Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Gonna Cause Some Trouble
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Clink, clink.
A man with pale skin and a tall frame, his face perpetually etched with exhaustion, unkempt stubble jutting out in all directions—he didn't fit the image at all, yet Bell moved busily about the kitchen.
"Miss Seon-ah. What would you like for dinner?"
He turned his head toward the woman lounging on the sofa where little Ha-yul usually sprawled out so cutely, and asked.
"Pasta."
"No sauce, so go buy some."
"Too bothersome."
"Then, since Miss Ha-yul might come home at a decent hour for once, how about some soybean paste stew... Huh?"
She had no intention of compromising on the menu from the start, brushing off his suggestion as she measured water into the rice cooker with the rinsed rice.
Vrrr...!
He'd only rinsed the rice and planned to throw on some video while cooking when his phone, left by the sink, vibrated faintly with a message.
"......"
A vague sense of foreboding washed over him as Bell dried his hands with a kitchen towel and hurriedly checked the message.
—I'm gonna cause some trouble
It was a text from Ha-yul, who should have been heading home by now.
"Haha... What a lunatic."
Should he be grateful she'd at least given warning before causing trouble? He could guess what kind of mess she was about to make... Bell just clutched the back of his neck, laughing in disbelief without a word.
Squeeze.
After much deliberation, the girl pressed send on the message and quietly stared ahead.
"......"
Reflected in her pitch-black eyes was the spot where, just moments ago, a bloodied Magical Girl had staggered but still managed a smile for the citizens who'd come searching for her before departing.
She had to hold back.
She was already being extra cautious. She'd even abandoned her old home and moved in a hurry. If it were just her, fine—but now she belonged to an organization. Impulsive actions weren't smart.
"Yeah... I know that full well."
But she was angrier than that. If she could just swallow this, she never would have chosen this path in the first place.
Transformation
A brilliant purple magic flared on the rooftop, viscous energy enveloping the girl's body... until the form known to the world as Robelia fully emerged.
Click.
Robelia's slender white hands gripped the hilt of a sword drawn from thin air.
"...Disgusting monkeys."
Her heterochromatic eyes—one black-tinged purple, the other plain blue—fixed on the dozen or so monkey-like rabble who'd been holding the bloodied Magical Girl, Mistia, back just moments ago.
Krunch...!
Her black boots shattered the rooftop as purple Robelia petals scattered around her.
"Huh...?"
"Ro... Robelia...?"
A chill wind suddenly blew, petals brushing their ears. The group looked around in confusion until their eyes landed on the beautiful girl with black hair streaked purple fluttering in the breeze—Robelia.
Chill...!
The playful, bright smile from before was gone, replaced by a chilling gaze that pressed down on them with intangible pressure, making even eye contact feel burdensome.
"S-Spare...!"
The man closest to her turned pale, trembling as he begged for his life.
Scraaape... clack...!
Robelia dragged her sword across the ground toward him.
"No need to worry. I won't kill you."
She looked up at the man standing before her and said.
Swoosh.
Her cold eyes narrowed as she reached out, lightly caressing his chest.
"...But it'll hurt like hell."
The man's body soared into the sky. An utterly unreal sight—but those watching knew Magical Girls made such impossibilities real.
Crack...!
With a flick of Robelia's soft hand defying physics, the man slammed into a nearby building's second-floor wall, cracking it before crumpling unconscious to the ground, twitching.
"A-Aaah... R-Run—!"
"Kyaaah—!"
Finally, their frozen legs moved, scattering like panicked ants. Robelia, a cold smile on her lips, pursued them.
Bang...!
But she'd moved too leisurely. As she grabbed her fourth victim to repeat the process, a gunshot rang out with a muzzle flash before her eyes.
"......"
It had aimed right for her forehead. Robelia's head tilted back slightly, a red mark blooming like she'd been flicked hard.
"Guhk...!"
She tightened her grip on the citizen's neck she'd held loosely like a shield and hoisted him up.
"That doesn't seem like a smart choice."
"S-Spare...!"
"Shut up, monkey."
Men in military uniforms now lined up before her... She hurled the woman at them hard.
"Citizen secured!"
The soldiers dropped rifles and shields without hesitation, diving to catch the flying woman.
"......"
But Robelia paid them no mind, slowly scanning the citizens she'd bloodied and shoved aside moments ago.
"Isn't it ridiculous?"
Once the soldiers secured the citizen and reformed their encirclement, she spoke calmly.
"You rush in so fast to save trash like this, but... why are you always late when it actually matters?"
Just before, after Mistia fought the Demonic Beast. If these soldiers had arrived sooner. If they'd controlled these monkeys so they couldn't grab the injured Mistia. None of this would have happened.
"Surrender! You're surrounded! Robelia!"
A man who seemed to be the commander bellowed through a megaphone. Robelia didn't hide her incredulity.
"Surrender? Surrounded? Mister, you serious?"
Did they really think this meager force could stop her? She had to scoff.
"Ha, seriously... I wasn't gonna laugh, but this is too much."
She was already pissed about letting half the monkeys escape, and now this blatant underestimation? Even she, used to such treatment, couldn't help fuming.
Bang...!
The next instant, another shot rang out... Robelia's head snapped back fully this time.
Drip...
Head tilted back, she wiped the blood trickling from her split forehead with her hand.
"...You fired first."
She released the magic power she'd been suppressing to avoid killing the monkeys.
Screee—!
Crisis Alert Devices across the streets flashed red in response... She readjusted her grip on the dragged purple sword.
Announcement to all citizens. This is not a drill. It is a real situation. Please remain calm and move to the nearest shelter. We repeat. This is not a drill...
The familiar siren wailed as the alert broadcast echoed around them. Likely triggered by analyzing her magic pattern as a registered threat.
Vreeee...!
Eerie purple magic surged outward, rampaging wildly as if ready to bisect everything nearby.
"......!"
A woman burst through the soldiers' ranks, making Robelia's eyes widen.
Transformation
Her voice carried on, lips gritted in frustration at this unforeseen development.
"You're Robelia, huh."
She gazed at the petite woman transformed amid golden light reminiscent of sunlight—now a Magical Girl.
"I'm Yu A-jin. My Magical Girl name embarrasses me now that I'm older, so call me by my real name."
Robelia recalled the kind adult demeanor this Magical Girl—A-jin—had shown, then sighed faintly.
"Pass. Magical Girl Helena."
Ankle-length white side-slit skirt, oversized golden dress draped over it, bright wavy blonde hair glowing. How could she not know? Back when Robelia—no, Seriel—had just become a Magical Girl, Helena was already famous.
"Heard you got caught trying to secretly exchange magic-made gold and retired."
"M-Misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding! That's not it!"
Her flustered reaction seemed genuine enough, but Robelia just assumed a stance in silence.
"Ugh, anyway... Guess I'll have to discipline a naughty kid like you."
And rightly so. No matter how ditzy Magical Girl Helena seemed, a long-retired Magical Girl stepping out among soldiers to face her meant one thing.
"Magical Girl Activity Support Division, Enforcement Section Magical Girl Helena. Commencing combat with traitor Robelia."