Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: With a Shy Expression
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There's an unfamiliar girl in the mirror.
White hair cascading down to her waist, inhumanly pure white pupils. An excessively mysterious beauty.
I pinched her cheeks, did some jumping jacks, and even checked down there because I still couldn't believe it. Only then did I have to accept the truth.
"It's... not a dream."
That I had become the beauty in the mirror.
"Cough, cough. It's been a while, so the landing was a bit rough."
A white furball rose from the shattered window frame, dusting itself off.
A strangely familiar appearance.
"...Ramu?"
The rabbit I'd seen endlessly in news clips and history textbooks.
Ram, the mascot of the first magical girl, Prima.
In the community, it was treated like some legendary Pokémon. Why was it here?
Ram straightened up, hopped onto my desk, clasped its paws behind its back, and looked down at me.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Ram, supporter and mascot to the great archmage Prima."
A mid-low voice that didn't match its cute appearance.
It matched the descriptions floating around the community.
Though its behavior made me oddly want to flick its forehead.
Still, this rabbit was at least in its eighties. In a land of propriety like ours, you respect your elders.
I bowed awkwardly, and only then did Ram shake its whiskers in satisfaction.
"...But... what happened to my body?"
"Congratulations. You just contracted with me and became a magical girl."
Huh? Did my ears deceive me?
"What did you just say..."
"I said you've become a magical girl. Your hearing isn't the best, I see."
No, I heard you fine. I just didn't understand, so I asked again.
"A contract... shouldn't you have asked me first?"
Even the most famous mascot in the industry, that Qb thing, at least asked a question before contracting.
But this?
"Who does that in this day and age? When an adult offers power, you just say thank you and take it."
"???"
Something's off.
By my understanding, contracts require mutual consent.
Apparently not for this rabbit—no, this beast.
Preposterous.
I suddenly wanted to crack open this beast's skull and check its definition of "contract."
"Um, sir... I never consented."
"Outrageous! Being chosen as the successor to the great Prima requires no consent. Accept it as an honor to your lineage. Done!"
"...What? Prima's successor?"
Only then did the reflection in the mirror come back into focus.
White hair down to the waist, inhuman white eyes.
I'd thought it looked familiar. It was the spitting image of the magical girl Prima.
"...So you're saying I've become Prima?"
1950. During the Korean War, the first monster emerged from the Backside World.
At the same time, the first magical girl to save humanity descended. Her name: Magical Girl Prima.
Prima vanquished the monster at the tender age of eight and became the progenitor of all modern magical girls—a living legend.
75 years later.
Prima was now a spry 83.
About 20 years ago, she retired after her last monster hunt. I'd only ever seen photos of her.
Never dreamed I'd hear her name like this.
"More precisely, Second-Gen Prima. You've inherited her power and form intact, so your potential is equal."
Ram struck a smug pose.
"How does it feel? To be the top magical girl."
"I hate it."
"?"
Sure, I love magical girls. But that doesn't mean I want to become one.
I'm a fan, not an aspiring one.
Besides, at this point in time, becoming a newbie magical girl means stepping into Bella's shoes.
Doesn't that mean I'd be handling all the crap she's been dealing with alone?
"Is there no way to undo it...?"
"Afraid not."
"Why?"
"Your body has already assimilated Prima's mana down to the cellular level. It's been rebuilt as a magical girl's flesh."
"So?"
"You're a magical girl now, nothing more or less. Best accept it gracefully."
Snap.
The thread of my sanity broke.
Playing nice with elders up to this point would just make me an idiot, so I switched to elder-assault mode.
Conveniently, two grippy ears dangled invitingly. I grabbed them with both hands and throttled the beast's neck.
"Gack... gack...? Wh-what...!!"
There's that famous line from some game, right?
Violence solves everything!
If I apply it this enthusiastically, it has to work eventually.
"Feeling like undoing it now?"
"Im... impossible! I said impossible!"
Impossible is you surviving this room.
I kept choking instead of replying, and as the beast neared blackout, it screeched.
"Once... the body is rebuilt with Prima's mana, it can't be reversed without it!"
"Then go beg Prima for some."
"That's all in you now—what do you expect me to do?!"
'Huh?'
I released my grip.
"So if I want to, I can go back to normal?"
"Gack... gack...!! If you reach Prima's level, theoretically maybe!!"
Theoretically? Maybe?
Theoretically, decapitating this beast right here seems plenty possible too.
Good. Let's test it.
I raised my hand high, and the beast yelped, cowering. How old was this thing again? Whatever.
According to its follow-up explanation, if I trained as a magical girl and reached Prima's level, I could revert.
But who'd trust a scam-beast that forced a contract without consent?
I grabbed its ears again and stretched them up and down.
"Y-you!! You're misunderstanding!! I didn't make this contract on a whim!"
"Sure, sure, Prima approved too."
"No! Contracts only form if the person has even a speck of desire to become a magical girl!"
