Is this really right?
Is this really right?
Basically, clearing Dungeons and Gates is done in parties of several people.
Of course, there are Hunters who work alone, but that's a real edge case.
Even those who try to do it solo at first give up on going alone as soon as they experience the danger of almost dying once.
Usually, it's standard to join a Guild and work, but there are also many cases where people don't join a Guild and just go around with acquaintances.
So, in a way, it's perfectly understandable that Seol-ah-unni would suggest a party.
Except for the fact that Seol-ah-unni's rank is A and mine is D.
"M-me?"
"Yeah. I left my Guild anyway, so I have nothing to do."
Suspicious. It's true that I'm constantly receiving favors, but...
"W-won't it be a loss for you if you go with me, Seol-ah-unni? I'm D-rank!"
"Ranks can be raised. What's the problem?"
"W-what's your ulterior motive? I'm grateful for your help, but that kind of thing won't work on me."
Just then, Seol-ah-unni fiddled with her phone, and a familiar voice reached my ears.
-Cherry Kick! That's not it... Blossom Kick!
......My voice?
"Wh-what is that!"
"I was going to delete it earlier, but... since I won't be able to see Ahyeon in the future, I'll save it and watch it whenever I want to."
I hurriedly reached for the phone, but Seol-ah-unni's hand was faster.
"Even if you delete this, it's already backed up to the cloud, bleh."
"Ugh..."
I've been had. To think this would happen. Am I going to be stuck living under Seol-ah-unni's thumb for the rest of my life?
I always thought it was ridiculous when I saw people being blackmailed with videos in fiction, but the day I get hit by it has arrived.
"H-how can I get you to delete it? You're after my body, aren't you!"
"Uh... it's definitely a similar vibe, but saying it like that makes me feel like a bad person, doesn't it?"
"You are! You're blackmailing me with a video right now...!"
"Uh... does it work out like that...?"
"Th-then what's your goal in asking me to party with you!"
"I'm just worried about you, that's all."
"D-don't lie! They said there's no such thing as a favor without a reason!"
"Then let's think about it differently. What could I possibly gain from you by doing this?"
It's definitely true, but... for some reason, I feel annoyed for no reason.
"That could be it! Y-you never know!"
Seol-ah-unni sighed while looking at me, then opened her mouth again.
"Fine, I'll be honest. I saw you take down the Goblin Great earlier."
"Gasp..."
She saw that? Everything, including me shouting lines, transforming, and throwing a punch?
I definitely thought there was no one around when I used it!
On top of that, I even shouted lines I didn't need to because I got excited for no reason.
"......Where did you see from?"
"Hm?"
"I asked where you saw from."
"When you shouted Lily Punch! and-"
"Aaaahhh!"
I hurriedly covered Seol-ah-unni's mouth. Hearing it from someone else's mouth makes me feel like I'm burning up.
"Well... you said you're a Magical Girl, right? That can happen, right?"
"I can't go outside anymore..."
To show someone else this side of me on the first day in a dungeon.
"Come to think of it, Ahyeon-ah, your outfit was different when you took down the Goblin Great, can you tell me what happened? You don't have to if you don't want to."
It's not like there's any reason to hide it now that she's seen everything anyway...
"That's how it happened..."
In the end, I spilled everything related to the Magical Girl skills to Seol-ah-unni.
I decided there was no need to hide it, and Seol-ah-unni might realize facts I hadn't noticed on my own.
"I see. You really are a Magical Girl. Transforming to defeat monsters, having to shout out move names and stuff... is it only possible as White Lily right now?"
"Yes. It says that if the grade goes up, it's possible to become other Magical Girls too."
"That's really fascinating. I have no idea how it works."
Seol-ah-unni had a thoughtful look on her face for a moment, then stared right at me.
"Wh-why are you doing that?"
"In the end, you have to raise your skill grade, right?"
"Th-that's right, isn't it?"
"And to raise the skill grade, you have to raise your magic power."
"That's right."
"But it seems like there's a way to raise magic power way too easily?"
There's something like that? Did I do well by telling Seol-ah-unni after all?
"You just have to raise Cherry Blossom's popularity. If popularity goes up, your stats increase."
"Th-that's true, I guess?"
An inexplicable sense of unease is creeping up.
The grin Seol-ah-unni was giving me felt somehow chilling.
Dazed-
"Ahyeon-ah! Let's try this on too."
"Again...?"
"Hey, you haven't even tried on that many yet."
"Isn't this the same as the one I just wore...?"
How did I end up like this.
I was definitely eating pizza just a moment ago, but when I came to, I was inside a clothing store.
She says this is all a way to raise popularity, but I don't know what she's talking about.
