Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 107: Emeralds of the Jade Gallery

Vol 2 Chapter 107: Emeralds of the Jade Gallery

As the most mysterious area in Luennore, the Emerald Archives was located north of the academy district. Its grounds encompassed the entire Emerald Mountain Range, and the main structure—a vast, grand, and unbroken corridor of books built along the ridgeline—was how the place earned its name.

As one of Luennore’s iconic landmarks, the Emerald Archives had inspired countless rumors. Some said it held every book ever recorded in the history of the entire Kingdom. Others claimed the term “archives” was a cover, and the place was in fact a base for conducting forbidden, sinister research. There were even theories that it was a signal hub for communicating with aliens, and that the Court of Research was studying extraterrestrial technology…

Because no outsider had ever visited to confirm or refute these claims, the rumors grew increasingly absurd over time—once nine parts true, one part false, then one true among nine lies, and eventually all ten outright delusions. The public, unable to distinguish fact from fiction, adopted the philosophy of “if it’s not debunked, it must be true,” indulging themselves in endless speculation and giving rise to even more implausible urban myths. Over time, these very rumors became a layered shroud over the Archives, heightening its enigmatic aura in the public imagination.

Today, at an unannounced hour, the mysterious Emerald Archives quietly opened its doors to a very particular guest.

To those who worked or lived there, the truth about the Emerald Archives was far less dramatic than the outside world imagined. It served primarily as the Court of Research’s data repository and a museum dedicated to the accumulated wisdom of generations past. It was important. It was sacred. But what was “important” and “sacred” was never the building itself—it was the knowledge it held, and the people who gathered around it.

Because of this, while ordinary civilians or Magical Girls might never set foot inside during their lifetimes, the Archives was not a closed-off facility. There were always visitors—researchers invited by the institute, Flower Card-certified Magical Girls seeking collaboration, influential Magical Girls from the Five Grand Courts, even nobles from the Royal Court. Yet for the Court of Research, none of these guests were particularly “special.”

The reason today’s guest was considered special was very simple—

After spending an entire month holed up in her lab, to the point where some suspected she had dropped dead in there, the Chief Researcher had finally emerged.

Only the innermost core members of the institute ever knew the Chief’s movements. These people had witnessed more than their share of dignitaries. But even stretching their memories back decades—perhaps even a century—none could recall a time the Chief herself had made a personal appearance.

What made it even more unnerving was the fact that the Chief—Lady Emerald—had shown up at the Archives early that morning, not dragging someone off for an impromptu experiment, nor wandering around with a pillow looking for a nap spot, but dressed properly in clothes fit for the outside world. Her hair was done. She’d even put on a touch of makeup.

Those who saw her were thrown into panic. These were people who knew how many legal lines she’d crossed in the name of research. Was this it? Had the Royal Court finally come to investigate?

In their anxiety, the researchers began cautiously prodding Lady Emerald with questions, hoping to uncover some clue. But all came up empty.

They tried waiting near the entrance to catch a glimpse of the mysterious guest, but that too was fruitless. The visitor had already been received by the Archives’ administrator and ushered through the private reception corridor.

With researchers on edge and the administrator tight-lipped, the entire core of the institute was left in a state of suspense. So then—what exactly was Lady Emerald doing at that moment?

“I stepped on your shadow. You’re dead.”

Lady Emerald was crouched on the floor, pointing at Veronica’s shadow.

“What the hell are you saying?” Veronica replied flatly.

“Shadow game. You’ve never played it?”

Lady Emerald stood up and brushed off her coat. “A duel often begins in the instant your eyes meet. You weren’t alert enough, junior.”

“When did I agree to play a game with you?” Veronica asked, utterly confused.

“Didn’t you? You looked so tense, like you were ready for a duel.”

Lady Emerald spread her hands. “So I engaged you. I won, you lost. Game over. Feel a little more relaxed now?”

“…Sorry.”

Veronica paused, then caught on and adjusted her expression, trying to appear more at ease. “I thought this meeting was going to be serious, so I got a little wound up.”

