Chapter 70: The Runaway’s Sanctuary and a Looming Confrontation

Ye Liuyun had snuck away.

When Magical Girl Rainbow Jade arrived, seeking his mother for an urgent negotiation, he put his plan into motion.

It was less a plan and more a long-conceived escape from home.

He was an exceptionally capable individual, though this excellence wasn’t born of his own desires. He understood acutely that a certain ‘measure’ truly existed within everyone’s heart.

His mother’s ‘measure’ for him felt distorted. As a child, he had many friends and had visited numerous homes, witnessing how their parents interacted with their children. It was nothing like his mother’s approach.

His mother was not normal.

While such words might seem inappropriate to describe his own mother, he believed his perception was accurate.

He felt an immense pressure building within him. As time wore on, this burden only grew heavier.

‘This is bad. If things continue like this, I might even give birth to a Kaiju.’

He had arrived at a remarkably sound judgment.

Sometimes, things simply are that way.

Even when one knows something is amiss, it can be difficult to break free from the accompanying emotions. Sometimes, even with a clear solution, implementing it proves impossible.

He had long since communicated with his mother. If only she would listen to his words, it might have been a good solution. Yet, despite her outwardly gentle demeanor, she never truly heeded him.

He decided he needed to save himself.

No matter the method, he had to escape his mother’s side. He needed time to live on his own, to allow his spirit to relax.

He had planned this meticulously.

Firstly, he couldn’t seek help from his teachers. They would undoubtedly contact his parents, not out of betrayal, but because it was their responsibility.

He knew his teachers were diligent and dedicated, so he wouldn’t entertain such unrealistic scenarios.

Secondly, he couldn’t ask his classmates for help. Staying at a friend’s house for a couple of days wasn’t impossible, but it meant residing in someone else’s home, where he would still need to maintain his ‘perfect’ facade.

This wouldn’t allow his mind to truly relax.

Moreover, his mother could easily find him there.

Subsequently, he couldn’t go to hotels or similar places. With Carnelian’s authority, she could effortlessly track him down. Therefore, he needed a place where identity registration wasn’t required.

So, what kind of place could satisfy his needs?

A hot spring.

A package ticket, costing less than 200 yuan, offered access to the hot springs, along with food, lodging, and various entertainment facilities. He could stay there for a night.

He had saved enough cash well in advance.

Such places typically didn’t require identity verification. While some might ask for personal information, Ye Liuyun knew that unless a crime occurred, this information wouldn’t be checked.

Besides, when registering, one didn’t necessarily have to provide real information.

He’d heard about this from friends during a chat, who mentioned their family had visited a simple hot spring during the holidays. As they described the process, he immediately realized it was the perfect hiding spot for him.

Of course, he didn’t intend to spend all day soaking in the springs.

He simply planned to use it as a place to rest each night. As for how he would truly relax, that was an entirely separate plan.

Once he confirmed his mother hadn’t followed him, Ye Liuyun was overcome with delight.

Truth be told, he found the place a bit chaotic. Many people were soaking in the same pool, and a more fastidious person might even worry about falling ill.

He knew his overprotective mother would never allow him to bathe in such a place. If he wanted to visit a hot spring, she would surely arrange for a private one, meticulously cleaned and disinfected before he used it.

However, the springs here were artificial, not natural. While they were called ‘hot springs,’ they were essentially just baths. But a little grime wouldn’t hurt…

Wrapped in a non-disposable bath towel, he observed the crowd.

He felt a strange excitement.

Things that were absolutely forbidden, things he was never allowed to do. And this, a decidedly imperfect, even somewhat cheap, form of relaxation.

It stirred his heart so profoundly.

He hadn’t come to this public bathhouse without consideration.

Though it felt somewhat unfair to his mother, even if she had followed him, she would never enter such a place.

After all, she was the mother who pursued perfection.

She had to maintain the image of Magical Girl Carnelian. If she were to barge into the men’s bath, it would make the headlines of Skyclear City tomorrow, causing immense damage to the overall reputation of Magical Girls.

Therefore, this was an excellent place to shield himself from his mother’s scrutiny.

If he were bathing alone, his mother might very well burst in.

He felt a genuine sense of mental relaxation.

He bathed at home too, but it never brought him this kind of joyful peace.

Here, he wasn’t Ye Liuyun. No one had told him to come. He was just an ordinary teenager, here for a bath, free from any need to maintain his image.

