Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 74: Declaration of War

Vol 2 Chapter 74: Declaration of War

"Oh my, where did this cute little girl come from?"

Yuan looked a little surprised by Lin Xiaolu's sudden arrival, but she didn’t seem the least bit annoyed. She casually pulled her hand off Lin Yun’s back, as if nothing had happened, and stepped aside a couple of paces. Her curious gaze shifted between Lin Yun and Lin Xiaolu.

"So, what’s the relationship between you two?"

"I’m his daughter." Lin Xiaolu replied as she walked up to the desk.

"…Yeah, she’s my daughter."

Lin Yun answered reluctantly.

Logically speaking, he didn’t want to reveal his family ties to someone from Clawmark, but given the current situation, if he dared say “she’s not my daughter,” who knows what kind of scene Lin Xiaolu would throw.

From her perspective, the scene she just walked in on in the Director's Office was very easy to misinterpret. He really shouldn’t make things worse right now.

Yuan blinked in mild surprise. "I thought that was just some excuse you made up to brush me off."

"A little critical thinking and you'd realize lying about something like that wouldn’t benefit me."

Lin Yun shot her a side glance. "So? What were you trying to say just now? Say it and leave."

"Is this your way of kicking me out?"

Yuan smiled, narrowing her eyes. "Just now we were enjoying drinks and chatting, all warm and cozy, and now you’re giving me the cold shoulder?"

"I'd prefer it if you’d stick to what actually happened and not make up stories that never occurred."

Lin Yun remained expressionless. "There was no drinking and chatting. You were just trying to rope someone into having a drink with you."

"Hmm… whether I’m making it up or not might not even matter."

Yuan pointed at Lin Xiaolu, who was now standing by the desk. "Look at her. She clearly doesn’t think I am."

Lin Yun didn’t need Yuan to point that out—he already knew what his daughter was thinking.

Frankly, just from her half-squinting eyes and that scrutinizing expression, anyone could tell what was going through her mind.

"I need an explanation." She finally spoke up when the two fell silent. "You texted me to leave, just so you could meet this woman in your office? Who is she?"

"No problem, I can explain."

Lin Yun immediately raised a hand, gesturing for her to stay calm.

"Yes, I texted you because I needed to talk to her—but it was all work-related, not what you’re imagining."

"Oh?"

Lin Xiaolu leaned on the desk, her eyes darting between Lin Yun and Yuan.

"So-called 'work talk' involves leaning over someone’s back and whispering in their ear, huh?"

Lin Yun was at a loss for words.

No matter how he tried to explain what just happened, it would just sound like a guilty cover-up. His best option now was to clarify their relationship and avoid digging a deeper hole.

"You could think of this lady as…"

He paused mid-sentence, glancing at Yuan behind him before continuing,

"She just has… a very touchy-feely personality. That’s just her style."

"Her style?" Lin Xiaolu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, her personal style. You can think of it as her way of joking around. There’s nothing romantic between us."

Feeling like he’d found an opening, Lin Yun quickly added,

"And think about it rationally—given our family situation, if I really wanted to find someone new, would I hide it from you?"

"Hmm…"

Lin Xiaolu seemed to consider that. "I mean, that… does kind of make sense?"

"Exactly. We were discussing work stuff. It was sensitive, so I asked you to step out—not because of any ulterior motives."

He raised a finger for emphasis.

"Also, think back. You left for your own reasons, right? If I were planning some kind of… date, even calling someone over when you left would take time. There really wasn’t a window to do anything. It wouldn’t even make sense for me to try."

"So?" Lin Xiaolu gave him a looks-like-you-convinced-me kind of expression.

"So I had no reason or logic to do something like that. She and I just know each other through work, nothing more."

Lin Yun laid it out clearly.

"The truth is, you left, and right after, she showed up. Then when you came back, she made a joke that was easy to misunderstand… that’s all. Just coincidence."

"Oh wow. That’s a coincidence, and this is a coincidence too. Sounds like a whole string of coincidences."

Lin Xiaolu nodded with a straight face, her tone calm—but just when Lin Yun thought he’d convinced her, she said:

"Well then, since it’s all so innocent, what exactly were you two talking about?"

Lin Yun fell silent again.

This time it wasn’t embarrassment—it was because this was exactly the situation he’d been trying to avoid.

In front of him was Lin Xiaolu, a Magical Girl of Fangting City—young, yes, but still a representative.

Behind him, Yuan, a rogue Magical Girl from Clawmark.

Their identities might not be mortal enemies per se, but they were absolutely incompatible.

If no one brought it up, maybe this whole conversation could still end smoothly. But if they learned each other's true identities, there’d be no way to resolve things peacefully.

So he couldn’t tell Lin Xiaolu the truth.

What was he supposed to say? “I was interrogating a rogue Magical Girl from Clawmark about why she defected”?

"You want to know?"

