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

Why are you suddenly bringing this up?

What do you mean by "just helping me replenish mana"? Is replenishing mana such a casual thing?

Although I and Baqi have always been quite casual with each other.

"Fine, if you don't want to, then forget it. Tsk, who asked you for anything?" Helica pouted, tossed her hair, and turned her face to the other side, her ears peeking out from her blonde hair already turning red.

"This isn't a matter of willingness, is it?"

"So you're willing?" Helica still crossed her arms and didn't turn around.

"I already said it's not a matter of willingness!"

"Then you don't want to?" Helica's voice rose even higher.

"Do I have to choose one?!"

"Yes! Pick one!"

Helica is now pushing things forward forcefully, and her reasons for doing so are much easier to guess than before. You can tell from her red ears that she's shy.

"If I can help Tianlei, that's fine... but Tianlei has to tell me why you're asking me for help!"

Yuuki Yukino gave up.

Herlica turned her head back and, pretending nothing had happened, began to explain to Yuuki Yuuki with exaggerated expression.

"Oh, this... I mean, when that book girl was... no, when we were fighting, the battle was incredibly intense, but I still came out on top and pinned her to the ground, grinding her hard... Hey! What are you laughing at?"

In the middle of the explanation, Herika almost let something slip, and was stared at by Yuuki Yuki with a complicated look. Herika deliberately raised her voice to cover up her embarrassment.

"It's nothing, I just remembered something happy, Tianlei, please continue."

That day was indeed not a pleasant experience, but it was really enjoyable to make Helica cry.

Yuuki Yukino's lips twitched upwards involuntarily, trying her best not to show her joy too obviously. Herlica's reaction of pretending nothing had happened despite being clearly humiliated, and then unintentionally letting slip the truth, was just too delicious.

"As a result, I've used up a lot of mana, and since no one is helping me replenish it, my recovery is very slow. So I haven't fully recovered from that battle yet. If anything else happens during this time, I won't be able to protect you, understand?"

Seeing Yuuki Yukino's suppressed laughter, Herika felt embarrassed to drag the conversation out too long and summarized what she wanted to say in a few words.

Helica was absolutely right; in that conflict, only Mizuno Yuu consumed relatively less magic power.

That night, they did *that* with Baki, so both of their magical powers had almost fully recovered, which is why they hadn't considered Helica's situation.

Ah, Bachi, my mobile blue bottle, my little angel.

Yuuki Yukino asked, "In that case, why don't you ask other people?"

"Lin Jiezi is like a block of wood, he definitely doesn't seem like a good fit."

What if she's a country girl with a surprisingly alluring expression after taking off her glasses? Yuuki Yukina made these unrelated guesses in her mind, then suggested another person with a very contrasting personality: "Mizuno-san probably won't refuse, right?"

“That’s true, but I just don’t really want to see her…it feels so hard to approach her.” Helica fidgeted with the chain hanging from her clothes. “It just feels weird to go looking for her.”

Helica didn't continue, but Yuuki Yuuki already understood what she meant.

"So you came to me?"

“Think about it, you were all kissing that white-haired guy in the storage room before. You seem like Yuuki is pretty open-minded and experienced. You’re more reliable than Lin Jiezi.” Helica said, revealing a shy expression.

Normally you just call him Yuuki Yuki, but now you're calling him Yuuki-kun, right?

Where did you get the conclusion that I'm experienced? I can count the number of times I've had intimate contact with girls on one hand.

“Then let’s fix it.” Yuuki Yuuki moved closer to Helica, bringing the two of them even closer together.

It's not like I haven't kissed Helica before; I even took the initiative during the last magic plunder.

"No, don't we need to go to the room?" Helica stammered.

"Isn't this place just fine?" Yuuki Yui just wanted to finish quickly. It was just a kiss, so why bother going inside?

“Ah… okay.” Herlica’s face turned red again. Under Yuuki’s puzzled gaze, she stood up, unbuttoned the black leather pants that looked very rock and roll, and lifted one leg out of the pant leg while holding the waistband with both hands.

"What are you doing?" Yuuki Yu was stunned; she felt her brain couldn't comprehend what was happening before her.

“Replenishing mana! Shouldn’t replenishing mana involve… taking off… taking off your clothes…” Helica, her face flushed, continued to remove the fabric from her body, her tone beginning to show doubt.

"I don't think mana replenishment needs to go to this extent, right?" Yuuki Yui was stunned for a long time before she finally managed to utter a few words.

"Huh?"

Herlica stopped bending over and pulling the few pieces of clothing she was wearing down to her knees.

"Can't you just kiss me to replenish mana?" Yuuki Yuuki's thoughtless remark during a brain freeze was another heavy blow to Helica.

"Huh???" Herica's hands began to tremble, then the trembling spread to her arms, and then to her whole body. Her cheeks were completely flushed, and the bright eyes in her eyes turned into chaotic vortexes. As she subconsciously let go, something hanging on her knees gently and silently fell to the ground.

"Could it be that you haven't replenished your mana even once since becoming a magical girl?"

"Ah!!! Stop talking! Stop talking! What am I thinking! What am I doing! Help! It's not like that! I'm not like that! Waaaaaah!!!"

Herlica crouched down, covering her head with her hands, muttering incomprehensible words, and desperately trying to shield her body with her knees and hands.

"No, um, Helica?" Under Helica's influence, Yuuki Yuuki also began to feel at a loss.

"Don't move! Don't come any closer! Don't look!" Helica screamed, shrinking even tighter.

Given Helica's current chaotic mental state, it seems impossible for her to continue replenishing mana.

"You, put your clothes on."

