Chapter 8 : Negotiation

“Their demand is just one thing.

To release Jangmi Kim.”

“It’s strange that they gathered just to free a single child. It’s suspicious how they found out she’s been confined.”

“I understand you want to think this through, but you must also realize that further delays could lead to danger.”

Red blood flowing despite being a demon. A fairy’s magic stone. Magical girl transformation achieved alone, without a contract. The resulting total mobilization of demons. Clearly, someone’s involvement is at play here.

For now, I have to resolve this protest. Even if I release Jangmi, it’s uncertain whether they’ll accept that condition. Besides, if I hand over Jangmi, who can become a magical girl just like Dahye, to them, the civil war will surely start again soon.

But like Dahye said, adopt her? It’s nothing to become a target for the demons. And if the government gets involved in this…

A flimsy idea suddenly crossed my mind.

No, it’s too far-fetched. But wouldn’t it be persuasive if Dahye is the one suggesting it? Even so, the aftermath won’t be clean. In the end, I have to ask the guy next to me for help…

“Ms. Amber.”

Not only the association president, but the eyes of all the staff present there focused on me. Everyone was waiting for me to speak.

“It’s meaningless unless the person involved handles it.”

“Don’t try to get out of it. You have a role to play too.”

“Tell me.”

“First, create an official press conference. And bring the representatives of the three factions: Peace, Neutral, and Prosperity.”

The association president flinched but soon tightened his tie.

“Is there anything else?”

“I’ll explain everything properly when everyone gathers. Also, have an agent escort me to the confinement room.”

“Yes. Everyone, announce the press conference and get moving!”

The association president directly ordered the staff, showing the importance of the incident. If Dahye agrees, the scenario will be roughly complete.

*

“This is the reason why I plan to hold a press conference.”

Dahye, locked up in the confinement room, was staring at the wall without looking at me.

What is it this time? Is she showing such unsightly behavior because she left a scratch on a demon? I have to understand. If Dahye backs out now, my unknown plan will be distorted. Right now, it’s something that can be resolved if she’s given time to sort out her feelings.

The agent next to me couldn’t hide his anxiety and tried to approach her, but I grabbed the hem of his pants to stop him.

“What are you going to do?”

She barely opened her mouth. I hope she listens and bears it well.

“I’m going to bring Jangmi to the press conference.”

“You, until the very end!”

I showed my hand to Dahye, who turned her head and glared at me as if to kill. It was a gesture to calm down.

“You said you’d adopt Jangmi, right?”

“Yes.”

I was furious at the sight of her crossing her arms and speaking calmly, but I had to be grateful for her clear determination to protect Jangmi.

“Adoption is a bit… Who would want to date you if you bring in a child before even getting married?”

“Whatever. No one wants to date me now anyway. You know all I get are those kinds of pictures in my DMs.”

“No, how many times have I told you not to use social media… No, let’s talk about this later. What you want is to take care of Jangmi at our house, right?”

She nodded her head vigorously up and down.

“Okay. Instead, let’s announce her as my successor.”

“Successor?”

“Yes, with the colors of our magic being so similar, the claim we have to make is that she’s the successor. Of course, she’s a successor in name only, I won’t make a contract with her. Think about it carefully. The cornerstone of the peace you desire will be Jangmi.”

“Are you trying to burden her?”

“That’s not what I mean. If you want to take care of Jangmi like you said, this is the surest way. Besides, you can find out what kind of being Jangmi is by living together.”

Dahye closed her eyes and fell into thought. The silence grew longer, but no answer came. It was Jangmi, who was in the next cell, who broke the silence.

“I’ll do it.”

“Jangmi…”

“I was really happy to see you transform, teacher. It was the first time I saw it so close, as I always watched from afar. And… everyone likes magical girls, right?”

Well, I can’t guarantee everyone will like it. Still, since she answered herself, it would have become difficult for Dahye to refuse.

This time, I crossed my arms and stared at her. I felt a mix of complex emotions, but in the end, I sighed and made a decision.

“Ha… Okay. Let’s do it.”

“Yeah. Good thinking. We can contact her parents after the announcement.”

However, Dahye hesitated.

Why? Doesn’t the fact that she was given a human name instead of a typical demon name mean that her human parents have been hiding her demon parentage and living well?

The answer came from the girl.

“My parents aren’t around. The mom who looked after me disappeared too.”

So that’s why she couldn’t say anything…

“I’m sorry.”

When I offered a short apology, the girl gave a bitter smile.

