Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Jang Won-ju
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“Achoo!”
“Hm? Did you catch a cold or something?”
“Ah, no… My nose was just itchy.”
Yeah. Of course I clicked on that Jang Won-ju recent-form-insane.gif. How could I resist?
Even as a GIF it was mind-blowing, but seeing it in the flesh? I was too stunned to even gasp.
Incredible. Absolutely incredible.
Suddenly Seo Jun's size made perfect sense. No way he went hungry as a kid.
Ah, obviously I mean in terms of family wealth. Rich folks eat well. Anyway.
For some reason, I ended up sitting alone at the table with Jang Won-ju.
Her soft, lingering gaze scanned me from head to toe.
For the first time, I was glad to be a girl. If I'd been a boy getting that look? Total disaster.
“You're Jun's friend, right? What's your name...”
“Seol Ha-rin...”
“Ha-rin... What a pretty name.”
Jang Won-ju's eyes curved in a captivating smile.
Actually, the alpha wasn't Seo Jun. It was his dad. Seol-guk-ssi, what the hell did you do!
“It surprised me—Jun bringing a girl home for the first time.”
“Ah, no, Mom! Not a girlfriend, just a classmate...”
“Hehe. I'm kidding, kidding. Look at that blush.”
While the two of them chatted, I finally pulled myself together and stared right at Jang Won-ju.
But I saw nothing. Darn.
She clearly wasn't planning to out herself first. So, time to build some goodwill.
And honestly, did it even matter if Jang Won-ju was a magical girl?
Not when this was sitting right in front of me.
“Um... unnie.”
“Un...? Pfft!”
My surprise sis-attack hit right on target, and she burst out laughing just as expected.
There was that old saying that women melt when called unnie or noona, and it totally worked on her.
She laughed delightedly, waving it off.
“This kid. Calling your friend's mom unnie? Aunty's fine.”
“Yees...”
“So, does our little Ha-rin have something to say to aunty?”
I widened my eyes and lobbed a straight fastball.
“Aunty... are you a magical girl?”
Jang Won-ju had one secret no one else knew.
She was Aurora, one of the strongest magical girls in all of Korea.
Thanks to that, her name was still on Magic Castle's active roster, even with her busier schedule lately.
But she hadn't shown up at any incidents in ages.
Too much hassle.
Duty as a magical girl? Sense of justice? She'd burned all that out back in her twenties.
After surviving every kind of battle under the sun, all that was left was joint pain and fatigue. Especially her shoulders, given her build.
Anyway.
I've rolled the dice enough already. Asking for more would be shameless, right?
With that attitude, she'd snagged a decent guy she knew, tied the knot, and popped out a rabbit-like son—that was Seo Jun.
After he was born, life got nonstop hectic, so she'd handed off the armband (aka seniority privileges) to the young bloods like Bella ages ago.
Still, those damn magical girl alerts kept blaring nonstop: Go smash some monster!
No way. I've got kids. Send the kids.
She ignored them flat-out.
These days, picking tonight's side dish mattered way more than cracking monster skulls.
Sure, an S-rank or higher national emergency would be different, but those hadn't popped up in the last decade—not even A-ranks were that common anymore.
A-ranks that did show got handled fine by the former maknae (not so former now) Bella, so Won-ju could focus on parenting in peace.
Today was the exception.
The monster had shown up right by her son's school, of all places.
Even an F-rank scrub monster had physical stats leagues above any adult man.
If Seo Jun got so much as scratched by one?
She floored it toward Hanwol Elementary, ready to wipe every monster in Seoul that day.
“......Phew.”
Thank goodness—the situation wrapped up before she even arrived.
Regaining her senses, Won-ju pulled over to the shoulder and checked the news. It wasn't Bella on screen.
“...Neph?”
The super rookie who'd comet-tailed into the group chat a few days back.
Cute newbie Neph had pureed the monster like a blender.
The blurry news footage even caught her rescuing Won-ju's own son.
Mosaic over the face or not, no mom mistakes her kid.
“Oh my.”
She'd already wanted to look out for the fresh face, but saving her son too? Double reason now.
