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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Magical Psychological Counseling (2)
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"Stop."
The voice belonged to the white Magical Girl.
"That's enough already."
Her armband bore three stars.
It was a rank held by only two Magical Girls out of everyone here—and the highest rank of all.
She looked like an extremely young girl. Childish face, barely developed figure, and long hair tied into twin tails on either side of her head.
Of course, she wasn't really a "girl."
Her orange eyes were deeply serious, and even her slender frame had the proportions of an adult woman. Her outfit was especially revealing, too.
Not that any of it made her look any less youthful, though.
However.
"Whoa."
To me, she looked a little different.
"Why are you suddenly so surprised?"
"Just..."
A monster.
"...realizing Magical Girls are like this."
She was a monster, literally.
The white Magical Girl before my eyes was an out-of-spec existence that made every powerhouse I'd ever met look like a joke.
Even at my peak, I couldn't have handled her.
For real.
No way to even gauge her strength.
How the hell does someone like that exist?
And she hadn't even chanted an incantation—her power and activation speed were insane. Could you even call this human? Honestly, I had no idea.
This was humanity's guardian?
More like humanity's ultimate weapon.
At this point, it was a miracle the Monsters hadn't been completely wiped out fighting her. How did they even survive?
As I marveled internally, the green Magical Girl kept pressing her point, clearly still harboring resentment.
"W-Wait a sec!"
"Enough, Magical Girl Green Blofish."
The white Magical Girl responded indifferently, as if she wasn't worth hearing out anymore.
The green Magical Girl tried protesting again.
"She started it, that bas—"
"Hey."
"..."
And immediately shut her mouth.
"I said stop."
The white Magical Girl's tone hadn't changed. It dripped with blatant annoyance, dry and emotionless.
"Why aren't you listening? Think the promotion to two stars means you don't have to show respect anymore? Want me to make you disappear for real?"
"...No, ma'am."
But the pressure was immense. Even though it wasn't directed at me, I shrank back a little.
It felt like barely contained rage.
Hard to pin down why exactly. It wasn't just because her words were being ignored...
It felt more like she'd had her prey stolen away.
Why, though?
What did I even do?
Meanwhile, the white Magical Girl's calm scolding continued.
"Does getting two stars mean your Magical Girl career is over?"
"No, ma'am."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't do things you have to apologize for. Right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
In the end, the green Magical Girl fell silent, shrinking back without another word.
She shot me a contemptuous glare, but even that didn't last. The white Magical Girl's pressure must have been that intense.
Whatever. Not my problem.
Good riddance, you bitch.
"Looks like things have settled down."
The white Magical Girl turned her gaze to me.
"Shall we resume the counseling?"
Now the real counseling was finally beginning.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Jin Soa.
Magical Girl name: White Phoenix.
Rank: Magical Major General—the highest among all Magical Girls.
But.
She was more often called by a different title than her real name or Magical Girl moniker.
White Devil.
Strongest Magical Girl in history.
47-year-old spinster Magical Girl.
Jin Soa didn't like those nicknames. Especially the last one. She despised it, precisely because it was based on cold, hard facts.
That said, to be more precise...
Jin Soa genuinely hated the fact that she had become a Magical Girl.
Who could've guessed? After slaving away at a factory unmarried until 37, she'd suddenly awaken as a Magical Girl one day.
Her figure—which could've held up anywhere even at 37—shrank overnight to a kid's level.
Of course, it wasn't all bad. Her dry black hair turned into lustrous white, and her skin got a better glow.
Still, the losses outweighed the gains.
And her aptitude for being a Magical Girl was top-tier in history, so ten years later, she'd earned the title of strongest Magical Girl.
It completely shattered Jin Soa's dreams.
Her utterly ordinary, impossibly distant dream of marrying, retiring, and becoming a housewife.
Blind dates?
Arranged meetings?
Neither was easy.
Even before becoming a Magical Girl, opportunities were scarce, and work always got in the way anyway.
