Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 80: Drunk at your own discretion

Vol 2 Chapter 80: Drunk at your own discretion

“...Huh?”

Asou Madoka, who was still locked in battle with Yuan, clearly didn’t expect Veronica to say that. She froze for a second. “Right now?”

“Exactly. We don’t have much time left—we need to go all in.”

Veronica dropped her hand from her chest and gave a small nod. “Don’t worry about her ability. I’ve got a rough idea forming in my head, but I need you and Morning Glory to help me verify it.”

Right after saying that, she couldn’t help but frown. Her magic was draining rapidly as her body struggled to repair itself, and the strain on her soul was making her feel deeply uncomfortable. But since they were still mid-battle, she had no choice but to suppress the sensation.

“What is it?” Hong Siyu leaned in, curiosity piqued.

“…Just hit her. It doesn’t matter what kind of attack or method you use—just land a hit.”

Veronica looked toward Yuan with certainty in her eyes. “I’m ninety percent sure her ability’s core lies in that simple condition.”

“Just land a hit?” Hong Siyu glanced at Veronica’s expression, confirming she was serious, then turned to study Yuan, falling into thought.

“You sure?”

Taking advantage of the gap after being pushed back by Yuan, Asou Madoka landed beside Veronica. “Because if you are, I’m gonna follow your lead to the letter.”

“I’m sure.” Veronica straightened slightly. “Go, Asou. Time to strike back.”

Without another word, Asou Madoka grinned.

As Yuan closed in on their group once again, Madoka raised her wine glass with a graceful flair. In her other hand, orange Magic gathered and formed a long-handled spoon, which she gently twirled along the inside of her glass.

“Margaret—Grand Flourishing.”

All background sound was instantly silenced. Her deep, magnetic chant became the only melody. In the middle of a dim forest, it was as if a spotlight shone down from a high platform, bathing the girl in a yellow dance dress in its warm glow.

The wine glass in her hand began to multiply like a magic trick, stacking one atop another into a champagne tower. Behind her, a bar counter materialized out of thin air, lined neatly with countless bottles and jars like something from a stylish lounge.

The girl behind the counter stood poised like a bartender. As the bar appeared, her dress transformed into an orange shirt and a black vest. Her hair, once flowing, was now tied into a crisp, tidy ponytail. With expert grace, she shook a cocktail shaker that had somehow appeared in her hand, her wrist spinning with practiced elegance—like a dancer mid-performance.

The shaker clinked with a crisp rhythm in her hands. Each shake made the scene around her clearer, more vivid, until—clack—she tapped the shaker against the counter, poured its contents through a strainer into a glass, and slid the freshly made cocktail forward.

“Welcome to Tipsy Heat.”

Her voice was warm and magnetic. It should’ve sounded like a declaration of war—but instead, it felt like a romantic invitation.

This was Margaret’s Grand Flourishing—named exactly as she proclaimed it: Tipsy Heat.

Her Magical Armor, called Passion, took the form of a transparent wine glass.

Its power: to manifest emotion-based liquid Magic inside the glass, reflecting Margaret’s current state of mind.

These magical liquids had various effects—some healed the user when drunk, others enhanced sensory perception when applied to the skin, and others could be hurled like weapons to create all sorts of effects.

Based on her own testing, the more stable her emotions, the more supportive the effect; the more extreme the emotions, the greater the destructive power.

There was no doubt—it was a versatile Magical Armor, great for offense and defense alike. But it came with a massive flaw: its effectiveness depended entirely on her emotional state, making it extremely unstable.

Back when the Fangting City Magical Girl Squad first formed, Margaret barely dared to use her Magical Armor. Passion back then felt like drawing a random card—you might get a damaging attack, or it might randomly heal the enemy; boost an ally, or accidentally stab them in the back.

To control this unpredictability, Margaret spent tons of time studying emotional regulation. She bought stacks of books on psychology, success, and self-management, hoping to crack the code of mastering her feelings.

Originally, her personality had been far more brash and outspoken—blunt with her likes and dislikes, constantly blurting out the wrong thing. Even someone as easygoing as Aya had been left speechless by her lack of filter.

But over time, through study and self-discipline, Asou Madoka completely reinvented herself. She didn’t just gain control over her emotions—her entire demeanor shifted. From loud and blunt to subtly expressive.

She went from openly bragging to humblebragging; from cursing what she hated to dripping with sarcasm. Her underlying confidence never changed—but on the surface, she seemed like a whole new person.

Back then, her teammate Su Shengzi joked that she was turning into a “fkboy,” and dubbed her Magical Armor the “fkboy armor” thanks to Passion’s slightly suggestive name.

Whether that shift was good or bad was up for debate—but the result was clear: Madoka achieved total mastery over her Magical Armor.

When a versatile Magical Armor could be precisely controlled to suit the situation, it became far more powerful than any single-function gear.

