LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 12
Actually, I did have a reason to help catch the stalker.
I have to survive, right?
Of course, companies have their own fears. But that fear is… well, truth be told, it’s a bit ambiguous.
To put it bluntly, even if I quit the company right now, it wouldn’t mean the orphanage couldn’t operate. Sure, things might get a little tight, but I doubt the government support would run out.
I’ve got my excuses lined up too.
I have no idea what a reporter looks like. I just figured I could wing it by claiming I was misunderstood as a real stalker.
Anyway, no matter how fast I meet with someone from the company, it’ll probably be tonight or later, and right now, the magical girl in front of me is scarier.
I’ve never faced an executive from the company, but I’ve dealt with a magical girl. If I have to choose between the worst and the lesser of two evils, wouldn’t it be better to pick the latter?
…
I have to admit I was a bit emotional.
After all, Ha-yoon is my friend.
I really wanted to stick by her side without raising any suspicion. Excluding Ji-eun, who lives in the same orphanage, Ha-yoon is the first friend I ever made.
Anyway, my jumbled thoughts led me to act impulsively.
“A civilian helped in capturing a monster?”
And thanks to that, I found myself in a super awkward situation.
I was only thinking about rescuing Ha-yoon at most, and I never expected my face would get stamped on all these colorful magical girls.
For starters, Ha-yoon and Iris didn’t look like they had transformed at all.
With people passing by snapping photos of them as magical girls, disguises became pointless, but there was no need for a transformation after capturing the criminal anyway.
On the other hand, the three people who rushed over at Ha-yoon’s call were already transformed.
It seems they decided it was dangerous because social media blew up.
“Great job, but you could be in for some serious payback later. At times like this, just leave it to the professionals. Even though we’re friends, it’s a bit tricky to meddle in a specialized area.”
The one saying all this was a woman in a red dress.
Well, no, she was a bit young to be called a ‘woman.’ I’d still say she qualifies as a girl.
She must be just a year younger than me.
Her fiery red hair was cut short but had a messy spiky look. The dress fit snugly, giving her a feminine vibe, but the gauntlet she wore kept it from being too delicate.
I’d had a run-in with that gauntlet before. I felt like my ribs shattered that day. I was in so much pain that I had to take careful steps and could hardly breathe until I got treated at the clinic.
Feeling a cold sweat trickle down my back, I swallowed hard.
“What’s the big deal?”
A girl in a yellow dress spoke up.
Her long chestnut hair flowed down her back. The yellow dress had a pretty deep cut in the back, though her hair mostly covered it. I think in a webtoon she said something about how that made for better service.
“Anyway, the issue’s been resolved. It wouldn’t even be surprising if this got us a brave citizen award or something if it wasn’t related to us.”
She looked a bit younger than Rose, but not quite the same age as me or Ha-yoon. Maybe it was her relaxed demeanor?
Happy Dalia.
She wielded a large wand. While she had amazing long-range magic, that wooden wand was mainly durable. If hit with the twisted part at the top, it’d break your shins.
I had once been rushed to the Noir Corporation employee’s general hospital after being knocked out. It was then that I felt how much more painful a broken leg is compared to a broken rib.
I nervously shook one leg and pressed my hand down to calm myself.
“… That kind of operation was just too lucky… Following that kind of plan…”
The girl who was overly dramatic with her ellipses was Delphinium.
She was wearing a blue dress that matched her name, but it was an outfit more in line with the ‘witch’ stereotype.
Her hair was cut in a neat bob, and on top sat a huge witch’s hat. A cape that resembled a robe draped her back. I couldn’t tell what it was made of, but it sparkled like starlight, beautiful but intimidating.
And looking at that starlight made me feel goosebumps on my arms.
… Delphinium’s magic is threatening. While the attacks from the previously mentioned magical girls are painful, Delphinium’s magic instantly sends a shiver down your spine and makes you feel like your life is in danger.
I’ve never actually been hit and killed, so it seems like she can control her firepower, but still, that burning sensation is something I never want to feel again.
Usually, when facing opponents in battle, it’s just one or two. Even in a group fight, you’d typically team up with a couple of people.
And anyway, once a fight breaks out, we get defeated and sent off to a hospital or treatment center, so encountering more than two magical girls in one day is pretty rare.
However, right now, I’m the only villain, and there are five magical girls.
“… Ji-eun.”
Ha-yoon cautiously called my name as she saw me shivering in my chair.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“… Okay.”
“Are you afraid the company will retaliate?”
No, I’m scared you girls will take revenge on me.
But I couldn’t say that outright, so I shook my head.
“I-it’s just a bit cold. I was outside for too long.”
“Oh, I see.”
Ha-yoon calmly nodded to my words.
“Well, Ji-eun, I’m really sorry.”
She looked at me with genuine regret in her eyes.
“It seems I have to deal with the aftermath of this incident. I probably won’t be able to hang out today…”
“Ah, okay.”
