The Magical Hunter Girl Decorates the Dungeon! - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Magic Girl Hunter Decorates a Dungeon! Episode 102
‘Wait—did it work?’
The speech balloon-shaped light began to float up like a real balloon. Inside it, a sky-blue musical note spun clearly into view.
Blue was also the signature color of the Magic Girl Ara.
‘This time it really worked!’
But her heart’s rapid thudding was short-lived.
Pop—the speech balloon burst uselessly. A message appeared at the same moment.
Quality too low
“Grimoire. What does it mean that the quality is too low?”
[It means the quality is poor. If you chose some cheap plastic flower to decorate a Realm, would the skill accept it?]
“No!”
Tacky artificial flowers in a Magic Girl’s Realm—what a thought.
[Quite. Though I myself have no particular knowledge of music, I can say with certainty that the audio quality of that video and your phone speaker made for the worst possible harmony.]
“…Yes!”
Grimoire raised an eyebrow at her surprisingly upbeat response.
[Hm? You don’t seem displeased.]
“Well, now I know my Realm can be decorated with music.”
That alone was a tremendous discovery.
How much stronger might she become from here?
“I’m going to practice piano hard! And I’ll perform all the Hug Me songs beautifully!”
[Dreams are pleasant enough. But can you use the Song of the Gardener skill while performing?]
“Oh. …Should I teach someone else to play piano? Jun-seo? His hands are big—he’d definitely play well!”
[You might as well teach a cat to type.]
Beyond that, though—
there was the fundamental problem that Skills couldn’t be used outside a Dungeon, and there was no piano inside one.
Grimoire chose to stay silent rather than dampen Lee Ji’s spirits as she left the Dungeon in good cheer.
She’d wanted to tidy the flower bed in the Greenhouse too, but if she did she’d miss meeting Hyun-ji. Instead, Lee Ji drew an S.O.S. in the Sandfield and escaped the Dungeon.
Clear reward obtained
: 1 grain of Sand
A single grain of Sand glimmered in Lee Ji’s palm as she stood in the Break Room. And all the way through the Pseudo-Religious Organization Office corridor, Sand that had rolled in between her Shoes and socks crunched beneath her feet.
‘Let’s get down fast!’
Lee Ji locked up the room just as it had been and hurried back to the Piano Academy.
The teacher had instructed her not to go too far while she rested, offering the gentle scolding with a light touch. In the meanwhile, a sideways glance caught Ha-rin’s eyes looking dry and puffy.
Now it was time for both Lee Ji and Ha-rin to head home.
Hyun-ji waved her hand from the Building 1st Floor.
“Lee Ji. Did you enjoy the lesson?”
“Yeah! Today I even played the keys! The teacher said I have a nice round hand shape.”
“That’s impressive, Lee Ji. Looks like you have talent.”
While they exchanged such words, a black car pulled up in front of the Academy, and Ha-rin, who had been watching Lee Ji sideways, stirred.
“Ha-rin. You did well in class? …Oh my, what’s this all of a sudden?”
Lee Ji glanced back as she was walking. She caught sight of Ha-rin clinging to her mother’s legs like a small child.
“Mom, mom, mom. I… learning piano at the Academy is kind of hard.”
“What’s hard about it? You play well.”
“No. …I really can’t do it. Mom, could you teach me a little?”
Ha-rin looked up at her mother. Her eyes gleamed like a kitten’s.
Watching it, Lee Ji herself thought her mother would naturally agree—that’s how earnest the expression was.
But the mother cat remained firm.
“No. Learn here for now.”
“…I… I really get confused learning from the teacher.”
“Work hard and you’ll manage. You’re not a little child, are you, Ha-rin?”
“…Yeah.”
“Let’s go. Your aunt sent Mozart Chocolate.”
“Oh, yeah!”
“You like chocolate that much? My baby, my dear.”
Mother and daughter got into the car. In that last moment, Ha-rin’s expression didn’t look entirely pleased…but even as she climbed in, she forced her lips upward into a smile.
Hyun-ji asked.
“Is that girl the older sister who said she doesn’t watch the Magic Girl anime?”
“…Yeah.”
“I see. That girl must be struggling too.”
