Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 89: The Source of Contradiction

Vol 2 Chapter 89: The Source of Contradiction

By the time the teams from Fangting City and Bo’an City returned to the Magical Girl base, it was already past 1 a.m.

The restaurant still looked exactly like it did when they had rushed out—half-eaten dishes were scattered messily on the table, and the hotpot, which was supposed to be the centerpiece, sat cold and uninviting. Congealed grease floated on the surface of the broth, mixed with ingredients that had sunk into the pot and never made it back out, a silent testament to the dinner that ended in regret.

“Dmn claw mark… dmn evil Magical Girl… I’ll never forgive you…”

Asou Madoka lay slumped beside the table in agony, as if bearing a hatred as deep as the ocean, her every word filled with grief. Bai Ji stood awkwardly nearby, looking like she wanted to say something but didn’t know how.

As for the other two from Bo’an City, Wood Lily was yawning as she shuffled into the washroom, while Mimosa had somehow already slipped back to her own room.

Xia Liang and Lin Xiaolu were in the kitchen cleaning up the ingredients and miscellaneous items originally prepared for New Year’s Eve, while Veronica was urging Bai Jingxuan to finish up and get to bed. Then, finding a quiet corner to herself, she returned to her identity as Lin Yun, and resumed issuing instructions via phone for the Countermeasure Bureau’s next steps.

Thankfully, this incident hadn’t occurred in the city itself. Whether Yuan had done so intentionally or not, she had chosen Yinping Mountain on the outskirts for the battle. That alone was a blessing for the Countermeasure Bureau—it meant they wouldn’t have to sink more manpower and resources into urban repairs.

Still, someone had to be dispatched to handle post-battle cleanup. Be it the lingering Ravager magic, the destroyed forest vegetation, or the damaged mountain terrain—it all needed attention.

Beyond that, this vicious attack involving claw marks had to be formally reported to headquarters and The Kingdom’s side, and the Fangting City Countermeasure Bureau also had to document and archive the case. The Magical Girls involved deserved official rewards for taking on a formidable enemy.

Handling all of this was now Lin Yun’s responsibility.

Once he roughly delegated the work, he resumed Veronica’s identity and silently returned to the hallway. By then, it was already past 2 a.m.

There, he ran into Lin Xiaolu, who had already finished freshening up and changed into her pajamas, heading back to her room to sleep.

Probably due to the massive toll of the recent battle, she looked exhausted. Her head drooped as she walked, so much so that she didn’t even notice someone passing by her.

“White Rose.” Veronica called out to her.

“Huh?”

Only then did Lin Xiaolu look up. Seeing that it was Veronica, she perked up slightly. “What’s up?”

“Are you still holding up okay? I wanted to have a quick word in private,” Veronica said bluntly, making her intention clear.

“Um… I think so?” Lin Xiaolu blinked. She felt a little odd about the request, but didn’t refuse.

She had a rough idea why Veronica was seeking her out. After all, on the way back to the base, she’d already mentioned that she had successfully awakened her Magical Armor. Knowing Veronica’s no-nonsense personality, it made sense that she’d want to understand more about it.

Although tired, Lin Xiaolu was actually eager to talk to someone about the awakening. The significance of it was just too great. She was practically bursting to find someone she could ask, “Can you tell I just awakened my Magical Armor?” So with Veronica approaching her now, it was perfect timing.

With mutual understanding, the two headed toward Lin Xiaolu’s room. Veronica didn’t say much during the walk, and although Lin Xiaolu occasionally snuck glances at her, she kept quiet as well.

Once inside the room, Veronica closed the door behind them. Only then did Lin Xiaolu turn to face her fully, clearly ready to listen.

Would it be about the Magical Armor? It had to be, right?

—“Your father called me earlier. He doesn’t understand what you did.”

Veronica sighed softly and continued, “He said that according to your agreement, you were supposed to stay here at the base and rest tonight. You shouldn’t have been on the battlefield.”

Her tone was calm, neutral, like she was simply relaying someone else’s words. But no matter how well Veronica masked her emotions, the message itself still questioned Lin Xiaolu’s actions. As soon as she heard it, Lin Xiaolu visibly deflated.

She opened her mouth, seemingly to argue, but hesitated. She frowned as if searching for the right words, but in the end said nothing, just stared at Veronica in silence.

