Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 13: Deviant

Vol 2 Chapter 13: Deviant

The one appearing here at this moment, and being called “Your Excellency Chief” by Lin Yun under these circumstances, could naturally be no one else—of course, it was the Countermeasure Bureau’s Emerald Scepter from the Court of Research—Emerald.

“Eh? You said it’s disgusting?”

The fluffy, round Toy Fairy stepped out from behind Lin Yun, its tone carrying a hint of surprise: “I saw the way you two addressed each other in that setting and thought it was some kind of kink.”

“Please don’t imagine other people’s relationships to be so filthy.”

“Ah, sorry. I thought we had... Looks like your life’s been pretty colorful lately.”

“If you’re just here to mess with me, you could really find something more proper to do.”

Lin Yun’s voice was emotionless: “So, what brings you here today, Your Excellency Chief?”

“Nothing much, just came to remind you that my private lab is finally finished.”

The Toy Fairy twisted its body and jumped onto the desk in front of Lin Yun: “I’ve already got some fun little gadgets set up over there. Want to come have a look?”

“It’s done already?”

Lin Yun was slightly stunned: “I thought the address was only finalized three days ago…”

“In fact, it was finished the day after we picked the location. Please don’t doubt the technical prowess of us magical girls from the Court of Research, junior.”

The toy hugged its little paws, its lazy electronic voice tinged with a trace of pride: “We had already iterated the technology for material shaping and transference ten years ago. Something like interior decor is child’s play.”

“Is that so? Congratulations, then.”

After hearing the response, Lin Yun actually lost interest. He replied perfunctorily and then lowered his head again to pick up the file on the desk: “But sorry, I’ve got work to do right now. I’ll come by after I’m off duty.”

“Hmm… that’s an invitation from a superior and an elder, you know. Isn’t your attitude a bit too rude?”

Emerald’s voice paused, clearly choked by Lin Yun’s response: “And I’m a strong believer in no overtime. If you’re off duty, I’ve been resting for a while.”

“Then let’s talk about it another time.”

Unfazed by the reproach, Lin Yun replied calmly: “I’ve got more than enough work piled up today. No time to wander off elsewhere.”

“I see. Then I’ll respect your decision.”

The toy by the desk nodded: “It’s just a shame. I had wanted to chat with you a bit about that kid on the way.”

“It’s fine. I’m not really…”

Lin Yun stopped halfway, sensing something was off. He looked up at the toy in front of him: “Which kid are you talking about?”

“Why, the one who just left, of course—that magical girl.”

The toy pointed its paw toward the Director's Office door, also indicating the direction Bai Jingxuan had left. Its voice echoed in the room, where only the two of them remained:

—“After all, that kid has the scent of a ‘Beast’ on her. Didn’t you notice?”

The office fell silent.

“…You mean Bosetsu?”

After a long moment, Lin Yun frowned: “The scent of a Beast? On her? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“That would be baseless doubt, junior. As the Emerald Scepter of the Magic Kingdom, the Chief Researcher of the Court of Research—if I couldn’t even tell the scent of a Ravager, then I might as well retire and enjoy my twilight years.”

The round Toy Fairy tilted its neckless head: “The scent of a Beast is the scent of a Beast. No matter the form, it can’t be hidden.”

“…But I’ve never sensed anything like that.”

Lin Yun averted his eyes, glancing in the direction Bai Jingxuan had left: “I’ve spent a good amount of time with that kid. I’ve never once sensed the Ravager magic you’re talking about.”

“The scent of a ‘Beast’ doesn’t have to manifest as Beast magic.”

Emerald’s lazy voice was flat, but carried something deeper: “Besides, even if it’s not Beast magic, that child’s magic is special, isn’t it?”

“You mean her healing ability?” Lin Yun suddenly recalled his earlier conversation with Tian Sheng.

Tian Sheng had once said on the light rail that he might’ve come out of the Moon Festival incident better off thanks to being exposed to Bai Jingxuan’s magic.

In fact, Bai Jingxuan’s magic was indeed something outside of Lin Yun’s usual understanding.

He had previously thought about finding an opportunity to ask Emerald. And now, that opportunity was right in front of him. The other party had even laid the truth out as a bargaining chip—just waiting for him to take the deal.

“What do you want this time?” he asked.

“Oh, finally intrigued?”

The toy’s eyes lit up, suddenly seeming very lifelike: “Looks like my prep work wasn’t in vain. There aren’t many people in this world worth me going the extra mile for—you should be grateful, junior.”

