Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Hamburger
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After possessing a monster in the world of Rolling Magical Girl—Guruma for short—I've come to one realization.
"Ah, I'm hungry."
Monsters get hungry too.
Of course, as a Time Stop Monster, I could just freeze time and grab any food I wanted. But using such a power just to steal snacks? That feels kinda lame, right?
More than that, snatching food without paying goes against my conscience.
Unfortunately, unlike other monsters in these stories, I couldn't transform into a human. So I only had one option.
I can't just starve to death.
Head out like this and buy some food.
For some reason, there was even a wallet stuffed between my leg armor—or shell?—complete with ID. Plenty of cash too.
Got an identity and everything, but can't even use it.
Having proof of ID is great, but with this appearance, what was I supposed to do with it?
Anyway, bursting out like this would just scare everyone off. So I grabbed hold of time's flow once more.
"Hm, perfect."
The world froze solid.
The best part about being a Time Stop Monster? No limits on how long I could keep it up.
In the stopped time, I headed to the nearest burger joint.
Be as polite as possible.
With that in mind, I opened the door.
Then released time's flow.
"...?"
Time resumed, and countless stares converged on me.
Feeling them all, I greeted them as politely as I could.
"Hello, citizens. I deeply apologize for revealing myself like this due to unavoidable circumstances."
"K-Kh..."
Huh?
Someone's snickering? Kukuku or something?
Did I win them over already?!
Clutching my swelling hopes, I turned toward the sound. A schoolgirl was covering her mouth.
Finally, my efforts are paying off—
"It's Clok! Kyaaaaah!"
Fuck.
She wasn't laughing.
It was just the wind-up for a scream.
Starting with the schoolgirl's shriek, everyone in the shop erupted into chaos, running every which way. Things had spiraled out of control in seconds.
Customers fleeing in tears, a few cowering in corners filming me on their phones despite everything.
The most panicked? The staff, trapped behind the counter because the crowds had blocked every exit, emergency door included.
"Hm..."
Since the ones I needed were the staff anyway, I slowly approached the counter.
"Hiiik!"
"God Buddha Shiva Allah Zeus..."
"Please don't kill me please don't kill me please don't kill me please don't kill me please don't kill me..."
"Boxby? Write my will for Mom..."
"Fuck! I don't wanna die! Stay back!"
Sorry about this.
I'd only come out because I was starving, but now it felt like I'd done something awful.
Still, now that I was here, might as well grab one burger and go.
"Hello there, staff?"
I addressed the one in the middle.
"Hiiiik!"
The staff replied with a scream instead of words.
Desperate to clear the misunderstanding, I spoke politely and kindly.
"I tried to hold back as much as possible, knowing how you all might see me... but I just couldn't. Even a monster can't fight hunger."
"Hiiiik!"
"So, bacon—"
"Hiiiik!"
"W-We gotta sacrifice the maknae like bacon...!"
"N-No choice... Someone's gotta survive, so leave it to the maknae..."
"Tomato—"
"Hiiik!"
"Gonna dye it red like a tomato...!"
"Maknae, nooo...!"
"No, wait..."
I just want a Bacon Tomato Deluxe Cheeseburger.
"Seems like there's a misunderstanding. I have tastes too, you know? I only want something delicious."
"Hiyuuu..."
"If it fits his tastes, he'll eat it!"
"W-What do we do?! We don't know his type!"
"...Hyun-seok, you're obviously out. Lucky bastard...!"
No, this is getting worse.
If it keeps up, Comet's gonna—
—Boom!
"Like a comet to your heart! Magical Comet, arriving on the scene!"
She really came. First time in almost two weeks?
"A pleasure, Miss Magical Comet! I'm truly sorry for causing this commotion by accident. I just wanted to satisfy my hunger... and it turned into this."
"H-Hunger?"
"Even monsters get hungry... If you could just help me get what I want, I'll leave right away."