Yuuki Yukino turned her back to Helica, her mouth dry as she spoke. Even with Helica's terrible personality, her appearance was impeccable. For such a girl to show this expression in her own living room…

Besides, she was a Helica fan when she was a player, which doesn't contradict her feeling that getting along with Helica is troublesome. Her heart always races when she sees Helica and has some cute reactions.

The floorboards creaked, and Helica seemed to have stood up. Yuuki suppressed the impolite urge to turn around and look at her, and fixed her gaze on her thighs.

The floorboards thudded again. She couldn't see what had happened, but Helica should have been getting dressed properly, right?

The creaking sound grew closer, and something soft pressed against his back. From his waist, an arm with a band-aid wrapped around him.

The trembling voice, accompanied by the warm breath, gently landed on Yuuki Yukino's ear.

"Um, aren't you coming to replenish mana...?"

Chapter Seventy-Six: The Delicate Troubles of a Young Girl Afterwards

Because of the Black Magic Mark, Yuuki Yukari cannot take off her clothes in front of Helica. This is inevitable, even if it displeases Helica and completely breaks their relationship. This is not something to be discussed.

Fortunately, replenishing mana and taking off clothes are not entirely linked, and Helica did not make that demand.

Yuuki Yukino felt relieved as she stood in front of the sink, repeatedly scrubbing her hands.

Mana replenishment? The mana replenishment is over. Isn't Helica, leaning back on the sofa with her arms wrapped around her legs, eyes rolled back, tongue lolling out, her body still convulsing in the afterglow, proof enough?

If you were to ask Yuuki Yukino about her feelings, you could only describe them as complicated.

Surprised? Astonished? Regretful? Excited? It seems like a little of all of those.

After being suddenly hugged by the usually assertive Helica, who softly invited her to replenish her mana in her ear, Yuuki Yuki's rationality vanished.

We must supplement, we absolutely must supplement, we need to supplement a lot.

I'll make up for the punishment of that little brat too!

Yuuki was furious at what Helica had done these past few days, so she took the opportunity of replenishing her mana to teach her a lesson in a malicious way, which is why she was a little rough.

Then, it seems I went a bit too far. Now Helica must be happily chasing after the angels in heaven.

There was no other way but to change Helica's soiled clothes while she was still in a daze.

Yuki Yui absolutely dared not take a bath, even fearing that a trace of black magic pattern would peek out from the gap in her buttoned pajamas. In the end, Yuki Yui simply found a long dress in the closet that looked most like pajamas and put it on.

Then, after straightening Helica's posture back to normal, he placed her on his bed, covered her with a thin blanket, and then Yuuki Yuki left the room.

What am I doing?!

While tidying up the sofa, Yuuki suddenly calmed down and squatted on the ground with her head in her hands, just like Helica had done back then.

Why couldn't I control myself and Helica replenish my mana?! Besides, I wasn't the one who felt good! I hadn't even taken my clothes off!

But the way mana is replenished in this world is really strange. Unlike the moon in some parallel universe where bodily fluids need to be exchanged, here you only need to do some indescribable things and your mana will gradually become abundant.

If this were a complete game, it could be explained by the development team's forced design. But even if characters that didn't exist in the game are all added to this world, is there really such a huge loophole that can only be explained by the design?

Yuuki Yuki doesn't believe it.

There is another question that Yuuki Yukino doesn't know the answer to yet: she once stole Helica's magic power, and the magic power that flowed into her body when she just replenished her magic power is the same as the magic power that flowed into her body from Helica.

She also learned that the scent of magic differs between different people, and that it doesn't vary depending on whether one is replenishing magic or using magic to plunder or seize it. But does the magic of ordinary people have a scent? Is there any difference between magic before and after being corrupted? Yuuki Yuuki couldn't be sure about these questions.

If Yuuki Enishi were to describe the process of replenishing magic, it would feel more like undergoing hemodialysis. First, the magic power of two people is mixed outside the body, and then the magic power combines, expands, and flows back into the body. Replenishing magic power is to continuously repeat this process, thereby increasing magic power.

In other words, Yuuki Yuuki's magic will definitely flow into Helica's body.

I'm doomed. My magic is corrupted magic. If Helica can detect it, I'll be completely unable to defend myself.

The more she thought about it, the more agitated she became. Yuuki Emi simply threw everything on the sofa into the washing machine. The dull mechanical sound of the washing machine turning and the constant churning of water inside only made her more restless.

Just because Helica invited me, I couldn't control myself. Am I an idiot?

If her identity is exposed because of this, and she ends up like Helica is today, she'll be devastated.

Herika was temporarily occupying the room, so Yuuki Yuuki simply sat down on the floor, leaning against the edge of the sofa. She glanced at the city lights that were gradually going out, closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh.

After some time, a rustling sound came from behind.

May I sit down?

The petite girl with long golden hair asked softly, but she had already sat down next to Yuuki Yuki as she asked the question.

“Of course.” Yuuki Yui reopened her eyes and looked at Helica beside her. Helica had already changed back into the clothes she had worn when she went out that day.

"Thank you." Herlica's blush hadn't completely faded; perhaps it was because she was with Yuuki that she blushed. She softly thanked Yuuki.

Hearing Helica express her gratitude on a normal day would be like the sun rising in the west, and would surely shock Yuuki Yuuki for a long time.

But now the girl's light, airy voice was so natural, like a gentle touch blending into the night, quietly blooming beside me.

She lost her usual arrogance, nestling beside Yuuki Yuki like a canary with its wings folded, yet maintaining a subtle distance and avoiding any physical contact.

That seemingly within reach is actually worlds apart.

For a fleeting moment, Yuuki Yukino raised her arm without thinking, but just before it touched Helica's shoulder, she pulled it back and let it fall silently onto the sofa seat behind her.

The two remained unusually silent. The sound of the washing machine had long since stopped. This atmosphere made Yuuki Eri want to escape, yet she was unwilling to move away from the girl.