Chapter 12: The Formalities of a Magical Girl

“Right, then you just need to sign on the pages marked with sticky notes.”

“Understood.”

Baoyu straightened her posture, reaching out to accept a thick stack of documents from the woman in the suit before her.

She picked up the pen lying on the table and, while reviewing the contents, signed her name in the designated areas—her magical girl name, of course.

“Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, hot cocoa, or a soft drink?”

“Thank you. Hmm… tea would be lovely.”

“Alright, please wait just a moment then.”

“Of course.”

Watching the woman depart, Baoyu exhaled a soft sigh of relief, stretching her limbs.

The room she was in resembled any typical office found within a commercial building.

On the desk before her sat two pots of vibrant green succulents, a Pudding Dog thermos, a blue organizer overflowing with various folders, and a computer.

The small stand supporting the monitor also held common office supplies and a few unopened chocolate bars.

Glancing at the formidable stack of documents in her hands, all meticulously detailing various regulations, she almost felt as if she were undergoing a job interview.

Yet, in reality, it was not far off; she was, at this very moment, completing the registration procedures to become a magical girl.

Far from signing an unsecured and non-binding verbal contract with a suspicious, plushie-like creature, as often depicted in cartoons, these documents, penned in black and white, offered a tangible sense of security.

Reality, after all, had little need for such fantastical romance.

This was the Jingping City Magical Supervision Department.

She, Asherah, and the girl who had transformed into a Corrupted (TL Note: ‘fùshítǐ,’ refers to a being corrupted by negative energy or emotions, often a monster created from a human’s negative feelings) during the recent incident, had all been brought here.

Asherah had been taken to provide a detailed account of the event, while the other girl awaited further investigation upon regaining consciousness.

Baoyu, meanwhile, had been led to this room to complete the necessary paperwork.

“Here you go, your tea. It’s quite hot, so please drink it slowly.”

“Thank you.”

After a final meticulous check of the signed documents, Baoyu neatly aligned them and handed them to the official before her, awaiting the final verification.

“‘Baoyu’… have you decided on this name?”

“Yes.”

“A lovely name. Children these days truly have more ideas and individuality, which is wonderful. It’s unlike our generation, where names were often derived from fruits, flowers, holidays, or even the family’s general store.”

As the woman leafed through Baoyu’s information, she casually mused upon the changing times.

While no one remained eighteen forever, there were always new eighteen-year-olds, and the magical girls’ chosen names became another unique way to mark the passage of time.

“Could it be that you, too, were once…?”

The answer came in a shimmering curtain of light that enveloped the woman.

In the next instant, a girl with a single green ponytail, dressed in a fairytale-esque outfit and appearing to be of similar age to Baoyu, materialized in the woman’s seat.

She blinked her bright, emerald-like eyes, offering Baoyu a smile, before dispelling her transformation and reverting to her original appearance as a woman in her thirties.

“Magical Girl ‘Pale Green’ (TL Note: ‘Bòlǜ,’ meaning light green). Children nowadays probably haven’t heard that name, have they? After all, it’s been twenty years since I was active, and I wasn’t particularly famous, so there’s no need to be so formal.

You can relax a bit more here; we’re all part of one big family. Just call me Auntie Liang.”

Baoyu nodded, her gaze resting on the name tag pinned to the other woman’s chest, which read “Liang Sicheng.”

“Understood. Then I’ll be relying on your guidance, Big Sister Liang.”

“Haha, such a charmer! Just a moment longer, Big Sister will get these sorted for you right away.”

Taking Baoyu’s documents, Liang Sicheng swiftly typed the information into the computer.

Baoyu, meanwhile, took a small sip from her teacup before picking up her phone from the desk.

It was already this late.

It seemed she would need to dedicate more time to homework at school from now on; being a magical girl certainly consumed a significant amount of time.

Gazing at the time displayed on her phone screen, Baoyu began to mentally arrange her remaining schedule for the day.

Just then, a message popped up via the chat application.

[Iced Melon: Are you done over there yet?]

Staring at the chibi squirrel clutching a giant hazelnut in the profile picture, Baoyu suddenly thought Asherah might actually possess a surprising degree of self-awareness.

[Snacks: Should be almost.]

[Iced Melon: ( ˘ ³˘)♥]

Approximately a minute later, a reprimand—“No running in the hallway!”—echoed from outside the door, followed by a flurry of hurried footsteps.

Then, Asherah’s head peeked in from behind the door.

“Ya-hello, Baoyu, Auntie Liang.”

The carefree cat-girl waved to the two occupants of the room, then sauntered inside to stand beside Baoyu.

“Good evening, Asherah. Judging by the commotion, did you manage to anger ‘Anaconda’ again?”

“Ahaha, it’s nothing, really, just a minor thing! But never mind that, Auntie Liang, how are Baoyu’s procedures coming along?”

“You’ve arrived at just the right time. This child’s information has been entered into the system. From this moment on, she is officially a magical girl. Congratulations, Baoyu.”

Baoyu offered a faint nod, but it was Asherah beside her who seemed far more delighted than Baoyu’s own understated reaction.

Asherah extended a paw-like hand and lifted Baoyu’s right hand.

