Chapter 20: Ira’s Internal Struggle

Ira exhaled deeply and patted Mona, who was lost in pleasant memories, urging her to return to her original body.

‘Really, what’s the point of thinking so much? That old hag left, so what? Why be so melancholy?

I hope she never shows up again! Does she think I’m still the five-year-old Blood Demon Princess who was brainwashed into being a little girl?

What a joke! I’m not some masochist who would let go of my guard just because Shula said a few kind words.

Ha! I’m the strongest magical girl, not a naive little girl who can be tricked by a pedophile aunt with candy.’

Ira smiled confidently and, without finishing her half-braided hair, walked down the stairs. After all, she was beautiful enough to make her disheveled hair look like a trend.

Hearing Mona ask about Shula’s whereabouts, Ira paused briefly before deciding to continue hiding the truth from her younger sister. She replied with a faint smile, ‘Our sister just received a mission and will be back soon. Let’s go downstairs and eat.’

Given that old hag’s personality, she definitely won’t leave like this. It’s better to hide it for her.

Ira glanced at Mona, who was standing innocently in front of her, looking adorable and focused on eating.

Mona, feeling self-conscious under Ira’s stare, blinked her eyes curiously and touched her mouth. ‘Ira, why are you staring at me? Do I have rice on my face?’

‘I don’t think so,’ Ira replied, taking Mona’s hand and leading her downstairs. ‘Let’s go eat.’

Last night, worried about her younger sister, Ira hadn’t eaten a single bite. Although Dark Demon’s body allowed her to survive without food or drink for a year, was the purpose of eating just to fulfill the body’s basic needs?

The two magical girls downstairs had already finished eating and were intently watching the news on TV.

In the small town of Qingling, only the Ling family, who owned electrical appliances, and the city’s café had wireless internet. With expensive data plans, few people used their data to watch videos.

TV demand was still high in this small town.

Mona picked up a plate of rice and handed it to Ira. When she saw that her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs had been completely eaten by the heartless little companions, she glared at Lingling, her teeth grinding audibly.

Leaf Cloud was shy and wouldn’t do something so shameless; it must have been this scheming blue-haired otaku!

Ira smiled as she ate, watching the harmonious interactions of the three younger magical girls. This was far better than when she first joined the team as a magical girl.

Ira placed a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs in Mona’s bowl and turned her attention to the potato strips on the side.

Sweet and sour pork ribs, potato strips, fried chicken legs, tomato and egg soup, and scrambled eggs with cucumbers—all her favorite dishes.

Whoever made these dishes understood her tastes so well. It couldn’t possibly be Shula, the kitchen disaster!

The greatest joy in life is when you’re hungry, and the food your family prepares is exactly what you love.

‘Um, Ira, thank you for last night. You and Belle saved me,’ Mona said, looking down at Ira with a guilty expression.

‘Sorry!’

‘What?’

‘I was being stubborn and training late last night, which caused you and…’

Ira quickly stopped Mona from apologizing further, speaking kindly. ‘You don’t need to apologize. Protecting you is my responsibility as your elder.’

‘Yes, Belle said the same thing!’

Ira’s forehead furrowed with three black lines.

This has nothing to do with Shula; it’s that old hag who put you in danger. But you still apologize to her…

Ira kept these thoughts to herself and didn’t express them openly.

‘By the way, there was another mysterious high hand who assisted us last night?’

‘Huh?’

Mona explained in detail how, during the night, a spider cadaver beast’s silk had pierced her body, and Dumpling had relayed the message. A substance resembling black mud had enveloped her, transporting her from the brink of death to the training ground, where she was saved by Ira.

‘Ira, it wasn’t black mud; it was something that looked like black mud,’ Mona corrected.

‘Ira, do you remember? Your body was remade by your sister using the same source of black mud. As the same source, it can become one,’ Shula said.

Could it be that the black mud on Dumpling last night was Shula’s? Did she use the black mud to guide Dumpling to take a shortcut back home, allowing her to quickly relay the message to Ira?

‘No, no, that can’t be. Even if Shula helped me save my sister last night, that spider cadaver beast was definitely sent by her!’

Ira quickly dismissed the terrifying thought. She couldn’t have misjudged anyone, especially not the Dark Demon Princess.

‘It’s said that this cadaver beast has been hunted by magical girls for six years, with various tracking devices on it. Because of its detectable silk and cautious nature, many magical girls have been injured. It was only recently defeated in our Qingling Town. The headquarters will send a retired magical girl to reward us.’

This statement almost completely ruled out the possibility that the spider cadaver beast was sent by Shula, as it had been hunted for so long and had tracking devices, making it too risky for her to use.

If that’s the case, then Shula truly protected Small Nana last night.

Did I really misunderstand my sister?

Should I compensate her? No, do I really need to apologize to Shula?

I, the magical girl White Rose, really need to apologize to the Dark Demon Princess Shula?

This doesn’t feel right…

Given Ira’s principle of repaying kindness, she couldn’t bring herself to say that because Shula is the Dark Demon, she can ignore everything she did.

For the first time, Ira felt torn by her unyielding principles.

Unfortunately, her principles were unshakable, no matter what anyone said.

This didn’t stop Ira from crying while eating, turning her sorrow into appetite. She was determined to finish her lunch.

Potato strips! Cucumber and egg stir-fry! Fried chicken legs! Face the judgment of the magical girl White Rose!

Delicious!!

Ira was engrossed in the joy of the meal. The potato strips were crispy and tangy, the fried chicken legs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, so delicious she wanted to lick her fingers.

Only food won’t betray you, won’t be linked to Shula, that old hag.

‘Wow, just as Belle said, Ira loves these four dishes,’ Mona exclaimed.

Ira almost choked on her food, coughing twice as she looked at Mona in shock and disbelief.

Who? Who made this food? Shula? That old hag who could pour gasoline into a pot thinking it was soy sauce? Could she really make these dishes?