‘Soaking in a bath truly is about the mood, after all.’

He was indeed experiencing a sense of ease.

But Carnelian did not think so.

‘Why?’

‘Why did he come to a place like this?’

‘This place is full of dirty, smelly old men! It’s utterly unsanitary and unclean!’

‘You’re not a Magical Girl!’

‘You’re just a normal person!’

‘You’ll get sick! My Liuyun will get sick because of this!’

Carnelian did indeed stop in front of the massive hotel-like building. She didn’t reveal herself, even hastily retreating in a panic, not wanting anyone to know that Carnelian had visited this place.

‘Why doesn’t he understand Mama?’

‘Mama understands you. Mama knows you’ve grown up and need your private space, so Mama allowed you to go to school and didn’t stop you when you left, letting you do as you please!’

‘But why?’

‘Mama was just watching from afar! Mama just wanted to ensure your safety! What if you encounter a pervert inside?’

‘What if the hot spring equipment suddenly malfunctions and there’s an electrical leak?’

‘What if the disinfection and cleaning aren’t thorough, and you get a serious illness?’

‘If Mama isn’t by your side, not around you, how can Mama protect you?’

Flames flowed around her.

“Carnelian.”

A silver-haired girl named Ethereal Gem suddenly appeared before her.

The turmoil on Carnelian’s face instantly vanished. She smiled at Ethereal Gem. “Is something the matter, Ethereal Gem?”

“Regarding the young man who needs psychological intervention,” Ethereal Gem brought up the tragic case that had only become known that morning. “I’ve assigned the Observer to provide that psychological counseling.”

Carnelian couldn’t help but frown. “The Observer’s power is immense. If he continues to absorb negative energy, perhaps one day, neither I nor Rainbow Jade will be his match. Haven’t you gathered enough information yet? Whether to trust him or to eradicate him, you must give us an answer.”

Ethereal Gem’s expression remained unchanged, still smiling. “Before, he was always very compliant, until recently when he began operating as Kamen Rider. It’s worth mentioning…”

“What? Don’t leave sentences unfinished.”

“Magical Girl Ink Crystal seems to be following in your old footsteps, Miss Carnelian, by combining with a Kaijin.”

“What!”

‘You’re telling me this; I don’t think it’s to provoke me, is it?’

‘Provoke you? Even now, I still don’t understand why your power grew even stronger despite clearly losing to that Kaijin and having such things done to you back then.’

‘Even stranger, you gave birth to his child.’

Ethereal Gem stared at Carnelian. ‘Was that person the origin of everything? Why were those experiments initiated? Why did scientists firmly believe they could create perfect Kaijin capable of controlling Kaiju power? Wasn’t it all because of that person? One could say that the current Observers are all extensions of that individual.’

Carnelian lowered her head, remaining silent.

‘Carnelian, what fate do you think that Magical Girl named Ink Crystal will face? What consequences will she bear? Will she, like you, maintain this Magical Girl form for her entire life, existing as your successor?’

‘What exactly are you trying to say?’

Carnelian’s gaze turned extremely cold.

“My meaning is, we’re rather curious just how powerful that person has become now. Would you like to test his strength?”

“Ethereal Gem, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. If that Observer is truly powerful and can fully control this strength, then in the future, Kaijin and Kaiju will no longer be mere evils. Instead, they could become the material for humanity to step into the extraordinary.”

“I will absolutely never allow such a thing to happen. If something like that were to occur, how many young boys and girls in this world would be forced to become vessels for nurturing Kaiju? You are also a Magical Girl; do you wish to witness such a tragedy?”

Ethereal Gem looked calmly at Carnelian. “Everything requires control. If one seeks to acquire Kaiju power at all costs, it will indeed turn out as you imagine. But if human hearts can be restrained, this is merely a means to resolve the Kaiju threat. Magical Girls, Kaijin, Kaiju — all can serve humanity. An era of extraordinary humans will arrive in the future. And this is merely a process. Humanity will eventually delve deeply into positive and negative energy. Once humans thoroughly decipher this, anyone can become a Magical Girl, anyone can become a Kaijin. Your way of thinking is akin to a stubbornly ignorant conservative seeing the invention of the electric light.”

‘You, a nun, dare to say such things! If anyone is feudal and conservative, it’s you, isn’t it?’

“Who knows?”

Ethereal Gem simply asked, “So, will you test it? The Observer’s power.”

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