Chapter 4: A Nation of Magical Girls

Who were magical girls? Heroes wielding magical power against overwhelming evil. Unwavering beacons of hope in the face of adversity. Guardians of dreams and happiness.

And, in this new world, the only ones capable of fighting the kaijin.

“Thanks to them, we were able to repel the monsters and rebuild the country,” the officer explained.

“Really?” Si-yool was skeptical.

“Why? It’s the truth.”

Something didn’t add up. An invasion of that scale would have involved an immense number of monsters. Could a handful of magical girls truly have defeated them? Si-yool found it highly improbable. Even if they had, the country should still be reeling from the aftermath. A near-apocalypse wasn’t something one simply bounced back from. Yet, Earth seemed more advanced than before he’d left. The damage appeared to have been fully repaired, and society had moved on.

“Even for magical girls, is that possible?” Si-yool asked.

Numbers were a simple, yet brutally effective form of power.

“I wasn’t there, but there must have been a lot of monsters, and they must have been powerful,” he continued.

“Oh, they were. It was insane,” the officer confirmed.

Si-yool knew this firsthand. He’d fought countless battles against overwhelming odds in the other world, often against opponents equal to or stronger than himself. Every gain came at a cost. Every step forward required a sacrifice. He’d traded his left hand for a single step, endured three stab wounds for one punch, and suffered disembowelment for severing an enemy’s arm. He had survived, but the pain had often made him wish for death.

“How did the magical girls win against so many monsters?” he asked.

Magical girls weren’t invincible. They would have limits, just like he did.

“There were a lot of them. A lot,” the officer replied.

“How many?” Si-yool asked, scoffing. How many magical girls could there possibly be?

“Everyone,” the officer answered.

Si-yool stared at him blankly. He must have misheard. Not even the most absurd fiction would have such a premise, let alone reality. Such a world would be utterly insane.

“Well, biologically adult women, to be precise. But all women, essentially,” the officer clarified.

Si-yool considered this. The world was insane. With crazy politicians constantly stirring up trouble, a nation of magical girls didn’t seem so far-fetched after all.

“So, it was possible?” the officer asked.

“I…guess so,” Si-yool conceded. Could the number of monsters possibly have exceeded the number of adult women in South Korea? Especially considering the government’s apparent preference for saving women, their numbers would have been significantly higher than men’s. And since the monsters had spread globally, they would have been stretched thin. So, yes, the magical girls could have won.

“Many were lost, but they prevailed,” the officer added somberly.

To recap: North Korea unleashed monsters upon South Korea. The women of South Korea became magical girls and saved the day.

This led to another deduction.

“So, the monsters are back in North Korea now?” Si-yool asked, basing his assumption on the officer’s use of the word “repelled.” If they had been annihilated, he would have used a different term.

“Mostly,” the officer replied.

“Mostly?”

“Some countries, with existing tensions, sent monsters to each other,” the officer explained.

Si-yool sighed. Apparently, even the threat of global annihilation couldn’t overcome human pettiness.

With so many magical girls, they would naturally form an organization. It was a common trope in magical girl fiction, the name varying but the concept remaining the same.

“With so many magical girls, there must be a Magical Girl Association, right?”

“Yes, there is. Officially, it’s the Magical Association, but everyone just calls it ‘the Association’,” the officer confirmed.

Now, consider two more facts: the government, specifically the Ministry of National Defense and the MMA, were gone. And a new, incredibly powerful organization had emerged.

The conclusion was obvious.

“The Association has taken over the role of national defense. Using magical girls instead of soldiers,” Si-yool stated.

With magical girls being the only defense against the monsters, it was only natural.

The officer nodded, confirming Si-yool’s deduction.

Si-yool sighed. A lot could change in ten years, but he hadn’t expected this. He could only imagine the chaos and conflict that had led to this new world order.

“Anyway, let’s get to the main point, Mr. Kim,” the officer said, bringing Si-yool’s attention back to his predicament. “Do you know what will happen to you?”

“No,” Si-yool replied dryly. That was why he was here.

“Oh, right, you’re playing the ‘I don’t know’ card,” the officer said sarcastically.

“You little…” Si-yool muttered, adding another name to his mental list of people to file complaints against.

“As a deserter, you’re going to jail,” the officer continued, unfazed. “And considering you evaded capture for twelve years, it will be a long sentence.”

Si-yool now understood why the officer hadn’t been more forceful. They were gentle with confirmed criminals, as there was nothing more to gain from them. He was a closed case.

He felt a surge of injustice. It was so unfair it was almost comical.

“But,” the officer interrupted his indignant outburst.

“But…?”

“Apparently, they offer deserters a special option these days,” the officer explained.

“What option?” Si-yool asked, bewildered. The world had truly gone mad. After ten years of hell in another world, he was being given a choice: go to jail for a crime he didn’t commit, or…

“Serve your military duty as a magical girl.”

Si-yool stared at him in stunned silence. It wasn’t really a choice. It was being drafted… again.

“What will it be?” the officer asked.

Si-yool’s answer was immediate.

“Jail.” He’d already served his time. He wasn’t going through that again. Jail was preferable. Better human rights, better food…

“Magical girl it is, then,” the officer declared.

“No, jail!” Si-yool protested.

“I’ll escort you to the Magical Aptitude Testing Center.”

Si-yool realized his choice didn’t matter. It had been a charade.

“Why even ask?!” he yelled.

“Why? Well,” the officer replied, a wide grin spreading across his face for the first time, replacing his usual apathy.

“Because it’s fun.”

“I’m filing a complaint, you bastard!” Si-yool roared as he was dragged away once more.