“My first transformation into a Magic Girl was five years ago.”
“At that time, Gray Cloud found me. She said I had a lot of potential to be a Magic Girl and asked if I was willing to become one.”
“At that time… I didn't really have any thoughts.”
“It wasn't until later, when I met a senior, that she told me about Magic Girls, and only then did I develop some interest in them.”
As she spoke, Mai Sui's face showed a slight smile.
“I've never really had any friends—I was homeschooled, had a special car arranged by my father for pick-up and drop-off, and even had a butler for my daily needs. Almost no one my age was willing to talk to me.”
“But that senior was different. Even though I was very unaccustomed and uncomfortable, she was still willing to gently chat with me, talking about Magic Girls.”
Hearing this, Su Tianqing understood.
Mai Sui's experience was typical of a wealthy young lady: although her life was privileged, her childhood trajectory was completely different from that of ordinary people, as she was educated to be an elite.
Her classes were high-end private tutoring sessions that cost a fortune, her social life revolved around upper-class banquets and balls, and she had dedicated staff for all her daily needs, but she was extremely lacking in social interaction with peers.
No wonder her reaction was so strong when I asked if she had any friends. It seems she has been a lonely person since childhood.
Her situation was somewhat similar to Lin Muyao's, perhaps even more so.
It was even a bit sad.
“So, what did that senior tell you that made you, who were initially uninterested in Magic Girls, become Mai Sui?”
A brief silence.
Mai Sui looked at the sky, as if recalling the past.
“…She told me that as long as I became a Magic Girl, I could break free from my identity, allowing me to be active as a Magic Girl and make many friends.”
“I wanted friends, friends who could chat and talk with me, not just drivers or butlers who respectfully called me 'Miss'.”
“So I agreed to Gray Cloud, received a guardian star from her… and became the Magic Girl Mai Sui.”
It wasn't a very long story, but it left Su Tianqing in a long silence.
Longing for friendship but unable to attain it, having superior living conditions, yet also having a huge gap with peers because of these extraordinary living conditions…
Mai Sui's life, in another sense, was also a kind of deficiency and regret, wasn't it?
She even chose to become a Magic Girl to escape the constraints that her identity as a rich young lady brought her.
She originally thought that after becoming a Magic Girl she would have many friends, but now she still doesn't have a single friend…
“So, Miss Mai Sui, did you become a Magic Girl because you wanted to make friends?”
“Probably.” Mai Sui nodded.
“Then from now on, we are friends.”
“…!”
The girl suddenly froze, staring blankly at the Golden Fox wagging her tail beside her.
Looking at her bright and radiant smile, and then thinking about what happened today, Mai Sui felt a momentary daze.
Seeing that Mai Sui didn't speak, Su Tianqing's tail-wagging arc slowed down a lot, and the smile on her face turned into a light chuckle,
“It's fine if you don't want to, after all…”
“No, no, I'm very willing! Super willing!”
Mai Sui quickly spoke, her words full of eagerness, as if afraid that Su Tianqing would shift the topic with the atmosphere.
Too much had happened in the past two days, making Mai Sui temporarily unable to adapt to such a fast pace.
First, she was captured by Xin Yuehu, and just as she was on the verge of despair from the torment, she was rescued by Dandelion, and then she could chat and have a late-night snack with her, and even become friends.
But a hint of worry also arose in Mai Sui's heart.
If Miss Dandelion were to learn about her usual self, would she also be disappointed in her, just like her teammates in Sui City?
The girl suddenly felt a little anxious and uneasy.
“Now that we are friends, I want to ask a few more things, if that's okay.”
“Please ask anything, I'll tell you everything!” Mai Sui quickly replied.
Su Tianqing smiled softly.
“It's not anything too private. I just want to ask… who was that senior who made you, Mai Sui, interested in Magic Girls, and is she still active now?”
“Her…”, The girl hesitated for a moment, sighed as she looked at the starry sky, and said softly:
“The last time I saw her was two years ago. At that time, I had just become the leader of the Sui City team. After she expressed her blessings to me, she left, and I haven't seen her since.”
“And Miss Dandelion, you should also know her. Her Magic Girl codename is—【Red Rose】.”
…
“Let's stop here for today. It's getting late, Miss Mai Sui, you should go back and get some rest.”
“Mm… That, thank you… Thank you for saving me, and… for being willing to be my friend…”
Mai Sui thanked her awkwardly, a complete reversal of her previous haughty attitude.
Sure enough, Magic Girls are all good children at heart, after all, they are acknowledged by Star Shadow, so they can't be bad people, right?
Although Miss Mai Sui herself is rather awkward, under Ben Hu's patient guidance, she can still be very cute.
“Hmm… Next time, next time, can I continue to chat with Miss Dandelion?”
“Of course, you can! Just call me anytime on the divine code stone~”
Su Tianqing smiled happily, Mai Sui nodded nervously, and quickly and shyly activated her flight magic, flying away.
Watching Mai Sui leave, Su Tianqing slowly lowered her waving hand and tail, falling into thought,
This was her closest encounter with Red Rose and Mercury, and she must seize this opportunity with Mai Sui to gather more information, aiming to meet Red Rose herself.
But… can Magic Girl Red Rose really be met just by wanting to?
Her titles were too many to list: the first confirmed Magic Girl in the world, the first owner of Star Shadow, the first holder of a Mindscape World, the first Magic Girl to enter the astral realm.
As the earliest Magic Girl in the current world, Red Rose's seniority as a Magic Girl is absolutely recognized as NO.1, and her strength is also absolutely recognized as top.
Although Su Tianqing felt that discussing “combat power” on Magic Girls, whose strength depends on the strength of their beliefs, was truly meaningless.
She is also one of only two Magic Girls, besides herself, who can use the Mindscape World, not to mention she also has an adversarial opponent—
“【Mercury】.”
Su Tianqing murmured to herself.
According to the clues she inquired from Mai Sui, she only had contact with Red Rose for a period of time, and she had only heard of Mercury but never seen her:
“I've heard of her, but that's all. I've only heard of her.”
“Like Xin Yuehu, she also claims to be a villainous Magic Girl. She used to often fight with Senior Red Rose, and… and she also possesses a Star Shadow.”
“But there's very little information about her. I tried to investigate before, but I found nothing.”
This was everything Mai Sui said.
But this was already enough; at least she found a possibility of contacting Red Rose.
“In short, let's start with Mai Sui next!”
The Golden Fox clenched her fist, making up her mind.
No one knew the Golden Fox's thoughts, especially Mai Sui, who had flown far away.
The girl was flying over Rong City, a pleasant smile on her face, full of anticipation for the future.