Interlude 1
“Hic, hiccup… M-Mommy…”
“There, there, my baby.”
The mother-daughter reunion dragged on for a while. Just like she had with me, Jin Se-hee patted her daughter's back and shoulders with hazy, blissed-out eyes. Her hand stroked downward in a steady rhythm, soothing her like a newborn infant.
A strange smile tugged at my lips as I watched the scene.
Her daughter no longer had to worry herself sick over her shut-in, good-for-nothing mother. The mother would listen to her daughter's troubles and hold her close with warmth.
Once we cleared out that dependency on my scent or semen, this mother and daughter might just reclaim a normal, happy daily life. An ideal, heartwarming family picture.
…I hardly remember ever getting that kind of treatment when I was a kid.
If I'd grown up in a wholesome home like that, I probably wouldn't be taking on this overreaching job of "treating" and "ruining" women left and right.
Whatever. Who cares about some meaningless family ideal? It held no significance now.
“Sniff… Mom, you're really okay, right? You're not hurting anywhere?”
“I told you, I'm fine~ The counselor massaged me real good, and now I'm all better. I feel like I could fly.”
Jin Se-hee winked at me. Only she and I knew the sordid implication hidden in "massaged me real good."
Once Chae Yu-bin had calmed down a bit, she wiped her tears and approached me.
Her eyes were puffy and swollen. But that gaze held infinite trust and gratitude toward me.
“Counselor… thank you, really, thank you so much. I don't know how to repay this kindness…”
“No need. It's just my duty as a counselor.”
“But… the, the treatment fee…”
Yu-bin's face darkened again. A dramatic change like this? Common sense dictated it had to cost hundreds of thousands—no, millions of won.
For her, scraping by on cup ramen just to pay loan interest, even a miracle came wrapped in the terror of a bill.
I waved it off.
“I won't take any money.”
“W-What?! B-But…”
“I know your situation, Yu-bin. And this procedure was my own call, for research purposes after seeing your mother's condition. It's for collecting clinical data, too.”
“C-Counselor…”
Chae Yu-bin's eyes welled up again.
“However.”
As I started, she tensed and swallowed hard.
“There's one thing—post-treatment care is needed.”
“A p-problem?”
“Your mother's state improved so drastically… but to maintain it, steady management is essential. The debt issue remains, too.”
I glanced at Jin Se-hee, who was grinning vacantly. She was still staring at my lips, licking hers hungrily.
“To handle the suddenly activated mana circuit, she needs proper mana expenditure activities. Otherwise, she'll revert… or get even worse.”
“Ah… I-is that so…?”
Chae Yu-bin's face went pale.
“Then what should we do? What more can I do…?”
“That's why I have a proposal.”
I pulled a business card from my pocket—one I'd prepared in advance. It was from one of Nebula's shell subsidiaries, a special personnel dispatch agency.
“I know a place that helps former magical girls reintegrate into society.”
“Reintegrate… into society?”
“Yes. For talented people like your mother, whose careers were interrupted by personal circumstances, they arrange suitable jobs. Of course, in her current state, she'd be welcomed anywhere. It might feel awkward from your perspective as her daughter. But—”
“N-No way! After all you've done to help, how could I think something so selfish?!”
I slipped the card into Chae Yu-bin's hand as she shook her head vigorously.
“…Thank you for understanding. If your mother works there, she'll naturally circulate her mana and stay healthy. The pay's pretty good, too.”
“A job… Can Mom really work? She's been cooped up at home for years…”
“Of course. In her current condition, she'll match her prime—or even surpass it. Plus, if she works there, I can check on her periodically. A form of aftercare.”
It was a perfect pitch.
Mother's health maintenance, income, and my ongoing oversight.
For debt-strapped Chae Yu-bin, there was no reason to refuse—in fact, she'd be fools not to grovel in thanks.
“Counselor…”
Her voice was thick with emotion. Unable to hold back any longer, she threw herself into my arms.
Huh.
“Thank you… thank you so much! I'll never forget this kindness. Ever…”
The warmth of her body seeped through her work clothes. Chae Yu-bin's cheeks flushed pink as she trembled in my embrace. Even covered in sweat and dust from the rough job site, she carried a strangely fresh, vibrant scent.
