Congratulations on Your Magical Girl Duties

24 – Magical Felon

The White Magical Girl’s words were too abrupt.

“We’re going to capture a Magical Felon now.”

Tasking Magical Girls with capturing a criminal.

Not just any criminal, but a Magical Felon.

However, whether this kind of thing happened often enough, Huingdungyi, Sora, and the other Magical Girls didn’t seem particularly surprised.

I was the only one wearing an expression of bewilderment.

At that moment, the White Magical Girl glanced at me, then slowly opened her mouth.

“Everyone knows this, but it’s still important information, so I’ll explain it one more time.”

She must have noticed I was clueless in that brief moment.

This explanation was probably her consideration.

“As you know, a Magical Felon is, as the name suggests, a Magical Girl who has committed heinous crimes.”

I could see why Magical Girls were stepping in.

A Fallen Magical Girl is dealt with by other Magical Girls – it’s a kind of principle. Regular means wouldn’t be effective against a Magical Girl in the first place.

“Simply put, it’s a Magical Girl who has abandoned her duty and fled, still in possession of her personal Magic Wand.”

Ah, so we’re just going after a deserter.

Deserters. Armed ones at that.

In that moment, something other than detached, even somewhat desolate, crept into the white magical girl’s gaze.

A fierce loathing and a sharp, murderous intent.

“b*stards that don’t deserve to call themselves magical girls.”

Despite the intensely harsh words, no one dared to contradict her.

They simply remained silent.

Some even nodded in agreement.

Perhaps it was due to the white magical girl’s rank, but it seemed more likely that everyone shared a similar sentiment.

How could they not?

“Soraya, everyone looks ready to explode?”

The atmosphere wouldn’t be so razor-edged otherwise.

“Of course they’re angry. If it weren’t for those b*stards, so many magical girls wouldn’t have been injured, forced into retirement, or even killed in action. And the regulations wouldn’t be so strict now, either.”

It was certainly enough to warrant anger.

Those responsible for creating only disadvantages for magical girls were still alive and well, so naturally, anger was inevitable.

“A bunch of sons of b*tches just begging to be torn apart, is what you’re saying.”

“Exactly. Anyway, focus. This is your first time, Senpai, so you probably don’t know much.”

Just then, the white magical girl began her explanation.

“Magical felons won’t hesitate to use their magic to avoid capture. So, as before, we’re deploying without restrictions.”

The white magical girl’s mascot added an explanation.

[Thanks to multiple arrests, the number is now only eight, but that means they’ll resist even harder. Everyone, be careful!]

Two things could be gleaned from that statement.

Firstly, magical girls were subject to magic restrictions during ordinary situations like leave or outings into society.

“So, you have magic restrictions when you go on leave.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. We can’t use magic, but we can maintain our appearance and physical abilities. The restrictions are set in place.”

Thinking about it, it was only natural. What could be crazier than releasing a magically-capable lunatic into society without any restraints?

But now, everyone was going out without restrictions.

Which meant this was not an ordinary situation.

“But how are the restrictions applied?”

“Ah, that will be explained later.”

Secondly, the stronger the resistance, the higher the probability of them taking more extreme actions.

In essence, we’d be dealing with killers.

“Is it tough taking those b*stards down?”

“It’s not easy. They fight dirty, real dirty.”

Or you could think of them as dealing with interdimensional types.

Lost in quietly turning those thoughts over, I noticed the white magical girl’s explanation had segued into the specifics of the operation.

“Naturally, the top priority is minimizing civilian casualties and apprehending the magical super-criminals.”

The white magical girl abruptly held up a bracelet.

It was very large for a bracelet.

“The method is the same as before. We incapacitate them by fastening on these magically adjusted handcuffs. They resize anyway, so it doesn’t matter if it’s an arm, leg, or neck, just get them on. Just be careful not to cuff yourselves by accident.”

I’d thought only the word “magical” was tacked on, but these were genuinely magical items.

Probably used to restrict a magical girl’s power usage during her vacation. Or to disable an opponent, like now.

“Sora, won’t that thing be uncomfortable on vacation? Besides, what if a real emergency comes up while you’re off?”

“The fit’s fine, so it’s not uncomfortable. And in a genuine emergency, it can be deactivated. Of course, it needs to be pre-registered, and deactivation immediately sends a magical alert to headquarters.”

“So that’s why you said it was adjusted.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

At that moment, the white magical girl put down the magical handcuffs and quietly added an explanation.

“If push comes to shove, a missing arm or leg is fine. As you all know, we can heal that sort of thing.”

The white magical girl stopped speaking and closed her eyes.

She opened them again. A sharper bloodlust flickered in her arid, orange eyes.

“If it’s a truly urgent situation and there’s no other choice, just kill them. Whatever happens, the safety of the magical girls here is my top priority.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the white magical girl stared intently at me.

