“Harvest Magic?”
It was night, at a seafood stall in Hong Kong City.
The Golden Fox, Cat Girl, Rabbit Girl, and Gray Wolf Girl sat around a feast of seafood, with the Cat Girl skillfully peeling and eating shrimp, occasionally feeding the Golden Fox.
The Rabbit Girl nibbled on potato slices in her bowl, while the Gray Wolf Girl sat awkwardly beside them, silent, staring at the garlic scallops in her bowl, drooling, but not daring to eat.
It wasn't until the three of them looked at her with confused expressions that the Gray Wolf Girl cautiously picked up a scallop and a large bone from the pot, slurping them up in small bites.
“Speaking of Harvest Magic, I actually have some relevant information,” Xia Taotao said.
“I’ve been collecting information about Inari yesterday and today, but her deeds are simply too numerous. I’ve traveled to many places, and every place has rumors about her, and many of them are quite different.”
“But the rumors about Harvest Magic are surprisingly consistent in every place, to the point where it can no longer be called an urban legend.”
The Rabbit Girl shared what she had gathered during her two days in Hong Kong City.
Su Tianqing nodded thoughtfully.
“Hmm… so what exactly are the rumors related to this Harvest Magic? Does Hong Kong City really produce a certain amount of guardian stars regularly?”
“Well… I can’t confirm that, but we found a universally accepted claim, and that’s the location where Inari performed this Harvest Magic.”
At this, the Rabbit Girl put down her bowl and looked towards a famous mountain near Hong Kong City.
“It’s there, Victoria Peak.”
“It’s in a place like this…” Su Tianqing was a bit surprised, but not overly so.
Victoria Peak offers the best panoramic view of Hong Kong City and is where Su Tianqing plans to hike tomorrow. It’s a relatively famous tourist attraction.
According to the information Xia Taotao collected, Inari held her retirement ceremony at the summit of Victoria Peak, and the Magic Girl community in Hong Kong City generally believes that Inari released the Harvest Magic there.
But what exactly does this magic do? Why does even the secret codex want her to optimize it?
Su Tianqing was a little worried.
She never sought out unknown pleasures, especially in a strange city like Hong Kong City. It would be a loss if she focused on fun and neglected other information.
As a certain unknown Salmon Emperor once said—a single misjudgment can lead to total defeat!
She must investigate the origin of this Harvest Magic before her police and gangster movie plan begins.
“Since that’s the case, we’ll investigate it when we hike Victoria Peak tomorrow,” Su Tianqing said with a smile.
The Golden Fox’s gaze suddenly shifted to the Gray Wolf Girl across the table.
“And I have something I want to tell you, Miss Ye Lan.”
“Huh!?”
The Gray Wolf Girl trembled, almost spitting out the large bone she was chewing, and quickly sat up straight, behaving obediently.
“Rabbit has already told me that you want to join our team, right, Miss Ye Lan?”
“…Yes, I want to join.”
The Gray Wolf Girl nodded gently, straightening her back, her wolf tail wagging behind her, seemingly eager for Su Tianqing’s answer.
“Using ‘join’ isn’t quite right,” Su Tianqing corrected the Gray Wolf Girl’s wording.
“First of all, we are not some evil organization, you must remember that!”
The Golden Fox picked up a lobster claw and gestured a few times at the Gray Wolf Girl, Fei Yelan, as if tapping on a blackboard.
“Secondly, all of our objectives—are for ‘interest,’ do you understand what I mean?”
The Gray Wolf Girl nodded vigorously.
Joining… no, joining the team’s rules, she had heard from the Rabbit Girl earlier today. To put it plainly, there were no rules at all; it was all about having fun!
Su Tianqing smiled and nodded.
This little Gray Wolf Girl is quite sensible.
But she still exuded a strange defensive aura. Was it because she didn't understand her group well enough? Or was it that she was still worried about her future villainous career?
Then, taking advantage of the atmosphere tonight, she might as well ask her directly!
