Congratulations on Your Magical Girl Duties

40 – Magical Girl’s Spring

A single magical girl wanders through Korea.

The sky.

The sun.

The President.

Us.

All one, a singular magical girl.

Their numbers were slightly larger than before. All thanks to Ma Soyeon’s activity.

Ma Soyeon contacted everyone before advancing.

If they were going to revolt, they should do it properly, she thought as she fiddled with her phone.

Revolution is truly like magic.

It’s because she makes things you thought utterly impossible, actually possible.

But, a revolution isn’t magic.

Magic is momentary. Cast once, and it ends with defeating the monster. A revolution, however, doesn’t just linger for an instant like magic.

It tears down the existing order, establishes a new one, and sustains it. That’s a true revolution.

Especially if you’re launching a revolution against Magical Girl White Phoenix, the repercussions are going to be… immense.

Even if your actual skill is insignificant, your opponent is, on the surface, the strongest magical girl.

Therefore.

Wouldn’t you need someone to minimize those repercussions and realize the purpose of the revolution?

Magical Soldier-class is lacking.

You’d need at least a Magical Officer-class.

Of course, she wasn’t thinking of ranking anyone. Naturally, all magical girls are equal before the revolution.

‘Well, there might be some magical girls who are… ‘

…more equal than others.

Anyway.

For that reason, Ma So-yeon attempted to contact magical girls who seemed suitable for the revolution.

A usually sociable junior magical girl.

A classmate magical girl she got along well with.

A senior magical girl she could put forth as a scarecrow.

How long had it been?

Some magical girls didn’t respond, but some did, and came to see her in person.

“No, are you really going to do it? Not just anyone, but Magical Girl White Phoenix-nim?”

“Hey, is this for real? Think about it again.”

“Um… Soyeon-ah, I kind of sensed something was up with you, but I never thought you’d actually do this…”

Of course, no one looked happy.

But Ma So-yeon didn’t care.

Rather, she looked at them all and declared confidently.

“The night of revolution is short, but its glory will be eternal!!!”

It was truly a strange statement.

A phrase simply shouting out a hollow ideal.

A statement that felt utterly devoid of reality.

“And!”

But still.

“This glory! I, Ma Soyeon, will not hoard it alone! Just believe that one thing!!!”

Words that stirred something deep within them, inexplicably.

Yet, with lingering unease, one magical girl murmured in a trembling voice to Ma Soyeon:

“W-what if, just what if, another General-class magical girl comes to assist?”

“That won’t happen.”

Ma Soyeon shook her head vehemently.

Logically, who would be in a Magical Lieutenant General’s private chambers at this late hour? Absolutely no one.

And would they come even if summoned for aid?

No.

They wouldn’t.

Even Ma Soyeon, the leader (provisional) with her formidable presence, had failed to call everyone.

So, would the magical girl White Phoenix succeed in summoning other magical girls?

‘Impossible.’

Ma Soyeon, with a resolution-filled conviction, addressed the Magical Executives, instantly dispelling their anxiety.

“Even if you beat the General-class magical girls to death tonight, they won’t come! Just trust me!”

The instant she finished speaking, none of the Magical Executives voiced any further objections.

They merely gripped their personal magic wands tightly in silence.

“Let’s go! It’s the time for revolution!!!”

Ma Soyeon raised her hand and took the lead. The magical girls surged after her in a throng.

‘Don’t move from there.’

The destination was singular.

The place where the strongest magical girl resided.

The Magical Lieutenant General’s private chambers.

‘I’ll bring an army of magical girls and smash my way in, crushing her skull!’

Though it was a dark night, reaching the destination was remarkably easy. The magical girls, each with their flashlights, illuminated their leader’s path.

And.

More importantly, a brighter, fierier flame of revolution blazed in the hearts of all.

“But, Senior. Why did you call her ‘Leader’?”

“A revolution needs a Leader, doesn’t it?”

“But, a Leader is just a relic of the fallen Soviet Union, isn’t it?”

“Sora, do you really think the Soviets are gone? The Soviet lives, slumbering within the hearts of magical people, waiting for the day the Internationale’s anthem rings out across the whole world.”

Kim Siyul and two magical girls exchanged lighthearted words, hardly befitting a revolution.

But, Ma Soyeon didn’t stop them.

After all, weren’t they just ignorant magical girls?

To embrace even these ones, *that* is a true leader.

