9. Witch of the Crimson Flame (1)
9. Witch of the Crimson Flame (1)
-Berry: No way, they said a witch appeared.
-Tiatia: What are you talking about, Berry-Berry?
-Mal-dal-li-ja: Huh? That's this week's newbie attendant-nim.
-Mal-dal-li-ja: Then what about the newbie?
-Berry: I don't know either. I heard they're gathering magical girls because a witch appeared?
-IAMMAGNA: Is it MG-class?
-Berry: Probably.
-Alice Lover: This is a real disaster.
Strawberry sighed. She was a bit, just a tiny bit, tired from carrying the newbie who suddenly collapsed, Theresia, all the way to the Management Bureau.
Soon, the Bureau would order other magical girls to mobilize. As far as Strawberry knew, Justia or AA would probably come.
Equitesia or Alea wouldn't usually step up for things like this. Unless the two of them were going together, they didn't usually hang around with many people.
At first, she thought it was strange, but now she didn't think much of it. If she had to put it into words, she just thought, "Maybe it's just awkward for them to be in a group."
[I don't know why Theresia fainted again.]
"Tell me about it, Dori. By the way, did you do that on purpose?"
[What do you mean by that?]
"No, I mean the name Theresia."
It was the magical girl name of your contractor who went missing and was declared dead last time. However, these words didn't leave Strawberry's lips. It was because Dori's tone sounded sorrowful for some reason.
[I don't know what to say. About what you're asking.]
"Never mind. I'll ask next time."
She didn't know when next time would come. Maybe she might never be able to ask. Because she could scratch Dori's wound and make it bleed.
Strawberry wanted to change the subject, but she already knew that if she spoke, the atmosphere would become heavy. Perhaps that was why she was slightly envious of Theresia.
Theresia wasn't just cute, but her way of speaking was also cute, so she was effective at lightening the mood every time. She knew for sure because she had talked to her several times in the hospital room.
"Anyway, Dori. Explain it to me."
[The Crimson Flame Witch, you mean?]
"Isn't that obvious?"
Dori cleared his throat as if warming up his voice. Even though he looked like a teddy bear, he always cleared his throat before saying something important. She had gotten used to it during the five years she had lived as a contractor, so she didn't think much of it now.
[The Crimson Flame Witch is, literally, a witch related to flames. I expect that if it's an upper-level MX-class, solo subjugation would be possible, but as you know, most of Korea's MX-class magical girls have gone on a business trip to the Rome headquarters.]
"No, don't they usually leave one or two people behind?"
[How can they ignore it when Flavia-nim called them?]
Flavia. She was a famous person in the magical girl world. The person who created the Magical Girl Management Bureau and devised the magical girl ranking system.
Actually, the reason the magical girl ranking system was all in Latin was because of Flavia. Because Flavia was from Rome.
"Is Flavia-nim still healthy?"
[Healthy? Of course. She's still active in the field.]
"Sometimes I'm scared! I've been doing this for 5 years and it's this hard, but that person......."
[Well, that's true. I'm just amazed sometimes, too. Hasn't it already been over 2000 years?]
"Exactly!"
Magical girls don't die. To be precise, they don't die of old age. However, the body that hasn't transformed into a magical girl dies of old age.
Flavia was the same; her untransformed body must have been dead of old age thousands of years ago.
That meant she had lived as a magical girl forever while surviving until now.
Some might say immortality is a blessing, but Strawberry didn't think so.
Because it meant she had to suffer human pain for that long.
In that sense, Flavia was a pitiful person.
She didn't know what Flavia herself thought, though.
[Anyway, the conversation went off track. I'll tell you again. The identity of the Crimson Flame Witch hasn't been revealed yet, but there are a few beings I suspect. Well, it's not certain, so I won't tell you.]
"So, what's her ability?"
[The ability to burn. She can burn existence itself. Whether it's a person, a building, or nature.]
"Explain it properly, you Dori jerk! Because of you, I had to explain the ranking system to Theresia last time!"
[Did I?]
"Yes, you damn teddy bear!"
Dori shook his head and said.
[So, it leaves an eternal burn.]
"Wait, that means."
[Yes. It means the pain of burning in fire accompanies you until you die.]
"If I get hit, I'm just going to commit suicide."
[Don't say things like that, even as a joke.]
"Yeah. But honestly, I think that's better."
[......I won't deny that.]
A magical girl's body is tough. You won't die just from being burned. That meant you wouldn't die, but you would have to feel that pain as it is.
"Hmm-nya......."
"No, what kind of dream are you having?"
"Ma-ra-tang is nooooo......."
"Huh?"
