The Magical Hunter Girl Decorates the Dungeon! - Chapter 8

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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 Magical Girl Hunter Decorates the Dungeon! Episode 008
After the career experience was cut short.
Many children left the Experience Center with their guardians.
Iji boarded the charter bus with no expectations. Her sister was busy with work.
But just before the bus started its engine, her sister came running into the parking lot.
“Iji! Are you okay?”
“Sister? Oh, you didn’t have to come! Why are you here?”
“The moment I heard—huff—what happened, I just—gasp—had to come!”
Hyunji, wearing only a cardigan over her uniform, collapsed into the front seat. She’d run so hard that sweat poured down her forehead in beads.
“Sister, I’m fine! Really, nothing happened!”
“Nothing happened? You were dragged into a Dungeon!”
Hyunji hurried over and examined Iji’s limbs and joints. The Class Teacher approached and handed over a handkerchief.
“Oh, Teacher!”
“Thank you for coming so quickly, Iji’s guardian. I’ll explain what happened.”
“Thank you so much. Iji, sit down and rest. I’m going to talk with the teacher for a moment.”
The ride back to School, which would normally have been loud and chaotic.
The remaining children, exhausted by the commotion, fell asleep one by one.
Iji closed her eyes too, but familiar voices drifted through the gap between the front seats.
“The other student was also brought along… Iji was so composed that actually… We’ll continue watching her at School…”
“Thank you for your concern… A space as frightening as a Dungeon…”
Sister. The Dungeon wasn’t as scary as I thought.
Not exactly safe, but maybe—just maybe—I could make a friend.
Am I a Hunter now?
…Words I can’t say out loud.
Of course, even if Sister knew I was a Magical Girl, she wouldn’t betray me.
The problem lay elsewhere.
‘She’s going to worry.’
She was already this anxious even though I came out of a very weak Dungeon safely.
If I confessed that I planned to keep entering Dungeons, Sister might faint.
What should I do?
Waiting to simply grow up—eleven years felt far too long.
‘I’d have to wait my whole lifetime, and then another two years on top of that.’
But it was also true that a freshly Awakened Hunter like me faced real danger in Dungeons.
…Would it be okay if I became stronger?
‘If I gain Skills… and… what I really need…’
Just as the word ‘comrade’ flickered through her mind, Iji drifted off to sleep.

