Chapter 32: An Unexpected Client

At eight in the morning, the office air was thick with the bitter, invigorating scent of coffee.

Lin Wan, who had been tethered to her desk all night, was now locked in a final, desperate struggle against a mountainous pile of documents and the unrelenting glow of her computer screen.

“Once this is done… it’ll finally be over…!”

She gulped down a mouthful of coffee, then, with trembling fingers, channeled the fierce determination of Madoka unleashing an arrow at Walpurgisnacht, bringing them down on the keyboard with all her might, intending to conclude her arduous overtime with this single, decisive blow.

Yet, in that very instant, the pale screen abruptly flickered to black, and the power indicator light on the computer tower let out a faint groan before extinguishing itself completely.

Lin Wan stared blankly at her own reflection in the now-dark screen, her haggard face contorting into a mask of pure despair.

“Are you… are you kidding me right now!!!!”

Her mournful shriek was so utterly pathetic it made the office curtains sway violently, one even brushing lightly against Morning Star’s cheek.

The strongest magical girl, defying all laws of gravity, lay comfortably stretched out on the narrow window ledge, having spent the past few hours engrossed in a game, utterly oblivious to Lin Wan’s arduous struggle beside her.

Hearing Lin Wan’s lament, she tucked away her phone and gracefully rolled off the window ledge, drifting down to the desk like a large, platinum-winged moth, where she gently tapped the unresponsive computer.

The instant the girl’s fingers brushed it, the stubbornly crashed computer tower sprang back to life, and the darkened screen glowed once more.

“Time reversal complete. Hurry and save your file. In about ten seconds, it will crash again.”

Lin Wan frantically moved her mouse and hammered the keyboard, syncing her completed work to the cloud. No sooner had the transfer concluded than the computer, just as Morning Star had predicted, abruptly shut down once more.

Lin Wan slowly lifted her tear-brimmed eyes, shadowed by prominent dark circles, and expressed her gratitude.

“Truly, you are the strongest magical girl…! Morning Star, would you consider staying in Linzhou permanently?”

The platinum-haired girl floated a little higher, gently stroking Lin Wan’s head.

“Thank you for the invitation, but Linzhou already has Fireworks, Lily of the Valley, and Starlight. I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome.”

The mention of “Fireworks” caused Lin Wan’s hands to clench instantly into tight fists.

“Xia Shi… her condition remains excellent, and her ability to accomplish tasks is as formidable as ever, but her knack for stirring up trouble hasn’t diminished in the slightest. And Lily of the Valley? She’s an entirely different league of headache.

“Just look at this desk; at least half of these problems are directly attributable to those two.”

Having spoken, Lin Wan slumped back into her armchair, a smile of genuine relief gracing her lips.

“Still, both of them have been on vacation these past few days. Perhaps I can finally enjoy a period of peace and quiet for once—”

Her words were cut short as the office door burst open with a resounding ‘bang,’ revealing Xia Shi and Lu Chen standing before Lin Wan.

The young woman politely closed the door behind them, then proceeded directly to Morning Star and Lin Wan, offering each a shallow, respectful bow.

“Good morning, Miss Morning Star. Good morning, Sister Lin.”

Morning Star returned the greeting with a soft smile.

“Good morning to you too.”

Lin Wan clutched the armrests of her chair, preventing herself from sliding off. Her face was ashen as she regarded the two newcomers.

“G-good morning. What… what brings you two here now?”

Xia Shi extended her hands, gesturing subtly towards Lu Chen, and cut straight to the chase.

“Please allow Lu Chen to resume his duties as a cameraman.”

Lu Chen echoed her sentiment.

“Indeed. I hope you can grant me another opportunity.”

Hearing this, Lin Wan paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. She was, of course, well aware of Lu Chen’s voluntary demotion and the circumstances that had led to it.

She met Lu Chen’s gaze, discerning the helplessness in his eyes, and instantly pieced together the likely chain of events.

With a faint sigh, she addressed them both.

“I apologize, but that’s not possible. There simply isn’t a suitable opening at the moment.”

Despite the swift and unequivocal refusal, Xia Shi showed no signs of discouragement. Letting her hands fall calmly to her sides, she maintained her composed demeanor.

