Everyone's too much. Even if she's a Magical Girl, seeing someone hurt that bad and..."
If A-jin hadn't muttered that scolding from behind... I didn't want to imagine what I'd have done.
"...Sorry. Gonna head out first."
"Huh? Wait... Ha-yul!?"
I bolted from the shelter to escape that nauseating sight even a second sooner.
"……."
Hiding in a nearby alley, I watched A-jin— who seemed to have followed me— frantically scanning from the shelter entrance. I muttered softly.
"Would've been better not knowing."
I'd thought shelter folks were at least above monkey level... but nope, most were no different from the ones outside.