MTLNOVEL Chapter 178
The eve of the 10th anniversary of the Great Demon War.
Despite it still being daytime, the streets are bustling with people, and even vehicle control measures are in place.
“To think they’re implementing this worldwide, across all regions… It’s amazing how people just accept it as a good thing.”
“Right?”
“Hmm…”
Since the eve celebration starts in the evening, we’re just lounging at home, watching the news and such on TV.
Diamond Dust is half-lying down as usual, playing games and munching on snacks.
For some reason, Gravity, who came over to hang out, is glued to Diamond Dust’s side, watching her play games and stealing her snacks.
…Just the usual scene.
That aside, the reason we’re all cooped up at home isn’t just because of the crowds—there’s something more important.
My younger sister is bringing her family over.
“I’m here, sis~.”
“Yeah, you made it?”
Yura arrived with her husband and daughter.
It’s truly amazing how much she’s grown compared to her past self.
Even though she’s now in her mid-30s and has a child… she looks oddly youthful, doesn’t she?
I just brushed it off as her being naturally youthful, but now that I think about it, isn’t she at an age where wrinkles should start showing?
They say women age rapidly after their 30s.
…Could it be that even though she didn’t become a superhuman, she was heavily influenced by the Fairy Realm?
Hmm… I should take her to the Fairy Realm for a check-up later.
“Magical Girl Auntie~!”
“…Why does she call me Magical Girl Auntie?”
“Because you’re a famous magical girl?”
“Is that so…?”
Come to think of it, this kid’s name is… Choi Taehee, right?
She’s already in kindergarten and has grown so much.
“Meow.”
“It’s Nyan-Nyan~!”
“…Meow.”
Taehee ran over and hugged Max tightly.
Thinking about it, since Max is always around me, his lifespan has probably increased about fivefold.
Even though he’s aged, he’s still so full of energy. When I took him to the Fairy Realm for a check-up, that’s what they told me.
Yura probably has a similar extended lifespan, aging extremely slowly.
…Am I like some kind of walking radiation or something…?
“Rampage~! Oh? Yura and her family are here!”
“Chubby~!”
“It’s Meriol!”
Even the kid calls her “Chubby.”
Well, she is a bit plump.
“Hello, sis.”
“Yeah, you made it too? Did you have lunch yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Perfect timing, we’re setting the table. Let’s eat together.”
Since no one had eaten lunch yet, and Chubby had already set the table, we decided to eat together.
After a noisy lunch, my brother-in-law and I sat in the living room drinking whiskey, while Diamond Dust and Gravity played with Taehee.
The problem is that Gravity keeps getting dragged around. From Taehee’s perspective, she probably sees Gravity as being around her age, so she clings to her a lot.
As a result, Gravity looks incredibly annoyed.
She probably wants to escape and munch on snacks.
“Muu…”
“Ame unnie~!”
“Meeeh…”
Taehee is such an energetic kid…
…Ah, Gravity, you can’t just escape into the air like that.
“Ah~! That’s not fair~!”
“Umm…”
At this point, who’s the kid here…? Or is it both of them?
Anyway, Max needs to step in.
“Alright, Max. Time to work.”
“…Meow.”
Ah, this guy… You can’t just loaf around because you’re annoyed.
I’ll have to pick him up and place him in front of Taehee.
“Ah! Nyan-Nyan!”
“Meow~…”
Good, now that Max is the sacrifice, I’ll rescue Gravity and feed her some chocolate.
“Wow~…”
Hmm… The house feels so lively now.
Is this what it’s like to have a kid around?
My brother-in-law is quietly sipping whiskey, smiling at Taehee, while Yura is sipping her drink and focusing on her phone…
Honestly, the only real source of noise is Taehee.
“I’m here, sis!”
“…Yeah.”
Ah, another noisy one arrived.
Well, it’s fine if it’s her.
“Ehehe~. I’m not late this time!”
“So you came really early this time?”
Anyway, the problem is that Pretty Heart clings to me as soon as she arrives.
She acts without caring about others’ eyes… She’s still like a child.
“Angel unnie~!”
