Congratulations on Your Magical Girl Duties

36 – Magical Religious Activities (2)

There was a strange allure in Taishi’s words.

“This maiden loves, she does.”

Just one simple sentence, yet there was something captivating about it.

You could call it Taishi’s unique charisma. It was difficult to pinpoint, but there was a strange charm that naturally captivated the listener.

Even I, an atheist, was listening so intently, waiting for the next words.

Soon, Taishi continued.

“The precious magical temple cuisine produced from the taxes of the people, the clear magical sound of the wooden fish that shatters worldly cares, even the subtle magical chirping of insects that echoes through the silent night when all are asleep.”

Taishi paused, closing her eyes and offering a radiant smile.

A scene like a painting.

“All are things I hold dear, you see.”

*Tok-tok.* Taishi walked slowly.

“I wonder what all of you think of this, you see. Do you not enjoy a cup of tea while gazing at the bright moon rising in the dark night?”

And *thuk*, she stopped, turning her head.

“Surely, there will be difficult days for all of you, you see. I understand, you see. The worldly cares that fill the world are truly a harsh trial, you see.”

A melancholic feeling surfaced on her face.

But it soon became a wistful smile.

“However, we must not stop, you see. In order to reach a state of enlightenment, we must continue on, even if the journey is arduous, you see.”

Taishi paused, glancing at the magical girls. As if to give everyone time to mull over her words.

And then, again.

“And so, the maiden loves, you see.”

Her soft voice permeated everyone.

“The cherry blossom petals that flutter into the magical Dharma hall on a warm spring day, the lotus flowers that quietly bloom on the pond on a sweltering summer day, slick with sweat.”

Slowly, very slowly.

But steadily adding layer upon layer.

“The maple and ginkgo leaves that scatter here and there in the chilly autumn wind, the snowflakes that crunch crisply underfoot on a winter’s day, making your fingertips tingle.”

Just as everyone’s hearts were beginning to be dyed with color.

“All are things I hold dear, you see.”

Taishi’s smile blossomed.

“Ah.”

I couldn’t help but exhale a gasp of admiration.

A clear voice that touched the soul.

A comfortable rhythm, just right for listening.

Not too short, but not too long either, just the right length.

And the content, maintaining the Buddhist identity, yet appropriately adjusted so as not to be difficult to understand.

Flawless. Perfect.

It was a tremendous speech. Even I, who had never given Buddhism a thought, became interested.

Honestly, by this point, even if I didn’t want to admit it, I had to.

Though Taishi might be unhinged, she was still, undeniably, a magical girl.

Even if she’d only spoken of the tenets of Magical Buddhism, Taishi still looked like a magical girl to me.

The real kind.

A guardian of hope, singing of love and dreams.

Without realizing it, I’d moved my feet toward the Magical Temple.

Of course, I wasn’t planning on converting to Buddhism. I was, after all, an atheist through and through. If I believed in a religion, I wouldn’t have been howling at the moon.

But.

A small curiosity had taken root. I wanted to know a little more.

What did Magical Buddhism teach?

In what manner did they intend to impart their teachings?

Just then, Taishi opened her mouth.

“And!”

But something felt off.

Until now, her tone had been gentle and peaceful, but this was sharp, explosive, unlike anything before.

It felt like she’d unleashed something she’d been holding back.

“The unparalleled excellence of the magical girls within Magical Buddhism! Their overwhelming magical prowess! The new magical policies to cleanse the inferior, detestable, and insignificant magical hybrid religions!”

And then, Taishi slammed her fist violently on the lectern.

A mad grin, wide enough to split her face, bloomed.

“This maiden truly loves it all!”

Taishi’s crimson eyes flashed ominously.

“Our Arhat, more superior than anyone, is the race best suited to be magical girls!”

The frail devotee from moments before was gone. All that remained were defrocked monks consumed by madness.

No, even that wasn’t quite accurate.

They had merely been waiting, holding their breath.

Waiting for the moment to reveal their true nature.

And now, here in this place, they were unleashing it to its fullest.

“Has your devotion been rewarded, dearies?”

At Taishi’s words, the magical girls all shook their heads, replying somberly.

No, it had not.

Unrequited, she felt.

But, Taishi did not falter.

“Even if unrequited, it matters not, I say! Only this one thing must be remembered, I say!”

She simply marched forward, unwavering.

“Enlightenment lies not in worldly cares, but in Zen meditation, I say!”

The magical girls within the Magical Temple stomped their feet, raised their right hands, and chanted with booming voices.

One army!

One religion!

One magical girl!

Finally, Taishi raised her right hand as well.

“All of this is for the sake of Nirvana-ness!!!”

