Transformation or Death

Chapter 86

Get on Board (3)  

Winter had arrived in earnest. Frost covered the windows, and just breathing made visible puffs of air. The cold air mercilessly struck the ears, turning the skin red and numbing the senses until the fingertips started to ache. 

At times like this, one would want to just stay huddled at home on an electric mattress peeling mandarins, but that wasn’t possible right now.

“Brother, how about this place?”

“Hmm… It’s too cramped. Plus, the entrance is inconvenient, and people without cars would have a hard time getting here.”

“I see…? Tsk, this is difficult.”

It was because I had to help Joo Ah-yoon prepare to open a cafe. We had decided on interior props, furniture, and main menu items through discussion, but we still hadn’t settled on where to open the cafe.

I would get my barista license while gaining experience running the cafe.

I wondered when Joo Ah-yoon had managed to get her barista and baking certifications in the midst of being so busy. She had always been a pretty good student in the past, so I suppose it was thanks to her diligence and academic aptitude.

“What were you just thinking about?”

“Just that the place we saw earlier seemed cheap…”

“Brother, I told you not to decide based on the cheapest option, didn’t I? It’s not like we’re opening in a busy district. Money will come and go. We need to carefully choose the place we like best.”

“…Right.”

I’m not sure. To me, aside from a few that seemed subpar, they all looked about the same.

Of course, since Joo Ah-yoon was the one funding it, I couldn’t really complain. She stared at me intently before letting out a chuckle.

“Cold?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s honest.”

Then she gestured with her hand, signaling me to lean down. Without a word, I bent down. Joo Ah-yoon smiled widely and touched my ears and cheeks with her gloved hands.

“Look at how red your ears and cheeks are. People might think you’re drunk. You look just like a fool.”

“Well, I am intoxicated – by Ah-yoon’s charms.”

“Aigo, you’re really spouting nonsense. Looks like you’ve been properly smitten. Alright, let’s look around for a cafe or someplace to warm up after this.”

Even as she swore, she seemed amused as she smiled. Once Joo Ah-yoon’s hands left my face, I straightened back up.

“It’s so damn tall, as always… What’s it like breathing the air up there?”

“Very fresh.”

“Ah, I envy you. Oh, that’s right, brother, did you know? I’ve grown taller now.”

“Oh? Really?”

“Yeah. 0.3cm.”

I thought she must have grown quite a bit, but only 0.3cm? Despite the pitiful amount, Joo Ah-yoon puffed out her chest proudly.

“Well, that’s just the kind of fluctuation you get every time you measure it…”

“No, it’s not!”

Strongly refuting my words, Joo Ah-yoon declared with a sense of desperation, “This means I’ve entered the 150cm range!”

“Oh, uhh…”

Well, I can see why that would be quite desperate. Come to think of it, I would have been anxious too if the leading digit changed.

“A positive effect of the transformation?”

“It’s a side effect.”

“No, it means my body is growing more suited for combat! My growth plates haven’t closed even in my 20s!”

“But what if I can’t see my adorable little Ah-yoon anymore~”

“I might even end up taller than you, brother.”

“You’re having delusions of grandeur over just 0.3cm. First, hit 160cm and we’ll talk.”

“Just give me a year.”

We walked on, exchanging lighthearted banter. Our visible breaths condensed and rose into the air.

After her first transformation, Joo Ah-yoon had gone through several more transformations. It had been enough time for her to get used to her belt transformation.

Enough time to realize the differences between her transformation and mine.

The biggest differences were in the belt and the stars.

When in its dormant state, it’s presumed to have the same design as mine, but once transformed into its belt form, it looks completely different from mine.

A white belt shaped like an upside-down ‘W’ similar to a bird spreading its wings, with a lens in the center.

Quite different from the basic belt form I have. Everything except the central lens had changed.

Additionally, while the star I possess is similar to that of the villains, the five stars Joo Ah-yoon has resemble those of a Magical Girl.

Joo Ah-yoon’s stars emitted a cleaner, purer light. A light uncannily similar in color to the stars held by Magical Girls. An infinite radiance that continues growing without limits.

In other words, while Joo Ah-yoon has already completed her constellation, her growth potential is endless.

‘I wonder if my transformation is the strange one, or if it’s hers that’s strange…’

It’s troublesome not being able to create samples. Maybe I should stop by Botis’ place later and ask him about it.

“What are you thinking about so intently?”

“Hm? Oh, it’s the new year tomorrow, so I was wondering what we should do.”

“We need to find a place for the cafe before the new year!”

“There are only a few hours left…”

Joo Ah-yoon was cheerful. Seeing her spiritedness naturally brought a smile to my face. She truly did suit having the stars of a Magical Girl. What an incredibly pure and innocent person.

‘The problem now is me.’

I’ve resolved Joo Ah-yoon’s memory issue, and her vision is clear. But I still haven’t found all of my stars, and my memories are the same.

‘Just what happened to me to lose so many memories?’

If losing memories itself is a trial, then that means I’m still in the midst of trials. My purpose is to protect the Magical Girls. That hasn’t changed.

According to Botis, memory loss is a test of whether I can properly proceed without knowing my purpose. But since I already know my purpose, what meaning does this loss hold for me?

‘Just what kind of mess is this?’

It’s complicated.

“Sheesh…”

“What, were you that cold? Should we get going? Want me to transform?”

“Don’t be reckless with it… You don’t even know how dangerous that technique is. There are side effects. Your mind could change like the villains.”

“…My height could increase too, you know.”

“That’s what a side effect is.”

