Pure Water's Flavorful Debut

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"S-sorry……."

It had been a little over an hour since I turned off the video and audio to check on the egg. No wonder the viewers were fragmented. The chat's mood had erupted big time for the first time in ages. A level of intensity I hadn't seen since the mascot outing reveal. And unlike the old days of straight-up curses and anger, this was pure sarcasm. In some ways, even more serious.

"Hawa… Everyone. Innocent Lily will apologize alongside unnie too. Please calm your anger now."

That's why I had no choice but to call in relief right away. Su-yeon, the powerful helper known as the debut of the new magical girl Innocent Lily. We had literally just contracted, so I hadn't planned to push her. But this kid's got a different vibe. She transformed and was like, "Now I can crash the cam stream!" and seemed to be enjoying it.

"O~hohohoho. 'Was there?' doesn't matter at all. A world without updates is boring, right? This Innocent Lily is a magical girl who was just born! O~hohoho!"

Look at her tension skyrocketing. With her introduction boldly showing her transformed self on camera, the chat's attention locked in.

"Yeah. The egg. I was late because I had to oversee this junior's contract."

I slipped in an excuse during the gap. My regular viewers seemed to have guessed from the earlier situation anyway. But with way more new inflows, I needed to explain for the ones who didn't know my live-in junior, soon-to-be protégé, and regular guest 'young lady.'

Thanks to that, the situation resolved easily, despite the heavy mood. Most of the inflows were foreigners who softened at the mention of a new magical girl. The minority regulars rode the wave. Once the overseas inflows calmed, the intense vibe scattered like it was a lie.

"This Lily is the magical girl of purity! She uses magic that handles such clear water."

"O. She's good at it."

Su-yeon manifested her magic quite skillfully. Water gathered in a round orb above the fan she pulled out. Even magical girls need an adjustment period at first… Is this just innate talent?

"I observed unnie using magic."

"Aha."

"Hey now. As long as you don't get caught, it's fine."

Then, Lee Jeong-ah's question flowed into the chat.

"Kong is Innocent Lily's contractor, Inari-kong."

"Yeah…? It's a fox."

Exactly, it reminded me of the old one. This guy was a solid single-color with a bluish aura, unlike the pure white patterned one here. Eyes blue instead of red. But it still popped into my head.

"Hey. Don't slander."

I only borrowed him for a bit. And I definitely got Su-yeon's permission.

"You didn't get my permission though, kong."

"Ack."

But like he was waiting for his chance, Inari grumbled and leaped out of my arms. He played along earlier, but guess it was temporary.

"Hmmm. Can't be helped. …How much ad time left?"

"According to the schedule, about an hour?"

"Plenty left."

Maybe because of the 'show peace' concept. The long ad slot still had time left even after burning some in the middle. Hmm. Anything else to show? Sliced up a gate, showed the timer, went to the otherworld, flamboyantly wrecked monsters…

"Since it's come to this, w-wanna do a debut fight, Lily?"

Couldn't find a good idea, so I sent up an SOS. Chats flooded from regulars like "gonna rice-farm with a guest?" and foreigners curious about the new magical girl. Solid aggro.

"Eh. Lily's not combat-oriented?"

"What."

An unexpected declaration left even me flustered. She acted so ferocious from the egg hatching, but post-transform, non-combat? "I could fight if I had to," Su-yeon said, tilting her head. Magical girl traits have infinite applications depending on use. But there's always a field that fits best. If she feels 'not for combat,' it's probably true. She'd been avoiding fights before. Now as an official magical girl, not scared, but still reluctant. Well, she has baseline power anyway. She'd be strong if ordered. But no need to force a kid who doesn't want to.

"Not sure yet?"

"First transformation and all."

Even intuitive magical girls can't grasp their concept instantly. Pretty impressive for a debut, honestly.

"Can't be helped. New material's done, let's just patrol some gates."

If it fits perfectly, maybe find a gate that vanishes an otherworld. Haven't shown that yet. The ad wrapped up pretty blandly like that.