Of course, I did need clothes. My house is full of nothing but adult men's clothes!
That's why I followed her obediently.
It doesn't end. It feels like I've become Seol-ah-unni's dress-up doll.
Huh.
"Excuse me..."
"What's wrong, Ahyeon-ah? Is there a problem?"
"The skirt is a bit..."
In my Magical Girl state, I could self-hypnotize by saying it's not me wearing it, but Cherry Blossom's outfit, or White Lily's outfit, so it was fine. But wearing it myself feels repulsive no matter what.
Seol-ah-unni tilted her head.
"Why? Your Magical Girl outfit is a skirt too. A skirt will definitely be prettier."
"Th-that's different from this."
"Hey, don't say that and just try it on once. I'm telling you, it'll be really pretty."
"J-just this once."
Is this for real?
A strange sensation I didn't feel when I was a man is felt in my legs.
The feeling of air constantly passing between my legs feels strange, and at the same time, I keep thinking that it's too empty down there.
It was fine when I was in my Magical Girl state... what is this? Is it the difference between wearing it myself and not? Or is there some kind of magic cast on the outfit too?
Seol-ah-unni looked at me as if satisfied and gave a thumbs up.
"I-it feels strange..."
"No! It really suits you. You must wear it around!"
I glanced at the clock and saw that over an hour had passed.
I want to go home quickly and just lie on my bed and rest. Why did I come here? I don't even know that anymore...
"Oh my, look at the time already. Ahyeon-ah! It's late, so I'll drive you home."
"Yes? It's okay..."
I was about to say, but then my eyes landed on the shopping bags filling both my hands.
"Thank you..."
As Han Seol-ah glanced at Choi Ah-hyun in the backseat, she saw her nodding off.
'She must have been tired.'
It's understandable. It was chaos from the first day. By the time she tried on the last outfit, she already had a look on her face like her soul had half-left her body.
'Magical Girl...'
There were too many things that couldn't be understood by Choi Ah-hyun's explanation. First of all, awakening as a Magical Girl is a situation I've never seen before, but the existence of quests and the Status Window were also suspicious.
"Status Window."
At Han Seol-ah's words, a blue window immediately popped up.
[ Name : Han Seol-ah ]
[ Class : Mechanic ]
[ Stats ]
[ Stamina : C | Strength : C ]
[ Agility : C | Magic : A ]
[ Rank : A-rank ]
Despite her low stats, the reason Han Seol-ah is A-rank is for one reason. It was because of the characteristics of the Mechanic class.
The fact that she could participate in multiple battlefields simultaneously without going to the scene herself by utilizing drones was highly evaluated.
In fact, before leaving the Guild, she used to support combat in several parties simultaneously right away.
Though she ended up quitting because that part was difficult.
'Why is Ahyeon D-rank?'
Just looking at the explanation I heard from Ahyeon and the fact that she took down the Goblin Great, even if her stats were low, Magical Girl should have been highly evaluated.
Of course, there are conditions like having to know the Magical Girl lines and poses from the Puripan series, but even so, shouldn't it at least come out as A-rank?
The existence of quests is equally suspicious. Hearing that quests occur in the Status Window was something I'd never heard of in any community.
'It's worth investigating once.'
"Gasp!"
I fell asleep as soon as I got in the car.
"You're awake? We're almost there."
Ugh... no matter how tired I am, to just fall asleep in someone else's car. This useless body of mine.
"Ah, you can drop me off here!"
Even so, asking to be driven all the way inside seemed like too much of a nuisance, so I got off at the entrance of the neighborhood.
"Are you okay? Can you make it?"
"I'm fine. Just giving me a ride this far is enough!"
I've lived here for several years, I could go with my eyes closed.
Seol-ah-unni looked around our neighborhood for a moment, then looked at me.
"Ahyeon-ah, why don't we form a party together? Living alone in a place like this is really..."
"I'm fine! I've lived here for a long time, so I'm used to it!"
Seol-ah-unni opened her mouth to say something, then closed it.
"Alright. Instead, if anything happens, make sure to contact me. Got it?"
"I told you I'm fine."
Seol-ah-unni urged me repeatedly for a long time, and stayed in that spot until I was out of sight.
Is she actually a good person, just one who likes to joke around?
"Ugh... heavy."
As soon as I barely arrived home, I threw the shopping bags on the floor and jumped onto the bed.
Home is the best, after all.
"Oh, right! The daily post!"
I almost forgot. I have to do my last daily routine.
As I uploaded the daily post like always, my eyes closed naturally as if waiting for it.
It's strange. I was usually energetic at this time... and I even slept in the car just now...