Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

"W-What beloved, cough." Nishio Ryou almost choked on his saliva: "After receiving tutoring, the teacher conducted another test, and I passed, so the tutoring is completely over. I came to tell Yui this good news in person."

"Great! Does that mean you can go home on time?" Minato Nana congratulated her first.

Although division of labor would be more efficient, Minato Nana knew that Nishio Reki wanted to eat food made by Yuuki Yuki herself, so she openly slacked off.

Yuuki Yuki knew what Nishio Reki was thinking, but Minato Nana was her boss after all, and it was only natural for her to slack off, so she had to work hard by herself.

"Ah, there's one more thing." Nishio Reki suddenly became awkward.

"Is there anything else?" Yuuki asked casually, skillfully operating the coffee machine.

"I wanted to ask Xiaoyuan if she wanted to take a shower together?"

Chapter Sixteen: The Power of Decision

"By the way, how did you come up with the idea of ​​coming to a public bathhouse with me?"

Yuuki unwrapped the towel around her body and slowly sank into the hot water of the huge bathtub, feeling the comfortable sensation of her body being gently enveloped by the hot water.

"It was just a sudden idea. I wanted to invite Xiaoyuan, so I did. But I also want to ask, why did Xiaoyuan agree to my invitation without even thinking about it?"

With his hair piled up and a square towel on his head, Nishio Reki sat down next to Yuuki Yuuki, curled up his legs and hugged them to his chest, and tilted his head to look at Yuuki Yuuki.

"It was just a sudden whim, I decided to agree, so I did," Yuuki Yukino replied, mimicking Nishio Reki.

"Hmm..." Nishio Reki responded, without saying anything more.

The question and answer seemed to have said something, yet it also seemed to have said nothing at all.

The two could touch each other with just a slight movement of their arms, yet they remained submerged in the water, creating a somewhat awkward atmosphere.

But there will always be someone who ruins the atmosphere.

At the other end of the huge bath, with a muffled splash, someone submerged their entire body from the neck down, and only after a long while did they tilt their head back and let out a long breath.

"Wow! That feels great! So comfortable! It's been so long since I've had a bath!"

"Speaking of which, what's the shopkeeper doing here?" Seeing Minato Nana leaning against the bathtub like an old man, looking completely relaxed, Nishio Reki couldn't help but twitch his lips.

"Isn't it great to take a nice, relaxing bath after get off work?" Minato Nana stretched out a thumb from the water and lazily raised it above her head.

"You wouldn't be inviting my Yuuki to a public bath because you want to go on a date, would you? I've heard of people going to parks, movie theaters, aquariums, and love hotels, but I've never heard of going to a public bath."

Nishio Reki, full of resentment, stretched out his leg and kicked the empty tub.

Although the public bathhouse was dimly lit, Minato Nana could clearly see Nishio Reki's dissatisfaction.

"Fine, I won't be a third wheel. You two can just pretend I don't exist."

As she spoke, Minato closed her eyes and leaned her back against the edge of the bathtub, practically lying down in the tub to enjoy herself.

It has to be said that Minato Nana was absolutely right. After a long day, diving directly into hot water does indeed feel like all the fatigue in your body is melting away.

You can take a bath at home, but it doesn't feel the same as the spacious environment of a public bathhouse.

And what's more! You don't need to heat the water yourself! You don't need to clean the bathtub either! After your bath, you can go home feeling comfortable.

This wasn't her first time going to a public bath, but it was Yuuki Yuki's first time since coming to this world.

Jiecheng believes there is some truth to the idea that being open and honest with each other can facilitate emotional exchange, since showing oneself completely to another person is itself a sign of trust.

Moreover, Yuuki Yuki didn't care whether Nishio Reki had any ulterior motives or not. Being seen naked by Nishio Reki wouldn't hurt her, and she had already been seen naked at the hot spring inn during the school trip.

If it were at home or with Nishio Reki, Yuuki Yuuki would hesitate a little and wonder if Nishio Reki would do something inappropriate, but to do the unspeakable in a public bath is a bit too hardcore.

Even in games, there's no gameplay this insane.

Moreover, Minato Nana also came along, and in front of everyone, Yuuki Yuki didn't believe that Nishio Reki would do anything.

And Nishio Reki really didn't do anything; he just quietly soaked in the bath beside me.

“Yuki, actually,” Nishio Reki cleared his throat, his manner as hesitant as when inviting Yuki to take a bath, “it’s just that it’s been too long since we’ve taken a bath together.”

What a stupid reason! It sounds like something a naive little girl would say about making up.

However, it seems that setting aside the game world view and the identity of a time traveler, Nishio Reki is indeed an innocent young girl.

Having done so many strange things, it doesn't seem unreasonable for her to say she wants to reconcile now.

"It's nothing, Xiaoyuan probably doesn't remember what happened before either." Li muttered to himself, denying what he had just said.

"Reki, is there something you want to say?" Yuuki asked lazily in a low voice, her eyes closed.

"I don't have much to say, I'm just happy to be able to take a bath with Xiaoyuan."

Li shook his head, creating a splashing sound.

"Oh……"

"Isn't Xiaoyuan angry with me?"

What do you mean?

"What I did to Xiaoyuan before."

"It would be a lie to say I don't mind, but I can understand to some extent." Yuuki Yui lowered her body slightly. "I can also understand that your 'unspeakable' secrets are a side effect of your power."

"Yes, it's only targeting me, and even I don't know the specific triggering mechanism. It's always better to be cautious. If I can't even protect myself, then I certainly can't protect Xiaoyuan."

Listening to the sound of water beside her, Yuuki Yukino could tell that it was Nishio Reki nodding.

Whether this statement was selfish or insightful, Yuuki Yukino did not intend to delve into it.