“No worries. I feel the same. But everyone here is one of us—you don’t need to be so tense.”

She twirled once in place, arms outstretched. “So? First time seeing me in person? Feel honored?”

Unlike before, when she always appeared as a Toy Fairy, this was Veronica’s first time seeing Lady Emerald in her Magical Girl form.

Despite her claims of being much older, Lady Emerald looked like nothing more than a girl—slightly taller than Veronica, slim but not frail, with smooth, pale skin and no trace of age.

Veronica had seen Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye before—another bearer of a Jewel Scepter, whose very presence exuded dominance. By contrast, Emerald’s aura was much gentler. Her light green hair was tied in a single loose braid over one shoulder, and her soft, sleepy-looking grass-green eyes gave her an almost lazy air.

She wore a sleeveless top resembling a han-style blouse in pale green and white, cinched at the waist with a wide sash. Her skirt reached mid-thigh, with layered inner gold and outer dark green fabric. Gold thread embroidered delicate cloud patterns onto the overskirt. Most eye-catching was her outer robe: at first glance, it looked like a pleated skirt; on closer inspection, it resembled an enlarged horse coat. Long and wide, the robe was dark green with varied floral patterns and white trim at the collar, embroidered with deep blue rune-like designs. As she held her arms out, the robe fanned down to her calves like a peacock’s tail.

Charming and lazy, with a hint of refined elegance.

That was the first impression Lady Emerald left.

Veronica had long suspected she wasn’t a particularly “serious” person, but the reality still didn’t quite match her mental image.

“Hmph. I bet before this, you imagined I was the type of mad scientist who wore a lab coat 24/7, with a bird’s nest for hair.”

Veronica said nothing, so Lady Emerald continued smugly. “Too bad. I’m a highly self-aware beauty. When I put effort into my appearance, I’m textbook stunning.”

“So when you don’t, you’re a mad scientist?” Veronica jabbed.

“Silence is a valid social tactic too, junior.”

Lady Emerald’s expression dropped into mock exasperation. “If Affection Points were a stat, that comment just cost you five with your dear Chief.”

“That sounds like something a teenager would say.” Veronica remarked.

“Well, I am seventeen,” Emerald declared as she fanned her robe again. “That’s why I care so much about beauty. Now, say ‘Chief, you look stunning today’ and maybe I’ll let you earn those points back.”

“What scale are we using?” Veronica asked.

“Scale? For the Affection Points? Percent, of course.”

“No, I meant your age.”

“Ah. My age…”

Emerald hesitated, then gave a ladylike smile. “Yes, yes. You got it right. Base-100. Clever junior, as a reward, you just got your points back.”

Veronica couldn’t help thinking: Even base-100 might be an understatement.

But she let it go. Any deeper questioning would go from banter into outright provocation.

“Thanks for lightening the mood. I do feel better now.”

Veronica took a breath. “So about what we discussed earlier—what do I need to do?”

“You mean the healing? Technically, we can start now.”

Lady Emerald held up two fingers in a cross shape. “But you know how it is—‘technically yes’ usually means ‘actually no.’”

“Why?”

“Not enough Affection Points. You haven’t unlocked access to that feature yet, junior.”

She fanned her sleeves again. “Try complimenting my robe. That might help.”

“…Oh, your robe is really nice.”

Veronica said blankly.

“How perfunctory… but since you actually managed a compliment, I’ll give you 1 point,” Lady Emerald nodded. “Still not enough. Got anything else to say?”

“Your hair ornament is pretty,” Veronica offered with a hint of resignation.

“Mhm, another point,” Emerald said smugly, gently brushing the dangling hairpin at her temple.

“Nice lipstick.”

“Ah, now you’ve found one of my proudest features. That’s 2 points.”

“…Your hairstyle suits you.”

“One point. Barely passes.”

“How many more do I need?” Veronica finally asked.

“About 20 more, I’d say.”

Lady Emerald crossed her arms, clearly enjoying herself. “It’s a percentage scale—keep going.”