“Miss Ye Lan, before you officially join our team, I have a few questions for you.”
“What was your motivation for becoming a Magic Girl, or rather, what was your state of mind when you obtained your guardian star and transformed into a Magic Girl?”
A long silence.
That’s right, this is something Ben Hu must figure out.
Magic Girls must receive the favor of the stars to transform, while villainous Magic Girls obtain guardian stars purely by accident, necessarily transforming successfully due to their own potential.
This also leads to all villainous companions having unique obsessions—for example, the Rabbit Girl, Xia Taotao, her passionate love for Magic Girls might be the reason she was able to transform into Cheshire Rabbit.
Another example is the Cat Girl, Nan Jiayu, who is currently devouring garlic scallops beside her. According to the little fish herself, she wanted to escape her loneliness at the time, which is why she was active as Hell Shrike in Shanghai.
And as Ben Hu, a master of Magic Girl psychology, she naturally had to figure out Ye Lan’s original intention so she could prescribe the right remedy!
But the Gray Wolf Girl silently lowered her head and ears, as if trying to avoid speaking the answer she wanted to say.
“The few of us came together purely out of interest. I want to know where your ‘interest’ lies, Miss Ye Lan, so that I can arrange possible fun and activities for you.”
After speaking, Su Tianqing leaned forward slightly, exuding a hint of pressure.
“Is it because you don’t understand your own interests yet? Or is it that you’re reluctant to tell Fox Fox about this interest?”
After an internal struggle, as if making up her mind, the Gray Wolf Girl sighed and said softly:
“I… I really like the feeling of fighting with Magic Girls.”
Her voice trembled, and what she said made Nan Jiayu freeze, blinking her eyes.
“The feeling of fighting?” The Cat Girl chimed in,
“You like fighting with them? That’s great, our biggest fun is usually fighting them.”
“No… I… I actually…”
After shaking her head in denial, Fei Yelan wanted to say something, but her cheeks flushed even more, and she couldn't speak.
So that’s it, it’s because she finds her true feelings a bit shameful, which is why she’s too embarrassed to speak.
Su Tianqing didn’t rush to ask, but interestingly changed the subject:
“I understand. Since you like to fight, Miss Ye Lan, then Fox Fox will arrange a battle carnival night with Magic Girls just for you.”
After speaking, the Golden Fox turned to the Rabbit Girl, Xia Taotao.
“Tao Tao, do you have plans for tomorrow night?”
“No.” Xia Taotao shook her head.
“Then it’s even easier to arrange.”
“Fox Fox will issue an attack warning for the Hong Kong City coast tomorrow. At that time, you and Rabbit can ambush along the coast to your heart’s content, waiting for the Magic Girls to appear, and then ambush them!”
Su Tianqing made an ‘ooh-woo’ fox cry, but she couldn't imitate the terrifying appearance of a Monster at all; instead, she looked fluffy and very cute.
“…So, it means we just need to fight them.”
Nan Jiayu chimed in.
Amidst the enthusiastic discussion of details between the Cat Girl, Golden Fox, and Rabbit Girl, the Gray Wolf Girl clutched the corner of her clothes, feeling even more ashamed of the thought that had just crossed her mind.
She wanted to feel more pressure, more restraint, and even… more intense pain.
Would she be able to experience that feeling tomorrow?
“Oh, there’s one more thing I forgot to ask you.”
As if suddenly remembering something, Su Tianqing’s gaze returned to the Gray Wolf Girl.
“Miss Ye Lan, do you know what your Magic Girl codename is in the Hero Association?”
“…W-what is it?”
Ye Lan was a little nervous.
Ever since she became a villainous Magic Girl and wandered all the way from Mountain City to here, she had never cared about the messy reputation she had left behind at the Hero Association.
“That’s perfect then, I’ll declare it to you on behalf of the Hero Association.”
“For the new Gray Wolf Magic Girl who appeared in Mountain City, the Hero Association has given the identification codename—”
—“Fenrir.”