Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Alice Also Has Tough Days, You Know
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[Title: Black Rose vs. Berta—Is Their Fighting Level For Real? My Heart Swells]
[Author: Anon]
(Gray photo of some Magical Girl with her eyes closed)
Even as a fourth-year, Ako feels impressive for not being able to do stuff like that.
Anon(211.234): Ako was just standing there, so why the hell hit her?
Anon(203.236): Constant sound damage, surprise attack sighted.
Anon(222.155): You again...
[Title: But Damn, Talent Gaps Are Huge Even Among Magical Girls]
[Author: Anon]
Most third- or fourth-year Magical Girls don't look that different from what they show on broadcasts, so is that really a first-year?
Anon: We've always been able to tell the difference between good fighters and not-so-good ones in videos. But now with this tournament format program, even civilians can see the huge gap.
RabbitLover: Alice does it like it's breakfast.
└Anon(123.624): Please just eat some breakfast first.
[Title: But Why Is It So Hard to See Alice Around?]
[Author: Anon]
From what I hear, she dispatches often enough, but no fan service, and on TV she just pops up once in a blue moon. Must be tough for Alice fans.
Anon: Probably just busy with civilian life? Plenty of them work regular jobs and do Magical Girl stuff on the side like normals.
└Anon: You think?
└└Anon: Think about her debut—she's gotta be late twenties now. Honestly, I'd get queasy just going on TV and playing a concept after that long.
└└└Anon: Dude, did you just call our princess a crazy concept-obsessed nutjob who can't age gracefully and is stuck in her ten-year-old debut gimmick???
* * *
With that, the near-accident at the end was averted, and the finals wrapped up safely.
And Alice stopping that incident would be edited out of the broadcast at Alice's request.
The excuse was...
[Alice doesn't want to show such dangerous scenes to those who love her.]
Even her employer Emerald found it plenty convincing, and as producer, she had no reason to object.
If they'd aired it as-is, the Magical Girls assigned as security would've gotten flak.
It was a success for her plan to use Alice as insurance and put the fear of God into the other Magical Girls.
...Not that they could've aired it anyway.
[Uh...? Where'd Senior Alice go?]
[She had another schedule and had to rush off. She said she's sorry she couldn't stay till the end and to pass on her cheers for your future.]
[Oh... W-well, nothing we can do...]
And I didn't do the trophy presentation.
Emerald did ask if I could, but... handing over the trophy meant big photos plastered everywhere and articles popping up, so I passed.
I'd already done plenty as commentator, so Alice's thirsty fans should be satisfied.
I planned to just do straight commentary, but with players on both sides fanboying out, Alice couldn't ignore it and stay stiff—ended up talking more.
Even rotten Alice has fans somehow, no matter how inactive. No idea if they're old-timers or newbies.
That neighbor who just moved in next door collects that much merch, so she's been a steady fan since Alice's early days... World sure is small, huh? Feels too coincidental.
You see stalkers who deduce crazy shit from tiny clues sometimes, so I can't let my guard down.
Heard one compared a Magical Girl in a photo to nearby objects, calculated her ring size exactly, and gifted custom jewelry. Gave me chills.
Who knows. I've hidden this hard, risking my life, but maybe someone's already pierced it.
...Hope not.
Don't need gifts—just stop doxxing.
It's just mutual pain waiting to happen.
Digging up a Magical Girl's civilian identity is taboo among fans, unspoken rule. But the world's full of people who do the forbidden.
Plenty have quit after forced leaks, so how can I relax?
'...Made bank today, took down some Abyss Beings on the way back. Maybe splurge on chicken for once.'
Came home, burrowed in blankets to shake off the day's exhaustion, then my stomach growled.
What a tiring day.
Managing expressions in front of all those cameras, keeping Alice's concept while holding steady voice—people get how exhausting that is?
Filming alone was draining, and I bagged two C-Rank Abyss Beings on the way home, so all my energy's spent.
Even a strong Magical Girl like Alice needs rest when the main body's this wiped.
After a day this packed, one chicken won't damn me for luxury.
I don't eat huge portions, so won't finish a whole one solo, but leftovers can fridge and reheat.
It's long past "people's food" at over 20,000 won a bird, plus delivery and sides pushing 30k, but on days like this, splurge a bit.
We grind to eat—gotta eat right even if life's tough.
"Tokki. If dispatch comes up, warn me ahead. Ordering now."
[Han Sejin... You know... We only detect when Abyss side opens a rift... Guessing's pointless.]
"No function on that pocket watch you're lugging to predict Abyss Being spawn times?"
[It's just decoration! And I'm not carrying it 'cause I want to!]
Tokki claims rabbit-pounding-moon origins, but looks like another bunny.
The pocket-watch rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. Spot-on.
No wonder the Magical Girl contracted to Tokki's named Alice.
"...Won't spawn before delivery, right? They get days off too."
[Abyss ecosystem data is still spotty...]
"Ordered."
It'll work out.
Always delivery to the door, so even if dispatch hits mid, no biggie.
[...Uh.]
"Don't let that 'uh' mean what I've heard a million times."
[Uh... S-sorry. Real detection.]
"Rabbit meat's supposed to be tasty. Gotta try it once before I die."
These damn Abyss Beings got detectors?
Always this timing.
Finally gonna chill with some luxury after crashing hard today, and they crash the party like they waited.
"...Rank? Just wanna smash skulls quick and crash..."
[...A-Rank]
"...Hah. Every Magical Girl nearby'll swarm."
B-Rank Abyss Beings can flatten small buildings easy, raze neighborhoods casual. This is one step up.
...Damage on a city scale.
Even S-Rank Alice can't blitz and bail like with low-ranks.
Rare as once or twice a year, and it hits end-of-year... Or maybe 'cause it's year-end.
Sure, weaker than next-up S-Rank, but S-Rank's national disaster.
They defy even Abyss return after gorging negativity, stick to Earth causing nonstop havoc, harvesting more—monsters crippling national functions or survival.
Not just one country. Worldwide, official S-Rank spawns: seven ever.
Vs. A-Rank sightings in my dispatch range: one or two yearly. Massive gap in frequency and threat.
Anyway, A-Rank's way below S-Rank, but that means top danger short of national disaster.
Narrow land, sky-high pop density means tons of Magical Girls here unlike sparse countries that watch A-Ranks trash places and flee without stopping 'em, no S-Rank needed.
'Meal's toast.'
Chicken order's someone else's problem now.
Shop'll shutter for evac, rider bolts—hope they refund proper.
...Missing meals on time's Magical Girl fate anyway. Used to it.