Veronica noticed the change—how Lin Xiaolu’s look shifted from anticipation to surprise, frustration, and finally hurt. Her eyes reddened, resembling a puppy about to be abandoned.

“…Did I say something wrong?”

Even someone as dense as Veronica could sense something was off. Her initial intent of confronting Lin Xiaolu crumbled, and her voice softened.

But Lin Xiaolu still didn’t reply.

Now it was Veronica’s turn to start doubting herself.

She’d been careful—she’d made a point of controlling her tone, trying not to sound harsh. Back on the road to Yinping Mountain, when she’d seen Lin Xiaolu and the others in the squad, she had almost passed out from anger.

As Lin Yun, she had warned Lin Xiaolu over and over again to stay away from the battlefield. At the time, Lin Xiaolu had agreed. And then, barely thirty minutes later, the girl had shown up—bringing her whole team along.

Given how dangerous things were at the time, it was a miracle Veronica hadn’t smacked her upside the head.

There had been no time for a lecture then. The enemy was strong, and the situation dire. But that didn’t mean she’d forgotten or forgiven it.

If this had been a trivial matter, fine. But it was life and death. Veronica couldn’t just brush it off. This time, they’d gotten lucky—Yuan, the Ravager, hadn’t targeted the rookies. But what if there was a next time?

So Veronica had made up her mind to at least give Lin Xiaolu a serious talking-to. She’d even softened her wording deliberately, using gentle phrases like “didn’t understand” and “shouldn’t have,” trying not to provoke too much resistance.

Still, Lin Xiaolu looked even more crushed than she’d expected.

Had she misjudged the situation? Were her words really that harsh?

“I wasn’t trying to criticize or blame you. I just really didn’t get it,” Veronica tried again, even softer now. “Honestly, I was worried. That enemy was seriously dangerous. Going out there was really risky.”

“…But I won,” Lin Xiaolu said quietly, head lowered.

“Hm?” Veronica blinked. That wasn’t the response she expected. Was this defiance?

No. The tone was all wrong.

Besides, this was her daughter. They hadn’t spoken properly in two years, and during that time, Lin Yun had seen Lin Xiaolu throw more than a few tantrums. When she was angry, she never backed down—she always met your gaze head-on.

So… what was she really trying to say?

Veronica was still thinking when Lin Xiaolu suddenly looked up, her expression calm.

“Yeah… you’re right.”

She stared at the floor. “I know I messed up. I shouldn’t have gone back on my word. Once this is over, I was planning to apologize to him anyway. Next time, I won’t go to battle on my own like that again.”

“Hah…”

The sudden change of attitude caught Veronica off guard. She only managed a soft, pointless exhale before responding hesitantly, “If that’s how you feel, then… I guess there’s no problem?”

Was it really no problem? Why did she phrase that like a question? Even Veronica wasn’t sure anymore.

“I’ll message him later and apologize in person next time,” Lin Xiaolu continued. “Thanks for the reminder.”

Taking over the conversation like that—leaving the other person with nothing more to say—Lin Xiaolu had mastered it.

Her tone was respectful, her words impeccable. What could Veronica even say now? Comforting her would seem forced. Lecturing her would feel cruel. Was she supposed to just change the subject?

“Um, Veronica…”

Thankfully, Lin Xiaolu still had more to say. “Back during the Moon Festival, I was really frustrated.”

“…The Moon Festival?”

“Yeah. When we fought ‘Moth,’ I worked up the courage to fight, but I was so weak. I didn’t help at all.”

She spoke calmly, without any extra emotion. “I got knocked down easily. Defeated like it was nothing. The enemy wasn’t even serious. She was just toying with me.”

Veronica had no words.

Once again, Lin Xiaolu had cut off her room to respond. It was the kind of statement you couldn’t agree with or deny. Agree, and you were calling her useless. Deny it, and you sounded delusional.

“I even got you hurt… because I was there, I became your weakness. I know that.”

“If you want to say I shouldn’t have been there, that I was just a burden—I agree. I hate myself for that.”

“So this time, I really tried my best.”

“I awakened my Magical Armor.”

“And I… I wasn’t alone, but I helped defeat the enemy.”

“Say I’m bragging if you want, but this time—I actually mattered, right?”

She looked up slowly, eyes full of uncertainty.

“I wasn’t a burden this time… was I?”

