Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 93: The first lesson of the bud level that is too late

Vol 2 Chapter 93: The first lesson of the bud level that is too late

"Now that all of you have awakened your Magical Armors, and the fastest one, Little Viola, has already advanced to Leaf-tier, we can move on to the next phase of Magical Armor development."

After lunch, in the underground training room of the base, Veronica stood in front of a small blackboard—no one knew when it had been brought in—and addressed the junior girls gathered before her.

The timing happened to coincide with the holiday break, and it was rare for her and the girls to have such a complete stretch of free time. So Veronica decided to hold a truly substantial lecture to kick off their preparation for the assessment.

After all, the arrival of a new year also meant that the Magical Girl Certification was now only about two months away.

Emerald had already leaked the date to Veronica—March 3rd would be this year’s assessment day.

The location of the exam was technically confidential, but Emerald treated it like no secret at all: the exam would be held in Luennoré—the City of Intellect—where the Court of Research was located.

Veronica wasn’t the least bit surprised by this revelation. In fact, she would’ve been shocked if it wasn’t held there.

Undoubtedly, this was Emerald’s stronghold, where her authority could expand without limit. In this city, aside from Her Majesty herself, no one’s word could override Emerald’s. It was, in every sense, her territory.

Given the enormous risk Emerald had taken to strike a deal with her, there was no way she’d hold the negotiations anywhere but on her own turf.

However, that also meant Veronica wouldn’t be able to follow the usual timeline like most Magical Girls—waiting until late February to make her way to the Kingdom. She had to head there early, to have Emerald heal her injuries.

Not to mention, her deal with Emerald had another component—it wasn’t just about healing. It also involved the transfer of a quarter of the Court of Magic’s authority. That process would inevitably involve all sorts of interests and power plays, so Veronica had to factor in even more time.

In the end, her departure from Fangting City was set for February 10.

Which meant that from now—January 5—until then, the Fangting City Squad had only 36 days left to continue their training in the city.

To be honest, given Xia Liang’s Ability Blooming progress at Leaf-tier, and the fact that Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan together had driven off a Half-Molted Ravager, it wouldn’t have been hard for them to earn a White Badge in past years' assessments.

Unfortunately, this year was the Queen’s Year. The news brought by Asou Madoka—that the assessment would be more difficult this time—left Veronica deeply concerned.

Which was exactly why she’d gathered them here today. To maximize the girls' combat effectiveness for the assessment, Veronica had decided to focus on Magic Constructs.

It was common knowledge that a Magical Girl’s Magical Armor would evolve through persistent effort. Though the potential of each armor varied, they all had room to grow.

To unlock that potential, one could rely on accumulated battle experience, or accelerate the process through daily training. While not as effective as real combat, it was safer and more stable.

She wrote several common training methods and tips on the blackboard, and spent about half an hour answering various questions from the juniors. Finally, Veronica was able to put down her chalk and said, “Alright, that’s all for the basic theory. To help you understand better, let’s move on to the practical part. Summon your Magical Armors.”

The basics were only a foundation—Magical Armors were incredibly personalized, and needed tailored approaches.

Without delay, the girls transformed one by one and manifested their Magical Armors.

Veronica looked from left to right, first spotting Xia Liang’s Guiding Departure—a vanity mirror-shaped Magical Armor.

It had been the earliest awakened among the trio, and its current appearance had clearly evolved since Xia Liang reached Bud-tier: its ornamental patterns had grown more elaborate, and the mirror now carried a thin, spiritual glow.

The improvement was obvious.

That was Veronica’s first impression.

In fact, the basics she had just explained were already taught to Xia Liang several months ago when she first advanced to Bud-tier. But back then, Xia Liang was still new to the tier, so Veronica had only skimmed the surface.

She had watched Xia Liang’s Magical Armor evolve bit by bit—the decorative additions came gradually and steadily. Functionally, they seemed to reflect a growth in durability—it could now absorb more magic and withstand stronger attacks.

As for the glow on the mirror, it hadn’t been there half a month ago, before Veronica taught her the spell. So it was clearly the result of Xia Liang’s efforts during that time.

According to Xia Liang, this glow improved the efficiency of magic transmission across the mirror, reducing energy loss. That meant both of the mirror’s core functions—Magic Reflection and Magic Transmission—had improved significantly.