“Yay! From now on, we’re partners fighting together! I’ll be relying on your guidance too, Baoyu.”

“Mm, I’ll be relying on yours as well, Asherah.”

“Allow me to interrupt you both for a moment…”

Liang Sicheng adjusted her glasses, then delivered a somewhat surprising piece of news to the two girls before her.

“At present, we can’t confirm if Baoyu will be able to team up with you, Asherah.”

“Eh? Why not?”

Asherah tilted her head, clearly bewildered.

“Asherah, you’ve completely forgotten the contents of the ‘Magical Girl Code of Conduct,’ haven’t you?”

“Exa… who remembers things like that after an exam?”

Despite her verbal protest, a guilt-ridden Asherah had already turned her head away, her gaze shifting elsewhere.

“Perhaps you’ll need to retake an exam, together with Baoyu, Asherah.”

“No, no, Auntie Liang, please don’t scare me! I definitely don’t need something like that. As a magical girl, it’s enough for my strength to be recognized by everyone!”

At the mere mention of an exam, Asherah, who had been brimming with vitality moments before, immediately wilted, shrinking behind Baoyu as if wishing to disappear entirely.

“Alright, alright, come out now. Even if I don’t say it, Asherah, you know what will happen if we receive another failing grade report from you next time, don’t you? You wouldn’t want to spend your entire summer vacation here attending remedial classes, would you?”

‘Though I’d suspected it before, Asherah really is an idiot, in every sense of the word,’ Baoyu mused inwardly, her expression betraying nothing as she observed the girl behind her, whose head was shaking faster than a rattle-drum.

“As a new magical girl, Baoyu is required to receive guidance under a magical girl who has been active for a longer period and possesses considerable experience.

Generally, they are assigned to a magical girl team we deem most suitable.

While you, Asherah, can barely be considered Baoyu’s guide and have experience working together, you’ve already refused the option of joining other teams, and your own standards as a mentor are not yet met.

Therefore, we find it difficult to confidently entrust Baoyu directly to you.”

Listening to Liang Sicheng’s explanation, Baoyu suddenly recalled something.

In her experience, magical girls always operated in teams, moving and fighting together.

Yet, she had never seen another magical girl alongside Asherah, nor had Asherah ever mentioned having other companions.

Now, with this point raised, Asherah uncharacteristically displayed a flicker of sadness.

She clenched her fists tightly, her eyes downcast, and mumbled in a voice devoid of its usual cheer.

“Because… I… I believe my senior will still come back…”

Baoyu didn’t know who Asherah’s ‘senior’ referred to, but at that moment, she understood the reason behind Asherah’s solitary actions.

The lack of further explanation likely stemmed from the fact that even this seemingly bright and optimistic girl carried her own unspoken burdens.

Liang Sicheng could only sigh in response, picking up the chocolates from her desk and sharing them with the two girls.

“In any case, Baoyu still needs to undergo a series of ability assessments.

We will also further discuss and research her team assignment afterwards, and, of course, we will take your situation into consideration, Asherah.”

“Um…”

Noticing the somewhat somber atmosphere, Baoyu spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention to herself.

“If possible, I would also like to continue working with Asherah.

Although she might indeed appear somewhat immature in certain situations, I can sense her profound passion for being a magical girl, and that, in turn, gives me courage and perseverance.

Perhaps she isn’t a qualified teacher yet, but I believe she can become a qualified partner, or even a senior.”

These words were truly Baoyu’s heartfelt thoughts.

For her, who initially held little interest in magical girls, Asherah’s demeanor had rekindled her own initial yearning for what it meant to be one, and this rekindled aspiration could well transform into the motivation she needed to continue her activities as a magical girl.

Indeed, these words once again brought Asherah to the verge of tears.

In front of Liang Sicheng, she transformed into a clingy cat, pouncing onto Baoyu—a habit Baoyu felt she really ought to change.

“Is that so? We’ll certainly take your opinion into consideration, Baoyu. (She chuckled softly.) Asherah, you’ve truly become a capable magical girl in your own right.

The child who once hid behind others can now serve as an example for someone else.”

Time bore witness to the growth of these girls, and time also brought to Liang Sicheng’s mind someone who had become a memory.

Unconsciously, her fingers typed a sentence onto the screen.

‘If only you could see this too.’

Fate, at times, was simply one coincidence stacked upon another.

After the phone on her desk rang a few times, Liang Sicheng picked it up and answered, her expression shifting to one of surprise.

“Understood. I’ll arrange for them to come over immediately.”

After hanging up, Liang Sicheng suddenly felt a pang of envy for the two girls before her.

This era truly belonged to these young people; perhaps a miracle had indeed descended once more.

“Asherah, Baoyu, someone wishes to see you.”

“Huh? Who is it, Auntie Liang?”

Liang Sicheng looked at the wish she had just typed on the screen, a slight smile playing on her lips, and uttered the name that, when spoken, brought a sense of reassurance like a magical incantation.

“It’s ‘Polaris’ (TL Note: ‘Běijíxīng,’ meaning North Star), Asherah. She’s here, right now, at the Magical Supervision Department.”

Upon hearing that name, Asherah’s eyes widened, and then, tears involuntarily streamed down her face.

“Se… senior?”