Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 51: The Place You Should Go

Vol 2 Chapter 51: The Place You Should Go

“Not taking the exam next year?”

Asou Madoka's words landed like a depth charge, leaving the girls of the Fangting City Squad momentarily speechless. Among them, only Veronica found her voice, her expression darkening as she pressed, “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing in particular. I’m just making a suggestion.”

Asou Madoka’s expression remained unchanged, as if she didn’t find anything wrong with what she said. “If you really want an explanation, then think of the upcoming spar as the ‘preliminary test’ for certification. If you can’t pass the prelim, then you’re not qualified for the main exam. Sounds fair, right?”

“You’re one of next year’s examiners?”

“Nope.”

“Then I don’t see how you have any authority to make that kind of suggestion.”

Veronica tilted her chin slightly, her gaze cooling. “Or is this what your so-called ‘exchange visit’ to Fangting City is about? Just looking to stir up trouble?”

“I already said, I don’t have even the slightest bad intention. If I were just here to pick a fight, I wouldn’t bother targeting a bunch of girls I don’t even know, would I?” Asou Madoka replied, wearing an innocent expression.

But her words clearly failed to convince Veronica, who didn’t even bother to respond. She simply kept her gaze fixed on her.

After several seconds under that icy stare, the smile on Asou Madoka’s face started to falter. It faded, replaced by a look of helplessness.

“Fine, looks like this isn’t the way to convince you.”

She sighed lightly. “Maybe we do need to find somewhere to talk things through. I could answer some of your questions, and maybe you could tell me a few things I don’t know.”

“Somewhere else?”

“Mhm. Just not here.”

Asou Madoka turned her head, glancing at the girls around her, then smiled mysteriously. “Some things are for adults only. It’s still a little early for the kids to be hearing about them.”

At that, the girls’ expressions varied—some indifferent, others clearly unhappy. Lin Xiaolu even took a step forward, clearly ready to argue back, but stopped when she saw Veronica nod.

“Alright.”

She responded crisply, her voice firm and clear. “Where? Got a good place in mind?”

“You’re the local here. Picking a spot to talk—shouldn’t that be your area of expertise?”

Asou Madoka crossed her arms. “It’s been years since I was last here, so I’m curious what fun places Fangting City has these days. Show me around a little, would you?”

“...Let’s just go to the Countermeasure Bureau.”

Veronica casually suggested, clearly not interested in the “where” part. What mattered to her was the conversation itself. “The Bureau’s conference room ensures privacy. No chance of being overheard.”

“The Bureau? Boring.”

Asou Madoka rejected the idea without a second thought, eyeing Veronica. “Don’t you have anything more interesting in mind?”

“What are you aiming for?” Veronica returned the look.

“Well, since I’m already back in Fangting City, I’ll definitely visit the Bureau later anyway. So for now, shouldn’t we find somewhere with more… ambiance?”

She tapped her arm thoughtfully. “Like, say, a nice restaurant? Or maybe one of the new landmarks they’ve built recently? Something with a bit more charm?”

“...If you don’t want to go to the Bureau, we can talk in the Secret Base’s study. No outsiders there either.”

“The Secret Base? That’s just another place we’ll be going regularly anyway.”

Asou Madoka frowned. “You’ve been here over a decade longer than I have. Can’t you think of something better? I mean, even if I just searched online before coming, I saw lists of ‘must-visit spots,’ you know?”

“Well, sorry, I’m just not a very fun person.”

Veronica muttered as she looked off to the corridor. Perhaps because of earlier instructions, the hallway was nearly deserted, with no one heading their way. It felt as if an invisible line had been drawn, keeping all non-Magical Girls out.

Her gaze wandered unfocused, lips pursed in thought—until a spark lit her eyes.

“Actually, if you’re looking for somewhere to talk—and something a little more ‘memorable’—I might have an idea.”

“Oh? What kind of place?” Asou Madoka perked up immediately.

“Somewhere quiet. Not many people go there, but everyone in Fangting City eventually has to deal with it.”

Veronica’s voice was calm, her face blank. “You know what I mean. You should go see it.”

“Not many people go, but I should…? Is this some kind of riddle?” Asou Madoka gave a wry smile.

“Too hard to guess?”

“A little. There are way too many places that fit those vague clues. Honestly, it could be anywhere...”

Her voice trailed off mid-sentence.

Even her expression froze a bit. After a long silence, she sighed.

“Ah. I get it. You’re right—it wasn’t that hard to guess.”

They locked eyes for a moment, and the air between them turned strangely heavy, leaving the surrounding girls completely in the dark.

“...So where is it, exactly? Does such a place really exist in Fangting City?”

Lin Xiaolu, who had been following the conversation from start to end, finally spoke up, puzzled. “Can you guys maybe explain things more clearly?”

“Sorry, White Rose. I probably won’t be able to take you girls back today. Can you catch the tram or fly back quietly on your own?”

But Veronica didn’t answer her question directly. Instead, she stepped up beside her and patted her arm.

“Take our guests from Bo’an City to the Secret Base. Be sure to treat them well, alright? I’ll be back later with Miss Asou.”

“‘Miss Asou’—can’t you say something nicer than calling me an ‘aunt’?” Asou Madoka protested at once.

“Fine, I can take them back… but where exactly are you two going?”

The strange atmosphere made Lin Xiaolu a little uneasy. She subconsciously gripped her sleeve where Veronica had patted her. “Is it dangerous?”

“No, not dangerous.”

Veronica brushed it off, then leaned closer to whisper a location into Lin Xiaolu’s ear.

Her voice was so soft that no one else caught it—but Lin Xiaolu understood instantly, her eyes widening slightly.

Before she could say anything, Veronica and Asou Madoka had already waved goodbye and disappeared around the corridor’s bend, out of sight.

