Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: A Suspicious Scent
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There's a smell?
"...Haa."
I turned off my smartphone screen and flopped back onto the bed.
The world's gone mad. Or rather, it was always mad, but knowing I contributed to it somehow feels weird.
'Bratty sewing machine, huh.'
It's better than Physics Mage or One-Armed Sewing Machine, at least. Those were blatant distortions of the truth.
But this isn't normal either.
I just did my job. Gave a lax senior a proper schooling and dished out some righteous violence to a monster that didn't know its place.
Sure, there might've been a bit of staging and exaggeration in the process, but the essence was upholding justice.
Yet in the public's eyes, I just came off as some cheeky brat. What's with treating magical girls like this these days? Having experienced it firsthand, it's truly lamentable.
"Punishment, my ass. Are their brains okay?"
I recalled the comments again.
Wanting to get stitched up, wanting to get stepped on. Didn't realize there were this many perverts.
Is Korea actually not the Land of Propriety in the East, but the Land of Eros in the East? Korea's done for.
But.
'Not bad.'
I stared at the ceiling and smirked.
Attention is power. For a magical girl, public recognition is practically a source of mana.
Sure, the direction veered a bit off-course, but those two letters 'Neph' are definitely etched in their minds now.
Ah, of course, I won't be pulling that shoddy~♥ crap from now on. Obviously.
'I don't even know why I did it...'
On the way home after wrapping things up with Pluto and Bella post-battle.
A wave of embarrassment crashed over me like the tide. Neph was supposed to be an attention whore, not the shy type.
It was the kind of shame that made my inner loner Seol Ha-rin peek out. Shoddy my ass—who's the shoddy one here? Me.
This never happened before.
Bella, Frost, Aurora. Seasoned pros, one and all, but wearing their outfits never changed my personality.
But for some reason, Pluto's costume altered my personality too. Though the change didn't stick around.
I tried transforming at home the next day just in case, but I didn't feel that battle high from fighting the monster.
So it's definitely because of Pluto's mana.
Not that her mana is particularly murky or anything—looks like absorbing another magical girl's mana reflects some of that girl's personality onto me.
If I'd gotten mana directly from Aurora, I'd probably have been yelling 'Master! Entrust anything to me!' at every passerby.
Or if from Frost, 'Hawawa~ I'm Neph~ Hawawa~.'
'Gotta be careful from now on.'
I'll still transform, but I'll avoid taking in others' mana as much as possible.
One ego wobble is enough.
Still, the gains from this were solid.
First off, I bagged a whopping 85,000 IP from slaying the monster, and added Pluto's Dress Code to my collection.
Plus.
I've firmly turned one troublesome senior into my ally (though it feels a tad risky), so it's a profitable deal.
I tossed my phone aside and lifted the paper next to me toward the sky.
Flutter.
Honestly, my concept's already kinda ruined. But as an apology, Pluto did draw me some concept art.
Her drawing skills were insane. I knew she had talent just from that ridiculous poster, of course.
Anyway, she whipped up some inspiring designs for me in no time flat.
She could probably go pro in anime or art school entrance exams. Whatever.
"Mix various outfits?"
Pluto's drawing featured a costume blending elements from Bella, Frost, Aurora, and Pluto.
Not just that—details from other magical girls' outfits scattered throughout.
It was an avant-garde approach I'd never tried before. Not in a bad way.
'Could one outfit let me use multiple magics?'
I realized Dress Code's weakness in this battle: extra mana cost every time I switch costumes.
Looking back, that octopus was a real gentleman. Not in a pervy way, but genuinely well-mannered.
It waited while I changed outfits instead of attacking.
If it were me, I'd have ripped and torn already, sending someone upstairs into a panic.
But can I count on that forever? What if a monster attacks mid-transformation?
Pluto's mana is volatile. Right now, it's all depleted.
In this state, even transforming into Pluto's costume again, I'd just get whooped by another octopus.
So I need new power.
Power strong enough to take down C-rank monsters—or even Ulv—in the future.
I bolted upright from the bed and sat at my desk.
Opened my notebook and grabbed a pen.
'It's been a while.'
Ahh, this cool, heavy sensation.
Time to return as designer Seol Ha-yoon.
A few days ago.
Right after taking down Octopus Prince.
"Ha, Neph..."
Bella's voice trembled.
"Who put you up to it? That shady bitch? Huh? Did she blackmail you?"
Her finger pointed at Pluto, cowering in the corner.
Pluto flinched at the accusation, trying to meld into the wall.
"N-nooo... I just..."
"Just what! What kinda outfit did you put on the kid! Legs! Why'd you expose her legs! If she catches a cold, it's on you?!"
Bella—Lee Ha-neul's—rage was justified.
To her, Neph was a pure, fragile chick that needed protecting.
