Chapter 80
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Koharu and the Magical Girl Koneko
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Magical Girls' mana is a power they possess from birth.
But it usually doesn't manifest or become something they can control until their late teens or early twenties.
Sometimes, in rare cases, they discover its existence in their late twenties.
Or even more exceptionally, they handle faint traces of it from childhood.
The girl in our story was one such case... her mana had awakened at a remarkably young age.
A man weary of city life set off in search of new experiences, landing in a Japanese city.
It wasn't a glittering metropolis like Seoul or Tokyo, but with a sizable population, it had plenty of entertainment and tourist spots in its own right.
Passing through a tourist area during a bustling street festival, his eyes were drawn to a Japanese woman working a part-time gig at the event.
She wasn't dolled up with heavy makeup or flashy clothes.
Yet even drenched in sweat, she kept a kind smile on her face and worked tirelessly.
Feeling a heartbeat like nothing he'd ever known, the man mustered his courage and approached her.
She, in turn, was charmed by his bold and straightforward demeanor.
From that day on, the two began meeting regularly, nurturing tender feelings for each other.
They studied each other's languages and cultures.
And like young lovers often do, they shared passionate moments of affection.
Two months passed that way... until the man had to return to Korea.
He promised frequent calls and regular visits to Japan, but she couldn't bear even a moment apart.
Convincing her worried parents about life abroad, she followed him to Korea.
Soon after, they held a simple, beautiful, and modest wedding.
And from their union came an adorable little daughter: Koharu.
Her Korean name, taking after her father's surname, was Kang Haru.
Her Japanese name, after her mother's, was Nekomata Koharu.
Now husband and wife, and parents, they called her "Haru" and raised her with modest means but never lacking in care, pooling their efforts.
But that simple, happy family life didn't last long.
"My husband... he only has two months left to live...?"
"Yes... the problem is that the disease was discovered far too late."
"Even with surgery, the success rate isn't high... I'm afraid I can't offer much hope."
The man had often felt nagging pains in his nerves even before their child was born, but he'd brushed them off as nothing serious and skipped the doctor.
But those were symptoms of a disease that, if not caught early, had a high chance of proving fatal.
Growing weaker by the day, he received a terminal diagnosis and wasted away.
Koharu, still too young to even speak properly, couldn't grasp the meaning of her father's death.
In the end, he left the world behind, leaving only his three-year-old daughter.
His family refused to take in the mother and child.
With no other choice, she returned to Japan, her homeland.
Her family welcomed her back with open arms, hoping to comfort her in her grief over losing her beloved husband.
"Koharu... these are Grandpa and Grandma, right? First time seeing them...?"
"Wu-nya?"
The granddaughter looked just like her mother as a child—utterly adorable.
Grandpa and Grandma helped raise her with devotion, but they soon noticed she was a bit different from other kids.
Instead of human ears, she had tiny cat ears atop her head.
And on her backside, where nothing should be, sprouted a small brown tail.
It was too bizarre to dismiss as just a quirky constitution.
They wanted to get her checked out, but worried it'd draw suspicion or that someone might whisk her away for experiments, so they never went to a doctor.
No one knew it was because Koharu's mana had manifested far too early—and in such a unique form.
"Nyahaha! Mom! Grandma! Grandpa!"
Childhood flew by, and Koharu grew like a weed, day by day.
Her cat ears and tail remained, of course... and her speech and mannerisms had a feline flair.
Fortunately, everything else developed in human form and features.
But her grandparents were plagued by an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
"That child... is she really okay...?"
"Could it be... a curse because of our family name?"
They fretted if she'd turn into a yokai like the nekomata of legend and devour them, or if her claws might suddenly sharpen and harm them.
Perhaps because they were old and prone to superstition... their attitude toward Koharu began to shift.
Grandma, who used to serve warm meals with affection.
Grandpa, who used to gently stroke the space between her ears and smile.
