Chapter 20: I lost.

“Is she a magical girl too?”

“Mom, that lady’s wearing weird clothes.”

“Isn’t that gyaru style?”

Reaper Mors’s outfit was perfect for drawing attention.

Normally, people wouldn’t gossip about someone’s clothes, but standing next to me in my classic magical girl attire, she stood out.

“Thanks for the heads-up.”

After the situation calmed, I thanked her.

“No big deal. Just did what I had to.”

Reaper Mors agreed to be a double agent.

She had fleeting doubts about betrayal, but they were unfounded.

“You were inactive for over half a year. Why come back now?”

“Felt like it.”

Tsundere vibes.

Her words were curt, but I could sense her true feelings.

Guilt, probably.

She couldn’t ignore this mess, especially since she was deeply involved.

“Personally, I liked Angelic Luna better.”

“Reaper Mors. Call me that from now on.”

“Got it.”

A shame, but I’d respect her choice.

I’d been doing so anyway.

“The ones who sent the Dark Magical Gem likely know you’ve switched sides. With your return public, they won’t try to recruit you again.”

The fourth gen, full of loners.

The organization targeted those likely to turn to evil.

Reaper Mors was a bit rebellious but righteous at heart—a miscalculation on their part.

“Sorry for ruining their plans…”

“Better than falling to the dark side.”

The mastermind can wait.

Bringing a magical girl back to the right path had to happen now.

Reaper Mors smirked.

“It’s evolution.”

Despite the chaos, damage was minimal.

The magical girls’ efforts were broadcast across media, earning widespread praise.

“Learning about the Dark Magical Gem was a win in itself-mo,” Armo said.

Though we didn’t catch the mastermind, understanding the cause of the chaos was progress.

We also confirmed an organization was recruiting allies.

“You sure you’re not the mastermind-mo?”

“Still saying that? That’s harsh-mo!”

“Who else can make Magical Gems?”

“It’s a mystery, but it’s not me-mo!”

“Lying without batting an eye, huh?”

“So unfair-mo!”

In a quiet lot, I met Armo to debrief.

I didn’t want to, but I had to pass on info.

To tie up loose ends and to inch toward retirement.

I can’t just slip backstage while villains wreak havoc.

“Can Magical Gems be made without a contract?”

“It’s possible-mo.”

“Not easy, though?”

“Human emotions are delicate. If Gems could be made without them, you wouldn’t need magical girls as conduits-mo.”

Every story has its own rules, but Armo’s Gems are tied to emotions.

A blackened Gem means a corrupted mind.

Darkening.
In other words, a gauge of corruption.

“Using Gems like consumables feels wrong. If a magical girl made it, it’s like sacrificing her life.”

“Horrible-mo. That’s not what they’re for…”

Armo lowered his head, bitter.

“No one would give their life for a minor uproar. It’s more likely made another way.”

“Agreed-mo.”

There aren’t even 100 magical girls.

Only a few have gone missing.

Hard to believe humans were used.

“Most likely suspect is someone who killed a previous Armo.”

“Same thought-mo.”

Science could be involved, but this felt more plausible.

“Don’t frame innocents like in my day,” Reaper Mors grumbled.

She’s still salty about Lora’s torture threats.

“You were plenty suspicious.”

“Judging by clothes alone isn’t fair.”

“But you had a Dark Magical Gem.”

“Ugh…”

I actually tracked her by her ominous aura, but I skipped explaining.

“You confessed to the support team?”

From what they said, Reaper Mors spilled everything, including using the Dark Gem.

“I didn’t say you told me to duplicate the gate.”

“I did.”

“Why admit to a crime?”

“Same reason as you, probably?”

She went quiet, then:

“Idiot.”

A wry smile as she muttered.

“You’re a solid magical girl. Prickly, but good at heart.”

“Stop treating me like a kid, junior.”

Some go too far down the wrong path, but Reaper Mors stopped in time.

And climbed out of the pit on her own.

She could’ve stayed quiet and slipped by.
Her courage was dazzling.

