An Exorcist Magical Girl!

“Here’s what I’m asking for in exchange for transferring points in your evaluation: You’ll go on the Mission with me.”

Seo Jun said in her characteristically unwavering voice.

 “Hey, you two, you’ve gotten along so well already, what’s with all the sneaking around?”

The conversation had to stop there, as the homeroom teacher, who was delivering various announcements, warned us to be quiet.

 “Let’s talk about the details after the homeroom.”

With that, Seo Jun put her head down on her desk.

 

I couldn’t help but stare at the board, but my mind was still on the conversation from earlier.

‘The Mission and me?’

I had to check my ears to make sure I’d heard correctly.

  

***

  

The Mission.

 

A team project to choose one of several directives from the Society of Exorcists and solve it within a given time frame.

 

Along with the final performance on the June, September, and November Practical Evaluation, it is one of the most important components of a minor exorcist’s career.

 

So, Seo Jun just told me that she’s taking me, someone she barely knew, on that all-important

“Mission”

.

 

I mean, isn’t it the kind of thing where you want to team up with experienced people?

 

In Seo Jun’s eyes, I was an aspirant, not even in the training center. She knows I’m a newbie with no experience and no skills.

 “Why me …?”

, I asked. The words came out of my mouth in disbelief.

 

Even if I had a rough idea of the level of my talent at the time of the assessment, it doesn’t make sense to me now.

 

It’s always better to pick the people who are good at what they do than the people who have the potential to do it.

 

In this sense, the performance of the previous practical evaluation is reflected when organizing a team for a mission. I wanted to have a good evaluation record so that people would want to team up with me.

 

Maybe Seo Jun could have gotten better teammates if she hadn’t given me points. I think that was a pretty high point in itself.

 

‘What’s in it for Seo Jun to team up with me for a mission?’

 

Thinking it would have been less suspicious if I’d asked for money, I waited for the teacher at the front of the class to finish homeroom.

 

As soon as the homeroom was over, Seo Jun and I jumped to our feet, tugging at each other’s thighs.

 

We didn’t even have time to go through the clichéd event of being surrounded by classmates who were intrigued by the new student and subjected to an onslaught of questions.

 “Do they know each other?”

,

one of our classmates tried to ask.

 “Is Seo Jun bullying the new student, or the new student bullying Seo Jun?”,

somebody muttered in the crowd.

 

The two of us walked out of the classroom, leaving the questioning voices behind.

  

***

  

When we were some distance from the classroom, I turned to Seo Jun and asked.

“Why are you doing this? It’s a losing business, no matter how you look at it.” “Are you complaining that you are teaming up with me?”

Seo Jun answered my question with a question. 

 “No, I’m not complaining. I mean, what could I possibly complain about? I’ve been dreading the thought of being ostracized when I teamed up with you, and now you’ve asked me to join you, and I’m like, ‘No way!’”  “So, do you want it? Are we on the same team?”

Seo Jun asked again.

 “Of course. Gaaaahhhhh!”

I folded my back, poised to smash my crown on the floor. Then I peeked my head up and looked into Seo Jun’s eyes.

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” 

I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I’ve noticed this since the first time we met, but she doesn’t really change her expression.

 

As our eyes locked, Seo Jun seemed to ponder something, and then she spoke.

“I don’t want you to think I’m doing this out of some kind of sacrificial spirit.” 

Her tone is so bland that it’s hard to read her mood or intentions. It’s hard to tell if she’s embarrassed or trying to give advice.

 “That’s not appropriate for an exorcist, in case you didn’t know.” 

I realize that she just gave me advice. And what she just said was familiar to me from my magical girl days.

 

“Sacrifice is not for exorcists.”

 

The main difference between a magical girl and an exorcist is not whether they are fighting monsters or ghosts. Nor was it whether they were using magical or spiritual powers.

 

The difference lies in something more essential: Their identity.

 

Magical girls are heroes. An exorcist, however, is not a hero. Therefore, the same spirit of sacrifice is not appropriate for an exorcist.

 

‘Haha, ‘in case you didn’t know’.’

 “I know.” 

It’s a concept that’s been drilled into my head from the moment I decided to become an exorcist.

 

I know it so well that it only deepens my doubts.

 

I said no, but what Seo Jun was asking for in exchange seemed to be at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from what an exorcist is supposed to be.

 

Oh, no. I blurted out the first theory that popped into my head.

“Seo Jun, are you going to stop exorcising?” 

The contradiction of acting like a generous tree and not wanting to sacrifice can be resolved by understanding that

“I’m going to get rid of you soon!”.

 “Soon, you won’t be an exorcist anymore, so it doesn’t matter if you’re an exorcist or not, you can just give it all to a stranger. It’s not a sacrifice, it’s more like a leftover.”

, I said to her seriously, but all I got in return was a cold glare.

 “What happened to your brain that led you to that conclusion?”

she said irritatingly.

 “Surprisingly, your brain is still intact. Give the points to someone else, team up with a newbie who hasn’t even set foot in a training center, because this looks like you’re just trying to make a last ditch effort at exorcism, and you’re going to go out with a bang.”

I explained.

 “Huh!?”

I couldn’t tell if it was a sigh or a sneer but she didn’t look like she thought I was full of shit.