Taehee saw Pretty Heart and ran over, calling her “Angel unnie.”
Probably because Pretty Heart has angel-like wings and heals people.
Even now, she handles treatments that modern medical science can’t achieve, so it’s fair to call her an angel in both appearance and deeds.
But why does such an angel-like girl turn into such a regretful child when she’s next to me…?
“So cute~.”
“Angel unnie! I want to be a magical girl too!”
“Hmm… I can’t really do anything about that…”
“Hueeeng…”
Why do all little girls want to become magical girls?
There’s nothing particularly good about being a magical girl.
Why do they want to experience “killing enemies” so badly?
I really… can’t understand their way of thinking.
“…The eve celebration is about to start.”
The sun is setting, and the eve celebration is gearing up.
Shall we all go out and enjoy the eve celebration?
Though it’ll probably just end with us buying street food from the noisy stalls.
“Let’s head out. It seems like it’s starting over there, so we’ll have to walk a bit.”
“Okay~.”
“Where are we going~?”
“We’re going to eat lots of delicious food, okay?”
“Yay~!”
“…Not wrong.”
“Yummy…”
It’s been a while since we’ve wandered around street stalls and tasted some junk food…
Well, that’s not so bad.
The downside is that there are a lot of scammers trying to rip people off during festivals.
Anyway, to enjoy the eve celebration, I led everyone to the festival grounds.
The main event is tomorrow, so there are only stalls and people performing on stage for now, but it’s still quite a sight.
Plus, the smell of meat and sauces wafting around is making my mouth water.
“…Sis.”
“Why all of a sudden?”
“It just occurred to me, but why are there only women here…?”
“How should I know? It just turned out that way.”
“Sigh…”
“Don’t sigh. I can give you some advice if you need it. Or do you just want to drink alone?”
“It’s not that… It’s just that this situation feels a bit uncomfortable…”
“…Well, get used to it. We only have women here.”
Honestly, I don’t really get it, but being the only man in a group of women must feel awkward.
Having a different gender usually means different hormones, and that naturally leads to differences in personality and thinking.
Being the only one in such a situation must make you feel left out or under a lot of pressure.
So having at least one person of the same gender around would probably ease that psychological burden.
…Thinking about it, I’m quite the odd one.
“Let’s buy that…”
“You’re rich, aren’t you? You always make me pay, so I look like the wallet.”
“Ueeeng…”
“Ame unnie. I’ll buy it for you.”
“Wow~…”
“Ah! Me too! Me too~!”
“Taehee, Auntie will buy it for you.”
“Yay~! Auntie is the best~!”
First stall is skewers, huh?
Judging by the meat, it’s chicken skewers.
These chicken skewers are made with real meat, so the tender cuts are the best.
“Here, honey~. Chicken skewers!”
“Thanks.”
“And, ta-da~! I brought beer from sis’s liquor cabinet!”
“Hey, when did you sneak that out?”
“Isn’t sis’s liquor cabinet communal?”
“Tsk…”
“…Sorry, sis.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
Yura, this girl, is still like this even in her 30s… It’s worrying…
…But seeing Taehee growing up healthy, it seems like parenting isn’t a big issue.
No, rather, when Taehee gets older, won’t she just look at her mom and become disillusioned?
That might be fun in its own way.
By the way, if it’s beer from my liquor cabinet, there should be a lot of ale, but she brought only lager.
Guess I’ll connect to the [Gate] in my liquor cabinet and grab a lager too.
“Oh, let’s try that. I didn’t expect to see a taco stall here.”
“How many should we get, sis?”
“Hmm… Let’s get one for each person. We’ll be eating other stuff as we walk around.”
“Okay~.”
The quality of festival stalls has gotten surprisingly good these days.
Back in the day, it was just greasy, soggy fried food piled up, along with pancakes, tteokbokki, and fish cake skewers—the usual stuff.
But now, there’s even grilled lobster, small pizzas made in ovens, and foreigners making their own country’s food.
I guess foreigners can set up stalls at festivals now?
…Oh, that’s a Turkish stall over there.
The kebabs look delicious.
“Nom nom…”
“Ame. Try this too.”
