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

The reason for choosing to meet on the weekend is that both sides can exchange information about what they have learned this week.

Moreover, there's no need to go to school on Saturday, so there's no fatigue from sitting in the classroom all day, and no need to worry about getting up early to go to school the next day.

As for what they discussed and what they gained, it was, of course, information related to St. Yuu-Yu Academy that Yuuki En had asked Hong Moli to investigate.

Once a week, after cleaning the coffee shop, Yuuki Yukino sits down a little earlier to chat with her friends, and Minato Nana certainly won't stop her.

It's normal for friends who don't attend the same school to meet up on the weekend and catch up. It won't affect Yuuki Eri's work. On the contrary, Yuuki Eri will arrive a little earlier and work even harder. Minato Nana can understand that.

It was almost time for Yuuki Eri to finish her work for the day, and Koumori and Hyakki Senyu arrived as promised.

After untying her apron, Yuuki Enishi carried the coffee she had prepared for the others and placed it in front of them according to each person's usual preferences. Then she sat down in the outermost seat herself.

In this way, if any other guests come to visit, Yuuki Enishi can easily get up and greet them immediately.

Although Minato Nana suggested that Yuuki Yuuki could rest earlier and chat with her friends, it would be impolite for Yuuki Yuuki to sit still while she was working.

"Let me tell you what I discovered today," Yuuki Yukino said, taking the lead in their conversation after settling down.

Before explaining today's discovery to Baqi, they first need to tell Hongmoli and the others what they have done this week and why they did it.

After all, it was Mizuno Yu who first told Yuuki Gen about the slumber incident, and Yuuki Gen guessed that Koumori and the others were probably unaware of it.

Yuki Eri wasn't in a hurry to tell Koumori about this unconfirmed matter. She would let Yuki Eri know as soon as possible if she made any major breakthroughs. That's why she waited until the weekend gathering to tell her.

It just so happens that today is not only the weekend, but also the day when Yuuki Yui achieved a breakthrough.

Yuki Eri explained the concept of slumber in great detail, as if afraid that Koumori might not understand or miss any details. When she stopped, she was quite hoarse from talking.

Hong Moli's mind is incredibly delicate; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she's overly sensitive. That's why she was able to quickly grasp the key points of Yuuki Yuuki's words after listening to her rather rambling explanation.

"To summarize, I'll say that I suddenly fall asleep and can't be woken up, and I also have nightmares while I'm asleep, probably centered around you, right?"

Yuuki Yuuki was very satisfied with this summary. The efficient communication was also the reason why she liked working with Koumori and could confidently entrust Koumori with the investigation of the St. Yuuki Academy.

"You're mostly right. I'm also certain that slumber is a strange phenomenon, but I don't know the specific reason yet," Yuuki Yui affirmed, then asked, "Kurenai, have you heard of any similar incidents?"

“Hmm, such an incident.” Hong Moli’s fingers, resting on the handle of the coffee cup, gently tapped the cup’s rim, causing ripples to spread across the surface of the cup filled with coffee.

“No, I’m sure Saint Eternal Academy doesn’t have it,” Hong Moli replied.

Even though Koumori had thought about it for a long time, Yuuki Yuuki felt it was still too short. The definitive answer given in such a short time made her feel uneasy.

"Think about it again. Are you sure you don't? This is important for us to understand this matter."

"The election that was supposed to take place was postponed again after the change of the chairman of the board. I don't think it can be held this semester. So, as the acting chairman, my power is no different from that of the real student council president. If something like this really happens, I shouldn't be unaware of it."

Koumari answered in this way, a statement that Yuuki En could completely accept.

Niijima Azusa was fully aware of everything that happened in Tsukimi City and was in charge of blocking the news. It was impossible for Koumori, who had the same treatment as her, not to know.

"Could it be that Genki Mashiro intentionally concealed this information?" Yuuki Yuen thought of another possibility and asked.

Hong Moli shook her head: "You don't understand St. Yuu Academy and Genken Mashiro at all. Student council matters or matters between students don't require the chairman to do them personally."

"Also, Mashiro Goraku is almost never seen all day, and the cases she handles are not on the same level as this kind of trivial matter."

That seems to be the case. If all the trivial matters are left to the chairman, then no one will do the more important work.

Yuuki Yukino isn't that she can't believe it, but that she's unwilling to believe that similar things haven't happened outside of her own life.

