The Precious Core
I followed my disorienting mascot senior somewhere, which left even the other mascots flustered. We soared through the clouds, and a massive building came into view.
"Come to think of it, I forgot to tell you the headquarters location when I was explaining things outside. Now that you're here, you got it memorized, right?"
"Yes."
Stepping inside, I saw countless teddy bears. Subtle differences in color and accessories distinguished each one.
"From now on, if you snag a Core or something big happens, just head roughly here. For now, I'm your mentor, so come find me first for most things. If it seems too big for me to handle, go to the 7th floor and fetch the Manager."
Senior immediately held out his smartphone.
"Here, my phone."
"Ah, sure."
I painstakingly saved my number on his phone.
"Senior, by the way, what's your name...?"
"Name? Who needs that? Just call me Senior."
"Pardon? But..."
"What's the big deal? You gonna be calling my name all the time? Or 'Senior' all the time? Just stick with Senior. Don't sweat it, don't sweat it."
Senior turned and flew off just like that.
"What're you doing? Hurry up and follow."
"Ah, yes."
Senior headed for the elevator and mashed the 7th-floor button.
"...Where are we going right now, sir?"
I couldn't hold back my curiosity.
"To see the Manager, obviously."
"Pardon?"
"You think snagging a Core is that common? Even one per year per person is damn good. But you waltz in with one like this—think I can handle that on my own?"
"...Is it that valuable?"
Gazes turned to the red gem fragment in my hand. The softly glowing Core looked just like a jewel.
"It seemed awfully easy to get, though..."
"Hah, listen to this guy. I snag 'em easy as pie, but everyone else here sucks so bad—makes me wanna puke."
"...No, that's not it."
It was half-true, but I kept my mouth shut.
Ding! The elevator doors opened.
In the spacious room stood a massive desk with just one figure behind it.
"Manager!!!"
Senior rushed forward.
Behind the enormous desk loomed an elephant doll, its long trunk and purple ribbon striking. The Elephant Manager.
"...Yes, I've heard the news."
The Elephant Manager had a sleepy, half-lidded expression. His speech carried a relaxed air, yet an intangible pressure emanated from him, impossible to approach casually. His size, several times larger than a normal doll, only amplified it.
"You're the new recruit who just joined, correct?"
"Ah, yes. That's me."
I hurried forward to the Elephant Manager.
"No need to be so tense. I called you here... purely to commend you."
"I see..."
"Indeed. It's not every day someone brings back a Core this easily."
The Elephant Manager extended his trunk.
"For now, let me see it. I'd like to inspect this Core with my own eyes."
"Ah, yes."
I hurriedly placed the Core I'd been holding into his trunk.
At that moment, the Elephant Manager's eyes snapped fully open.
"...It's intact."
He curled his trunk to bring it before his eyes, scrutinizing the Core thoroughly.
"Not the highest grade, but... ordinary Cores often get damaged in battle or lose their power. The longer the fight drags on... especially with biological types, they deplete their internal energy."
The Manager carefully set the Core on the desk. Its soft glow brightened dramatically, illuminating the room.
"Looks like you took it down pretty quickly. For a magical girl to handle it like this, she must've struggled quite a bit. Well done bringing it back."
"...I got lucky."
"Luck is skill, and time doesn't lie."
Tick-tock.
The clock ticked as the Manager raised a hand. Surprisingly, his doll hand had three fingers.
"The fastest record among our employees was one month—and that's the best I've seen since taking this position. You've shattered it."
"...Even a month sounds impressive to me."
I meant it sincerely. From what I'd heard, mascots weren't supporting magical girls—they were more of a hindrance. Sure, they served as scapegoats to some extent, but there were clear reasons they didn't hand over Cores.
"That's hardly impressive."
The Elephant Manager clicked his tongue.
"Tricking a freshly bloomed magical girl for short-term gains might look good now, but long-term? Pure loss."
"Ah..."
"That girl ended up dead because of it, and word spread—no contracts came our way after. Turned into a massive headache."
"I see."
The Manager shook his head and turned to Senior.
"Got nothing to say?"
"Huh?"
"I'm talking about you."
"Manager... even in front of the newbie, give me some face..."
Senior glanced at me awkwardly.
"...Yeah, that was me."
"Senior..."
My face stiffened involuntarily. Senior flailed his arms in denial.
"No, no! There's context...!"
