Chapter 76: An Unconventional Proposal

“I know, myself, that this is too much, completely unacceptable. But if you truly wish to go out, it could be under my accompaniment…”

Duanmu Jin’s voice grew progressively softer, eventually becoming an inaudible whisper. Gazing at the black-haired girl, who seemed on the verge of tears, she found herself in a rare state of utter helplessness.

‘Accompaniment? It’s clearly surveillance. Why bother sugarcoating it like this?’

‘Oh, I’m such a fool!’

Duanmu Jin inhaled deeply, as if bracing herself for something. Her sudden silence only heightened Ye Qing’s anxiety.

“No, older sisters, can’t you just finish your sentences in one go?”

Under the influence of her acute bodily sensations, every second stretched into an eternity. Ye Qing could only bury her head, tensing her body, which offered a slight, temporary relief.

After a long moment, Duanmu Jin finally stirred. Yet, before Ye Qing could even feel a flicker of joy, she watched the other woman retrieve a tissue from her pocket and hand it to her.

“I’m sorry, this is all I can do…”

Upon hearing this, Ye Qing nearly saw her nose twist from sheer indignation.

The surge of grievance in her heart became unbearable, and tears, unchecked, streamed down her cheeks. Her clear, yet mournful, amber eyes were a truly heart-wrenching sight.

Seeing the small, black-haired girl beside her quietly shedding tears, Gu Xuanyu could no longer remain seated. She took the tissue from Duanmu Jin’s hand and gently wiped the wet streaks from Ye Qing’s face.

“…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that just now, I was just…”

Concerned, she also felt a pang of confusion. Based on her understanding of Ye Qing, such a strong reaction seemed unwarranted, especially since they had discussed this very topic just a few nights prior.

“…We’re nowhere near the worst-case scenario yet, so how could this be…”

“Ye Qing, if something is bothering you, just say it. If it’s truly impossible…”

Gu Xuanyu’s gaze hardened. If Ye Qing genuinely could not accept the situation, she would send her out, even if it meant risking damage to her own magic medium.

“…”

Ye Qing, her eyes still brimming with tears, looked at Gu Xuanyu and spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz:

“I… I need to use the restroom…”

A moment later, Ye Qing finally resolved her physical discomfort. Feeling refreshed, she emerged from the restroom, only then noticing the unnatural blush coloring the silver-haired girl’s cheeks as she leaned against the doorframe.

“What’s wrong?”

Startled by the sudden question, Gu Xuanyu averted her gaze. She simply led Ye Qing away by the hand, walking determinedly forward without looking back.

With the enhanced senses of a Magical Girl, she had heard everything with unsettling clarity: the incessant rustling from inside the restroom stall, and the girl’s soft, continuous hums.

This was hardly just a trip to the restroom; it was clearly something else entirely…

The thought that this kind of matter had forced Ye Qing to interrupt their conversation left Gu Xuanyu feeling bewildered.

‘Was she truly so starved for affection? I was right here, why didn’t she ask for my help?’

‘Or am I too clumsy, and she worried I couldn’t…?’

Gu Xuanyu unconsciously tightened her grip on Ye Qing’s small hand, silently steeling her resolve.

‘I must make Ye Qing understand that I am no longer that weak and awkward person I once was!’

Returning to the dining table, everyone’s expressions were somewhat strained, especially Duanmu Jin’s. After that unexpected turn of events, her vanity seemed to have been thoroughly cured.

“Cough, cough. In that case, let’s be direct. Ye Qing, I want you to become a Magical Girl.”

No sooner had she sat down than Ye Qing heard this momentous declaration, causing her to immediately widen her almond-shaped eyes.

“What? A Magical Girl? Me?”

“Isn’t… isn’t there some misunderstanding? How could I ever be a Magical Girl…?”

“You can!”

Duanmu Jin stated calmly, her piercing gaze sweeping over Ye Qing’s body, searching for even a glimmer of Magical Girl potential.

‘Hmm, well, she certainly doesn’t look like an unpolished gem, but unpolished gems can be cultivated!’

Turning to glance at Gu Xuanyu, Duanmu Jin’s mind settled, and she continued.

“Ye Qing, you must understand that Magical Girls can also be nurtured through unconventional means, especially for adolescent girls like you.”

Ye Qing chewed her food, her head bowed.

‘I only look small, but I’m actually eighteen years old, you know. I’m not an adolescent girl anymore…’

“Not all Magical Girls are born with innate talent. Their catalyst for becoming a Magical Girl is often a significant person in their lives.”

Ye Qing pursed her lips, inexplicably thinking of something ominous.

‘The more I listen, the more it sounds like some red-eyed clan that needs the death of a close relative to awaken their power, doesn’t it?’

“And without exception, all these individuals eventually became incredibly powerful Magical Girls, holding pivotal positions in our founding history. So, don’t be discouraged. Magical Girls are miracles in themselves; as long as you believe in miracles, miracles will naturally respond.”

Listening to this familiar rhetoric, Shen Congqing, who was nearby, moved her lips as if to speak, but then held back.

She wouldn’t be so tactless as to undermine Duanmu Jin now, but back when she was a naive young girl, she had certainly argued with her.

She still remembered what she had said then:

“Oh, so Teacher Duanmu must also be working hard with such a belief, right?”

Yet, despite Duanmu Jin’s many years of effort, she remained an ordinary person. Although Shen Congqing had spoken casually, Duanmu Jin had still detected a hidden meaning in her words.

Duanmu Jin had smiled sweetly on the surface, but afterward, she had thoroughly “massaged” Shen Congqing for several days, leaving her too exhausted to even get out of bed.

Recalling the past, Shen Congqing couldn’t help but sigh softly.

‘Alas, why was I so naive back then?’

But even this small, careless gesture was not lost on Duanmu Jin.

The golden-eyed girl smiled faintly, ignoring it for now, but she still remembered Violet’s parting words.

‘You really need to give little Qing a good lesson.’

“Frankly, my childhood wish was also to become a Magical Girl. So, I’ve continued to try even now. Although I haven’t managed to become a Magical Girl, I successfully sensed magic, which is why I can be here as the head of Magical Girl affairs.”

These words were somewhat humble. For Duanmu Jin to achieve the highest leadership position in the city as an ordinary person, her qualifications were far more complex than simply sensing magic.

“Based on my experience, I believe you possess great potential.”

Duanmu Jin’s gaze swept across Ye Qing and Gu Xuanyu’s faces. The former still looked a bit bewildered, while the latter shyly turned her face away.

“Even if you can’t become a Magical Girl, I can recommend you to become a Magical Girl supervisor. Although due to some complex reasons, I cannot give you Gu Xuanyu’s magic medium, I can make you her de facto supervisor.”

Ye Qing found the “complex reasons” not hard to understand. Giving her the medium would be almost the same as giving it to Gu Xuanyu.

In such a scenario, even if they had no intention of rebelling, they would still incur suspicion.

“Therefore, from now on, you, Chi, and Qing will attend the Magical Girl Academy as transfer students.”

“Huh?”

“Huh!”

The first bewildered sound came from Ye Qing, because she did not want to attend classes.

The second, equally bewildered sound came from Shen Congqing.

“How am I involved in this?”

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