Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Group Chat Frenzy
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Where do you live?
"Huu... Huu..."
Bella staggered the moment she landed on the rooftop.
Well, there was that theory floating around that even magical girls burned through a ton of mana when pulling off their signature moves.
Still, she'd done some fan service for my sake, so I figured I owed her the full treatment right up to the end.
"You okay, sis?"
"Ah, y-yeah. Of course."
Her words said one thing, but her hands were trembling like leaves.
Not nicotine withdrawal—probably mana exhaustion.
"Anyway... you saw it, right? That's how magical girls fight."
"Yes! It was amazing! Like a fireworks show!"
I wasn't just saying that. Efficiency might've been trash, but on pure romance? Perfect score.
"Hehe. Glad you liked it. Oh, and this is a secret, but..."
She leaned in and whispered right in my ear.
"If the other seniors want to meet up, dodge 'em if you can. Especially Pluto or Aqua—they're kinda dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
"Yeah. No telling what they'd do if they got a look at our little Neph. So for the time being, just stick to messaging this sis, okay? Promise?"
No, your eyes looked the most dangerous right now.
That's when my phone chimed with a notification.
I checked the screen. The group chat was already flooded with posts about me.
Scrolling down...
Yeah, definitely dangerous.
One wrong reply and I'd end up picked clean—turned into a public plaything. Better steer clear for a while.
But then something weird caught my eye.
'...What's this now.'
For some reason, the KakaoTalk CEO had gone on a spree lately, slapping pointless features onto the app in updates.
You know, the garbage where scrolling through your chat list randomly hijacks you into shorts or news tabs.
That's how I accidentally tapped a news link.
"...?"
The blurry photo showed a girl in a hoodie sitting on a bus, gazing off at distant hills.
Face was mosaiced, but no need to confirm her identity.
That was the exact outfit I had on right now.
'I'm Prima's granddaughter?'
What the hell.
I'd already checked my family register. No one even suspected of being Prima in my lineage.
Unless my grandmas were Prima herself, we weren't biologically related.
If it were, that beast would've forged my papers and slapped me on Prima's family register ages ago.
The real issue was public opinion.
I could scream "fake" all day, but people craved the dopamine hit from juicy bait.
As a diehard Magical Girl Gallery vet, I knew community psychology better than anyone.
Soon as the galleries went "She's Prima's granddaughter fr ㅇㅇ," it'd be set in stone. Deny it, and I'd trip the Magical Identity Secrecy Rule.
'What do I even do.'
While I pondered, Bella studied my face.
"Neph? You listening to sis?"
"Ah, yeah! Watch out for the seniors! Got it!"
"Good girl."
She stroked my head, looking pleased.
Somehow, the petting made everything feel... fuzzy. Worries melted away, leaving me light and floaty.
Plus, with the article already out there, it was beyond my control anyway.
Worrying wouldn't change a thing. Right now, I just wanted to lean into the touch.
About a minute later...
"Anyway, you eaten yet? Bet you haven't."
"N-nope..."
"Perfect! Sis knows a killer pasta spot nearby. Let's go—my treat!"
What a coincidence. I knew a great pasta place around here too.
A hidden gem known only to Seowon University kids—like milk and honey.
No way it was that one, though.
Still...
'Dinner with Bella?'
Thanks to my deadbeat exclusive mascot, I was clueless about magical girl life.
Growth systems, Imagine Points, monster types, industry rules—you name it, I was blank.
Needed someone safe to grill, but the group chat? I'd be asking to get wrecked.
Then this 5-year vet offers a free meal and private tutoring?
And it's Bella?
No way I could pass that up.
"Sounds good!"
"Ehehe. Let's head out then?"
"W-wait. Like this?"
"It's fine. Normies can't recognize our faces anyway."
True enough.
Magical girls had the Perception Inhibition Filter up.
You could probably redpill anyone by dissecting their face, but magic defies science.
Even top-tier facial rec AI couldn't match 'em, thanks to the spell—normie brains just wouldn't connect magical girl to real person.
Straight from the mouth of a busted magical girl.
Some even handled daily life fully transformed.
Shining, for instance, moonlighted as an idol in costume.
Should be fine, then.
"Should I transform too?"
"...?"
Bella's eyes went wide as she turned to me.
"Transform? Aren't you already?"
"No..."
"But your hair and eyes are white. I can feel your mana waves."
"Well..."
I cast my gaze downward a bit.