Of course, marriage trumps work. Comparing them is an insult.
But Jin Soa couldn't quit her job.
Who else would cover her only brother's hospital bills if she didn't?
Her brother, born when she was 20. A frail soul born with a chronic illness, doomed to spend most of his short life in a hospital bed.
And.
The day Jin Soa graduated college.
The last family she had left in the world.
How could she abandon such a brother?
Even with the doctor's declaration of no hope, even as his condition never improved, Jin Soa never wanted to give up.
She had two choices. But only one she could take.
Her brother's flickering life.
Her own future.
She'd discard the latter.
After becoming a Magical Girl, she couldn't even consider it. Her talent was too great; she was busy every day without rest.
She could've squeezed in a blind date or two, but she didn't.
She knew if she slacked even a little, someone else would die. And there were far too many cases where that happened.
Jin Soa wasn't thick-skinned or strong-hearted enough to ignore them.
And now.
Ten years later, the world had stabilized somewhat, and she finally had some mental and financial breathing room.
But now, even the option to turn down blind dates or setups was gone.
No such opportunities even existed.
Well, it was inevitable. Not one, but three massive filters.
A heartbreakingly scrawny build.
Age 47, staring down 50.
Title of strongest Magical Girl.
A few acquaintances had tried setting her up out of pity, but no luck.
It made sense. Even perverts obsessed with young bodies faced reality at "47."
And that was just the start. Magical Girls already held high social status due to their roles, and Jin Soa was at the very top.
No escaping the pressure. Even other Magical Girls felt uneasy around her—how could an ordinary person handle it?
Natural encounters like she wanted? Impossible. Everyone recognized her everywhere.
And above all, the Magical marriage market's key factor was missing.
Yeah. Age.
With more Magical Girls around, looks lost some edge, making age stand out more.
Everyone prefers young, right? Male or female.
Dogs over puppies? No—puppies over dogs.
Cows over calves? Calves over cows.
Chicks over full-grown fowl.
So, no reason for men to pick Jin Soa as a marriage prospect.
Some did approach her, though. A scant few.
But none normal.
Drunken fools seeking a one-night stand, or those with malicious intent to crush the strongest Magical Girl.
But none succeeded.
They sobered up and fled upon facing her.
More instinct than reason.
Like a Magical beast fleeing into a dark Magical cave upon encountering unknown Magical terror.
Thus, Jin Soa proved it herself.
A Magical Girl who danced on the Magical front lines could pressure people on an instinctual level with presence alone.
Once, curiosity made her grab one. He pissed himself, face full of terror, and begged:
— "S-Sorry! I'll vouch for you Magically! Even donate Magical organs! Just spare me this once!"
That day, Jin Soa cried a little.
Actually, quite a lot.
Anyway.
That's why she'd never once liked being a Magical Girl.
The upside? Insane pay. No more scraping by for pennies.
But what good was that?
Marriage was off the table anyway.
In the end, her Magical life's companion wasn't a loving husband and kids, but dry Magical snacks and ice-cold Magical soju.
Today was no different from any other day.
[Soa-ya, Magical call incoming!]
"Huh?! A blind date? Setup? Wait just a sec! Let me grab fresh underwear!"
[No, the Magical Association!]
"Ah, fuck. Those goddamn bastards."
If not for the sudden Magical Association summons, that's what she'd have done.
Golden Sunday.
She'd warmed the dry Magical snacks and cracked open the chilled Magical soju when the Magical Association called.
「Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.」
It always started with apologies.
「We'd like you to handle the Magical psychological counseling for a Magical aptitude test.」
But they pressed on doggedly.
"Who is it?"
「Well... it's a guy...」
Even adding that the counselee was a man, not a woman.
Name was Kim Siyul or something.
Whatever. Not the point.
Calling out of the blue on Sunday for this nonsense? Pure Magical bullshit.
Couldn't set her up with a man, so now a Magical Girl had to counsel one on aptitude?