And…

‘Leader, huh…’

Not bad. Ma Soyeon smiled.

One who holds power should, of course, have a title befitting that power.

Lieutenant General?

Three stars aren’t the summit.

Merely a step along the way.

So, Leader is far better than Lieutenant General.

“For the magical girls, we are ‘One’!!!”

How far did Ma Soyeon lead the magical girls after that?

Finally, they arrived at their destination.

Without hesitation, Ma Soyeon burst through the door to the Magical Lieutenant General’s private chamber.

The door crashed open with a bang, revealing Magical Girl White Phoenix.

“Huh? What is this all of a sudden at this hour?”

Judging from the blatant surprise etched on her face, she clearly hadn’t anticipated such a thing.

‘Excellent!’

A perfect opportunity.

To show them who the real leader is.

Ma Soyeon drew her magic wand and declared,

“You old maid! Hand over that position to m─!”

“Please extend the Magical Lantern Festival hours!!!”

In that instant, Kim Siyul suddenly barged in.

Cutting off Ma Soyeon’s words mid-sentence.

The unexpected words left Ma So-yeon staring blankly at Kim Si-yul.

“…Hey, what did you just say?”

You told me to start a revolution. Ma So-yeon’s lips moved silently, her eyes wide with disbelief.

It wasn’t just her, it seemed. The other Magical executives were also casting bewildered glances at Kim Si-yul.

Oblivious, Kim Si-yul merely gazed at the magical girl White Phoenix.

“Is that… not allowed?”

“Ah, I didn’t release you yet, did I? Sorry, Si-yul.”

“No, it’s alright.”

“Yes, thank you for understanding.”

The magical girl White Phoenix smiled softly, then addressed the other magical girls.

“Starting today, Magical Late Nights are voluntary for everyone. Do whatever you want, whenever you want.”

But, she continued in a measured tone,

“Don’t bother anyone else, and keep it within reason so that it doesn’t affect your duties the next day. Of course, if any problems arise because of this, Magical Late Nights will be abolished entirely.”

It was a deeply shocking declaration.

Never before had there been such radical terms.

However, for Ma So-yeon, the statement was shocking in a different way.

What on earth was going on?

‘What the hell?’

The reason for the incitement was just Magical Late Nights?

She gathered all these people because of Magical Late Nights?

‘No… it can’t be.’

Ma So-yeon desperately maintained a smile, glancing at the Magical soldier-level magical girls.

This isn’t the end, is it?

Everyone came here to start a revolution, right?

Let’s start a real revolution, even now, together.

Her gaze was heavy with that meaning.

‘Please.’

However.

The reactions of the Magical soldier-level magical girls were a far cry from what Ma So-yeon had hoped for.

“I’m glad I got up after all. I was wondering what was going on when you suddenly woke me up in the middle of my sleep.”

“Right, this is how we wrest control of the Magical Autonomous Lanterns – through revolution!”

“No more being shackled to Magical Lantern curfew! This is truly a Magical Revolution!”

Each now smiled, enjoying their improved situation. Not even a trace of the fight that had burned in their eyes moments before remained.

Yes.

The embers of revolution had been completely extinguished.

In that instant, Kim Si-yul smiled, bidding farewell.

“Thank you. Then, we’ll be going in now.”

“Alright, rest easy.”

Before the words could even fully escape her lips, Kim Si-yul and the Magical Soldier-Rank magical girls had vanished from the room.

It was like watching the tide.

A raging surge of water when crashing in.

But utterly silent as it receded.

In the end, only Ma So-yeon and the Magical Executives remained in the Magical Lieutenant General’s private quarters.

They quickly exchanged silent glances.

Their eyes met, filled with unspoken questions.

What to do now?

But before they could even begin to formulate an answer, another unforeseen event occurred.

If you had to choose between good and bad, this was decidedly bad.

Because a voice that should have been utterly impossible to hear echoed through the room.

“Our So-ah has really changed. Never thought a Magical Patriotic Conservative would be so generous. Love really is a frightening thing.”

“Hey! I told you not to call me that!”

It was the magical girl, Purple Snake.

It made absolutely no sense. Why were there two Magical Lieutenant Generals here, at this late hour?

And then, Ma So-yeon and the Magical Executives exchanged another silent glance, sharing a single, unified sentiment.

We’re screwed.