“Wow~…”
“Auntie~! I want to eat that too~!”
“Here, Taehee, say ‘ah~’.”
“Ah~!”
My niece is so cute, following me around.
In a few years, she’ll probably be taller than me…
Sigh… Being short isn’t so great even after all these years…
“Sis! Me too, ah~.”
“…Here.”
“Hehe~… Sis feeding me is the best!”
Pretty Heart is still acting like a child.
You’d think she’d have matured by now, but maybe it’s because her body doesn’t age…
Well, she’s still cute and lovable.
“Sis too, ah~.”
“…Ah~.”
“Hehe~.”
Really, what are we doing in front of everyone…
By the way, when did you buy takoyaki?
Ah, it’s proper takoyaki with big chunks of octopus.
Usually, street takoyaki has no octopus at all.
“…Sis. I’ll go around with Ame unnie separately.”
“Huh? Sure.”
Diamond Dust plans to go around with Gravity separately.
There’s no real reason to split up, though.
“…Ah! Then let’s go around separately too~…”
“What’s with you?”
“Can’t you read the mood? Taehee~, let’s go eat something fun with Mom and Dad~.”
“Okay~!”
Huh…? Why is everyone suddenly splitting off from me…
……Ah, I get it.
“Hehe~…”
“So it’s because of you.”
“W-What do you mean?! They’re just giving us some space!”
Ugh, she’s burying my face in her chest again…
Every time I tell her not to, she hugs me and does this.
Is this a date with Pretty Heart at the eve celebration~…
Though all we’re doing is eating and wandering around.
“…Ah, reporters.”
“Sis, this is…”
“Huh? This is…”
“It’s a perception distortion device!”
“Ah~, perfect for days like this. Where did you get this?”
“They sell them at fairy shops, you know?”
“…Really?”
Are they selling these for magical girls who want to live normally…?
Though for magical girls who want a normal life, it’s practically free.
Everyone must have tons of points saved up.
I wonder if the point system is even necessary anymore.
“But why are there so many reporters here…”
“Maybe they expected us to be here? Especially since getting an interview with sis is a big deal!”
“Well… I rarely do interviews.”
It’s fun slipping past the reporters like this.
Using the perception distortion after not using it for a while feels oddly strange.
“Oh, they’re selling chicken gangjeong over there. We’ve tried most of the stuff here, so let’s eat that while we walk slowly.”
“Sure! Hehe~, it’s been a while since I had chicken gangjeong!”
Alright, let’s get some chicken gangjeong… Wait, why is the Fairy Queen standing in line over there?
And she’s wearing the same perception distortion device as us…
“…Melphis. What are you doing here?”
“Eek…?! Ah, Rampage and Pretty Heart~… Shh! I want to enjoy the festival too~.”
“Right…”
“By the way, the line is pretty long. Is it good? Did you see the Fairy Queen’s reaction?”
“They said it’s good~.”
After waiting in line and trying the chicken gangjeong, it was indeed delicious.
Well, frying chicken is already a cheat code, and adding seasoning sauce is another, so it’s no surprise the result is good.
“By the way, where did Meriol go?”
“She went to take care of Max. He’s still so energetic and sometimes whines to play.”
“Ah~, now that you mention it, Max’s lifespan has increased a lot, right?”
“By a huge amount. Am I some kind of human radiation…?”
“But isn’t it good that Max is living longer?”
“Yeah, he’s gentle and cute.”
How long will Max live, really…
By the way, Pretty Heart’s grip on my arm feels a bit stronger.
Well, it’s not the first time this has happened, so it must be that again.
Still, she’s holding back since we’re outside, so she’s not entirely a child.
“Ah, sis! Let’s go eat that too!”
“You really only have eyes for food, huh?”
“Eeeh?!”
“Just kidding. Festivals are all about food anyway.”
“Sis, you~!”
At least she’s self-aware about being a foodie…
…Actually, festivals aren’t just about food.
There are stages where people perform and have fun.
It’s just that the performances are usually by celebrities, singers, or idols showing off their songs and dances, which are formulaic and not very entertaining.
