Chapter 13: The Legend of Polaris

The magical girl ‘Polaris,’ a name that resonates with many in the city of Jingping, often evokes a sense of familiarity and conjures an image from a photograph published in newspapers and online: a dilapidated skyscraper, a golden shield standing upright, and a small figure bravely holding that massive shield.

Polaris, along with her team, has been the recipient of the ‘Gold Sash’ award, which celebrates the most influential magical girl, for two consecutive years in Jingping. As a result, their story has become legendary in recent years.

So, when Baoyu heard Asherah refer to a ‘senior’ as the renowned Polaris, she couldn’t believe it. In that moment, she realized that despite not following magical girl news as closely as before, Polaris had seemingly vanished from the public eye over the past two years, as if she had disappeared without a trace.

Who would have thought that she would encounter such a legendary figure?

‘Where is she? Where is the senior?’

Asherah’s voice trembled with anxiety. Upon learning that Polaris was currently at the Magic Review Department, Asherah couldn’t contain her emotions, and tears streamed down her face.

‘Calm down, Asherah. She’s in Room 4-W. There’s no need to rush—wait, Asherah!’

Before Liang Sicheng could finish speaking, Asherah dashed out of the room like an orange whirlwind, clearly heading towards Polaris’s location.

‘Sigh, that girl never can stay still.’

Although Liang Sicheng sounded exasperated, her expression revealed a hint of a smile.

‘If allowed, I’d like to meet her too.’

‘Baoyu, you should go as well. It’s a rare opportunity.’

‘Yes.’

At the thought of meeting the once-famous magical girl, Baoyu felt a flutter of nervousness.

As she walked down the hallway, Baoyu brushed past another tall magical girl, who cast a cool glance at her and called out.

‘So, you’re the new girl the cat brought in?’

Baoyu turned to look up at the girl, her mind racing with guesses about her height: At least 1.85 meters, perhaps even taller.

‘If by ‘cat’ you mean Asherah, then yes.’

After confirming her suspicions, the girl appraised Baoyu with a slight humph before turning and walking away without a backward glance.

Another strange person, Baoyu noted silently, filing the girl’s features away in her memory.

Arriving at the door marked ‘4-W,’ Baoyu saw that it was slightly ajar. As she approached to push it open, she heard voices from within that made her pause.

She could easily recognize Asherah’s voice, choked with tears and calling out, ‘Senior, I’ve missed you so much!’ and ‘I thought you’d never come back, Senior!’ Alongside Asherah’s voice, another, more youthful voice could be heard, gently comforting her. Baoyu realized this must be Polaris.

Imagining the emotional reunion inside, Baoyu stepped back, leaning against the wall to wait for the scene to conclude.

For some reason, she felt a heaviness in her chest, as if something was stuck inside, unable to escape. Was it jealousy toward Asherah, who was still so emotional despite being in high school? No, that couldn’t be it.

When the sniffles and nose-blowing sounds inside the room subsided, Baoyu decided it was time. She knocked softly, waited a few moments, and then pushed the door open.

To her surprise, inside the room were not only Asherah and the presumed Polaris, but also another girl—one who had been rescued by Baoyu and Asherah from the core of the Negative Body earlier that day. The girl was sitting quietly on a sofa in the corner, her eyes fixed on Baoyu.

‘You’re late, Baoyu! I’ve been chatting with the senior for ages.’

Asherah rubbed her red, puffy eyes and introduced Baoyu to the red-haired girl beside her.

‘Senior, senior, this is the Baoyu I told you about. She’s amazing!’

I only came late to avoid interrupting, and now she’s carrying on like this in front of others! Baoyu silently grumbled, but outwardly maintained a composed demeanor as she greeted the red-haired girl.

‘Nice to meet you, I am Baoyu.’

The girl was shorter than Asherah, with a slender frame and a cute, round face. It was hard to associate this girl, who looked like a elementary school student, with the legendary magical girl of Jingping. Yet, in Baoyu’s eyes, the girl’s soft, spiraling red hair, her vibrant pink eyes, and her mature, composed expression were all traits she remembered from Polaris, her favorite magical girl from her days of admiration.

‘Hello, Baoyu. I’m Polaris. Thank you for being a friend to Asherah.’

Polaris, dressed in a loose white tracksuit, extended a hand to Baoyu. Baoyu quickly grasped it, feeling the warmth of their palms, before stepping back to glance at the girl in the corner.

‘Senior Polaris, did you bring me and Asherah here for some reason?’

‘Yes, everyone, let’s sit down. Asherah, be a good girl, and let’s handle the important matters first, okay?’

Polaris motioned for Baoyu to sit, nudging the arms wrapped around her waist with her elbow. As Asherah reluctantly let go, Polaris pulled away, her eyes filled with warmth as she looked at the girl in the corner.

‘Xiaoshuang, right?’

The girl nodded, her eyes filled with guilt as she faced the magical girls.

‘Don’t be nervous, Xiaoshuang. I’m not here to blame you. I need your help with something.’

‘My… help?’

Xiaoshuang hesitated, unsure of how she, in her fragile state, could assist such a powerful magical girl.

Polaris picked up a tablet from a nearby table, pulling up a document—Xiaoshuang’s interview transcript after regaining consciousness.

‘Xiaoshuang, you mentioned something about a strange key that turned you into a Negative Body, didn’t you?’

Key, Asherah and Jin Shiling remembered the enormous key they had seen in the spiritual space of the Negative Body, which Jin had ultimately shattered. Xiaoshuang, too, recalled the bullying she had endured from Xu Weiwei and her friends in the bathroom, her uncontrollable actions, and the hazy memories that followed. She nodded, then shook her head.

‘I don’t think it was the key’s fault. It was… I just couldn’t take it anymore in school. The way I was treated… I was… at my limit.’

Unlike Asherah, who had always encouraged Xiaoshuang, Baoyu remained silent, her eyes dimming slightly. Although she had suspected the reason for the girl’s transformation, hearing Xiaoshuang’s words confirmed her guess. The girl had likely been bullied at school.

Polaris remained silent, her gaze steady and complex as she watched Xiaoshuang. She waited for the girl to process her emotions, to vent, and to find calm again. Then, with a look of determination, she asked a question that seemed out of place for a magical girl.

‘So, Xiaoshuang, do you think that key… was helping you?’

The other magical girls were taken aback. Asherah, looking at her long-lost senior, felt a touch of unfamiliarity. Xiaoshuang merely lowered her head, pondering the question.

‘Don’t worry too much, and don’t be anxious. I’ve said before, I’m not here to blame you. I just want to understand your feelings.’

Feelings, Xiaoshuang mused on the word, realizing that feelings didn’t need to be overthought or neatly packaged. They were subjective, vague, and not always relatable, but they were uniquely her own.

‘I…’ she began, her voice soft.

‘I… the person who gave me the key said it wouldn’t solve my problems or fulfill my wishes. Instead, it would make me lose more. And that’s true—I became a monster, hurting people I didn’t want to hurt, and now my situation is a mess.’

‘But… because I became a monster and caused chaos, I now feel a little lighter. And even though my memories are blurred, I remember the magical girl sister encouraging me, helping me find myself again. I know this sounds unfair, and maybe it’s wrong to think this way, but… now, I feel a bit… relieved.’

Xiaoshuang raised her head, her eyes meeting Polaris’s as she shared her true feelings.

‘That person saved my life when I wanted to give up. I want to thank her, but… I won’t thank her for the key or the suffering it brought.’

‘Because you gave me the courage to face tomorrow.’