Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 26: True Form and Magical Construction

Fangting City’s nights were always brightly lit. From a high vantage point, the intertwining neon signs and streetlights formed a river of light.

Veronica leaned against the protective netting on a high-rise rooftop, staring blankly at the broken blue disc in her hand.

After several days of investigation, she had basically confirmed that this thing was some kind of sewer valve. There was no doubt—since it was found inside the body of a Melt-Chamber-type Ravager, it meant that creature had once lived in the city's sewer system.

But that should have been impossible. Given the sheer size of a Melt-Chamber-type Ravager, there weren’t many areas in the city’s underground that could accommodate it. Foraging there would have been incredibly difficult, let alone remaining hidden without anyone noticing.

Unless… something in the sewers had been feeding it while also concealing its presence.

For example, an Egg-tier Ravager.

It had been two years since Tumi and the others left. What had happened in Fangting City during that time? How had an Egg-tier Ravager managed to take root and build a nest here?

Veronica had no choice but to take this matter seriously. Combining this discovery with the "Singing Sewers" urban legend she had read about online, she had spent the past few nights searching for any trace of the possible Egg-tier Ravager.

Unfortunately, she had found nothing so far.

A girl's voice called out from not far away.

Veronica looked up to see Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang standing nearby, watching her. It was only then that she realized she had been lost in thought for too long—it was already time for class.

This rooftop had practically become her regular teaching spot. As long as she sent out a notification after work, her two "students" would show up, and the lesson could begin.

"It's nothing, just thinking about something."

She briefly explained her distraction, then straightened up and walked toward the center of the rooftop. "Since you're both here, let's get started. Tonight, I'll be teaching you something more advanced."

"Advanced?" Lin Xiaolu's expression perked up with interest. "Are we finally learning how to deal with a Caterpillar?"

"I think your idea of ‘advanced’ is a bit too ambitious." Xia Liang chuckled helplessly.

"And what I think has nothing to do with you, does it?" Lin Xiaolu huffed.

As usual, the two started bickering the moment they met. They kept at it as they followed Veronica a short distance until she stopped, turned to face them, and cleared her throat twice—a signal for them to settle down and focus.

"Let's get right to it. Tonight’s topic is a crucial ability for every Magical Girl—Magic Construct, or as we call it, Magical Armor."

"Oh!"

The two Magical Girls reacted with enthusiasm, clapping their hands and adding comments like "Finally!" and "So it's this, huh?"

Veronica waited for their applause to subside before continuing. "I've given you a brief introduction to Magical Armor before, but this time, I'll go into more detail."

"First, let’s review: every Magical Girl gains her Magical Armor when her Awakening reaches the Seed-tier. Magical Armor is the manifestation of a Magical Girl's true essence, which means that everyone’s armor is unique. You should remember this part."

"As for the true essence itself, it's the fusion of a Magical Girl’s magic and soul. Magic is refined through training, while the soul is strengthened through inspiration and insight. Eventually, the two merge through the development of a Heartstone Seed, forming one’s true essence."

"When a Magical Girl achieves her true essence, her Awakening reaches the Seed-tier. At that point, her transformed appearance will remain permanently unchanged, and she will experience an explosive surge in magic. That’s why reaching the Seed-tier is a crucial milestone—her combat power will be leagues ahead of what it was before."

Hearing this, Xia Liang raised her head in thought before quickly raising her hand to ask a question.

"Go ahead," Veronica said. She had a feeling it wouldn’t be anything good, but she still gestured for her to speak.

Xia Liang grinned. "So, Little Senior, did you reach the Seed-tier when you were ten years old?"

Knew it.

Veronica’s eyelid twitched. She was already used to Xia Liang’s antics.

"Why are you asking weird questions in the middle of class?!"

Before Veronica could respond, Lin Xiaolu stepped forward first. "Show some respect to Veronica-senpai!"

"Is that question weird?" Xia Liang blinked innocently.

"You’re obviously making fun of her height…"

Lin Xiaolu tried to expose her but hesitated midway. She glanced at Veronica and found her staring back expressionlessly.

In that instant, Lin Xiaolu didn’t know whether to advance or retreat.

"Huh? Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way." Xia Liang gave a cheeky grin. "I was just curious. If she really reached the Seed-tier at ten, that’d make her a genius, right?"

"Ah, now that you mention it…" Lin Xiaolu, previously stiff, suddenly caught on and turned to Veronica with curiosity.

"No, my transformed appearance just makes me look younger."

Veronica remained expressionless as she answered in a straightforward manner. "I actually became a Magical Girl at about the same age as you two."

Her cold reply didn’t satisfy the other two, but she ignored their disappointed faces and brought the topic back on track.

"Let’s get back to Magical Armor."

She clapped her hands to refocus their attention. "Once a Magical Girl has formed her true essence, her Magical Armor naturally manifests. It becomes the weapon most suited to her, even if she doesn’t initially know how to use it."

"The potential of a Magical Armor varies. Some are inherently stronger than others. In The Kingdom's assessments, there are specific tests to evaluate this, but we won’t get into that now."

"However, even if your Magical Armor isn’t strong at first, it can grow through effort."

"When your magic and soul—both key components of your true essence—improve significantly, your Magical Armor will evolve, becoming stronger than its initial state. Ultimately, its power depends on three factors: magic, soul, and mastery. These three are the foundation of using Magical Armor."

"Now, I'll demonstrate with my own Magical Armor…"

The lesson proceeded as usual.

It had been two weeks since Lin Xiaolu became a Magical Girl, and a little over a week for Xia Liang. Under Veronica’s guidance, their foundational knowledge had steadily grown.

From basic concepts to combat techniques, and now to advanced abilities.

Lin Xiaolu wasn’t particularly talented, but she was diligent enough to remember everything she was taught.

Xia Liang, on the other hand, was a natural. Despite seeming absentminded most of the time, she quickly grasped everything Veronica taught her.

Before retiring, Veronica had rarely mentored rookies. The only junior she had worked with—codename White Rose, real name Hong Siyu—had been by her side for less than six months.

Now, watching these two grow under her guidance—one of them even her own daughter—she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of fulfillment.

And so, about two hours later, as she watched the two Magical Girls leave after class, Veronica silently made a decision.

She had to create a safer environment for them to grow.

As the image of the shattered blue disc flashed through her mind, she calmly waved goodbye—while steeling her resolve.