LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 33
The incident that day made headlines in nearly all major media outlets.
Basically, the Galactic Federation and most companies opposing it often spun the information about the incident to their advantage when they reported it.
As a result, the article contents published in the papers were largely fragmented. The only way to piece together articles was to combine photos taken by passing citizens with smartphones or cameras, along with information released by the two factions and testimonies from insiders.
Of course, most media outlets merely cherry-picked the “released information” that suited their tastes, showing little effort to dig deeper.
However, the events that unfolded in the heart of Seoul were impossible to fully conceal, no matter who announced them.
Several police cars had been damaged.
An armored vehicle transporting special forces had flipped over.
While there were no fatalities, thirty-two individuals sustained serious injuries.
……There had been a shooting incident in downtown Seoul. And not with handguns, but with rifles and submachine guns, and even shotguns.
Moreover, among those fired bullets, there were live rounds.
All those bullets had been aimed at a single person, a minor girl.
It was not uncommon to use live ammunition when subduing aliens. If the situation was truly dangerous, using real bullets was sometimes necessary, and the public acknowledged that to some extent. As long as no civilians got hurt, it was a regrettable yet unavoidable measure.
However, firing bullets at a human being, especially one as young as a minor girl, was bound to stir the ire of many.
“It was a necessary action.”
The police official stated that.
“The fleeing girl possessed circuits capable of inflicting harm on others and was able to move without any issues even with live ammunition being fired. It was essential to take action to subdue her.”
“If that was the case, then how did you allow her to escape after taking such necessary action?”
“……”
Opinions about the use of live ammunition were somewhat divided.
If a minor brandished a knife and caused havoc, live rounds might be necessary to subdue them. Otherwise, someone could genuinely be killed. While there was room to consider using tasers or other non-lethal weapons, if what the opponent had was not just a knife but circuits, there was no difference between them and an alien.
So, did they manage to stop that girl, even with that rationale?
Everyone knew the answer to that question.
That day, a new magical girl was born in the midst of Seoul.
That magical girl soared into the sky and created a black hole, fleeing into it.
Opinions varied on whether it was actually a black hole or not, but one thing was certain: if the girl desired it, she could reappear anywhere.
They fired live ammunition at a rampaging minor. Yet, instead of stopping or neutralizing that minor, they only produced the outcome of her escaping with a very dangerous item known as “circuits.”
The police had no excuses to make about this.
“……I’m sorry.”
If anything, that was all they could offer.
A failure was indeed a failure.
The Galactic Federation was silent. The Noir Corporation also kept quiet. The few who did speak were those in command of the mobilized forces at that time, but even they offered little in the way of comments.
It was sufficient to appear as if the two factions were avoiding responsibility.
In reality, both organizations were brewing with diverse sentiments in various ways.
*
The magical girl was also in turmoil.
“I just turned down another interview request a moment ago. That channel has already asked four times. I guess they don’t get tired of it.”
“That makes sense. Even in rejecting their requests, they can still exchange words; if they can publish even a small article, they’ll keep asking.”
“Yeah, it feels like they just want to keep scraping at it. They’re asking if there was a magical girl at the scene, wondering why she wasn’t subdued……”
Rose sighed deeply.
About a week had passed since that day.
You could say it was just a week, but in modern society, a week could see quite a lot happen. It was enough time for light rumors to settle down.
However, even as time passed, stories about the incident continued to trickle out. More time was needed for it to calm down.
Unless, of course, the black magical girl did not reappear.
Since then, there had been no movements from the Noir Corporation.
After having pressured Ji-eun as a suspect, they didn’t offer any further comments. Even when interview requests came in, they would only respond with general statements.
With no news from the Galactic Federation either, the magical girls could only speculate about other significant events having occurred besides Ji-eun’s escape.
“What’s going to happen to us now…?”
Iris asked a bit anxiously.
Always trying to maintain a confident appearance, she couldn’t help but feel worried about the current situation.
Over the past two years, Iris had established her identity as a magical girl. Now, she even took pride in that role.
