Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 9: Refutation

Vol 2 Chapter 9: Refutation

After seeing off the uninvited guest who had shown up at the Director’s Office, Lin Yun, lost in thought, made his way to the Countermeasure Bureau's cafeteria.

Even though he was now the Director, he insisted on keeping his daily life the same as ordinary staff—no special treatment, no exceptions.

He took a few bites of the bland food on his tray, chewing as if it were wax, while thinking about the conversation that had taken place in his office that morning. His head was pounding.

He felt like he’d just shot himself in the foot.

He had no idea what Bai Jingxuan’s mindset had been before all of this—how she viewed life, or hatred. But the fact that she had ended up with such violent thoughts now… it probably had a lot to do with that battle during the Moon Festival.

Lin Yun often reflected on that night. Had he gone too far? Was it too extreme to use such brutal tactics in front of the girls? Would it leave some negative impact?

In fact, when he killed Mors and reunited with the girls afterward, Bai Jingxuan’s expression had already started to look off. Among the three girls, she was the only one who showed no fear or concern—only excitement and adoration.

It was like she had finally found a sense of direction, a sudden realization. That’s how she acted.

Back then, Veronica hadn’t realized what Bai Jingxuan was thinking. But looking back now, that child probably already had those twisted thoughts taking root. Those thoughts simmered for half a month, fermenting under her calm and obedient surface, and now they had boiled over into what she was today.

Veronica didn’t want to shrug off her responsibility in this. As someone further along the path of a Magical Girl, she’d clearly failed to set the right example.

But things had already gotten to this point—there was no use hesitating. What mattered now was figuring out how to fix it. How to make Bai Jingxuan understand that her current thoughts were misguided?

With a heavy heart, Lin Yun returned to his office after lunch, feeling a little drained.

He pushed open the double doors of the Director’s Office and glanced inside—only to see that same green-haired girl with the single ponytail, the one who was supposed to have already left.

Tian Sheng was standing off to the side, looking awkward and unsure of what to say.

“...Why is she still here?” Lin Yun turned his head and asked Tian Sheng.

“I tried talking her out of it, but she insisted on coming,” Tian Sheng explained in a small voice. “And I couldn’t stop her… so I just followed along.”

“Security didn’t try to remove her?”

“They did, but she’s a Magical Girl… there wasn’t much they could do.” Tian Sheng scratched the back of his head.

Lin Yun swept his gaze over the two of them. After a brief pause, he let out a barely audible sigh and said to Tian Sheng, “Alright then, you can go. I’ll talk to her.”

“You sure you don’t need me here?” Tian Sheng pointed to himself. “If things fall through again…”

“You wouldn’t be able to talk her down either, would you?”

Lin Yun waved his hand. “Thanks for this morning. Go get some rest.”

Tian Sheng looked like he wanted to say something else, but seeing the tense atmosphere between Lin Yun and Bai Jingxuan, he kept it to himself and left the office with some concern.

Once Tian Sheng was gone, Lin Yun returned to his desk. He looked at Bai Jingxuan, who stared back stubbornly.

“I believe I already told you—I won’t approve it.”

Lin Yun shook his head and continued, “Unless you change your intention. Don’t join the operation with pure revenge in mind. And stop using words like ‘torture’—just focus on eliminating the enemies.”

“Then… then I won’t say that stuff. I’ll just fight bad guys like normal…” Bai Jingxuan offered.

“I need a real promise, not lip service. I don’t want you to pretend to back down in front of me, only to go out there and start slaughtering people during the mission.”

As if seeing right through her, Lin Yun said calmly, “If you can do that, then I’ll approve your request.”

“Mm…” Bai Jingxuan bit her lip, looking troubled.

“Take a seat. No need to keep standing.” Lin Yun pointed to the chair in front of the desk. “If you want my advice, maybe you should go ask that ‘teacher’ of yours.”

“You say you want to learn from her—then what would she think about the decision you’re making now? Have you thought about that?”

“...I don’t know.” Bai Jingxuan shook her head, still standing. “I haven’t asked her yet.”

“So coming to the Countermeasure Bureau was entirely your own decision? You didn’t seek her advice at all?”

Lin Yun picked up the water cup on his desk. “Even from that perspective, don’t you think you’re being too impulsive?”

“I don’t think she would’ve said no…” Bai Jingxuan mumbled.

Your teacher absolutely would’ve said no.

Lin Yun’s grip on the cup tightened.

“No matter what you think, her opinion still matters.”

He tried to calm himself, speaking gently. “Go back and ask her. Once you’ve got a clear answer, then come back to the Bureau.”

His meaning was clear—another refusal. But this time, he left the door open. The ball was now in Veronica’s court.

In his view, given the situation, he couldn’t give any constructive suggestions as the Bureau Director. If he wanted to sway Bai Jingxuan, he might need to try a different approach—or a different identity.

Since her current mindset was tied to Veronica, it made sense that Veronica’s opinion would carry more weight. Maybe, just maybe, if he spoke as her teacher, she’d actually listen.

But Bai Jingxuan didn’t respond right away.

After listening to him, she just stared at Lin Yun with a complicated expression. He could only watch as her face shifted from serious to hesitant, hesitant to determined, until finally she spoke again:

“But, Uncle, you hate those bad people too, don’t you?”