A Magical Girl’s Magical Armor couldn't grow through effort alone, but without effort, growth was impossible. The transformation Xia Liang’s armor had undergone in just a few months spoke volumes about the amount of sweat and dedication she had poured into it.

Veronica couldn’t help but nod inwardly.

Among the three Magical Girls, Xia Liang displayed the most remarkable outward talent—both her Ability Blooming speed and technique-learning aptitude far outpaced Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan. That she remained this disciplined despite her gifts said a lot about her self-control.

“A surprising, even delightful, transformation.”

Veronica organized her thoughts and summed it up like this: “I feel like I’m witnessing the birth of a Flower Card.”

Such high praise naturally caught the attention of the other two and visibly relaxed Xia Liang, who had been a little nervous.

“Eh? Really? You're not just trying to comfort me, right?”

She playfully covered her mouth. “If you’re the one saying it, Little Senior, then maybe I’ll believe it.”

“I don’t do soft talk on important matters.”

Veronica flicked her forehead. “If I’m praising you, take it properly. No messing around.”

“Alright then, I’ll take it.”

Xia Liang rubbed her forehead, slightly grumbling. “So? What should I do next?”

Veronica couldn’t help but fall into thought.

Xia Liang’s question was like that of a top student who had already finished the entire workbook ahead of time and was eagerly asking, “What should I work on next?”

Work on what? Everyone else was still stuck on the multiple-choice section, and she was ready to tackle the final essay.

Given Xia Liang’s talent, now that she had a firm grasp on how to steadily improve her Magical Armor, the rest was just a matter of grinding day after day. Eventually, when she approached the threshold of Flower-tier, her armor would become an unbeatable shield and spear. Magic Reflection would render all non-rule-based attacks useless, while Magic Transmission paired with explosive spells would let her strike wherever she pleased—offense and defense in perfect harmony.

With such a clear path ahead, was it even necessary to add more layers?

Still, as a teacher, Veronica had her own ideas. She had thought ahead.

For example… manipulating the mirror’s shape.

Since Guiding Departure was a mirror-shaped Magical Armor, its interaction with magic mirrored how a mirror reflected light. There were many parallels.

If Xia Liang could control the shape of the mirror, couldn’t she turn it into a convex or concave lens to focus or diffuse magic?

But when she explained this idea, Xia Liang just gave her a puzzled look. “…Diffuse?”

That’s when Veronica remembered—the kids had only just started learning physics last year. The most basic optics hadn’t even been covered yet.

Reaffirming the importance of basic education in her mind—and knowing this content would likely show up in next semester’s exam—Veronica softened her tone and briefly explained the concept. Before she could finish, Lin Xiaolu quietly raised her hand:

“Is it really possible to consciously control how a Magical Armor grows?”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to talk about next.”

Veronica didn’t mind being interrupted. In fact, she nodded in approval and walked back to the blackboard, starting to write again: “If you want your Magical Armor to undergo relatively simple changes, you can actually guide it during your training.”

“For example, if you want your armor to become bigger, or more rounded—if you consistently reinforce these desires during combat and training, making the wish strong enough, your armor will respond to it.”

“Actually, many Magical Girls have unintentionally done this. Not everyone is satisfied with their armor—there’s always a little bit of ‘if only my armor were like this or that’ thinking. These thoughts can influence how the armor grows.”

At this point, Veronica couldn’t help but glance at Bai Jingxuan’s Magical Armor.

A golden, rectangular Music Box.

Heavenly Melody—that was its name. It had awakened about three months ago.

Its ability relied on magical resonance to play different tunes, which, depending on rhythm, melody, and tone, affected the surrounding environment in various ways.

After three months of development, Bai Jingxuan had mastered four different types of melodies.

Aside from the original ones—Limb Activation and Magic Activation—she now had Inspire Courage and Forget the Self.

The former stirred one’s fighting spirit, allowing them to rally no matter how dejected they had been.

The latter induced a state of emotional detachment—no joy, no sorrow. In that state, one became utterly focused, immune to fear or anger, even forgetting their own existence.

