Chapter 7 : Redemption

“Where did you get this?”

“It hurts…”

“I said, where did you get it!?”

“Hey!”

Dahye roughly threw me aside and approached the demon. Crimson blood flowed down the nape of that unknown demon’s neck. It was because of my claws. Seeing her sniffling again made me nauseous.

Surely, that demon must have been sent by someone to frame us. A demon who possesses a magic stone, the symbol of fairies, and transforms into a magical girl without a contract appearing by chance? Bullshit.

“It’s okay. Hold my hand tight, alright?”

She must have been suspicious of her showing me the magic stone. That’s why she made that face. Then, instead of running around the room looking for something, shouldn’t she just kill it or, at the very least, kick it out of the house?

Dahye grabbed her coat and spoke to the children.

“I’ll be back from the pharmacy, so wait a bit. And Harin, please keep an eye on that weasel and make sure he doesn’t do anything.”

“Yes!”

Leaving Harin on guard, Dahye left. The closed door made a loud noise, showing how urgent she was.

Dahye must be out of her mind. Leaving me here, who could open the door with a flick of my wrist, and using a child like her as a guard.

*Creak*

“Don’t move.”

Harin, transformed into a magical girl, threw a punch that caused a loud boom. The force transmitted through the air completely erased only my left whisker. She unleashed such power even without Peng’s help. How much did she train to get to this point with such a small amount of magic power?

“That was just a warning.”

She stared at me, as if she would strike me down at any moment. It must have been a sign to not try anything funny.

[Nya!? Harin transformed too!?]

Peng’s voice came from the brooch that had fallen at my feet. It was enough to make her look away for even a moment, but Harin was staring fixedly only at me.

[I’m coming too, nya. Should I go to Dahye’s house, nya?]

“Don’t come.”

I answered instead of the girl.

“If you come too, you’ll all be caught.”

If they had only checked for Dahye’s magic on the magic sensor, I would have understood, but they’ve already detected Harin’s magic as well. And if they saw the video, the Association would have given orders. The magical waves were already surging.

Ten. Twenty. Forty. Forty-four. All the magical girls in the vicinity were heading here.

*Bang!*

Dahye arrived, running her hand through her messy hair and exhaling roughly. She didn’t even glance at me as she took the medicine out of the plastic bag. She squeezed a generous amount of ointment onto her middle finger and started applying it to the demon.

Dahye patted the back of the softly sobbing demon.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”

“Sob… hic…”

I asked her.

“You know, right? They’re coming to get us.”

“Be quiet.”

“Harin, you shut up. Now what are you going to do? If we get caught, the Association will figure things out, won’t they?”

“…”

“Then they’ll see the demon with the magic stone embedded in it. Oh boy, those guys who steal demon technology to make equipment will go crazy when they see this, right?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

“…Do you have to talk like that?”

“How should I say it then? Oh great Magical Girl Bright Lily, who saved the world, would you mind if we took this demon, who you’re so kindly bandaging, to our lab for analysis since it possesses a magic stone, something only fairies should have?”

“Hey!”

*Knock, knock*

Before she could calm down, the windows were already filled with magical girls. Seeing them mouthing and gesturing to open the barrier, I shifted my gaze to Dahye.

You, whose face kept changing expressions, seemed to give up and let out a long sigh.

“Open it.”

***

A choker was placed around my neck, and I was dragged to the Association. Confined within silvery walls, they called us in one by one, and finally, it was my turn.

“Did you not listen to me?”

Sitting in the interrogation room was the Association President with his tie loosened. His usually sharply parted hair was a mess, meaning he was too preoccupied to care.

“It hasn’t even been a day. It hasn’t even been a day since I told you the government was suspicious of you.”

“I know, I know, but Dahye should have listened to me.”

As I spoke with resignation, he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face repeatedly, and let out a long groan. It was a pathetic sight. I would probably have done the same if I were him, though.

“I specifically said we should kill it.”

