“Boom!!!”
“Ugh!”
The Hellcat’s claw gauntlets struck with full force, colliding head-on with Hyacinth’s greatsword, neither side giving an inch.
But the first to retract her strength and retreat was Hyacinth, who wielded the greatsword.
“Why are you running?”
The Hellcat didn't rush to pursue. Her claw gauntlets hung at her sides, and a hint of imperceptible mockery flashed in her blue and yellow heterochromatic cat eyes.
“Do you think you can’t beat me, so you want to run away?”
“Who wants to run away! Don’t be so arrogant!”
Hyacinth’s words were sharp, but the numbness in her hands forced her to admit the Hellcat’s statement.
She really seemed unable to defeat this Cat Girl.
The dark blue Magic Girl floated not far in front of her.
Her petite figure wasn't much taller than Xin Yuehu, only about half a head's difference.
Her slender and delicate physique made the exaggeratedly large claw gauntlets on her hands seem extremely uncoordinated. It was hard to imagine such a petite Cat Girl could swing those gauntlets to deliver supersonic heavy punches.
“Having a lot of fun, Hyacinth.”
A soft call came from behind her.
Hyacinth glanced back, her peripheral vision sweeping over the Golden Fox sitting leisurely on a magic staff, and her brows furrowed even tighter.
“Xin Yuehu?…”
Since Xin Yuehu was here… then Iris…
“I know what you’re worried about. You’re worried about Miss Iris’s condition, aren’t you?”
Su Tianqing smiled playfully,
“Don’t worry, I’ve isolated her from the outside world with an isolation barrier. No one will be able to harm her.”
“If you don’t believe me, look down~”
Hyacinth glanced at the ground out of the corner of her eye.
Indeed, as Xin Yuehu said, Iris was enveloped in a translucent magic shield. Although she was hit by a petrification spell, there were no signs of injury.
“But instead of worrying about your companion…” The little Fox Fox grinned, her tongue licking her small fangs, reflecting a crystal-clear, fierce glint.
“Miss Hyacinth, you’d better worry about your own situation.”
“…” Hyacinth remained silent, gripping her greatsword tighter.
Bai Ling was also trapped in a magic barrier by that Xin Yuehu, and she wasn't even in the same barrier as Iris.
In this case, she would have to face two Magic Girls simultaneously by herself…
Xin Yuehu had never shown her true strength, but her magic to summon Monsters was very powerful and definitely not to be underestimated.
Not to mention there was now an additional Hellcat swinging her fists.
“Speaking of which, Cat Cat.”
Across from Hyacinth, Su Tianqing spoke to the Cat Girl opposite her.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
“Do you think a one-on-one duel is more interesting, or is it more fun for two people to gang up?”
Hyacinth was sweating profusely.
Don’t discuss such terrifying questions in front of me!
“One-on-one and ganging up… If I could choose, I’d prefer one-on-one, but ganging up doesn’t seem bad either.”
The Hellcat pondered for a moment, pinching her chin with her huge claw gauntlets, and answered seriously.
Hyacinth was sweating even more profusely.
“Is that so… Then, Cat Cat, do you prefer watching a puppet show, or do you prefer watching Sleeping Beauty~?”
“Hmm… I haven’t seen either.”
“Hm-hm~”
Completely nonsensical dialogue, it sounded like riddles.
What’s wrong with these two? Nan Xiaofeng grumbled inwardly.
If you’re going to fight, just come and fight! What are you dawdling for!
But Xin Yuehu’s actions had always seemed illogical, so it seemed reasonable for her to say such things—
“Hyacinth.” Xin Yuehu suddenly said softly.
The girl didn't want to pay attention to this Fox Fox, but a rustling sound behind her caught her attention.
What new trick was this Fox Fox up to now?
Curiosity made Nan Xiaofeng look back, only to see the little Fox Fox fiddling with a small string puppet in her hand.
From the puppet’s eyes—a brilliant magical light suddenly shone!
“Wh-what?! You’re—!”
“Come on, Miss Hyacinth.”
Su Tianqing smiled sweetly,
“Relax your body, what’s coming next is a beautiful peaceful sleep. Sweet dreams~”
A strong light flashed.
The sky-blue Magic Girl subconsciously wanted to raise her hand to block the white light, but her entire vision was still firmly obscured.
.
The next second, Hyacinth suddenly opened her eyes.
Her surroundings were no longer the sky above Rong City’s commercial street.
—This was her classroom.
She was sitting at her desk in the classroom, surrounded by no one, only the setting sun’s rays streaming through the window.
A dreamlike scene.
“…Poke, poke.”
A gentle touch came from behind her.
Hyacinth looked back.