“Thank you for your explanation. I understand my visit is rather abrupt, and I don’t expect an immediate agreement. However, I do hope you’ll keep this matter in mind for a future opportunity.”

Lin Wan shook her head decisively.

“It’s not a matter of timing. Lu Chen is highly capable, and I, too, wish for him to return to his original post.

“However, the agency cannot create an additional position simply for one client. Furthermore, all the local magical girls and celebrity mages in Linzhou already have their designated cameramen. To find more clients, we’d have to look outside the city.

“Xia Shi, would you be able to accept Lu Chen frequently traveling for work?”

The young woman did not directly answer Lin Wan’s question. Instead, she offered,

“In other words, if a new local client were to emerge, you would be willing to assist, correct?”

“…Uh? Yes, that’s generally the case.”

Upon receiving the affirmative, the young woman’s lips curved upward into a subtle, triumphant smile, signaling a plan coming to fruition.

“Excellent. I’ve already summoned a new client. By my estimation, she should be arriving any moment now.”

As she spoke, the young woman’s gaze drifted toward the window. She extended a slender finger, at the tip of which a bright white flame flickered into existence, serving as a beacon.

The day was bright and clear, the sky an unblemished expanse of blue, utterly devoid of clouds.

Yet, a sudden flash of blue-green light materialized in the pristine azure canvas. It streaked past unseen clouds, reaching the exterior of the office building in mere moments.

She flew directly through the wide-open window, the resultant gust of wind scattering Lin Wan’s meticulously arranged documents across the room.

The girl—Lily of the Valley—landed steadily, the firearms strapped to her back clanking with her movement, her tense face glistening with beads of sweat.

“I’m here. Fireworks, what’s this urgent matter you spoke of? Where’s the monster?”

Xia Shi extinguished the flame at her fingertip.

“My apologies, there’s no monster. That was merely a pretext to ensure your prompt arrival.

“Now, please put aside these trivialities for a moment.

“Lily of the Valley, I would like you to designate Lu Chen, standing beside me, as your personal cameraman. He will be responsible for filming and interviewing you from this point forward.”

Lily of the Valley stood frozen for several seconds before she could even begin to process Xia Shi’s meaning. Her brow immediately furrowed, and her expression turned frosty.

“I refuse. Engaging in interviews is an utter waste of precious time. That time would be far better spent on training or intelligence gathering.

“Goodbye. Please refrain from calling me out again for such trivial reasons.”

With that, the blue-green-clad young woman turned to depart. Xia Shi made no move to physically stop her, merely speaking in a calm, even tone.

“Understood. In that case, I will revise the report I’m submitting to the agency, truthfully detailing the cause and progression of yesterday’s battle. Would that be acceptable?”

The young woman was, of course, referring to yesterday’s confrontation with the Knight. That battle should never have been so arduous. The inability to achieve a swift victory was solely due to the wall of vines Lily of the Valley had conjured.

And the reason she had erected that wall… was to conceal an unsanctioned, illegal duel with Fireworks. If discovered, both she and Fireworks would be barred from accessing the agency’s armory for several weeks.

Lily of the Valley’s steps froze mid-stride. Lin Wan, leveraging the armrest, pushed herself to her feet.

“Xia Shi, just a moment! You mean you weren’t truthful in your report? Confess everything right now!”

Before Xia Shi could even fabricate a response, Lily of the Valley interjected, cutting off Lin Wan.

A distinctly awkward, forced smile stretched across her face as she stammered,

“No, Fireworks’ report is entirely accurate, not a single word of it is untrue.

“Oh, r-right, Miss Lin Wan, I’ve suddenly developed a strong desire to participate in a filmed interview. Please arrange a suitable cameraman for me immediately.

“I, personally, believe Mr. Lu would be an excellent choice.”

Lin Wan stared, utterly dumbfounded, at this stubborn troublemaker who had always vehemently refused any cooperation, momentarily rendered speechless.

Xia Shi took a few steps closer to Lin Wan, offering another shallow bow.

“There you have it. A new client has emerged. I trust you’ll honor your recent words and grant Lu Chen this opportunity.”