In her orange eyes, only concern existed, replacing the bloodlust that had been so present just moments before.

“We’ll proceed by ambushing them from pre-determined locations. Of course, it’s fine to run away if things get too hot. No one will say anything about it. And if someone does, I’ll personally deal with them.”

Though that last explanation was probably meant for everyone, it felt directed at me.

She was likely worried about me, someone who can’t even use magic, participating in the operation.

But honestly, I thought it was an overreaction.

The aberrations hadn’t been as threatening as I expected, so was it really necessary to worry so much about a former magical girl and current criminal?

Of course, it’d be much better if I had my Moonlit Sword. But even without it, I was sure I could handle it.

I don’t lose to the mentally ill.

Not even close.

“While I can’t participate this time, I think you’ll be more than sufficient if you cooperate with the personnel dispatched from Magical Girl Purple Snake.”

It occurred to me the number of magical girls gathered now was far greater than when the fiends had previously appeared; apparently, a dispatched magical girl was among us.

However, there were almost *too* many.

“But do we really need this many people?”

“Maho Shojo Purple Snake always sends a lot of people whenever she helps our General.”

“They say the two of them have been super close for ages.”

“Yeah, seems like it.”

Otherwise, there’s no way they’d be having interviews together.

Even during the counselling session before, they seemed friendly.

“Well, do your best, Senior.”

“Not really.”

“Huh? Why not?”

But, irrespective of everything that’s been said so far, I didn’t feel particularly motivated.

“It’s just… a hassle, I guess.”

I’m just a magical girl in name, unable to even use magic. And it’s not like I have the Moonlight Sword right now either.

If I considered my chances, I might just barely manage, but what reason is there to take an unnecessary risk? There are so many people here anyway.

There’s a saying, passed down since ages past.

In the military, the best thing to do is go unnoticed.

Magical girls probably aren’t much different.

“Well, with this many people, they’ll figure it out.”

“No, Senior, don’t you have any sense of responsibility?”

“You’re still a Maho Shojo, you know. You should be trying hard.”

“I’m a hero, not a magical girl.”

There’s no need to needlessly step into dangerous situations.

[Ah, right! This operation is particularly dangerous, so the magical girl who plays a decisive role will receive special leave, and the residents in the dormitory she belongs to will be promoted! That’s by my authority as Soa!]

Sometimes, it is necessary to embrace challenge in life.

“It seems Magical Girl Kim Siyul will have to take the lead on this one.”

The eyes of Whitedog and Sora turned frigid, but I didn’t care in the slightest.

It couldn’t be helped.

What was my goal, to begin with, after all?

Right. Discharge.

Even sharing barracks with lunatics for two years could lead to discharge, just like earning the rank of Magical Sergeant would.

So, if I could get promoted faster, I’d be one step closer to the goal of discharge.

Which meant shortening my time as a magical girl.

“Let’s both suffer a bit for my promotion, alright?”

“You know you’re a real piece of garbage, right, senior?”

“Definitely not human. Just straight garbage.”

“Both of you, shut it.”

If that was the price, I could endure Sora and Rei’s icy stares any day.

“Whoever has anything to prepare, finish it up quick, then get your Magical Cuffs and head to your assigned positions. The location isn’t far, so we won’t be using gates.”

Just then, the White Magical Girl gave her order.

“You two don’t need any special preparations, right? I just need to grab that basic magical staff, and I’m done.”

“I’m fine.”

“Me too, I have enough Magical Cigarettes.”

“Then let’s go.”

After receiving the basic magical staff, we immediately headed towards our assigned locations.

“Hey, Si-yul.”

At that moment, the White Magical Girl called to me.

“Yes?”

“Well…”

She fidgeted for a moment, then looked at me with worried, orange-tinged eyes.

“Be careful. Don’t get hurt.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

“Okay!”

Then, she smiled, a genuine, bright smile.

“I’ll be back.”

“Yeah, come back safe!”

And so, with the White Magical Girl’s farewell behind me, I began my journey.

To take down a Magical Felon.

For my Magical Discharge.

“Hah.”

I’d barely arrived, and already the fatigue was crashing down.

Though, to be precise, I’d been tired since before we even left.

“Sunbae.”

“Ugh, what is it now?”

It was all Sora’s fault.

“What’s your deal with Magical Girl White Phoenix-nim?”

“I’ve been saying it since before, there’s nothing between us.”

Whatever her dissatisfaction was, Sora had been interrogating me about this and that since before we even left, and now, even after arriving at our designated location, she still wouldn’t let up.

“No, it doesn’t make sense. I’ve never seen Magical Girl White Phoenix-nim smile like that before. Or call someone by their name so sweetly.”

“Maybe she’s just happy these days. Why do you keep bringing it up?”

“Because it’s weird! There’s no way nothing’s going on. Don’t lie, just spill it.”

She called it asking, but it was closer to an interrogation, a grilling.