If that's true, it would further reinforce a very ominous suspicion about her.

There are still more things that Yuuki Yukino needs to improve.

"Also, there's one thing that Hong just summarized that's not quite accurate. Hong said that people affected by sleep will fall into sleep, but I don't actually know whether falling into sleep is the trigger for sleep events or one of the effects of sleep."

“That’s true. Nobody can say for sure whether they suddenly feel sleepy because they’ve been affected or because they’re really tired.” Ba Qi pouted, rolled her eyes, and nodded thoughtfully.

“If that’s what Yuuki Yuen says, I’m inclined to think it’s the trigger.” Koumori fed a French fry to Hyakki Chiyu next to her, then picked one up herself and twirled it around with one end as if it were a pen.

"Why?" Yuuki asked.

"Saint Eternal Academy is a true aristocratic academy, and it adopts a church-like management system, so the requirements for students are very strict. In the doctrine of some unknown religion, it is written that falling asleep during worship is disrespectful to God."

Hong Moli popped the fries into her mouth and said, "This rule is also reflected in the school rules: you absolutely cannot doze off during class."

“There is indeed such a rule, but students of St. Yonyou Academy can leave the class at any time by simply reporting their presence,” Baqi nodded and added.

“So I reasonably guess that it’s because no one is sleeping that they weren’t affected.” Hong Moli expressed her thoughts, but didn’t make a definitive statement: “But it’s also possible that they targeted someone close to you, Yuuki Yuki. I’m just guessing.”

After Hong Moli finished expressing her thoughts, Yuuki Yuuki took a sip of coffee to moisten her throat: "Actually, I think so too, but I have my own reasons."

"I went to the city library today and encountered something that seemed like a dormant event, but I don't know if it really is."

As Yuuki Yuen spoke, she mentioned the incident that happened today, where an unknown female college student suddenly screamed in the library.

After analysis, although no one could draw a definitive conclusion, they all agreed that it was highly likely that it was also in a state of dormancy.

The condition for deep sleep to occur is falling asleep, which has been semi-established.

After discussing these matters, Hong Moli raised a question that had been bothering her for a long time.

She had wanted to ask that question from the beginning, but she hadn't found the right opportunity.

"By the way, Yuuki Yuuki, why are you so concerned about the library this week? It seems like both of the incidents you personally experienced happened in the library, right?"

"By the way, that's the main thing I wanted to talk to you about today."

When asked by Hong Moli, Yuuki Yuuki sat up even straighter. Her serious expression affected everyone else, causing them to sit up straight as well. Even Hyakki Chiyu, who had been silently eating fried chicken and fries, stopped eating.

"I have a theory that the establishment of Moonsea City may be related to the original magical girls."

Yuki Yui's guess was something she had never mentioned to Koumori before. Hearing Yuki Yui put these two topics, which were likely related but had never been connected before, together, Koumori's curiosity grew even stronger.

"Regarding the festival, there is a legend circulating in Tsukishima City..." Yuuki Yu recounted the story that Mizuno Yu had told her, along with her various speculations, in as much detail as she knew.

Having discussed those speculations, Yuuki Yukino no longer needed to explain why she had gone to the library to investigate these past few days.

These discoveries, which left a large gap in the history of Yuehai City, were also explained in detail by Yuuki Emi.

"It's bizarre." Hong Moli was speechless for a moment, using a very abstract description to express her shock.

The sheer volume of information overwhelmed Hong Moli's processing speed, causing her to take some time to slowly digest what Yuuki Yuki had said.

After she understood Yuki Yuki's expression, she realized that although Yuki Yuki's connection between the two was far-fetched, what Yuki Yuki said was actually correct.

Whether it was a lucky accident or Yuuki Yukino astutely discovered the loophole is not important, but in any case, Yuuki Yukino has taken a big step in the right direction.

“Yes, it’s very bizarre, but I’m about to tell you something even more bizarre,” Yuuki Yui said.

Ba Qi blinked curiously: "But Xiao Yuan, didn't you come straight to work after you came back from the library? Did anything else happen?"

“No, that’s all.” Yuuki Yuen shook her head: “The bizarre encounters started a long time ago.”

"A long time ago?" Hong Moli became even more curious.

　 She should have thought about everything in detail, but she still didn't understand what Yuuki Yukino was talking about.