In a sense, she felt a sense of self-worth from being a magical girl.
If she were to quit that role now…
If she couldn’t complete her ongoing research…
It was too nerve-wracking to think about.
Moreover—
I saw Ha-yoon sitting in the corner of the break room with a gloomy expression.
For Iris, becoming a magical girl would simply mean quitting that role. No matter how much she found pride in her position, in the end, she saw it as a ‘job.’ A very good job. A job she liked. Yet despite that, if she had to quit, she would have no other choice.
But for Ha-yoon, she had lost a friend.
No one could bring themselves to say it directly in front of her, but it seemed everyone thought the same way.
Even Ha-yoon herself.
“……”
Delphinium, who was seated in the other corner, glanced over at Ha-yoon. Normally, she wouldn’t have paid anyone any mind but was now completely out of sorts.
Dalia was the same. She had likely taken the biggest hit to her pride in battle. Confident in both magic and close combat, she had suffered a meaningless defeat and even broken her wand. Though she was repairing it, that fact alone could not be mended.
Yet, the gloomy expression on Ha-yoon’s face was enough to make one put aside such thoughts.
Ha-yoon understood well.
Even though nothing tragic had occurred yet, if she found herself in combat again in this state, she would only hinder the other magical girls.
Ha-yoon had been recognized for having the most extraordinary energy among magical girls.
Delphinium’s magic possessed a wide range, Dalia’s magic was easy to adapt, and Iris had long-range, precise attacks. Rose could directly deal with threats presented to all the other magical girls in close combat.
And Ha-yoon—Blossom, with that energy, could sever anything. No matter how thick the metallic plate her opponent wore, the light emanating from Ha-yoon’s wand could not be stopped.
And still, it wouldn’t harm a person, making it an exceedingly useful ability.
Moreover, that powerful energy also influenced the circuits of the other magical girls. Simply having Ha-yoon at the center would nearly double the strength of the other magical girls.
However, that was not the case now.
Ha-yoon had lost hope.
Not completely, of course. She could still transform, and she could still summon blades. Other adaptations were also possible.
Yet she couldn’t wield the same power as before.
When had the decisive moment come? How could she revive her hope?
Ha-yoon pondered hard. No matter how dire her situation felt, she did not wish to be a burden to her teammates.
No matter how much she thought, all paths led to Ji-eun.
Ji-eun, who had grown up beside her since childhood. When Ha-yoon became a magical girl, and as the perception of the others regarding her changed one by one, Ji-eun remained right there by her side.
Even when others wished for something from Ha-yoon, Ji-eun had never wished for anything in particular.
She simply smiled as her usual, ordinary friend.
So why was Ji-eun working as a combatant?
……That conclusion did not take long to arrive.
Though the Noir Corporation had remained silent till the end, they were found out by a persistent reporter to have made consistent donations to an orphanage.
The Noir Corporation had never once given anonymously when donating, and that had led to them being caught.
Perhaps they wanted to build a socially conscious corporate image.
Nonetheless, that reporter also uncovered that there was a girl named ‘Jeong Ji-eun’ within that orphanage. After persistently laying in wait, they abruptly requested an interview with a girl heading to school and made her flustered enough that she blurted out, “She’s the girl I lived in the same room with.”
Ji-eun lived in an orphanage.
With no family to care for her.
Of course, Ji-eun had been able to grow into such a bright child because all the teachers and the children she spent time with at the orphanage were kind people.
Ha-yoon had been completely unaware.
Even as a magical girl, despite relying on her friend, she had no idea at all of the situation Ji-eun was faced with.
Ji-eun’s bones had broken multiple times because of Ha-yoon. Ha-yoon’s magic couldn’t harm people, but her body could surely do so.
Not every battle ended neatly with magic. To subdue someone, Ha-yoon had struck, kicked, and slammed them to the ground multiple times. Especially Ji-eun, who tended to fight tenaciously.
The reason she fought so stubbornly was probably to earn funding for the orphanage.