Veronica fell silent. After a long pause, she sighed, squinting slightly. “Your skirt looks great.”

“One point.”

“Your brow and nose bridge are well defined.”

“Two points!”

“Long eyelashes.”

“Half a point.”

“Why only half?”

“Because your lashes look better than mine. Feels more like an insult than a compliment.”

…

The two went back and forth like that, bickering and bargaining as if playing some kind of game of “find the flaw.” Even after Veronica had exhausted every possible flattering observation about Lady Emerald’s appearance, she was still three points short of the arbitrary goal.

“Do I really have to hit 20 points? I’m getting tired of this childish game,” Veronica said, finally closing her eyes from staring too long. “Isn’t it a bit unreasonable to force such strict rules on someone you’re meeting for the first time?”

“Sigh. I even tried to give you a hint, junior. You really are stuck in your own little trap.”

Emerald shook her head. “No choice then. Let the smart, beautiful, and kind Chief show you the way. What does ‘Affection Points’ really mean? It means anything that increases my goodwill toward you counts. Complimenting my looks is just one option.”

“So?”

“Think carefully, junior. What kind of gesture would make me truly happy?”

Lady Emerald looked at her, her lazy smile tinged with mischief—like a cat with a secret. “And let me say this in advance: flattery about my intelligence or genius won’t work. I hear that every day.”

...So very few people actually compliment her looks?

That was the first thought that came to Veronica’s mind.

“Minus five points.”

Emerald’s tone instantly turned cold.

“I didn’t even say anything,” Veronica protested.

“My wisdom tells me you were internally disrespecting your Chief,” Emerald replied mercilessly.

“Ugh.”

Just one stray thought had reset her progress again. Veronica was forced to seriously reflect. She thought back to everything she knew about Lady Emerald—her actions, behavior, logic—and finally, she arrived at a conclusion.

There was no proof. It might just be her own overactive imagination. But it made sense. And anyway, even if she was wrong, there wasn’t much to lose.

“No more games. We have work to do, Lady Emerald.”

Her voice was firm now, part earnest, part strategic. “I’ve chosen you. I need your help.”

Lady Emerald’s lips curled into a small smile.

“Fifty points—no, make that a hundred.”

The score was so high, Veronica wondered if she’d misheard. “Excellent. I knew you were nearly worthy of being my colleague. That insight? Very satisfying.”

“You’ve chosen me.”

She stretched lazily, almost cat-like. “That makes us allies. I’ve offered you my best deal, so I need your genuine trust in return.”

“And you need my help.”

She swept a hand behind her as if pushing away the air.

With a soft click, a door that hadn’t existed before opened in midair. Behind it, a room full of complex tubing and research apparatuses revealed itself.

“Happy to serve.”

Half-lidded eyes gleaming under the blinding white lights, Lady Emerald grinned wide. “Welcome to the Kingdom’s marrow, the heart of the Court of Research. My real private lab.”

“The… heart of the Court of Research?” Veronica murmured.

“Not bragging—just facts. The institute’s prosperity started with me, and will end with me.”

Lady Emerald stepped into the lab and waved her over. “Come on. What you’re looking for is in here.”

Unlike the temporary research base back in Fangting City, this “real private lab” wasn’t packed with instruments. In fact, aside from a few incomprehensible machines and some culture tanks containing bizarre fleshy growths, the majority of the room was filled with glowing magic surveillance monitors.

Rather than a lab, it resembled a control center. The screens displayed feeds from nearly twenty different Toy Fairy perspectives. The environments were similar—temporary research bases lined with equipment—but with enough variation in setup to show that each belonged to a separate lab.

Dispatching research bases across the world, while she remained in the main lab using duplicates to carry out different types of experiments—this was Lady Emerald’s chosen workflow.

“If anything goes wrong in one lab, I can immediately shift data to the nearest node and preserve results. Each new lab and duplicate is like another pair of hands, letting me multitask endlessly.”

