Chapter 21: First Encounter with a Magical Girl
‘Why is this happening?!’
‘Why?!’
‘I just wanted to satisfy my craving for some seafood. How did my EXP skyrocket like this?!’
‘This isn’t scientific!’
At the Cangyou Wildcat Team’s pristine dining table, laden with delicious dishes, Su Qi sat in a daze.
“Wow, Boss Su, this food is amazing. Thanks for your hard work!” Da Shan praised.
“Boss Su, try this shrimp—it’s great!” Haozi offered, placing a piece in her bowl.
“Hey, you guys, stop putting food in Su-jie’s bowl with your chopsticks! Su-jie, here, take mine!” An Xiao Ling huffed, adding a massive, fragrant crab claw to Su Qi’s bowl.
Freed from her apron and flanked protectively by An Xiao Ling and Lin Xue, Su Qi sat at the table. Surrounded by her delectable dishes, two distinct beauties, and a bowl holding An Xiao Ling’s carefully selected crab claw, she should’ve been thrilled—beauty, food, and ambiance all perfect.
But the constantly ticking EXP notifications in her mind soured her mood.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully using Crisp Wife bento to heal a human. +20 EXP!]
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for successfully using Crisp Wife bento to heal a human. +20 EXP!]
Beyond the 200 EXP from cooking with a spirit item, Su Qi made a tearful discovery: each team member granted 20 EXP per bento, double the usual 10 EXP from her regular sales. Whether due to on-site cooking or the premium ingredients, her Crisp Wife ability’s LV1 EXP had surged past 700, hitting 721/1000—only 279 points from leveling up.
Since awakening Crisp Wife, Su Qi had deliberately limited EXP gains, minimizing transformations and selling bentos just once a week. As a boy, she feared unknown consequences from leveling up this peculiar ability.
But today’s events shattered her careful control, slashing her margin for error.
‘Only 279 EXP left? Two more bento sales this weekend, and I’ll level up?!’
‘Ugh… why did I have to crave that soldier shrimp crab?!’ she lamented.
Still, as this was her first interview with the team, she suppressed her distress to avoid dampening the mood. Channeling her frustration into appetite, she dug into the food.
Despite devouring a crab claw and a small bowl of rice, her petite stomach hit its limit faster than the guys, who were still eating.
Bored while waiting, she opened her status panel to check the meal’s attribute boosts.
Compared to her last home-cooked beef and tomato stew, which gave a 10% all-stats boost, this meal—likely due to the spirit item—granted 20% boosts to strength and intelligence, with her agility soaring from 40 to 50.
‘So, attribute boosts depend on ingredients too!’ she realized.
As she marveled, An Xiao Ling, done eating, blinked excitedly. “Su-jie, today’s bento gives way better boosts than usual! I feel so strong! Hmph, I’m gonna shine in the Sacred Ruins tonight!”
She waved her delicate hand in the air, mimicking punches.
Su Qi couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Can those tiny hands really pack a punch?’
As they chatted, the team, avoiding alcohol due to their upcoming Sacred Ruins trip, finished eating. With six people and eight dishes, and the girls eating lightly, plenty of food remained.
Su Qi instinctively moved to clear the table, but Da Shan stopped her, grabbing plastic containers from the fridge. “Boss Su, don’t worry about cleanup. We’ll pack the leftovers as bentos for the Ruins. They’re way better than bread or dry rations, and exploring burns energy. We’ll wash the dishes after we’re back.”
Relieved—having poured effort into the meal, she’d hate to see it wasted—Su Qi nodded.
But hearing “Sacred Ruins,” she glanced at the inky night outside, puzzled. ‘Leaving this late? Isn’t daytime safer?’
Sensing her doubt, Wei Mian, satisfied by the egg fried rice, explained, “Boss Su, most Sacred Ruins spirit beasts, except specials like spirit bats or night feast fish, follow human-like schedules—active by day, resting at night. Daytime exploration offers better visibility but higher danger due to active beasts. Teams with scouts, like us, prefer night exploration.”
An Xiao Ling puffed out her nearly nonexistent chest proudly. “Su-jie, I can see as clearly at night as in daylight!”
But then, as if recalling something, she pointed at Wei Mian. “Su-jie, don’t let his explanation fool you. His ability is super shady—never be alone with him!”
“Hey, shorty, who’s shady?!” Wei Mian snapped.
“Who’re you calling shorty?!” An Xiao Ling shot back.
Their bickering clarified why, despite sitting far apart in Class 18, they always clashed. Su Qi chuckled.
Meanwhile, Da Shan packed the bentos neatly. Suddenly, Lin Xue’s ring flashed, and the containers vanished.
Su Qi’s eyes widened. Though spatial rings were common in this aura-revived world, seeing one in action was new.
Noticing her gaze, Lin Xue waved her shiny ring. “Boss Su, this is a Sacred Ruins trial reward. Pretty cool, right? Who knows, maybe our next route will have rewards like this!”
Her casual mention of trials and tempting rewards didn’t excite Su Qi. The Sacred Ruins were mysterious and dangerous—her sister Su Lulu’s two-year coma was likely due to a trial. Even her sister’s Water Dragon King ability couldn’t withstand it.
‘I just hope we avoid weird stuff,’ Su Qi prayed.
Seeing her calm, ungreedy reaction, the team nodded approvingly. In the perilous Sacred Ruins, where traps from nature, beasts, or trials abounded, Su Qi’s steady, mature, non-greedy “housewife” charm was undeniably appealing.
With the time-limited attribute boosts in mind, they left Room 1501 after packing and soaking the dishes, heading for the Sacred Ruins.
Su Qi assumed they’d go to the basement for a car, but Lin Xue pressed the elevator button for the 33rd floor.
Puzzled—‘A helicopter to the Ruins?’—she followed as the elevator dinged and opened.
The 33rd floor was a bustling hall filled with diverse adventurers: men, women, young, old, from scantily clad women to tattooed toughs, retro-styled punks, and even a lightsaber-wielding “cultivator.”
‘These are ability adventurers? So free-spirited and… abstract, like another world,’ Su Qi marveled.
Under Lin Xue and An Xiao Ling’s protective escort, she observed the chaotic hall. As a guild door opened, a lavishly equipped team emerged, igniting the crowd.
“Holy crap, it’s Lord Lin’s raid team! You’re hitting the fourth plane tonight? Be careful!”
“Miss Priest, I… I’m your dog! Thanks for healing me last time!”
“Magical Girl, wow, you’re even prettier than your photos!”
Amid the clamor, Su Qi’s gaze landed on a pink-clad magical girl, straight out of a 2D world, her light blue twin-tails shimmering with a sparkling effect.
Her knee-length pink outfit, which could’ve been tacky, was elevated by her graceful figure, blending girlish charm with cuteness. Paired with ornate pink stockings and winged white shoes, she radiated perfection.
Su Qi was stunned by her sweet, otherworldly aura.
But, like this morning’s news, a familiar yet uneasy feeling crept in, tinged with inexplicable guilt.
Unbeknownst to her, the magical girl, meeting Su Qi’s gaze, felt a similar spark of recognition and unease.