Veronica met her gaze for a long while, then nodded.

“You weren’t a burden. Not even a little. What you did tonight—it mattered. A lot.”

"Then why...?"

"Because I really worry about your safety—especially yours, White Rose."

Veronica took a deep breath. "You should know this already. Your mother, Sakura, died while carrying out a mission as a Magical Girl. And she was strong—definitely stronger than I was back then. Even a powerful Magical Girl like her ended up dying on duty. That incident caused panic among Magical Girl squads across half the entire Material World."

"And as her... teammate, I was one of the people who couldn't accept it the most. I really regret not being by her side back then. That's why now, I just can't bring myself to let you take on overly dangerous missions. If something ever happened to you too, I really..."

She paused, then shut her eyes tight and shook her head, like she was trying to chase a thought out of her mind. "I couldn’t accept something like that."

"What about me?" Lin Xiaolu asked.

"What?"

"What about how I feel?"

Lin Xiaolu's eyes widened, and her voice rose slightly. "Have you ever thought that maybe I feel the same way? I worry about you too! You lost a teammate—I lost my mom! My mom died while out on a mission! Do you have any idea how painful, how hopeless that felt? Do you think I want to feel that again?"

"Do you think I wasn’t heartbroken? That I wasn’t scared? The reason I’m so scared of things like that is because I’m worried about you. I’ve had the thought too—'What if something happens to Veronica because I’m not there?' I don’t even want to imagine that happening!"

"You always say you’re worried about me, that you don’t want anything to happen to me. But have you ever considered that I feel exactly the same? I’m so worried about you I can’t even sit still. You want me to stay back at the base, but when I do, I spend every second wondering if something bad’s going to happen to you! How am I supposed to bear that?"

"Last time, during the Moon Festival, you got seriously hurt by that woman, and we still don’t even know why you ended up destroying your Magical Armor afterward. This time, you got hurt again by those people from Claw Mark—almost damaged your True Form! Do you know what it felt like for me, watching that from nearby? I was terrified you were going to die! I couldn’t even speak!"

"You think I’m not afraid to die? I am! I’m scared of death, scared of pain—I’m even scared of thunderstorms. I’m scared of so many things. I’m a total coward. But the thing I fear most isn’t any of that—what I’m most afraid of is losing the people I love!"

"My mom is already gone, never coming back. It took me two whole years to even start accepting that, and even now it’s hard. If you died too, how many more years would I need to get over it?"

"If that’s really how it’s going to be, then I’d rather die in your place. After all, it was you who saved my life in the first place. So if I run into a truly deadly danger, and I can trade my life for yours—"

Lin Xiaolu's words stopped abruptly.

Right at the peak of her emotion, Veronica raised her hand and grabbed her shoulders—tight. Her clear, blue eyes stared wide and unblinking as she spoke, word by word:

"Ab-so-lute-ly-not."

Lin Xiaolu had never seen Veronica like this before.

Her expression wasn’t over-the-top or dramatic, but there was a heavy, chaotic emotion surging behind those wide eyes—so intense it felt like pressure, pressing the breath right out of her.

It was like a triggered reflex. The moment she mentioned “dying in Veronica’s place,” it was as if a sleeping beast had awakened inside her. Veronica changed instantly from calm thoughtfulness to this.

"…I will never accept that. You need to think this through. If you did something like that, how do you think your friends, your dad—and I—would feel?"

It took a while for her to calm back down and let go of Lin Xiaolu’s shoulders. "Sorry. Did I hurt you? But you need to understand, there are people who would be heartbroken, people who’d think it wasn’t worth it. Trust me, no one wants to see that happen."

"But if it meant saving you, I’d still do it," Lin Xiaolu said without backing down. "Maybe I’d feel sorry for my dad. But this is the only thing I’d feel guilty about."

Veronica stared at her for a long time.

Eventually, she nodded with a blank face, as if seeing Lin Xiaolu for the first time. "Alright. I get it now."

She stepped back, leaned against the wall, and crossed her arms.

"Then since you're really that determined, let me be honest too: if you ever die because of something like this, I’ll kill whoever killed you, then kill myself."

This time, it was Lin Xiaolu who was stunned.

"Why?" she asked, dazed, after a moment trying to parse what Veronica had just said.

"...No reason," Veronica turned her head away.

