A Mother’s Vow – The One-on-One Challenge
Yeah, thanks.
「What, that’s nothing. I didn’t do much editing.」
“I don’t even know what’s been cut from the original video.”
「Don’t even joke about that. I was so angry while watching that I couldn’t edit properly. Take this chance to fix that short-tempered kid, Aquamarine.」
“You’re her subordinate… anyway, I can just leak this to the reporters and make Aquamarine offer a one-on-one match, right?”
「Yeah. But do you really have the confidence to win?」
Eve still doesn’t know.
I’ve learned a new skill.
I’ve equipped the Echo Bat that’s part of Bespredel’s new form.
I’ll restrain Bespredel with that, then close in and drain her magic while crushing with the bat.
Operation name:
Surround her, then smash her with a bat!
It’s shockingly simple and clear.
「Yeah. Then the reporters are going to see me burn…」
“Hold on a second.”
I thought of a more impactful method than calling the reporters for a press conference.
That was today’s morning.
Late afternoon, and the time to head home was finally approaching.
Only then did I prepare to leave the house.
“Where are you going, unnie? You can’t just take me along?”
“Yeah, no way. I’m going to play with Cabe for a bit.”
I finally put on a suit I hadn’t worn in forever.
It had been since the time I went to meet the tax accountant and labor consultant… the first time in this one.
I even matched the shoes.
From now on, I won’t fit well in anything else.
“I’m really sad lately because unnie doesn’t call me anymore…”
Sohee had put on a heartbreaking expression as if she was about to cry.
No, I’m not going anywhere.
More importantly, she’s not calling me. If anyone heard that, they’d get the wrong idea, right?
“Everyone will misunderstand, Sohee. I’ll be back soon. Take good care of Cabe and Bespredel for me, okay?”
“Are you really not taking me?”
Sohee kept clinging to me unusually today.
I’d take her if it were usual, but today was impossible.
It was something really important that needed careful handling.
“Sohee, where is the place where I can rest most comfortably?”
“Isn’t it your arms?”
What the hell is that!
“…No, not that. I mean the location. The place.”
Sohee tilted her head at my words.
I can’t tell if she’s actually enjoying this or just following the script. She’s impossible to tell apart.
“Is it home?”
“Right? Then is guarding the place I’m coming back to a trivial task or a serious one?”
“Ohh!”
Only then did Sohee seem to understand my meaning and let out a cheerful exclamation.
Her face brightened, so she must have gotten it.
…Am I really that bad at explaining things?
“Sohee, because I trust you, I’m asking you to guard the place I’m going to. Got it?”
“Was that what it meant?! This Dan Sohee will guard unnie’s place with my very life!”
Sohee’s straightforward personality was truly a blessing.
I wanted her to guard the house well, since Cabe would be there too.
I left the entrance, took the elevator, and after just a few steps from the first floor I reached the taxi stand.
There were plenty of cars leaving Seoul, but not so many coming in.
But taxis were everywhere, so it was actually easy to hail one.
“Take me to Samseong.”
“The traffic will be heavy, right?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
The taxi pulled away and I leaned back, closing my eyes.
Alright.
Now let’s organize the plan.
After getting out of the taxi, we’ll be in front of the broadcasting station.
First, enter the entrance.
“-nim? Hand—”
Someone called for me desperately.
I blinked and saw the taxi driver staring at me with an bewildered expression.
“D-did we arrive?”
“Yes, Samseong.”
“Ah… yeah… thanks…”
After paying with the card and getting out, I felt a little chilly despite the light sleep.
The sun had already set and darkness had fallen on the street, but in front of the broadcasting station where I stood, the bright lights still shone and countless people came and went, turning the place into a bustling night scene.
Alright, time to go.
The USB in my bag. Good, no problem.
The files on my phone. Good, no problem.
Just in case, the large-capacity email I sent to myself. Good, no problem.
I was fully prepared.
I walked confidently toward the broadcasting station.
Of course I was turned away by the security guy.
“No ID, no appointment, how do you expect to get in? Get out before I call the police, miss.”
“You’ll regret it later.”
“Regret comes when you let her in, so get out. Shh, shh!”
Why is he chasing away a neighborhood puppy?!
Well, I’d expected this kind of thing anyway.