I confessed too, thinking shared guilt might lighten the punishment.

Not sure if it worked, but arrest seems unlikely.

Frequent disasters breed familiarity.

[Monsters already cleared?]

[People panicked about the end of the world, but it’s over.]

[Veteran magical girls are plenty now. They handle most things.]

[Mostly F to D-rank.]

[Gate numbers screamed catastrophe.]

Quantity over quality.

The scale of a crisis often hinges on that.

Still, sheer numbers have their own terror.

[Hundreds of monsters total, props to them.]

[Like a demon world cleanup.]

[Gates spiked at the end, scared me.]

[Sirens in my area freaked me out.]

Chilling moments, but a savior appeared.

[Heard Scarlet Lily showed up this time.]

[Flying around, spamming beams.]

[Seemed to stop the gate surge.]

[Her monster-killing speed was insane.]

[Where’s the “weak to swarms” crowd now lol?]

Only ashes remained where she passed.

Not a single monster survived the slaughter.

[Photos show she hit multiple spots.]

[How far did she travel in that time?]

[Maybe she used clones.]

[No way one person covers that range.]

[She was flying stupid fast.]

[Doesn’t flying drain magic?]

[Levitation magic tanks your reserves, affects combat.]

[That’s why it’s levitation, not flight.]

[You can fly, but the risk’s huge. Lose focus, you fall.]

[Is Lily’s magic pool big enough to fly that long?]

[Her magic pouch is average-sized.]

[Dude…]

Even those who thought they knew Scarlet Lily were skeptical.

Another legend etched.

*

Yena resumed magical girl duties as Reaper Mors.

After a long hiatus and little contact with peers, she barely knew the fifth gen.

Not sure if she’d adjust, but she’d try.

Back to basics, ready to learn anew.

[She really took out those last gates alone?]

[Saw her flying and beaming.]

[Can levitation magic reach space?]

[How long to fly from Seoul to Busan at max speed?]

Scarlet Lily’s live stream was flooded with questions.

Post-battle streams are always like this.

People crave raw field stories the news skips.
They flock to magical girl streamers with questions.

Today, levitation magic was the hot topic.

“Never tried, but probably can’t reach space.”

[You don’t know till you try.]

[Most would just say no.]

[Go for it!]

“What’s the point? Freeze or suffocate up there?”

[Bet you could handle it.]

[Can’t magic warm you up?]

[Just carry an oxygen tank.]

Their imaginations are wild.

I chuckled, watching the stream.

“Speaking of levitation, there’s another girl who flies well. Reaper Mors.”

Yena flinched at her mention.

[The one who changed from Angelic Luna?]

[Oh yeah, her.]

[Why’d she go dark?]

[Gyaru magical girl lol.]

[Name doesn’t even sound magical girl.]

“Why bring me up…”

At least mention me after I take down some monsters coolly.

The public’s reactions still felt heavy.

“We had a chase once, and she was no joke. Almost lost her.”

Good words eased her mind.

Viewers buzzed, curious how teammates ended up in a chase.

Spilling everything would’ve been too much.
Scarlet Lily moved to the next topic.

She seemed to be looking out for Yena, whose profile had faded after her hiatus and rebrand.

“…Maybe I’ll send a donation.”

Thanks to her, Yena resisted the evil organization’s pull.

And she defended her over the Dark Gem incident.

[‘Reaper Mors’ donated 100,000 won!]

A new magical girl viewer sparked lively chat.

[She was watching lol.]

[Heard the praise and rushed to donate lol.]

[Mors, we’re rooting for you!]

Not a small sum, but no regrets.

She owed Scarlet Lily that much.

But she overlooked one thing.

[‘Frozen Princess’ donated 1,000,000 won!]

A day’s pay wasn’t enough to steal the spotlight on Scarlet Lily’s stream.

[Got smoked lol.]

[Mors, she’s out of your league.]

[Good fight, though.]

Reduced to a foil for Frozen Princess.

“Argh, so annoying!”

Yena’s furious shout echoed in her dark room.