The Magical Hunter Girl Decorates the Dungeon! - Chapter 9

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

The Magic Hunter Magical Girl Decorates the Dungeon! Episode 009
Iji’s eyes grew wider than usual.
“Big sister, this is… a Smartphone? Really?”
“Yeah. You know how to use a tablet PC, right? You’ll pick this up in no time.”
Iji’s expression became that of a woodcutter faced with the trial of the golden and silver axes.
And she recited a sentence that sounded like something from a School discussion class.
“Children shouldn’t use Smartphones!”
“It’s an offline device, so it’s not that smart. I’ll activate the plan later.”
“Wait, a Smartphone is way too expensive for a second-grader to have!”
“It’s a phone from three years ago, so the price has dropped a lot. It’s fine.”
……
After deliberating, Iji pretended to be convinced and accepted the Smartphone. Her mouth corners were dancing—she was clearly happy.
‘I’m glad she took it.’
Originally, the plan had been to buy her a Smartphone once she reached sixth grade.
That was the conclusion drawn after searching through more than a dozen research papers and books on the effects of Smartphone use on children.
But conclusions drawn from papers and documents…
…all went flying away in one incident yesterday.
“Iji. Even an unopened phone can still call 119 or 112, okay? Press here if you’re in danger.”
“Okay, thanks!”
Iji smiled brightly.
“Big sister, is the Hospital okay these days? How’s work going?”
My Iji is an angel.
At an age when she barely has enough hours in a day for her own thoughts, and yet she worries about her sister.
‘But it’s not okay.’
It’s difficult for a working person to say their job is fine.
Especially these days, with the mysterious critical patient who survived the Dungeon Break causing so much stress…
But I didn’t say that.
I didn’t want to fan the flames of fear toward Dungeons in a child who was already frightened.
“It’s all fine. I’ll work hard and come home today!”
“Okay. And I’ll study hard at school too—”
“What did I say was more important than studying?”
“…I’ll have fun playing and come home!”
“That’s right. Have a good day!”
After sending Iji off to School with a smiling face,
Hyunji opened her e-book application.
It contained a summary of Hyunji’s rough parenting journey.

‘The book I need now is… right here.’

‘She was so light when I picked her up yesterday. I think she’s probably in the lower 15% for a seven-year-old.’
Everything she learned was from words on a page, but this was Hyunji’s best effort.
In Hyunji’s mind, the voice of herself from nineteen years ago is still vivid.
‘Mom, you’re pregnant? Oh… um, congratulations. But I’m the one who has to raise them, right? Realistically speaking.’
That bitter remark became a seed, blooming into reality five years later.
No matter how much she regretted it, she couldn’t turn back time.
All she could do now was protect this family of two with all her might.