A petite and lovely girl was sprawled on the desk behind her, wearing a liberal arts college uniform skirt, her pristine white hair falling over her shoulders, looking at her with interest.
The setting sun spread across her pristine white hair, and her bright eyes were full of smiles.
Hua Ling? Iris?
But this…
“What’s wrong, Xiaofeng, are you still half-asleep?”
Soft whispers, gentle and melodious, came from the girl’s crystal-clear lips.
For a moment, Hyacinth felt her heart skip a beat.
So cute.
If Hua Ling could smile so gently, she would be utterly adorable.
But what was going on?
Where exactly was this place?
“Damn it… Xin Yuehu! What in the world are you playing at!?”
Hyacinth stood up, sharply questioning her surroundings.
The petite girl flinched abruptly, gripping her school uniform collar tightly in front of her, looking bewildered and at a loss.
“W-woo! Xin Yuehu… Who is Xin Yuehu?… Why are you suddenly, suddenly so fierce…?”
“I just woke you up… I’m sorry…”
Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes, as if she had been startled by the sudden sharp reprimand.
Hyacinth froze for a moment, instinctively wanting to apologize.
But just as the words were about to leave her lips, they were suddenly swallowed back down.
No… How could it be…
Where exactly was this? Was it a dream?
Wasn't I just fighting Xin Yuehu? Why did I suddenly… suddenly end up in a classroom with Hua Ling…
“Rustle, rustle…”
A faint movement came.
Hyacinth looked down. A soft, fair little hand gripped the corner of her clothing.
The white-haired petite girl, with tears in her eyes, her ears pressed tightly to the top of her head, trembled slightly like a startled small animal.
But a smile was forced onto her face:
“I’m sorry… I, I shouldn’t have disturbed your sleep, Xiaofeng…”
“But sleeping on the desk will make you catch a cold…”
“And, and school has been out for a long time. Let’s go home together…!”
A soft, gentle voice, cautious movements, and pitiful eyes.
She was completely like a small animal afraid of being abandoned.
Hyacinth was momentarily dazed.
Where was she exactly?
And what was going on with the Iris in front of her?
Was she disguised by Xin Yuehu? But why… why would she be so…
Was this some kind of magic of hers, or… was it a dream…?
A dream?
“Ugh!”
Feeling a sharp pain in her head, Hyacinth stumbled back a few steps, knocking over several chairs and falling to the ground.
Her palm scraped against the floor, and a sharp pain shot through it.
Hyacinth looked at her palm; a bloody scratch had appeared.
“Hiss… It hurts so much…”
“Are you okay!… Ah, it’s bleeding!”
The delicate girl quickly scrambled over, cupping Hyacinth’s injured right hand with her small hands, speaking in fear.
Even her voice trembled.
“Wait a moment, I have band-aids and disinfectant. This… this must be treated…!”
The girl turned to rummage through her satchel, her skirt brushing against Hyacinth’s hand.
A smooth touch came from her fingertips, seemingly alleviating much of the stinging pain in her palm.
Hyacinth sat blankly in place.
The petite Iris sat in front of her, diligently treating the wound, as if the earlier reprimand had never happened.
Her small hands were delicate and slender, her skin fine, soft, and smooth like jade.
“There, all done!”
Two cute band-aids covered the wound. The girl raised her eyes, a timid smile on her face.
“How does it feel, better?”
“…………”
Hyacinth didn’t know how to answer.
She must be dreaming.
If it was a dream, why would she dream of Iris, and in such a completely different image:
—Was the girl in front of her a disguise of that demonic Xin Yuehu, or a completely different person?
“Let’s hurry home, Dad must have made lots of delicious food!~”
The girl tilted her head, smiled sweetly, and took the hand that wasn’t scratched.
Hyacinth stood up in a daze.
But just as she followed the girl’s footsteps and took one step, a deafening sound suddenly rang in her ear:
“##————!”
“Wake up…”
“Wake up! Hyacinth!!”
The world collapsed before her eyes.
Iris’s bright smiling face was deeply imprinted in Hyacinth’s mind.
.
Startled awake.
Hyacinth gasped violently.
“Hoo ah… Hoo… Huff…”
The girl looked around blankly, meeting the concerned gaze of the White Sable Spirit beside her.
“What’s going on… What happened…?”
“You’re finally awake!”
Bai Ling sighed in relief, as if a burden had been lifted.
“You suddenly fainted just now, and I couldn’t wake you no matter what!”
“I… fainted…?”
Xin Yuehu and the Hellcat were nowhere to be seen. Iris was still petrified by the petrification spell not far away.
Everything just now felt like a dream.
Hyacinth looked down blankly, instinctively checking her stinging palm.
—Those two cute band-aids were stuck on her hand.
