Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 66: Night Talk (2)

"Veronica!"

She suddenly raised her voice. "I—I actually have a rather negative, or maybe cowardly, thought! I feel like I have to say it out loud!"

"Before I knew the real cause of my mom’s death, I could still look at the dangers Magical Girls face with a calm mind. But ever since I learned the truth, I’ve been feeling conflicted!"

"I can’t tell if it’s hatred or fear—I don’t even know which emotion is stronger. But I do know that I despise myself for having these thoughts."

Hearing her words, Veronica didn’t immediately respond with an opinion. Instead, she asked, "Why? Because of your mother?"

"…I’ve been thinking about all of this for days now, and I’m starting to feel like maybe knowing the truth wasn’t such a good thing after all."

Lin Xiaolu’s expression was complicated as she answered, "Simply knowing that Magical Girls can die and actually losing a Magical Girl you knew are two completely different things."

"Before, it felt like something that was so far away from me. But suddenly, it happened right next to me. Even in my dreams, I feel restless now."

"It’s strange, isn’t it? I’ve been a Magical Girl for so long, but it’s only in the past few days that I’ve started to feel afraid. And more than wanting ‘revenge,’ my strongest feelings are ‘hesitation’ and ‘running away.’ Because I keep thinking—if one day I run into the enemy who killed my mom, will I end up just like her?"

"I have this desire for revenge, but at the same time, I’m scared of what revenge means. I even want to run far away, pretend I never knew anything."

"But if I do that, would I still be worthy of my mom? What was the point of me gaining this power in the first place? The more I think about it, the more my resolve to keep fighting starts to waver."

"Doesn’t it sound ridiculous? I used to be so desperate to know the truth about my mom’s death. But now that I do, I regret it. My mind is full of nothing but negativity—fear, guilt, self-doubt… It makes me think it would’ve been better to never know."

"I… I really am a terrible person. I told you before, Veronica, that I wanted to get stronger, that I wanted to be of help to you. But just by learning a little more, I’m already shaken. I’m already afraid."

"Even Xia Liang learned the same thing, but she’s already reached Bud-tier so quickly, while I…"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Because at that moment, she suddenly felt it—cool fingers wrapping gently around her hand.

"Why are you apologizing for something like this?"

Veronica looked at her seriously. "Before being a Magical Girl, you’re just a kid. Fear of death is something even adults can’t escape—why should you belittle yourself for that?"

"But if I don’t step forward, if I don’t take revenge, then my mom’s death will…" Lin Xiaolu stammered.

"No one has to step forward, White Rose."

Veronica tightened her grip on her hand, cutting her off. "Revenge isn’t something you should have to think about. As Sakura’s teammate, we—the adults—will handle that."

"Don’t think about revenge?"

Lin Xiaolu stared blankly. "Then… then how am I supposed to feel at peace? What am I supposed to do? Can I really just go on like before, pretending I don’t know anything?"

"Am I supposed to keep playing pretend, beating up weak Ravagers and telling myself I’m protecting this city?"

"But even if I do that, what if one day, an enemy I can’t handle suddenly appears? Then I’ll… I’ll also…"

Her mind was in turmoil.

Just as she said, all her emotions—fear, guilt, self-doubt—were tangled together, dragging her sense of self-worth to an all-time low.

But what she didn’t realize was that most kids who impulsively became Magical Girls out of admiration or longing would eventually experience this kind of confusion.

For Lin Xiaolu, the catalyst was learning the truth about her mother’s death.

When she first found out, her initial emotion might have been grief. But what followed was an overwhelming sense of dissonance.

She had always poured her heart into the idea of being a Magical Girl, idealizing it through the lens of anime.

To her, anything related to Magical Girls had a dreamy, fairytale-like filter.

That’s why she had no hesitation in becoming one, why she fought Ravagers so bravely—because in her mind, she was the protagonist. She had transcended reality’s hardships and entered a world of fantasy.

But that filter shattered when she learned the truth about her mother’s death. When she realized that no matter how hard she trained, she couldn’t keep up with her peers.

The concept of "Magical Girls" overlapped more and more with reality in her mind, and she could no longer see it as a fantasy to cling to. Instead, it brought an avalanche of real-world concerns: responsibility, danger, loss, death.

And in this moment, she instinctively turned to Veronica—the one person who still embodied that idealized "Magical Girl" image in her heart.

Veronica didn’t think about all of this so deeply, but she could feel it—Lin Xiaolu desperately needed her help.

And at the core of all these worries, there were two underlying causes: a lack of security, and deep-seated self-doubt.

So, what should she say to this child? What could she do to make her feel better?

When Veronica found her answer, she knew exactly what to do.

"White Rose, there’s no need to rush."

After organizing her thoughts, Veronica spoke gently. "I’ve always told you not to be overly ambitious. That applies not just to strength and honor, but to life itself."

"Feel it carefully—am I really here?"

She extended her other hand, now holding both of Lin Xiaolu’s hands in her own. "Can you feel it? I’m standing right here, in front of you, holding your hands."

Lin Xiaolu looked down, then dumbly nodded.

"Then you should understand—this is real. This is your reality."

Veronica locked eyes with her, speaking earnestly. "You are not facing hatred alone. You are not facing enemies alone. You are not facing the unknown alone. Reality is—I am here. I will guide you. I will protect you. So you will be fine."