“Ith no uth. I canth underthtand you.”

“What did Dahye say?”

“Ha… She said she’s going to adopt it.”

“What!?”

Unlike yesterday, the choker was attached to the chair, so I couldn’t jump out. Thanks to that, I experienced a momentary loss of breath.

“Cough! Hack!”

He tapped his fingers on the desk and asked hesitantly.

“I’ve already heard this, but I’ll ask again. Is your magic really the same as Dahye’s?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm… Just in case, are you two’s hidden daughter?”

“This bastard really, cough!”

He scratched his eyebrow with the tip of his pen, paying no attention to my coughing fit. He just kept flipping through the documents.

“This is just speculation before the test results come out. Please don’t get so agitated.”

“How can I not when you’re talking nonsense!?”

The Association President, who had been writing something in the file, put down his pen.

“For now, since Dahye absolutely refused to let her go to the lab, we only did a simple examination of Jangmi. Let’s talk again after we see the results.”

“You don’t have to talk to me specifically, do you?”

“Unfortunately, you’re the only one I can properly communicate with, even though you’re not human.”

They couldn’t properly interrogate Harin or the demon because they were kids, and Dahye only said what she wanted to say and shut her mouth. Why do I always have to clean up the mess? One person makes a mess, and another fairy has to clean it up?

*Knock, knock*

After two knocks from outside, the silver wall slid open. Three security guards stood there. One of them quickly approached and whispered in the President’s ear. The guard, about to report, glanced at me. He pressed a button on the table, and the silver wall blocked my view so I couldn’t see or hear.

This wall, put up for security, always made me feel uneasy. Created by torturing demons, this wall had the property of blocking magic. The choker I was wearing was made of the same material, so I couldn’t use magic.

I didn’t understand the principle behind it, but I wondered why they hadn’t used it sooner if they had such technology.

*Slide*

The separating curtain disappeared, leaving only the displeased-looking President. I wondered what they had talked about.

The Association President took a remote control out of his suit pocket and pressed a button. The sensor on the restraint reacted. With a mechanical whir, the unlocked choker fell to the floor and bounced.

The cool air touched my neck, announcing my freedom. I smoothed down my pressed fur and glared at him.

“Is this okay?”

“It must be uncomfortable for you to wear it.”

He stood up and touched the wall, opening a passage to the outside. Unlike this place, the passage looked ordinary. It meant I could escape if I opened the door.

However, the Association President, who didn’t seem to mind at all, walked towards the passage. He gestured towards me as if coaxing a child.

“Come with me. It’ll be faster for you to see it yourself than for me to explain.”

“And I don’t need the choker?”

He chuckled and continued down the passage.

His attitude, certain that I would follow, was annoying, but I couldn’t hide my curiosity about what information he’d received that made him act like this. I quickened my pace to catch up with him.

As I followed him, I looked around and saw the office workers busily moving about. It wasn’t just one department. Every department I saw as I walked was the same.

“Ouch!”

I bumped my nose because he stopped abruptly. It was my fault for not looking ahead, but it was more his fault for not telling me he was going to stop.

“Hey, if we’re here, say we’re here…”

“Shh.”

He told me to be quiet and tilted his chin to the side. In that direction, the inside staff were lined up, looking out the windows. The Association President, like them, put his hand on the window and started staring blankly outside.

I also had to look there to satisfy my curiosity.

Outside the glass window, the Association building was completely surrounded by demons. It wasn’t the scale you would see at a typical protest. There was no need to even roughly count them. It was safe to assume that all the demons residing here had gathered.

The problem was the very fact that all the demons had gathered. It was an unprecedented event for the three factions – peace, neutral, and prosperity – to gather without any conflict.

Perhaps because of this, broadcasting helicopters were already in the air to cover the story. Below, I could see reporters covering the scene, internet broadcasters trying to grow their channels, and so-called “wreckers.”

Watching this scene, the Association President clutched his trembling hands and asked.

“What exactly is that demon you brought?”