Chapter 124
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: First Leave
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"You really not gonna pay?"
"Why should I?"
An incredulous reply shot back curtly.
"Think about it again. I mean, if it's too much, don't pay it all—just half. I'll cover the rest."
"No thanks."
No matter how persistently I pressed, the response was still a flat refusal.
I couldn't understand it.
No matter how much money I had, couldn't I treat her at least once? Why refuse like this?
At this point, I was starting to feel genuinely wronged.
"Come on, even a little contribution wouldn't hurt."
"Who the hell are you to keep spouting this nonsense?! Does it make any sense to make someone who just met you today pay for food you scarfed down alone?!"
Spending about ten years in another world must have made me completely forget what camaraderie means among Koreans.
Society's gotten so harsh.
It wasn't like this when I was around.
If even half the division commander who laughed it off when I snatched his snacks rubbed off on her, would that make a difference?
"Ugh, seriously! Think she's hot or something and pulling this crap—look at her!"
The woman at the far table fumed, then stormed out in a huff.
At the same time, Whitey and Les plopped down right across from me. Whitey tilted her head back and forth between me and the woman.
"Siyul, why's that lady so angry?"
"No idea."
Well, modern folks have short fuses, so what can you do.
Here, the level-headed me just has to understand.
I'm the Hero, after all.
"Hey, Hetero."
At that moment, Les grinned at me.
"How's society's food taste on your first leave?"
Yeah.
Just like Les said.
I'd finally gotten my first leave.
It was supposed to happen way earlier, but things kept getting tangled up, so here I was now.
In simple terms, my leave got screwed over.
Anyway, the moment I stepped out, I grabbed a casual meal at a nearby restaurant. And now I was shuddering at the bitter taste of this harsh world.
"Eh, not bad taste-wise."
"Right?"
Of course, purely on flavor, a Magical Cafe would blow this away. Expensive stuff has its reasons.
Still, being my first meal outside the barracks made it feel kinda special.
"Ah, fuck."
Then suddenly, my mood tanked. Probably because it was hitting me that this was my second round of military life.
Whatever.
The ones on leave with me this time were Whitey and Les. Whitey wasn't on special leave—she was out on her regular cycle.
So we agreed to meet up at this place first.
That was definitely the plan...
"Oh, there you all are."
"This girl told you, didn't she? No matter how much you run, you're still in the palm of the Magical Buddha's hand."
Why the hell were Sora and Taishi walking into the restaurant now?
Their leave schedules were supposed to be different from ours.
In this totally out-of-left-field situation, one possibility suddenly popped into my head.
"You two go AWOL or something?"
AWOL.
"No,. This time, both Taishi and I took separate leave."
"Oh, okay."
Good, not AWOL—just leave.
But it still didn't make sense.
"How, though?"
If both Sora and Taishi went out, that'd empty a whole dorm. They'd allow that?
Honestly, no way.
Desertion sounded more plausible.
They're both a bit off, so it could've happened anytime.
"The Magical First Sergeant sent us out. She even rushed us to go from the start."
"Really?"
"No idea why, but it's a relief. There was a reason we had to come out."
Unexpected.
The First Sergeant—the crazy bitch who slacks on her duties and blames everyone else—why would she greenlight Sora and Taishi heading out?
Word was, after the Magical Gallery blew up and she footed the bill for treating the injured Magical Girls out of pocket, she kinda lost it. Guess that's real.
Whatever, not my problem.
Her fault for shitty management.
Anyway.
"Sorry for suspecting you."
"It's fine. The other inferior Magical Girls reacted the same. Took a while to get out because of it."
", nothing weird happen when you left?"
Nothing weird... hmm.
"Nope."
Probably not.
Honestly, not sure.
The White Magical Girl stared at me leaving on leave with half-crazed eyes, begging to go too—that aside, nothing major.
"Good. Glad to hear it."
"Yeah."
Of course, I'm only talking this calmly now that it's over. Back then? Terrifying.
— "Me too!!! I wanna go on leave with you!!!"
The White Magical Girl's bloodshot-eyed scream had been so heartbreaking.
— "Don't need rest any other day!!! I've worked hard!!! Just today, please!!! Please!!!"
Even a double-digit number of Magical Girls clung to her trying to hold her back, but she took four steps anyway.
— "Why does the Magical General Conference have to start today of all days!!! Cancel everything!!! Tell them to cancel!!!"
She even got into it with some high-ranking general-level Magical Girl, tossing around words like "resolution" or whatever in the middle. Then the mood got super heavy.
Not sure exactly.
