Chapter 31: The Tailor and the Investigator

Su Qianyu prided herself on her dexterity.

At the very least, when it came to aesthetics, she possessed a truly unique perspective.

Simple on top, but never simple below!

A modest headpiece demanded an elaborate ensemble.

Indeed, her golden finger, capable of manipulating objects remotely, proved useful not only for causing mischief or harm, but also as an exceptionally skilled tailor.

It seemed no space-type ability was ever truly weak.

Before long, a small outfit, fashioned from the remnants of Illo’s clothing, began to take shape.

Gazing at her nascent masterpiece, Su Qianyu felt a profound sense of satisfaction.

This ensemble not only concealed the vast majority of her demonic traits, but also perfectly masked the perceived flaw of her body’s petite stature!

It was loose, elegant, and utterly sophisticated!

Its sole drawback, however, was the necessity of tiptoeing when venturing outside.

Otherwise, she risked tripping over her own trousers.

‘“Hmm, excellent!”’ she mused.

As she stared at her reflection, the deep shadows cast upon her face ensured that no one could discern the fox-girl hidden beneath her hood.

Provided no one carelessly pulled down her hood, her secret remained impenetrable!

“Heave-ho! Off you go!”

With a satisfied rub of her nose, Su Qianyu unceremoniously tossed all the trimmed scraps into the wall.

After all, these clothes were simply lying around; they might as well shine and serve a purpose on her.

Of course, Illo must never discover this.

If she were caught having dismantled Illo’s clothes for fabric, there was no telling what new torment Illo might devise for her.

At the very least, a painful beating would be unavoidable.

As a dignified man, she abhorred moxibustion (TL Note: A traditional Chinese medicine therapy that involves burning dried mugwort on particular points on the body, often associated with a humiliating punishment in web novels).

Such an act would be a grave transgression against foxy virtues!

‘Though… experiencing *that* as a girl was undeniably pleasurable…!’

Still, that was no reason for her to be pinned beneath someone!

If anyone was to be on top, it would be her!

The mere recollection sent a flush of heat creeping up Su Qianyu’s cheeks.

It was a complex mix: the shame of her masculine dignity being trampled, yet also a lingering yearning for the intense pleasure of last night’s encounter.

Contradictory? Absolutely.

But the comfort was undeniably real…!

Unbeknownst to her, Su Qianyu failed to notice that her tail, a tell-tale indicator of her mood, had begun to sway on its own accord.

Indeed, its movements were growing increasingly fervent.

‘‘No, no, this won’t do!’’ she chastised herself.

‘‘How did my thoughts wander to such places?’’

Hastily, she stripped off the self-made outfit, placed it in a cardboard box, and then carefully tucked it away.

With a crimson face, Su Qianyu, without a second thought, blamed her recent lapse in decorum on the distant Illo.

‘‘It must be, it absolutely must be… her clothes that are the problem!’’ she fumed.

‘‘Magical girls… truly are cunning!’

‘‘Are they even plotting against me with their very garments? How utterly despicable!’’

It took several deep breaths before Su Qianyu finally regained her composure.

After that brief moment of embarrassment, rationality once again asserted its dominion over her mind.

‘Gazing at the formerly loathed scenery outside the window, Su Qianyu reluctantly sighed.’

‘‘No, I must encourage myself more!’’ she thought with renewed vigor.

‘‘I am the best!’’

‘‘Illo can’t even make her own clothes, but Su Qianyu can!’’

‘‘Su Qianyu is far more awesome than Illo! 👍🏻’’

****

Meanwhile, on the other side of things, Illo suddenly sneezed.

“Achoo!”

Scanning her surroundings, the data room remained shrouded in darkness.

The space was utterly devoid of sound, so quiet that one could almost perceive the constant flow of magic seeping into the screens.

Her hands rested upon the virtual keyboard before her.

Following the sneeze, a clear expression of bewilderment settled upon Illo’s face.

‘‘Strange,’’ she mused.

‘‘Why do I feel as though someone is speaking ill of me?’’

‘‘A magical girl of my caliber shouldn’t be catching a cold, should she?’’

A mental question mark hovered above her head, and she shook it off.

Dismissing it as overthinking, Illo redirected her attention to the colossal screen before her.

The crimson glow on the screen vanished completely as the girl’s fingers danced nimbly across the keyboard.

This was the Magical Girl Headquarters’ Data Investigation Room.

And Illo, at this very moment, was researching the conditions under which magical beasts were generated.

Typically, this room served as a resource for veteran magical girls to analyze magical beasts, facilitating the formulation of appropriate combat strategies.

The vast majority of information housed here was compiled by magical girls and administrative staff from across the globe.

It was, in essence, a repository of exceptionally comprehensive and accurate data.

However, with the widespread adoption of smart terminals and mobile phones, the room had fallen into disuse.

Only occasionally would administrative staff enter to synchronize its database with external information.

It was only today that it had been reactivated.

Leveraging her status, Illo had easily secured access to the room.

Yet, as she delved into crucial information, the screen abruptly indicated insufficient permissions, requiring a higher-ranking position for further inquiry.

Initially, she dismissed it.

After all, such data was genuinely dangerous; if ordinary administrative personnel were to gain access and use it for nefarious purposes, the consequences would be immeasurable.

It wasn’t until she attempted to investigate information concerning Qincai’s family that Illo sensed something amiss.

On the screen, beyond a few basic details, there was no record whatsoever of deeper information, such as data pertaining to an underground research facility.

She recalled that when she had first found Su Qianyu, the available data had been so extensive it might as well have detailed the person’s *ahem* length.

Yet, all information regarding Qincai’s family seemed to have been deliberately erased.

No matter how she queried or investigated, she consistently received only the most unremarkable descriptions.

Upon realizing this, Illo reluctantly abandoned her search and began to ponder.

The situation could not have been clearer.

Evidently, someone with higher or equal authority had preceded her here and deleted the pertinent information.

Even standard magical girl terminals indicated an unknown structure beneath Qincai’s residence.

Yet here, there was no mention whatsoever, a clear sign of tampering.

But who could it be?

Immediately, Illo picked up her phone and called Yuwen Zhibai.

As the original organizer of the magical girls, his authority was considerable.

However, his voice on the other end was strikingly innocent; he claimed no knowledge of anyone entering the room.

It made sense, considering the place had been abandoned for some time.

Furthermore, since its inception, anyone associated with magical girls had been granted access to its archives.

Clicking her tongue, Illo resigned herself to her misfortune.

Could it be that she was already being targeted?

After a moment of contemplation, however, Illo dismissed that possibility.

After all, none of the significant events she had personally experienced in her previous life had yet occurred.

While she couldn’t rule out the influence of her own rebirth, it was unlikely there would be absolutely no hint of impending trouble.

The only truly anomalous element was Jasmine, who had suddenly become unfamiliar and appeared beneath Qincai’s house.

At this thought, Illo paused.

This lead, too, seemed to have reached a dead end.

Resigned, Illo once again tapped at the virtual keyboard, hoping to discern some clue from the restricted information.

Yet, apart from those specific entries, everything else mirrored the findings from the magical girl terminal.

With a hopeful yet desperate mindset, Illo began to haphazardly sift through the data.

Having come all this way, she couldn’t return empty-handed.

Just as she was about to give up, the screen abruptly flared with a crimson light.

However, as she gazed at the entry on the screen, Illo’s pupils involuntarily constricted.

“How can *this* matter also require higher permissions?”