After the world hastily flaunted a bit of peace relying on the tower. Thankfully, things stabilized quickly. Magic to scout deployed gates. Clear deadlines for safe clears. Awakeners grown stronger climbing the tower. Rewards hailed as miraculous. They synergized beyond expectations, drastically cutting gate damage. Even after the tower's trial period ended and the 40-hour grace vanished. Probably because adaptation to otherworldization was complete by then. Of course, still incomparable to pre-gate disaster. But after the worst, anything less gets shrugged off. Plus, gates started yielding new 'profits.' In some ways, better than pre-disaster. On a day when the scales tipping to despair balanced out.

"So, what was her trait exactly?"

"…Hmm. You didn't come as an agent today, right?"

"Nee? Of course not."

I answered Seong-yoon's question—which had been absent for a while—with a question. I don't usually suspect ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠juniors. But honestly, I'm a bit sensitive now.

"Here, have some coffee."

The cause was obvious: Su-yeon, transformed as Innocent Lily, brewing coffee. More precisely, the concept she'd embodied since that day. The issue was her power's direction.

"Thanks. But is it that dangerous?"

"Dangerous… or something."

Seong-yoon looked shocked at my attitude.

"Lily thinks it's fine~ With unnie here, what could go wrong?"

Su-yeon, spending way more time transformed than normal lately, fanned herself with a twirl. No. This kid. Planning to stay like that forever? No independence plans?

"Like a kangaroo pouch or something?"

"…I spoiled her too much. Tsk tsk."

Even after she officially became a magical girl, I said stay if she wanted. But now she won't even look at her own home. I kinda sensed it when cohabitation dragged on longer than expected without issues. Just way more intense than imagined.

"Ehh. Does unnie want Su-yeon to leave?"

"Not that far."

I reached out to Su-yeon, who had sprawled on the floor and rested her chin on my knee, whining. She purred under my head pats. Seong-yoon nodded, sipping coffee.

"What's that nod mean?"

"Means I get it… Eh?!"

She widened her eyes mid-sip.

"This is real?"

"Touching true story. You get my dilemma now?"

Yeah. I was shocked too at first.

"No way. Water that applies buffs…"

The message popped up next to a stunned Seong-yoon. Even that shares with others? Weirdly high freedom in odd spots.

"That's why she's non-combat? Can't even imagine from the transform name…"

Pure Water. The concept alone doesn't hint at direction—too broad. Just emphasizes attribute purity. Innocent Lily fits too. So no wonder the surprise at this unexpected path.

"No wonder you're so cautious, sunbae."

"Yeah."

Who'd guess the water she generates infuses abilities. Similar to my concept in a way. Problem is her magic's broad and semi-permanent. Purification, buffs, healing. 'Pure Water' effects are diverse, potent, low-maintenance once made. Effects persist even if she cancels, once applied or processed. Especially since she cleared tower trials with 'cooking'? Food forms amp effects further.

"Dream of top chef not far off."

"…No. That's not the issue."

Real problem: A power the whole world would covet, totally different from mine.

"Can't really hide it."

"Dilemma. Unless she ditches magic entirely."

If contracted or caught by gov/orgs, who knows. Maybe powers would've manifested differently. But as is, she'd be a water purifier, not a pure magical girl. Common in otherworld—alchemists contracted/enslaved, not magical girls. Why okay for them? Prism rescued 'em pronto.

"Scary what happens if separated from you."

"That's why basic combat training first."

No plans initially. But with otherworlds, gaps could form. Minimal force means she holds till I help.

"Hawa… Combat…"

"Seriously. Oh, how'd you know food amps it? Nobody cooks with magic water."

"…Sigh. Our junior doesn't know."

Regular magic water sucks for food. High-purity attribute opposite.

"Boosts flavor massively."

"Eh."

Like upgrading ingredient quality. Similar to why mana-infused monsters taste better than normal animals. Hero party days, everyone slaved to melt my ice for water. Su-yeon just snaps pure stuff out.

"Tried it in cooking, and boom."

"Ehh."

"Also, fire for you too?"

Fire attributes grill ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tastier than normal charcoal. Drawback: needs direct flame.

"Eeeeeng."

Seong-yoon, veteran of monster meat struggles, fainted (pretended) on the spot.

…That dense?