Transformation or Death

Like Family (5)

“Virgo, I just woke up. I’m not lacking sleep, so I don’t really need to sleep more. No, actually I couldn’t sleep at all. I’m not sleepy.” 

While speaking to Virgo, I kept glancing down and paying attention to the object at my feet.

It was a machine part with a dial-like disc attached. Scrap commonly seen in the ruins of a collapsed civilization. It could be seen that way, but to me, who knew the rare technology of the transformation belt, it did not appear to be a simple piece of scrap.

It looked very similar to the focus adjustment dial attached to my belt. To be more precise, it resembled the mechanical device I had created with starlight in order to use the Big Dipper previously.

Of course, for now it was just an intuition as the basis for my judgment. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t add any other evidence besides this intuition.

‘Belt.’

[Yes?]

‘Analyze this machine near my feet.’

There is an over-technology level advanced machine here.

As soon as my words finished, the iron balls moved towards the machine. A small gap opened between the iron balls, and a lens popped out from within. 

Scanning this dial device with the lens, the iron balls emitted a droning sound.

Even amid all this, I had to deal with Virgo.

“So there’s no need to really…”

“Hmm~ Is that so?”

Virgo smiled faintly as she stared piercingly at me.

“What are you being so attentive to?”

A chilling shiver ran down my spine. Virgo’s gaze shifted slightly downwards and she soon discovered the dial device at my feet.

“Ah, that? Ahh~ So that’s what caught your attention? Boys always seem to like those kinds of machine devices, don’t they? Jae-jung is so cute too~ Ah, were you on the science track back in school days?”

The crimson pupils crept up in an eerie way. Those eyes resembling the dreamy sky color of dawn or dusk scanned me clearly.

“But still~ It’s quite rude to be lost in thought while having a conversation with someone, isn’t it?”

Her sweet voice resounded inside the building.

Rude, huh? The one who strangled me unconscious, kidnapped me, and mutilated someone’s fingers is far more rude. A dull pain was conveyed from my neck, which was certainly fractured, and my fingers, which were likely bruised from being broken.

“Um~ So this is…”

Virgo, who had approached close to me, bent down and picked up the dial device that was below. Then she waved it enticingly in front of my eyes.

“Confiscated! Heheh~ So pay a bit more attention to me, okay~”

With a giggling laughter, her face was filled with childlike innocence. Not just this once, but often. A childlike naivete frequently emanated from her.

Like thinking about everything centered on herself, throwing tantrums when things didn’t match her mood and standards.

‘…Belt.’

[Do not worry. I have already finished the analysis.]

You should have told me in advance then.

[The analysis confirms that the same entity that created me manufactured this device.]

As expected.

Just as I had predicted, the Belt informed me that the machine device in Virgo’s hand was made by Sky Polaris.

[It seems to be an object intended to interfere with the user’s starlight and manipulate it arbitrarily. It is likely an auxiliary tool that allows the user to perform delicate operations they originally would not have been able to.]

Its function was also surprising. An auxiliary tool that enables delicate manipulation of starlight? Isn’t that exactly what I need right now?

For me, who inevitably loses control after a certain amount of time, a tool that increases the ease of starlight manipulation.

Was this the reason the quest appeared? If I had killed Virgo, I would have never seen this device, right?

“But why is this here? Um… Whatever! I must have picked it up somewhere! Uh… Where… What’s so good about stuff like this anyway?”

Looking at the rusty, worn out machine device, Virgo frowned. It was understandable. To someone who didn’t know its value, it was just a simple piece of scrap.

Perhaps sensing my gaze towards her hand, Virgo stopped grumbling and looked at me with a meaningful expression.

“Looks like you really want this… Hahah.”

She waved the object in her hand in a fanning motion.

“Jae-jung, do you really want this that bad? Then you have to listen to me properly! Got it? If not, I won’t give it to you! Absolutely not! I absolutely won’t give it, okay? Understand?” 

It was as childish as a kid threatening to not lend their toy. But I couldn’t deny its effectiveness. That scrap was absolutely necessary for me.

“Heheh~ What should I make you do? Now that Jae-jung grown up~ What~”

As Virgo hummed excitedly, another voice came from the Belt behind her. It wasn’t the usual mechanical voice.

[Brother! Can you hear me?]

It was Joo Ah-yoon’s voice. The belt-to-belt communication function I had used before. I lowered my voice as much as possible and whispered.

“Yeah.”

[What are you doing not answering me! Geez, brother, where are you right now! I’ll come get you! Tell me the location right now!]

“No, this place is…”

[What! Why are you dragging it on! So frustrating! Just spit it out quickly!]

Joo Ah-yoon, at least give me a chance to speak.

Fortunately, the psycho in front of me seemed to be lost in her own delusional world. I explained quickly in a very soft voice.

“Dark Matter, I don’t know where exactly. I’m currently being held captive by Virgo. So I can’t say too much.”

[What? You too, bro?! Ah, no wait, Virgo? What nonsense. Why is she grabbing you?!]

Yeah, that’s right. No, wait, ‘too’? Could there be others from Dark Matter besides me? 

[Whew… As expected, you came to Dark Matter too, bro. Unfortunately, I’m in the same situation. The other magical girls who were there are the same.]

What Joo Ah-yoon told me was hard to take in easily.

“…Jae-jung, not focusing again?”

Just as I should have been focusing on what she was saying, Virgo started paying attention to me again.