Lin Xiaolu stared at that corner, lips pressed together in silence—until Wood Lily came up beside her, unable to hold back her curiosity.

“So where exactly are they going? What did the Inspector say to you?”

“...They’re going to see someone.”

Lin Xiaolu finally answered, her face unreadable. She turned to Wood Lily slowly and said, “Veronica said… they’re going to visit my mom.”

An hour after the concert ended, the once-deafening Green Tower Stadium had finally begun to return to calm. Though plenty of enthusiastic fans still lingered outside, chatting excitedly, the surroundings had clearly quieted down.

The once-crowded plaza around the stadium was slowly clearing. Blending in with the sparse traffic pulling away from the venue was an unremarkable silver-white SUV, cruising leisurely onto the road. From the outside, it looked no different from any other concert-goer’s vehicle.

But if someone happened to glance into the passenger seat, they’d spot something unusual—sitting there, smiling, was none other than the concert’s star herself, Asou Madoka.

In this moment, the glamorous pop idol seemed more like a curious girl, poking around the interior of the car with childlike interest—pressing the seat cushions, fiddling with the AC buttons, and after a bit, playing with the window switch beside her.

The driver had remained quiet at first, not reacting at all—until the window was halfway down. Then, finally, she turned and gave Madoka a mildly exasperated look, her voice low: “Stop opening the window. Aren’t you worried someone might recognize you?”

It was Veronica behind the wheel.

She had kept silent up until then, her eyes fixed ahead, playing the part of a cold, unfeeling chauffeur. If it weren’t for Asou Madoka’s relentless fidgeting, she probably wouldn’t have said anything at all.

Madoka turned to meet her gaze, grinning mischievously. “Why not? What’s there to be afraid of?”

Veronica only looked at her for a second before breaking eye contact, turning her attention back to the road. “You know where we’re going. I don’t want some random reporter tailing us.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Madoka blinked, then nodded in agreement and rolled the window back up. “You’re right. It’s not something that should be interrupted.”

Only the two of them sat in the compact SUV, and with that brief exchange finished, silence fell again.

A silence that reeked of awkwardness.

If there’d been anyone else in the car, things might not have felt this weird. But unfortunately, it was just the two of them now.

Not because they had nothing to say—but because there were too many questions left unspoken, and neither of them knew where to begin.

Thankfully, Madoka didn’t let the silence stretch on too long. She leaned back into the seat and said in a quieter tone, “So… aren’t you going to ask why I only came back now?”

“Why would I?”

“Most people would ask. Especially after what happened back then.”

“I thought you’d show up two years ago. But you didn’t.”

As the car curved around a corner, Veronica glanced between the rearview mirror and the road ahead, hands lightly turning the wheel.

“To be honest, it wasn’t just you. Hong Siyu, Su Shengzi… I was terrified that if any of you came, I wouldn’t know how to face you.”

“I chose a normal life. Thought I could stay hidden in it forever. But in the end, I couldn’t even protect what mattered most. I was terrified you’d show up and ask me, ‘Why couldn’t you save Aya?’”

“I wanted to believe the worst threat had already passed. Wanted to believe my peaceful life could stay that way. Wanted to believe Aya would be fine... I never imagined things would unfold the way they did. When it happened, it felt like a nightmare. Nothing felt real.”

“Honestly, if you guys had really shown up, I might’ve run away. Because I wouldn’t know what to say to you.”

She paused, inhaling slowly. Her voice dropped even further.

“But you didn’t come. None of you did. The funeral only had neighbors she knew, a few undercover Countermeasure Bureau staff, and the Magical Girls from Fangting City. Each person only knew a part of Aya’s story. Maybe none of them knew the full truth—but at least, none of them questioned me.”

“So what, you think it’s a good thing I didn’t show up?” Madoka looked stunned. “It was her funeral, you know. Aren’t you even worried I might’ve died too?”

“You wouldn’t. You’re more afraid of dying than anyone.”

“That’s a harsh take for a Magical Girl, don’t you think? Can’t you say something nicer? You could at least call it ‘treasuring life.’”

Madoka raised a finger in protest. “And besides, even if I do value my life, there are enemies out there that you can’t escape from, no matter how much you want to.”

“Enemies you couldn’t escape from?” Veronica shot her a sidelong glance. “There are Ravagers out there like that?”

“Who knows? Before what happened to Aya, didn’t we all believe there was no enemy that could kill her?”

Madoka lowered her hand and stared ahead with her.

“Honestly, when I first heard the news from the director, I thought she was playing some kind of cruel joke on me. It wasn’t until the case was officially registered as a top-priority investigation by the Bureau that I realized it was real.”

“So you knew from the start?” Veronica asked softly.

“Yeah… probably the day after it happened.”

“I see.”

“…And after all that, you still aren’t going to ask why I didn’t come?”

Madoka sighed when Veronica stayed quiet, her tone more exasperated than anything. “Isn’t this the part where you try to rally the old team? Swear to get revenge together?”

“I don’t want to drag you all into this mess.”

Veronica’s voice was flat. “Whatever could kill Aya isn’t something ordinary. Going after it for revenge? That kind of decision comes with a price. I can’t ask you to take on something so dangerous.”

“Seriously, you’re like a pickled brick—hard and stinky.”

Madoka squinted at her with mock disapproval, then laughed under her breath. “But yeah, that’s a very you kind of thought. In that case, just pretend I’m talking to myself now.”

“You won’t ask why I didn’t come, so I’ll just tell you—do you know why I didn’t?”

“…Why?” Veronica prompted.

“Because someone stopped me. Told me not to go.”

Madoka leaned back into her seat again, her gaze steady on the road ahead. “The director saw me in person. Said I shouldn’t interfere with your thinking. That I should let you figure it out on your own.”