LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 276
276th Chapter. Summer Rest – Magical Girl (2)
Seeing Mary transformed, I was drenched in shock and horror.
Yes, shock and horror. That’s the only way to describe this situation.
The little girl Mary had suddenly appeared as a mature, glamorous woman.
It made no sense that a kid who always ate children’s meals could suddenly turn into a model-like beauty.
There had to be some trick involved.
“What on earth happened?”
We were sitting on a bench by the village fountain.
After sipping my iced tea and asking the question, Mary smiled and said, “What do you mean? It’s the result of my efforts for a friend!”
The grown-up Mary was speaking just like she always did.
What should I say? It makes me think that if a girl doesn’t grow up into her twenties, she might end up like this.
I had thought it every time I saw her, but I never imagined I would actually see her in grown-up form.
“How do I look? Am I not cool?”
The mature and voluptuous beauty was acting like a child.
Even passersby had expressions of curiosity, as if they were at a zoo.
It might be easy to think of her as just a cute girl, but considering that she’s actually a child at heart makes it all quite bizarre.
“Yeah, you’ve really changed beautifully.”
“Really? Our friend is the best~!”
As I praised her, she hugged me tightly.
Though her actions were no different from usual, what caught me off guard was how her chest buried my face, delivering a new sensation.
It felt warm and soft… something I had never experienced while being close to Mary before.
By size alone, she seemed bigger than Luska.
“So, how did you manage to obtain this amazing look?”
If I said it didn’t suit her, she’d likely get offended and clam up.
It’s easier to get Mary to talk if I guide her with compliments.
Mary then eagerly explained, “Oh, this? It’s super simple. I applied transformation magic.”
“Transformation magic?”
“Let me see… what was your little sister’s name again?”
“Amy?”
“Right! Amy! I thought about how she transformed into such a reliable looking person.”
She must have been considering transformation magic after seeing my sister.
It’s true that Amy’s transformation magic feels fresh for various reasons.
If a small girl can turn into a muscular bodybuilder, then it should be possible to transform into a glamorous beauty too.
In short, an enormous upheaval had unfolded due to our family’s influence, which didn’t exist in the main story.
“So, Mom and Dad got involved in the research together. I thought maybe I could do it too.”
That was the reason they arrived late at the resort.
I had heard they were preparing something big, but who would have guessed it was this?
Other kids would surely be wide-eyed and astounded upon seeing her.
“By the way, you have to wear this bracelet. It plays an important role in the transformation magic.”
It was a bracelet made of gold.
It looked like nice material and could fetch a high price if sold to a merchant.
“What happens if it comes off?”
“This happens.”
Mary literally took off the bracelet.
With a bang! Mary’s body reverted back to its original form.
The sight of a glamorous woman suddenly turning back into a child intrigued the passing crowd.
The moment she put the bracelet back on, she transformed into an adult again.
“But the limit is strictly 30 minutes. After that, I need to recharge my mana.”
“Recharge my mana? You mean you, who always has mana left, need to recharge?”
“Actually, transformation magic doesn’t really suit my body. So I barely managed to pull it off with the help of this magical device.”
Mary had exceptional mana and explosive potential, yet it seemed transformation magic was an exception.
She excelled at other attack spells and healing magic, as well as spirit arts and curses, which was shocking to find out she couldn’t do this one specific kind of magic.
But it did raise a question.
If transformation magic was possible, then Mary should have already disguised herself.
She had always claimed to be glamorous; to prove that, she’d have to change her appearance first.
‘If she had, she wouldn’t have been hit by elemental magic and sent flying after speaking her mind.’
I recalled the times Mary got angry.
Her personality changes when serious situations arise.
But the only thing I remember about Mary getting angry in normal situations was her height-related complaints.
Though she claimed to have overcome it, there might still be some lingering feelings.
“What happens after four hours?”
“I’ll be out of mana and won’t be able to move. Plus, I’ll return to my original form.”