Look how scrawny the kid was—probably starving. Time to cook up a storm, then sleeve-stuff some KR-814 the second she got home.
Never in her wildest dreams did she expect her son's lifesaver—and newbie—Neph to waltz right into her house on her own two feet.
As his desk mate, no less?
What cosmic joke was this?
Perception Inhibition Filter applied between magical girls too, making red pills hard to spot.
But this girl? Won-ju clocked her as Neph instantly.
Her body radiated mana waves, for one. And those glasses? Artifact city.
Veteran girls would sniff out a newbie pheromone bomb like that from a mile away.
So cute.
But did she know Won-ju was a magical girl? Obviously not.
“Aunty... are you a magical girl?”
Innocent doe eyes probing like that. Wow, that skin—so white, wanna nibble.
Her internal favorability had already maxed out and punched through the ceiling, leaving her itching to scoop her up and declare her daughter.
Of course, that was one thing.
Glare.
She shot a look at her son Seo Jun.
Family could share identities to a degree—that was the unspoken industry rule. So she'd come clean to husband Seo Hoon and son Seo Jun.
Not the codename Aurora, but at least I'm a magical girl.
Risks noted, of course.
Husband kept his mouth shut, but expecting airtight security from an eight-year-old? Like handing fish to a cat.
But c'mon.
She was Jang Won-ju.That Jang Won-ju. Magical girl? Lol, who buys that?
Trusted 'em anyway—and boom, Seo Jun spilled to the newbie.
Though if the friend's mom turned out to be a ancient senior, it'd create awkward distance anyway.
Won-ju had no clue how to defuse this mess.
But why?
Her usually obedient Jun, who played dead at mom's words, broke taboo and blabbed to this girl?
Mom instincts zeroed in on his face.
Flushed cheeks, fidgety hands, and eyes dripping honey every time he looked at Ha-rin.
......Oh?
She'd tossed it out as a joke, but for real?
Mind blown. Adorable son or not, there were limits. Transferred today, right?
One day in, and he'd hand over his guts, entrails, house pillars—total love-at-first-sight chump.
Gonna give parents girl trouble down the line; time to crack down.
But the target was his lifesaver?
Game over. Lock it down. Daughter? Nah—this had daughter-in-law providence written all over it.
First, clear the future daughter-in-law's suspicions.
“Who told you that?”
“Jun... You're not lying, are you...?”
“Ah, no! Mom definitely said she's a magical girl! She wore the costume too...”
First time her identity nearly leaked?
Hell no. She'd wriggled free like an eel with her wits every time.
Fooling an eight-year-old? Cold porridge.
Won-ju kept her leisurely smile, gracefully setting down her teacup.
“Our Jun's overhyped his mom way too much.”
Pretending troubled but flattered, she waved it off.
“Remember Mom said cosplay was a hobby back in the day?”
“Uh, yeah? Co...splay?”
“Yup. Mom was a model, remember? Loves dressing up. If wearing a magical girl outfit makes you one, then police uniform makes you a cop?”
If Ha-rin were a twenty-something guy, she'd have spun it as adult costume fun outright, but no need here.
“Truth is, aunty loves wearing stuff like that. Sorry, Ha-rin. Looks like Jun got the wrong idea.”
Ha-rin's face subtly stiffened at her words.
Won-ju drove it home.
“And think about it. An aunty like me, a magical girl? That's for young, pretty unnies. Retired aunty here—knees hurt too much.”
And then.
Slump.
Ha-rin's shoulders visibly drooped.
Hope ebbed from her eyes behind the glasses like a retreating tide—plain as day.
Look at that disappointment.
Bold-faced bummed she wasn't a magical girl—it tickled a corner of Won-ju's heart.
Thought kids today were all rude and calculating, but this junior saved her son and harbored such pure delusions?
Irresistible.
“Ha-rin.”
“......Yes?”
“Don't be too let down. Aunty'll make you a yummy dinner instead. Wanna stay and eat?”
Sudden urge to feed her.
“......Thank you.”
Won-ju propped her chin, watching Ha-rin eat with fascination.