It was just that Lin Xiaolu's words had hit her limit, and she couldn’t stop herself from blurting out her real feelings in that moment of emotion. She’d already lost her wife—if she lost her child too, there would be no reason left for her to stay in this world. At that point, death would be easier.

It was extreme, but for Lin Yun, it made sense—barely.

But coming from Veronica, it sounded all wrong.

After all, from an outsider’s point of view, Veronica and White Rose were just two Magical Girls who happened to meet in the same city. Their bond shouldn’t run so deep that they’d threaten life and death over each other.

Veronica knew that—but she couldn’t help it. And in that moment, she finally realized that “Veronica” and “Lin Yun” were two different people.

Lin Yun was Lin Xiaolu’s father, just a “regular person who knew a few rituals.” From that standpoint, he had every right to express his concern, to try to stop his daughter from going into battle. Because to her, he was a parent—a noncombatant—someone who should be worried.

But Veronica was a Magical Girl. More than that, she was the captain of the Fangting City Magical Girl Squad. A leader who always led from the front. From that identity, it wasn’t her place to stop her squad members from going into battle.

Just like Lin Xiaolu had said—for the sake of protecting comrades, everyone had the same thoughts. No one could guarantee they'd be safe during a mission.

What’s more, as Veronica, she had promised to help Lin Xiaolu become a capable Magical Girl. From that position, she should be encouraging her to fight—to grow.

It was because she hadn’t separated “father” from “senior” that her earlier words triggered such a strong reaction from Lin Xiaolu.

Yes, she’d made a mistake. On a night when a major battle had just ended, as her senior, she should’ve been praising Lin Xiaolu’s accomplishments, complimenting her on awakening her Magical Armor, encouraging her progress. That’s what a senior Magical Girl was supposed to do.

Bringing up “safety concerns”? That wasn’t her place—not now. All it did was dismiss the resolve Lin Xiaolu had shown by stepping onto the battlefield. It was an insult.

But it was too late now. The emotions had already erupted. The words had already been said. And now, she couldn’t take them back.

So all she could do was watch Lin Xiaolu’s expression shift—from confusion, to realization, to resolve.

"Veronica."

Lin Xiaolu spoke. "I’ve always felt this vague sense of unease, like your kindness toward me was... too much. I never understood what I’d done to deserve it, or if I was worthy of your attention. So I always felt insecure."

"I was scared that if I got my hopes up, if I started believing I was special, then when the illusion shattered, the disappointment would crush me."

"But now, I think... I understand why you’ve done what you’ve done."

"You’re still... trying to find a piece of my mom in me, aren’t you?"

She lowered her eyes slightly. "I imagined myself in your shoes. If I had a close teammate who died, and later her child became a Magical Girl, maybe I’d look for something familiar in her too."

What is this girl thinking now?

Veronica sighed, wanting to deny it. But before she could speak, Lin Xiaolu shook her head.

"I might still care about that a little. But the more I think about it, the more I realize... maybe it’s okay not to care so much."

She stepped forward, just a little, getting close to Veronica. She lowered her head slightly, staring deep into those clear eyes:

—“Then, in that case... is it alright if I start seeing you as my mom?”

...

...

After leaving Lin Xiaolu’s room, Veronica lingered in the hallway.

She stared out the window at the dark night sky, where occasional fireworks flickered. Her face was unreadable—neither happy nor sad.

With a thoughtful expression, she slowly walked past the second-floor balcony doors. Suddenly, a faint smell of tobacco reached her nose.

She looked out onto the balcony and saw Asou Madoka leaning against the railing alone. Shadows cloaked her figure, with only the faint glow of a cigarette between her fingers.

She was smoking.

—“You really do look like some kind of delinquent girl.”

Veronica didn’t hold back her comment as she walked onto the balcony and stood beside Madoka. “It’s the middle of the night—what are you doing out here all alone?”

“Waiting for you.” Asou Madoka exhaled deeply and snuffed out her cigarette. “So? Done talking with your daughter?”

“All done.”

Veronica didn’t ask how she knew she’d been talking to Lin Xiaolu. She just rested her hand on the railing—but quickly pulled it back. “So cold.”

“...Pfft.” Madoka let out a sudden laugh.

“What?”

“Heh, nothing. Just thinking—yep, definitely your kid.”