* * *
“Hm… we’re… already home? I’m still…”
“You’re heavy, so don’t move right now. Just rest your eyes a little, and you can wake up before dinner, okay?”
“…Okay.”
Iji, drowsy from sleeping on the bus, fell asleep the moment Hyunji laid her on the bed.
Of course, Iji wasn’t heavy at all.
If Hyunji had said “you’re fine, sleep more,” Iji would have forced her eyes open.
She hated being a burden on her sister.
‘She could afford to be more selfish.’
Hyunji stepped into the Living Room and recalled what she’d heard on the bus.
The Class Teacher had spoken carefully.
‘Iji was so composed that I’m actually worried. The other student who was taken along cried the moment they met their family.’
‘That student seems to have formed a healthy relationship with their family—I’m almost envious. With Iji, I can’t tell if she’s denying her emotions or suppressing them…’
“…Guardian, you don’t speak to Iji in that tone, do you?”
“No, I don’t.”
In front of her sister, Hyunji tried to become as soft as the things Iji loved—rabbits, strawberries, gelatin.
‘We’ll keep watching at School, of course, but please let us know if you notice any changes in Iji’s behavior.’
‘Thank you for your concern. She’s been to such an extraordinary space as a Dungeon—there’s no way it won’t have an effect. I’ll also monitor her for any signs of trauma.’
The Class Teacher smiled faintly.
It was the expression people typically wore when they learned that a twenty-eight-year-old was raising a nine-year-old sister alone.
‘It’s a relief that Iji has a trustworthy sister. Please go home safely.’
‘Thank you.’
If she seemed trustworthy, that was good enough.
She wanted to always maintain her composure around anything involving her sister.
…Even after what she’d been through recently.
After confirming that Iji was asleep.
Hyunji went out to the Veranda and pulled out the Card she’d buried deep in a drawer.
To Hyunji, who always brightens my side
I’m grateful for the past year we spent together…
No matter how hard she tried not to read it, that last line—pressed down so heavily—always caught her eye.
I want to be with you for even longer
Hyunji picked up scissors and cut that sentence across. Then she cut the names “Hyunji Shin” and “Donghwa Kim” into tiny pieces, followed by all the sentimental nonsense about love.
The letter quickly became scraps of paper.
‘I should have done this sooner. I hope Iji didn’t see it yesterday…’
Anxiety flooded back.
Last year, Hyunji had kept her boyfriend a secret from Iji, worried that her sister might think she was getting in the way of her romance.
It was a relief she never told her.
‘How would I have even explained my situation to Iji?’
That her boyfriend proposed alone after a year of dating and then withdrew the proposal just as alone.
On a day when their one-year anniversary was just around the corner, her boyfriend Donghwa had handed her that ominous Card and said:
“Dress up nicely. Really nicely.”
The meeting place written on the Card was an incredibly expensive Restaurant.
One that was famous as a proposal spot, no less.
‘Was he actually going to propose?’
It was more confusing than joyful.
In just a year of dating, they’d never seriously discussed the future even once.
She’d gone out feeling uneasy.
…But she would have preferred to receive a proposal.
On the day in question, in a private room of the Restaurant.
Donghwa, who’d seemed oddly gloomy that day, bit his lower lip dramatically the moment they finished eating and said:
“My mother opposes our marriage.”
What was this nonsense, him charging ahead alone?
Donghwa, drunk on his own emotions, spoke theatrically while Hyunji’s mind went blank.
He’d told his mother he wanted to marry a woman, and she’d looked into Hyunji’s family background, saying that his family was quite well-off and that Hyunji would never do as a daughter-in-law. He really wanted to hold everything about her, but his father had high blood pressure so he couldn’t push the matter further, and on and on.
The final blow came to the dazed Hyunji.
Donghwa handed her a gift bag stamped with a jewelry brand name and said:
“Will you promise not to cross the line? Then we can stay together a little longer.”
…She still couldn’t recall how she’d found the presence of mind to storm out.
She remembered swinging the Shopping Bag at him right there.
By the time she’d gotten home and collected herself, only an empty envelope was in her hand.
But it made it easy to cut him out of her heart.
‘A line? Keep the line? Who begged whom to marry, you narcissistic bastard?’
He probably never intended to marry her in the first place.
‘He just enjoyed his little forbidden romance with his parents’ disapproval and put me in my place.’
Did a second-grader really need to know about such trash?
She had no way to explain it.
She just wanted to pretend it never happened.
‘Damn it. I should have checked the trash carefully before throwing it out!’
While cleaning up his traces, she’d forgotten the Card she’d stuffed in the Shopping Bag and left it on the Veranda with everything else.
‘I worried all day that Iji might have read it…’
Then a much bigger worry erupted.
Getting caught up in a Dungeon, no less!
It was the lowest-grade Dungeon, but a Dungeon was still a Dungeon. Just thinking about how frightened that little girl must have been made her heart ache.
After throwing away the shredded Card.
Hyunji made her way to Iji’s bedroom door.
‘I hope she’s not having nightmares.’
Sleep patterns were a barometer of mental health.
As she waited, Iji’s breathing remained deep and steady the entire time.
‘Thank goodness.’
Hyunji leaned through the door gap for one last glimpse of her face—
‘Huh?’
In the dark room, she spotted something strange.
Something strawberry-colored and gleaming, soft-looking, had crossed through Iji’s room.
Like something the size of two containers of Slime, perhaps.
‘What was that just now?’
In the blink of an eye, it vanished without a trace. The only glint visible was from the metal ornaments on the bed frame.
‘Did I imagine something?’
Iji had gotten tired of playing with Slime a long time ago.
Looking around, nothing seemed different.
Only a sweet scent that brushed past her nose stirred some memory.
‘That’s right. The Tumbler! I need to wash it!’
As soon as Hyunji grabbed Iji’s bag, she gasped—the Tumbler’s lid was open. Fortunately, the bottom of the bag was dry.
‘She must have finished the Strawberry Soda.’
Iji didn’t stir even once while Hyunji took out the Tumbler. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth—she seemed to be having a good dream.
Hyunji left the room, a little more at ease.
And the soft, strawberry-scented creature also settled itself under the bed, feeling a little more at ease.

* * *
The next morning.
“Sleep well, sister?”
Iji smiled brightly from across the table. Her hair was bunched up on one side from the pillow—she’d slept deeply.
“I slept great. Why are you up so early?”
“Just… I woke up!”
Was there a hint of excitement in Iji’s voice, or was it her imagination?
Either way, excitement was better than sadness.
Hyunji pulled out something to make Iji even more excited.
“Iji. Here, take this. It’s a gift.”

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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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