Off Work, Then I Become a Magical Girl
Chapter 68: Moko's Thoughts

Lately, Moko had been feeling that its status as a Seeder within Fangting City's Magical Girl Squad was slipping lower and lower.

From what it had heard, Seeders were supposed to be the bridge between The Kingdom and the local government in every city, as well as the mentors of magical girls—figures who were undoubtedly respected and revered. But the treatment it received in Fangting City was completely different.

Veronica was an Inspector from the Investigation Bureau, so it was obvious her status was higher than Moko’s. It was understandable that she didn’t bother to be polite. Lin Xiaolu, on the other hand, was a magical girl Moko had personally contracted with, yet because of a small lie Moko had told her in the beginning, she now clashed with it every single day. Only Xia Liang treated it kindly—but even that kindness didn’t seem directed at a Seeder, but rather at some sort of pet.

Moko knew that, as a Seeder, it was somewhat unqualified for the role. In fact, it hadn't even had the faintest idea of what its responsibilities were before. But surely, its progress was obvious to everyone! There was no reason for it to be discriminated against!

Even an esteemed Inspector from the Investigation Bureau had acknowledged its capabilities after witnessing its performance, offering praise and recognition. That had to mean something, right?

Moko was convinced—it definitely wasn't the problem.

Since the issue with its standing in the squad wasn’t its fault, then it was simply a matter of bad luck. That meant it needed to come up with a way to change its situation.

If it was too difficult to shift existing relationships in a short time, the best approach would be to establish a faction of its own—magical girls who aligned with it, with Moko at the helm.

As long as it had even one ally standing by its side, breaking free from the perception of being just a squad mascot wouldn’t be difficult. And from there, gradually proving its worth to Xiaolu and Xia Liang would be a piece of cake!

That was Moko’s grand plan.

So when it discovered a new prospective magical girl in Lixing District a few days ago, its first instinct wasn’t to immediately report back to the squad. Instead, it decided to take things slow and build a connection with the girl first.

So far, the plan was going smoothly.

The girl Moko had found in a Lixing District welfare home was named Bai Jingxuan. She seemed well-behaved and sensible, and although she was a bit younger than the other squad members, there was nothing stopping her from becoming a magical girl.

With its superior knowledge compared to a little girl like Bai Jingxuan, Moko quickly won her trust and friendship.

At first, it just chatted with her about fun daily anecdotes, listened to her minor troubles, and racked its brain to share every bit of knowledge—however limited—about the Magic Kingdom that it could muster.

As their conversations progressed, Moko’s ambitions grew. It began subtly bringing up magical girls and even revealed its identity as Fangting City's Seeder. Of course, it took some creative liberties—portraying itself as wise and highly revered, playing a crucial role in the squad, all while conveniently ignoring the fact that it was on the verge of becoming a mere mascot.

Bai Jingxuan simply listened without question. She never doubted the authenticity of Moko’s words, though she occasionally voiced her curiosity:

“Miss Fairy, if you have such a good relationship with the other magical girls, won’t they get jealous if you come talk to me alone?”

“Jealous? Maybe,” Moko replied smugly. “But all they can do is longingly wait for me to return! After all, I’m a Seeder—seeking out new magical girls is my duty!”

It laughed, completely pleased with itself.

This peculiar relationship continued for several days, and as the girl and the fairy became more familiar, their “friendship” grew increasingly sincere.

Moko hadn’t forgotten its somewhat self-serving motives, but Bai Jingxuan’s pure and kind nature had a softening effect on it. What had started as a purely strategic alliance gradually turned into genuine fondness.

For Bai Jingxuan, things were much simpler. Since she had no idea about Moko’s hidden agenda, she couldn’t have possibly guessed how much calculation had gone into their interactions.

She simply started to let her guard down.

At first, she had been curious about the strange fairy that suddenly appeared before her, but she had also maintained a basic level of caution. However, after spending several days together, she had to admit—Moko was an interesting companion. And some unexplainable instinct told her that it wasn’t a bad creature.

So when Moko finally said, “You can become a magical girl too,” Bai Jingxuan was surprised and even a little delighted—but not exactly shocked.

“But my body is weak,” she said hesitantly. “I have a condition that’s hard to treat, and it affects my movement. Can I still become a magical girl?”

“It doesn’t matter! Once you become a magical girl, no matter how frail your original body was, you’ll be just as strong and healthy as anyone else!”

Moko promised with absolute confidence. “That’s the power of a magical girl—it brings people hope!”

“Really? Even my eye will be fine?” Bai Jingxuan asked, instinctively touching the socket where her prosthetic eye rested.

“No problem, no problem! Just believe in magic!” Moko thumped its chest proudly.

“How do I become a magical girl, then?”

Bai Jingxuan’s imagination drifted as she asked, a look of anticipation on her face—only to suddenly frown. “Do I have to fill out an application like for a subsidy? My handwriting is terrible…”

“There’s no complicated process! As long as I’ve found you and the other squad members accept you, that’s all it takes.”

Moko lounged in the shade, its ears twitching smugly. “In a few days, I’ll introduce you to them and give them a big surprise!”

Two more days passed after that conversation, leading to today.

Moko, true to its word, came to see Bai Jingxuan again, strengthening their bond as they spent a pleasant afternoon chatting. Rejuvenated by the confidence it regained here, it prepared to head back.

As it flew home, it eagerly strategized how to reveal Bai Jingxuan to the squad in the most impactful way.

Should it wait for Veronica to be fretting over the lack of personnel, then nonchalantly drop, “Worry not, I’ve already found a new recruit”?

Or should it wait until a bickering match with Lin Xiaolu, let her mock its uselessness as a Seeder, and then smirk triumphantly before revealing the truth?

Just imagining how it could change its reputation in the squad had Moko’s whiskers and tail practically curling with excitement.

Bidding Bai Jingxuan farewell, it leapt over the orphanage’s walls and soared through the air, following the path it had taken earlier. Eyes closed, it indulged in its grand delusions, humming a cheerful tune as it floated along.

But a few hundred meters into its flight, just as it was about to enter the next block, its head suddenly smacked into something hard. The unexpected impact snapped its head back from the recoil.

“What the—who the hell just left their car in the middle of the road—”

Annoyed at having its good mood ruined, Moko’s cat-like eyes widened as it prepared to grumble—but the words stuck in its throat.

Because there was nothing in front of it.

No car, no wall, no traffic pole—no obstacle of any kind. The road ahead was open and unobstructed.

As if the solid object it had just crashed into had been nothing but an illusion.

A thought suddenly surfaced in Moko’s mind.

It was a familiar one, because ever since arriving in Fangting City, this wasn’t the first time it had experienced this.

Raising a paw, it tentatively pushed forward, pressing against what felt like an invisible wall blocking its path.

“…I’m so screwed, meow.”

After a long pause, Moko muttered to itself, dazed.