Madoka didn’t explain what she meant, and after that cryptic remark, she changed the subject. “Anyway, that was close tonight.”

“Yeah.” Veronica didn’t deny it.

As an enemy, Yuan was a rare and formidable opponent.

Both sides had used nearly all their tricks aside from their finishing moves. Even then, once everyone laid their cards on the table, they still couldn’t really overpower her.

To rob someone of their ability to use magic—that kind of Domain was almost fatal for Magical Girls. If Yuan had attacked them while they were trapped in it, they probably wouldn’t have made it back to the base in one piece.

“I’ve fought plenty of Claw Mark people over the years. That one tonight was top-tier.”

Madoka tossed her cigarette into the night behind her. With a flick of her fingers, a flicker of magic sparked in the air, and both it and the cigarette vanished. Her tone turned somber. “I’ve heard plenty of stories, but seeing her in person... yeah, she’s definitely one of their strongest.”

"Why do you say that?"

"If all the Magical Girls from Ravager's Claw were at that level, they wouldn't have had to stay in hiding all these years."

"Good point."

Veronica mimicked Asou Madoka’s posture, leaning against the wall with her head tilted back, watching her breath rise in the cold air, her gaze slightly unfocused.

The two of them fell silent.

"So, that girl in your squad—Bai Jingxuan, was it—what’s her story?" After a while, Asou Madoka asked.

"What do you mean, what’s her story?"

"Her transformation."

"Which one?"

"Don’t play dumb. The one mixed with Ravager magic."

"Oh." Veronica replied, then said nothing more.

Asou Madoka leaned against the railing and waited a while. Seeing that Veronica still hadn’t said anything, she had no choice but to prompt her again. "And 'oh' means?"

"It means I’m thinking." Veronica’s tone was utterly flat.

"I see." Asou Madoka dropped the question.

They leaned against the railing in silence again, until Veronica finally spoke.

"That girl is a Sacrifice of Black Cinders Dawn."

"...Black Cinders Dawn? Sacrifice?"

"Yeah."

"No wonder." Asou Madoka let out a sigh. "What a bunch of b*stards."

"You know what a Sacrifice is?" This time, Veronica turned to look at her.

"Nope."

"Then what are you sighing for?"

"Because I’ve killed one." Maybe the topic really touched on something repulsive, because Asou Madoka’s voice turned grim. "It was one of the most disgusting experiences of my life. You wouldn’t want to hear it. It’d just upset you."

"...Then I won’t ask." Realizing that Asou Madoka had used the classifier “one,” Veronica consciously dropped the line of inquiry.

She recalled the time when members of Black Cinders Dawn had stormed into the orphanage, trying to take Bai Jingxuan away. Combined with the tone in Asou Madoka’s voice, she could already guess at least part of the story she hadn’t shared.

But just like Madoka had said, she didn’t want to pursue it further. Thinking of another innocent child being at the heart of such a story... it was hard to stay composed.

"Because of that unpleasant experience, when you said she was a Sacrifice, I felt a bit more sympathy and affection for her."

Asou Madoka continued, "But from a friend’s perspective, I don’t think you made the most rational choice."

"You think I shouldn’t let a kid like her become a Magical Girl?"

"Yeah." Asou Madoka answered softly.

"I won’t let that kid walk the same path as Ravager’s Claw."

Veronica looked out at the empty corridor beyond the balcony door. "You’ve seen her these past few days. She’s a good kid."

"This has nothing to do with who she is."

Asou Madoka shook her head. "What I mean is, for a child like her to become a Magical Girl, there will be challenges—both for her and for you. The Kingdom’s assessments, your colleagues’ prejudice, the Garden’s scrutiny, the Royal Court’s suspicion... All of it, just because of the Ravager magic inside her."

Veronica knew she wasn’t exaggerating.

No one knew when the Ravagers first appeared on this land. No one knew when the Magical Girls began their fight against them. But for every Magical Girl and every life within the Royal Court, Ravagers represented evil and disaster. In their eyes, every trace of magic a Ravager carried was a form of blasphemy.

Even the two of them standing here—deep down—they likely shared some of that view.

If Bai Jingxuan wasn’t someone she had seen and lived beside, if she didn’t personally know what kind of girl she was, even Veronica couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t have judged her solely by the Ravager magic within her.

That’s human nature. Magical Girls weren’t exempt from that.

