Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 4: Unknown Call

Lin Yun and Anya had been childhood friends.

They had been in the same class since they were very young and naturally became friends. Anya was an energetic and mischievous girl, so their friendship was never hindered by gender differences. They were inseparable.

However, as they grew older and entered adolescence, they gradually became more aware of their differences as a boy and a girl, making their interactions a little awkward. On top of that, they ended up attending different schools, which caused them to drift apart.

Until one day, something happened that brought Anya back into Lin Yun’s life—turning everything upside down.

—Anya became a Magical Girl.

In a sudden crisis, she appeared before him like a resolute angel, saving both Lin Yun and the civilians around them.

Powerful. Tenacious. Beautiful.

His childhood friend had become someone beyond his reach—so different from the mischievous tomboy in his memories that he almost couldn't recognize her.

But Anya was thrilled. She finally had someone to share her secret with—and not just anyone, but the childhood friend she had once drifted apart from. It was a perfect win-win.

Yet, being a Magical Girl was not an easy role to bear. The Ravagers in the city kept increasing in both number and strength, until one day, Anya could no longer handle the relentless onslaught alone.

That was when Lin Yun stepped forward—and became a Magical Girl himself.

From then on, they went through many hardships, met new allies, and fought in countless perilous battles. But in the end, they endured. They even became heroes who protected the city.

Eventually, as an adult, Lin Yun gave up his powers and identity as a Magical Girl, choosing to return to an ordinary life.

Well—ordinary, but not quite. After all, his wife was a Magical Girl.

Yes, he and Anya got married.

They lived a blissful life together, raising a lovely daughter and enjoying the happiness of a peaceful family. It was all very natural—just as a hero who had saved countless lives should retire to a tranquil and fulfilling life.

That was how it was supposed to be.

"Supposed to be..."

On a crowded and hectic morning, Lin Yun stood among the packed train passengers, staring blankly out of the window with his usual numb expression.

It had been a week since he discovered that his daughter had become a Magical Girl.

Maybe it was because he had opened up and spoken honestly that night, but Lin Yun felt that the atmosphere between him and Lin Xiaolu had improved—at least a little. Now, when they were at home, his daughter would at least glance at him symbolically, instead of outright ignoring him like before, treating him as if he were invisible.

It was a small step, but a step nonetheless.

That, at least, was somewhat comforting.

As for the danger of his daughter being a Magical Girl, he decided to stay in contact with Hong Siyu, letting her monitor the situation under the guise of an official agency member. His top priority was ensuring Lin Xiaolu’s safety.

Lin Yun also vaguely sensed that Hong Siyu had some… feelings for him. Yet now that he was the one reaching out to her, while deliberately avoiding the topic, he couldn’t help but feel like a bit of a scumbag. He wanted to clear things up between them.

But Hong Siyu firmly denied it, claiming that she didn’t even remember what nonsense she had spouted when she was drunk.

And so, the matter was left unresolved.

As for what Lin Yun had actually done that night after revealing his Heartflower...

He had tried to transform.

To him, the identity of a Magical Girl was nothing more than a distant memory. He had long forgotten the feeling of fighting—of battling against the Ravagers.

Had he really fought those creatures as if it were second nature?

The thought crossed his mind.

In truth, although he had retired, he had never completely lost his powers as a Magical Girl. No matter the reason behind it, at the very least, he should still be able to transform.

But that night, when he tried—he failed.

When he touched his Heartflower, there was no response.

The once radiant Heartflower was now like a lifeless object, completely unchanged.

Lin Yun wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or worried.

Relief—because it meant he truly no longer had any power, easing some of the burdens that had haunted his mind.

Worry—because if he had lost his strength, it meant he might not be able to protect his daughter should she face an impossible crisis.

It also meant he couldn’t use his Magical Girl identity to tell her certain things.

Yes, at one point, he had considered approaching his daughter as a Magical Girl.

There were things he couldn’t say to her as a father. Things she might not believe, even if he did. But if he spoke as a "senior Magical Girl," he would have the authority to say them.

He could warn her about the dangers of being a Magical Girl.

Tell her what this power truly meant.

Inform her about their enemies.

Teach her how to grow stronger and better protect herself.

If an experienced Magical Girl said these things, she would have no reason to ignore them.

There was so much he wanted to tell her—but he didn’t know how.

The silence of his Heartflower shattered that idea completely.

Whether he had lost his powers, his qualification to be a Magical Girl, or something else entirely—it no longer mattered.

Over the past week, another Ravager had appeared in the city. Fortunately, Lin Xiaolu managed to eliminate it without much difficulty, and the damage was minimal.

The only thing that surprised Lin Yun was the media’s lack of response.

Unlike the last time, when the TV station had interviewed Lin Xiaolu, this time, the Ravager attack barely made the news.

He wasn’t sure if it was because times had changed—maybe the Bureau of Paranormal Affairs had started taking a more low-profile approach—or if public attention had simply shifted elsewhere.

Either way, despite the increasing frequency of Ravager attacks and the emergence of a new Magical Girl, it hadn’t sparked much discussion.

Even the previous TV interview had quickly faded into obscurity. The video he had found online had soon been buried under newer updates on the station’s website.

Back in his era, the media and the public loved putting Magical Girls in the spotlight.

Lost in thought, Lin Yun arrived at his company and started another day of work.

The same familiar, tedious tasks. But perhaps because his mindset had changed, the frustration he used to feel had lessened considerably.

He worked through the morning and, after finishing his lunch, was back at his desk handling unfinished paperwork when his phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID was an unknown number.

Though uncertain who it was, he still answered and held the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

All he heard was a faint, crackling static.

Frowning slightly, Lin Yun waited a couple of seconds before speaking again.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“…Be careful.”

“…What?”

Crackle.

“Hello?”

“Be careful of the Ravager tonight.”

Lin Yun’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean? Who are you?”

But after saying just that one sentence, the caller fell completely silent.

Soon, the static turned into a disconnected tone.