The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 17

“…That’s right.”

“Close your eyes and imagine your wounds disappearing.”

“Picture every injury on your body being completely restored.”

Following Tidal’s instructions, the magic crystal resting in Raging Flame’s palm gradually dissolved into countless tiny particles of light.

The white particles slowly drifted through the air, wrapping gently around her body.

A soft glow enveloped her from head to toe.

Moments later…

The light faded.

The magical particles quietly dispersed.

When everything settled, Raging Flame stood there once more.

Every injury had vanished.

Her body had returned to perfect condition.

“Senior!”

“It really worked!”

“I’m completely healed!”

She clenched her fist excitedly.

Strength once again flowed through every part of her body.

“This is Lesson One.”

Tidal nodded.

“It may seem simple…”

“But it’s also the most important lesson.”

“From now on…”

“Always collect the magic crystals left behind by defeated Aberrations.”

“They’re incredibly valuable.”

“Yes, Senior!”

“I understand!”

You Xi nodded obediently.

…If only you behaved this well all the time.

Why couldn’t you listen when I talked to you before?

Why did you always argue with me?

Watching her niece answer so obediently…

Tidal couldn’t help smiling bitterly.

Only then did she realize…

She was actually jealous.

Jealous…

Of herself.

The version of herself standing here as Tidal.

The version who could finally communicate with You Xi.

“…That’s all for today’s lesson.”

“Oh, right.”

“You’re still a student.”

“You have school tomorrow.”

“Have Old Lin drive you home.”

Naturally…

Tidal already knew You Xi had been suspended.

After all, she had personally handled the incident as her guardian.

But as Tidal…

She had to pretend she knew nothing.

“Um…”

“Actually, Senior…”

Raging Flame scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

“You could teach me a little longer.”

“I don’t mind staying out late.”

“As for school…”

She let out an embarrassed laugh.

“…I’ve been suspended.”

“Suspended?”

Tidal raised an eyebrow.

“For what?”

“…I got into a fight.”

“A fight?”

“Hm.”

“You don’t really look like the delinquent type.”

This time…

Her surprise wasn’t an act.

“I have to explain first.”

“I wasn’t the one bullying anyone.”

“I hit her because I was standing up for justice.”

Raging Flame then carefully recounted everything.

How Bai Mian had been bullied.

How Mo Li had tormented her.

How she’d stepped in.

And how she’d beaten Mo Li badly enough to end up suspended.

This…

Was the first time Tidal had heard the full story.

Previously…

You Xi had never been willing to tell her any of it.

“…Senior.”

After finishing…

Raging Flame lowered her head.

“Was I really wrong?”

“Why does it feel like…”

“…no one supports me?”

“Everyone just keeps criticizing me.”

Tidal fell silent.

Could this situation…

Really be judged as simply right or wrong?

Part of her desperately wanted to stand beside her niece.

She wanted to shout at those unreasonable parents.

Your child bullied someone first.

Getting beaten was nothing more than karma.

They deserved it.

She wanted to point at the homeroom teacher and ask,

Where were you when your students needed you?

If you’d done your job properly…

Would any of this have happened?

But…

What would happen afterward?

You Xi would receive disciplinary punishment.

Perhaps even a permanent mark on her school record.

If the other family insisted…

The matter might even reach the police.

That single impulsive act…

Could stain her future forever.

Which was why…

On that day…

She had no choice but to lower her niece’s head.

She had no choice but to apologize.

She had no choice but to carry gifts…

And visit the family who should have been apologizing instead.

That…

Was simply how the world worked.

An unreasonable world.

You Xi was still young.

She had the right not to understand.

The right to question it.

The right to resist it.

But what about herself?

…I’m doing this for your own good.

When she was little…

Her parents always said those exact words.

Whenever they forced her to study.

Whenever they made her do things she hated.

Back then…

She had believed it was the most hateful sentence in the world.

Yet now…

Their roles had quietly reversed.

She had become the adult saying those very same words.

Only now…

Did she finally understand their weight.

“…Raging Flame.”

Tidal spoke softly.

“I don’t have the right to decide your life for you.”

“But…”

“I think…”

“You should listen to the adults in your family.”

“Don’t rebel just for the sake of rebelling.”

“Think carefully about the consequences before acting.”

After thinking for a long time…

That was all she could bring herself to say.

“…Okay.”

“If even you think so…”

Raging Flame nodded reluctantly.

…I hope you’ll really listen this time.

Tidal silently prayed.

“Alright!”

Old Lin suddenly stretched lazily after finishing his work.

“For the next few days…”

“I’ll focus on these candidates.”

Spread across the coffee table before him…

Was an enormous stack of profile cards.

There were at least eighty…

Maybe a hundred.

Several had already been pulled aside.

Each marked with colorful sticky notes.

Those…

Were obviously the priority candidates.

“…Normally.”

Old Lin explained,

“A magical girl squad consists of four members.”

“For historical reasons…”

“The Fifth Ring hasn’t had its own dedicated team for over ten years.”

“My assignment this time…”

“…is to rebuild it.”

“Recently…”

“C-Rank and higher Aberrations have become increasingly active.”

“We urgently need more frontline fighters.”

“So besides Raging Flame…”

“I still need to recruit at least three more magical girls.”

Three new magical girls.

Three future teammates.

Three companions who would fight alongside You Xi.

The thought immediately caught Tidal’s interest.

What kind of people will they be?

First of all…

Absolutely no troublemakers.

She refused to let You Xi be surrounded by bad influences.

Secondly…

Preferably not too young.

The battlefield was simply too dangerous.

If possible…

She hoped they would all be reliable adults.

People…

Like herself.

“Let me see.”

Tidal walked over and picked up the candidate files.

Although she was only pretending to be a Magic Commander…

Old Lin still expected her to help guide the new Fifth Ring squad during its early days.

Reviewing the candidates wasn’t unreasonable.

“I want to see too!”

“I want to see!”

Raging Flame immediately leaned over excitedly.

“No.”

Old Lin firmly blocked her.

“These files are classified.”

“You don’t have clearance.”

Unfortunately…

He reacted a moment too late.

Raging Flame had already caught a glimpse of one profile.

“…Huh?!”

Her eyes instantly widened.

Her mind went completely blank.

Printed clearly beneath the Name field…

Were two unmistakable characters.

Mo Li.