Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Alice Has a Strange Feeling
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"Okay, that wraps up today's class. Any questions before we finish?"
*Flash!*
"...Write them down on the paper and hand it to Sapphire. Then Alice will compile them and let you know before the next class. Oh, and love letters to Alice are welcome too. See you all next time~."
[Stellar Shift]
"Al...!"
The first day of filming ended just like that.
It wasn't like I'd properly taught the rookies anything. All we'd done was some icebreaker games to build rapport, field questions, and figure out the direction for future classes. Nothing more to say about it.
If anything, there was so little substance that I wondered if it could even be used for broadcast.
"You did great, Alice-nim. You must have experience with programs like this? We were actually considering adding a separate host to smooth things out, but Emerald-nim said to leave it all to you, so we did. You handled it better than expected. I'd believe you were a pro broadcaster."
"Alice is perfect, after all."
"Sapphire and Mia look busy collecting the question sheets inside... We'll get started on editing. We've already marked the key points, so we could air it before the next shoot."
"Oh, isn't that a bit fast?"
"Unlike other programs that bounce around locations, this one's all in one classroom. With our PDs' skills, it's doable. Plus, it's fun to check viewer reactions before the next shoot, right?"
"If the PD thinks that's best, Alice is fine with it. Why would Alice refuse a chance to see reactions from people who love her sooner?"
Emerald's programs weren't about drawing in viewers for ratings and profits like variety shows or dramas to begin with.
High ratings from civilians? Not a bad thing, but it wasn't the primary goal.
The point was to gather Magical Girls through the program, make it easier to support those who joined voluntarily, spread a positive image of Magical Girls to the public via broadcasts, instill pride and motivation in the girls themselves. Profit was never the aim.
Yet those programs featuring only Magical Girls somehow pulled solid ratings—not just from fans, but from regular folks enjoying the sight of pretty, cute girls doing good deeds.
I'd already heard this from Emerald. Especially for this one, the goal was delivering 'Alice's' lectures to the necessary Magical Girls, so they planned to provide separate videos outside of broadcast.
She was a woman whose singular purpose of supporting Magical Girls hadn't changed from past to present.
Even the Mascots acknowledged that Emerald's work helped Magical Girls.
*Creeeak...*
"Senior... how could you leave us behind..."
*Thud*
"Here's the list. If you want, I can compile it later and send it over."
"Please do, Sapphire."
"Got it. The other Magical Girls left through the other door... That wraps up today's shoot."
"I heard they're already close with each other and went out for a group meal. For our landmark first shoot... How about you all join the production staff for a casual dinner to bond?"
"I'll follow Alice-nim's choice."
"Uh... I... have to head out now... S-Senior, are you going...?"
"Alice has something urgent too. Sorry, but we'll pass on the after-party."
"Phew..."
Sapphire was the picture of professionalism—going if I went, staying away if I didn't.
Mia seemed worried I'd say yes, since she really had to leave.
"Can't be helped. We'll jump into editing then. Time's tight."
"Looking forward to a great edit."
"Leave it to us. We'll make Alice-nim trend in real-time searches, I swear."
...That's going too far!
"Don't push too hard—just do what's right. Alice is happy enough with the love from her current fans."
"How can someone at your level be so humble...! I stake my PD title on making it happen...!"
...That's the state they're in. Dealing with people as Alice often leads to this common 'hearing only what they want to hear' mode.
Talking more in that state just hurts my mouth.
"Well then, Alice will head out now. See you at the next shoot~."
Worst case, it's a program of Magical Girls chatting and laughing, spouting magic theory and mana structures that normals wouldn't get anyway.
Even if some Magical Girls tune in, civilians won't understand it. How popular could that be?
Other celebrities or Magical Girls would just ignore it. I heard a new drama's airing soon—details fuzzy, but it overlaps with this show's slot.
At best, a few Magical Girl fans and enthusiasts watch for okay ratings, then it fades into obscurity.
"Alice-nim's heading back alone... Mia, where's your place? If transport's an issue, we can give you a ride."
"...You have a car?"
"A manager's got to."
"P-Please... Transport costs are so high these days..."
"Alice-nim, feel free to ask anytime. If pinpointing your address bothers you, we can drop you nearby."
"Starlight doesn't like Alice cheating on him. Thanks, but no."