Eh?
What was this beast saying now?
That I wanted to be a magical girl?
Utter nonsense.
"Rabbit stew for a midnight snack, then."
"It's true! I can prove it!"
"How do you prove my feelings?"
Unbelievable.
Gaslighting a healthy-limbed college guy that he's secretly a crossdresser.
'I wanted to be a magical girl?'
Even haters have limits. I'm a red-blooded man, born and bred.
Lies on top of lies—death sentence.
I fumbled across the desk for something handy, and my hand found pinking shears.
Perfect.
As I brought them to the beast's cheek—
"Th-there's got to be proof...!!"
Its eyes rapidly scanned my room.
Proof of what...
...Wait.
"There it is!"
"Hold on! Stop!"
I lunged for its ears again, but maybe the new body threw off my balance—I tumbled forward.
As I flailed, the beast zipped to the wardrobe and flung it open.
Then.
Whoosh.
Dozens of colorful outfits poured out like a flood.
Frilly dresses, mini dresses, plaid skirts. Mostly kids' and teens' girls' clothes.
"Still gonna deny it?"
You... saw, huh?
Evidence disposal time.
Snip.
The shears rang cheerfully in my hand, and the beast shivered like a leaf.
"Hm."
Yeah. I know.
Anyone would say those don't belong in a strapping young man's room.
I had no excuses. It screams crossdresser's lair or netkama hideout.
But it's unfair. I'm not into crossdressing, and I didn't collect them to wear myself.
Ever since a magical girl saved my life as a kid, I knew my path.
Couldn't become one myself, so I'd support them from behind the scenes.
Magical girls' popularity was tanking daily. A costume change could breathe new life, right?
So I majored in design. Specifically, the notoriously unemployable magical girl costume design track.
Those clothes? My redesigns of existing magical girls' tacky outfits.
Did I want to be a magical girl?
Probably not.
I just wanted to boost slumping magical girl fandom.
As a diehard fan who'd sworn loyalty even if my head split open, I can declare: it's platonic fandom, not crossdressing tendencies.
But.
If you ask whether, in that process, I never had even a speck, a grain of dust, of desire to become one...
'...'
Stare into the abyss, and it stares back.
Maybe loving magical girls too much planted an unconscious wish to be one.
"Keep digging."
With my permission, the beast rummaged through my closet like it owned the place.
Fur flew everywhere. Really wants to get wrecked, huh.
"This simplifies Ignis's outfit? This captures Terra's heavy style well... And this is Bella's."
The beast pulled out my job portfolio pieces one by one and started critiquing.
"Details differ from the originals. Prioritizes mobility while keeping aesthetic lines."
"Why touch other people's clothes?"
"Heh heh. Just confirming how much you love magical girls."
Heh heh, huh? Time to end it.
I raised the shears again, and it yelped, diving into the clothing pile.
Moments later, it emerged with a white outfit.
My breath caught.
My graduation piece masterpiece: 'Magical Girl Prima - Ver. 2025 Remaster.'
Not the original baggy, dated granny dress—trimmed excess, slim fit for mobility.
Bold exposure where it shines, tight where it needs cover. Peak modern trends.
Something I couldn't proudly claim as my creation! The beast held it to my body and grinned lecherously.
"Oh ho? Fits like it was made for you."
Of course—designed to Prima's measurements.
...I wanted to retort, but couldn't.
The mirror girl and the outfit matched creepily, like a matching set from the start.
"Imagine. Your beloved magical girl wearing your design, moving as you wish. Irresistible, right?"
Gulp.
"For the record, I can't resist."
'Me, in magical girl form, wearing the outfit I made for a magical girl?'
Swallow.
"That reaction just now. That's a yes?"
"..."
What to call this feeling?
Taboo thrill? Designer pride?
...Fine.
I admit it.
The beast's words tickled my chest oddly.
My shears-wielding hand slowly lowered, and seizing the moment, it spouted more nonsense.
"Why not try it on? Perfect timing—no better chance."
"...Timing?"
"Newbie magical girls should greet the seniors, no? Lucky me's here to introduce you."
"Pass."
Even if I had that desire, it doesn't mean I accept being forced into this.
Then the beast snapped its fingers with a flourish.
My ratty t-shirt and the outfit in its hand swapped places.
"You maniac..."
It aimed a smartphone camera at me from who-knows-where.
"Now, with a shy expression."
The beast had finally lost it.
As I raised the shears again—
Click.
"...Delete it now."
"Already sent."
"...Where?"
"Where else."
The beast grinned.
"Sanctuary of Love and Justice."
Ping!
I checked the group chat right away.
A provocative outfit baring shoulders and thighs, worn by a flustered white-haired beauty.
"Oh, your codename's Neo Prima. Neph for short."
It was a fresh-faced newbie magical girl straight out of an illustration.
The member count beside the chat—312—plummeted in seconds.
And.
The group chat froze.