Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Book 2: Chapter 136: Magic Output and Magic Occupation

Vol 2 Chapter 136 – Magic Output and Magic Occupation

After a full day of travel, Veronica finally had time to soak in the bathhouse and unwind. Nearing midnight, she lay down on her bed, eyes wide open, spacing out.

The little house was well-ventilated on all sides. The evening breeze occasionally drifted in, carrying a faint damp scent of grass that helped lull anyone lying in bed into relaxation. Sure enough, steady breathing was already coming from the bed next to hers—Lin Xiaolu had fallen asleep. A little further away, Xia Liang had also quieted down long ago.

Veronica thought she ought to relax too, but too much had happened today, and with it came too many thoughts. Admitting that she and Lin Yun shared the same birthday had hidden implications that she couldn’t ignore. Then there was her meeting with Mohe—the things they’d discussed lingered on her mind as well.

Still, she knew overthinking wouldn’t solve anything. What she needed now was rest. So she closed her eyes deliberately, emptied her mind, and forced herself to stop thinking.

It worked, to some extent. Once her chaotic thoughts were blocked out, exhaustion—both mental and physical—swept in and pulled her into slumber.

Yes, real slumber.

Maybe it was because the gemstone had been repaired, but for the past couple of days, Veronica had surprisingly been able to sleep in her Magical Girl form, rather than having to forcibly shut down her thoughts just to rest her mind.

Whether this was a good or bad thing, Veronica couldn’t say for now. But at the very least, it helped soothe her thoughts. So she didn’t resist the feeling and let herself sink deeper.

“Maintain the balance of your magic output. Use your soul and your true form to control it properly—keep yourself steady... good, just like that. Stay floating.”

Gesturing for a pause, Cornflower motioned for the floating girl before her to hold still in midair. “Do you feel it? The state of magic inside your body?”

A gentle breeze swept across the hillside south of Rune Noray, rippling through the broad green grass like waves. As the newly appointed captain of the city guard squad, Cornflower was currently teaching the youngest Magical Girl in her team—Nym Kreijios.

Though she didn’t enjoy having troublesome duties dumped on her, Cornflower was doing her best to fulfill the role of a teacher. Thankfully, Nym was a well-behaved Magical Girl, making the process relatively smooth.

“Magic... state?” Nym, still only a Bud-tier Magical Girl, wasn’t capable of learning advanced combat techniques. Right now, she was merely following Cornflower’s instructions to master the basics of magic control. “It kinda feels... like holding something up with my arm all the time?”

What she was learning now was a mandatory battlefield subject for all Magical Girls—Magic Output and Occupation.

“Your feeling’s correct,” Cornflower nodded, satisfied with her response. “Right now, you’re using magic to keep yourself floating, so part of your magic output is being used for that.”

“Keep holding your position. Try firing off a few magic bullets while maintaining flight. Use your full strength—try to launch as many as you can.”

“While flying?” Nym hesitated, then took a breath. Chanting under her breath, she raised her wand. Several strands of green magic swirled at its tip, then shot forward as bullets.

Whoosh!

There were too many to count at a glance—at least a dozen beams sliced through the air and shredded a few drifting leaves into nothing, not even scraps left behind.

“Is that... okay, Captain?” Nym wobbled in midair, barely maintaining flight, but still turned back hopefully to Cornflower.

“Not bad at all.”

Cornflower clapped and nodded. “For Bud-tier, your magic bullets are solid—good power and speed. I can see the effort you’ve put in.”

“Hehe, it’s not that impressive,” Nym said bashfully. “We practiced this a lot at the Silver Corridor. If we didn’t get it right, the matrons would scold us… so we kinda learned it quick.”

“No matter the reason, it’s still your hard work. And that won’t go to waste.”

Cornflower cut off her modesty. “But did you notice anything else? Like, how did it feel to cast magic bullets while floating compared to standing on the ground?”

“On the ground?” Nym thought for a moment. “I guess... it felt different?”

“How so?” Cornflower prompted gently.

“Well... I think I could fire fewer bullets like this, and they were weaker, too.”

“Exactly. That’s what we call Magic Occupation.” Cornflower twirled her wand and drew a circle in the air. “To understand occupation, we first need to define Magic Output. Let’s say your total magic is 100. If you try your hardest to release all of it, how long would it take? Could you use it all in an instant?”

“Definitely not,” Nym replied. With her training at Silver Corridor, she had a stronger foundation than most Bud-tier girls. “I’ve tried before—it takes at least 30 seconds to use up all my magic.”

“Thirty seconds, huh? Not bad. But do you know why?”

