Magical Girl Impersonation Incident (2)

Feeling wronged about wasting time yesterday because of Kim Doa, I'd been whining the whole way home. So today, she was coming to my place herself.

This is how the world should be.

After putting me through all that hell yesterday, it's only right.

Anyway, while we were dealing with that, the Magical Girl Gallery had blown up. Mostly because of the impostor.

Thanks to the impostor stirring up trouble again yesterday, victims were popping up left and right. The impostor had already become a gallery legend.

"What the hell is this."

"Eww... this is kinda."

Vics were piling up like this.

There were probably some lies mixed in, given the community nature, but the uptick in related posts suggested the activity had ramped up since yesterday.

On top of that, trolls demanding Seoyeon explain herself just because she was a magical girl had tanked the thread, turning the comments into a warzone.

"No way, she's the impostor—why should Seoyeon have to explain? I can't wrap my head around it."

The Management Bureau had records on every magical girl anyway.

If a fallen one was causing this much chaos, Kim Doa would've put a bullet through their head already.

The Execution Department wasn't called that for nothing.

If they deem you no longer human, they eliminate without mercy. That's rule one.

"We do need to catch them quick, though..."

The gallery had quieted down after the owner squashed the bait, but...

If we couldn't nab the impostor, it was all for nothing. The magical girl image was about to get trashed.

"The tail just won't show."

I took a huge bite of the sandwich Keter had made.

Nom nom.

Putting together what we knew so far: Some weirdo in magical girl garb ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠attacks anyone who's not a real magical girl and knocks them out.

What the hell was their deal?

I was curious about the erosion they were spreading too—what was the mechanism?

Gulp gulp—I downed the milk.

Lately Keter'd been giving me a lot of milk. Was I imagining it?

Not like it made me grow anyway.

Eh, good stuff's good.

Ding~

A chat from Seoyeon on Esostar.

I could feel the rage in Seoyeon's messages.

Makes sense—the current magical girl image was basically her face. Hearing someone was trashing it in real time would piss anyone off.

I bundled up all the info so far and sent it to Seoyeon.

Having Gwangwon Guild help would widen the net. Nice.

"Milady, Doa has arrived."

Right on cue, Keter brought in Kim Doa.

"Huh? Already?"

I shoved the rest of the sandwich in my mouth and waved at Kim Doa.

She looked at me like I was pathetic.

What, first time seeing someone eat?

One-shot the milk to finish.

"So what's the plan today? If it's the same as yesterday, I'm going solo."

Couldn't just stand around waiting forever.

Poking around everywhere, we'd run into her somewhere.

"Don't cause trouble again. Just stay put for once."

Kim Doa pinched her brow. The "don't be a pain" face.

"No, but are we seriously just gonna wait around pointlessly like yesterday?"

"No other way. Sightings jump around, and with the erosion, we can't pinpoint. All we can do is trust Observation."

"Poke around and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she'll pop out."

Easiest method.

And what I was best at.

"Forgot the reprimand you got already?"

Kim Doa furrowed her brows.

"That..."

Yeah, fair.

Couldn't argue. Sneaky bringing that up.

"S-Still, it's the simplest way."

"..."

Kim Doa glared silently.

She was really tired today—no joking around. Gotta back off.

"Sorry."

No helping it.

Guess I'd wander back alleys like an idiot again today.

"I know way."

Suddenly Tiphereth poked her head out of Kim Doa's bag. Fox ears twitching.

"What is it."

Kim Doa opened the bag. Tiphereth crawled out.

"Wear magical girl outfit and wait. She'll come for sure."

Tiphereth shrugged proudly.

"Draw her out by baiting as a magical girl, huh."

Kim Doa nodded.

Not a bad idea.

Impostor was hunting magical girls, so advertise one out in the open and she'd bite eventually.

"I think it's a solid plan too. Well done, Tiphereth."

Keter, who'd been listening, spoke up.

Her face softened—proud of her little sis for once.

"Tiphereth good? Pet if good. Love pets."

"Got it."

Kim Doa put Tiphereth on her hand and stroked her head.

"Doa nice. More."

Tiphereth purred happily.

Always calling her a glutton, but they got along.

"Then who will play the magical girl."

As we all smiled at Tiphereth, Keter dropped that bomb.

Oh, right. Forgot that part.

To ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bait, someone had to dress up and parade around.

"Not me, hell no. Strut around transformed?"

People'd think I was some cosplay girl.

No way.

Couldn't have my magical girl look circulating the gallery.

"I'm Bureau—can't flash my identity."

Kim Doa waved it off.

Who else then.

Our eyes met—Kim Doa and me.

No words, but same thought.

We turned to Keter.

"Absolutely not. Even humanized, my core is otherworld. Anyone spreading that much erosion would sniff me out quick."

Her words sped up.

That averse, huh.

"No one suitable around?"

"Yeah."

"Can't just pull from Execution?"

They're high-rank awakeners.

Kim Doa was their boss—might work.

"We're already on it. Would you tell your subordinates to cosplay magical girl and roam?"

"Fair."

If my boss said that, I'd quit.

What now.

Seoyeon was busy earlier—Gwangwon probably on doll duty.

Anyone...

Decent rank awakener...

Friendly with us...

Female.

"Ah, Kim Dohee."

"Dohee?"

Kim Doa tilted her head like it never crossed her mind.

"Solid awakener, knows us, and feels like she'd actually do it if we asked her to dress up."

"Hey, what do you take Dohee for."

She said it, then pondered seriously.

Even she agreed it fit.

Then, guilty, she looked down and fiddled with her phone.

Meanwhile, at Banwol.

The cramped officetel was noisy as ever today.

"Who!!! Who ate my pudding!!! You, Yoo Yeonha."

"Why would I."

"Don't play dumb. Did the perfectly fine pudding suddenly grow legs and run off?"

"Must've. Puddings are speedy these days."

"Fine, let's go today."

"Agh, shut up already. You guys elementary kids or what."

Banwol Guild Master Kim Dohee sighed.

Her guild was always like this.

No quiet days, but lively was better.

Lately they'd struggled with cash.

Lee Narin's rich family had kept them afloat with loans. Nearly lost the officetel.

So the last doll subjugation was crucial. Big incident, but they took down a 7th-grade and a 1st-grade. Plus, the mercenary waived her cut, so full payout to Banwol.

First guild beef BBQ ever.

Never thought Doa unnie would assign a fellow magical girl as backup.

Kim Dohee still pictured that 1st-grade fight.

One of the five heroes in her memory.

Blazing gauntlet in hand.

Monstrous stamina, blinding speed.

Her epithet...

Then her phone rang.

Kim Doa.

Kim Dohee snatched it up.