* * *
Because of yesterday’s incident, all classes at School today had been changed to safety education.
After diligently attending safety education, Iji grabbed her Textbook during the first break and rushed to a corner of the School.
Not for studying.
‘It said I just have to open any book and call out in my heart, and it’ll appear, right?’
The flying book that had helped her in the Dungeon.
After confirming no one was around,
Iji lowered her voice and murmured.
“O Chronicle of the World. Manifest before me!”
Even she thought it sounded pretty cool.
‘I studied that vocabulary so hard!’
…If nothing happened, she’d just be someone who studied Korean diligently, but
fortunately, soon the book pages rustled violently—
Pop, pop, eyeballs burst from the Textbook and stared at Iji.
[So you’ve called for me, child.]
“Oh, hello! Um, so—”
[You may call me Grimoire. But you don’t seem ready to enter a Dungeon. Why did you summon me?]
Iji opened the notes app on her Smartphone.
“I’m curious about a lot of things! First, how do Hunters earn money? Do I need to join the Hunter Association? And about Dungeon activities—”
There wasn’t much break time left, so she was in a rush.
Grimoire’s brow furrowed.
[All worldly questions. Wouldn’t it be better to ask someone else about society?]
“I can’t ask anyone because I have to hide my identity.”
[Hide your identity? Why?]
“Because I’m a Magic Girl.”
[…?]
It was clear he didn’t understand.
This one doesn’t seem to know what a Magic Girl is.
When Iji hesitated in explaining, Grimoire let out something like a sigh.
[I’ll give you a hint, at least.]
Soon the Textbook, its eyeballs vanished, fell into Iji’s arms.
On the opened page, these words were written:
wifi ID: chamsaecho—01
password: asdf1234!!
It was a teacher’s lounge wifi password.
And a very fast one at that.
Thanks to it, Iji was able to search for information during every break afterward.
There were plenty of people with questions similar to Iji’s. The answers were all similar, so it was easy to summarize the key points.
Q. I became a Hunter, but how do I earn money?
A. Go to a Dungeon.
Q. How do I go to a Dungeon?
A. Join a Guild and ask the Guild Master.
Q. What if the Guild exploits me as a beginner?
A. Then go into a Wild Dungeon alone and die.
‘Exploits…? I’ll have to look that up in the dictionary later.’
In any case, the conclusion was singular.
‘I need a companion!’
Right. Even the Magic Girls in YouTube anime cartoons, and the dinosaur warriors, all fought alongside companions.
During the last break, Iji asked Grimoire.
‘I want to have a companion. Is there a way?’
Perhaps Grimoire would introduce her to another Magic Girl.
Fortunately, Grimoire didn’t sigh this time.
And after School.
Grimoire drew an arrow on the book cover and guided Iji somewhere—
To the corner of the Apartment Complex Near School.
“…Grimoire. What is this?”
[A Dungeon entrance.]
Looking at the shimmering blue mist in the Abandoned Meat Restaurant, Iji’s jaw dropped.
“But they said government officials find and eliminate Dungeons!”
[This one was too weak to be discovered. …Why are you taking out your Smartphone?]
“I learned to report Wild Dungeons to the police when I see them.”
She never expected she’d put today’s safety education to use so immediately.
That was when Grimoire blocked the phone.
[I found this Dungeon for you, yet you would report it?]
“What? …There’s a companion inside?”
[Hmm? Didn’t you ask how to earn money? That is the answer to your question.]
Iji retraced her thoughts.
The first question she had written in her Smartphone notes was indeed about earning money.
“I’m grateful, but finding a companion is more important. That’s the conclusion I came to after studying hard.”
[If you earn money, companions will follow.]
……
[And you may grow stronger inside. Those with power can obtain companions more easily.]
It sounded like villain logic from a cartoon.
But reality isn’t a cartoon—
‘And strength is necessary, too.’
With only the skills she has now, it will be difficult to navigate this world.
After a brief moment of thought, a pragmatic question emerged.
“Can I go in alone?”
[It is a safe Dungeon. Even if something happens, I will guarantee your safety.]
Iji swallowed down the thought of ‘Is this really okay?’
Becoming a Magic Girl was thanks to Grimoire in the first place.
‘Grimoire is the Magic Girl’s first friend.’
If she could trust Grimoire, she could trust her next companion too.
“Yes, I’ll go in!”
Iji boldly leaned her body over the aluminum foil chimney of the meat restaurant.
…And her courage evaporated in 0.5 seconds.
There was no ground beneath her feet.
‘Wh-wh-whoa-whoa-whoa!’
She was too startled to even scream properly.
‘You said it was safe! You said it was fine!’
Beside her, Grimoire flapped the book pages and shouted.
[Calm yourself! There is no problem!]
But I’m falling?
Are you Newton?
‘That man dropping apples was experimenting…’
Was it the fact that everything in the world falls to the ground?
That seems right.
Looking around, Iji wasn’t the only one falling.
An elegant Armchair, a Cookie Basket, and a large Lantern were also falling,
at a very slow speed, like sinking into water.
‘What is this place?’
Iji grabbed the Lantern and held it high.
She had entered through the aluminum foil chimney of the meat restaurant, but now brick walls surrounded her on all sides, and somewhere along the way a dirt pit stretched out below.
A jutting carrot root poked at Iji. The Rabbit who had been eating jumped in surprise and fled.
‘The Rabbit is wearing pajamas! Lazy Rabbit.’
Just as her heart began to settle at this fairy-tale-like scenery, the not-quite-falling came to an end.
Soft earth touched her feet.
“Phew…”
[You’ve descended well. Now just follow that path.]
Beyond the short corridor, a small path appeared where Grimoire pointed. Grass around it rustled softly in a gentle breeze.
It was a peaceful landscape.
Soon a message appeared as if welcoming a visitor.
You have entered the Dungeon
Clear Condition: Attend the Tea Party
‘A Tea Party? That sounds fun!’
But the moment she thought that,
as if ink had been dropped, a black stain began to spread from the right corner of the message window.
The black stain quickly consumed the message and overlaid new text.
Clear Condition: Protect the Tea Party from the Black Rotten Dragon’s assault
No matter how long she waited, or how much she fanned the message window, the text didn’t change.
“…Grimoire?”
[Don’t be bothered by the clear condition.]
“What does ‘Rotten’ mean?”
[Oh, is that the problem? It means decaying.]
“I think that’s not the only problem.

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