She stood proudly beneath the rows of monitors. “If I can finish ten times the workload in a fraction of the time, I get to spend the rest of it sleeping. And even if I fall asleep mid-task, my loyal duplicates keep working. I literally get stuff done while I nap.”

“Impressive.”

Veronica offered a few symbolic claps.

“No need to fake admiration. That actually makes me uncomfortable,” Emerald muttered. “In any case, since I’ve brought you here, I’m not going to give you a hard time just because you’re a brat with a sharp tongue.”

She spread her arms. “Let’s get to work. Give me your Heartstone.”

“Which one?”

Veronica pulled out two gems—her Heartstone Flower, and the Heartstone Seed used to maintain her “Gentian” disguise.

“The real one, obviously. What would I do with a fake?”

Emerald took the Heartstone Flower and pointed toward the nearby medical bed. “Alright, lie down there and stay put until I say you can get up. The healing process might make you drowsy—just go with it. A good nap will help.”

“That’s it?” Veronica asked skeptically.

“What, were you expecting surgery? I’m a researcher, not a doctor. ‘Healing’ here means fixing your Heartstone—it has nothing to do with your body.”

She inspected the Heartstone like an appraiser studying a rare gem. “Just as I suspected. It’s practically shattered, barely glued together. Anyone else would be dead by now.”

“But I’m not, which is why I came to fix it,” Veronica said seriously, sitting on the bed.

“Yep. Fixing it…”

Emerald continued examining it. “The earlier treatments helped. Magic leakage has stopped. The fragments have bonded a little more. Some internal structures are totally destroyed, but it’s still salvageable.”

“So?” Veronica asked.

“So it’s fine. We can start.”

Emerald clapped her hands lightly. A hidden compartment opened in the floor, revealing a key. She took it, removed a monitor from the wall, and exposed a secure vault.

Ignoring Veronica’s suspicious gaze, she unlocked it and pulled out a thermos-like containment vessel. With deft movements, she applied a series of intricate decryption runes on the surface and opened the lid.

“What is that?” Veronica asked from the bed.

“Material for restoring your Heartstone. Or rather, the material—Source of Love.”

She retrieved a test tube-like vessel, carefully tilted the container, and extracted a glowing, nearly white, prismatic liquid with a pipette. Throughout the entire transfer, she didn’t speak or even breathe, focused solely on the delicate task. Only when the tube was half-filled did she stop, replace the tools, and seal the container.

“Ten milliliters. That’s all it takes to create a new Heartstone Seed for the Kingdom—or a Magical Girl’s combat power. Outside the Kingdom, it’s the rarest magic material in the world. Everyone wants it.”

Emerald gazed at the tube in fascination. “Even in the Kingdom, it's limited to the Rose Palace, the Garden, and a few select leaders in the Court of Magic. The institute has to go through hell just to apply for a drop. Getting ten milliliters is unheard of.”

“Just hearing the name, it seems like the only thing worthy of being exchanged with a Beast Core.”

Veronica looked at her. “But why do you have so much of it?”

“A friend gave it to me,” Emerald replied simply.

“A friend?” Veronica asked again.

“A friend.”

Emerald nodded firmly, then cleared her throat. “Enough chit-chat. Focus. I’m going to start the restoration. Don’t distract me—we can’t afford to waste even a drop.”

Veronica stared hard at her, trying to read something from her face. But Emerald didn’t flinch. Finally, annoyed by the stare, she turned her back.

Now Veronica really couldn’t read her.

Oh well.

She looked up at the ceiling, bathed in the harsh white lab lights.

Even if the material had shady origins, she was a wanted criminal. Using the Source of Love on someone like her… without someone like Emerald, she’d never even have laid eyes on such a thing.

She really was starting to feel drowsy.

Not from exhaustion, but as if her very soul was urging her to rest.

So she stopped thinking, closed her eyes, and let her mind go blank.

Only the hum of equipment and the sounds of Lady Emerald at work remained. And it was in this white-noise lullaby that Veronica finally fell asleep.