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

Yuuki Eri was quite fond of this behavior. There was nothing wrong with sitting on the whole chair, and sitting on half a chair was also a form of politeness. However, the situation of someone like Tomoe, who curled up on the sofa and played on her phone on the first day of meeting, was an incalculable form of chaotic evil.

However, Lin Jiezi's behavior can also be interpreted as a sign of self-awareness, which inevitably makes Yuki Eri also more vigilant.

Yuki En rummaged through the refrigerator and took out a large bottle of oolong tea meant for entertaining guests. She only remembered to ask the other person's preferences halfway there.

"Is oolong tea okay? Or would you like something else, Lin? It's not too late yet, we can go to the convenience store to buy it."

One of the stereotypes about Yukien is that oolong tea is served to guests. Thinking that someone might come to visit someday, I specially bought some just in case. I never expected that I would actually need it one day.

Actually, there's still a bottle of iced cola in the fridge, but it's probably better not to take it out.

"Ah, okay! Oolong tea...that's fine."

Lin Jiezi sat awkwardly on the sofa, occasionally glancing at Yuki Yuki before quickly turning back to stare at her intertwined fingers. When Yuki Yuki looked at her, she would separate her fingers and place them on the sofa as if she had been electrocuted.

He poured tea, sat down, and remained silent—all in one smooth motion.

Lin Jiezi held the transparent glass cup with both hands, resting the bottom of the cup on her lap. She would occasionally wipe away the small water droplets caused by condensation with her palms. Even when drinking tea, she would hold the cup with one hand and support the bottom with the other, bringing it to her lips to take a small sip. She would swallow very slowly, trying not to make any swallowing noise, and then return to the ready position of holding the cup with both hands.

I'm so worried. Just looking at her like this, she's almost neurotic. If I stay with her, she'll definitely become even more neurotic than Helica is now.

Is Lin Jiezi socially anxious? Are all socially anxious people like this?

Although Yuuki Yukino isn't exactly a social butterfly, she can at least communicate normally with others. Especially when she discovers that she's actually quite cute, communicating with others becomes a way of showing off her cuteness.

If Lin Jiezi had any ulterior motives towards me, she should have given herself away by now, right?

Surely she wouldn't be planning to drive herself crazy like this?

Yuuki Yui had reached her limit and decided to take the initiative: "Lin-kun, may I ask what you've come to talk to me about?"

"Ah, I, um... I, I don't know, how to say it..."

"If Lin has something to ask, why don't you just ask? We're partners in the same club." Yuuki Yui softened her gentle, smiling tone even more.

"Then... should I ask?" Lin Jiezi peeked at Yuki Yukino through her bangs.

"Of course you can."

"Yuki Yuuki, are you a magical girl?"

Chapter Sixty-Seven: I'm Not the Only One with the Script

"Yuuki Yukino, are you a magical girl?"

Lin Jiezi, stammering, dropped a bombshell in her usual tone and expression.

After saying this, Lin Jiezi buried her head even deeper, but still occasionally stole glances over.

"What?" Yuuki Yu could clearly feel that her attempt to feign nonchalance had backfired, her voice cracking from the high pitch, and her throat began to ache slightly after she finished speaking.

Yuki En heard it clearly; every word and every syllable was perfectly clear.

Has Lin Jiezi finally slipped up? Or is she deliberately luring me into a trap?

If she showed weakness here, she would be considered to have lost. Lin Jiezi is able to act like this, so her self-discipline and insight are probably even higher than Mizuno Yu's.

No, that's not right. A twisted personality and what one does are not contradictory.

The mysterious person carrying the coffin didn't say a word either, so to conclude that social anxiety is just a preconceived notion is too hasty.

We can no longer hesitate; we must respond promptly.

What did Lin just say?

What kind of response is this?! They've already shown weakness!

"Ah wah wah wah, ah ah ah w ...

It's just a strange cry, isn't it? If this counts as a language, then perhaps only fish-men in the world can communicate with her.

But this tension must be real, right?

If Lin Jiezi really had any ulterior motives, she would definitely have taken advantage of his guilty conscience to launch an attack.

No matter how much you speculate in your mind, nothing beats asking directly.

"I don't understand what Lin is saying, which is so nitpicky."

"I...uh..." Lin Jiezi's raised fingers remained stiff and unnatural as she curled them back into her palm, trying to enunciate each word clearly: "Yuki-kun. You're, a magical girl, right?"

"Why are you asking me this kind of question? Doesn't Lin already know the answer?"

Yuki En planted a small trap in her words, but whether or not she stepped into it, it was actually not very harmful.

"I... I know... but I don't know." Lin Jiezi hooked her finger, picked up the oolong tea that was no longer so cold, took a sip and slowly swallowed it.

What kind of contradictory statement is this?