At that moment, Yuan spoke up. Smiling like she was humoring a child, she looked at Lin Xiaolu.

"Sweetheart, do you know what your dad actually does for work?"

"Of course." Lin Xiaolu nodded. "He’s the Director of the Countermeasure Bureau."

"And do you know what a Countermeasure Bureau Director actually does?"

"What’s there not to know? He manages Magicians and handles Magical Girl-related follow-ups."

"Exactly. So this is easy to explain."

Yuan smiled.

"I came to see him to issue a formal challenge to Fangting City’s Magical Girls."

"…Huh?"

Both Lin Xiaolu and Lin Yun blurted out the same confused response.

They turned in sync to look at Yuan.

"What are you staring at me for? She asked, so I answered."

Yuan shrugged nonchalantly.

"I’m fighting your city’s Magical Girls tonight. You’re the Director—just pass the message along. That’s what I really came here for."

"Why?"

"Says who? Who the h*ll are you?"

Lin Yun and Lin Xiaolu each voiced their own questions.

"Why? If you really want an answer, I guess it’s because I have a boss too."

Yuan gave a silent chuckle.

"As for who I am… I’m a bad Magical Girl—the kind who picks fights with the good ones."

(Translation continues in next message due to length.)

(Continued from previous message.)

"…A bad Magical Girl? What, are you kidding me?"

Lin Xiaolu’s first reaction was disbelief. Her dad had literally just said this woman liked to joke around. And the current vibe didn’t feel tense at all—certainly not like the enemy is right in front of you.

But that lighthearted feeling didn’t last long.

Because right in front of her, Yuan raised a hand—and pitch-black liquid metal began to swirl and condense into a wand.

And not just that—her eyes had changed too. At some point, her pupils had become a pair of yin-yang shaped dual irises.

"Something like this, maybe? A bad Magical Girl."

Yuan made no attempt to hide her identity, calmly revealing her combat form.

"So? Not quite the Magical Girl you pictured, is it?"

Truthfully, Lin Yun had seen this form many times before—under the identity of Veronica. So to him, it wasn’t anything new. But novelty didn’t matter now. The moment Yuan revealed her form, he knew: things weren’t going to end peacefully.

He almost instinctively stood up, about to tell Lin Xiaolu to stay calm, but the words came too late.

Lin Xiaolu had already pulled out her Heartstone.

—“Magic, oh magic, stay with me a while. Take me into that different world, far from my own weakness.”

She brought the Heartstone Seed close to her lips, murmuring her transformation chant. The Heartstone shimmered in response.

When the light faded, the one standing before Lin Yun was no longer his daughter in her school outfit—but the Magical Girl known as White Rose.

"I’m the one you’re looking for."

Gripping her pale blue staff, Lin Xiaolu stared at Yuan with serious eyes.

"Why the challenge? What do you really want?"

She had exposed her identity without hesitation.

It was the second time she had shown her Magical Girl form in front of her father. But unlike the first time, Lin Yun desperately wished this one had never happened.

He sighed internally.

If he could’ve stopped her from speaking up just moments earlier, he would have. Yuan clearly hadn’t realized Lin Xiaolu was a Magical Girl—she’d been treating her like a curious kid. But now that she knew the truth, everything changed.

There was no way Lin Xiaolu could defeat Yuan. Exposing herself only added more danger. But it was already too late to stop it.

Now he had to think fast—how could he defuse this mess?

Should he claim he’d deliver the message to Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye, just to shift Yuan’s focus? Or protest as the Countermeasure Bureau Director about a fight breaking out in his office, hoping Yuan would show some restraint out of gratitude?

Of course, he also had to prepare for the worst—if they really started fighting, he might need to transform himself…

"Well, this really is a surprise. I didn’t expect to get a bonus prize just by dropping by the Bureau."

As Lin Yun scrambled for a plan, Yuan responded to Lin Xiaolu.

"Honestly, I just came here on a whim. Who knew I’d run into a local Magical Girl? Coincidence, maybe?"

"Yeah, it’s such a coincidence."

Lin Xiaolu clutched her wand tighter, tension etched across her face.

"Didn’t expect to meet someone from Clawmark at the Bureau itself. So you’re the ones behind all the recent attacks in Fangting City?"

She already knew about Clawmark. That weird Fairy Sage had warned her. But Veronica had kept her from meeting them—intentionally, it seemed. She’d heard of them, but never seen them—until now.

The moment Yuan called herself a “bad Magical Girl,” the pieces clicked.

"The recent attacks? The culprit? Sorry, can’t quite recall those details."

Yuan chuckled at her accusation.

"But whatever. The past doesn’t matter. What matters is what comes next—and that’s all my doing."

"What exactly are you planning?"

Yuan’s cryptic words sent a chill down Lin Yun’s spine. Her odd behavior tonight suddenly felt very real.

"Like I said, I’m here to issue a challenge. A duel—me against all of Fangting City’s Magical Girls."

