Chapter 42: A Return to a Peaceful Everyday Life… Maybe?

A few days earlier, the Special Investigation Bureau’s rapid response team had actively deployed and, without drawing attention, dealt with a series of secondary anomalous incidents caused by the Spider Woman.

The magical girls were responsible for handling the main villains, while the numerous, weaker anomalies—which still posed a serious threat to ordinary civilians—were taken care of by other agents and combat squads from the Special Investigation Bureau.

Thanks to this, Ka Xin and the others were able to go to school in peace, as if nothing had happened. In fact, most people didn’t even know how many terrifying incidents had occurred in Muzhou City during the night.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?”

As soon as she entered the classroom, Ka Xin noticed that several students in front of her turned to look at her. She had just pulled her chair out from under the desk and froze mid-motion, taken aback by such an enthusiastic reception.

Especially Ruolin, whose gaze seemed to carry a kind of quiet resentment, as if she were staring at a scoundrel toying with the feelings of an innocent girl.

Today, Qisi was absent, so there was no one sitting next to her, and Ka Xin didn’t know what to do. Outwardly, she seemed accustomed to her current identity, but that was largely because she had limited interactions with others, especially girls her age.

“Someone seems to have forgotten something.” Yumei, hands on her hips, indignantly represented Ruolin and accused Ka Xin.

Ruolin tugged lightly on Yumei’s collar out of Ka Xin’s sight—there was no need to be so dramatic.

It was obvious who “someone” referred to, yet even with her mind racing, Ka Xin couldn’t figure out what she had done to upset this group of four.

She had mostly stayed in her apartment playing games and watching anime, occasionally lurking in a newly joined interest group to see the discussions of other members, even spotting IDs she recognized from before.

Among them was a member she had befriended while buying merchandise on someone else’s behalf due to being busy with school every day, including weekends. Beyond knowing that this person was in the same city, she knew nothing else.

“You didn’t seriously forget, did you?” Yumei’s expression of disbelief made Ka Xin wonder if she had really forgotten something important.

“I’m sorry.”

Though unsure what exactly had happened, Ka Xin quickly apologized, sincerely, not just for show.

“The club recruitment activity—you haven’t completely forgotten, have you?”

“Ah—”

After the reminder, Ka Xin finally remembered. The New Moon Academy held a large-scale club recruitment event about a month after the start of the school year, which was last weekend.

“Now that you mention it…”

Earlier, Ka Xin had accepted an invitation to join their small club—which had nearly disbanded due to lack of members—in order to get closer to this unruly group of four.

She vaguely remembered the club recruitment being mentioned before, but with all the recent anomalous incidents, she had completely forgotten.

Ka Xin had no choice but to apologize again: “Sorry, last weekend was really busy.”

Yesterday, she had opened her computer to find that a major online game had updated its new season. Using the Special Investigation Bureau’s ultra-high-speed broadband, she quickly completed the update and fully advanced her battle pass. By the time she realized it, it was already evening.

Thinking it over, it did seem quite busy.

Ka Xin convinced herself and showed no trace of guilt.

The four accepted her explanation. After all, she was a new classmate they had only known for a few days; expecting someone to put aside everything to attend a personal event was unreasonable.

“It’s really fine. Just let us know next time if something comes up.”

“Does Ka Xin really cut off all communication on weekends?”

“Maybe she uses a secondary account and doesn’t check it if nothing’s important.”

Seeing the conversation getting more absurd, Ka Xin quickly laughed and said it wasn’t true—which it wasn’t. Her new account had almost no contacts since she couldn’t use the old one, and the Special Investigation Bureau also had its own internal communication channels.

Since the others weren’t pressing her further, the issue was dropped.

Only Yumei still wasn’t satisfied: “Next time if you don’t come, I’ll eat your pudding.”

“Pudding? What pudding?” Ka Xin’s eyes lit up at the mention of food, though she quickly suppressed her excitement.

“Azusa, if you don’t get it, it’ll be your loss.” Sitting a row away, the blonde, blue-eyed English girl Violet said earnestly. If it weren’t for her appearance, one might not notice her foreign accent.

“Azusa?”

Ka Xin’s face showed a trace of confusion. Violet, noticing the subtle expression, immediately explained: “See, everyone calls me A-zu, this is A-no, A-lin, and A-meng, so—”

Violet’s nickname logic was somewhat abstract. Her name, Violet, naturally suggested “Azi” (from Zi-luo-lan), but that sounded rustic, so she went with Azusa, even adding it to her signature.

“So I’m Azusa?” Ka Xin repeated, and though it made sense, it was the first time anyone had called her that. But that wasn’t important. “So what’s with the pudding?”

“Hmph, of course it’s made by me personally.”

“Really?” Ka Xin found it hard to imagine this petite girl, like a middle schooler popping by, actually cooking.

Ka Xin pictured Yumei using a small stool to reach the kitchen utensils—amusing indeed.

“Hey, are you imagining something inappropriate?”

“No, but it does make it a little disappointing.”

“Even if you begged, I wouldn’t make it for you,” Yumei said firmly.

“There’s still plenty in the fridge. We can get it during lunch break in the clubroom.”

“By the way, do you all eat lunch in the clubroom?”

Ka Xin had only visited the Far East Magic Research Clubroom once but remembered its equipment vividly: besides some playful exorcism tools, there were complete appliances and furniture.

If she brought her own meal, she could microwave it and eat at a nearby table, then rest there until afternoon classes.

“Ah, the teacher’s here.” Violet, taller than Ka Xin and nearly the tallest in class, could spot the teacher at the door. The students, chatting in the hallway, immediately quieted and slipped in. Anyone who had gone to school before would recognize the scene.

This often signaled that the next lesson’s teacher had a strict style.

Ka Xin glanced at the timetable on her desk—math.

Ruolin and Yumei also turned toward the front—they didn’t want special attention during class.

With no one else watching, Ka Xin breathed a sigh of relief and smoothly shifted the conversation, achieving her purpose.

She couldn’t link herself to magical girls or anomalous events—this was the Special Investigation Bureau’s current policy: the existence of magical girls must remain secret.

Though Violet seemed suspicious, her own identity was complex, and she didn’t immediately connect Ka Xin to magical girls. She simply assumed Ka Xin came from a family of demon hunters.

Juggling blending in with this group while protecting her true identity was indeed interesting.

Watching the four ahead, Ka Xin gave a wry smile.

“Window seat in the back with pink hair, you get the first question.”

“Ah?”