I had the agent who brought us here unlock the cell and remove the choker. Stepping outside, Dahye and Jangmi looked at each other for a moment. Their shadowed eyes held worry, like they were looking at a child left by the water’s edge.

She flinched and looked around.

“Wait, where’s Harin? Didn’t she come in with us?”

“I’m here!”

Harin’s cry echoed from the cell three doors down. Dahye, hugging Jangmi, ran there, puzzled.

“Harin, why didn’t you say anything until now?”

“Ahaha, Ms. Amber told me to keep my mouth shut…”

Leaving the girl fidgeting with her fingers behind, Dahye put Jangmi down. Putting heavy force into each step to express her pent-up frustration, she came towards me.

‘It’s me again? Isn’t it strange that she kept quiet about it until now?’ I tried to say, but I couldn’t. Dahye covered my mouth, making it impossible to communicate.

“Mmmppph!”

“Wouldn’t it be fair if you closed your mouth too?”

“Teacher, stop it. It’s nice to have three magical girls in the same class. I couldn’t understand what other people were saying because they used difficult words.”

Though it would have been more accurate to say ‘words,’ anyway, thanks to Harin, I was able to be freed from Dahye’s silencing.

The girl held Jangmi’s hands and smiled brightly, showing her white teeth.

“Since our seats are next to each other, we can continue to be close from now on, right?”

“Yes…”

“But, I am the teacher’s first disciple. I can’t yield that.”

“Pfft…”

“Ah! She laughed!”

Is her head full of flowers? Nothing has been solved regarding the demons. Kids are a problem. Well, there’s a child-like adult here too.

“By the way.”

Dahye, who lifted me up to her eye level, expressed another doubt.

“Will the demons accept this?”

“We have to make them.”

*Bzz*

The conversation was briefly interrupted by the vibration from the agent’s device. He touched the earphone he was wearing and kept replying ‘Yes’ before gesturing to us. It meant that the three demons had gathered in the lobby.

I didn’t want the bodies of reporters or staff being torn to pieces if a door opened to the wrong place, so we decided to take the elevator. Because the confinement room was located so deep underground, it took time to go up despite the fast speed.

“Huh?”

Harin, who pulled on Dahye’s sleeve, didn’t seem to have any intention of resting.

“But teacher, Ms. Amber has stopped saying ‘pi pi’ at the end of her sentences. Is that okay?”

“Huh? What?”

“Peng told me fairies have to talk like that to use their powers.”

“Ah… Heeh.”

That characteristic expression she makes before playing a prank hinted that she was about to shatter the child’s illusion again.

Leaning down to Harin’s ear, she revealed the truth.

“Fairies add strange speech patterns just to act cute. And it’s all a lie that they need to do that to use their power.”

“Really!?”

Shocked, Harin made a dumbfounded face. Jangmi next to her did the same. Dahye, even more excited by the sight, continued her prank.

“Of course. They lower your guard that way and then make a contract with you. Think about it, Harin. Who would take on such a bothersome job otherwise?”

“Ahh… You’re lying, right?”

“Teacheer…”

*Ding*

The elevator announced its arrival on the first floor. The iron doors opened, revealing the lobby filled with people. The densely packed reporters were constantly clicking their camera shutters, flashes going off towards the conference hall. The association president and the three demons were sitting there.

“It’s Dahye Han!”

At the shout of a reporter, the direction of the cameras shifted towards us. The children were shielding their eyes with their arms, perhaps dazzled by the numerous lights. Dahye, taking off her suit jacket and covering the girls with it, hugged them tightly.

“Yes, it was a lie. I was just joking so you wouldn’t be nervous.”

“Really?”

“Teacher, you’re mean.”

The children, slightly pushing away the jacket, smiled at her and playfully nudged her. It was stopped by the agent, but the children remained cheerful.

“What about you, Harin? Do you want to stay here?”

“No! I’m her friend, so I want to go up with her.”

“I see. You can come out of the waiting room later. Okay?”

“Okay!”

“Okay.”

After hearing the two children’s replies, Dahye stepped up to the podium. The murmurs of the reporters she passed grew louder, and some seemed to be typing on their laptops, jotting down questions. I climbed onto her shoulder and nagged her about what she just said, but she just laughed it off. I was dumbfounded, but more than that, it was time to deal with the problem at hand.

“It’s been a while.”

The first to greet us, growling lowly, was Stylidium, the representative of the Prosperity faction and the vanguard of the invasion.