Chapter 43: Anyway, the mascot doesn’t help.

Unless specifically requested, retiring doesn’t mean terminating the contract.

Over time, a magical girl’s magic capacity dwindles, recovery slows, and transformation becomes harder.
There’s no need to formally end the contract.

It’s partly to keep them on reserve, just in case.
But it’s also a reward from the mascot for their service.

That’s why a case like Mirage Illusion’s was unprecedented.

“Hey, why’re you so late?”

I’m on a building rooftop.
From a distance, I see Armo flailing toward me.

“Sorry, got a bit lost…”

It lands beside me, tail drooping from exhaustion.

“Whatever, let’s get to it. Mirage Illusion’s locked up, sentence pending. Trial’s soon.”

Evidence is thin, but guilt is certain.
Opening gates and cloning them isn’t just mischief—it’s serious.
A natural consequence.

“That’s unfortunate…”
“You sound real torn up for someone who ended her contract.”
“It was necessary.”

Despite its soft words, Armo steps up when it counts.

“She pulled a decoy operation before, and now she’s scattering concert tickets to sideline juniors. The organization’s getting sneakier.”

If Aqua hadn’t tipped us off, I wouldn’t have called Aurora Lora.
The thought of Frozen Princess handling that monster swarm alone is dizzying.

“But we learned a lot—Scarlet Lily’s a target, and about the artifacts,” Armo says.

True enough.

It’s clear now I’m in their crosshairs.

“What do you think about the artifacts? Did Maerchen Aria perfect them?”

We’ve talked about this before, and Armo was skeptical then.
But since, we’ve seen gems not just clone gates but store magic too.

“They’re meant to assist magical girls, and while there’s room for improvement, they’re highly developed,” Armo says.
“So, combat-ready.”

Silent Eve, who couldn’t have blocked my Scarlet Beam, summoned a prism to defend.
She even boosted her magic to drain mine.

Single-use, consumable effects.
My guess is probably right.

That’s their current limit.
Annoying for now, but if left unchecked, it could get messy.

That aside.

“I’ve got a favor to ask.”

The real reason I called Armo today.

“Cancel my contract.”

Only a mascot can do it.

Armo’s eyes go wide.

“W-what?! You haven’t committed any crimes!”
“I think my inability to untransform is due to a glitch in the contract. Your power might fix it.”
“Even so, terminating it…”

Losing a useful magical girl must sting.
I get it.

“Can’t we re-contract?”
“It’s possible, but no guarantee you’d return to normal.”
“Then try partway.”
“Uh…”

It hesitates, clearly uneasy.

“Should I just quit outright?”
“Okay, partway then…”

Either way, it’s the same for Armo.

It mutters celestial words, starting the contract termination.

Whoosh!

White light envelops me.

This process strips the magic that lets a magical girl stay a magical girl.
The first step to ending a contract.

It’s similar to Silent Eve’s barrier but far more intense.

High-density light particles stream from me, forming a pillar that shoots skyward.

…Didn’t expect this.

Someone’s definitely snapping a pic and posting it online.

“How much longer?”
“It’ll take time…”

Armo’s voice lacks energy, probably reluctant.

One minute, two, three… it doesn’t seem to end.

“Are you faking it?”
“N-no! Your magic is too much—it won’t stop!”

Armo planned to drain my magic partway and pause, but it’s not going as planned.

“Stop it. People will show up.”

Shhh.

The light pillar fades and vanishes.

“Are we done?”
“Yeah, you’re too slow to finish.”
“That’s harsh…”

Failure.
Even with Armo’s power, I couldn’t untransform.

At first, the drain outpaced my recovery, but then it flipped.
At this rate, it’d take days to finish.

All I did was draw attention.

“You’re too much for me to handle,” Armo says, looking oddly pleased.

“Don’t act like that’s good news. I’m stressed.”

A sigh escapes.

Guess I need another elixir.

A pillar of light rose in central Seoul.

Usually a bad omen or an accident.
Today, it was the latter.

[Post Title: Anyone Pull a Legendary Item?]
(Photo of a light pillar connecting a rooftop to the sky, taken from an office)
Not a weather phenomenon.
First time seeing this.

– Not legendary, it’s a gacha fail.
– Looks like an R from a single pull.
– I’m in Gyeonggi and could still see it.
– Satellite laser or what?

People were shocked and uneasy at first, but news soon clarified.

[Post Title: Scarlet Lily Was the Culprit]
She was testing some magic with her mascot, and it caused that.
Tired of Scarlet Beam, so she’s trying new tech?

– Effect looks world-ending.
– Scarlet Beam’s her trademark, changing it’s iffy…
– How much stronger is she trying to get?

– Probably pissed about Silent Eve escaping.
– Next time, Eve won’t have bones left lol.
– Mirage Illusion barely survived, but Eve’s toast.

No one knows it was a failed contract termination.

People are hyped, expecting a new technique from Scarlet Lily.
A misunderstanding from a cover story to avoid panic.

Self-inflicted, really.

[Korea’s Most Beautiful Guardians! About 14 years ago, the first gate opened, and soon after, magical girls appeared. Once thought to exist only in manga or anime…]

A magical girl special airs on TV.

As an active member, I’m watching live.
Group chat shows the others are too, from their homes.

[Magical girls are often compared to idols. Monster-slaying magic, vibrant personalities, and stunning looks. With a devoted fanbase, what draws you to them?]

Interviews play back-to-back.

[“They’re strong enough to beat monsters.”]
[“Honestly, they’re cute.”]
[“It’s amazing they fight without hesitation, practically volunteering.”]

From teens to hiking-gear uncles, people share what makes magical girls cool.
Pretty standard answers.

[Who’s your favorite?]

The topic shifts to popularity.
A sensitive issue for active girls.

[“New gens are cool, but Stella’s my pick. Strong and pretty.”]

A middle-aged woman.
Older fans lean toward first or second gens.
Younger ones vibe with third to fifth.

[“Aurora Lora. I watch her streams too.”]

A young guy says.

Messenger pings with new messages.

[Haeun: My fan’s on lol]
[Sonya: Argh, jealous!]
[Haeun: Work hard, you’ll get there lol]

She’s got reason to be stoked.
I know the feeling.

[If a gate opened in your neighborhood, who’d you want to show up?]

Another touchy question.

[“Third gens. Experience matters.”]
[“Scarlet Lily, she won’t lose.”]
[“Whoever gets here fastest.”]

The reporter chuckles at the last one.

[Magical girls first appeared in Korea. Then Armo showed up abroad, and others started contracting. Why the first gate opened here is unclear…]

Ten years, no short time.

A lot happened while I was in the demon world.
New juniors, and magical girls overseas too.

[Sonya: Haven’t met one yet.]

Sonya’s Russian but naturalized, so she doesn’t count.

No big plans, but I’d like to meet a foreign magical girl someday.
Like an achievement unlock.

Wasn’t there one who wanted to visit Korea?
Saw it in an article, I think.

Beep.*

I grab the remote and turn off the TV.

“No point wishing for too much when I’m about to retire.”