Veronica had tested both effects—they were double-edged swords. Inspire Courage could boost morale, but if too strong, it led to recklessness and greater physical and magical strain. Forget the Self promoted intense concentration, but could also cause one to ignore danger entirely, making them oblivious to enemy attacks.

In short, these tunes could either bolster allies or drive enemies toward self-destruction.

But that wasn’t what had caught Veronica’s attention now.

What she was focused on was the base that had somehow been added beneath the Music Box.

Heavenly Melody originally had no accessories—it was just the box. But now, a roughly ten-centimeter-long rod, about as thick as a wand’s shaft, had been added to its bottom.

It stood upright, lifting the box off the ground.

Veronica’s eye twitched.

Just as she’d explained earlier, a Magical Girl’s thoughts could influence the evolution of their Magical Armor. And this base had absolutely nothing to do with the armor’s core function—it was clearly a product of Bai Jingxuan’s personal preference.

—It’s hard to smack Ravagers with a rectangular box using both hands. Might as well add a handle.

Veronica could almost hear Bai Jingxuan thinking that during combat.

Yes, at this point, Heavenly Melody looked less like a Music Box and more like… a hammer.

The edges of the box had also, at some point, developed an eerie dark green tint, transforming from their original smooth finish into something jagged and sharp, exuding a dangerous aura. That same strange green hue had started to seep into the once golden surface of the box, blotching it with irregular patches. If it were a different color, someone might’ve mistaken it for blood.

Veronica pressed her lips together. For a moment, she genuinely had no idea how to comment on this Magical Armor in front of her. When her eyes met Bai Jingxuan’s, she saw a look full of expectation and pride—as if she were a puppy waiting to be praised after doing something good.

To be fair, the current state of this armor did deserve recognition.

After all, the idea that a Magical Girl could influence her Magical Armor’s evolution with her own will had already taken visible shape in this armor.

Even if the direction that influence took was… rather questionable.

The real issue was: if Veronica validated Bai Jingxuan’s choices right now, wouldn’t that just encourage her to go even further down this path? What would happen the next time she saw this armor—would it actually have turned into a full-blown war hammer?

On the other hand, openly rejecting Bai Jingxuan’s efforts, especially in front of her teammates, might seriously damage the girl’s confidence.

Veronica’s inner struggle was invisible to everyone else.

Instead, it was Lin Xiaolu who broke the silence. She glanced at Bai Jingxuan’s armor, crouched slightly to get a closer look at the "green bloodstains," and then suddenly raised her head:

“Hey, Bai Jingxuan, what was with that claw-mark-like transformation of yours a few days ago?”

The training room instantly fell silent, as if all sound had been cut off.

Bai Jingxuan, the one being asked, didn’t react immediately. But the other two—Veronica, who had been inwardly battling herself, and Xia Liang, who’d been quietly amused up to now—both turned to look at Lin Xiaolu with puzzled expressions.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” Lin Xiaolu blinked, genuinely confused.

“...You.”

It was Xia Liang who finally broke the silence, sounding exasperated. “I’m not even gonna talk about your timing. Of all moments, you just had to bring up that topic now?”

“Sister Xiaolu...” Bai Jingxuan looked genuinely wronged. “You said you’d ask me about it when you got back. I waited days for you.”

“Ahaha…”

Guilt flashed across Lin Xiaolu’s face as she looked away.

It wasn’t that she’d forgotten. It was just that so much had happened that night—the information overload had pushed Bai Jingxuan’s issue to the back of her mind.

When she first got back to the base, Lin Xiaolu still remembered she had something to ask. But then that whole scene with Veronica happened, and everything else got pushed out of her brain.

The next morning, after a deep sleep, everything from the previous night had turned into a mental blur. What she remembered most clearly was that she now had “spoiling rights” with Veronica. So she started following her around like a little shadow, even fighting Bai Jingxuan for her attention. The fact that she wasn’t openly hostile toward Bai Jingxuan was already a miracle—no way she’d show concern to her “rival.”

And so, what was meant to be a follow-up conversation on the battlefield ended up being postponed for several days.

What Lin Xiaolu hadn’t expected was that Bai Jingxuan hadn’t forgotten.

Bai Jingxuan had already prepared her response—with Veronica’s help. She’d rehearsed it privately, over and over, just waiting for Lin Xiaolu to finally come ask. But the question never came.

