Chapter 11
Chapter 11
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Cold Ice Fairy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'To think she's this thrilled over a pair of glasses.'
Watching Neph bounce around in front of the mirror, Frost swallowed a bittersweet smile.
Of course, she wasn't unhappy about the arrival of a newbie like the other magical girls.
But before she could get all teary-eyed calling her "newbie pork" or whatever, worry came rushing in first.
People didn't know.
They had no idea how heavy a burden it was to contract as a magical girl at just eight or nine years old, barely more than a lump of flesh.
An age where emotions and reason hadn't fully matured.
An age oblivious to the world's cruelty, yet doomed to live a lifetime shrouded in lies.
At least Frost had her talent for acting. It was that talent that had gotten her through 25 years.
All that time, she couldn't show her true self to anyone or form deep bonds with others.
The world might love Frost, but it didn't love the "real me" hidden inside the shell.
'But this kid...'
The Neph reflected in Frost's eyes was a strange child.
Her appearance was far younger than Frost's, yet her gaze seemed deeper and more adult than Frost's own at nine years old.
Frost recalled what she'd said when choosing her concept.
"I don't have anything I want to do."
And their brief chat.
"I don't have clothes at home."
"I live alone due to circumstances."
Frost didn't know what life Neph had lived.
But for an eight-year-old to live alone, without even a single outfit at home, and no dreams to chase—it couldn't have been a smooth path.
'That's why I want to help her.'
Was it sympathy from shared pain?
She hoped this child, who seemed to carry a shadow like her own, wouldn't grow up as lonely as she had.
But that didn't mean Frost planned to bare her own red pill and get too close.
It would only become another burden for both of them.
"Um... Senior."
Neph hesitantly opened her mouth.
"Thank you so much. For the clothes and the glasses... You saved my life."
"No need to thank me. It's what a senior should do."
"But... somehow..."
She trailed off, fidgeting awkwardly.
The way she was drawing on the floor with her toes made it seem like something was left unsaid.
"Doesn't it feel weird to part ways like this? We don't know anything about each other."
'Ah.'
I know that feeling.
She'd received help and shared secrets. Inner intimacy had built up, yet she didn't even know the other's name, likes, or anything.
The strange emptiness from that.
The hollow letdown that, despite all the exchange, nothing tangible remained.
That's what Neph was regretting now.
'Such a pure kid.'
But Frost was all too familiar with this emptiness. And she knew that crossing that line would leave the one left behind hurt.
So, as always, she flashed a playful smile.
"Frost is the Fairy of Cold Ice."
Neph's eyes wavered for a moment.
That wasn't the answer she'd hoped for.
"And who might you be?"
But soon, she grinned brightly and replied.
"Yes! Neph is... the magical girl who admires magical girls, Neph!"
"I see."
Perfect distance.
The Fairy of Cold Ice, Frost, had a castle.
A penthouse in Building 124 of H Apartments.
And in that castle lived a ghost of a housekeeper.
Her name was Kim Uri. 34 years old, unemployed, single.
She wasn't ugly, but not strikingly beautiful either. Average figure, nothing special to boast about.
An ordinary woman who could be anywhere in the world.
No—most people probably didn't even know she existed.
After all, she was just the housekeeper serving Frost, the owner of the castle and a superstar.
But sometimes, the world cruelly dragged this pitiful housekeeper onto the stage by force.
"Has Frost gotten married by any chance?"
"Ehehe... Frost has a lo~ng way to go before marriage!"
"No, not the concept. For real."
"...Pardon?"
"Not the magical girl Frost. The person inside playing Frost."
That day, it wasn't the "auntie" remark that made her smash the MC's mic.
"Honestly~~, do the math and the estimate comes out. 15 years as an actress debut, 10 years as magical girl debut. Just by seniority, mid-30s at least."
"At that age, she'd have married three times over. Right? Honestly, she's an auntie."
Normally, no one cared about Kim Uri. What she ate, what she thought, how lonely she was.
So why only in moments like these?
Why drag out the "Kim Uri" they ignored otherwise, just to mock and consume her?
They could just cheer for Frost like always. Why force the one cowering behind the curtain into the spotlight to laugh at?
That infuriated her beyond endurance.
"Oppa, just go f*** yourself."
Crack!
After Neph left.
Frost returned to the castle and stood by the window, gazing at Neph's receding figure for a long time.
"...Haa."
She drew the curtains and released her transformation.
Fwaaah!
The supple skin of a nine-year-old, glossy hair, vibrant eyes—all vanished like a mirage.
What remained was Kim Uri, 34, in a stretched-out T-shirt and baggy sweatpants, faint wrinkles around her eyes.
She collapsed onto the sofa, the premium leather sinking softly to cradle her weary body.
11 p.m.
After showering, I headed to the fridge.
"...Time for a drink."
No work for a while anyway.
Pouring clear liquid into a soju glass, she smiled bitterly.
Whether Kim Uri suffered a hangover or not, transforming into Frost fixed it.
Her liver might melt a bit, but worst case, she could live as Frost forever.
The world loved the magical girl Frost. But no one loved Kim Uri.
"Guess I'll have to love myself then, no choice."
I raised the glass to the ceiling. Soju overflowed, but I didn't care.
"Cheers."
To the cute, pitiful junior I met today. And to the housekeeper still trapped in the castle.
Kya. The bitter burn sliding down my throat.
"...Huh?"
Kuuuung!
A massive thud shook the ceiling as a delivery box dropped from the sky.
Rocket delivery via Magic Castle—she used it too—but who sent this?
'KR-814... Neph's ID, right?'
