Chapter 11: The Art of Double Misdirection

Lin Mo blinked. The moment the first student pushed open the door, her face swiftly reverted to her usual slightly bewildered expression. She scratched her head and mumbled softly:

“Hmm… did I come to the wrong classroom?”

Then, under the bewildered gazes of several students, she naturally slipped out through the back door.

The students double-checked the classroom, glanced at her again, and then, without much thought, found their seats to prepare for their early morning class.

After Lin Mo left the classroom and descended a floor, she stretched languidly, rolling her shoulders.

[Phew… that was easy~ perfectly handled~] Her mood was excellent.

[But Master, you were almost discovered!] Xiao Li grumbled, floating beside her.

[Almost discovered? How could I be?] Lin Mo walked down the stairs with light steps. [Firstly, I didn’t transform. Secondly, I wasn’t holding my staff. To them, I was just a cute, beautiful girl who’d stumbled into the wrong classroom~]

[More like a charmingly clumsy beautiful girl!] Xiao Li floated in front of her. [And Master, do you know why I was late? On my way here, I sensed a large number of N-level ‘Erosions’ – specks of dust – gathering by the sports field!]

[Although their individual level is low, a large quantity can be troublesome. I took care of some of them, delaying their fusion process!]

Lin Mo blinked. [Many?]

[At least twenty clusters! They were hovering at the edge of the sports field, likely remnants of negative emotions left behind by some small event last night.] Xiao Li flew to her Master’s shoulder and settled there.

[So, we still need to go to the sports field for a thorough purification. Otherwise, while these dust motes are harmless individually, too many gathering could merge and catalyze new stray spirits.]

[Understood!] Lin Mo patted her stomach. [Then let’s go now! A quick battle! After it’s over, I want to properly reward myself~ by eating the new strawberry cream buns at the cafeteria~ Oh! And pineapple buns!]

Xiao Li gazed at her Master’s sparkling eyes, a smile gracing her face, and then casually leaned back on her Master’s shoulder, relaxing.

[Yay! Then, Master, finish quickly, I want some too!]

****

The next day was Saturday.

At six-twenty in the quiet morning, the dormitories were serene. It was precisely the blissful time when university students felt fully justified in sleeping in.

[Master! Time to wake up!]

Xiao Li’s voice exploded directly in Lin Mo’s mind.

Lin Mo jolted awake, poking her head out from under the covers, her eyes glazed with confusion. [‘…Huh? Again? Not even Saturday is safe from you?’]

[You have training at the Jacaranda Division for a new recruit today!] Xiao Li pushed her shoulder with a paw. [Master, you didn’t forget, did you?]

Training… new recruit…

Her memories slowly returned. It seemed… there really was such a thing. A few days ago, she had received a notification about providing basic training for a newly appointed intern, scheduled for today.

Lin Mo buried her face back into her pillow, letting out a pained groan. [‘Let me sleep for five more minutes… just five minutes… I was catching up on a new anime until two AM last night… I thought I wouldn’t have to get up early today!’]

[No way! It’s at least a forty-minute drive from school to the branch office, and you still need to wash up, eat breakfast, choose clothes—]

“Choose what clothes?” Lin Mo finally poked her head out. “For training, I’ll definitely be in my transformed state! What I wear after transforming can be chosen freely… ‘Wait, what should I wear to meet the new recruit while transformed? That really does need some careful consideration…’”

As a Budding Bloom, she indeed had several “skins” to choose from.

Her standard uniform, the “Jasmine Garden Attire,” was the most commonly used, but would it appear too casual? Her battle suit, “Moonlit Radiance,” was overly formal, almost as if she were preparing for an Erosion purification. The “Whispering Flower Garden” from her casual wear mode was approachable, but might it be too intimate…?

‘Should I use “White Night Journey,” to evoke a sense of mystery? Or “White Feather’s Prayer,” which is more ornate and formal?’