Otherwise, there’s no way her eyes would be half-lidded like that.

And that wasn’t all. Sora didn’t just stick to interrogating me, she also sprinkled in some nasty comments here and there.

About the White Magical Girl, of course.

“And don’t go around grinning like an idiot just because Magical Girl White Phoenix-nim smiled at you. If you don’t want something bad to happen to you, get your head on straight.”

“Shouldn’t you be telling yourself that?”

“You know she only looks like a kid, but she’s actually a 47-year-old spinster, right? A real old hag. Who knows what she might do?”

Even when I snapped back, Sora just kept spewing whatever she wanted.

She’s really gone crazy.

It’s one thing for a subordinate to dislike their superior, but isn’t this a bit much, this blatant display?

“Even if you don’t like her, aren’t you going too far? It doesn’t even look like she’d do anything, to begin with.”

“No, don’t you get it! Anyway, what’s your relationship with Magical Girl White Phoenix-nim?”

Then Sora started grilling me again.

Frankly, I was beyond tired of it, completely sick of it.

For a brief moment, I even considered that fighting the lunatics in that other world would be more comfortable.

“If you confess now, I’ll knock it down to one hit, instead of three.”

“What are you even saying, you crazy b*tch? You hit a magical girl and people die.”

“It’s because you don’t tell me even when I ask.”

Just what was she so displeased about?

Was Sora’s cycle of madness returning?

More than anything, hadn’t Sora declared herself a lesbian? So why was she so interested in my personal life?

“Why do you keep asking? You’ll bury someone with questions.”

“Should I really bury *you* first, sunbae? Huh?”

“Sorry.”

I couldn’t bring myself to argue further.

Sora’s eyes were half-crazed, and it felt like she really would bury me in the ground.

That’s how scary a mentally unstable person with power can be.

So much so that even Rei, unable to watch any longer, stopped smoking her Magical Cigarette and tried to soothe Sora.

“Alright, Sora. Calm down. Come down.”

“Aren’t you even nervous, unni? This is more important to you than me!”

“What’s there to be nervous about? We’re in the Backward, after all.”

“No! That’s not what I’m talking about!”

Their conversation went awry, and Sora stamped her foot.

Honestly, I didn’t know what she was going on about either.

“Sora. Should I roll you a Magical Cigarette?”

“I’m so annoyed I want to smoke, but I’ll just hold it in.”

Regardless, as Huindung pointed out, we were the furthest in the rear.

Our role was to finish off Magical Criminals that the main force missed.

Just.

“But aren’t we a bit too far back?”

“That’s… true, sunbae.”

We were excessively far in the rear.

It wasn’t a location error. I could say with certainty after checking it repeatedly.

However, even accounting for our position in the rear, we couldn’t even see the main force’s location.

In other words, we existed in a completely isolated location.

Could we really call this the rear?

Shouldn’t we consider it isolation?

“Well, what can you do. At least it’s good for a smoke, thanks to this.”

Huingdi, ever the optimist, was brushing it off, saying the Magical Cigarettes were nice to have.

“Look at the bright side, sunbae. Maybe you not being able to use magic, and us only having three people, is why they gave us some special treatment.”

“Is that so.”

If I thought of it as a favor, I could somehow convince myself, but I still didn’t like it.

Was this going to derail my promotion?

The worry suddenly surfaced.

I opened my mouth to quietly vent the frustrations that were stacking up in my heart.

“Still, this feels a bit mu─”

But I couldn’t even finish the sentence.

“Ah…?”

Because I had suddenly collapsed.

I didn’t know why. My vision just suddenly lowered, and I belatedly realized I was falling.

I had absolutely no strength in my body. At least I was instinctively holding onto my standard-issue magic wand, but even that felt incredibly faint.

All I could manage was to barely open my mouth.

“Hey… something’s… wrong…”

But even though I struggled to speak, neither Huingdi nor Sora answered.

I quickly understood the reason why.

“Ugh, ugh…!”

“Ah! Ah… ugh…”

Both of them were also collapsed on the ground, just like me.

I was in bad shape, but they seemed even worse. They couldn’t understand or speak.

To the point where I doubted their consciousness at all.

What on earth had happened to us?

And who had done this to us?

At that moment.

“Hahahahahaha!”

A raucous laugh assaulted my eardrums.

“So you really were here!”

I couldn’t turn my head to see who was speaking.

Only.

– Thud. Thud. Thud.

One could surmise that a number of people were slowly approaching us.

Presently.

– Stop. Stop. Stop.

The footsteps ceased before us.

With great effort, I raised my eyelids, turning my gaze toward the uninvited guests.

“Wh… Who…?”

“Who else?”

Dimly imprinted on my retina were the silhouettes of several figures.

“Of course, we’re Magical Girls.”

Indeed.

“Magical Girls that dogs like you in service to the government are after.”

We had come face-to-face with Magical Felons.