She still hasn’t shed her childish nature. Considering that Joo Ah-yoon’s star is close to that of a magical girl, there’s a higher possibility that side effects like mine won’t occur. But just in case.

‘Come to think of it, Joo Ah-yoon’s transformation is much safer compared to mine.’

No going berserk, less worry about being consumed by villainous thoughts, memory loss is quickly recovered, and from what I’ve heard, there’s no compulsory mechanism like quests either.

‘Ah shit, life is so unfair.’

To think there’s such a gap even among the socially disadvantaged, is this the cruel reality? But then again, thinking about the fact that there are tons of people worse off than me, even these thoughts are delusions.

I turned my gaze towards the mascot. According to Joo Ah-yoon, her belt is implanted with a former mascot that is very amiable, but this cold one doesn’t seem to worry properly and is always thinking about rolling around.

[The current number of stars the Guardian possesses is 14.]

‘I didn’t ask.’

Although I was curious.

“Huh? brother, how about this place?”

While walking, Joo Ah-yoon pointed to a spot. It was a small cafe located on an alleyway. A dim, lantern-like light was wiping out the shadows and illuminating the signboard.

“Looks good.”

“Then let’s go in.”

Joo Ah-yoon unhesitatingly kept walking ahead. I followed behind her.

“Hello~!”

I opened the door boldly, and the skin that was dying from the winter air heaved a sigh of relief, meaning it was warm inside.

It was a cozy cafe with a stove on the wall and a long table with about three tables. Overall, it gave a cozy vibe.

“This place is nice…”

Joo Ah-yoon seemed captivated by the unique atmosphere as she muttered with admiration.  

“Welcome. Will you be ordering?”

“Ah, yes.”

Joo Ah-yoon scurried towards the owner. I walked over at a leisurely pace, surveying the surroundings.

An old pin table, vintage rock LPs, neon signs used as accents. Overall, it was a cafe filled with knick-knacks that Joo Ah-yoon liked.

As expected, even as she was about to order, Joo Ah-yoon was sparkling her eyes as she looked around.

“Ma’am…?”

“Ah, sorry. Two Americanos please.” 

“Got it.”

“Make them hot.”

“Haha, sure. It’s quite cold outside, isn’t it?”

The owner was an elderly lady. Her warm appearance contributed to making this place feel cozy.

“I’ll bring them nice and hot. Please have a seat.”

“Okay.”

After responding with a smile to her thoughtfulness, I found a suitable spot and sat down. Joo Ah-yoon followed me and took a seat as well. Seeing her beaming with excitement, I could immediately tell what she was going to talk about.

“Brother, this place…”

“You want to open a cafe like this too?”

Joo Ah-yoon vigorously nodded her head.

“Look, isn’t it pretty? The location is great too. A quiet alleyway… Someone taking shelter at a cafe from the rain… With old jazz, rock, and city pop playing… Along with the aroma of good coffee beans… Yeah, that’s it.”

“You’ve got quite the specific image.”

“And the coffee aroma is just amazing, isn’t it? Wow… I’d love to open a cafe like this too.”

After that, Joo Ah-yoon went on expressing her admiration for this cafe for a while.

“I really want to open a cafe like this…”

“You want to open a cafe?”

“Oh.”

The elderly lady who brought the Americanos overheard that.

“Ah, sor- sorry. I was being too loud… My apologies…”  

“What are you sorry for? You seem like a young owner-to-be.”

“Hahaha… Well, something like that…”

“Or maybe a young newlywed couple planning to open a new place~?”

“We’re not a cou- couple!”

She rejected it pretty bluntly. A little too blunt.

“Oh, pardon me. It’s just the vibe you two give off.”

“The… vibe…? Heh, heheh is that so…?”

Joo Ah-yoon awkwardly scratched her cheek. As if her throat was parched, she picked up the cup in front of her and drank the coffee. Soon, her eyes sparkled again.

“…! This is!”

“Tasty, right?”

“Yes, yes!”

“I’m glad you like it… Oh, is it okay for me to chat like this?”  

“Of course!”

“It’s been so long since I’ve had any customers to talk to like this.” 

Naturally, a conversation started between the two ladies.

It began with light talk about coffee beans, decorations, and furniture, eventually leading to discussion about the entire cafe.

In the midst of this, Joo Ah-yoon couldn’t let one remark slip by.

“…Young lady, don’t start a business recklessly. Especially, choose your location carefully.”

“Location is important, huh.”

“It’s not just important. You know, young lady? This area has just been designated a villain hazard zone. Apparently, there have been a ton of missing persons around here recently…”

Here too? I knew it wasn’t that far from the city center.

“This place?!”

“That’s right… So I’m planning to relocate the shop soon. That customer might be my last for a while. Young lady, don’t carelessly sign a lease like I did. Who knew this place would become a hazard zone…”

Of course she wouldn’t have known. At this distance, it should be considered safe enough. Even with the recent increase in villain activity, labeling it a hazard zone seems strange.

But it seems Joo Ah-yoon’s interest lies elsewhere.

“You’re… Relocating the shop?”

Her eyes sharpened.

“Owner, sell this cafe to me.”

“…Huh?”

I saw that coming.

T/N: Hi @everyone, sorry to say this but this novel will be dropped due to lack of support, It has been through a lot of mess wherein the subscription platform refunded the supporters their funds and closed the support page and that is why the Illustration page is no longer working. Basically that means there is literally a big loss of funds for this novel and I can not carry on like this as the cost for this novel is too much. Some chapters are still left but that will end in time. Just to note, I am not dropping this novel voluntarily as I prefer completing a translation, but this situation has forced my hands, anyways have a day.