Chapter 8: White Phoenix’s Burden

“Enough,” the voice commanded. It belonged to a magical girl in white, three stars on her armband, the highest rank in the room.

“Let’s stop this,” she said.

She looked like a young girl, with a youthful face, a petite frame, and long hair styled in twintails. But her orange eyes held a world-weariness that belied her appearance, and her revealing costume confirmed her adult status.

But to Si-yool, she was something else entirely.

“Wow,” he breathed.

“Why are you so surprised?” another magical girl asked.

“Just…,” Si-yool stammered, “I finally understand what a magical girl truly is.”

She was a monster. Not in the kaijin sense, but in the sheer scale of her power. She dwarfed every powerful being Si-yool had ever encountered, even himself at his peak. He couldn’t even begin to comprehend her strength. And she hadn’t even chanted a spell. Her speed and power were simply…inhuman.

This was humanity’s protector? She was a weapon of mass destruction. It was a miracle the kaijin had survived at all.

While Si-yool was reeling from the shock, the green-haired magical girl was still trying to justify her actions.

“W-wait a minute!” she protested.

“Stop it, Magical Girl Green Blobfish,” the white-haired magical girl said dismissively.

“But he started it—”

“Hey,” the white-haired magical girl interrupted, silencing her.

“I said enough,” she repeated, her voice flat and laced with annoyance. “Did your recent promotion go to your head? Do you want to disappear?”

“N-no, ma’am,” the green-haired magical girl stammered, shrinking under the weight of her superior’s aura. It wasn’t just anger, but something…predatory. Like a predator whose prey had been stolen. Si-yool felt a chill run down his spine. What had he done?

“Are you done being a two-star general?” the white-haired magical girl continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“No, ma’am.”

“Then why are you acting like it?”

“I apologize.”

“Don’t do things you have to apologize for. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The green-haired magical girl finally shut up, though she still glared at Si-yool.

“Now that that’s settled,” the white-haired magical girl said, turning her attention to Si-yool. “Let’s resume the evaluation.”

The real evaluation had begun.

Jin So-a, Magical Girl White Phoenix, Lieutenant General, the highest-ranking magical girl present.

She was known by many names: the White Devil, the Strongest Magical Girl, the 47-Year-Old Spinster Magical Girl. She hated them all, especially the last one, because it was true.

The truth was, Jin So-a hated being a magical girl.

She’d been a 37-year-old factory worker, unmarried and resigned to a life of hard labor, when she suddenly awakened as a magical girl. Her adult body had reverted to a prepubescent form, though she retained her adult proportions. Her dull black hair had turned into lustrous white, and her skin had become clearer. But the downsides far outweighed the upsides.

And her magical aptitude was off the charts. Ten years later, she was known as the Strongest Magical Girl. Her dream of marrying, retiring, and becoming a housewife was shattered.

Dating? Blind dates? Those had been difficult even before she became a magical girl. She’d been too busy working to support her younger brother, who’d been born with a chronic illness and spent most of his short life in a hospital bed. He was her only family.

She refused to give up on him, even when the doctors said there was no hope. She’d made her choice: her brother’s life over her own future.

After becoming a magical girl, she had no time for a personal life. Her duties consumed her every waking moment. She couldn’t afford even a brief respite. Too many lives depended on her.

Now, ten years later, with the world relatively stable and her financial situation secure, she no longer had the option of refusing dates. There were no dates to refuse.

Her petite frame, her age (47 and rapidly approaching 50), and her reputation as the Strongest Magical Girl made her undesirable. Even her friends couldn’t find her a suitable match. Even the most ardent lolicons balked at the age of 47. And her status as a high-ranking magical girl intimidated most men.

In this new world, where men were a scarce commodity, the power dynamic in the marriage market had shifted. Polygamy was commonplace, and women had to actively pursue men. Men had their pick of partners.

So, Jin So-a remained single. Beautiful women, including magical girls, were plentiful. Why settle for a 47-year-old spinster?

The few men who did approach her were either drunk and looking for a one-night stand or had malicious intentions towards the Strongest Magical Girl. None succeeded. Upon meeting her in person, they fled in terror, like animals encountering an unknown predator. Jin So-a’s very presence was enough to trigger a primal fear.

