So You Want to Be a Magical Girl? - Chapter 1

While hunting for an internship before graduation, I met a black cat that could talk.

It told me I was the Savior destined to defeat the Demon King and asked me to sign a contract with it.

I eyed it warily. “Are you with Kero, or are you one of Kyubey’s people?”

A question mark practically appeared on its pitch-black face.

When it failed to answer, every alarm bell in my head went off. I spun around to leave.

“Sorry, but I’ve grown out of my edgy phase. I’m too old to be a magical girl. Try another planet.”

The black cat sprang onto my head and tapped my skull with its tail.

“Child of humanity, I’m asking you to sign an enrollment contract for the Academy of Magic. Why are you running away?”

Huh?

Had Hogwarts replaced owls with cats?

The black cat flicked its tail and patiently explained.

“After Heaven and Hell made peace, God founded the Academy of Magic so the younger generations of every race could receive education and protection there.

“Because humans are physically frail, the academy did not initially accept students from the human realm. Then the Book of Prophecy delivered a new revelation: another crisis will soon threaten the world, and this time, the Savior is you—a human.

“The academy’s invitation is intended both to protect you and to give the human realm an opportunity to make contact with other worlds. If you graduate successfully, the Academy of Magic will formally open enrollment to humanity and reveal the true face of the world to your kind.”

It sounded as though I had been cast in a very important role.

Seeing my expression soften, the black cat nodded with satisfaction and asked if I had any questions.

I thought for a moment. “Will you enroll your Savior in social insurance and the housing provident fund? Can you issue proof of employment? Oh, and my university needs a tripartite employment agreement. You can sign that, right?”

I did not want to come back after three years of study abroad only to have recruiters call it an employment gap.

The black cat: “?”

It stared at me in amazement. “The world is about to end, and you’re worried about employee benefits. Humans really are strange sometimes.”

“So, do I get them?”

“…Yes.”

And that was how I signed the enrollment contract and became the Academy of Magic’s first human student.

My identity as the Savior was classified, of course. It could hardly be announced to the public.

But being human was enough to draw the attention of my nonhuman classmates.

On the day I arrived, drums thundered, firecrackers exploded, crowds filled the streets, and flags waved everywhere—

Actually, none of that happened.

All I got was a path lined with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

“A human? Do they taste good? Chomp, chomp.”

“What’s wrong with you? She’s obviously a new student. Eating your classmates is against school rules!”

That one was greedy but rational.

“A human? I could kill ten of those with one punch. Keh-heh-heh! Did the school bring her in as a punching bag?”

“Arusha, you’ve gotten weak. I could kill fifty tiny humans with one punch!”

Those two were belligerent and entirely devoid of reason.

Some students merely whispered about me. Others were bold enough to jump directly into my path and issue a challenge.

A beastman with fiery fox ears bared his teeth. “Humans have called my kind vixens for thousands of years. Today, I will wipe away that disgrace! Human! Do you dare accept my challenge?”

I waved politely. “No, thanks. Also, could you move? You’re blocking the road.”

“Oh. Oh, right. Sorry.” The fox beastman obediently stepped aside.

Only after I had trundled some distance away with my suitcase did he realize what had happened. Then he shrieked like a kettle being beaten to death.

“Treacherous human! How dare you toy with this lord! Damn you, damn you, damn you!”

I scratched my ear and continued toward student registration.

God had probably been fairly evenhanded when creating all living things.

There were only so many points to distribute. Humans had sacrificed longevity for intelligence, while certain long-lived races… Well. They were rather adorable in their own way.

With that thought, I pushed open the door to the registration office.

And there I saw a creature upon whom God had clearly lavished favoritism.

A window had been left open. A sudden gust swept through the room, lifting the white curtains before letting them fall amid a drift of immaculate feathers.

Sunlight spilled over the golden curls of the man standing by the window. In that instant, every description of an angel I had ever read in fantasy became vivid and real.

Hearing the door, he turned. His gaze fell on my suitcase, and a modest, gentle smile touched his face.

He folded his wings, inclined his head, and pressed one hand to his chest in a courtly bow.

“Welcome, Xie Ying. I am Sariel, president of the student council.

“By God’s command, I will be your guide to the academy for the time being.”