Ha-rin poked at the food in front of her like it was rubber the whole meal.
And kept glancing her way.
Something on my chest?
Those pouty lips, all mopey.
Her not being a magical girl crumbling the girl's world that hard?
Most kids this age obsessed over idols or YouTubers—not fawning over magical girls like this.
That pure fan heart stirred the parched sensibilities of veteran magical girl Aurora.
Can't send her off empty-handed, right?
Disappointed her that much—senior duty to hook her up with something.
Won-ju whipped up a sleeve-stuffing plan on the spot. Subtly, of course—no blatant handouts.
She's a fresh contract anyway.
Tiny nano-mana tweaks—she'd never notice. Or it'd be years later if she did.
Won-ju recalled some group chat lurking from days back.
Shining gave her a magical beast egg, right?
Magical beast egg? Natural hatch took three years at least.
Even Shining-level tamer pushing it: one year. Newbie barehanding it? Rotten egg, not even fried.
Remember tsking at the waste.
Doesn't apply to me.
She controlled weather and atmosphere.
Optimal hatch environment? Easier than breathing.
Won-ju pulled a diffuser from the drawer, tapped the rim with a fingertip.
Seep.
Her mana soaked in.
Not just scent—perma-locked room to perfect temp, humidity, air quality. Breath of the Mist.
“Ha-rin, take this when you go.”
“Uh... a diffuser?”
“Yup. Aroma oil—helps you sleep great. Keep it in your room.”
Ha-rin hesitantly took the gift.
Zero clue about the mana.
Success. That'd hatch an egg in under a month.
But not the end!
Egg for egg—now something useful for her cute future daughter-in-law.
Won-ju fetched a small compact from her vanity.
Downside: might attract boys. But on that front, Won-ju trusted Seo Jun implicitly.
Stolen by another? Sorry, son's fault—claim her first.
“This is...”
“For makeup—know how?”
Ha-rin took the compact with clear reluctance.
Too young for makeup interest? Fine—passive effect anyway.
Not the end!
Won-ju grabbed a doll from deep in the dressing room. Artifact from her heyday at Magic Castle.
“Ah, right! Got this old doll I used... hate to toss it. Want it, Ha-rin?”
“Eh? Another one?”
“Yup.”
Ha-rin's eyes went wide holding it.
“Hug it at bedtime—super cozy.”
“Ah... thank you.”
Ha-rin clutched the doll tight to her chest, no suspicion whatsoever.
“Oh! So adorable!”
“......!”
The sight was perfect—Won-ju beamed unwittingly.
Not the end...!
Rest via IP later? Too many gifts at once suspicious.
Sleeve-stuffing the extras: wait for group chat chance.
Now for this one.
Finally, Won-ju eyed Seo Jun—cheeks tomato-red, fit to burst.
Actually, table honey-dumb wasn't just Ha-rin. Seo Jun too.
From his view, he'd turned into a chronic liar overnight.
Mom's flat denial flipped all arrows back at him.
So he fidgeted nonstop, peeking at Ha-rin's reactions.
“Ha, Ha-rin... meat good? Want more?”
“......Yeah.”
“Wa... water? This is cold.”
“......Fine.”
Where'd his usual smooth talk go? Stammering like that.
Won-ju tsked inwardly.
Sigh, that fool.
Set such a nice table—at least add a spoon. Mom did for your dad, y'know.
But it's fine!
Sleeve 3-set sealed the favor deal.
Penguin doll hugged tight—even at dinner. Clearly loved it.
Jun. Mom did her best.
Your move now. Seize her.
Meal over, time to part.
Won-ju personally walked them to the door.
“Careful going home, Ha-rin. Doll too heavy? I can drive you.”
“No thanks. Goodbye, au...nty.”
“Okay, okay. Come play again.”
Oh no!
Her bunny son just waved dumbly as Ha-rin vanished down the hall?
Won-ju smacked his back, giving the hint.
Go escort her! Got it!
Seo Jun finally got it, nodding solemnly before chasing after.
Watching them go, Won-ju clenched her fist tight.