Couldn't exactly blurt out, "Prima accidentally TS'd me, so I look the part."
I pulled a suitably tragic expression, and Bella sighed, dropping the interrogation.
Wonder what wild tale she cooked up in her head.
"Wanna give it a shot, then? Transform."
"...Here?"
"Yup. Dying to see how our cute little maknae does it."
Not a big deal.
"Transformation."
Poomf!
A flash of light, and my hoodie and baggy pants vanished—replaced by a pristine white magical girl dress.
"...That's it?"
I nodded.
"..."
Bella went quiet for a long stretch.
Glassy, unfocused eyes. Breathing a little ragged.
Her hand drifted to my cheek, and she started kneading away.
Squish squish.
Quit groping already.
"...S-so... s-sooooft..."
"...Ah—ack! R-right... S-sorry! Instinct kicked in...! E-eh~ Gotcha! Y-yeah, makes sense!"
She snapped back only after I called her name.
"B-but Neph. That's your whole transformation chant?"
"...Yup."
"Hmm... A good chant's prime for nailing your concept... Eh, I can teach you as we hang out more."
'Hang out more?'
Not that I minded, but why the unease? That grope fest just now... Maybe Pluto and Bella weren't so different.
Nah. She'd saved me so coolly.
Then Bella snatched my hand.
"C'mon. Aren't you starving?"
She strode right up to the rooftop railing.
"Hold on tight!"
Eh? Hold—
"One, two!"
"Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!"
She jumped without asking.
Zero-gravity float hit first, then straight-down plummet from five stories up.
'Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!'
The speed was on another level from before. I instinctively clamped around Bella's neck.
Why was she grinning like she loved it?
Thud!
Bella touched down hero-landing style, cradling me. Her mana cushioned the impact—no shock to my body.
'Mana's OP.'
Not how I wanted to find out.
"Here we are, princess."
She set me down casually.
"How 'bout that? Fast, huh?"
"..."
Couldn't deny it. It was fast.
Just fast.
Celavenya.
A swanky Italian spot tucked behind the school gates. That was Bella's "killer pasta place."
Never would've guessed it'd be the one I had in mind. Was Bella a Seowon student too?
A few senior suspects flashed through my head, but I hadn't chatted privately with enough to pry.
Anyway, the food was legit. Lunch rush had the entrance packed solid.
Ten parties deep in line, but Bella bee-lined for the door.
"Sis? We gotta queue..."
"Nah. Follow me."
"Welcome! We've got a wait—mind filling out the list? ...Eh?"
The second we stepped in, the staffer froze solid at the sight of us.
"...Lady Bella?"
"Hey there!"
"Back already? Weren't you just here a few days ago?"
"Hehe. Your pasta's addictive."
VIP room, no wait—free pass.
Bella plopped down, flipped open the menu, and slid it my way like a pro.
"Order whatever. Sis is paying—no peeking at prices."
"Th-thanks."
Didn't need to look. Menu memorized.
One I'd been drooling over but wallet couldn't touch—till today's sugar mama showed up.
"Manjo cream pasta and grapefruit ade for me."
"...Huh."
Manjo. Italian for beef.
Meaning pasta topped with premium tenderloin steak. About triple the standard price.
"Wh— Neph's a total foodie! Meat lover, huh? Got it got it!"
Who the hell hates meat?
Bella got manjo pasta plus alio olio. Whatever—sis said pick anything.
Orders in, she propped her chin and flashed a grin.
"Bet you're shocked. Skipping the line like that."
"Y-yeah..."
"Magical girl privilege, baby."
"Privilege...?"
Bella launched into the rundown.
Gov couldn't exactly strong-arm magical girls with passion-pay wages.
They were citizens and one-of-a-kind monster-stoppers.
Modern weapons barely scratched those things—magical girls were essential. Burn 'em out and risk a strike? Disaster.
So the gov ponied up pensions from taxes.
But apparently that wasn't enough—they tossed in petty perks too.
"Gov-vetted spots like restaurants, offices, banks? Magical girl free pass. Use anytime, no line."
"Oh..."
"Plus tax refunds to our special accounts from conbinis and marts..."
"Oh..."
"Public transit's free. Planes? Triple miles plus guaranteed business class. Never flown transformed, though."
"Oh..."
"Comm bills and electric halved... What else was there?"
It all felt... underwhelming. Less superhero perks, more welfare card spiel.
Most unusable without transforming anyway.
"Kinda small-time."