Not only had their odds plummeted with the absence of the Magical Soldier-Rank magical girls, but now there was another Magical Lieutenant General.

‘We’re really screwed.’

The very definition of worst-case scenario.

Being trapped by a horde of monsters would have been more promising.

Even so, Ma So-yeon struggled to regain her composure. She believed there was still one last chance.

I don’t know the precise reason, but Magical Girl White Phoenix, despite her anger, wore a subtle, giddy smile.

Magical Girl Purple Snake, on the other hand, paid them no mind whatsoever. She was simply preoccupied with teasing Magical Girl White Phoenix.

If so, then wouldn’t it be best to slip away quietly, without disturbing either of them?

Whatever might happen later, one had to survive the present, didn’t one? And, thankfully, a path seemed to be opening up.

“R-Right.”

Turns out, nobody was meant to just die.

“Hey.”

“……”

Or so I had thought.

Until Magical Girl White Phoenix called out.

She erased the bright smile she had worn just moments before, revealing a chilling expression.

Staring with eyes even colder than that.

“What did you say to me earlier?”

At the same time, Magical Girl Purple Snake, who had been lurking in the shadows, emerged slowly, a smile plastered on her face.

“Judging by how everyone’s pulling out their personal magic wands, it seems like you’ve come to do something ‘improper’?”

Her eyes, however, didn’t smile even a little.

“Like, perhaps, ‘rebellion’?”

Two Magical Girls focused their fierce gazes on ‘one’ Magical Girl.

“…..Shit.”

Someone uttered a despairing curse.

It was a truly sacrilegious act, uttered in front of the lofty Magical Girls, but Ma Soyeon didn’t feel like pointing it out.

Because they were well and truly screwed.

That day, Ma Soyeon and the other Magical executives received three Magical Skulls. Actually, it was a bit more than three.

Anyway.

The spring of Magical Girls withered just like that.

*

As soon as I woke up, I immediately prepared to leave.

“I’m just going out for a bit.”

“Senior, where are you going?”

“I think I saw a cafe around here last time, so I’m going to buy some coffee.”

I was desperately tired.

I was paying a steep price now for partying so late the night before.

“Aren’t you going to Magical PX? They sell coffee there too, you know.”

“Never been, don’t know where it is. Besides, cafes are better for coffee anyway, right?”

“That’s true.”

Still, feeling a little guilty about going alone, I subtly asked Sora and Huindung, who were still in the barracks.

“Want me to pick something up on the way back?”

“If they have fried tofu udon, get me that. Or maybe fried tofu sushi. I really like anything with fried tofu.”

“They sell that kind of stuff at a cafe?”

“Yeah, Magical Cafe is more like a restaurant than a cafe, actually. The menu changes all the time, though.”

“I’ll get it if they have it.”

“Thank you, Sunbae.”

I unintentionally learned about Sora’s preference.

She likes food with fried tofu, huh…

That was definitely pretty fox-like.

I remember during Magical Moral Education, they said that the mascot and the magical girl were similar in personality and tastes, and Sora was the same.

Meanwhile, Huindung hinted at something else instead of making a request.

“Are *you* going to be okay?”

A worried question.

“What do you mean?”

“You got a lot of money? Magical Cafe is seriously expensive.”

Of course, it was just a needless concern.

“Well, more than you think.”

I appreciate the concern, but sadly, it doesn’t apply to me.

As the major shareholder of Top□ and No□pia, there’s no way I’d be shaking in my boots over just a cup or two of coffee.

“So tell me if there’s anything you want.”

“Don’t try to bluff me. If you don’t have enough money for the cafe, just go to Ne□ver Cafe.”

“You crazy b*tch, that’s a completely different cafe.”

Huindung’s comment was dangerous in more ways than one.

If I were still a moderator doing volunteer work, that comment would be serious enough to warrant a ban.

“Right then. I’m off, anyway.”

“Come back soon, Senior.”

“Have a good trip. And don’t be late.”

With a noncommittal reply, I stepped outside.

For Whitedog, well, a sugary treat will do the trick.

Dogs, after all, they all have a sweet tooth.

Still half-asleep, I walked for a while, finally arriving at Magical Café, reaching out to open the door—

“Huh?”

—but just then, I noticed something else.

There, beside the café in a shadowy alcove, I saw Mr. Octopus.

Or, to be more precise…

“P-please, have mercy on me!”

Mr. Octopus being bullied.