I felt genuinely sorry for her, but to be honest, I felt a bit relieved.
Once I’m out of here, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting subjugated by a magical girl.
I continued to glance at the unconscious monster.
Its face was fine. The man’s human face was just a mask.
Blue skin, and antennae on his head.
He was from the same planet as Earth Buddy. With a body modification, one of his eyes was mechanical.
Seeing him still unconscious made me feel a flicker of worry… He wouldn’t wake up, would he?
“You don’t need to worry too much.”
Seeing my gaze fixed on the stalker, Ha-yoon assumed I was still worried and sweetly placed her hand on my shoulder.
I nodded stiffly, feeling a strange mix of worry, guilt, and relief.
*
On the way home.
I kept quiet for a bit, lost in thought, when Ji-eun, who had been sitting next to me, finally opened her mouth.
“Um… I don’t know if it’s okay to say this after going through all that.”
“Hmm?”
I turned my gaze from the window, slowly looking towards Ji-eun.
She was already pulling out a notebook to show me.
… When did she buy that?
“I just ran over to a nearby shop while we were talking with the magical girls to get it.”
“… Did you get any signatures?”
“Yep! Two each for you and me!”
It was real. Ji-eun opened the notebook to show me, and there was one signature per page, totaling six pages.
I wasn’t too surprised seeing Ha-yoon, Rose, and Dalia signed it; they all seemed like they’d enjoy that sort of thing. But I didn’t know Dalia and Iris would also give signatures. That was a nice surprise.
Well, Iris might seek public attention. Perhaps that’s why she darted around today, wanting to show everyone her contributions.
… Did she glance at me earlier because I stood out too much?
I really should’ve stayed quiet.
“Are you still worried?”
“No, not really.”
“Is that so? Your friend— Ah.”
Ji-eun started to say something but quickly bit her tongue. Then she looked around.
We would be in the news, but our faces hadn’t been broadcasted across the bus yet. I doubt even if we passed someone, they could immediately recognize us since we’re just ordinary people, not celebrities.
Still, it was nice that Ji-eun kept her guard up, knowing what kind of person she was. That’s partly why I came out today.
…
Looking back, Ji-eun got caught up in all this too.
Maybe I was being too selfish for only thinking about myself.
I almost sighed aloud, but then I remembered Ji-eun was next to me and suppressed it.
*
As expected from a company that promptly calls when combatants make a mistake, I received a call that very evening.
Since I had expected it, I purposefully stepped out while Ji-eun was busy washing up.
After shivering in the cold for about an hour, I finally received a message.
[We urgently need to discuss today’s situation. Please come to the company.]
It was a message from executive James.
“….”
It felt odd that a mere employee like me meets with an executive this frequently.
It’s probably because he knows I’m friends with a magical girl.
I let out a small breath and headed straight to the bus stop.
*
In executive James’ office, the view was as splendid as ever.
While it wasn’t taller than all the surrounding buildings, it overlooked a square right in front, giving a broad view even in the center of the city.
And without any time to admire such a view, James laid out enlarged photos on his work table.
… It wasn’t the guest table.
I guess it meant he wanted me to stand there and listen.
I assumed he had called me out to point out my errors, so I walked to the table, straightened my posture, and waited.
After arranging all the photos, James sat down.
I glanced down at the photo.
It was a picture of Ha-yoon and me, arms crossed.
My face didn’t show up well, but Ha-yoon was looking up at me with a bright smile.
“You two seem very close.”
James opened the conversation.
Though there was a smile on his lips, his eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“After doing a little investigation, I found out you two have been classmates since elementary school.”
“…”
“Have you been close since then?”
“…”
“Well, that’s fine. It’s ‘personal life’ after all. I won’t dig into that.”
James picked up a tablet nearby and turned the screen on.
He then showed me an article prominently displayed there.
[Alien Stalker Subdued… A Joint Operation by Citizens and Magical Girls]
I’m doomed.
My face was in that newspaper.
Well, it wasn’t super clear. It looked like it had been taken from a distance and zoomed in on, right? If we had to nitpick, the focus was on the magical girls hanging around me, while I was just background.
But it seemed that was more than enough for James.
James remained silent for a long moment as he stared at me.
That silence was terrifying.
Normally, I would have thought he appeared absent-minded. He only ever yelled at combatants during battle and vented his frustrations on them when it was over.
Right now, though, it felt strangely intimidating.
Suddenly, the face of that stalker I saw earlier popped into my head. At first glance, he just seemed like a middle-aged Earth man, but when the disguise came off, he revealed a bright blue alien face.
James, who sat before me, also had a human face.
What genuine face lies beyond that, at least I didn’t know.
“Ji-eun, I have pretty high expectations for you.”
James stood up and looked out the window.
While it wasn’t exactly time for midnight, it was already completely dark outside thanks to the short daylight.