And with that, Taishi’s speech concluded in a roar of cheers from the magical girls.

Certainly, Taishi was a magical girl, alright.

“This is Magical Octopus, you crazy b*tches.”

Meaning, she was a lunatic.

I could bodily feel the reason why Sora and Huindoongi had struggled to describe Taishi.

How could one simply express a magical girl like *that*? She was, hands down, one of the craziest b*tches I’d ever seen amongst magical girls.

Thanks to her, my interest in the religious ceremony vanished. The thought of going to see Huindoongi disappeared, too, naturally.

I just wanted to go back as quickly as possible.

I wanted no further entanglement.

If I stayed here any longer, I felt like I might go a little mad myself. Or perhaps I already had.

I quickly turned on my heel.

“Hm?”

At that moment, an eagle soared away.

If it had merely been an eagle flying in the sky, I wouldn’t have given it much thought.

Eagles were a common sight in the military, so it would be the same in a magical girl’s unit, I assumed.

However, the location it flew towards was strange.

From the Magical Temple, a symbol representing Buddhism. A single Chinese character, bearing the meaning of auspiciousness, a good omen, a sign of luck.

Yes.

A white circle on a red background.

Inside, a swastika, etched in black.

Upon that glyph, an eagle perched, firm.

And then, spread its wings wide.

“Uh… oh…”

Suddenly, the swastika’s form seemed different.

Only an eagle had settled and unfurled its wings, and yet, somehow the orientation of the swastika felt altered.

It no longer resembled Buddhism’s symbol. It looked like the cross of a nation that, long ago, had shaken the world.

A terribly twisted cross.

*

My heart was in turmoil.

“Sunbae, why the face? You’ve been acting strange ever since that Magical Religion event.”

“…Just a little tired.”

The fact that I was the only sane person in the dormitory was deeply shocking.

One: a Magical Racialist.

Another: a Magical Sycophant.

Yet another: a Magical Nazi.

“Fuck, seriously.”

Where was someone normal like me supposed to find solace? It was truly lamentable.

So much so that even Whity, who I usually didn’t give a second thought, was worried about me.

“You okay? Did you get possessed by a ghost or something? Wanna go to the Magical Cathedral together later? They said a Magical Exorcist is coming next time.”

“Nah… I’m good…”

Of course, maybe it was only Magical Buddhism that was like this. But there was no guarantee that the other Magical Religions were any better.

Magical Christianity? I could already picture it. Magical Buddhism? I had already witnessed its madness firsthand.

Two out of three were like that; there was no way the remaining one was functioning normally.

I didn’t know.

And frankly, I didn’t want to.

In that instant, Sora locked eyes with me.

“Sunbae, what happened to you, seriously? Just spill it already.”

Perhaps Sora was worried sick about my deathly pallor.

“I didn’t know that Taishi b*tch was a squid…”

“Ah.”

Sora offered a wry smile at my words.

“See? I told you I’d be boring. I even said that because he’s such a devout believer, he’s a little… odd.”

“True enough. Seems you’re the only one I can actually trust in this world, Sora.”

“Then treat me right.”

Sora playfully sticks out her tongue, a bewitching look on her face.

Though, knowing her essence is lesbian, it’s not like my heart would particularly flutter. Still.

Now, finally, Taishi’s actions make sense.

There was a reason he abruptly called me an inferior being. He had that kind of thinking hammered into his head from the start; there was no way he’d call me anything normal.

Not that I’m planning on attending Magical Buddhism. To get acknowledged by a madman, entering a den of madmen would be foolish.

All I need to do is achieve the rank of Magical Sergeant.

After that, I’ll be free from the crazies.

“But Nakji, why isn’t she back yet?”

“It’s alright, sunbae. They said Magical Roll Call will be a little lax today.”

“Well, if that’s the case, that’s a relief.”

Still, I don’t understand why Nakji hasn’t come back yet.

It’s almost bedtime, and the fact that she still hasn’t returned makes me a bit uneasy.

It’s not like I’m worried about her safety, of course. She’s a magical girl, after all, tougher than me. She’ll survive just fine.

But, couldn’t she cause some kind of trouble?

Like, going on a ‘march’ somewhere in the middle of the night.

“She’ll probably be back soon.”

“I hope so.”

All I can do is pray that that Nakji doesn’t cause any accidents and returns safely.

Thankfully, almost as soon as I finished speaking, the door to the living quarters burst open.

“This maiden has arrived!”

Of course, it was Nakji.

“Nakji, what is that?”

“Ah, you mean this, milord?”

However, there was one difference from before.

“It is this maiden’s hobby!”

In her hands, a guitar rested.