 

Seo Jun crossed her arms and muttered,

“I’m sure she understood my reasoning.”

.

 “Well, you might think. After…” 

Seo Jun sighed and spoke with an earth-shattering sigh. Her tone was uncharacteristically grumpy.

“If I may be so bold as to say so…” “Yeah…”

I urged.

 “… It’s because I don’t have any friends.” 

I blinked,

“Huh?”

.

 “I don’t have any friends who want to team up with me.”

she mumbled.

 “Oh.”

My, I never would have guessed!

 

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Seo Jun was the first to break the silence.

 “Do you understand now that I’m not talking about sacrifice or anything?” “Uh, yeah.”

I replied.

 “I have nothing to lose by being on this team. The biggest loss for me is not being on the team and not being able to go on the mission.”  

And she was absolutely right. If I can’t even go on a mission, I might as well make a crappy team and do something with it.

 

When I nodded in agreement, Seo Jun smirked.

“And you don’t have to thank me.” 

It was a reference to the greeting from earlier.

 

Oops, now I have a bad conscience.

 “I’ll roll like a dog when I go on a mission.”  *** 

No.

 

It’s a moment that reminds me of how stupid I was to think about it in the homeroom. Well, I suppose I deserve to roll over once or twice for protecting this talent. It’s a comfort to know that I owe her something.

 

But Seo Jun’s words didn’t end there.

 “Oh, and I’m not going to let you go on a mission like that, either. Baek Iri, what’s your skill total?” “Um, hold on.” 

I called up my talents and checked my skill total.

 【Talent: Exorcist (Aspiring)】【Name: Baek Iri】【Rank: S】【Skill total: 22】【Title: – 】【Skills: – 】 

After the assessment day, I practiced opening my own accounts a bit, and my skill total increased slightly.

 “I’m at 22.”

I said.

 “Well, we’ve got a little over three weeks until the mission, so let’s triple that to 66.”

Seo Jun decided.

 “Let me warn you, there’s a world of difference between going from 1 to 20 and going from 21 to 40. We’ve already gotten to 20 in one day, so isn’t the next two or three days enough to get to 66?”

I told Seo Jun as a matter of fact.

 “Yes and no.”

Apparently, Seo Jun was planning to roll me before the mission.

 

***

 

After the morning chaos, it was a typical day for a new student.

 

The unfamiliar school uniform made me feel awkward every time I looked in the mirror, I got lost in the unfamiliar geography of the school, and I was startled by the unfamiliar sound of the bell.

 

It’s a day that any new student would experience, having to introduce oneself over and over again in front of the curious others.

 

Well, school being school, I was plagued by curiosity with a twist. It started with my classmates.

 “Have you heard the rumors about our school?” “You transferred even though you knew? Why? Why? Why? Why?” “Transfer student, you have no idea what I went through at school last week.” “If you’re scared because of school rumors, do you want me to go to the bathroom with you?” 

It was pretty crazy, but the attention wasn’t unpleasant, so I just laughed it off.

 

Once the class quieted down, the next class came over to check me out, asking who the poor kid was who transferred to this crazy school.

 

Funnily enough, the same classmates who had been making a scene earlier stepped in and chased the other kids away.

“Hey, stop making noise and go away! Do you think this is a zoo?” 

They seemed to have forgotten that they were in a zoo.

 

Haha, they seemed to have the virtues of an exorcist, but I didn’t feel bad because I felt a sense of belonging.

 

The same situation was repeated in class.The teachers were also excited to see the new students.

 “Hey, new student, did you see the ghost on the playground? He chases you when you run away.” “How does it compare to your old school? Surely our school is cold and creepy and all that?” “Hehe, you don’t want to sleep on the first day of school, do you? You’ll get scissored if you sleep during class.” 

It was as if they had been waiting for the new student to arrive.

 

I smiled politely, listening in one ear and out the other. This time, the class chimed in instead of me.

 “You were late today, too. Didn’t the teacher chase you?” “Wow, it only chases students. Wow, ghosts are discriminatory.” “Hey, you were fanning yourself earlier because it was hot.” “Did you just say that to build up to not having air conditioning in the summer? No?” “Hey, I slept through the night, but I’m fine.” “Hey, hey, hey, he’s just noticing because you always sleep sprawled out in the front seat.” 

In the midst of all this insane banter,

“Hey, but really, you shouldn’t sleep in the seats right next to the front and back doors.”  

One of the students sitting in the front row, three seats away, looked around the room and spoke up. There was a look of unmistakable fear on his face, and for a moment, the air hung heavy.

 “Uh, why?”

I asked.

 “… the ghost is going to cut you.” “What? Really? I can’t believe it’s not the same as the one by the door.”

exclaimed by the other student.

 

There were a few attempts to laugh it off, like when the teachers were joking, but the third group of students were serious.

 “Dude, break it down for me.” “What’s different, are you a ghost or something?” 

The lesson had already started so everyone had taken a seat.

 

The kids were getting impatient with the lesson and kept asking questions, and the teacher, who had brought up the scissors ghost, was waiting for the story to continue.

 “Ghosts? I didn’t see any.”

said the teacher.

 

The student who had been sitting near the door shuddered slightly.

“I heard it. A child crying, then a knock on the door.”