"If you feel lost, then don’t rush. Take your time to think, take your time to decide."

"If you fear battle, I will fight in your place. If you don’t want revenge, I will avenge Sakura for you. Anything you struggle to understand, you can take your time with—because you’re still a child. You have so much time to grow."

"Even if you say you don’t want to be a Magical Girl anymore, that you want to leave behind the danger and live as an ordinary girl, I…"

She suddenly hesitated.

Her lips pressed together, a flicker of struggle in her expression. But it lasted only a moment. When she looked at Lin Xiaolu again, her usually cool gaze softened with warmth.

"That would be fine, too. After all, you know—I’m a ‘big shot.’ I can make that happen."

What she didn’t say was that for most Magical Girls, returning to ordinary life required reporting to the Royal Court and formally retiring. And the former process was practically impossible to pass.

But Lin Xiaolu didn’t need to know that.

She remained silent for a while, then shook her head.

"I won’t. I want to keep being a Magical Girl."

"Is that your true feeling?" Veronica asked softly.

"…Yeah."

Her once-scattered gaze grew focused again. Lin Xiaolu nodded firmly.

Because no matter what, being a Magical Girl was still her dream.

Even if her mind was now filled with doubts, her struggle had never been about whether to remain a Magical Girl—but how to be a good one.

As for Veronica staying by her side…

"But… you’re going to leave someday, aren’t you?"

She hesitated, new thoughts surfacing. "You’re a big shot in the Magic Kingdom. You’re only in Fangting City temporarily. No matter how long you stay… one day, you’ll leave, right?"

Veronica fell silent.

After a moment, she tried to pull her hand away, only to realize that Lin Xiaolu had reflexively grasped it tighter.

Not forcing her way free, they remained like that for a while. Then, Veronica gave a calm nod.

"Yeah. I will leave. That’s the one thing I can’t lie to you about."

Lin Xiaolu’s heart clenched.

But the next words caught her off guard.

"I’ll stay… until you, Xia Liang, and your whole team are strong enough to stand on your own."

Lin Xiaolu was stunned.

Veronica took the opportunity to gently free her hand.

"Does that make you feel a little safer?"

"B-But… if I want to become a strong Magical Girl, I might not get there until I retire…" Lin Xiaolu stammered, still shaken by Veronica’s words.

"Then I’ll wait until you retire," Veronica said lightly, turning her face slightly to the side.

Lin Xiaolu’s heart skipped a beat.

A strange emotion—perhaps best described as overwhelmed yet overjoyed—washed over her.

She instinctively clutched her chest. "That would be… ten years…"

"Yeah, ten years," Veronica replied, her tone as indifferent as ever.

Lin Xiaolu could hardly believe what she was hearing. "But there’s no reason for that. Why would you do something like this? For someone like me… Even if you and my mom were close, I don’t think I’m worth it."

"Who said you’re not worth it?"

Veronica placed a hand on her hip and gave Lin Xiaolu a sidelong glance.

"If even you stop believing in yourself, if you refuse to acknowledge your own potential—how do you ever expect to become the person you dream of being?"

"But can I really reach that level?" Lin Xiaolu’s voice wavered, still uncertain.

"Moko already told you—you’re a genius."

"It literally admitted it was just lying to make me feel better…"

"Fairies lie so much they can’t even tell if they’re lying to themselves."

Veronica’s gaze drifted toward the river in the distance. Her voice was calm as she continued,

"I chose to stay in Fangting City partly because of your mother, yes. And because I once defended this city—I don’t want to see it fall to the Ravagers."

"But I can’t stay here forever. Now that Sakura is gone, it’s time for our generation to pass the torch to the next."

"I’ve watched you and Xia Liang. I’ve come to understand you both. And I believe in your potential as the next generation."

"Maybe Moko was just talking nonsense. Maybe you don’t believe in yourself. But I believe in you."

"Ten years is just a safety net. A deadline. But I know you’ll grow stronger. And I know you won’t need that much time."

Veronica’s unwavering certainty cleared away much of the darkness clouding Lin Xiaolu’s heart.

She slowly clenched her hand into a fist over her chest. The light in her eyes returned.

"Veronica… you believe in me?"

"No matter how many times you ask, my answer won’t change," Veronica said simply. "I believe in you."

Lin Xiaolu took a step back, watching Veronica quietly.

After a long pause, she exhaled and lifted her head.

Her doubts, her fears, the uncertainty weighing her down—all of it felt lighter.

She looked at Veronica’s small frame standing before her, and for the first time in days, she felt steady again.

"Then… I won’t look down on myself anymore," she whispered.

Veronica took a step back as well, half-turning as if preparing to walk forward again.

"Any other questions?" she asked.

Lin Xiaolu gazed at her—the little girl who seemed so small yet carried an unimaginable weight on her shoulders.

Her confusion had faded. Her expression, once shadowed with self-doubt, softened, turning brighter, warmer.

She shook her head. "No more questions."

Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward and fell into stride beside Veronica.

Their footsteps echoed across the empty bridge—no longer slow and heavy, but light and synchronized.

They moved forward together, step by step.

Across the river.

Beyond the long walkway.

Until, eventually, their figures disappeared into the distant horizon.