#MagicalGirl #Military

"……How the hell do I explain this."

I sat there blankly, clutching the tablet's observation screen with both hands. Kim Woo-jin's contract had been sealed. My second apostle—right on plan so far. The problem was obvious.

"Magical girl……."

I rubbed my eyes as I stared down at the tablet, but the words weren't going anywhere. Magical girl, transformation, unique magical weapon. The more I read, the more baffling it got—and the kicker was that the guy who'd drawn this #Tag was a twenty-five-year-old man. And that text at the bottom? That was the transformation line, right? Totally ridiculous…… Are you kidding me right now?

Kim Woo-jin hadn't noticed yet, it seemed. My head was spinning. And FEVER, of all things. Sub-tags? I didn't even know those existed. It hadn't triggered for Jin So-yul. Her #Regression was a one-shot deal anyway, so maybe no sub-tags needed—but this was the first I'd even heard of them existing.

"Military…… I'm losing my mind."

#MagicalGirl as the main tag, #Military as the sub-tag. No clue yet what combo that made, but ranged combat aptitude. Firearms and tactics skills. If Jin So-yul was my melee DPS, Kim Woo-jin was shaping up as ranged DPS. Party comp-wise, it couldn't be more perfect.

Except for that #MagicalGirl overlaying the whole damn thing.

"Ha, fuck. How am I supposed to explain this…… to him."

I stared at the tablet for a long while before tilting my head back. The flickering fluorescent light on the bunker's ceiling. I could message Jin So-yul right now. Something like, Observer of the 0th Dimension announces your second apostle. Observer of the 0th Dimension announces he's a magical girl…… Yeah, that'd do it. But…… how do you tell a guy he got a military magical girl?

"At least it's not a gender-bender…… thank god."

If it'd been #TS, he'd swap genders outright. Compared to that, #MagicalGirl…… Nah. It said transformation ability, so normal state should be fine. Probably. We'd see what happened when he transformed.

"Sorry, man……!"

More importantly.

"……Now I've got two apostles."

Apostle slots: 2. Low Grade promotion fulfilled. I pulled up the constellation info on the tablet. It'd said Lowest Grade just a bit ago.

My breath caught. Emphasis messages—up to two sentences. The exact thing I'd flailed over when I couldn't figure out why Jin So-yul was blitzing the tower. Emotion messages always compressed to some vague Observer of the 0th Dimension does something. But emphasis messages? Straight text, word-for-word. Like those dragon messages she'd gotten pre-regression.

"With this…… we can actually communicate."

Two sentences were plenty for me right now. Just the essentials. CP was the issue, though. No listed cost, but probably shop purchase. I opened the shop tab immediately.

"2,000 CP……."

I had 2,740. Unlocking emphasis leaves 740. Temporary tags at 50k? No chance. Decision was quick. Communication was priority—for new apostle Kim Woo-jin and Jin So-yul both.

CP down to three digits. But not the time to gripe. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Now, eyes back to Kim Woo-jin on the tablet. He was opening the hospital room door.

The hospital room on the tablet. Room 608. The moment Kim Woo-jin opened the door, the little girl on the bed whipped her head around. The face I'd glimpsed in free observation earlier. Kim A-rin. Pale complexion, IV in her arm. Her condition was obvious at a glance.

But the second she saw her brother, her eyes went wide.

"Oppa……? W-what happened to you?!"

"I'm fine, A-rin."

"No you're not! Blood…… you're bleeding, oppa……! Where are you hurt?! Why's it bandaged?!"

"I'm really fine."

"Liar! You always lie! Saying you're fine every time……!"

Kim A-rin's voice trembled, tears welling up. But Kim Woo-jin just perched on the bed's edge and gently brushed her hair.

"Just tripped or something. No big deal."

"Tripped and got that?! You're an idiot, oppa?!"

"……Yeah, idiot."

"G-good thing we're at a hospital……! Go to the ER now! Hey, I'm not hurting, you go first!"

"I had to come here first, so it's fine. Listen to oppa, A-rin."

"……Hic."

"Don't cry. Oppa will definitely make you better. No worries."

"You're the one I'm worried about……!"

Kim A-rin bit her lip, head drooping. Her shoulders shook—she was crying quietly. Kim Woo-jin just patted her back in silence for a while. With that arm where blood was seeping through the bandages.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠watched it all, gripping the tablet.

"A-rin."

"……Yeah."

"Oppa promises. There's medicine that can cure you."

"Medicine……?"

"Like a miracle cure-all. I'll get it for sure."

"……Elixir? I saw that online…… You serious, oppa? Is it real?"

"Real. I confirmed it myself."

"……Oppa."

"Yeah."

"You're…… really, really okay?"

"I'm okay. Everything's gonna be okay from now on."

Kim A-rin's hand clutched his sleeve. Still sniffling, but she nodded. Hearing "okay" hit me heavy in the chest. Scene I'd read a million times in webnovels. Character breaking themselves for family. Hits different when it's real—every time. Especially when "okay" meant grinding himself to dust.

Eventually, meds kicked in; her eyes drifted shut. Kim Woo-jin tucked her in properly before standing. He closed the door softly. Out in the hall, he leaned against the wall and let out a deep breath. The tough front he'd kept for his sister crumbled.

He looked up at the ceiling and spoke.

"……So, Constellation."

His voice echoed from the tablet. Aimed at me.

"Was this on purpose? A magical girl, really."

Question came faster than expected. Duh—of course. Who wouldn't freak seeing #MagicalGirl pop up? Especially a guy.

"……Embarrassed?"

"No, I mean…… I think it's ridiculous too. Didn't you assign it?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

A furrow creased Kim Woo-jin's brow.

"……Then who decided it? What the hell is this?"

"Constellation, I've got a ton of honest questions. Why'd I get this power? What's a constellation? Why's my body acting weird……"

Weird body? What? I quickly pulled up his apostle info.

Mana at 0.2—just pre-awakening levels, I guess. Clearing Tower Floor 1 must've given him a tiny bit. But the body thing nagged.

"Mana or whatever…… Feels like something's flowing through me. And the wounds…… they seem better than before."

"No shop potions or meds, but it's healing on its own, slowly."

Was it? Checked apostle info again—no auto-regen listed. #MagicalGirl effect, then? It mentioned unlocking a unique skill tree, so basic healing could be in there.

"……You think that's good?"

Kim Woo-jin stared at his open palm. The hand that'd been a bloody mess. Faint new skin peeking under the crusted blood.

"Constellation. One more thing."

"You said you can save my sister. How? What do I have to do?"

This was why I'd saved the emphasis message. One per day. No hesitation. Kept the mystical tone, gave him what he wanted.

His eyes shook. I watched every word sink in, crystal clear on the tablet.

"……I'll trust you, Constellation."

"Elixir…… so it is in the shop."

"Climb and buy it. You said you'd help. I'll…… do everything I can on my end."

Kim Woo-jin's voice quavered a bit. But not like the collapse outside her room. His eyes burned fierce now.

"……I'm fine. Like I said, wounds are healing."

"Yeah. Tonight…… I'll rest here. Outside the room at least."

Kim Woo-jin slumped into a hallway chair, facing her door. Her soft snores leaked through the crack, mixed with occasional coughs. I watched him start to close his eyes, listening.

He lifted his head slightly.

"……Thank you, Constellation."

Short. But different weight from Jin So-yul's thanks. Hers came after nine years alone, grasping salvation. His was a lifeline with his sister's life on the line. Heavier, inevitably.

But both dead serious. Same as always.