Seiren Is an Archmage

"Nooo! I'm not an archmage or a magic professor—I'm a magical girl! The guardian of justice who defeats the great ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠demon king and villains!"

"Thank you, Mi-sik-ga~"

"Ah, I'm a bit tired.... The happy-happy wink only comes out when my inner happiness power is fully charged."

"Aigoo, everyone. I'm not that materialistic."

Seiren's brow furrowed slightly as she glanced at the chat accusing her of grifting.

"Happy-happy wink~"

Seiren had already reached the realm of naturally coaxing donations. Well, she'd studied by watching other streamers—and since they were all cam girls, her grifting skills had improved especially well. Good is good, right?

"Everyone, that's it for today's stream."

She'd originally planned a lecture on magic circles to help dispel the Bukaksan magic array, but the villain had eaten up too much time.

"Well then, I'll be—"

She was about to close out when:

Seiren naturally knew Queen Genesis, the current #2 streamer on the platform.

"Whoa, Queen Genesis! Thank you so much for such a generous offer to a lowly magical girl like me!"

"I'll contact you separately after the stream ends. Thank you!"

And with that, the broadcast ended.

"Ugh, that was so tiring~"

"Good work."

I lightly stroked Seiren's head as she nuzzled into my chest.

"Hehe. More. Do it more."

"Aigoo, you did great. Aigoo, such a good girl."

I indulged her coquettish whims completely. She'd earned it big time today—plenty to spare.

"Wanna check how much we made?"

"Sure!"

I opened the earnings tab.

"Whoa."

"Jackpot."

3.5 million won. Donations exploded right after she took down the villain, raking in this much. It felt like a decade of pent-up frustration melting away. The collab invite from Queen Genesis was thanks to her too.... Honestly, part of me wanted her to go again.

"Should I reach out about the collab?"

"Hm. A collab sounds good, but does her concept mesh with mine?"

"Yeah, concepts are pretty different."

Queen Genesis was a former hunter. She'd retired as team leader of a major guild's dungeon exploration squad, and her content was mainly collabs with other streamers inside dungeons. A collab with Seiren would probably be in a dungeon too.

"But I can't enter dungeons."

"That's the issue."

Seiren's identity problem was tripping us up again. Unverified individuals—or more precisely, anyone without a DEP (Dungeon Entry Permit)—couldn't enter dungeons. DEPs were issued to porters, mages, hunters, civil servants, etc., and only valid in their issuing country. They were also role-specific; you couldn't do or order anything outside your license scope.

The laws were strict because right after the world went to hell, too many people died in dungeons. No way to tell if it was monsters or people—and after multiple revisions and joint liability rules, deaths dropped. No need to spell out the main cause.

And Seiren, not even from Earth let alone Korea, obviously couldn't get a DEP.

To solve her identity issue, I'd looked into everything: asylum, refugee status, even posing as one of those occasional elf or morian subrace discoveries.... None viable. Amnesiac refugee was closest, but with Seiren's flawless demeanor? Impossible.

Impossible. Until a few days ago.

......It might work out after all. But too soon—better to watch and wait.

"For now, let's put the collab on hold."

"Okay!"

I canceled all streams this week. We'd made bank, and the villain smackdown aftermath was bigger than expected—every topic pulled aggro back there. Planning to lay low till the hype dies.

So Seiren and I went out for some R&R—a light date. Date meaning just catching a movie at the theater.

"That was fun."

"Really? Thought it'd bore you."

"Not at all."

Today's flick was the world's most famous magic academy movie. I nodded along to Seiren's excited chatter, leading her to a corner sofa in the lobby.

For some reason, she shot me a meaningful look and closed her eyes, but I pressed her shoulders down onto the seat.

"Tch."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Gonna hit the bathroom. Wait here."

"Got it."

Hehe. She looked up at me with a dopey grin. I fiddled with her cheek, suddenly swept by unease.

"Still can't hide it...."

"Hide what?"

What else? Your figure and aura.

Her outfit: boxy tee, Crocs, hat, mask. Bundled up tight now that people might recognize her from streams, but eyes still lingered. Not just me—tons of passersby, men and women alike, glanced her way.

Sigh, no hiding God-given curves. Hell, if I weren't with her, I'd stare too. Maybe baggy clothes next time? But then I pitied her. Why should she hide because of some personality-reset scum post-awakening?

Not worried she'd get hurt by trash like that. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Just prepping to avoid cops showing up and complicating things. For Seiren's sake, gotta fix her status quick, I vowed inwardly.

"Seiren. Sorry. I'm over-worrying, making you hide that pretty face."

She rubbed her head against my stomach.

"I don't mind if others can't see my face. As long as Lee Hyun can, I'm happy."

So sweet. I hesitated, then took off her hat. From leaving the apartment door to now, post-movie, she'd kept mask and hat on. Mask stays for any off-chance recognition, but hat? Corner of the lobby should be fine. Less stuffy this way.

Off came the hat; she looked up at me. I playfully ruffled her hair, then leaned to her crown.

"Sniff, sweaty scalp smell."

"Eek! What! Don't do that!"

"Kekeke."

I dodged her flailing cat punches.

"Bathroom run. Wait a sec."

"Hmph."

By the time I got back:

"Got a boyfriend?"

"Wanna hang with us?"

"We're fun."

Seiren surrounded by guys.

"Tch."

She ignored them, but these clueless idiots kept pushing, not getting that silence meant no.

Hat off and boom, this happens. I hurried over to yank her from the beasts.

But one staring hotly at her finally crossed the line—reaching for her shoulder.

Something boiled inside me; brain spun, plotting how to bite them all at once.

"Honeyyy!"

"Huh?"

"Honey?"

Blurted it out, then guilt hit late. Calling my half-daughter figure "honey"? Felt like taboo wrapping my limbs.

But no backing down. To Seiren watching, I pressed on.

"Honey.... Come here."

Seiren, who'd blanked the guys, suddenly got it, grinned wide, and ran to me.

"Honey, you called?"

"Let's go...."

"Ung. Hehe."

She clung to my arm like real lovers as we left. Glanced back: dumbfounded faces.

......A twinge of triumph, but I played it cool.

Once they were out of sight:

"Seiren. Can unlink arms now."

"What'd you say? Honey?"

"......"

"Unlink arms."

"No."

"......Fine."

That day, till we got home, Seiren kept calling me honey. Real awkward.