Was she Jin So-a because she was the strongest, or was she the strongest because she was Jin So-a? It didn’t matter. What mattered was that her aura alone was enough to repel any potential suitors.

Once, out of sheer stubbornness, she’d stopped a fleeing man. He’d burst into tears, wet himself, and begged for his life. “I’m sorry! I’ll be your guarantor! I’ll give you my organs! Just please, spare me!”

That day, Jin So-a cried. A lot.

So, no, she didn’t enjoy being a magical girl. The only upside was the hefty paycheck, which meant she no longer had to worry about her brother’s medical bills. But what good was money when she was destined to die alone? Her companions were dried snacks and cold soju.

“[So-a, phone call!]” her mascot chirped.

“A date? A blind date? Wait! I need to get my new lingerie!”

“[No, the Magical Association!]”

“Those bastards,” Jin So-a grumbled. She’d been about to enjoy her Sunday, snacks and soju at the ready, when the Association called.

“[We apologize. We apologize. We apologize],” the voice began, then proceeded to explain the request. “[We need you to conduct a psychological evaluation at the Magical Aptitude Testing Center].”

The subject was a man, they added. Kim Si-yool.

It was a ridiculous request. A Sunday call-up to evaluate a man’s suitability to become a magical girl? They were asking a three-star general to do this? They’d crossed a line.

“You bast—”

“[Oh, and he’s a deserter. Evaded capture for twelve years].”

Jin So-a’s annoyance turned to piqued interest. Not a positive interest, but a simmering resentment.

“Is that so?” she asked, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

She remembered vividly how the desperate government had conscripted her sickly younger brother, still a minor, to serve as cannon fodder during the kaijin invasion. All she could do was watch and scream as they took him away. He’d been part of a unit that was completely wiped out by a single, unique kaijin. Miraculously, her brother had survived, but he never woke up. He was a living corpse, even after being transferred to the Association’s Magical Metropolitan Hospital.

She wanted to see the face of this deserter, this man who’d evaded capture while her brother was sent to die. She wanted to know how he’d escaped, what he’d been doing all this time, and if he’d enjoyed feasting on her brother’s blood.

“[The other commanders are coming too. What do you say…?]”

She wasn’t the only one interested. This wasn’t a bad thing. She might get to see her friend, whom she hadn’t seen in years due to her friend’s busy life as a mother of three.

A wave of melancholy washed over Jin So-a. Her friend was raising a family, while she was spending her Sunday alone with snacks and soju. Her magical girl body wouldn’t age, but she was still 47, turning 50 in three years. At this rate, forced retirement would come before marriage.

“Why me…?” she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

“[Are you crying? I’m sorry. Forget I said anything],” the voice on the phone said.

“No, it’s fine,” Jin So-a replied, wiping her tears.

She was going to accept the request. But first, she needed clarification.

“One question,” she said.

“[What is it?]”

“The results… it doesn’t matter how I evaluate him, right?” she asked, emphasizing the word “how.” She wasn’t just asking about his suitability as a magical girl. She wanted to judge him, to see if his desertion was malicious or simply a mistake. And if it was the former… well, he clearly didn’t understand how cruel the world had become.

“[Do you have something in mind?]”

“Not necessarily,” Jin So-a replied. In a world of monsters and magical girls, ‘accidents’ could happen. “Who knows what might fall from the sky? Lightning? Or maybe… the sun?”

“[I did tell the other commanders to try and recruit him…]”

There was a pause.

“[But who knows when a natural disaster might strike? It’s a dangerous world. Some things… we just can’t know].”

“Good,” Jin So-a said. The Association would handle the aftermath.

“[So, what will it be?]”

“I’ll do it.”

And so, Jin So-a, driven by morbid curiosity, left her apartment.

Now, hours later, she was clutching her head.

“What the hell?” she muttered.

“I swear on my mother’s life! Well, not really, since she’s gone, but still!” the green-haired magical girl insisted.

Jin So-a sighed. This was a headache.