Chapter 7: The Aftermath and the Routine

Silence. I opened my eyes to darkness. A typical night, except for the time.

-Slide

I checked my phone. 5:30 PM. An unusual time to wake up, unless it was from a nap, or a severely messed-up sleep schedule.

“…Slept well for once.”

I’d gone to bed around 5 or 6 AM, after getting home, showering, and browsing online. Twelve hours. A solid night’s sleep.

…Or rather, this morning’s sleep.

‘I definitely sleep better after clearing out Nightmares.’

Bunny claimed magical girls were unaffected by low-level Nightmares, but I felt a difference.

The insomnia and nightmares would return, but for now…

“Ugh…”

-Crack

I stretched, my body stiff from sleep. I lay back down, then grabbed my phone.

The world was a mess, but sometimes, there were interesting distractions.

“…”

Magical girl news was everywhere, even outside dedicated forums.

I hadn’t clicked on that post out of any perverse interest. I was just curious about what the younger generation was up to.

…Anyway, the game I’d been waiting for was delayed, as usual. Nothing to see here.

I switched on the TV and rummaged through the fridge.

-Click

Dinner, or rather, my first meal of the day at 6 PM, was a leftover hotdog and instant ramen.

-Rumble

-Ding!

The hotdog was ready. I took it out, waiting for the ramen…

“[…Han Sejin! I’m really sorry, but…]”

-Sigh

-Munch

This was routine. At least the ramen wasn’t ready yet. That would have been a waste of food.

-Chew

‘Transform. Alice.’

-Flash!

Faster deployments meant fewer casualties. Delays meant more damage, more criticism, and more blame on the magical girl.

Plenty of popular magical girls had faded into obscurity after failing to respond promptly.

-Pat

I twirled a strand of my now-long white hair, checking for any stray food stains, then braced for teleportation.

It was between 6 and 7 PM, rush hour. The streets would be crowded.

‘Mind control… Mind control…’

I switched from gloomy shut-in to selfless magical girl ‘Alice.’

-Flash!

“Kyaaaaa! Run!!”

“Don’t worry, everyone! Infused with starlight and love! Magical Girl Alice, arri…ving!”

I almost choked on the hotdog, but managed to finish the line.

I quickly assessed the situation: monster location and type, civilian location and status.

“No, Sua!!”

“Waaaaah! Mommy!!”

“Krrrr!”

As expected, the Abyssal monster was targeting a child separated from her parents.

Understandable, but displaying such raw emotion in front of an Abyssal monster, which thrived on negative energy, was a bad idea.

Starlight Shower.

-Fwoosh!!

“Yelp!”

“Huh…?”

“Go back where you came from!”

-Bang!

The monster vanished, leaving only traces of dissipated energy.

-Pat

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“N-No…”

“Your mother is worried. Go to her.”

“Sua!!!!!!!”

“Mommy!”

-Hug!

A heartwarming reunion. A scene I’d witnessed countless times in eight years. A testament to this messed-up world.

People forgot the dangers until another major incident occurred. Many sought ways to eliminate Abyssal monsters or sever the connection between dimensions, but according to the Mascots, it wasn’t easy.

Comet Smash.

-Boom!

Even as I spoke, my wand continued its work, maintaining a cheerful ‘Alice’ facade.

Was it normal for a magical girl to smile while fighting monsters? Answers varied, but it was ‘Alice’s’ trademark.

A perpetually cheerful, eternally smiling girl. That was the persona. Don’t ask me why.

“I’ve eliminated all the monsters! You’re safe now!”

“A-Already..? Really..?”

“A-Are you sure there aren’t any left? How…?”

Seriously? Trust the professional.

“Alice doesn’t tolerate bullies.”

“But… why are you alone? Usually there are two or three magical girls…”

“Big sister!!! Thank you!!!!”

The little girl I’d saved was waving at me from her mother’s arms.

“I want to be an awesome magical girl like you when I grow up!!!!”

So many things wrong with that statement.

I wasn’t her sister, being a magical girl wasn’t awesome, and it wasn’t a career choice.

‘…If she has the aptitude, a Mascot will find her… but she shouldn’t sign the contract.’

“[Should we check her out? She seems to have some potential.]”

‘No. Why would I encourage that?’

I wouldn’t stop her, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it. Besides, kids changed their minds constantly.

“Stay close to your parents next time! Alice can’t always be there!!!”

“Okay!!!”

“Well then! Have a peaceful day, everyone! This has been your starlight, Alice!”

“W-Wait! Can I get your autogr…”

-Flash!

Another successful escape from autograph seekers.