“I already know that you’re Sister Xiaolu’s dad, and Senior Sakura is her mom, so that means Senior Sakura is your wife, right?”

Bai Jingxuan clenched her skirt. “She was killed by those people, so you should hate them too. Shouldn’t I be allowed to get revenge for you?”

“...That has nothing to do with you.”

Lin Yun lowered his gaze, looking into her eyes. “It’s a lot more complicated than you think.”

“Don’t you want revenge too, Uncle?”

“I do. But not through things like ‘massacres’ or ‘torture.’”

“I don’t get it,” Bai Jingxuan muttered, her head bowed.

“You don’t have to understand. But I can promise you—the ones hiding in Fangting City will be punished as they deserve.”

He tapped his fingers on the desk. “So there’s no need for you to dirty your hands. Just stand back, watch them fall, and applaud. Okay?”

“But… that’s not my revenge.” Her head stayed lowered.

“Revenge doesn’t always mean doing it yourself.”

“...If I don’t kill them with my own hands, I don’t really feel anything, Uncle.”

Bai Jingxuan looked up. Her sweet, quiet eyes were now hollow. “I still want to do it myself.”

“Then I’ll never let you go, Bai Jingxuan.”

With no one else in the office, Lin Yun didn’t bother holding back anymore and called her by name. “I will never allow a Magical Girl to follow my team into battle just to kill people—even if those people are complete monsters.”

“But Teacher killed bad guys!”

“Your teacher is an adult. You’re not. Your situations are different.”

“That has nothing to do with being an adult!”

“Yes, it does.”

Lin Yun’s tapping grew faster. “Because no adult would allow this to happen in front of them.”

“Why?” Bai Jingxuan was confused.

“Because our lives are already set, but yours still has hope.”

He looked at her seriously. “We’ve already taken on the burden of killing, and we’re destined to keep carrying it. But you haven’t. Your life still has other possibilities.”

“I don’t need those possibilities!”

She shouted, frustrated. “Being like Teacher is good enough!”

“Is your teacher really doing well? How do you know?”

Lin Yun countered, “What if she often regrets the things she’s done?”

“No way!” Bai Jingxuan objected, displeased. “Teacher saved everyone and punished the bad guys—why would she regret that?”

“She would.” Lin Yun’s voice sank. “In ways you don’t see, your teacher regrets it all the time. In fact, she’s always regretting it.”

“Why? How do you know that, Uncle?”

Because I am Veronica.

Lin Yun wanted to blurt it out.

He had no reason to hide that fact from Bai Jingxuan anymore. The only reason he hadn’t told her was because she was young and might accidentally let it slip to Lin Xiaolu.

But now, her mental state was clearly more important. If revealing the truth could help, then so be it.

Should he admit it? Tell her he was her teacher?

Would it really help… or just make things worse?

Just as Lin Yun was hesitating, Bai Jingxuan spoke again—this time asking something that made his mind go completely blank:

“Is it because you’re going to marry Teacher?”

“Because… huh?”

Lin Yun choked back the words he was about to say and looked up in surprise. “What did you say?”

“Is it because you’re going to marry Teacher, so you don’t care about Senior Sakura anymore?” Bai Jingxuan shrank back, maybe frightened by how shocked he looked.

“Who told you that?” Lin Yun asked flatly.

“Moko told me!”

Bai Jingxuan looked timid at first, but then steeled herself. “It said you and Teacher are really close, basically dating. That maybe you’ll end up together!”

“It’s talking nonsense,” Lin Yun said firmly.

At the same time, though he didn’t show it, he had already made a silent decision: when he got back, he was definitely going to have a long talk with Nini about tightening discipline on Moko.

“If you’re going to marry Teacher, shouldn’t you be even more determined to avenge Senior Sakura?” Bai Jingxuan continued, not listening to him. “If you’re really going to be together, then at least give her peace!”

“Where are you hearing all this nonsense from?” Lin Yun’s eye twitched.

“Sister Xia Liang said it!”

This girl…

Lin Yun could almost picture Xia Liang’s mischievous grin in his mind.

“And, and!” Bai Jingxuan was trying hard to recall more, waving her finger in the air until her eyes lit up with realization, and she shouted:

“If you and Teacher get married, then you might adopt me! And if you adopt me, then you’ll be my dad and she’ll be my mom!”

“Dad! Let me go! I want revenge!”

The office went dead silent.

The shock hit Lin Yun like a truck. He was so stunned that he forgot to keep tapping the desk or shaking his leg. He just stared at Bai Jingxuan, too dazed to even make an expression, and weakly asked:

“…Who told you that one?”

“That one was Sister Xiaolu!”

Bai Jingxuan said seriously.

Lin Yun fell silent again.

He lowered his head, rethinking his earlier decision—whether or not to reveal his identity.

Before, he had leaned toward telling her the truth. But after hearing everything she just said, that idea was completely off the table.

With a mouth like that, if he told her, Lin Xiaolu would find out by tomorrow.

“…Let’s set the revenge talk aside for now.”

After some thought, he looked up again, putting on a kind and gentle smile, speaking in a soft voice: “First, why don’t you tell me—what else did your ‘Sister Xiaolu’ say to you?”