“You just… called that your original form?”
“Yeah. Why?”
This can’t be… Let’s think about when Mary got angry.
When someone pointed out her height, she would not acknowledge it and would rain magic on them.
But calling her small stature her ‘original form’ holds some meaning, doesn’t it?
She accepted her true appearance!
That Mary!
“Impressive.”
“Hey, why are you patting my head all of a sudden…”
Feeling proud, I patted Mary on the head.
Mary shrank back, looking embarrassed.
She had definitely grown since back then.
Well done.
“By the way, why didn’t you recognize me?”
“Well, how could I recognize you when you’re looking so different?”
“But you’re quick-witted.”
“Even if I have good senses, there are limits.”
Who would ever think this was Mary?
If I had used ‘Mana Anomaly,’ I would have recognized her instantly, but I didn’t feel the need to.
Why should I use it to deal with mere delinquents?
“My parents are the best! The moment I told them I wanted to become like this, they quickly agreed!”
“What about the Lords?”
“I remember what they said back then…. Ah! I got it!”
Mary quoted her father’s words.
“Make sure to have your friend just for yourself!”
“What?”
“Cheering for our daughter! They even praised me!”
I had a good grasp of why the Lords were involved in Mary’s transformation magic emergence.
It was complicated, but I figured out they were after me for various reasons.
“So, my friend.”
Mary leaned in closer and asked, “What should we do now for fun?”
That was not only her father’s will but purely her own desire.
How long had it been since I hung out with Mary?
The time we spent alone must have been rare, probably only since the train wreck incident.
Mary seemed aware that this was a unique opportunity.
“Hey, come here!”
“I got it, but stop pulling me!”
We arrived at the most popular water park in this resort.
Mary insisted on coming to play with me, and since I was already in swim trunks, it was a fitting place to have fun.
Mary said she had worn a swimsuit underneath her dress for this moment.
The moment she dropped her outerwear to her waist… Mary suddenly froze.
“No, this won’t do.”
Suddenly taking off her bracelet, Mary reverted back to her original form.
When I asked her why she was postponing her long-desired look, Mary replied, “It’s an important moment playing with my friend, so I want to play like this for now. Plus, I need to save my mana.”
She wanted to save her mana to surprise her friends later.
If she was planning to shock them with that appearance, the kids’ reactions would surely be priceless.
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t get to see her in her grown-up swimsuit, but this form suited her well.
Wearing a pink bikini that fit her tiny frame, Mary merrily jumped into the water splashes.
Aside from the nature of eating bugs, she displayed an endlessly childlike demeanor.
Well, she was already young to begin with.
“Hey, catch!”
Mary concentrated water with magic and sent it flying toward me like a volleyball.
As I just had a shower, I couldn’t lose, so I summoned Muto to drink the water.
“Go, Muto! Water cannon!”
Muto unleashed tons of water right at Mary.
With a yelp! Mary fell over, making the nearby kids giggle with delight.
When the children’s laughter turned to Mary, she quickly stood back up.
“Hehe, these little ones… are they challenging me?”
We all jumped at her sudden witch-like voice.
Mary gathered water using magic from the fountain and waterfall around.
She manipulated all of that water with telekinesis, separating them into small droplets, each one the size of a ping pong ball.
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
“How did you do that?”
“Show us again!”
The impressed children flocked around Mary.
While I was used to this scene, it was indeed fascinating for the kids.
With all those children’s eyes on her, Mary quickly calmed down.
“Is my sister’s magic that amazing?”
And she spoke with a gentle voice, but… that pleasant atmosphere didn’t last long.
“You’re the sister? What kind of nonsense is that?”
“You look just like us!”
“How old are you? Where are you from?”
In an instant, Mary’s expression stiffened.
I felt chills run down my spine watching this unfold.
It felt like facing a massive time bomb.
“Kids, don’t get me wrong. This lady is 17 years old and a second-year student at the Aligieri Academy.”