Because of that, during the squad’s joint missions, Margaret was always the glue—the one who filled in whatever gaps the team had, in personality and in power.

And when all of that merged into one and elevated her further—that was when Tipsy Heat was born.

“…A bar?”

Yuan blinked, then quickly understood what she was looking at. After two months in Fangting City, she’d gotten used to some of Donghua Province’s newer, modern ideas and wasn’t as lost as before.

“What, trying to buy me a drink now?”

She slung her sword over her shoulder and casually walked up to Margaret’s counter, picking up the cocktail on the bar. “But, see, I’m used to baijiu. Don’t think I’ll be able to appreciate your fancy imports.”

“Doesn’t matter. Guests are guests.”

Margaret didn’t try to stop her from taking the drink. Instead, she stepped aside and opened a phonograph on the bar’s far end.

Soothing jazz flowed into the space.

Saxophones and piano intertwined like a gentle stream, filling every inch of the transformed battlefield. The slow rhythm had an inviting energy—enough to make anyone nod or sway unconsciously.

And just like that, the forest vanished. The stormy skies disappeared.

Warm amber lighting now illuminated everyone’s faces. Wooden tables and chairs had quietly appeared where there had been none. Walls of polished wood enclosed the space, and a subtle fragrance hung in the air.

When the Magical Girls came to, they found themselves seated at tables, each holding a glass of their own.

Every glass was full—though the color and amount varied. Lin Xiaolu’s was a nearly overflowing four-color cocktail. Xia Liang’s was a crystal-clear half glass. Bai Jingxuan’s—green tinged with black, bubbling like a potion.

Veronica’s was small, holding a white-blue drink that shimmered like the sky. But it was barely a layer thick—almost dry.

Veronica’s expression flickered—but she quickly composed herself, showing no visible reaction. Not that it escaped everyone’s notice. Hong Siyu certainly saw it, eyes wide.

Before anyone else could act, she grabbed her own glass and moved to sit beside Veronica. Without waiting, she raised her drink and tilted it over—pouring half into Veronica’s nearly empty glass.

“What are you doing…?”

Veronica’s eyes widened. She caught Hong Siyu’s wrist mid-pour. “Stop. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“The one doing something stupid is you, Senpai!”

Hong Siyu didn’t let go. She glared at Veronica and kept trying to pour. “Why are you pretending everything’s fine when you’re clearly not?!”

“You could’ve just asked me first—then made your own call.”

Veronica glanced around. Lin Xiaolu was still dazed by the scenery, seemingly unaware of what was happening. Lowering her voice, she leaned toward Hong Siyu. “Look at the glass.”

That made Hong Siyu pause. She finally looked—and her eyes widened.

The deep purple-red liquid she poured—clearly more than half a glass—now looked like just a thin layer in Veronica’s cup. A bit more than the original sky-blue, sure—but nowhere near what she’d poured in.

“Now do you get it?”

With a sigh, Veronica rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m not in great shape—but it’s not as bad as you’re thinking. You don’t need to weaken yourself over it.”

As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently tipped the drink back into Hong Siyu’s glass.

“…Senpai.”

Hong Siyu finally spoke again after being stunned for a while.

“What is it?” Veronica was already watching Yuan again, her tone casual.

“You’re amazing!” came Hong Siyu’s slightly giddy voice—and a sparkling gaze of admiration.

“…This really isn’t the time for that.”

Veronica nudged her back slightly to avoid a full-on hug, then gestured toward Yuan and Margaret. “Focus on what’s happening. When the next phase hits, it’ll be our turn.”

This strange, surreal scene—without a doubt—was Margaret’s Domain.

As she unleashed her Grand Flourishing, she also revealed her Domain without holding back.

Lights, bar, music, scent... If not for the fact that they’d all been on a battlefield a moment ago, they’d think this was a real bar.

And the bar’s owner—and bartender—was the ever-smiling Margaret, standing behind the counter.

Under her gaze, the cocktail Yuan held began to transform.

Its golden hue shifted to a deep crimson with dark undertones. The single-color drink split into multiple visible layers, stacked so tightly together it was impossible to count them all.

“Oh? Now that’s…”

Yuan noticed the change. Her expression shifted from puzzled to intrigued. She gave a small nod. “What an interesting Domain. The new generation is full of surprises.”

“No, I should be the one saying that.”

Margaret smiled and shook her head. “It’s the first time I’ve seen someone’s True Form manifest like this. The structure of your Magic… it’s incredible.”

“So you’re using my drink to toast me?”

Staring into the layered liquid, Yuan chuckled. “First time I’ve met a bartender who plays these kinds of tricks.”

“House policy. If it offends, I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Margaret dipped into a graceful bow. “This one drink is yours to enjoy freely—no limits, never-ending. But while you’re in my establishment, please follow one rule—”

“—No wasting.”