Seeing that kid turn into a fallen dark-route magical girl overnight? Her world crumbled.
"Um, sis."
Then Neph tugged at Bella's hem.
"Pluto-senpai did nothing wrong. I wanted to wear it."
"...Huh?"
Bella's brain short-circuited.
"Neph... you... into that kinda thing?"
Neph nodded calmly.
No point in lengthy excuses—that'd just embarrass everyone. Better to lean into being a kid with unique tastes.
"Sometimes this stuff's not bad, right?"
Neph smiled brightly.
That one smile reset Bella's yellow card stack from 99.
"...Well."
Bella muttered blankly.
"Anything looks cute on our Neph... Yeah, if you like it, sis gets it."
Neph thought to herself.
'Simple girl.'
Bella petted Neph's head for a while, then turned to Pluto.
Her face turned demonic in an instant.
"Pluto... Haa...! Senpai!"
"...Y-yes?!"
"It's fine for me. But Neph's a kid. Don't dye her weird like the other seniors—no helping, but don't drag her into your mess!"
Bella shrieked.
"Lucky Neph's sweet and pure... Haa, don't try feeding that stuff to a tiny kid like her."
"B-but Neph liked it..."
"Just like before. Like you did with me. 'Congrats on your magical girl debut.' That's enough distance between magical girls, like I told you!"
After venting, Bella seemed to calm down.
She left a warning not to pull any more weird stunts on Neph or else, then vanished into the sky.
Click! Click! Shutter sounds followed.
In the wake of the orange storm, Pluto was still glued to the wall, sniffling.
"...Sorryyy."
She mumbled in a tiny voice.
"Because of me, Neph got weird misunderstandings..."
"Senpai."
Neph approached Pluto.
"No need to thank me. I'm the one getting misunderstood."
"But..."
"And."
Neph's voice dropped low.
"I didn't help because you were pitiful. I did it because your power's too valuable to waste."
Pluto looked up.
Neph's eyes were straight and pure—unbelievable for an 8-year-old.
"That darkness is too thick to rot away in a room."
"..."
"Darkness isn't meant to be hidden. It's there to cover places light can't reach."
Neph patted Pluto's shoulder.
"So come out sometimes. I'll buy you chicken."
With that, Neph turned away.
Pluto stared at that small back for a long time, her heart pounding oddly.
10 minutes on foot from Hongdae entrance station.
3rd floor of a rundown villa. That was magical girl Pluto—no, human Shin Cho-yul's sanctuary.
"...I'm homeee."
She greeted the empty entryway.
Silence answered.
The shoe rack held one pair of dusty sneakers and a single slipper for convenience store runs.
She threw herself onto the bed immediately.
Familiar ceiling.
Familiar smell.
Familiar solitude.
Shin Cho-yul. 2nd year at Narae High. 18. But she hadn't gone to school in over three months.
Others called her a school refuser, the internet called her a hikikomori, her parents called her a failure.
All true. She hated school.
Hated the noisy kids, the teachers ranking by grades, the air treating her like a freak most of all.
So she ran.
Into this narrow, dark room.
Here, no one judged her. Only the monitor world comforted her.
Becoming a magical girl was nearly accidental.
The criterion is imagination. Hers didn't discriminate positive or negative.
Cho-yul's was cesspool-negative, but unmatched in quantity.
It was monster-rampage season, and a mascot found her.
When? When she sat on the rooftop railing, wanting to die.
She didn't beg to live—she prayed to smash it all, and became a magical girl.
Ironic. A girl turning from the world became one who saves it.
At first, she hoped. Maybe it'd change things.
People cheered initially. She got a cute junior despite her age. She was more active than Bella back then. Even had a fan club.
But it didn't last.
The day she first revealed her human self to Bella. The day Bella backed away in shock. After that, she quit.
Realized becoming a magical girl didn't fix Shin Cho-yul's life.
No one among magical girls truly liked her.
Monsters or world-ending? None of her business anyway.
But.
"...What an idiot."
Cho-yul buried her face in the pillow.
Neph's image from today wouldn't leave her mind.
That little kid didn't run. Faced a C-rank monster, embarrassing situations, and stood tall.
'If you're a magical girl, you can't do that.'
The words stuck like thorns.
"Who... is she to lecture meee."
Cho-yul curled up.
She was ashamed. Weaker than an 8-year-old kid.
Had power but hid in her room.
But.
"...She didn't hate meee."
Neph looked at her straight.
Not contempt or pity—as an equal colleague.
Told her to come out.
That made her happy. And scared.
Could she go outside again? Could someone as dark as her stand beside that bright kid?
Cho-yul pulled the blanket over her head.
Normally, she'd boot up her phone, binge depressing anime, waste the day. Tomorrow, the next day too.