To me, they just tweak things slightly, but the lyrics and melodies are all similar and boring.
Especially the lyrics are too generic, and the songs rely too much on the vocals.
Is the accompaniment too weak…? Or is it more like they compose songs solely relying on the vocalist’s singing ability?
Why has this country’s music regressed compared to 10 years ago?
“Sis, they’re selling beer cans in ice over there!”
“Beer? …Oh, this is that highly-rated lager, right?”
“How many should we get?”
“Let’s do it. We’ve eaten some heavy stuff, so let’s relax with this.”
“You sound like an old man!”
“…Then how should I say it?”
“…Hmm? I don’t know!”
“If you don’t know, don’t nitpick…”
“Hehe.”
Even though it’s been a long time since I became a woman, do I still give off that old man vibe?
…No, don’t call me an old man.
Back when I was a man, I was still in my youth.
I was in my 20s, you know!
There’s no way I give off an old man smell!
“…What’s that?”
“Huh? That’s… Ah, it’s a play about the Great Demon War!”
“A play about the Great Demon War…? I don’t want to watch it; it’ll probably be super cringy.”
“Ah! You’re such a shy person!”
“I just hate plays and musicals in general. That cringy feeling is too much.”
Why would they do a play about the Great Demon War at a festival…?
Why do they even do plays in the first place?
Sometimes I wonder what’s going through the minds of the people who plan these things.
And how do the people who watch and cheer for them without a care have such strong mentalities?
I really… don’t get it…
“Sigh…”
“Sis. Over there, they’re doing a magical girl quiz show! Look!”
“Magical girl quiz show…?”
“Do you want to join, sis?”
“…No. I only know the magical girls I’ve taken care of.”
“Eh~? But sis, you know the names and origins of every magical girl you meet, right?”
“Do I? I don’t think so.”
“You’re so knowledgeable~!”
“Oh~, they’re selling hot bars over there~.”
“Where?! Ah, there it is!”
She falls for the topic change to new food so easily.
No wonder Pretty Heart is so cute.
“Mine has sausage in it.”
“Mine has cheese!”
“Want to share? Here, say ‘ah~’.”
“…!! Ah~.”
Really… She looks so happy when I feed her…
How is she so consistent? She’s amazing.
“Sis too, ah~.”
“…Ah~.”
“Hehe~.”
……By the way, I’m getting full.
Am I going to be the only one suffering from overeating here?
…I should hurry and move to another spot before my stomach gives out.
“Look over there, Nari. They have all sorts of magical girl drawings on display.”
“Really? Ah, sis’s is here too!”
“…These are kids’ drawings.”
“Aren’t they cute?”
“They are, but some are drawn in a way that’s a bit unpleasant…”
“This one’s mine! …Did they draw my chest too big?!”
“Your chest is actually that big, though.”
“N-No, it’s not that big!”
This seems to be a space where they display drawings of magical girls.
Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can submit their drawings of magical girls, and they’ll all be displayed.
…Oh, this sketch has a nice atmosphere.
But did they have to draw me so scary…?
Well, it does look cool…
“Ah! Over there, you can get your magical girl drawing done on the spot!”
“Really? Then let’s draw each other as magical girls.”
“Okay~!”
There’s a space set up for on-the-spot drawings, so we decided to draw each other there.
After some time, Pretty Heart finished her drawing first…
“Sis! Ta-da~!”
“Wow…”
Pretty Heart, you’re surprisingly good at drawing.
I didn’t expect you to be this skilled… I should frame this and display it later.
“Alright, I just finished mine too.”
“Let me see… Sis~! My chest isn’t that big~!”
“No, this is your actual chest size…”
“Uu~hn!”
“Nari…”
I’ve actually studied figure drawing, so I drew it quite realistically, but I got called out for drawing her chest too big.
From my perspective, Pretty Heart’s chest is this size…
“Ah~, that was fun.”
“…Hmph!”
“Nari… Are you still pouting?”
“……”
“Sigh… Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?”
“…!!! Yes~!”
“Really…”
It’s funny how Pretty Heart always gets over her pouting with this.
Though I’ll have to suffer a bit