Chapter 09 – Becoming a Great Magical Girl

“Oh, crap… Miku’s here. But… what even is she right now?”

Miku smiled faintly at my confusion.

“I see I surprised you. But that’s not why I came. I’m here to tell you—your training isn’t over yet. You still have one more trial before completing the first stage of becoming a Magical Girl.”

My jaw nearly hit the floor.
“What do you mean!? You’re telling me there’s still another test before I even finish the first part!?”

Miku nodded calmly.

“Yes. To complete your first stage, you must defeat a Demon Boss. Not alone, of course—you’ll have to fight together with your team of friends. The trial is to defeat a Rank A Demon Boss. If you succeed, then you will officially complete the first stage of being a Magical Girl. Tomorrow, you and your team must seek out and slay a Rank A Demon Boss.”

I sat down hard, overwhelmed.
“Okay, but… how are we supposed to find a Rank A Demon Boss?”

“You’ll need to search the dungeons outside the city,” Miku explained.
“Whether it’s the northern forest, the distant mountains, or other dangerous areas like the Dragon’s Forest, the Desert of the Minotaurs, or the Haunted Woods… choose a dungeon, explore it, and find your target.”

“Alright then… Tomorrow I’ll tell the girls, and on Saturday we’ll head to the Desert of the Minotaurs. With Kori in our party, this should be a piece of cake.”

Miku’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t get cocky. You’ve only just begun. Just because you defeated an Ogre Demon and those Dragon Potatoes doesn’t mean you’re already the greatest Magical Girl in the kingdom.”

I forced a small smile.
“Don’t worry. I know I still have a long way to go. But someday… I’ll become a great Magical Girl.”

After that, I let myself fall asleep, trying to recover my strength. Tomorrow was Monday—another day of school, or so I thought.

When I opened my eyes, my mom was standing in my room.
“Huh? Mom, what are you doing in here?”

She looked at me with a gentle but firm smile.

“From now on, you won’t be going to school anymore. You’re a Magical Girl now. Your duty is to protect the kingdom. That will be your new life.”

My heart froze. Seriously? Is my mom… actually making me quit school? I’m only twelve in this world… But what could I say? She was right. I couldn’t refuse her. So, I nodded, just to ease her heart.

After breakfast, I set out to meet Mizu, Akane, Mizuki, and Kori. They were already waiting for me outside.

“Finally, Taiyaki,” Kori scolded. “It’s already eight o’clock! We need to be at the guild in twenty minutes.”

Mizuki crossed her arms. “Punctuality is part of being a Magical Girl, you know.”

Akane smirked. “Try not to get us in trouble again, okay?”

Mizu sighed. “This is serious—even the King himself is counting on us. Don’t mess it up.”

I laughed nervously. “I know, I know! It’s still new to me, okay?”

As we walked toward the guild, my thoughts wandered. Could we really defeat the Demon Queen someday? Did the Goddess choose me for some special reason… or just because no one else was available? Or maybe… because she couldn’t be bothered to fight the Demon Queen herself?

No. That didn’t matter now. First things first—finishing the trial. Completing the first stage of being a Magical Girl.

It’ll be hard… but not impossible. I can do this. I have to show my courage, my skills… to my friends, and especially to Mizu. I won’t let her down.

At the guild entrance, the same two guards from my first visit stopped us.
“Oh, it’s you five again. Let’s see… Taiyaki Rose Tsuitachi, age 12. Your stats are—

Attack: 80
Defense: 50
Intelligence: 100
Speed: 70
Endurance: 50
Stamina: 40
Rank A — Element Type: Dark Magic

Next, Mizu no Ice, age 12.

Attack: 100
Defense: 100
Intelligence: 80
Speed: 80
Endurance: 68
Stamina: 80
Rank S — Element Type: Light

Akane no Fire, age 12.

Attack: 70
Defense: 50
Intelligence: 45
Speed: 70
Endurance: 90
Stamina: 100
Rank A — Element Type: Fire

Mizuki no Earth, age 12.

Attack: 120
Defense: 100
Intelligence: 50
Speed: 40
Endurance: 80
Stamina: 60
Rank A — Element Type: Earth

And finally, Kori no Shokubutsu, age 13.

Attack: 150
Defense: 40
Intelligence: 50
Speed: 60
Endurance: 90
Stamina: 90
Rank S — Element Type: Water

“All seems in order. You may pass, young ladies. Best of luck.”

The guards stepped aside, and we entered.

At the reception desk, the clerk looked up and smiled politely.
“So, you’re here for a mission. What kind of mission are you looking for?”

My chest tightened. This was it—the moment that would decide our path.
I took a deep breath, looked at my friends, and spoke clearly.

“We want to take on a mission… to defeat a Rank A Demon Boss.”