Under the Lamp? (4)
In the restaurant, the TV news had been looping the same story about me since morning until now at lunchtime. It was all just digging dirt on me.
The old professors and such were just spouting off, pointing out how wicked and wrong my actions were.
Of course, the actual public opinion seemed a bit different from those lofty thoughts.
I didn't care at all. But the girl sitting right next to me, Kim Su-jeong, watching the TV intently seemed a bit different.
"Still... you killed bad people. There must be people who like you."
"People who hate it when order is disrupted."
"Order...? That order only favors the ones it sides with."
She was munching on her rice with a dark voice and sighed.
Despite not knowing my true identity, she was subtly shielding me, which made me think she really believed I was in the right.
"Interesting."
I put the spoon in my mouth and chuckled. Most people who liked my actions called them "sassy" were young people.
But kids like her seemed to think the opposite.
"So, what do you think, teacher?"
Curious, after finishing lunch, I asked our homeroom teacher, Lee Sun-young, about me—no, about Magical Girl Takilas.
After all, this institution was related to magical girls.
"Uh...?"
She flinched at the sudden question. Then she rolled her eyes, as if pondering the answer.
"Hmph! She is indeed a magical girl who slays evil, but killing is bad. So... she's doing something wrong."
"But if not, bad people would commit bad deeds again."
"Th-that's true... No! There are many people who go to jail, get reformed, repent, and ask for forgiveness."
The teacher, sweating at Kim Su-jeong's words, was flustered, trying to explain. Anyway, this was a good opportunity to see the educator's perspective.
"Then, wouldn't it be better to become kinder? You don't have to kill, and the performance points are earned just fine."
Ren, who had been baited, saw her chance and started heckling me. While the two weren't looking, I kicked the guy in the shin with a "pfft" laugh.
It was indeed a bit excessive.
But with everyone poking at me like this, I didn't want to hold back anymore. In my values from 100 years of Demon Realm life, every action in this society was a challenge to me.
"Anyway, today I'm going to talk about your treatment. The administrative processing is all done."
At that moment, Lee Sun-young cleared her throat to get attention, and only then did she reveal the main point of her visit.
"First, you'll be going to school."
"Black high school?"
When the word "school" came out, I immediately brought up the black high school I had thought of earlier. I couldn't attend school with middle school kids at my age.
"...Middle school is compulsory education. And according to the facility's policy, you must go to school. School isn't just for studying. It's a place to interact with friends and develop social skills."
Lee Sun-young, surprised, widened her eyes and shook her head. I clicked my tongue inwardly. I had thought it wouldn't work, but my mouth still tasted bitter. And I wondered if I had been too hasty in settling in. This wasn't the freedom I wanted.
"The middle school you'll be attending is Seowon Middle School nearby, and you'll commute with other kids, so prepare to arrive on time."
"...Yes."
Kim Su-jeong's voice was small. The reluctance to go to school was clear.
" Jin-ah, what about you?"
"Of course."
But Lee Sun-young's arrow was aimed at me. It seemed she had really targeted me. So I laughed exaggeratedly and nodded.
Satisfied with my answer, Lee Sun-young told us to wait a moment and left the room.
"School..."
"Why? You don't want to go to school? I don't either."
"R-really?!"
I had casually thrown out a line with a laugh, but Kim Su-jeong brightened up and grabbed my shoulder. A bit startled, I pulled her hand away and changed my expression to serious.
"The reason I don't want to go to school is because I hate that noisy, childish space. But you don't seem to feel that way?"
"That's..."
"Hah, be honest. What happened at school?"
I reluctantly asked for the story. After all, we were roommates living together, so I should at least care.
Eventually, Kim Su-jeong, peeking and mumbling, spilled the past incidents.
"They teased me, hit me... I couldn't resist. When we fought together, the parents of the kids who fought back came and slapped my cheeks repeatedly. But I had no one to come and stop it or get angry for me."
"Teacher? No, never mind. You met nothing but crappy humans, huh."
The best ability? Money? Looks? Luck? I didn't think so. The best was simply meeting good people.
"Frankly, I didn't learn much. More than addition and subtraction, learning the correct way to do laundry helped more."
"That's a myopic view, but you had no choice at the time. Anyway, you have to go to school."
After hearing the story, I declared it. Leaving aside the bad memories, to survive in this society, you need at least minimal qualifications.
"Yeah. I'll go. But this time, since you have me, it'll be okay."
But contrary to what she said, Kim Su-jeong nodded obediently. My eyebrows twitched at the answer.
"I'm smaller than you?"
"Still, you look pretty... strong. And with friends, it'll be fine."
She said it with pure eyes, without the slightest hesitation. It left my words stuck.
"...When purity penetrates everything, it happens. Quite a sharp insight."
Ren, sitting on the bed, muttered.
"Kyaaak!"
Knowing she was just muttering to look cool, I casually threw myself onto the bed and pinned her with my butt.
"This is your school uniform. Wear it properly?"
Lee Sun-young, who had disappeared, came back with clothes. I received them with a hesitant face. I was wearing the outfit that showed my legs and belly, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way.
To check the size, she urged me to try it on, so Kim Su-jeong and I changed into the school uniform.
"The size fits. Both look great on you."
A plain white blouse, red vest, red checkered skirt.
And a red ribbon was the school uniform. Lee Sun-young checked a few things and left the room again.
"Really going to school."
"So go to bed early. That way you can wake up refreshed like today."
I said with a chuckle. This morning, Kim Su-jeong, who had slept well thanks to my power, had never experienced such easy sleep before, and I had marveled at it.
Of course, I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight either. I had to review the ledger I had spilled last night.
The list was of stores doing illegal business, with detailed information. For example... the names of the girls working there. I found one familiar name on that list.
I couldn't understand why she had shown such restless behavior, but now I knew for sure.
"You don't plan to kill that kid too, right? Whether it's the seller or the buyer, they're the same."
[But there was a difference in the evil I saw... I should listen to the story. Or rather, why do I have to peek? If I want to save, save; if I want to kill, kill.]
I sneered at Ren's words. I'm not some executioner or judge; do I need to kill and save based on rigid criteria?
Just do as I please.
So that night, I flew into the sky.
The music of the clacking dance beat echoed in the late night sky.
This street was only for entertainment and debauchery. Unfortunately, in this perfect and beautiful street, there were plenty of guys who had to die by my hand.
"Uh, uwaaaak! Magical Girl!"
"Code Red! It's Takilas!"
Unlike yesterday's accidental intrusion, the aggro was pulled from the start. When I landed on the ground, the screaming people started running away in panic.
Seeing that, I felt a bit unjust. I don't kill innocent people.
"If not, there are too many things that sting?"
I chuckled and waved my hand, scattering shadow blades. The three idiots who tried to block me were cut in half at the body and neck simultaneously, blood spraying as they fell.
"You said you don't kill if there's no sin?!"
I moved the shadows and smashed through the door into the interior.
The inside was already in chaos. People had gathered in the only narrow emergency exit, trying to flee.
"This is going to be a total extermination in one go..."
"Haaat!"
Just as I was about to extend my tentacles toward them, some guy rushed at me from the side.
"Kuk!"
"Who are you? Your strength... isn't at the level of normal people."
It was a young delinquent with a sharp face who tried to punch me in the face but was blocked by the shadows wrapping my body.
The guy gritted his teeth and pulled back his fist and kicked.
The kick that hit exactly my chest had the power to cause shockwaves.
If I were a normal kid, it would have crushed my ribs and burst my internals.
"Interesting?"
"Kyaaak!"
I pierced the tentacles I spat out and nailed the guy's limbs to the wall.