I stated the facts as they were.
But upon hearing that, the kids’ smiles drooped as they burst out laughing.
“Ha ha ha ha! Is that what you call it?”
“Seventeen? More like seven, right? Hoo hoo hoo!”
“Aligieri? That’s the Empire’s top Magic Academy, right? There’s no way such a tiny girl a while ago could have attended that!”
“Ah ha ha ha! She’s hilarious!”
The kids’ laughter rang out loud in front of the water park slides.
But at the same moment, ominous noises began to be heard.
With a rumbling, the ground started to shake, and the children’s laughter stopped abruptly.
Standing in the center was the pink-haired witch.
“No…”
“What did you say?”
“No!… I’m not a kid!!”
Mary suddenly screamed like a volcano erupting.
Her roar caused the slide to shake, and the droplets formed in mid-air began spinning.
Then they rained down like a waterfall over the kids standing below.
“I’m 17! I’m a second-year! Why won’t you believe me?!”
“Ahhhhh!”
“She’s crazy!”
The kids had to run to escape that incredible water bombardment.
Fortunately, given the form of water being thrown, it could be dismissed as just childish play, but Mary was literally in crazy mode.
Once I stepped in and helped calm her down, she returned to normal.
In the end, since we nearly caused a ruckus, we morally felt obliged to leave the water park.
On the way back to the residence, Mary rode on my back and said with a pout, “Hmph, how could everyone lose their minds like that and call me seven years old?”
“….”
“Hey, what do you think?”
“Um… I’m not sure.”
I also had no idea what to say.
What could be the cause of Mary’s stunted growth?
More importantly, the way she changed my nickname from ‘friend’ to ‘honey’ felt a bit significant.
“By the way, why are you suddenly calling me honey?”
Did she forget I told her not to call me that before?
“Why? There’s no one here but you and me. So it’s our time together!”
Mary, who was on my back, rubbed her face against my neck.
Well, no one was around, so I could let that one slide.
“Still… it was fun having Radon around.”
Mary’s expression melted back into warmth right away.
The nickname changed again.
She merely said my name, but this time it carried more emotion than just ‘friend’ or ‘honey.’
For her to say my name sincerely when she hadn’t before felt truly special.
“I want to be with you more from now on.”
“….”
“Radon will stay by my side, right?”
Mary wrapped her arms tightly around my neck.
I felt a warmth that wasn’t like before.
It was clear she wasn’t just the carefree girl she seemed when she realized she had been the Demon King’s vessel.
When she was sincere, she definitely existed.
Just like now.
“Of course I will.”
The sun was slowly setting.
Under the blood-red sky, the girl smiled as if she had everything.
The ground beneath the boy carrying the girl looked warmer than usual.
The words I had used to deceive the delinquents before while watching Radon were sincere.
*
In the underground of Rube Town, the Empire’s top resort.
It was a dirty place in every sense since it could only be accessed through back alleys.
In the center of that underground, a group of men gathered around a table with something laid out on it.
“Hey, do you guys know what I discovered?”
A tanned man with blond hair showed a photo and said, “I met this girl earlier today. I sneakily took her picture when those kids approached her.”
He had secretly taken it with a magical device.
The other men, upon seeing the photo, swallowed hard in astonishment.
“What is this? Is she a goddess?”
“The girls we’ve caught before can’t even compare!”
“Is she alone?”
“Not really. She lied and said she was dating some random guy to avoid trouble.”
From the outside, it would look like she was acting suspiciously to avoid strangers.
She clearly refused, yet kept stalking them till the end.
But they weren’t the type to give up easily.
“Wow… this is something.”
Erte Daniel, the leader among them, marveled.
After all, in this town, they wouldn’t face punishment for anything they did.
Feeling secure from their strong backing, they were overwhelmed with joy.
“She looks tasty!”
Erte said, licking his lips.
Behind them, a multitude of tied-up women lay scattered across the floor.
Surviving as an academy scammer.