Cornflower tapped the circle she’d drawn, slicing off one-thirtieth of it. “Is it because you weren’t using your full strength? Or is your magic divided into chunks that can’t be released at once?”

“I don’t think it’s either. I was giving it my all, and I could feel the magic inside my true form.” Nym paused, then asked, “So... it’s because of what you called ‘magic output’?”

“Great reasoning. I’m impressed by how fast you’re learning.”

Cornflower praised her. “Yes, your body has a limit—magic output. Say your total magic is 100, and it takes you 30 seconds to release all of it. That means your output is about 3.3 per second.”

She pulled that slice into a small circle and began cutting it further. “Now, let’s say flying costs you 1 per second. That leaves only 2.3 for shooting bullets. So what do we call the 1 that’s being used up?”

“...Magic Occupation,” Nym blinked.

“Exactly. That 1 is the magic you’re using to stay afloat—and why your bullets got weaker.”

“I get it now.” Nym’s eyes lit up. “So if I want to go all-out in battle, I should stop flying—or even stop using sensing magic—and put all my output into offense?”

“Correct in theory,” Cornflower said neutrally. “But in actual combat, we usually do the opposite.”

“The opposite?” Nym was confused.

“When you’re attacking, it’s better to only use 2.3, and save that 1 as a buffer.”

Cornflower drew a small ring from the circle. “That way, you’ll still have enough magic left to dodge. Otherwise, you’ll take a direct hit.”

“Ohhh…” Nym looked as if a whole new world had opened before her. “I get it now!”

“Good. But just understanding isn’t enough.” Cornflower shook her wand. “You’re still Bud-tier. As you advance, you’ll get Magical Armor at Sprout-tier, then Spells at Leaf-tier, and eventually, Realms. The more powers you have, the more complex your Occupation becomes.”

“Sometimes, you’ll have to stop using one or two abilities just to stay alive. How to combine your powers and plan your magic use—that’s a lifelong study.”

“Let me test you: if you reach Bloom-tier and your magic output is 5, and your Realm plus Magical Armor together consume 4, you’ll only have 1 left. If your enemy is fleeing, do you use that 1 to chase or keep it as defense?”

“Uh... chase them?” Nym hesitated.

“If I were your enemy and I already figured out your magic use patterns, I’d ambush you then,” Cornflower crossed her arms. “You’d be caught off guard.”

“Then... I should save the 1 and approach slowly?” Nym wasn’t confident.

“Wouldn’t that just let them get away?”

Cornflower sighed. “The answer is—cancel some abilities temporarily and pursue first.”

“Oh…” Nym bit her lip in embarrassment.

“This leads to another question—should you always go all-out in battle?”

Cornflower’s voice was calm but serious. “You don’t need to worry about this with Ravagers. They’re brainless monsters. But in battle against experienced soldiers, if you constantly max out your output, they’ll figure it out—and use that against you.”

“Uhh…” Nym’s head was spinning.

“Manage your occupation, hide your output, predict your enemy’s, and act based on how they use theirs.”

Knowing she was overloading the lesson, Cornflower finally stopped. “That’s what makes a seasoned soldier. When your enemies aren’t beasts, but thinking, strategic opponents—this is what will keep you alive.”

“I’ll work hard,” Nym nodded earnestly.

“Don’t stress. The front line hasn’t reached us yet. You have time to learn.”

Cornflower offered a rare moment of comfort. “You’re talented—I believe you’ll pick it up fast.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Nym gave a formal salute. “I’ll become an awesome Magical Girl like you!”

“You could aim for someone better.”

Cornflower looked a little helpless. “I’m still a rookie. I might not even be right about everything I’m saying.”

“That’s okay! To me, you’re the strongest!”

Nym grinned brightly. “Even if you’re not now, you will be!”

“Stop flattering me.”

Cornflower rolled her eyes. “You’re still cleaning the second floor of the camp this afternoon. No escaping that.”

“I know, I wasn’t trying to skip it,” Nym stuck out her tongue. “And I wasn’t flattering you—it’s the truth.”

You had to admit, Nym was a great team member.

Though young, with limited experience and power, she was cheerful and quick-thinking. When Cornflower spoke with her, she often forgot that the girl was only ten.

Unlike her timid, anxious older sister, Nym remained optimistic and humble with her squadmates. Some had doubts when she first joined, but over time, they’d all come to accept her.

Not out of pity for a child—but out of genuine, equal respect.

Still, Nym had her childish moments. Like how she constantly showered Cornflower with over-the-top admiration, often quoting her like gospel.

That would’ve been fine on its own—but she’d even go around telling the others, and outsiders too, about her beloved “Cornflower Sayings.” Before long, she’d earned herself the nickname “Little Cornflower Guard.”