Chapter 4: Crystal

Jiang Lingwei had braced herself for death.

In her dream, she and her fellow magical girls deeply understood this risk.

After waking, she faced a world that felt utterly alien, steeped in confusion.

Perhaps dying now would be a mercy.

But the tide had turned, and she couldn’t face death calmly anymore.

Jiang Lingwei tossed the metal shard aside.

She wrapped her bleeding hand in a corner of her clothes.

Looking at the girl before her, she shook her head helplessly.

“I’m fine.”

‘If I’d known this would happen, I’d have closed my eyes and let her act. She wouldn’t have transformed if I’d held her.’

Her thoughts stemmed from a startling realization.

Without looking closely, she knew the girl who’d elbowed the earth demon worm away was Jiang Yao—her daughter, who’d just been beside her!

Her stance, her aura—she was unmistakably a magical girl.

‘Tch, a skirt-armor spirit outfit and a knight-princess sword? She’s a melee-type magical girl.’

Jiang Lingwei marveled inwardly.

‘As expected of my daughter! Even her spirit outfit is stunning!’

Jiang Yao’s pretense of not knowing her made sense.

A magical girl’s transformed state carried a filter, a barrier shielding her identity.

It ensured ordinary people wouldn’t link her to a schoolmate, even if they looked identical.

Jiang Lingwei saw through it because she wasn’t ordinary.

Or was she?

Her heart jolted.

‘Wait, how did I see through it? Am I not ordinary?’

Was her dream during her coma real?

Where was her transformation device?

Who took it?

Where were her seniors and companions?

How had she grown into such a mature woman?

She’d nearly accepted her new life.

Now, new developments stirred mixed emotions.

This wasn’t over.

And one critical question loomed.

If her past was real… who made her give birth?!

What kind of beast! (ノ｀Д)ノ

“Um, uh, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Jiang Yao, gripping her sword, stammered.

She extended a hand to Jiang Lingwei.

“I’m the magical girl Crystal. Miss, hurry! Let me get you to safety.”

“Well… no.”

Jiang Lingwei nearly agreed but caught herself.

Since Jiang Yao hid her identity, she’d play along.

“Go help others first. I need to find my daughter—she was just with me.”

“Ah.”

Jiang Yao froze, then swung her sword, firing an energy bolt at a worm chasing the crowd.

She turned back.

“She’s fine.”

“Hm? You saw her?”

“She, she, she…” Jiang Yao wiped nonexistent sweat from her brow, firing another bolt to lure a worm away.

“Yes, I saw her. She’s safe. Run now—you’ll reunite after I handle this.”

She added firmly:

“I promise.”

Jiang Lingwei nodded.

That was enough to keep up the act.

With the situation dire, she wouldn’t hinder Jiang Yao’s rescue efforts.

Sirens wailed, and a voice blared through a loudspeaker: “This way!”

Police were evacuating the crowd.

Following them would lead to safety.

If she couldn’t help, she wouldn’t be a burden.

It was time to go.

Yet worry gnawed at her.

Even knowing a melee magical girl in her prime could handle trash like earth demon worms—weak save for their acid—she fretted.

“Hey.”

Before leaving, Jiang Lingwei called out loudly:

“Stay safe! Don’t get hurt! I’m going to find my daughter!”

She cringed inwardly.

It felt like an orphanage director telling kids to play safely.

“Mm.”

Jiang Yao, already turning away, didn’t look back.

She quickly wiped her face, steadying her trembling voice.

“I understand.”

Jiang Yao exhaled deeply.

She’d cried that morning, but her mother’s words nearly broke her again.

It began when she was young, when her mother fell into a coma for reasons unknown.

Or perhaps when her father vanished from the world.

No one had ever cared for her so deeply.

Visiting the sanatorium, talking one-sidedly to her sleeping mother, had become routine.

She never knew how long her mother would sleep.

But today, she awoke!

Though her concern was for “Crystal,” not Jiang Yao, it still warmed her heart.

“Gu… Pull yourself together.”

Jiang Yao muttered, unaware that the five earth demon worms had shifted their focus to her.

She patted her cheeks, ignoring her mother’s worried gaze.

“Ahhh!!!”

“It’d be fun if Mom knew I was a magical girl.”

Slash!

Her sword gleamed with amethyst light.

Facing the first worm’s gaping maw, she struck.

“Gah… screech!”

The worm’s head and torso parted, collapsing with a weak howl, lifeless in seconds.

Hiss…

Yellow acid splashed onto Jiang Yao’s cheeks and armor, sizzling corrosively.

“No, my magical girl identity must stay secret. Mom would worry.”

“Hehe…”

Her cheeks flushed.

She gripped her sword with one hand, hugging her shoulder with the other.

“Having Mom care feels nice, but I can’t. I need to find Dad.”

Dropping her usual title, she brandished her sword, muttering:

“I can’t take it, Yaoyao. No more daydreaming!”

“Okay—work hard. Remember Mom’s words: don’t get hurt~”

Another slash beheaded a worm.

Only then, splashed by acid again, did she notice the stinging on her cheek.

Her pupils shrank, her expression twisting into fury.

Her hair flared, revealing neon-dark purple highlights as her magic surged.

“How… when did it hit me…”

“No, this can’t happen.”

“It’s treatable, but I promised Mom I wouldn’t get hurt! Even if healed, won’t she think I’m injured?”

“Grr…”

Jiang Yao gritted her teeth, glaring at the three remaining worms.

“It’s your fault.”

She stepped forward, her sword’s shape shifting.

Ignoring it, she swung.

“You, you, you—”

“Damn it!!!”

Black energy swept over the three worms, engulfing them.

“Mom!”

Jiang Lingwei, squatting at the temporary missing persons station, looked embarrassed as she awaited her daughter.

Usually, adults sought children, but her case was unique.

If Jiang Yao couldn’t find her after finishing, she’d be lost.

“Are you okay, Yaoyao?”

She clumsily checked Jiang Yao’s body.

As a first-time “mother,” she lacked experience.

‘Good thing I’ve tended to the wounded before.’

“I’m fine. A magical girl saved me.”

“That’s good, that’s good.”

She was indeed a magical girl.

Jiang Yao’s bright smile warmed Jiang Lingwei’s heart.

‘But saying it outright? Won’t her memory be erased?’

‘The people around don’t seem shocked… Normally, they’d panic. Are people in 2032 this calm?’

Before she could ask, Jiang Yao tightened her grip.

“Let’s go home, Mom. If your memories are from twenty years ago, you haven’t seen our home yet.”

“Mm…”

Pushing aside her doubts, Jiang Lingwei nodded.

“Alright.”