The 30-Year-Old Magical Girl - Chapter 31
Although she was supposed to be searching for the Nightmare Fiend…
As Raging Flame flew through the sky…
Her thoughts gradually drifted elsewhere.
The events at the police station that morning still lingered vividly in her mind.
She had boldly declared to Mrs. Mo…
That she would find undeniable proof that Mo Li had bullied Bai Mian.
Making that promise had been easy.
Actually keeping it…
Was another matter entirely.
Now that she’d calmed down…
She realized how difficult it would be.
Whether it meant finding witnesses…
Or obtaining surveillance footage…
Everything required the school’s cooperation.
But remembering the way Teacher Li had tried to bury the entire incident…
Raging Flame could only sigh.
That road…
Was already blocked.
There was only one option left.
She had to convince Bai Mian herself…
To come forward and testify that Mo Li had bullied her.
…Should I call Xiao Mian?
She hesitated.
She desperately needed Bai Mian’s help.
Yet…
Every time she remembered the hopeless voice she’d heard over the phone…
She couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her friend again.
Just then—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Her phone suddenly sounded an alert.
The Second Ring Magical Girl Squad had uploaded the combat data from their battle with the Nightmare Fiend into the Magic Kingdom application.
Using those records…
The app could now analyze nearby magical particles…
And identify traces matching the Nightmare Fiend.
If an alert appeared…
It meant the Aberration had either just passed through…
Or was still somewhere nearby.
Raging Flame’s heartbeat quickened.
She immediately descended toward the ground.
The moment she landed…
She froze.
“…This is…”
“…Xiao Mian’s apartment complex.”
She had visited several times before…
Usually to deliver class notes whenever Bai Mian was absent from school.
She knew the neighborhood well.
The alert disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared.
Confused…
Raging Flame opened the Magic Kingdom app.
The detection log clearly showed…
Only moments earlier…
It had identified magical particles matching the Nightmare Fiend.
Yet the newest entry simply read—
Target Lost.
“…What?”
“…A bug?”
She suddenly remembered Lao Lin mentioning before the mission…
That this tracking function was still under development.
False detections and tracking errors weren’t uncommon.
But…
Why now?
Why did it malfunction…
Just as she’d been thinking about Xiao Mian?
And why…
Had it led her directly to Bai Mian’s neighborhood?
…Could this really be just a coincidence?
The more she thought about it…
The harder it became to ignore.
Raging Flame landed completely.
She gently touched the Soul Gem resting against her chest.
The crimson light surrounding her body quietly faded.
Moments later…
You Xi stood there once again.
…I’ll call Xiao Mian first.
“…I can’t do it.”
After remaining silent for a long time…
Bai Mian slowly shook her head.
“…Why?”
The Dreamfiend’s voice immediately became sharp.
“What happened to all your hatred?”
“What about your anger?”
“Your pain?”
“Were all those feelings just lies?”
Its tone grew increasingly agitated.
It could feel its carefully laid plans slipping away.
“…I wanted to help you.”
“Because I admired your talent.”
“And now…”
“You’re going to betray my kindness?”
“…It’s not like that.”
Still curled up in the corner…
Bai Mian never even looked at it.
Her voice remained dull.
“You only want to use me.”
“So you can achieve your own goal.”
She wasn’t nearly as broken as she appeared.
She hadn’t completely fallen under its influence.
Realizing that…
The Dreamfiend immediately changed tactics.
Its voice softened.
Filled with helpless pleading.
“…Maybe you’re right.”
“Maybe I do have my own reasons.”
“But…”
“All I want…”
“Is to survive.”
“Is that really so wrong?”
“…Please.”
“Bai Mian.”
“I used every bit of strength I had just to find you.”
“If you refuse to help me…”
“I’ll disappear.”
“And once I’m gone…”
“Who else will truly understand you?”
“Who else will recognize your talent?”
“We’re the same.”
“Saving me…”
“Is the same as saving yourself.”
“Do you really want to spend your entire life…”
“Hiding in this room?”
“Slowly wasting away?”
“Come with me.”
“Let me help you recover your talent.”
“Let me erase the humiliation those fools forced upon you.”
“…”
Bai Mian quietly listened.
Her thoughts spun endlessly.
She hated what Mo Li had done.
She hated how her precious manuscripts had been mocked.
Stepped on.
Destroyed.
But…
If she accepted the Dreamfiend’s offer…
If she chose violence…
What exactly would happen?
Would she have to hurt Mo Li?
That thought alone…
Sent a chill through her body.
No…
Her hatred wasn’t that deep.
No matter what Mo Li had done…
She didn’t deserve something so terrible.
Bai Mian was just about to say so.
When—
Ring… Ring… Ring…
Her phone suddenly rang.
“…?”
She blinked in confusion.
That’s strange…
Didn’t I switch it off…?
…Or did I forget?
She didn’t realize…
That somewhere deep inside…
She had subconsciously left it on.
Because…
A tiny part of her still hoped…
Someone would call.
And that person was—
She picked up her phone.
The moment she saw the name displayed on the screen…
The lifeless expression on her face instantly melted away.
Her fingers trembled slightly…
As she hurriedly answered.
“Hello…”
“Xiao Mian.”
You Xi’s cheerful voice came through the speaker.
“…Y-Yeah.”
“Xiao Xi…”
“It’s me.”
“Haha.”
“What a coincidence.”
“I happened to be shopping nearby…”
“And somehow wandered close to your apartment.”
“…Really?”
The moment she heard those words…
Bai Mian’s heartbeat sped up.
“…But…”
“Isn’t it still school time?”
“Hehe…”
“I got my suspension extended because of… well…”
“Some things happened.”
“…Anyway.”
“It wasn’t because of you.”
You Xi quickly skipped over the subject.
Then asked,
“Are you free?”
“I’m already nearby…”
“So I thought I’d come visit.”
“…Unless you’re busy?”
“N-No.”
“I’m not busy at all.”
Bai Mian answered almost immediately.
“My parents are both at work.”
“I’m home alone.”
While speaking…
Her eyes instinctively glanced toward the Dreamfiend.
Sensing the situation…
The creature silently crawled up the bookshelf.
Then squeezed itself into the narrow gap between the books.
“…Really?”
“Then I’ll head over right now.”
“…O-Okay…”
Only after agreeing…
Did Bai Mian suddenly remember—
She was still wearing pajamas.
She hadn’t showered.
Her hair was a mess.
“…W-Wait!”
“Give me twenty minutes!”
She immediately jumped to her feet.
Then rushed toward the bathroom…
Frantically trying to make herself presentable.
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