“Whether I’m grateful depends on the price you name.”

Lin Yun stared into the toy’s eyes: “Nothing happens this coincidentally. I’m not an idiot.”

“What if I told you it really was just a coincidence, and I merely took advantage of the timing? If such noble and beautiful character gets misunderstood like this, even someone as detached as me can feel a little heartbroken.”

Emerald let out a sorrowful sigh, but seeing that Lin Yun didn’t react at all, she had no choice but to make the toy spread its little arms: “It’s nothing major. I just want you to visit my lab.”

“That’s it?” Lin Yun raised an eyebrow.

“That’s it,” Emerald said crisply.

“So you’re planning to lure me over and use me as a test subject?”

Lin Yun asked, confused: “Or is there something over there you can use to threaten me?”

“Nothing like that. What kind of person do you think I am?”

“Emerald Scepter.”

“Junior, if you call me that as an insult one more time, I might seriously consider having ‘Misuse of the title Emerald Scepter is prohibited’ written explicitly into the national law.”

Emerald grumbled: “I came to you in good faith—hurry up and come with me. Otherwise, I really won’t tell you.”

Lin Yun silently stared down the toy for a few seconds before finally letting out a helpless sigh and taking out his phone.

He contacted the Countermeasure Bureau’s HR and General Affairs departments, informing them of his temporary leave. Then he put on his coat and stood up from behind the desk.

“Let’s go.”

He said.

And so, a man and a Toy Fairy swaggered out of the Director’s Office. Since Toy Fairies couldn’t be perceived by others, to the passing staff, it simply looked like Lin Yun was leaving alone as usual.

Once they had confirmed they were far enough from the Countermeasure Bureau, Emerald’s voice came from the toy again:

“Well then, since you’ve agreed, let me pay part of the reward in advance, junior.”

“If you want to understand what’s special about that child, you need to grasp some basic concepts first. For example, do you know what a ‘Deviant’ actually is?”

“…All I know is that it has something to do with the nature of one’s magic,” Lin Yun answered honestly.

“Yes, it’s related to magical attributes. But do you know what ‘attributes’ really are?” Emerald pressed.

“Attributes… like literally? Fire, water, that sort of thing?” Lin Yun replied uncertainly.

“What are you talking about? This is the real world, not a game. It’s not that simple.”

Emerald sighed: “So-called ‘attributes’ are actually short for ‘magic base-color attributes’—they’re a general term for the source and form of your power.”

“In simpler terms?”

“In simple terms: your ‘attribute,’ or your ‘base color,’ depends on your identity. It’s essentially your ‘faction’ in terms of magic.”

Emerald said leisurely: “A Magical Girl’s magic has a Magical Girl base color; a Ravager’s magic has a Ravager base color; even Fairies have their own base color. Only ordinary beings in the Material World, like humans, have no base color at all.”

“Based on identity… a faction of magic?”

Lin Yun murmured: “Then, the ‘deviation’ of a Deviant is actually…”

“Exactly. The so-called ‘Deviants’ are those whose base-color attribute has shifted. Compared to their original attribute, they now show characteristics of another.”

Emerald raised her voice: “In other words, their magical identity isn’t singular or pure. Every Deviant belongs to more than one faction.”

“Base color attribute… shifted?”

It was the first time Lin Yun had heard such a concept.

In his understanding, beings in this world—humans, Ravagers, Magical Girls—were clearly distinct, separated by very definite lines.

But this idea, when applied to explain the anomalies seen in Deviants, made perfect sense.

“The Deviants we usually define tend to shift in a milder direction.”

Emerald continued explaining: “For instance, from a Magical Girl’s base color shifting toward the colorless human state; or from a Magical Girl’s base color shifting toward a Fairy’s; or even humans who were already inclined toward the Magical Girl base color—thus possessing exceptional talent and being essentially born as Magical Girls…”

At this point, Lin Yun finally understood what Emerald had been trying to express. And he also started to vaguely grasp what made Bai Jingxuan so unusual: “You’re saying that child’s magic…”

“Yes. And that child we’re talking about, the one codenamed Bosetsu, I believe has deviated toward the Ravager side. Her magic is naturally aligned with the ‘Beast’ faction.”

Emerald’s voice was calm, but that calmness became oddly chilling as she spoke the next words:

—“If she hadn’t become a Magical Girl, she would’ve naturally become a ‘Beastkin.’”