"Right? Gimme more pension. But it adds up. Saved five years' worth—paid off my lease loan."
"Ooh..."
Didn't care to know.
"Stock investing too. Magical girl-related stocks mostly. Down 32.7% return... Eh, too advanced for Neph?"
Same.
Bella was mid-spill on everyday magical girl life when...
[Mom! Huuek... Moom...!]
A kid's heartbroken wail echoed from the wall-mounted TV.
Weekend drama rerun. Screen showed a ragged 9-year-old bawling in the rain.
Oscars-worthy tears. Solid tearjerker.
Except for who the actress was.
"Huh? That's Frost? She's everywhere."
"Yeah. Child role in some chaebol maknae daughter drama."
Yup. The kid sniffling "Mom!" snot and tears? Magical girl Frost.
Day job: magical girl. Side hustle: 15-year vet child actress.
Leveraging her eternally 9-year-old look to dominate the kid actor market. Ecosystem destroyer.
"Acting's flawless, but..."
"She's turning 31 this year. Catch that broadcast where she wrecked the YouTuber kid?"
"Oh yeah. Kills the vibe now."
Word was, Frost was getting phased out of child roles lately.
No matter how world-ending her sobs, what could she do?
Viewers knew she'd be pounding soju and samgyeopsal after wrap.
And with the other day's fiasco...
"Sigh... Tough break for that senior. Suffering like that at her age. Makes me feel bad."
Hard not to, watching a 30-something ape a kid.
"Wear clothes that fit your age. Why force yourself into kid rags?"
Bella muttered, glanced my way, and panicked—waving her hands wildly.
"N-no! Not aimed at you, Neph!"
"...Huh?"
"You're different! Totally! Fresh debut! She's just old news—you're still cute and new! Swear!"
She babbled excuses, sweating I'd take it personal.
One slip in this world and Bella/Controversy wiki page updates.
(She already had one, FYI.)
But... hit a little close to home.
I'd had the thought myself.
Debut in showbiz with Prima visuals on a kid body?
Child actor? Kid YouTuber? VTuber?
Money printer, any way you slice it.
No identity leaks to worry about—suck the honey dry and retire clean.
'P purest efficiency play.'
Not jumping in now, but life's unpredictable. Good insurance.
Server wheeled over a cart.
"Alio olio and manjo cream pasta up."
Mine: thick, creamy with steak chunks. Hers: plain oil pasta, skimpy toppings.
Stark class divide. But that's the weight of senior pride.
"Dig in before it cools."
"Thanks for the meal, sis."
Magical girls got pensions, right? Taxpayer flavor.
Om nom nom.
Melts in your mouth—taxes too.
Swapped contacts with Bella, then hopped the bus home.
"Neph! Hit me up if anything comes up! Promise? Promise!"
She waved till she faded into the distance.
Rushing back right after lunch? Office worker vibes.
Redpill taboo between us—no prying.
(I'd detransformed by now.)
Communities were already treating the Prima granddaughter rumor as gospel.
MagGal bait through and through.
'Fucking ultimate NEETs.'
No need to roam transformed in this mess.
Bella's meal netted a ton of industry intel.
Conclusion?
'Gotta hit the Magic Castle.'
Per Bella, rookies normally headed there post-contract, guided by their mascot.
Official registry, training, gear fitted with points.
But my "exclusive" mascot? Ghosted.
Couldn't just veg for a month.
So I'd nudged Bella earlier.
'Haha... Would love to, but sis has no admin access... Sorry!'
Five years in, still no admin rights?
All that tenure and still grunt tier?
Scrap the Bella plan.
Time to scout alternatives.
Where? Group chat.
Ask one of the chat lurker seniors.
Who, though?
'Process of elimination.'
Pluto? Hard pass—Bella's dire warning. Aqua too, same boat.
Aqua out means Ignis too. Yuri duo concept—must be tight. Cliques gonna clique; vibes probably match.
'Though the chat doesn't scream it.'
Business yuri or what?
Sword? Already owed her big. Asking for guide duty too? Guilt.
Shining's swamped. Aurora's got that untouchable aura. Rest? Only group contact...
Filter the crazies, one left standing.
'Frost.'
Child actor roots aside, controversy-forced hiatus meant free time galore.
Nothing beats an idle bum for... convenient help.
'You're it.'
DM her once home.
Right then—
Perfect timing—that beast finally messaged.
'Oh, rabbit's got business?'
Magic Castle invite maybe? Pumped, I opened it.