Even for the Magical Association, this crossed a line. Demanding that from a three-star Magical Girl?
Jin Soa spat thick curses, about to make her refusal crystal clear.
"Hey, you fucking—!"
「Oh, right, forgot to mention. He's a Magical deserter who somehow survived 12 years on the run.」
But hearing the rest piqued her interest.
Not the good kind.
The opposite.
A faint Magical malice bubbled up.
"Oh?"
Jin Soa remembered clearly.
During the Monster invasion, when manpower ran short, the damned country dragged even her hospital-bound brother away.
He was a minor then, not even an adult, but the rotten state didn't care. Cannon fodder.
All Jin Soa could do—before becoming a Magical Girl—was wail insanely as he was taken.
Did they get results from dragging her sickly brother? No.
His unit was annihilated right at the front. Pointless end.
By one "unusual" Monster.
Lucky break, though. Amid the slaughter, her brother miraculously survived.
Not unscathed, of course.
He never woke again.
Even at the Magical Association's top Magical capital hospital, no improvement.
Original illness? Fully cured.
Full scans? Dozens. All normal.
Spiritual issue? No religion helped.
Yet he stayed comatose.
Literally a breathing Magical corpse.
As good as dead.
That's why she was interested.
'What kind.'
Of bastard. Jin Soa grinned sharply.
She wanted to see the face of the guy who'd abandoned even her brother to the front lines, kept running until the world calmed, then poked his head out.
Then ask him.
Where and how he'd fled.
What he'd been doing all that time.
And.
If he'd enjoyed drinking her brother's blood.
「Oh, and the other Magical commanders are all coming too. What do you say...?」
Seemed she wasn't the only interested one.
Not bad. Meant she'd see her old friend.
Too busy raising three kids to meet in years, but this chance to catch up.
"..."
Suddenly, Jin Soa felt down.
Some had three kids by her age, others chewed dry Magical snacks alone on Sundays, blowing Magical sick tunes.
Of course, unless retiring, a Magical Girl's body didn't age.
But three years from 50.
The hundreds digit changes.
This way, unheard-of Magical mandatory retirement before Magical marriage.
Even close Magical friends first at Magical funerals, not weddings.
Futures are unseen, but hers was vividly bleak.
Excruciatingly clear.
"Sniff... Why me alone...?"
Jin Soa sobbed quietly.
「Uh, crying? Sorry, pretend I didn't say that.」
"...No, it's not that."
Anyway.
She planned to say yes.
"One question."
「What?」
But first, something to confirm. She held off.
Didn't know the Magical Association's real intent, but nominally, final stage of Magical aptitude test: Magical psychological counseling.
Per procedure, counselor decides.
If the Magical examinee becomes a Magical Girl.
"Outcome doesn't matter 'how' it's decided, right?"
She emphasized "how." Not just active duty check.
She'd hear him out first.
Malice or mere Magical mistake?
But if intentional, he'd know how brutal the world was.
「Planning something special?」
"No, not necessarily."
In this Monster-and-Magical-Girl hellscape, accidents happen.
Like a "Magical accident" on the way home post-test.
"Who knows if lightning strikes from clear skies, or the 'sun' falls. Right?"
Due to unpredictable Magical anomalies.
「We told other commanders to drag him into Magical Girl service if possible...」
The Association trailed off.
After a pause, the voice returned.
「Well, who knows when a Magical genius disaster hits. World's too harsh. No one would ever 'know.'」
"Perfect."
Satisfying answer.
Meant they'd handle any Magical fallout.
「But no killing. Got it?」
"Of course not."
Too wasteful. She trailed off.
「Then what'll you do?」
"I'm in."
With that, Jin Soa stepped out boldly, sticky curiosity in tow.
And now, time passed, Jin Soa was...
"What bullshit is this?"
"For real. Gonna sue your mom. Oh wait, don't have one."
"Hah."
...clutching her throbbing head.