Is this the natural fragrance of a pure magical girl?
It was a completely different stimulation from the thick, cloying aroma I'd just caught from Jin Se-hee.
Damn, she's turning me on…
Even after Jin Se-hee had drained me just minutes ago, my lower belly heated up heavily again. These girls—magical girls or witches—exuded human pheromones indiscriminately just by existing.
But I quickly snapped out of it and averted my gaze.
Guilt.
And—
Jin Se-hee was watching this scene.
Will she get jealous?
No matter that it was her daughter—in her current state, Jin Se-hee was consumed by possessive obsession toward me. Seeing another woman in my arms might set her off. I watched her expression tensely.
But.
“Hehe…”
To my surprise, Jin Se-hee was smiling.
Beaming, in fact.
With a look of utter contentment, like she could die happy from the adorableness. She even spread her arms wide, pulling both me and Chae Yu-bin into a group hug.
“Ehehe. You two look so perfect together.”
“M-Mom?”
Chae Yu-bin looked up in shock. Jin Se-hee ruffled my hair and her daughter's with both hands.
“You look so good. My Yu-bin… and the counselor, too. Mommy's so happy.”
Phew. Luckily, in Jin Se-hee's twisted perception, Chae Yu-bin and I were still lumped together in the "family" category. Though the fact that her "mom" was a witch and she'd just been banging the guy she called "son" was the problem.
“Mom… I'm so happy! Things are gonna be great for us now!”
Oblivious, Chae Yu-bin burrowed deeper into her mother's warm embrace.
But I could feel it. Jin Se-hee's hand, wrapped around my back, slyly tracing down my spine to poke at my ass crack.
…Looks like she needs more training ahead.
A bare minimum of manners for Jin Se-hee and Chae Yu-bin. Better to enforce some boundaries.
Sector 1, District 3, Alparede. Jeong Ji-un's family home.
The irritated voice of Lee So-hee's second daughter, Jeong Yu-min, shattered the elegant silence like a scream.
“Ugh, seriously! This is pissing me off so bad!”
Thwack!
A cushion flew across the sofa.
“What's wrong now, Yu-min?”
Lee So-hee, emerging from the kitchen with a tray, widened her eyes. Draped in an elegant silk gown, she glided into the living room, carrying the fresh aroma of brewed black tea.
“Don't even ask, Mom. That guild master old fart is being a total asshole again.”
Jeong Yu-min huffed as she sat up. Her smooth legs, exposed below her short hotpants, twitched irritably.
“In this raid, I didn't do enough damage, the sponsor logo wasn't visible enough… blah blah blah. Hello? I was busy smashing monsters—do I have to worry about camera angles too? Am I an idol or what?”
“Oh dear. Our Yu-min's working so hard.”
Lee So-hee clicked her tongue as she set down the teacups.
“I told you not to push yourself too hard. You're so popular, people get jealous.”
“Jealousy's fine. The problem is my incompetent management team. Scheduling's a mess, settlements always late.”
Jeong Yu-min. A B-grade magical girl and influencer with hundreds of thousands of SNS followers. Her flashy looks and star power drew the masses, but it came with constant friction from her guild.
“What about Sis? How's your guild? I wanna just switch.”
Jeong Yu-min asked her sister, who sat on the opposite single-seater sofa, reviewing documents on a tablet PC.
Jeong Yu-na. The eldest daughter of the household, Jeong Ji-un's oldest stepsister.
“Hmph, no different.”
“Even there?”
“The team leader has zero tactical sense. Last A-grade gate clear was delayed ten minutes from inefficient paths. Tanked my eval score. And that manager's always bitching.”
“…Yu-na, about that incident before.”
Lee So-hee ventured cautiously.
“I know, Mom. I won't touch it again, okay?”
Jeong Yu-na had recently beaten her frustrating manager in a rage, giving him a four-week injury. She'd been holding back since, but her perfectionism remained.
“Sigh… I just don't get why everyone's like this. Magical girls just need to kill monsters—why deal with fan crap and office politics?”