She waited one day. Then two. Even Xia Liang had secretly checked in with her. Still, Lin Xiaolu showed no signs of wanting to bring it up.

To make things worse, Lin Xiaolu had been hovering around Veronica constantly the past few days, occasionally giving Bai Jingxuan the cold shoulder—making her wonder if Lin Xiaolu had some kind of problem with her.

In the end, this was how the question finally came out.

Awkward as it was, the explanation still needed to happen. So Bai Jingxuan confessed part of the truth.

She admitted to being a Sacrifice of Black Cinders Dawn, and talked about the battle at Spring by the Lake, as well as the fact that she carried Ravager magic within her. However, under Veronica’s guidance, she didn’t reveal her parents’ identities.

Though a key piece of the puzzle remained hidden, what she shared was enough to explain her current state.

The reason for keeping her parentage secret was simple: Veronica wanted both Xia Liang and Lin Xiaolu to continue seeing Bai Jingxuan as a person—not as some artificially created thing.

Preserving Bai Jingxuan’s identity as a human being was, in Veronica’s view, the most critical form of protection.

She still remembered that moment at Spring by the Lake, when Bai Jingxuan stood among corpses, calling out to her with a hollow voice.

That had been Bai Jingxuan—but also, clearly not the Bai Jingxuan standing here now.

Bai Jingxuan retained memories of that day, but they were distorted. What she remembered wasn’t a massacre against Black Cinders Dawn, but a heroic tale—awakening her power in a moment of crisis, defeating the bad guys, and saving everyone.

If possible, Veronica wanted to ensure Bai Jingxuan never returned to that version of herself. So, under her careful guidance, the story Bai Jingxuan remembered gradually shifted to match the distorted narrative she believed in.

“Ah, so you’re a Deviant too—but your direction of deviation is toward Ravagers?” Lin Xiaolu said, suddenly enlightened.

That was the story she heard.

Having learned about magic corruption herself, Lin Xiaolu was already familiar with the concept of Deviants. Bai Jingxuan’s identity surprised her a little—but not by much.

After all, if she could be a Deviant, why couldn’t someone else?

In fact, her first reaction to finding out Bai Jingxuan could also deviate was not that they were both rare cases, but—

“So when’s your turn to Deviate?” she asked, turning to look at Xia Liang.

“…Not being a Deviant apparently makes me unworthy of hanging out with you two Deviant princesses, huh?” Xia Liang, usually mild-mannered, twitched visibly at the comment. It took her a full moment to resist the urge to slap Lin Xiaolu across the face. “A perfectly average Leaf-tier Magical Girl, maybe advancing to Bud-tier in a few months—why would I be chosen for a one-in-a-million condition?”

“Uh.” Lin Xiaolu scrunched her lips. Now she was the one feeling grossed out.

The two of them locked eyes, sparks flying between them, until Veronica stepped forward and inserted herself right into their line of sight.

“Let’s get back to Magical Armors.”

Her words cut through the off-topic bickering. “Bosetsu, come on—I’ll explain how you should continue developing your armor.”

During that earlier lull, she’d already figured out how to salvage Bai Jingxuan’s Magical Armor before it veered completely off course.

That support base under the Music Box? It had to go.

Veronica had no doubt that if Bai Jingxuan kept it, she’d walk into the Certification Test waving a hammer in front of everyone.

But if she outright banned close combat and told Bai Jingxuan to remove the base, it would crush her confidence and distort her fighting style.

That left only one option—split the Music Box and the base into two separate components. Let the Music Box remain a support tool in battle, and repurpose the base into something else, with new functions and symbolism.

Whether or not Bai Jingxuan eventually turned that base into a hammer was no longer Veronica’s problem.

So, she launched into a full analysis of Bai Jingxuan’s armor—its structure, its magic flow, its frequency—and laid out a customized training plan for gradually separating the Music Box from the base. By the time she was done, her throat was dry from talking.

Finally, there was only one student left who hadn’t had their armor analyzed.

Veronica turned to Lin Xiaolu, who now stood proudly, chin up, holding out a pristine white scepter.

This was Royal Key, Lin Xiaolu’s Magical Armor—freshly awakened just a few days ago and still practically brand new.