“Okay. Just let go.”
Just in case I tried to rush in, I tapped the security guy’s hand, which was holding the hem of my clothes, to make him let go, then walked to the middle of the lobby.
“Ahem. Hmph.”
Yeah.
If I was going to be stopped, I’d stop them big time.
Huff.
I took a deep breath.
“Everyone, look here!”
My voice echoed loudly through the broadcasting station lobby.
The noisy lobby instantly fell silent.
The gazes slamming into me were quite piercing.
I clenched my earrings tight.
“I am the boss of the Mogumogu-dan—the
Mother! ”
Hey, I can’t have my lines cut off like that.
Anyway.
“I have words I want to convey to these insignificant humans, so I have come here in person—
“Come here, come here!”
Hey, hey, wait, wait!
To prevent me from slipping away, people grabbed my collar and pulled me helplessly into the broadcasting station.
The security guy stared at my scene with a bewildered face.
See?
I told you I’d regret it.
I lifted the steaming coffee cup that was rising with white steam and took a sip.
Yeah, mixed coffee is definitely the best.
“We heard you brought the video. Could we see it first?”
“No. Make a spot for me when the news starts. If you don’t keep that promise, I won’t show it.”
“Is it news…”
The man who introduced himself as Yang Jong-cheol sat facing me with a troubled expression.
Of course he would be troubled.
If someone barged in out of nowhere, claiming they had a very precious video and demanding a broadcasting spot, they’d hesitate.
This was a gamble of my own making.
I could have done a hijack broadcast like the first time I went on air, but that was clearly an illegal method.
From now on, the means I was about to use needed to have legitimacy.
I had to make all the arrows of blame point toward Aquamarine through legitimate means and procedures.
“Okay. Let’s do that. By the way, the 7 o’clock news is in forty minutes. I’ll take the first slot for you.”
Is that even possible?
I hadn’t really expected it anyway.
“Yang Jong-cheol, right?”
“Yes.”
“Can one person really decide something like that?”
“I’m the head of the news department, so yeah.”
He looked so young.
A news department head is a pretty important person, right?
“There was something like that. Anyway, can you show the video now?”
“No.”
“You promised!”
“I’ll give it to you just before the broadcast starts. Don’t worry. It really is a scoop.”
Almost exclusive, right?
A battle scene inside the other world, plus Aquamarine’s attempt at child abuse and kidnapping as vice president of the Magical Girl Association.
Where could you find footage like that?
Once it aired, the viewership would skyrocket.
“Um… okay. Then I’ll definitely keep the promise.”
“Yeah. You can trust me.”
“Yes, then I’ll assign you a waiting room. Wait there, please.”
Following the guidance, I was moved to the waiting room.
There was a fridge in the corner and a small sofa, so I moved over, took out a cola, and sat down.
I didn’t even undo the transformation.
Eve had once said it wasn’t uncomfortable not to undo it, and that was true.
It consumed magic to keep the transformation on, but in my case the natural recovery seemed to far exceed the consumption.
Still, it was a bit inconvenient to maintain the transformation.
People would recognize me, and it would be annoying to fiddle with it.
“Mother-nim~”
“Yeah.”
“It’s time to get ready to go~”
Without knowing the woman’s name, I stood from my seat.
I briefly undid the transformation, took the USB from my bag, placed it on the table, and transformed again.
Undoing the transformation all at once would release everything I was holding, so that was inconvenient.
“I’m going.”
I slowly started walking and opened the door.
“This way!”
I followed the energetic woman’s voice.
Each step echoed down the hallway as people around me couldn’t stop staring.
Well, I was used to it by now. It wasn’t weird at all.
The heavy soundproof door was opened by the woman with some effort.
“Is this the way in?”
“Yes! Ah, the director said to pick up the file…”
“Ah, that. Here.”
I handed over the USB I was holding and walked into the studio.
The lighting was now quite familiar.
There were several cameras set up around, and the people gathered in a circle looked startled when I entered.
The prompt indicated my seat.
The central seat. Multiple cameras pointed at me at once, and I walked slowly, deliberately making my footsteps loud, and sat in the designated spot.
I looked around.
People stood in a circle, watching quietly to see what I would say.
No script had been given in advance, and the prompt was completely blank.