Puzzled, she opened the box. Inside was...
"...Oh my."
An outfit similar to the magical girl Frost's costume, but with subtly different details.
The biggest difference?
"Fur... coat?"
A fur coat, the kind adults of a certain age might wear, draped over the flowing dress.
The complete opposite of Frost's usual image.
But it suited her.
Ding!
"..."
Staring blankly at the screen for a long while, I transformed, then pulled out the outfit and tried it on.
What would people say if a nine-year-old wore this? Demand to see the parents?
But it fit perfectly in the heart of 34-year-old (unemployed, single) Kim Uri. Her concept was already shattered after smashing that YouTuber mic anyway—what's this compared to that.
Send it to Magic Castle, and they'd tailor it to fit and register it as official costume.
Future transformations would use this outfit.
"Heh."
"What a~ special kid."
I'd thought no one was there.
Turns out one person was.
Of course, her heart wasn't fragile enough to crumble over something like this.
If not for the booze.
The moment I got home, I kicked off my shoes.
Maybe because it was nearly eleven, my body felt like waterlogged cotton, heavy as lead, eyelids drooping.
But I couldn't sleep.
Not until I bashed the skull of the vile beast who ignored my human rights and sentenced me to elementary school enrollment.
I stood before the full-length mirror with a determined expression.
"KR-814."
The moment I recited my ID.
Wuuung!
The ordinary mirror surface rippled like water.
From the center of the spreading concentric waves, blue light poured out, opening an endless passage into the mirror.
"...It actually works."
Magic Castle gate or whatever?
Admiration could wait. Right now, the priority was thoroughly dealing with the beast beyond.
"Dress Code."
Alright, let's go~
The instant I stepped into the passage.
"Hold on a moment!"
A familiar white furball popped out from the mirror.
Slap!
"Puh?!"
Hold on my ass. I slapped the suddenly appearing beast's cheek full force.
The beast spun like a top from the surprise full swing and crashed to the floor.
"Y-You... insolent cur! How dare you strike this official's noble form...!"
"Tone."
I pressed my index finger to my lips.
"Keep your tone down."
The beast, grasping the situation, shrank and clamped its mouth shut.
"Kneel."
Knowing it was in the wrong, the beast obediently dropped to its knees.
Yes. This is our eye level.
Kneel.
I crossed my arms and looked down at the beast.
"Explanation or excuse. Which first?"
"Y-Your body is reconstructed with Prima's mana, but the genetic base is Seol Ha-yoon. Even a DNA test would show blood relation to Seol Ha-yoon!"
"Bark some more."
Oh ho. Explanation first? Pretty confident, huh.
"So what better identity than Seol Ha-yoon's family! Family registry shows it, DNA passes! Show me a more perfect alibi if you can!"
Damn, hearing it out, it was logically infuriating.
"Fine. I'll grant that far. Then why elementary school? Homeschooling works."
"Ahem, you mock the Republic of Korea Constitution! Article 31!"
"I know that. Skip. Listen up."
Druruk! Drurrruk!
"W-Wait! A magical girl's first virtue is hiding in plain sight! Hide a tree in a forest, a child in a school! Only inside school's fence will the government see you as a normal kid and look away!"
Hmm...?
So going to school isn't for studying, but to prove I'm not suspicious?
"Besides... honestly, don't you have nothing much to do during the day?"
"..."
"Better than lounging like a bum till a monster shows up. Go to school, eat lunch, more productive. School lunches are good these days."
This bastard.
Picking the most correct words to piss me off more.
Bottom line:
Forged identity is a safety net to avoid social burial. Elementary school is maintenance fee to keep that net.
"Get it now? My profound intent?"
This beast climbs back up if given an inch. Maybe age makes it blind.
"Understand..."
Instead of answering, I grabbed its flapping ears and tied them tight with a double fisherman's knot from Boy Scouts.
"Egek! Th-This...!!"
"I get it, but it still pisses me off."
Harder to untie than expected.
And so, a ribbon bunny was born in the room. With ears tied tight, its aggrieved face looked just like a gift box.
"Magic Castle."
I nudged the beast with my foot.
"I want to go. Take me."
"A-Alright! Untie this first! Blood's not circulating!"
"Tutorial for magical girl stuff too."
"O-Okay, already?!"
"Promise."
"Tomorrow! Lunchtime pickup! Happy?"
"?"
What? This easy?
"Why the stare?"
"Too compliant. Got some scheme?"
"Kid. We contracted yesterday. Less than 30 hours since we met."
"...Eh?"
True on second thought.
Forced TS, weapon pick, leave of absence, monster hunt, dinner with Bella, cafe with Frost...
Feels like a week, but all in under 24 hours.
Chills.
"Why pop out suddenly? Vanished all day."
"Huh? Quitting time, so reporting out."
"Quitting?"
The beast pointed to the wall clock. 11 p.m.
"My off time is 11 p.m. Log the magical girl management journal to clock out."
"Start time?"
"5 a.m."
"..."
5 a.m. start, 11 p.m. end. 18-hour days. Weekends? Magical girls don't get 'em. Year-round no rest.
'Insane black company.'
Labor board would arrest them. No labor laws at Magic Castle?
Legendary mascot? Legendary slave.
I quietly untied the knot on the beast—no, Ramu's ears.
Pat pat.
Kneel.
"Then around lunchtime tomorrow. Lots to tell before school."
"Yes. Get some rest inside, elder."
As Ramu staggered toward the mirror,
Something popped into mind, so I called it back.
"Oh, right. Ramu."
"Yeah? What?"
"How do I send a gift remotely?"