Mature Magical Girl

"...Have I put on some weight?"

Ever since contracting with Keter and getting this body, there'd been no growth or changes whatsoever. Elder-grade mascots have the ability to fix their contractor's physical form. So there was no way I'd gained weight.

But lately, my stomach felt kinda soft and squishy. If I tugged on it, it seemed to stretch a bit. Had I been eating too many tteokbokki sticks recently?

"Must be my imagination."

It had to be. Eating what I love and rolling around when there's nothing to do—that's my joy in life. If they're not gonna turn me back into my old body, I wanna live like this forever.

"...Guess I'll go for a walk today."

I'd only been going out once a day lately, then making excuses about being tired and just lying around the house. I needed to move a little.

There wasn't anything to do at home anyway.

Even the Magical Girl Gallery had lost its appeal lately.

The gallery had been buzzing nonstop for three days straight over the Dawn Guild's retreat. Maybe because it was an unprecedented string of subjugation failures from such a powerhouse guild. Or the shocking situation where only the guild master got rescued.

The debates raging around Yuseolhwa showed no signs of stopping.

Normally, I'd be dropping shitposts to stir reactions. But the vibe right now made it feel off.

Even just lurking the main page, people were fighting all day.

"There must be some reason for it."

No matter that it was an unidentified doll and Dawn had been off their game lately, total wipe except for an S-rank against a mere Grade 4? Impossible. If the Management Bureau only rescued Yuseolhwa, something must've gone down in the erosion zone. It was a reasonable suspicion.

Times like this called for a little input.

"Yeah... that's the stuff."

Dropping a shitpost after so long felt exhilarating.

And amid it all, SunSorcererDayo seemed to have some grasp of the inside story. Where did he keep digging up info I didn't even know?

Last time I asked if he was Management Bureau, Kim Doa said they'd get fired on the spot from Observation if so.

Who'd risk their neck just to shitpost on the gallery?

"Miss, do you have a moment?"

Keter poked his head through the door.

"Huh?"

What was this about all of a sudden? He'd made lunch earlier and been prepping something.

"I'm planning to shoot photos for Essosta."

Keter shook the camera in his hand.

Oh, that.

"Yeah, about time to post."

The last post was from the pool. Too lazy after that to even snap simple pics.

"Sure. Let's knock it out quick."

I got up from bed and went to Keter. He'd turned an empty room into a photo set. So that's what he'd been doing.

"Miss, this way please."

"Why?"

"This."

Keter held out a shopping bag. An ominous aura leaked from it.

Peeking inside, there was a black spaghetti-strap slip dress and blouse.

What the hell was this?

"Today's shoot is planned with this."

"You want me to wear that, right now?"

"Yes."

He looked at me like what was wrong with that.

Everything was wrong.

"Miss, please think it over. Compared to the bikini, this is utterly neutral."

Was it?

Not wrong, but the bikini was an accident.

"No... even so."

"You're planning to separate your magical girl and Essosta personas anyway, right? This is just acting. Pretending to be a girl, miss."

"W-well, true."

"And all the outfits on your Essosta have been full of cuteness. Emphasizing maturity this time will greatly boost account growth."

Keter sped up when even he knew it sounded weird.

But I got it this time.

"Maturity?"

"Yes. Unlike my usual cute recommendations, it'll add a new color to you. You're not planning to wear it outside anyway, right?"

True.

This outfit was super mature. Cool city girl vibe.

Less embarrassing than cute clothes, honestly.

And it'd only be for the shoot—never again after.

"Fine, just for the photos."

"Understood."

I changed while Keter finished setting up. Glancing in the mirror, yeah, definitely more mature.

Right. I'm not some kid.

This might not suck.

Not that I'd wear it out.

"H-how's the pose?"

"Hand to your neck, relaxed expression."

"L-like this?"

"Tilt your hips a bit more to the side."

"Got it."

"Ex, excellent."

Keter stammered but praised my excellence.

"Then, shooting."

Click—

He snapped several shots, then signaled he was done—must've got a good one.

"A flawless photo, without a single flaw."

"R-really?"

"Yes. Every photo I've taken before pales in comparison."

No way that good.

Keter showed me.

"That's me?"

"Yes, miss."

Me making such a femme face?

That's when I realized what I'd done.

Fooled again.

.

.

.

[dbfld_0520]

The post went up, and comments were pure praise.

Better reaction than the one with Seoyeon last time.

Hated to admit it, but Keter was right.

Feels good somehow.

As a magical girl, no matter what I did, I never got this unconditional love.

Praise makes even magical girls dance, they say. All this praise was softening my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠head—I felt like busting a move.

What photo next to make 'em happy...

No, snap out of it.

"What was I thinking?"

The little boy inside me screamed, snapping me back.

Right. No matter how I look now, I was an ajusshi.

Then a chat from Seoyeon popped up on Essosta.

Gwangwon must've gotten a subjugation commission.

Wonder why nothing came my way.

Nothing to do otherwise.

I closed the Essosta chat.

Of course I'd take pics, but if she teased again, time to block.

"Keter."

"Yes, miss? Something wrong?"

I stopped Keter as he finished cleaning up to leave.

"No commissions for us, right?"

"Correct. None."

Really nothing.

No special requests from Kim Doa either.

"Why?"

"Seoyeon said tons of dolls this time. Kinda weird no commission came my way."

Thought I'd get called as backup after Dawn Guild.

Guess not.

"Shall I check with Doa?"

"Huh? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Nah, don't. Probably a reason."

Kim Doa was swamped with Dawn and the doll outbreak.

Asking would just piss her off.

If rest was on the table, might as well enjoy it.

"Gonna go for that walk."

"I'll accompany you."

"Yeah? Stop by a cafe on the way then."

"Understood. But miss, you're not planning to go like that, are you?"

"Huh?"

I slowly looked down at myself.

Still in the shoot outfit.

...Close call.