Her smile faded.

"Doesn’t matter if it’s veterans like Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye, newbies like you, or out-of-town friends—I don’t know all their names, but if they want to come, they’re welcome. The location is Silver Screen Mountain, on the outskirts."

"Silver Screen Mountain?"

Lin Yun recognized the name, but couldn’t figure out why it made him uneasy.

"You seriously want to take on everyone by yourself?"

Lin Xiaolu was more focused on something else.

"Wait—how do you even know we have Magical Girls from other cities here?"

"Because I was watching during all your Ravager fights."

Yuan pointed at Lin Xiaolu.

"Like you—your recent battles were all in the Xizhao District. The last Ravager you took out was a Caterpillar-tier, right?"

Lin Xiaolu didn’t reply. But her quickened breathing gave her away.

Yuan was right. But Lin Xiaolu had never sensed anyone else nearby.

Which meant the woman in front of her had been present, observing her up close, without being noticed.

If Yuan had intended to attack then… she could’ve. Lin Xiaolu would’ve stood no chance.

Even the most oblivious person would now realize: this so-called “bad Magical Girl” was dangerously strong. Possibly far beyond her current level.

"If no one objects, I’ll go ahead and explain the rules."

Seeing that neither Lin Yun nor Lin Xiaolu was speaking, Yuan continued on her own.

"The duel will be held at the peak of Silver Screen Mountain. You pick the time—anytime tonight is fine. But I’ll only wait until midnight."

"I’ve set up a ritual at the peak. If no one stops it, it’ll trigger a massive explosion at midnight, taking out the entire mountain and everything around it."

She spread her arms wide, miming an explosion.

"To stop it, you have only one option—defeat me, and shut it down yourself."

"Blow up the whole mountain?"

Lin Yun frowned. In his memory, Silver Screen Mountain was one of the remotest areas on Fangting City’s outskirts. If it were destroyed, apart from maybe triggering some geological issues, there shouldn’t be massive casualties.

But then it hit him—what Yuan was really aiming for.

Silver Screen Mountain wasn’t just remote. It sat right at the outermost edge of Fangting City.

And along that edge… lay something critical: the city's protective barrier.

The barrier kept the Wasteland and its Ravagers away from human civilization. If even a single section were breached, high-tier Ravagers, mutated beasts, and worse could flood into the city.

"Looks like you figured it out."

Yuan noticed the shift in Lin Yun’s expression and grinned.

"That’s my challenge. If you don’t want Fangting City plunged into chaos, go tell Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye."

"…Why are you doing this?"

Lin Yun repeated the question, still unable to understand her timing.

Yuan had been in Fangting City for two months. There had been several chances to capture both her and the Beast Core, but she’d refused each one, citing “fairness.” If she wanted to use threats to force a negotiation, why wait until now, of all times?

Why squander all those better opportunities?

"Villains don’t need reasons to do bad things, do they?"

Yuan said lightly. "Think of it as… the holidays are coming, I’m homesick, and I want to wrap things up."

She strolled to the window of the Director’s Office and threw it open.

"Anyway, drinks were had, the challenge has been issued… I’ll go wait for your response now—"

She placed a hand on the window frame and waved cheerily behind her, about to leave—

But a Magic Beam shot straight past her face, just millimeters from hitting her.

Lin Xiaolu had made her move.

"Trying to run?"

She pointed her wand at Yuan, voice firm.

"If you're planning something this dangerous, I won’t just let you leave!"

"…You’re trying to stop me?"

Yuan didn’t look angry at all. She glanced at the path of the magic blast and shook her head.

"I appreciate your spirit, but sorry—I’m not in the mood to bully kids."

"Excuse me?!" Lin Xiaolu’s eyes went wide.

"I said, I’m not interested in fighting children."

Yuan held out her hands with exaggerated helplessness.

"Beating up someone weaker than me isn’t satisfying. Doesn’t suit my code."

"And blowing up a mountain fits your code?" Lin Xiaolu shouted.

"Sure does. I am the bad guy, remember? This is what bad guys do."

Unfazed, Yuan waved politely to both people in the room.

"Well then, I’ll be off."

She leaned out the window again. Magic surged around her—she was preparing to fly off.

"I told you—I won’t let you leave!"

This time, Lin Xiaolu went all in. Her wand blazed with white-hot magic—a full-powered strike using the results of her recent training.

Her Magic Light ignited around her like white flames as she launched herself forward, wand in hand, targeting Yuan in a blindingly fast strike.

Ever since her first battle with Black Cinders Dawn, even when she’d faced enemies far stronger than herself, her white magic had always worked.

She didn’t doubt it would work now.

—Thud.

And then… she remembered nothing.

She couldn’t even tell what Yuan had done.

All she felt was a dull impact—and then, darkness.

Her final impressions were the boom of Yuan breaking the sound barrier as she vanished… and her father’s voice, shouting in worry.