Ha-yoon suspected the company had approached her upon discovering the energies Ji-eun possessed. They likely presented some conditions and frequently sent her into battle.
……As a result, Ji-eun must have fought multiple times, staring right at the face of Ha-yoon, who mercilessly pounded her.
“……”
Ha-yoon looked down at her hands.
They were trembling.
Justice.
Hers was a fight for justice. While the Galactic Federation could not be entirely just, she wished to battle against the clear villain, the Noir Corporation. Her parents had supported that decision.
Ji-eun, too.
What had Ji-eun thought every time she met Ha-yoon at school?
Even on the day her finger bones bent backward while blocking Ha-yoon’s kick,
Even the day when she rolled on the floor after being hit in the stomach with an elbow,
Even the day when her collarbone sunk after being punched on top of broken gloves from being stabbed with a knife,
Ji-eun met Ha-yoon. In truth, they were all wearing helmets, so she couldn’t know exactly who hit whom. The only thing that was certain was that Ji-eun was among them.
If she had known Ji-eun was there, Ha-yoon would never have fought seriously.
Yet Ji-eun had watched all of that. Even when she got beaten up like that, day after day.
Did she think it was creepy?
Did she think that the Ha-yoon who had brought someone to that state had turned whiny before her?
And still, did she smile?
Ji-eun never wished for anything from Ha-yoon. Rather, if she had wished for information about the Galactic Federation or the weaknesses of the magical girls, or some advantage for her own battles, it would have made Ha-yoon feel a bit better.
However, Ji-eun had never wished for anything. Ha-yoon had never said anything either. She recognized her place as a magical girl.
Had the smiles Ji-eun had given been all fake? Were they forced smiles, stifling fear and disgust?
And yet, had Ji-eun treated Ha-yoon well like that?
Was she safe now?
Even after becoming a magical girl, Ji-eun had been injured here and there.
She had stumbled after being hit by several bullets, and though she had that thick iron chain resting on her body, she couldn’t move freely at all.
The last moment, Ha-yoon vividly remembered Ji-eun’s expression.
That cold, hard face staring down.
A face completely different from the ones Ji-eun had worn until now.
Though she had tried to hold her breath, tears flowed from her eyes once more. She quickly rubbed and wiped her eyes with her hands, yet tears continued to pour down.
“…….”
Someone handed over a handkerchief.
When she looked up, it was Rose.
“……I’m sorry.”
Ha-yoon accepted the handkerchief and wiped her eyes.
Rose opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately kept silent, as if she understood any attempt to empathize with Ha-yoon in such a situation would be impossible.
Ha-yoon continued to cry.
She didn’t even want to go home. Every time she faced her parents at home, they only spoke about how that was what she had to do.
How was it something she had to do to hit Ji-eun?
Why hadn’t Ji-eun ever asked for help?
……She knew.
Had Ji-eun spoken such words to her, Ha-yoon might not have considered her as a special friend at all. She would have started thinking about Ji-eun the same way he did everyone else.
Perhaps Ji-eun was aware of that, which was why she had put up with it that way.
Enduring so much pain for the sake of Ha-yoon’s selfish desires.
She wanted to meet her even now.
No matter what she had to hear, she wanted to know if she was safe.
If they met next time.
If they could meet again—
…….
What should I do?
In the end, Ha-yoon couldn’t find that answer today either.
*
“Ji-hye.”
At the call of her name, Ji-hye flinched.
She had been in this state for several days now.
The room was still just for Ji-hye. The teacher was intentionally keeping other children out of the room, allowing for Ji-eun to return at any time.
Ji-hye felt the same way. She wanted Ji-eun back.
She had no idea what had occurred. Around her, inquiries about that incident kept popping up. Especially after the troublesome reporter blocked her way to school and started asking, reporters had started showing up occasionally at Ji-hye’s school.
There was even a reporter rummaging through a desk when she arrived that morning.
Since then, the school had made sure no reporters were let inside, but with the reporters gone, now it was the other children.
“Who’s that Ji-eun girl? What was she like?”