But.
'Ah.'
Suddenly remembered why she called Neph today.
Neph wanted an image transformation. She promised to draw concept art.
Glance.
She eyed the desk—trash heap central.
She climbed on, grabbed her tablet pen, and started drawing.
Not her fantasy Neph, but a Neph suited to Neph.
By the time she noticed, dawn had passed like always, but her mind was sharp.
When she finished, morning light crept in.
Through the window, students in uniforms headed to school. Narae High uniforms.
Cho-yul scratched her head, staring. Her tablet held the new Neph concept art drawn overnight.
'Gotta go out to give her this.'
Neph didn't tell her to buzz off or that she hated her. Told her to come out.
But she couldn't go like this. Days without a wash? Shower first.
Cho-yul shambled zombie-like to the bathroom.
Forgot what to do first.
Ah.
"...Wash... hair first, righttt."
Summer's approaching or something? The sunlight stung.
No, more like skin-scorching. Like a vampire under the sun.
Cho-yul flipped up her uniform shirt collar and headed to school.
Narae High 2nd year. Shin Cho-yul. Her last attendance was three months ago—entrance ceremony day.
Opened the classroom door, choked on the sunny vibes, early-leaved immediately, ran home. So today was practically her first real day.
"...Urk."
Nausea hit entering the classroom.
"Yo, who's that?"
"We had a girl like that?"
"Kinda creepy-looking. Ghost?"
Whispers stabbed her eardrums; they stared like she was a monkey.
Wanna run. Dive into bed right now.
But.
'...Gotta endureee.'
Cho-yul clutched her tablet PC tight.
It held her soul-poured new Neph concept art.
Had to deliver it. Show Neph—who reached out—that she could do something too.
Could email or use Magic Castle delivery. But no.
She wanted to hand it over personally. With that resolve, she moved her shaking legs.
"Um, Shin Cho-yul?"
Someone called.
Neat girl with glasses. Name tag said class president.
"...Who're youuu?"
"I'm our class prez. Got word you'd show today. Homeroom teacher's calling you to the office."
Class prez scanned Cho-yul's state, face twisting oddly.
Gloomy girl with dark circles to her chin.
Anyone'd think she and school don't mix.
"Know where the office is?"
"...Nope."
"Figured. Follow me."
Prez led confidently; Cho-yul trailed like a lamb to slaughter.
The hallway stretched. Passing students' vibrant energy drained her mana in real-time.
Not a metaphor. Head throbbed, mana circuits creaked.
'Stamina... mana...!!'
Wanna go home.
Watch anime.
See Neph.
Then.
Someone approached from the opposite hall.
"Hey? Prez! Hi!"
"Am I your class prez?"
The air shifted.
An overwhelming 'extrovert' aura, worlds apart from gloom like Cho-yul.
Bobbed short hair swayed as she walked; toned muscles under uniform screamed health.
As she passed Cho-yul.
Swish.
"...?"
Cho-yul froze instinctively.
Nose twitched.
Sniff sniff.
This smell. This familiar, nostalgic scent.
Definitely smelled it before.
Very recently, intensely.
'...Neph?'
That extrovert who just passed smelled like our adorable Neph.
Precisely, the subtle fabric softener from when Neph changed into her clothes, mixed with crisp mana afterglow.
'Magical... girl?'
No. Youngest now is Pluto.
Neph's the baby, but no magical girls that age. Fact.
That girl had no mana anyway.
"...Um, prez."
"Yeah?"
"The girl who just passed... who's sheee?"
Cho-yul turned, entranced.
"Oh, her?"
Prez shrugged nonchalantly.
"Seol Yu-na. School celeb. Women's MMA prospect—wins awards in comps, super popular. Why? Know her?"
"...Nooo."
MMA prospect. Extrovert. Popular.
Zero overlap with Cho-yul.
"Just... good smellll."
"What? Smell?"
Prez eyed her with disdain, but misunderstanding. Or not? Sounded pervy.
Anyway, illusion probably. Too Neph-starved, hallucinated it.
She shook her head, resumed walking.
Office was close.
Meanwhile.
Seol Yu-na, walking the hall, also stopped.
She slowly turned, staring at Cho-yul's receding back.
"...What?"
Her brows furrowed.
That gloomy girl who brushed past.
Sniff sniff.
"...Smells like oppa?"
Of course, no way Cho-yul's body actually smelled like Ha-rin—or Ha-yoon.
Her uniform never touched Ha-rin; she showered fresh for her first school day in ages.
But Yu-na never mistook it.
Especially not oppa's scent.
That indescribable, unique body odor of 'Seol Ha-yoon.'
Why on this total stranger gloomy girl?
"Hmm."
Yu-na's eyes sharpened.
"Maybe visit oppa after exams?"