"Anyway, per company policy, bringing a Core means rewards based on performance."
The Manager looked at me.
"What would you like?"
"...What can I get?"
My heart pounded. Effort aside, rewards were always sweet. I forced my lips not to twitch.
"Ah, right... you're new, so you wouldn't know. You didn't even explain this properly?"
"Ah, haha... I had a dispatch call..."
"Dispatch my foot—you were probably slacking off again. Feel some shame; showing your rookie side like this, what kind of senior are you?"
Bonk.
The Manager pulled a mallet from nowhere and whacked Senior's head. It caved in, then boing—snapped back.
"First off, we can promote your rank."
"...Rank?"
"Yes, performance merits a promotion, naturally."
"From staff to assistant manager, then?"
"Something like that. But I don't recommend it. You're still in probation; jumping straight to assistant manager would just cause confusion."
I looked at the Manager.
"...What do I get from a higher rank?"
"Your salary goes up."
"Salary... you mean?"
"Don't tell me you thought we'd live on the streets? Whether in the human world or here, you need pay to get by."
We didn't eat, fight, or sleep—did salary even matter? I wondered, but nodded slightly in understanding. Even undead needed something equivalent to sustain us.
"Beyond that, we can raise your grade."
"Grade... what's that?"
"It means the power you transmit to magical girls becomes stronger and more varied."
"Pardon?"
The Manager eyed me.
"Magical girls contract with us—with individual mascots—to gain power."
"Yes."
"How do you think that power reaches them?"
"Well..."
"Through us, beings from this realm. Your phone is just a display tool; without raising your grade, your power transmission stays stagnant forever."
It was like widening a hole in a dam. A small hole limited flow; a larger one unleashed more power at once. Even smaller amounts would transmit faster.
"Oh yeah, junior. You know you don't have to use our company's power? Other places offer it too."
"Pardon?"
Senior grinned slyly.
"Our company focuses on boosting personal power, but others... say, grant brand-new abilities, or amp up speed. Stuff like that."
"You...!!"
The Manager shot Senior a flustered look.
"What's wrong with that? He cleared it this fast—word's gonna spread in the industry. Better tell him now so he doesn't get ideas later."
Senior winked at me.
"So, junior, no biting on scout offers from elsewhere, got it?"
"Uh... yes."
I nodded blankly. How could I switch jobs without knowing options?
"...Speaking of, the human world dorm application deadline is today, I think."
"Pardon?"
"Ahem, and the Temporary Human Form trial might still be available..."
The Manager coughed and averted his gaze.
"...You forgot to mention company welfare too?"
"No way! I was gonna..."
"I'll handle it. Now go properly brief your junior—no more half-assing it."
Senior winked at me repeatedly, like I did good, right?
That's when it happened.
My phone blared beep-beep-beep-beep! Notifications flooded in the moment I powered it on.
"Ah, sorry, but it seems the magical girl is calling—I’ll take my leave first."
"Very well, do come back safely."
The Manager waved his trunk in farewell.
I immediately opened a human world portal and leaped through.
"...You came?"
Pink Star stood there, arms crossed, glaring. She didn’t look pleased. As I opened my mouth to ask why—
"This the mascot you mentioned?"
"Kinda my type? So cute~"
A crowd of colorful magical girls swarmed me from all sides.
One reached out to touch me.
"Hands off."
Grab.
Pink Star snatched her wrist. I tensed, fearing the mood would sour.
Luckily, the girl just made a fuss.
"Whoa, look at that possessiveness!"
"...I'm fine."
"Be quiet."
"...Yes."
I shut my mouth. Opening it more might just stoke the fire.
Then—
Crack! A sound like shattering glass echoed.
Turning, I saw a massive pig-shaped monster poking its head out in the distance.
"...You called me for that?"
"Huh? Oh, uh. Yeah. Right."
Pink Star flustered. Meanwhile, the other magical girls pulled out their mascots and eyed me expectantly.
"...?"
Ignoring them, I waited for my Status Window.
Ding!
Based on the rising info, I recited my strategy.
"Pig-type monsters charge fast forward but turn slowly. Juke with sharp curves to dodge easily. With so many people here, split into attack and lure teams... Huh."
I scanned around.
The magical girls stared at me blankly.
And not just them.
"...?"
Dolls, animals, objects—all mascots gawking at me too.
No, why are you lot...?