Questions about a topic that had previously shown no interest came from the children.
They were already aware of Ji-hye’s connection to Ji-eun. They knew how and where Ji-hye lived.
However, until now, Ji-hye had never been ostracized for speaking about it. She hadn’t gone out of her way to show Ji-eun’s face to anyone, and she knew Ji-eun’s character well enough.
And surely, Ji-eun knew that fact too. The idea of hiding it indefinitely was impossible, yet Ji-eun was someone who said it was okay to talk about it.
Since Ji-eun became a magical girl, the kids around Ji-hye had suddenly begun to ask questions about her.
What was the reason?
Did they want to gossip in front of reporters? Or were they planning to post something on the internet?
Ji-hye felt uneasy.
In truth, she knew nothing about Ji-eun’s situation. She understood that if she had said anything at all, the teacher would have certainly declined the Noir Corporation’s donations.
……Those children, they probably already knew about that.
Knowing yet still—
“I heard from the kids at other schools that she wasn’t able to get along with people.”
“Right. I think that’s what I heard. When other kids tried to talk to her, she was really sharp.”
“The fact that she was close to a magical girl was supposedly for information.”
“They probably wanted to know things by getting close to her.”
Amidst the chatter rising from various places, Ji-hye became disoriented.
Ji-eun?
No, she had never seemed that way at all.
Ji-eun treasured the CDs on her desk. Those she picked out herself were naturally precious, but even more precious were the CDs Ha-yoon had given her. The way she would carefully open the case as if even touching it would scratch the surface was almost funny.
Occasionally, when Ji-eun spoke about Ha-yoon, her face would brighten.
She had for sure mentioned being a magical girl. But that was all.
The usual conversations Ji-eun held about Ha-yoon were about where they had played together, how they had met, and how close they had become.
How could that Ji-eun do such things to Ha-yoon?
Yet Ji-hye could not refute the children’s statements.
After all, they were broadcasting it all over the news. They were spilling it all over internet articles.
The children seemed determined to believe everything they read, so they were likely speaking confidently in front of her.
“Well, I’m glad. At least she didn’t get sucked in.”
“……”
That night, as soon as Ji-hye got home, she jumped on the internet.
Of course, by the time she arrived, the situation had already concluded. It was already a time when the buses had stopped running, so she had only exhausted her physical strength by sprinting.
The area was filled with increasingly menacing-looking individuals who were controlling the situation. All that could be identified were overturned vehicles and debris scattered across the ground.
From that alone, she could imagine how intense the battles had been that took place there.
The mere thought that Ji-eun had been there sent her heart racing. Would she be safe? She should be safe if she fled.
In truth, the source she read about it was a news article. A news article that Ji-hye could hardly believe.
In a piece claiming that Ji-eun had “fled”—
“……Sorry, I need to use the restroom for a moment.”
Saying that, Ji-hye sprang from her seat. Judging by the look on her face, the other kids must have thought something was wrong, as some of them stood up to follow her.
She turned them down and quickly exited the classroom.
She felt nauseous, as if she might throw up at any moment.
Even while Ji-eun was hearing those things, Ji-hye couldn’t utter a single word.
What if she did? Would that mean the other kids would think poorly of her for defending Ji-eun? Would the teacher think something strange of her too?
The orphanage teacher had instructed them all to say nothing if any questions arose for the time being.
So this was only natural behavior—but…
She stepped into the restroom. Perhaps it was fortunate that it was almost time for break to end; the restroom was empty.
Ji-hye hurriedly entered an empty stall, closed the door, and leaned over the toilet, feeling an urge to retch. Thankfully, she didn’t throw up.
But she also felt drained of strength and squatted down on the floor.
“……Ji-eun.”
I’m sorry.
Should she have rather voiced her dissent? That Ji-eun would never do something like that, that she wasn’t that kind of person, should she have shouted that out?
But it was terrifying.
Yeah. It wasn’t because the teacher said so. It was simply because the situation scared Ji-hye too much that she opted to run away without saying anything.
She felt utterly pathetic for herself.