Even during those brief few seconds while Lin Jiezi was drinking water, Yuki Eri was anxiously waiting.

"I don't quite understand what Lin is saying."

"Ah, uh, woo woo..." Lin Jiezi started making strange, incoherent sounds again. "Yuki-kun, I, I..."

"Don't worry, Lin, I'm listening carefully."

Yuuki Yukino snuggled closer to Lin, leaning against him side by side, and placed her hand on the back of Lin Jiezi's hand holding the oolong tea.

On the surface, Yuuki En was encouraging Hayashi, but being so close also allowed her to better sense whether the other was mobilizing magic.

Magical girls' transformations are instantaneous. Although closing the distance is only slightly better than nothing, if Hayashi Kikuko really has some ulterior motive, Yuuki Yukino can react the fastest.

If all else fails, just pounce on her and use your magic to steal as much magic as you can.

When her hand touched him, Lin Jiezi's slight trembling due to nervousness stopped.

"Yuki-kun, have you considered that you might enter... another world?"

"No, but entering the world of magical girls is also like entering another world, isn't it?"

Yuki En was unaware of the seriousness of the problem and smiled as she held Lin Jiezi's hand tightly.

“Well, I’m not talking about that… it’s just a completely new world… different from what I know…”

"What does that mean?"

Yuuki Yuki sensed that she had noticed something amiss, but her inner self-protective mechanism prevented her from associating the two things together.

"That's right, in one... one world that I know of, Yuuki... is a magical girl."

"Am I a magical girl?"

“That’s right…” Lin Jiezi’s voice trailed off. “But this place is… different from what I know…”

She's a magical girl, and according to this timeline, the only people who should know that are Inuyama Tomoe, Nishio Reki, and that girl carrying the coffin.

Lin Jiezi said that this place is different from what she knew, which means that she doesn't know she is a magical girl yet.

Is it different from the world she knows? Another world? A parallel world?

Traveler?

How could such a thing happen?

Why does Lin Jiezi so accurately target all the magical girls? Why does Lin Jiezi appear in specific locations? These are the reasons that have troubled Yuuki Yuen for so long, the reasons that have made Yuuki Yuen suspicious of Lin Jiezi. The mystery surrounding Lin Jiezi, known as the missing piece of the puzzle in Lin Jiezi's body, seems to have been found by Yuuki Yuen.

But what should we do now?

This is beyond meeting an old friend in a foreign land; if it really is the same as what Yuuki Yuuki was thinking, then it would be nothing short of a miracle.

Yuki Yuki suppressed her urge to pour out all her bitterness and complaints to Hayashi Mustard.

There's no reason for this; it's just Yuuki Yukino's intuition.

If she tells him, she will face unprecedented danger.

If Lin Jiezi really is a "time traveler" in the literal sense, then Yuuki Yukino wouldn't be the only one with a God's-eye view.

No, regardless of whether they are "time travelers" or magical girls, the power of information is stronger than magic to some extent.

The many unusual things that Yuuki En encountered were very likely because Hayashi Mustard changed the plot to some extent.

It's unclear what the other party's attitude is yet, so it's best not to reveal certain things.

"What Lin said is incredible! If Lin comes from another world, what is Lin's world like? A parallel world?"

Yuki intentionally steered the conversation, trying to learn more about Lin Jiezi.

"I...I don't know, I don't remember! I only remember that Yuuki-kun's story is different from what I know." Lin Jiezi gripped the glass tightly, making it impossible for Yuuki to tell whether the droplets on the glass were condensation on the glass or Lin Jiezi's sweat.

"So, does Lin remember when she came into this world?"

"I...no, I don't remember."

"Hmm, so what else does Lin know about me? How amazing! Could it be that she knows who I'll date in the future?"

"Nishi...Nishio-san..."

"Does Lin know any other magical girls?"

"And... Sakura... classmate."

Who is Sakura-san?

Are you serious? You're even calling out for magical girls who haven't even appeared yet.

"Has Lin told anyone else about this? I feel like everyone would be quite interested."

That's how the question was asked, but Yuuki kept praying: Don't say it, please, don't tell anyone, no matter how you know this information, don't tell anyone!

"not yet."

Finally, Yuuki Yui heard some news that put her mind at ease.

But Lin Jiezi's appearance meant that she would never be at peace again.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Let's go have a barbecue in the forest tonight!

Lin Jiezi must be kept close by; she may seem harmless, but she is the biggest threat.

After sending Lin Jiezi back, Yuki En made up her mind.

Despite Yuuki Gen's subtle reminders to Hayashi Keiko not to do anything unnecessary, she couldn't completely control the other's actions.

Lin Jiezi's purpose in seeking out Yuki Yuki was simple: she just wanted to verify whether Yuki Yuki was truly a magical girl.

Apart from that, Lin Jiezi did not express any personal preference.