It was fine.
I had thought about it a lot, so I’d just do what I planned.
I took a deep breath.
This time I wouldn’t bite my tongue.
I had already thought out the lines.
This time I wouldn’t forget them.
A countdown appeared on the prompt, and the message to start was displayed.
I paused briefly.
“I am—”
Good.
Start was good. The pronunciation was good too.
“The boss of the Mogumogu-dan, Mother. But I am not here as the boss of the Mogumogu-dan.
Last time, the battle between the Mogumogu-dan and the magical girls that took place at Pan-gyo Station. Many people must have seen that battle.
It was my first victory after I became the boss, the Mogumogu-dan’s victory after ten years, and the magical girls’ defeat after ten years.”
Here, take a pause.
“However.”
Take a pause again.
“I am the magical girl—especially—”
《
「—Aquamarine. I want to ask you something.」
The Mother on screen spoke with a rather solemn expression.
“President, are you okay?”
“What?”
Seonbal, the magical girl who investigates and plots.
Yoran, the magical girl who fakes and manipulates.
Baekhwa and Yoran, the twin sisters, were prostrating together, looking up at me with somewhat uneasy expressions.
“Even though Aquamarine made a huge mistake, if this happens, the Magical Girl Association will become a target for attack and criticism…”
「Watch this video.」
Baekhwa and Yoran didn’t know.
That I was the one who actually edited the video.
「I wonder if you were that happy watching your mother mourn the suffering of her daughter. Aquamarine. Is your sense of justice showing your child suffering to their mother?」
“Well, of course they’d get attacked.”
“It’s really concerning. This is going to be a Buddhist scandal that even the Buddha would be shocked by, President.”
“That’s right. It’ll happen like that. But Aquamarine has to get hit pretty hard even like this.”
Since magical girls appeared, humans have had no way to oppose their immense power.
Especially in Korea, the only two S-class magical girls.
Miracle Princess Eve.
Shining Princess Aquamarine.
I still have the minimal principle of protecting humans, but Aquamarine had none of that.
She seemed to be the type who wanted to protect money so much that she demanded excessive compensation and perks, even repeatedly suppressing and plundering other magical girls.
Despite receiving my definition enforcement several times, Aquamarine still acted exactly the same way.
“…Aquamarine really needs to be hit hard.”
At my words, Baekhwa and Yoran only lowered their heads with gloomy expressions.
“How’s Frilly?”
“Lady Evangeline is discharged, and Frilly is still hospitalized in the recovery room.”
“She’s expected to be discharged in about three days. The damage from electrocution is severe, but… she says she’s fine. Her durability is as unyielding as it could be even in this atmosphere…”
Why can’t I stop hearing weird, non-Korean words? Tsk.
「—Now, go for real. I’m struggling too, I can’t hold on anymore.」
Thud! With a sound, a vein flowed down Aquamarine’s forehead on the screen.
And Aquamarine’s body gradually disappeared.
Forced evacuation.
“Well, how is it?”
“That wolf… the Shin-sarang, Cabe… is she really my daughter?”
“It’s truly touching… a mother who accepts a wolf as her child.”
“Isn’t it that you have to give birth in pain to have children? You can have children even if you give birth with your heart.”
The Mother in the video stared straight at the screen and continued speaking with a monotonous tone.
She stood with her shoulders straight and her upper body upright as she spoke, and she really looked beautiful.
「So, I will make a proposal here. Aquamarine, as the name of a mother who almost lost her child, I challenge you to a one-on-one battle alone with me. I will return the pain your daughter received, the sadness and anger I received, a hundredfold to you.」
“Nice. So all mothers with children will side with Mother. Aquamarine is now a dead woman.”
“Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine. The Magical Girl Association has always been about power since its creation. If you’re mad, challenge me. I’ll take it anytime. Aquamarine crossed that line, and now if she fights me one-on-one…”
If you accept the match—
Even if you win, it won’t be a trophy.
Even if you lose, it’ll be embarrassing.
If you don’t accept the match—
It’ll be embarrassing either way.
“What a foreigner. What’s the name of this wager?”
Alright, what are you going to do, Aquamarine?
You can’t refuse, and whether you win or lose, this fight is one-sided. What are you going to do?