Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 118: Divergence

Vol 2 Chapter 118: Divergence

“Even if you say I should treasure the half of happiness I still have... I just can’t see that as my happiness anymore.”

Surprisingly, Mo He directly disagreed with Veronica’s perspective.

“Happiness... happiness isn’t like bread or cake, where even if you lose half, it still tastes the same. Happiness is like the structure of a magic spell, like a magical tool—if half of it is taken away, then... then all that’s left are parts.”

She slowly pressed her fork into the cream on top of her cake, narrowing her eyes. Her gaze seemed to pass right through Veronica, as if she were looking at something far away.

“That kind of thing... isn’t happiness anymore. It’s just our memories that give it meaning, that make us think it’s still ‘part of our happiness.’ But in reality, it’s just parts now.”

“You’re too easygoing, Captain. In situations like this, we should figure out a way to get back the happiness that’s gone, or... create new happiness. Otherwise, we’ll just be trapped in the past.”

For the first time since they reunited, Mo He spoke such a long and detailed thought in front of Veronica. Her words were still a little hesitant, but the meaning flowed surprisingly smoothly.

So at last, Veronica got a glimpse into the way she thought.

“Who told you all this?” she asked after a moment of reflection.

Mo He paused.

“...No one. It’s not like that.”

Then she added, “I figured it out myself, during discussions with others.”

“That’s a bit unexpected. It doesn’t sound like something the old you would have said.”

Veronica sat up straight, her hands resting on either side of her teacup. “No, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, it’s been a long time. It’s natural for your perspective to change.”

Mo He didn’t respond, which was basically an unspoken agreement with what Veronica had said.

“I don’t think you’re wrong.”

Veronica continued, “The things in this world aren’t all identical. Even with ‘happiness,’ we might all use the same word, but it doesn’t mean we’re talking about the same thing.”

“It’s like this pot of chocolate.” She gestured toward the chocolate fondue in front of them. “We call it all ‘chocolate,’ but depending on the cocoa butter content, the sugar content, the milk content, even the water content... it can taste, look, and feel completely different.”

“Solid dark chocolate, or a cup of melted cocoa mixed with milk—they’re both called chocolate, but they’re totally different.”

“...I don’t get it.” Even Mo He wasn’t sure how many times she’d said that now.

“It’s simple, Mo He. My view of happiness is right, and so is yours. The opposite of the truth isn’t necessarily wrong—it might just be another truth. Maybe... it’s just that the ‘happiness’ you want isn’t the same as mine. That’s why we have different perspectives.”

Veronica slowly closed her eyes. “I’m not lying about this, Mo He. If you feel like my answer was insincere... maybe it’s just because we’re different.”

Mo He seemed a little stunned.

We’re different.

That phrase was common enough, and even Mo He knew that everyone in this world was different. But at this moment, it still made her feel like her breath had quickened.

“We’re both chasing happiness, but what I want is simple. I can easily be satisfied with what I have. It’s not complicated, so even if it’s split or taken away, I can—or rather, I have to—hold on to what’s left. Because that really is my happiness.”

Veronica had noticed Mo He’s mood and condition. But now that she felt like she’d glimpsed something deeper, she couldn’t hold back—she had to spell it out clearly.

“Your happiness is probably more complex, more intricate than mine. That’s why you’re struggling with this. But... that kind of happiness... sorry, I don’t really understand it.”

That sentence marked the end of the discussion.

Because after that, Mo He didn’t say another word. She just mechanically stuffed desserts into her mouth.

Thankfully, while she seemed a little down, she hadn’t sunk into full-blown despair. It was more like she was lost in thought. So Veronica didn’t say anything more, letting her mull it over.

The desserts on the table were replaced dish after dish. This meal, which was supposed to be afternoon tea, had now turned into dinner. It had already lasted over two hours.

“Excuse me—this is your final course. It’s a beverage: Fairy Fruit Wine Mango Loquat Parfait. We hope you enjoy it.”

The busy servers moved between the tables, placing the two cups of golden drinks precisely in front of Veronica’s table, bowing before they left. This also signaled the end of the two-hour dessert marathon.

It was only in moments like these that Veronica felt glad she was a Magical Girl. Even after two hours of sweets, her body didn’t feel off, and her taste buds were still sharp. If she’d been in her normal Lin Yun body, it wasn’t just a blood sugar spike she’d have to worry about—her tongue would probably be completely numb from all the sugar.

While thinking about these random things, she reached for the parfait, deciding to toss aside all human health concerns and give in to her Magical Girl senses. She dug into the mix of shaved ice and jelly, sending a spoonful straight into her mouth.

The server had mentioned “Fairy Fruit Wine” in the product name, but Fairy Fruit Wine in the Kingdom was a well-known low-alcohol drink that the royal court produced as a tribute. That slight bitter hint of alcohol wasn’t an issue at all for someone like Veronica, who, as Lin Yun, had plenty of experience at social events. In fact, that hint of bitterness, combined with the sweet-sour mango and loquat and the refreshing shaved ice, helped cut the cloying sweetness from the earlier dessert feast.

She silently gave the parfait a positive rating in her mind, then glanced at Mo He—and realized something was off.

Mo He seemed completely unaware that the server had come by or that there was now a parfait in front of her. She was still mindlessly eating the previous course. And when her mouth got smeared with jam, she instinctively reached for her napkin.

The problem was, one corner of that napkin was pinned under the parfait.

So by the time Veronica noticed, Mo He had already yanked the napkin free, and the unlucky parfait went tumbling over, the half-loquat on top flying into the air.

“Careful.”

Veronica instinctively wanted to use her Magical Armor to stop it, but then she remembered—this was a no-magic zone, so she couldn’t. She quickly stood up instead, practically diving across the table to catch the glass with her hands.

Unfortunately, that split-second hesitation meant she only managed to prevent a complete disaster—not the mess.

The jelly hit Mo He’s face, while the mixture of shaved ice and fruit wine splashed onto her shirt and hair, thoroughly soaking the fur on her prosthetic arm.

Mo He’s upper body was instantly drenched.

“Are you okay?”

Veronica carefully set the parfait back upright and immediately asked, “What parts got soaked? I’ll call a server right away.”

Mo He lifted her head.

Her mouth was still smeared with jam, her face sticky with jelly, her hair dripping with fruit wine—and yet her expression remained calm, like none of this mess mattered at all.

“Captain, I’ve been thinking seriously.”

It wasn’t clear how much time had passed since she’d last spoken, so it seemed she’d never left the previous topic.

“Even if... the things we’ve gone through over the years are different... Even if... the things we want are different... Even if... the things we fight for are different…”

Her amber eyes widened slightly, her pupils narrowing into sharp points like a beast’s eyes.

“—But I still can’t just stand by and watch. I... I want to help you.”