Even at an age craving attention and love, they no longer treated her kindly.
Her own mother was much the same.
Grieving her husband's death, she seemed fine on the surface but drowned her longing in alcohol and pachinko.
She paid no mind to how her daughter was treated or raised.
She just wasted away day after day, lost in memories of her husband's face.
A child born from a miraculous love in a foreign land had become an unwanted burden, ignored by all.
'Who... who can I rely on...?'
The once bright and cheerful cat girl grew timid and withdrawn.
At school, classmates tormented her relentlessly over her appearance and speech.
Coming home offered no comfort or care.
If someone smiled kindly even a little, she'd want to approach... but fear of cold rejection kept her at bay.
Like a stray cat wandering the streets alone.
One day, as she barely scraped by...
"It's what your father left for you."
Grandpa handed an envelope to Koharu, now nineteen—twenty in Korean age.
Inside was a bankbook in her Korean name, "Kang Haru," and a short letter.
"I'm sorry... for not raising you better than this."
Watching her blossom into a fine young woman, the two elders realized how absurd their past superstitions had been.
But the rift with Koharu was now too wide, and they lacked the face to beg forgiveness.
This was their way of conveying their hearts to her.
"Daddy..."
Reading the last words her father had left behind, Koharu bowed her head and wept openly.
Her mother... even these grandparents before her... none had treated her with warmth.
But the father she'd thought abandoned her as a child had left this token of care.
Emotions welled up uncontrollably.
'To Korea... to where Daddy lived.'
And so... Koharu resolved to go to her father's homeland.
Her first month in Korea was filled with hardships and confusion.
Thanks to hearing Korean from childhood, she could speak it, but not fluently enough for daily life—especially complex words and phrases.
At least money wasn't a big issue.
Her father's savings were substantial, and her grandparents had sent a hefty sum to ease their past guilt.
Plus, with dual citizenship—not single nationality—she faced no major barriers to working if needed.
The real problem? Those cat ears and tail.
She'd easily be mistaken for some weirdo in cat cosplay.
She tried hats to hide the ears and tucking the tail into pants.
She even looked for work she could do from home.
That's how she ended up at a convenience store part-time job.
No education or experience required—perfect for Koharu, still awkward with Korean life.
One morning, heading home from her shift...
"Wu-nyanya... so sleepy..."
Cats sleep a lot, and her night shifts were torture, so she just wanted to hurry home and crash.
-KUGUGUGUGUGUGUGUGU-GWANG!
The quiet roadside erupted as a house-sized Monster smashed through a building, crossing her path.
Seeming annoyed, it turned and glared at her.
"Grrrrrrrr..."
"Wh-what?! Wu-nyaaaaaah?!"
Monsters appearing? That happened in Japan too.
But facing one head-on like this? First time.
And of all people, it was targeting her.
Terror-struck, she couldn't open her eyes or lift her head.
"GRRAAAAAHHH!!!"
"D-don't know you...! Nyanyanyanyanyanya!!!"
The Monster's foul breath grazed her nose.
Sensing mortal peril, Koharu squeezed her eyes shut, curled her hands into paws, and flailed wildly ahead in desperation.
"KRRAAAAAAAAGH?!?!"
Seconds later, a hideous scream.
Realizing nothing had happened to her, she opened her eyes.
An astonishing sight unfolded before her.
The Monster's corpse lay torn limb from limb.
'Those are claw marks... like a lion or tiger slashed it...'
Hard to believe even staring at it, but Koharu had clearly shredded the Monster so brutally.
The Magical Girl Management Bureau made contact after the incident.
Confirming her innate talent as a Magical Girl.
That her cat-like ears and tail stemmed from it.
Vowing no more hiding her true self, she accepted their offer to unleash her gifts as a Magical Girl.
"The justice-bringing cat who hunts evil... Magical Girl Koneko has arrived!"
Blending her name Koharu with her feline form into "Koneko."