Everyone's too panicked to listen, so could you, magical girl, lend a hand?
That's what I was getting at in asking her for help.
But her gaze turned ice-cold in an instant.
"...You want me to offer up people to you?"
Huh? Does it sound like that?
I tried to correct the misunderstanding in a hurry, but Comet had already aimed her staff at me.
"Magical—"
"Piss off."
Before she could cast, I stopped time.
Can't just keep stopping time and running forever.
I came here for one reason: a hamburger.
Get the burger and leave. But if Comet shows up and I bolt again, the whole point vanishes.
So let's flip this misunderstanding with Comet to my advantage.
I ran through a scenario in my head, memorized the lines, then released time.
"—Blast!!"
A blue beam laced with sparkles surged toward me.
I could dodge by stopping time, but I had a plan, so I took it head-on.
—KABOOM!!
The beam hit, triggering an explosion.
Thick smoke filled the shop, obscuring vision.
"That has to be fatal!"
Comet shouted confidently from beyond the smoke.
Using Magical Blast must've worn her out, but she still sounded so energetic. Protagonist material.
Sorry to disappoint her, though.
—Tap. Tap.
"!! H-How...!"
"Ah, my cape got dirty. A clean look leaves the best impression..."
"No wounds..."
I waved the smoke away.
Seeing me unscathed, Comet broke into a cold sweat.
"Not a scratch...?"
Of course not. A Time Stop Monster's body shrugs off early-game attacks from Comet like this.
She's a bad matchup for me anyway.
Comet hits like a cannon—heavy single shots. Against time-stop? Useless.
If I were serious, the fight would've ended ages ago.
"...Return of the Light, then!"
"Won't work."
I brushed the dust off my cape and let it billow.
"Why deny it? Your attacks can't even scratch me."
I approached slowly and stood before her.
Our height difference was huge, so looking down cast my shadow over her completely.
"Magical Comet, let me give you one piece of advice."
"H-Hiiik..."
She'd lost all will to fight. Carefully, I raised a sharp hand over her head.
"Don't try to beat time."
"...Hic."
—Thud.
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed.
I left her there and headed back to the counter.
"H-Hiiik..."
"To avoid any more misunderstandings, staff."
I pulled a black leather wallet from my pocket and set it down.
"I'm starving and have plenty of money. Hurry up and bring something to sate my hunger. You've got a generous 20 minutes."
"Y-Yes, hiiik!"
Satisfied with the response, I sat in an empty chair to wait for my burger.
"Hiiiik..."
Staring holes into the still-screaming staff.
No phone, nothing else to do.
"...Cl-Clok!"
"Hm? What's up?"
About 10 minutes later, Comet staggered up and stood before me.
"What do I have to do?"
"Pardon?"
"What do I have to do to make you stop tormenting people!"
Face flushed with shame and humiliation, she shrieked.
To the fuming girl, I answered sincerely.
"My hamburger shows up. That's the answer."
"What kind of nonsense—"
Just as Comet started to retort.
"H-Here... y-your... hambur... hamburger... is ready..."
"Oh, perfect timing."
I stood and went to the counter.
But... the wrapper's huge?
"D-Didn't know what you'd like, so I made a Double Bacon Mozzarella Deluxe Double-Patty Chicken Burger..."
"Ooh..."
The name alone sounds like it'll spike my blood pressure.
But...
"I like it. How much?"
"N-No need for money, just please leave quickly...? I-I can't take much more..."
"Hm... How about this."
With precise movements, I pulled three 50,000-won bills from my wallet and placed them on the counter.
"Tip."
Gotta eat hearty.
Ignoring Comet's dumbfounded stare, I stopped time and bolted at full speed.
Back at the abandoned building I'd been holing up in, I released time.
—Pop!
"Huh?"
My viewpoint dropped a bit, and human arms entered my vision.
"...Fuck."
I can turn human after all.
Why didn't this happen sooner?