Looking down at the small lights moving below, James spoke in a heavy voice.
“Why did you cooperate with the magical girls today?”
“That’s—”
I opened my mouth quickly.
“—Because the magical girls noticed first.”
James slightly turned to look at me.
“If I hadn’t cooperated, the magical girls might have started to suspect me.”
“Ah, I see. So you mean you went so far as to use a tracking program to assist them?”
Adding ‘I see’ didn’t seem like a way to convey understanding.
I opened my mouth to explain further, but James raised a hand to interrupt me.
“Do you know about the mechanism of trust, Ji-eun?”
“…”
“If I think I can’t trust someone, I won’t trust them in the first place. I don’t trust ordinary combatants, so when I plan an operation, I assume they’ll fail rather than succeed.”
James walked over to my vicinity, his footsteps echoing around as he paced near the table.
“But you know, even those unremarkable, untrustworthy bunch will start to get the hang of things if they work together enough times. Then, I find myself thinking, ‘Oh, this person might have potential.’
I refused to look at James and kept my eyes fixed on the window.
“Then from that point on, I start to give them various responsibilities in planning.”
“…”
“But let’s say the very first operation I entrust to that person fails, what do I think then? If there’s only one sample and it’s defective, wouldn’t the failure rate therefore be 100%? Especially if that sample failed due to its own will.”
I couldn’t respond.
It was a clear fact that I actively helped the magical girls.
After a while, James didn’t say anything and continued staring at me, then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Well, that’s fine.”
After a moment of laughter, James picked up one of the photos on his desk and spoke while looking at it.
“We’re really fortunate you managed to secure a close friend of the magical girls. Or honestly, I think you could say this was destiny. Yes, your value is definitely higher than that of a mere criminal worker. So, let’s consider this excuse as having ‘some merit.’ Moreover, you are friends, right? I think it’s natural to have some personal feelings involved in this. However…”
James leaned slightly against the table and looked at me.
It was at a position where even if I turned my head away, I still couldn’t completely block his vision.
“From the second incident onward, we won’t have any leeway. If there’s one failure and one success, it might balance out, but if both fail, it simply becomes zero percent.”
“… Understood.”
James nodded as if satisfied with my response.
“Then, you may go.”
I quickly turned and left.
I was more relieved that this would end without any further discussions than annoyed that he called me for such a trivial matter.
However, just as I got close to the office door, James spoke up again.
“Oh, but.”
As I halted my footsteps, James said, his voice a bit somber.
“About the donation we’ll be sending…”
“….”
I turned back around.
“I hadn’t informed you yet, but not long ago, within our company, there was a discussion to actively start social initiatives. And since it’s your birthday soon, we’ve decided to take over the management rights of that orphanage.”
I couldn’t help but open my mouth slightly.
“So from now on, we should call it ‘operating funds’ instead of just ‘donations.’ Oh, but don’t worry. I’m not saying we’ll run the place on just the amount of the donations. That would definitely lead to a ‘shortage,’ wouldn’t it?”
I stared at James blankly.
“Once we take it on, we can’t disregard its operation. We wouldn’t know what rumors would circulate from those trying to become independent.”
James looked at me with a rather amused expression.
“Oh, but of course, that can happen. There’s always the possibility of teachers there committing some illegal acts and needing to be replaced. For example, child abuse or something.”
I clenched my fists tightly.
The teachers there… they’re all doing their best. They may not be perfect, but they’re all more than capable in our eyes.
“If not, ah, well, there’s always that option too.”
James looked up at the ceiling as if lost in thought before suddenly coming up with a great idea.
“You’re about to become a second-year high school student, right? Isn’t it about time to think about your future? Either for employment or university. Nowadays, a lot of people decide to get a job straight away, especially when it’s an opportunity to work for a large company.”
He turned the photo he was holding towards me.
It was a picture of Ji-eun.
“How do you think your friend would feel if she heard you could land a job with a good starting salary at an excellent company? Ah, of course, this isn’t a real employment opportunity. Since you’re not technically an adult… But if you’re training as an ‘intern’ while getting paid, then that could work.”
“Ji-eun…”
“Why? Isn’t it a bad idea? If she learns proper skills before graduating high school, she could start her career on excellent terms, even if she eventually transfers elsewhere. And we can support various welfare policies while working at the company. We can help you take your finals and graduate from university while you’re at it.”
I stared at him, aghast.
“And there’s always a possibility that you’d quit high school and those dreams could vanish if the benefits were suddenly withdrawn. Who knows? Life is always unpredictable.”
“…”
I didn’t know how to reply.
So, in the end… it was all my fault.
“So Ji-eun, think carefully. We are not enemies. We could become someone you could consider an enemy.”
“… Understood. I’m really sorry for today.”
“Yes, I’m glad to see you’re reflecting. Now, please take care on your way back.”
With my heart racing, I turned and ran out.