"Do you remember when you first met Chenmian?" Yuuki Yuen asked first.

"I don't know, maybe only that blue-haired, expressionless guy knows." Baqi shook her head, then noticed that Yuuki Yuuki's wording was a bit strange: "Encounter? Yuuki, you said you encountered Chenmian? That should be in the library?"

“Yuki Yui was talking about us.” Koumari hit the nail on the head, and under Yuki Yui’s approving gaze, she asked, “You mean the time when the four of us went to Nijiha City together, and you fell asleep while soaking in the hot spring because it was so comfortable, right?”

“Yes.” Yuuki Yui stopped being mysterious: “That perfectly fits the definition of slumber, and I also assumed that it was slumber. But why did slumber come to me, and why is it centered around me? I couldn’t figure it out before.”

"So now you've found a reason, right?" Hong Moli asked.

“Hmm.” Yuuki Yui nodded again: “Although I only have some doubts now, I think my doubts are not wrong.”

"Sleep can be either actively triggered or randomly triggered."

"Random triggering, as the name suggests, means that as long as someone is asleep, there is a possibility that they may fall into a deep sleep."

"And the two incidents that were triggered by our own actions, including what happened at the library today, and the one in Rainbow Leaf City, actually have something in common: we, or rather I, investigated something."

"During our time in Nijima City, we first went to find out what Mashiro Urouge left behind in Nijima City from time to time, but what we really wanted to understand was not Mashiro Urouge herself, but the things she left behind—those things that could help us better understand the original magical girl."

"The latter two incidents both occurred while I was investigating the original magical girls, which led me to a very bold idea that I had to think about."

"Is it possible that as long as we embark on the right path—whether it's the research left behind by Mashiro Gakuen or traversing the history of Moonsea City in the library—we might actually touch something about the original magical girl, which is why it retaliated against me?"

"Does this mean... I'm getting closer and closer to the truth I'm looking for?"

silence.

An incredibly long silence.

Every magical girl who heard Yuuki Yuuki's audacious and outlandish statement couldn't help but think about it in her mind.

It's utterly unrealistic and wildly imaginative, yet it could very well be true.

However, Hong Moli always felt that things were unlikely to be that simple.

It's also unlikely to be so ethereal and unrealistic.

"But is it possible that just conducting an investigation could trigger some kind of defense mechanism? That's unrealistic, isn't it?"

“In reality, we have such examples around us, and more than one,” Baqi replied to Hong Moli on behalf of Yuki Yuki.

"First of all, there's Nishio Reki. There are many things she doesn't dare to say aloud. Once she does, it might trigger certain switches and cause an accident that even she doesn't want to see."

"Next is Mashiro Gorgen. She shouldn't be able to return to Moonsea City, but she seems to have given up something and managed to do so by limiting herself. The reason she limited herself was because she was afraid of triggering something that always exists, but we can't see or touch it."

"That thing that we can't see or touch, if I'm not mistaken, is caused by the magic emanating from that original magical girl, which is enough to envelop the entire Moonsea City. Within her magic, nothing can hide."

"So, she might not be targeting Xiaoyuan, but any action against her that could touch on the truth."

Baqi's words were also what Yuuki Emi wanted to say. Since Baqi had said it for her, she didn't need to do anything more.

"Big sister, are you saying that the series of slumbering events that suddenly appeared in Moonsea City are related to the primordial magical girl we're investigating? These two seemingly unrelated things are actually one and the same?"

Hong Moli understood everything completely.

“Until we successfully verify it, everything is just speculation,” Yuuki Yuuki replied.

"But you just said the trail went cold. I've been investigating past students of Saint Youyou Academy this week, but the volume is just too large, and we're still getting nowhere. So what should we do next..."

Hong Moli sighed, and as she spoke, her eyes suddenly widened. If she hadn't been deliberately restrained, she would have excitedly slammed her fist on the table in front of her.

Even though Hong Moli was trying to suppress herself, the excitement on her face and her tightly clenched fists were impossible to hide.

Hong Mali looked at Yuuki Yuuki and found that Yuuki Yuuki was also looking at her with an approving look, waiting for her to give the answer in her heart.

“Ghostly Mashiro, that woman told us the answer from the very beginning.”

"The hollow history you speak of can be found at the Sacred Eternity Academy."