Probably some decision thing.
Truth is, I was too scared, so I bolted without listening properly.
Anyway.
That's how we made it out on leave.
— "Nooooo!!!!!! Let me go too!!!!!!!"
Leaving the White Magical Girl's wails behind.
", really nothing happened? Your face looks a bit off."
"Uh... probably nothing."
Man, my heart kinda hurt a little.
How insanely busy do you have to be to drive someone that mad over not getting leave? Couldn't even imagine it. Didn't want to.
Thanks to that, I added one more goal.
Must get fully discharged.
No extended service, ever.
"Anyway,."
Sora's sudden voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I focused back on reality.
"Yeah, what."
"So, what now?"
I had tons of ideas.
First leave ever— so much to do, so much I wanted to do.
But with the whole dorm crew here.
Maybe time for something a bit special.
Like.
"Wanna go on a trip?"
Head out and have some fun.
Hard to say we'd get another chance for everyone to meet up outside like this. Might as well all go on a trip together.
"Suddenly?"
"Why not. I'll cover costs."
"Hmm, if so, where to..."
Sora nodded at first, then trailed off. Trip sounded good, but picking a spot was tricky.
Right then, Whitey shoved her phone in my face.
A rural seaside area popped up.
"Then here!!!"
Not a bad spot.
It had that rustic countryside vibe soaked in, but the small houses were decorated in sleek shades of purple—kinda stylish.
If you ignored one tiny flaw.
"...Ray."
"Yeah."
"This is that 'island'."
Of all places, the infamous "island."
No way I'd go there, even if a travel agency offered it for free. At that point, it'd be a human trafficking ring anyway.
Apparently not just me—everyone from the dorm stiffened in their own ways.
The only one unfazed was Ray.
"Huh? Why? Magical Angel Island's where the Angels live, right? Sounds great!"
"Not quite. The real meaning of Magical Angel Island is a bit different."
"Oh? What's that?"
Ray tilted her head.
Taishi answered seriously.
"You have to become a Magical Angel to get out once you're in—that's why it's the island of Magical Angels."
"For real...?"
Ray startled, trailing off.
Her reaction said she really didn't know.
"Hah, but it's still Korea! Isn't the security decent there?"
Still, Ray wouldn't drop it, clinging harder than expected.
"Sis, that's a Magical extraterritorial zone."
"No... way..."
Not that it lasted long.
"Hetero pup, and that island—they enslave the disabled, and even normals if they feel like it. For a second, you forget if it's Korea or some other country."
Les dropped a line that could've sounded mystical, and Whitey shook her head hard, blatantly refusing.
"S-sorry! My thinking was short! Cancel! How can they make slaves out of the disabled!"
Why say it while looking at me, though.
"Ray, why say that looking at me."
You little shit.
I swallowed the rest. As an A-rank, I don't just curse out people who don't know better.
Anyway.
Good that Whitey backed off.
Though she was still mumbling regrets.
"Aw, bummer. Wanted to know what 'Purple Sea' means on Magical Angel Island."
"Oh, I know that one."
"Yeah? Siyul, what's the meaning?"
What does "Purple Sea" mean?
I love you? Technically yes.
That's the meaning most of the time.
But on that island, it's different.
Like the word "angel," "Purple Sea" there means something else.
"It's 'purple-tying you tight so you can't escape'."
"Aha! Got it!"
Whitey suddenly suggesting the island felt a bit off.
"Hey, why the island out of nowhere?"
"Figured once we check in, we'd crash for a full day anyway."
Kinda vague answer.
Wanted to dig more, but dropped it.
The moment I saw Whitey's squirmy blue eyes, my mouth just wouldn't move—for some weird reason.
Felt like I'd get eaten alive.
"Uh... okay."
In the end, I fumbled through it and got back to the original dilemma.
"Anyway, where to?"
", I'd love somewhere that gets my heart racing the moment we arrive."
"Hetero, I wanna go somewhere unfamiliar. But not totally alien—somewhere familiar yet fresh."
"This girl is fine anywhere, so how about a Magical treasure hunt? But not too far. Closer the better."
"I'm good wherever Siyul wants. Oh, but if possible, somewhere a bit secluded."
"Hmm. Alright?"
And so, one normal guy and four total wrecks huddled together to brainstorm.
And exactly one hour and thirteen minutes later.
A heart-racing spot, familiar yet fresh, a tad secluded.
There, I desperately sought.
"So, does the Captain have no mom?"
"......She does, you bastard."
The whereabouts of the Captain's mom, who had just gotten obliterated.