Chapter 48: Unexpected Arrivals and Subtle Magic

As it turned out, Su Muxue and Jiang Jiuli’s early arrival was a rare exception. Most of the other middle school magical girls were currently immersed in the weekend atmosphere.

What’s more, two or three in the afternoon was precisely the most drowsy time of day.

Su Qingyao glanced at the time displayed on her communication terminal, then gently shook her head and sighed.

After all, this wasn’t a real school.

Although, the young girls behind them were surrounding Xu Yiyi, calling her “Teacher Xu” with every other word.

This was thanks to her lifelong experience caring for children.

After developing her unique “personality,” Xu Yiyi exuded an aura that made children feel naturally close to her.

It wasn’t as if no one was curious about Su Qingyao.

However, due to Su Qingyao’s deliberately detached way of speaking, the children, with their short attention spans, were all drawn towards Xu Yiyi instead.

Yes.

Magical girl training was, in essence, somewhat similar to the “Children’s Palaces” established for elementary and middle school students before the apocalypse.

Even if the teachers leading the sessions didn’t leave a deep impression on the children, they were, after all, part of a relatively fixed rotating team.

Thus, when Su Qingyao and Xu Yiyi, two unfamiliar magical girls hailing from outside “Dawn City,” replaced the usual familiar faces, they naturally piqued the curiosity of the aspiring magical girls.

Fortunately, thanks to the inherent initial selection process of the “Magical Girl” branch, these middle school girls were all obedient and sensible children.

Even if they chattered incessantly with questions, they wouldn’t bring up embarrassing topics.

All in all, they were incredibly vibrant children.

Su Qingyao sat on her chair, turning to gaze at Xu Yiyi, who was chatting animatedly.

Her vibrant red hair bounced with her owner’s laughter.

Xu Yiyi wasn’t shy about her suburban origins.

Or rather, quite the opposite.

She was sharing her stories with the children. Whenever she recounted an amusing anecdote, it would elicit cheers and laughter from the group of girls, which in turn would amuse Xu Yiyi herself.

In this lively back-and-forth exchange, Xu Yiyi had officially heard the self-introductions of many of the aspiring magical girls firsthand.

While a roster existed in the training office, a magical girl’s “appellation” and magic were entirely private information, belonging solely to the aspiring magical girls themselves.

One could only rely on their active engagement to obtain this information.

Su Qingyao secretly tallied these children one by one.

Due to their limited experience or undeveloped talents.

Most of these young children were still at the starting “Second Tier.”

So far, six aspiring magical girls had awakened their own “exclusive magic” and advanced to the Third Tier.

Su Muxue and Jiang Jiuli were among them.

Su Muxue’s exclusive magic was related to “ice and snow,” while Jiang Jiuli’s, according to her own description, was still in a semi-developed state.

She had only just advanced, unable to fully master it, and could only barely utilize one aspect of its capabilities:

A magic similar to armor that would automatically counter-attack, and simultaneously allowed her to “accelerate her movements.”

[Shadow Garment].

Jiang Jiuli had provisionally named it as such.

“Here they come—”

Just as Su Qingyao focused her gaze on the remaining Third Tier aspiring magical girls, a clumsy voice sounded from behind her.

A middle school student with short green hair and glasses was “crash-landing” in front of the gathering point in their Spirit Attire.

The panting girl clearly no longer had enough magic and mental energy to adjust her speed, crashing headfirst into the parasol providing shade.

If not for the quick-reacting Xu Yanqing, who chanted a cushioning spell, the entire table would have been knocked over.

“Fang Xiaobai.”

Xu Yanqing pronounced her name somewhat sternly.

“Eep!” The green-haired girl immediately stood at attention.

“Didn’t I tell you, no matter what, you must always reserve enough magic for ‘cushioning’—”

“Sorry, sorry,” Fang Xiaobai said, skillfully clasping her hands and bowing repeatedly in apology.

Xu Yanqing naturally wouldn’t let her off so easily.

Facing the half-worried, half-angry questioning, Fang Xiaobai, however, handled it with practiced ease.

‘Huh, this inexplicable sense of maturity.’

‘It doesn’t seem like the attitude a high school student should have.’

Su Qingyao rubbed her fingers together, then lightly tapped the back of Xu Yiyi’s head, causing the happily chatting woman to shiver.

“What was that for, little Qingyao?”

Xu Yiyi grabbed Su Qingyao’s hand indignantly, squeezing it forcefully twice.

‘She seems to be your type.’

Su Qingyao’s unspoken retort was destined not to be understood by Xu Yiyi.

Meanwhile, that aspiring magical girl had already signed her name and sat, panting, in the seat where her name tag had been placed.

As she passed Su Qingyao, Fang Xiaobai let out a soft “Oh!” and looked at the elegantly seated Su Qingyao.

“Excuse me, are you the new leader?”

“Mm.” Su Qingyao gently nodded, meeting Fang Xiaobai’s gaze.

Immediately after, Fang Xiaobai took her hand and cupped it in her own palms.

“Then… Leader Su, you must be Su Muxue’s older sister—”

Fang Xiaobai’s voice grew softer and softer.

Because as she voiced her guess, the hand of this senior magical girl suddenly stiffened.

“Uh, I didn’t say something wrong, did I?”

Fang Xiaobai’s toes were already preparing to curl into the floor.

“Student Fang.”

“Yes!”

In a place she couldn’t see.

A bead of cold sweat had already trickled down the cheek of the ‘Sister Muxue’ with the gentle smile.

“May I ask how you figured that out?”

“Ah? Oh, that.”

Fang Xiaobai revealed a look of understanding, and her previously vanished teal Spirit Attire reappeared.

“My ‘magic’ is [Eye of Overlook].”

Fang Xiaobai spoke while activating her magic.

After uttering just a short syllable, a magical glow slowly illuminated the depths of her eyes.

In that brief instant, Su Qingyao’s magic almost surged out of control—

Because just a moment before, a subtle surge of magic had attempted to seize her own magical energy.

Although it was an imperceptible wisp to ordinary people, it was enough for Su Qingyao’s overly sensitive magic to classify it as an “attack.”

Suppressing the impulse, she released a tiny wisp of her own.

“Sampling?”

Su Qingyao tilted her head, softly uttering a word that made Fang Xiaobai’s expression suddenly turn awkward.

‘—Because that was the true nature of her magic.’

Extracting a wisp of magic from the air, then discerning its origin and direction.

‘It had practically nothing to do with “overlook” or “eye.” ‘

‘Completely chuunibyou terminology.’

However, just as Fang Xiaobai stammered, Su Qingyao spoke again. “However, that’s quite impressive.”

Su Qingyao could affirm that, among the Third Tier aspiring magical girls who had appeared so far, Fang Xiaobai was the one with the highest level of development.

After all, even with its strong chuunibyou vibe.

“Eye of Overlook” was a name acknowledged by her contract partner.

This proved that Fang Xiaobai had the ability to combine the magic she read with what she saw and perceived.

The difficulty of this was surely considerable.

As for why she was recognized, it was probably due to a slight resemblance in appearance, and also related to the residual magic of Su Muxue on her.

“Excellent, excellent.”

Su Qingyao, inexplicably pleased, habitually ruffled Fang Xiaobai’s head.

“Yay!!!”

Fang Xiaobai exclaimed in shock.

She didn’t know what it was about Su Qingyao that shocked her.

Perhaps it was the way the senior girl looked at her?

****

Still taking Thursday off.

Last Friday, I was knocked out by a chest infection, missing three chapters.

Ugh.