"Understood. Safe travels, Alice-nim."
*Poof!*
* * *
*Screech...*
"I'm home."
*Patpatpat*
"You're back?!"
Finishing work and coming home, my one-and-only family member—my two-years-older sister Yoo Cheonga—came rushing like she'd been waiting, eyes sparkling.
"How was it? I heard the gist, but seeing it firsthand is different, right? Huh? How'd it go? Get closer to Alice? Didn't mention me? I put in a ton of effort. She should be grateful, yeah?"
"...Let's talk inside first, Unni. I just got off work."
"I just got home too! Staring at papers all day killed my eyes!"
"Fine. Come in already."
The Magical Girl known to the world as Emerald—my sister—was a hotshot CEO, but at home, I always wondered if this was really her.
She burned so much energy outside that at home, she was drained, sprawled on bed or couch without moving. How did this woman build the top Magical Girl company? Even I, her sister, couldn't fathom it.
"Hurry up. Tell me about your time with Alice. Contacting her is no joke. Her appearance rate's super low. When you finally snag a tail like this, you gotta capture it or regret later."
"Unni. People aren't Pokémon."
"It's a metaphor! You don't know her—that girl's vicious! If she decides to hide, she could vanish for a whole year. Space teleport's her specialty, so she deploys and returns crazy fast. By the time other Magical Girls get the alert and gear up, she's already wrapped it up and gone!"
"Why are you so obsessed with Alice anyway?"
I'd known since forever that my sister had a slight fixation on this Magical Girl Alice.
Even before becoming one herself, she went nuts for anything cute and pretty, so it was natural for her with Magical Girls too.
But with Alice, the vibe was different.
Others were 'cute, wanna pamper them.' Alice felt like 'must hug once, gotta have her someday'—possessive, acquisitive vibes.
"She's cute!"
"Lots of other Magical Girls are cute too."
"They're not like Alice! She's like a super rare mob! I've tried hugging her for 10 years—zero success! Me! S-Rank 3rd, bowing to no one but Aia and Kariel! And she still wags her tail and slips away! I felt like Alice chasing the rabbit!"
"She's cute, sure... but that intense?"
"You!! Take it back!!! No one badmouths my Alice—not even my one-and-only sister!!"
"Shut up! That hurts—let go! I bought pudding, eat that!"
"Whoa, pudding."
They say no siblings get along perfectly, but I still think my sister ranks pretty high.
S-Rank 3rd as a Magical Girl? Impressive. Starting a business 'for Magical Girls' (with some impure motives mixed in) and succeeding that big? Impressive.
But the one flaw... When Alice comes up, that impressive sister loses it and can't judge straight.
This program too.
A broadcast TV show isn't a game. Leaving it to a non-celeb Magical Girl—no matter 10 years in—who's famous for avoiding TV? Just edit lightly and air?
I was doing it for my sister's request, but honestly, success odds were dubious.
Hope it breaks even on production costs.
'Alice... I need to uncover every detail about her.'
If my sister's sole weakness is her Alice fantasy, shattering that fantasy is my sisterly duty.
Sapphire's concept: cool, competent Magical Girl who sticks to her duties, never oversteps, draws firm lines.
Sister figured I'd mesh well with Alice, so she assigned me as manager.
Good call.
Sticking close as manager, even the firmest concept will crack. I'll exploit those cracks, snag evidence to shatter sister's Alice illusion.
Who knows. That innocent face might mutter 'fuck, life's such shit' at home, cig in mouth.
Even minor clues would suffice to break the fantasy.
But first...
[Here's the question list from the trainees as discussed. I left the fan letters unopened since I wasn't sure if I should.]
[Thanks for the hard work. Pass the fan letters later. You did great helping with the shoot. Love you ( ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ ♡).]
*Ahem.*
"Oh! You got texts or emails from Alice, right? Hand 'em over! I wanna see!"
"Work stuff! Don't peek!"
"...No more pudding?"
"Second fridge, top rack, second drawer down."
"Ate that already."
"Then third fridge, side door—move the mayo, behind it."
"Score! Thanks! Best sister ever!"
Anyway, Alice will stay under watch.
And for that groundwork plus manager duties, I started scouring the net for Alice pics and vids.
Know thy enemy—basics of battle.