Alicefiel left—or rather, fled—from this place thick with hormones, regrets, and humility.

Before going, she draped Elizabeth’s discarded trench coat over her body.

Though magical girls didn’t catch colds, this was… a shred of dignity for her.

The last time she’d seen her body fully was back in the squad, when the sisters bathed together.

Alicefiel recalled that day.

Yuehua, Corona, Hai Yin, and Crimson in the bath.

Corona shared her latest fried chicken spot and how tasty it was.

Hai Yin huddled by her side, only her eyes above water, blowing bubbles.

Crimson stood nearby, her gaze darkly fixed on Hai Yin.

As Elizabeth said today, Alicefiel had a thing for her legs—and Crimson had been standing all along.

So, Alicefiel’s eyes naturally trailed from legs upward.

Though Crimson looked too young, she had the adult features—small but proportionally perfect.

Alicefiel admitted she’d been tempted by her beauty, even felt a stir.

But she couldn’t love her—she’d lost the right to love.

She only loved Corona.

What a hypocrite, Alicefiel mocked herself inwardly.

She’d ogled her, lusted after her, and now she loved her—yet Alicefiel rejected her.

Alicefiel, you’re a fool. You don’t even know how your child came to be, yet you hurt someone who truly accepts you.

Was that old bond fake?

Of course not.

In the squad, they truly entrusted their lives to each other.

Though all-rounders, they divided roles in battle—each with specialties.

Corona handled frontal suppression, Yuehua strikes, Hai Yin intel gathering, Crimson reaping.

Crimson drew every drop of blood from vile beasts with her proud blood magic, turning it into weapons against others.

Those were days worth remembering—no scheming, no life worries, just pure sisterly bonds.

Alicefiel sat in the car back to the villa, planning to pack and return to Tongzhou City.

Right now, only her daughter could soothe her pain.

Seeing her happy day by day, rolling and coquettish in her arms—it was sweeter than honey by a hundredfold!

This trip was meant to weather the full moon and sort her thoughts.

But she’d run into another long-unseen teammate.

Alicefiel wasn’t unprepared—after losing her prized blood magic, Elizabeth relied on her mental powers.

So, a casual glance at the Magical Girl Association Tower, and her honed intuition locked onto her.

Perhaps because Elizabeth majored in mental energy, Alicefiel thought her emotional volatility stemmed from that power.

But she shouldn’t lose control—maybe Alicefiel was the emotional trigger.

Back at the villa, Alicefiel stripped along the way, standing under the showerhead and turning on cold water.

She let droplets soak her hair, streams tracing from her scalp past her eyes, carrying away her tears.

Alicefiel sat on the cold tile floor, head buried in her arms around her knees, sobbing—like Elizabeth today, as lowly as a drowned dog whimpering.

After some time, Alicefiel lifted her head, shut off the shower, and headed to the bedroom.

She slipped en route, knee slamming the floor.

As a high-tier transcendent, once a Sublime magical girl, her body shouldn’t falter like this—but grief overrode her honed instincts.

Alicefiel rose, returned to rinse the dust, then back to the room, toweling off.

Naked on the bed, she raised her arm, gazing at her smooth skin.

Over these years, who hadn’t changed besides Elizabeth?

Take herself—twenty-plus years as a woman, less decisive, more hesitant, downright womanly.

At that, Alicefiel chuckled.

She was a woman now, more comfortable in this form than as Lu Xin.

So, did environment shape the person, or the body?

Alicefiel didn’t want to ponder.

Ding~

Lu Xin’s phone buzzed.

Alicefiel opened it—a photo of an array.

The screen glowed, materializing a gold-embossed appointment letter and a note: Head to the capital soon for promotion matters. The note self-destructed after reading.

“Early not, late not—why now?”

Alicefiel kicked her foot, grumbling.

“Looks like homecoming’s delayed.”

Meanwhile, in Tongzhou City.

Today’s magical girl lesson ended early—Lu Ming had institute business and work to arrange, so she let the rookies go ahead.

Lu Yue felt pardoned upon hearing this—not just escaping the demon instructor, but the sun was brutally hot, making her feel even magical girls could get heatstroke.

But an empty afternoon was boring, so Lu Yue suggested bringing Xiao Yan and Liu Lian home for offline Magic Kill board game.

So, the trio braved the scorching sun to Tongjiang Bay Community.

Why not taxi? Grounded magical girls ran faster than cars.

At the door, Lu Yue found shoe covers for them, then had them sit in the living room while she fetched the cards from her room.

Xiao Yan played on her phone—she’d been over before.

Liu Lian curiously scanned the room.

Modern minimalist style: a full-length mirror by the balcony door, likely for the woman of the house.

Top shelf of the TV cabinet held fine red wines, bottom tools and odds, middle a reflective frame.

That piqued Liu Lian’s interest.

She approached, peering close: a family photo.

The woman was Alicefiel, the child Lu Yue, and the man…

Liu Lian’s pupils dilated.

Just then, Lu Yue emerged with the card box, calling to the living room pair: “Let’s play Magic Kill.”

Then to Liu Lian: “You know how, right?”

Liu Lian blinked, staring at Lu Yue distractedly:

“Yeah.”