‘It seemed… she really did need some time to consider.’

Lin Mo resignedly climbed out of bed. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she wasn’t paying attention to her footing, and her last step on the bunk ladder missed the floor.

Dong!

A dull thud echoed with exceptional clarity in the quiet dormitory.

Her roommate on the adjacent bed stirred, a drowsy voice drifting over. “…Momo? What are you doing? So early…”

Lin Mo froze, her mind racing. “Uh… I’m going to do volunteer work. I have an arrangement today. I’m sorry for waking you…”

“Volunteer work this early?” Her roommate rubbed her eyes. “Could it be a date? For someone as cute as you, Momo—”

“No, no!” Lin Mo’s face flushed. She snatched her toiletry bag and scurried into the bathroom. “It really is volunteer work!”

Closing the door, she exhaled a long breath at her reflection in the mirror.

The girl in the mirror had slightly reddened cheeks. She turned on the tap, splashed cold water on her face, and then began her morning routine with meticulous care. Brushing her teeth, washing her face, carefully applying moisturizer—even though she would assume a different appearance after transforming, this was a ritual, and her daily ‘disguise’ when facing her roommate.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she had reverted to her usual fresh appearance. Her half-ponytail was tied immaculately, with a small jasmine hair tie neatly pinned beside her ear.

After a brief contemplation, she opted for a casual academy-style outfit. She chose a white shirt with a bow tied at the collar, layered with a thin, off-white long-sleeved cardigan. For her bottom, she selected a light blue plaid pleated skirt, its folds crisp and fresh.

This ensemble struck a perfect balance between appropriate formality and scholarly charm, while still retaining a youthful lightness. Indeed, she looked every bit the well-behaved student heading to a volunteer event.

Just as she finished changing, her roommate climbed down from the bed. Seeing Lin Mo’s attire, her eyes lit up. “Still saying it’s not a date? You’re dressed so beautifully!”

Lin Mo’s heart tightened, but on her face, she maintained a perfectly nuanced, helpless smile. “Can’t I dress nicely just because I’m volunteering? Besides… the person I’m meeting this time is quite important, they are…”

She deliberately made the word “important” sound vague, leaving room for imagination.

“Oh~” Her roommate drew out the sound, smiling knowingly. “I get it, I get it. It’s a ‘very important person’ indeed~”

Lin Mo said no more, simply smiled, grabbed her backpack, and swiftly headed out the door.

The hallway was quiet and empty. As she descended the stairs, she replayed the situation with Xiao Li in her mind:

[How was my performance just now?]

[Perfect!] Xiao Li bounced on her shoulder. [You deliberately used ‘volunteer’ as an easily suspected excuse, then hinted at ‘someone important,’ and even wore refreshing casual clothes—your roommate now surely believes you’re on a date and only claimed volunteer work as a cover-up. This way, she won’t even think about you being a magical girl!]

[That’s called double misdirection.] Lin Mo felt a touch of pride. [If I had directly said I was going on a date, she might have found it too obvious and pressed for more. This way, she believes she’s ‘seen through’ my ‘lie,’ and will be satisfied enough not to dig any deeper.]

[Top-tier mind games! Comparable to—]

[Oh, stop being sarcastic! Hurry and open the navigation, we’re going to be late!]

In response, Xiao Li returned to Lin Mo’s phone screen, where a chibi grayish-brown rabbit popped out, waving a tiny flag to show the way.

Lin Mo stepped onto the quiet campus path of early morning, her footsteps light.

The wind blew, carrying the scent of dew and fresh grass.

Suddenly, she felt a surge of anticipation.

‘The new recruit… what kind of person would they be?’

Once she neared the training location, Lin Mo found a secluded spot before beginning her magical girl transformation.

“Pure heart, let fragrance be my witness. Contract Bloom—Jasmine!”

As she chanted, a luminous, ethereal jasmine flower first materialized in her hand, then particles of light gradually enveloped her entire body…

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