Watching someone important die before your eyes time and time again is a common trope in time-travel stories. Yuuki Yukino has never experienced this, and she has no intention of making any judgments about whether dying is happier or finding a way out of despair is happier.

In other words, both are unfortunate.

Although Yuuki Yukari felt that if the price for her to live was to become a future version of herself, then her present self would definitely be even more unfortunate, so she would struggle until the very last moment.

Therefore, Yuuki Yukino did not intend to accept Nishio Reki's reply.

“When we were little, we often went to the public bathhouse together.” Nishio Reki changed the subject again: “There was you, there was me, and it was always Tamaki who brought us. Sometimes Shin and Saya would come too.”

"Later, because of the magical girl's attack, everyone was gone, and the public bathhouse we always went to was gone too. Since then, we probably haven't bathed together again."

As Nishio Reki spoke, he didn't notice that Minato Nana's eyes opened a crack and then quickly closed again.

"I just suddenly wanted to take a bath with Xiaoyuan one more time. I feel like if I don't do it now, I'll never have the chance again." Li changed his tone and said with emotion, "Thank you, Xiaoyuan agreed."

Yuuki Yukina had a bad feeling, as if Nishio Reki was saying goodbye to herself in this way.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Yuuki Yui made her tone more relaxed: "As long as you don't have any ulterior motives towards me, I'm welcome to take a bath together anytime."

"I hope there's still a chance." Nishio Reki was silent for a moment, neither confirming nor denying: "Yuan also knows that it's too dangerous."

For reasons unknown to Yuuki Yuki, Nishio Reki could only use somewhat cryptic terms when discussing time travel and the original magical girls.

Even when it comes to euphemisms, Nishio Reki doesn't really like to use them. As she says, she herself doesn't know what the triggering mechanism is, so talking about these things is dangerous for her.

Yuuki Yui glanced at Minato Nana across from her and lowered her voice even further: "Yes, what's even more outrageous is that we have no way to deal with her. If it's detrimental to Hayashi Keiko, Genki Mashiro has already demonstrated for us what kind of consequences it will bring."

"So, we can only watch as Lin Jiezi returns to school as usual, living next door to Xiaoyuan. We don't know when she'll come back again. If something really happens, I won't even have time to help Xiaoyuan."

"Nothing will happen, don't overthink it." Yuuki Yuen said, then emphasized, her tone more like an order than a discussion with Nishio Reki: "And don't do anything foolish."

Nishio Reki paused for a moment, then guessed that his sudden strange behavior had caused Yuuki Yukina to misunderstand something.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything." Nishio Reki paused, then continued, "I can't go anywhere either."

Another long silence followed.

"Xiaoyuan, what does Sakura Hanako want with you?"

"Is this what you've always wanted to ask?"

"No, taking a bath with Xiaoyuan is the most important thing."

"Actually, they didn't say much, they just asked me what happened during my school trip."

"So what was Xiaoyuan's answer?"

"I told her the truth."

……

"Yuuki-senpai, are you telling the truth? You just wanted to get along with everyone, so you approached Mizuno-senpai and Tenrai-senpai? And you decided to rebel against the rulers of the Dark Magical Girls to protect two students from other schools who had previously made advances towards Yuuki-senpai?"

Even after hearing Yuki Yuki's brief explanation, Sakura Hanako still found it hard to believe.

Whether you believe it or not is not up to me. I can only tell you my true thoughts. As for what you think, that's your business.

Yuuki Enishi answered frankly, recounting from her own perspective the events surrounding Kuroba's reincarnation, aside from her inexplicable fall into darkness.

"No, it's not a matter of belief or not. Everything Yuuki-senpai does is illogical. If Yuuki-senpai has any plan, it should ultimately benefit Yuuki-senpai, just like how Yuuki-senpai defeated another corrupted magical girl at the end of the festival."

Sakura Hanako muttered to herself, trying to find some flaws in Yuuki Yukino's words.

However, Yuuki Yuki's behavior was exactly the same as what she said, completely illogical.

"Having exposed his identity to me and risked exposing himself to save Senior Tianlei, things have come to this point without any benefit for Senior Yuki. Therefore, I can only assume that Senior Yuki is telling the truth, but that's all I can assume for now."

Is it just a temporary measure?

Yuuki Yukino couldn't help but give a wry smile.

But Sakura Hanako's reaction was completely different from what she expected, which was enough to surprise Yuuki Yuuki.

Originally, Yuuki Yuki was prepared to beat Sakura Hanako so badly that she couldn't get up after her identity was exposed, and then, amidst Sakura Hanako's accusations of her hypocrisy and viciousness, she would turn around and leave like a true mastermind.

"However, Yuuki-senpai, if that's your purpose, why don't you explain it to everyone?" Sakura Hanako asked again.

“Because I am a fallen magical girl.” Yuuki Yukino’s smile grew even more bitter: “Is that reason enough?”

“But, Lantern of the Lava Mountain is also a corrupted magical girl! Isn’t she also…” Sakura Hanako wanted to refute Yuuki Yuki’s statement.

Even now, Sakura Hanako feels a sense of responsibility to deal with Yuuki Eri, but deep down she also hopes to reunite the shattered Nijisanji.

“It’s different. Lava Lantern never deceived you, never hid her identity from you, and never did anything excessive to you.” Yuuki Yuen shook her head to herself. “But I did. She and I are different.”

"But I can understand you, senpai, can't I? Didn't you say that you also want to live happily with everyone? Why do something that contradicts what you said?"

"No, this won't work." Yuuki Yukina looked up at the sky.

"If you can accept me, what about the others?"

"Even if you can forgive my betrayal, what about the others?"

"Even if I'm willing to go back to Nijisanji, what about the others?"