[Was she sleeping, not fainted?]
"That could be it? Should we wake her up?"
[Yes.]
She poked Theresia's cheek with her finger, breaking the serious atmosphere. It was soft.
"Theresia, wake up. The sun is already high in the sky."
"Hwah! Ah, Mom! Huh? No, wait a minute. Seonbae-nim?"
Theresia looked around and tilted her head. Then, she put her index finger on her lips and looked at Strawberry with a strange expression.
[Hey. What are you doing sleeping there? Your neck was about to twist, let alone your head separating.]
"Is that true?!"
"No, were you sleeping in the middle of all that?"
"No...... I wasn't sleeping, I fainted. But I think someone said something...... I'm not sure."
"Someone said something?"
"Yes. How should I put it. They whispered it. It felt very slimy......."
[What was the content, roughly?]
"That they love me......."
Strawberry burst into laughter for a moment. A slimy, whispering confession of love. She didn't know what the situation was, but since it was like Theresia's dream, she assumed it was her subconscious preference. It was just funny.
[Why are you laughing all of a sudden?]
"No, it's just funny. It's like I saw another side of her?"
[Well, that can happen. I think so too.]
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, that's not it."
Strawberry caught her breath and asked Dori a question that suddenly came to mind.
"That aside, Dori. What about her this time?"
[What do you mean?]
"The Crimson Flame Witch subjugation battle."
[Oh, that? I think she'll participate.]
"What?"
"Yes?!"
Dori said as if he were in a difficult position.
[That is. When I was writing the report, I wrote, 'Magical Girl Theresia is PR-class or higher, perhaps she has the potential of BN-class or higher and OP-class or lower in the current situation,' so that's why. But don't worry! Well, she'll only catch the minions anyway. The witch will be caught by other higher-level magical girls, so don't worry.]
Theresia's pupils began to spin in circles. Then, she collapsed onto the hospital bed as if she had fainted.
"Dori is a bad person, no, a bad mascot."
"Hey, you crazy teddy bear! She's still PR-class, PR-class! You know what PR-class is!"
[Ah, but, reports shouldn't have errors.]
"I can't fight that well......."
Theresia, with a tearful face, said while sobbing.
"I'm finished......."
[Don't worry. You'll be with Strawberry anyway.]
"What, me too?"
[Isn't Theresia PR-class?]
"If you know that, then take her out this time."
[I'm sorry, but the subjugation team is already set.]
Dori gestured in the air and created a piece of paper. Then he handed it to Strawberry and Theresia.
-Crimson Flame Witch Subjugation List.
MG-class-Devia
MG-class-Mika
OP-class-Strawberry
OP-class-AA
PR-class-Theresia
In addition to this, please join us if you are a magical girl who can help.
"No, wait a minute. Why am I really on it?"
[Don't worry. You won't have to face the witch yet.]
"That aside, there seem to be very few people?"
"Ah, that's how it usually is. It's the minimum number of people. When there's no MX-class magical girl, they subjugate in a group like that, and since it won't do if no one shows up."
"Yes...... wait a minute. That aside, Mika? Is it the Mika I know?"
[I don't know who the Mika you know is, but it's probably right. The incident happened just when she was on a business trip to Korea from Japan.]
If it was Mika, Strawberry knew her too. She was a quite famous magical girl in Japan, but she didn't think she would be on a business trip to Korea.
"No, still......."
[Do your best.]
"Oh, really......."
&&&
No, she's still PR-class, is it right to make her participate in the witch subjugation battle? I don't think so.
But what can I do since it's already out. I cursed Dori in my heart and read the paper with the minimum subjugation personnel written on it several times. Devia is the magical middle-aged, no, the magical girl president who made the magical girl-only department store that was there last time.
Mika is a Japanese magical girl famous for her reputation of being like an angel.
To tell the truth....... Before I was indebted to Equitesia, I was also indebted to Mika. But. Japanese mainland magical girl doujinshi have a different flavor.
"The more I think about it, the more I have to think."
[Isn't that a normal human?]
"Even so."
It was then. The door opened, and two people walked in. One was a familiar face, and one was a face I felt like I had seen somewhere while passing by.
"Nice to meet you. I am Mika. Please treat me well."
It was the Japanese magical girl Mika, wearing clothes like a saint.
[The translation magic didn't turn on, Mika.]
"Ah, this is rude. Nice to meet you. I am Mika. Please treat me well."
And next to her.
"Yo, hi hi! I'm Devia! Won't you hug this unni?"
It was the magical middle-aged, no, magical girl Devia.
What is this, am I really dreaming? I guess I haven't woken up from my sleep yet.