Lee Ji didn’t know what Hyun-ji was seeing to say such a thing, but she agreed with the statement.
Why had she cried alone?
Why had she struck the piano so hard, even lying to her mother to ask for private lessons?
It’s natural for children to have secrets. Lee Ji did too.
‘But crying alone isn’t natural.’
Even in her current state, having taken a break from Hero work.
The heart of a Magic Girl moved to act for justice was tilting toward Ha-rin.

* * *
The Administrative Welfare Center.
Though the neighbors still called it the local government office as they always had, it was in that building’s public gym that Geum-hui had just set down the barbell.
Behind her, elderly women in the neighborhood clicked their tongues.
“You just lifted 150 kilograms on deadlift, right?”
“You’ve borrowed all the weights from our gym. If you borrowed weights from someone’s house too, you’d be lifting 200 kilograms.”
Geum-hui turned around and replied.
“I’m curious about myself too. Why can’t you all borrow from somewhere?”
“We broke our bones doing that!”
“Well then, don’t expect free entertainment without making that much effort.”
Whatever they said, she knew it came from their admiration for Geum-hui, who had regained her health.
For the elderly too, health and strength matter. Not just for “enjoying a happy retirement,” but to earn their daily bread right now.
As Geum-hui left the gym at the welfare center, she checked a recruitment ad on her Hunter app.
‘Let’s see. A place looking for Hunters for simple work….’
While supporting Lee Ji’s dream of defeating villains, Geum-hui had gained quite a lot. First, the know-how and feel for working at a Magic Stone processing factory.
Though most labor sites were poor conditions, it was more efficient than breaking through the competition for senior job positions offered by the local government.
Even now, with Lee Ji on temporary hiatus from her Magic Girl duties, she still found herself looking for work from time to time.
‘Next time I’ll try here… Hm?’
While walking, two men suddenly blocked her path and smiled awkwardly. Geum-hui answered reflexively, drawing on her life experience.
“I don’t believe in ancestral rites. We don’t hold them.”
“It’s not that, ma’am—”
“I don’t put on stickers.”
“…It’s not a donation request either.”
“Mormon… well, no, that doesn’t seem right for you.”
“What do you mean, no! Wait. Are you Jang Geum-hui? An F-Rank Hunter?”
“…What is it?”
Geum-hui stopped belatedly and scanned the two men’s appearances.
Ordinary-looking people you’d instinctively turn away from if you happened to lock eyes on the street. But the Hunter Accessories hanging from their wrists caught her attention.
Noticing they’d succeeded in grabbing her interest, the men smiled and spoke.
“Ma’am. Could you spare us a moment?”
“If I give you time, how much do you give me?”
“As much as you’d like.”
An answer came back that she never expected to hear as a joke.
Just as Geum-hui was bewildered for the first time before them, they threw a second statement that bewildered her again.
“We’ve come to offer those who sacrifice for the world a treatment more befitting of you. Would you care for a cup of tea?”

* * *
A new notice came down to the Piano Academy.
“We’ll hold a recital in July. Any students who want to participate should pick a piece they’d like to play.”
“Okay—”
Of course, Lee Ji had already decided on her piece. The second opening theme to Hug Me!
The Academy teacher nodded.
“Oh! I know that song. My niece likes it. It’s a really nice song.”
“It is!”
“Um… but you know.”
The teacher leaned in close to Lee Ji’s ear and whispered.
“You know Hyun-ji also really likes that anime, right?”
“Yes!”
“Good then. Tell your sister what song you picked.”
The teacher spoke as quietly as possible and stepped back, but….
From the moment Lee Ji said “The second theme song from Hug Me☆Pink Me!”, Ha-rin, who had been watching with wide eyes, seemed to have some inkling of what conversation had passed between them.
Only after mastering the positions of the do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti keys and receiving a break, when she climbed the stairs.
Ha-rin, who had been sitting at the entrance to the 4th floor landing, widened her eyes.
“Huh? Why’d you come up here?”
“Ha-rin… this.”
Lee Ji held out a Strawberry Flavored Candy to Ha-rin. The maximum gesture of affection an elementary school student could offer.
Ha-rin looked at the candy and seemed slightly taken aback.
“You came to give me this?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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