“I’m trying to get hurt. No, I’m already hurt! Why are you doing this? Can’t you see me? Or do you think it’s okay to ignore me?”

[Of course, if I use my magic, it would be possible to escape… But the problem is that I don’t have much stardust left. That’s why I’ve been resting until now. Your seniors must be the same. They’ve been fighting until just now, so they won’t have much magic power left either. Plus, who knows how far it is to the city… Why is this place so freaking wide?!]

Virgo’s playful voice came from the front, while Joo Ah-yoon’s grumbling voice came from the belt, each confusing my ears.

Both were serious stories. One was about my lifeline, and the other was about other people’s lifelines.

“Am I someone you should ignore? I’m not someone who should be ignored! Why don’t you listen to me! Why! Why!”

[I found Shookbari and Ah-hee. But I can’t see the seniors. Based on the communication I overheard, it seems the senior is here too… But you don’t seem to be in a good situation either, bro. Tell me your location first. I’ll come find you right away… Bro?]

A beam gathered at Virgo’s fingertips.

“Answer me!”

[Bro? Why aren’t you answering?]

I didn’t expect it. I never thought the magical girls would end up in Dark Matter too.

Even Jason himself, who used his ability, probably didn’t expect it.

This place is not yet a place for them to come. If this were a game, it would be like a high-level zone.

No matter where you go in this place, where monsters attack endlessly, the magical girls will have to use their magic endlessly, and as a result, their magic power will hit the bottom.

And there are more than just a few dangerous villains…

Notably, this person right here.

“Answer!”

“I’m sorry.”

Since it seemed like my head would fly off if I didn’t answer, I opened my mouth without hesitation.

“I’m sorry. I’m out of my mind right now… Virgo, you may not understand, but people get hurt when they’re injured. They get hungry in the morning too. Unfortunately, I’m experiencing both of those things right now.”

I raised both arms in a surrendering posture and casually exposed my broken fingers – my swollen, purplish middle and index fingers.

Virgo’s fierce gaze softened a bit, as if she couldn’t ignore such an injury.

“That’s why I spaced out for a moment. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no, if that’s the case, you should have said so earlier! …Are you okay? No, you don’t look okay. I, I’ll go get a splint and cloth right away. Just wait a moment…..”

Virgo hurried off in a panic to a corner piled high with various odds and ends.

A baffled voice came from beyond the belt as well.

[What? Bro got hurt? Where! What did that girl do!]

“Just hurt my fingers a bit. Don’t get excited.”

[By your standards, ‘a bit’ probably means a huge gash! Damn… Why isn’t that Virgo girl being any help?]

Although it was just Joo Ah-yoon’s voice, her resentment came across vividly. To her, Virgo was like the person who caused her to quit being a magical girl, so it’s understandable she’s upset.

Not to mention her ability specialized in mass murder and killing magical girls. 

Just yesterday, she didn’t hesitate at all to kill people.

Virgo was someone society couldn’t accept, nor could she approach society herself. She had gone too far to turn back.

“…Ah-yoon, do you know anything about Virgo’s magical girl days?”

[Huh? Ah… Our active periods were a bit different, so… I don’t really know much, but… If I have to say what I know.]

From afar, Virgo shouted as she approached.

“I found them! A wooden board and cloth! Here! Kehahahahat! It was a good idea to collect these!”

[Before I set the new lowest casualty record… She was number one.]

What Virgo was holding in her hands was a timber far too large to attach to human fingers, and a dirty black cloth that was far from hygienic. The original color of that cloth was probably white.

“Here! Use this!”

[Excluding her last mission, her rate was probably lower than mine? Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. Now she’s just a massacrer.]

In response to Virgo proudly holding out those items as if she had discovered treasure on the sandy beach, I answered with a bitter smile.

“I see.”

“What? You’re not going to use it? If you’re not, then don’t!”

As soon as Virgo sensed my hesitation, she threw the items into the air and turned them to ash with a beam. What a waste. With a little trimming, that board could have been used as a splint.

“I went through all the trouble of finding them…”

[So where is that, then? I’ll go charging in right away and….]  

“For now, I’ll try to resolve it myself.”

I answered them both. After ending communication with Joo Ah-yoon, I grabbed Virgo’s shoulder.

Her muddy, eerily reddish pupils stared at me. The lack of whites made them even creepier. 

“Why?”

“First of all, I’m hungry. Let’s go find some food.”

“That’s great!! I’m not hungry, but if you are, I can’t help it!!!!!”

Why did the quest tell me to save her? Simply to obtain the various items she has? For the real treasures that may be buried among those odds and ends?

“Now you have to listen to me, right? If you don’t, I won’t give you any of these scraps! Oh right, I have a few more scraps like this too! If you listen well and listen even better there, I’ll give you that too!”

With this immature villain that has too many immature aspects, what am I supposed to expect?

What is this villain expecting of me that it’s dragging me around?

“Got it? Now let’s go!”

Virgo strode forward vigorously, and I followed behind her. I remembered my thoughts when I first came to this place.

***

Ippotranslation

***

And when I saw canned goods and such, I also saw someone else.

“…Jae-jung?”

“Vega?”  

“Oh? Aren’t you a junior?” 

It was Red Vega.

“Long time no see~!!”

Pyung!

At the same time Virgo cheerfully greeted her, she fired a beam. 

And just like that, the battle began.

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