"...I know," Veronica said.

But, truthfully, she had already considered all of this.

For Bai Jingxuan to continue as a Magical Girl, she’d have to grapple not only with her identity, but also with everyone else’s perceptions. If other Magical Girls walked a muddy path, then hers was a cliff’s edge—one wrong step, and she’d fall, with no return.

That was exactly why Veronica couldn’t stand by.

She was a senior member of the Fangting City Magical Girl Squad. A senior’s role was to guide juniors—to be a beacon for them.

"Yeah, of course you know."

Asou Madoka chuckled, then shook her head. "No, I shouldn’t say you just know. You don’t just know—you will do it."

"Mhm." Veronica didn’t deny it.

"But... is this really okay?"

"Hmm?"

"You were just talking to your own child, weren’t you? You’re worried over there and worried here. Can you really handle both?"

Asou Madoka rubbed her chin. "Kids can get jealous, you know. Sometimes even more than women. Especially little girls—when they want more attention from their parents, things can get tricky."

"Maybe you should wait until you’ve sorted out the issues in your own squad before giving me parenting advice."

Veronica’s tone didn’t change. "Someone who made their own squad kids cry doesn’t really have the right to judge me."

"Ugh..."

Asou Madoka’s expression froze. "Nice shot. Bullseye."

"I’ve already made up my mind, Madoka."

After silencing her, Veronica abruptly changed the subject. "I decided this two years ago—my life doesn’t mean much to me anymore."

"A piece of firewood about to burn out has no reason to keep going. The only thing it can do is use the last of its warmth to light a new log and warm those near the hearth."

"Maybe there’s only room for one person in front of that fire, but if someone else nearby wants what little warmth I have left... then I’ll do my best to give it to them."

"Even if it ends up being one-sided, I don’t mind. Because it makes me feel like my life still has meaning."

She turned her head slightly. On her otherwise lifeless face, a faint, almost invisible smile appeared. "That way, I’ll feel more fulfilled."

Asou Madoka gazed at her.

From her flowing azure hair to her iridescent eyes, to the face that looked as if it had been carved by an artist.

This wasn’t the first time she felt her old friend looked like a doll. But it was the first time she almost believed she was one.

Because only a doll could be so flawlessly beautiful—without a heartbeat or warmth.

"If you keep saying stuff like that, you’re going to make me cry, girl."

She said, "So, I’m begging you—don’t say anymore. I really can’t take it."

"Okay." Veronica nodded gently, agreeing with ease.

Their conversation paused again—until a bright firework exploded in the night sky not far away.

Then came a series of dazzling bursts—piercing whistles, brilliant colors—pulling their attention toward the sky.

Veronica stepped away from the railing, turned to face the balcony, and watched the lights bloom across the night sky.

"Setting off fireworks in the middle of the night... That’s just disturbing the peace," she mumbled blankly.

"Yeah, though it’s pretty," Asou Madoka replied, eyes still on the display. "But I think this year, we’ll get to see fireworks even more beautiful than these. Maybe the most beautiful in the world?"

"Hm?" Veronica turned to look at her.

"It’s the Queen’s Year, girl." Asou Madoka still looked at the sky. "Did you forget? After the last Great Beast Disaster, our squad gathered and watched the fireworks together in the Kingdom."

"The Queen’s Year... right." Veronica’s eyes flickered for a moment in the light, but soon dimmed with the sky. "Right... it is the Queen’s Year."

For many Magical Girls and fairies, the Queen’s Year might be something worth celebrating.

But for others, it was a dreaded word.

Regardless, no one could deny that this 20-year cycle had finally reached its final year.

No one had forgotten what happened the last Queen’s Year—Disaster, Celebration, Upheaval, and Departure. It had become an indelible mark in many people’s memories, one they’d carry for life.

And now, this Queen’s Year had just begun.

——“Hey, let’s make a promise.”

Asou Madoka spoke again. "This year, all of us—let’s go watch the fireworks in the Kingdom together. Sound good?"

Veronica looked up at her. The firework’s glow painted her face in bright and shadowed contrast—radiant and sincere—like a scene out of a painting.

For some reason, she didn’t want to meet Asou Madoka’s eyes.

So she turned her head back and kept watching the fireworks.

After a moment, she replied in a voice barely above a whisper:

"Mhm. I want to go too."