“Right? It's so annoying!”
Jeong Yu-min ruffled her hair with a sigh, flopping back onto the sofa to stare at the ceiling.
“If it's like this, maybe…”
She pondered for a moment, then bolted upright, eyes sparkling as she turned to Lee So-hee.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“What if we go independent?”
Lee So-hee blinked.
“Independent? With what?”
“A guild. Or more precisely, a management company.”
Magical girl management.
“Think about it. Me and Sis are both B-grade. Ace level for mid-tier guilds. Why work under someone, getting skimmed on commissions?”
“Oh, but… running a business isn't easy.”
“Pfft, you've got you, Mom! You're a former magical girl!”
Jeong Yu-min shook Lee So-hee's arm, acting cute.
“Startup capital? Pool our savings. Rent a building for an office, you be CEO handling our schedules and assets. What do you think?”
Lee So-hee smiled awkwardly, flustered.
“Me? I'm too old for that.”
“Old? You're gorgeous and young! The perfect boss lady. Right, Sis?”
As Jeong Yu-min sought agreement, Jeong Yu-na nodded while sipping tea.
“Not a bad idea.”
“Oh, even you, Yu-na?”
“Current guild system's inefficient. Too much red tape, excessive commissions. Better to form a family corporation for tax breaks and take control. Long-term win, Mom.”
Jeong Yu-na sounded like she'd already crunched the numbers. As her words gained weight, Lee So-hee's expression grew serious.
“Hmm… if you girls really want it that badly…”
“Of course! No more kowtowing, living lavish on our terms. And when the guild grows, recruit new magical girls!”
“Right, and we have Ji-un, too…”
“Huh?”
Jeong Yu-min's brow furrowed. She shot Lee So-hee a look like she'd seen chewed-up gum. The cutesy act from moments ago vanished.
“Mom. You serious?”
“Oh, why? Ji-un's all grown up now.”
“Grown my ass. Age don't mean shit when he acts worse than a kid.”
Jeong Yu-min scoffed.
“What would he do at our company? Clean? Fetch coffee? Too embarrassing to show off. A planning agency run by two B-grades can't have a worthless NEET employee—ruins the vibe.”
“Yu-min, that's too harsh! He's still your brother.”
“Brother? Not a drop of blood between us.”
Jeong Yu-min crossed her legs, grumbling. Her gaze shifted to her sister beside her.
“Say something. Mom's being too nice again.”
Jeong Yu-na set down her teacup. Clink. The porcelain chime rang coldly.
“Yu-min's right.”
Her voice was calm but firm.
“Mom, a family business isn't just 'keep it in the family.' It's about trusted people maximizing efficiency. But Ji-un…”
Jeong Yu-na paused. A flicker of contemptuous calculation passed in her eyes.
“Objectively, he's worthless. No special skills, not even diligent?”
“That's… Ji-un just hasn't found his calling yet…”
“It's not calling—it's lack of ability. Hiring him would make it charity, not business. We're not running a charity.”
“But…”
Lee So-hee fidgeted with her teacup. Guilt and pity for Ji-un always lingered in her heart.
Blended family. A son crushed under the shadow of non-blood-related sisters, unable to stand tall.
If even she didn't look out for him, he had no place in this house.
But I'm his mom… I have to take care of him somehow…
As Lee So-hee's worries deepened—
“Oh, right!”
Clap! She suddenly clapped her hands.
“I forgot all about it.”
Lee So-hee's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward, lips twitching with excitement.
“You girls don't know? Ji-un did something amazing recently.”
“Amazing?”
Jeong Yu-min smirked mockingly.
“What, maxed a game level? Or got a convenience store gig?”
“No, nothing trivial like that.”
Lee So-hee lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Ji-un… got a certification.”
“Certification?”
“Yeah. Not just any—'Mana-Sensitive Psychological Counselor' certification!”
“……”
“……”
Silence blanketed the living room. Jeong Yu-na and Jeong Yu-min stared at each other. Then, after about three seconds—
“Puhahaha!”
Jeong Yu-min burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.