Regarding the fact that my best friend is a magical girl

"You can put your phone in your pocket so that it will be stored in the Star Crystal when you turn off the transformation. That's what all the other magical girls do."

"Of course I know that."

I've been a magical girl for a year now, and Yin Wei still has to remind me of this basic knowledge.

After the clothes and the phone, there was also a stainless steel flask.

"...What is this?"

I don’t remember ever asking her to bring me any alcohol or other drinks.

"A magic potion, a magical creation of magical girls belonging to the association. It can accelerate the metabolism at the wound site, allowing the wound on your back to heal faster. Because of its limited production capacity, it was originally unavailable to unregistered magical girls like you."

From this, it seems I owe her another favor.

"It sounds like alchemy, and there are magical girls like that."

"Not all magic is suitable for combat. These magical girls will be assigned to some auxiliary work by the association. Although they don't have the high bounties you have, they are much safer because they don't have to fight and kill... In fact, it's the same for Seruno, who doesn't have any means of active killing. Sometimes it's important to choose the path that suits you."

If Seruno doesn't have to fight on the front lines, I'm actually relieved. Her gentle personality and weak magic always make me nervous when she goes into battle.

"Did you ask her that?"

"The association is very humane and will not force magical girls who are not suitable for combat to go to the battlefield, as that would violate the association's founding principles."

"But she refused, right?"

"Ah."

Ugh--

I sighed inwardly.

The magical girl that fool envisioned could never be one of those supporting characters who work silently behind the scenes.

"May I ask a question?"

Yin Wei, who was driving, suddenly struck up a conversation.

"Since you and Sun Yao are close friends, why are you unwilling to reveal your identity to her?"

They start trying to get information out of people the moment they have a free moment, so the association staff are really something else...

"I don't want to discuss this topic."

I refused with a stern face.

"...I understand. We'll talk about it when you're ready."

"There probably won't be such a time."

The E2 area, where Long Moon Lake is located, is the northern suburbs of the city. Although it is diagonally above the D3 area in terms of classification, the road is a bit roundabout and it is still quite a distance to drive there. However, Serino took the rail transit there, so she may have arrived even earlier than us.

"You'll arrive once you cross this mountain. Please leave your current phone number with you then."

"……I see."

Clearly, she intended to reply to Seruno under the guise of Bai Ziye.

"Thank you for your understanding. Also, there is a mountain tunnel ahead. You can change your clothes inside the tunnel."

Before the words were finished, they drove into the dimly lit tunnel.

With no cars in front or behind, this was undoubtedly a good opportunity to change clothes.

“Miss Miluno, I know you don’t trust the association and don’t understand why I should help you in a personal capacity.”

After changing into a shirt and flared pants, Ms. Yin Wei, who was standing to the side, started talking to herself again.

"I joined the association to help the magical girls, but if you mind my status as an association member, I can cooperate with you in my personal capacity."

"You've explained it many times already."

"But you still don't trust me, do you?"

"Trust gained through words is too cheap, and besides, I just hope the association can respect my privacy and freedom."

"The association hopes you can make better use of your strength, Miss Miluno. Your power can protect more than just one area of ​​this city; you can save many people."

In the end, they still want me to accept the offer of amnesty.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Changyue Lake Scenic Area

(Albinocotyledon)

The car drove out of the mountain tunnel, and the exit was on the mountainside, where you could see the Changyue Lake reflecting the sunlight. The long and narrow lake was surrounded by crescent-shaped mountains on one side, while the other side faced the large forest to the north of the city.

“Spica mentioned that to me, using an experimental wormhole system to act as a firefighter around the world… To be honest, if the association’s wormhole technology is mature enough, I wouldn’t object to it.”

"...No objection, do you mean you're willing?"

Yin Wei stopped the car by the side of the mountain road.

The entrance to the scenic area is at the foot of the mountain, and the intercity railway station is also there. She parked the car here so that I could walk there myself.

I opened the door and got out of the car, then leaned on the roof and said, "However, your association keeps testing my limits, which is making me very annoyed. There is no conflict between hiding my identity and acting as a firefighter. I hope the association can give me a solution that satisfies both of us."

I've pretty much laid my cards on the table, and Yin Wei nods in agreement.

"Understood, I will convey this to the director."

"We'll talk about that later. I'm going down the mountain now."

boom.

I closed the car door.

--------

(Sun Yao)

"Wow, that was fast, we arrived in just half an hour."

Rail transit is so convenient these days. Not only are there extensive railway networks in cities, but it can even travel through large forests to nearby cities.

However, my destination today is not the neighboring city, but a natural scenic area on the outskirts of the city, a lake surrounded by mountains.

"I didn't expect to be called out by Miss Miluno alone. I wonder if her injury has healed yet."

It's quite a coincidence that Yezi went to the bathhouse for gua sha yesterday afternoon and got injured on her back, but gua sha shouldn't have made it that serious.

Looking around at the entrance of Changyue Lake National Nature Park, I realized that although we were supposed to meet here, I had arrived half an hour early and would probably have to wait a while longer.

"Serno".

A cool, clear greeting suddenly came from behind.

Miss Miluno stood there dressed in casual clothes and wearing a mask. She looked like a recent graduate, an intellectual office lady... but the style of her outfit seemed a little familiar.

"Miss Miluno! Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to invite me out for a relaxing getaway!"

She waved at me.

"Don't be so formal. Besides, I'm the one who invited you out. I should be the one saying that."

"No way! You're the person I've always admired! Yesterday you even protected me... oh?!"

Halfway through her sentence, Miss Miluno covered her mouth, the smell of her sweaty hands entering her brain through her nose, making her blush, yet also feeling somewhat familiar, as if she had smelled it somewhere before.

Miss Miluno said, "It's too loud. I don't want to be recognized here."

"Feel sorry."

Although there weren't many people around, the fact that today's event was a secret couldn't be forgotten. Miss Miluno possessed an admirable level of prudence!

She added, "Apologizing all the time is also one of your shortcomings."

"I'm sorry."

"you……"

"..."

Hmm, I apologized again without thinking.

"Sigh, let's go inside first."

Miss Miluno arrived earlier than me; she had even prepared her tickets. However, the park was surprisingly sparsely populated today, with almost no other visitors besides us.

Sure enough, outdoor attractions weren't popular in this sweltering heat of over 40 degrees Celsius. But this was undoubtedly Miss Miluno's brilliant move. As long as no one else came, we would have the place to ourselves!

I looked up and saw a clear blue sky with not a single cloud in sight. Apart from the sun, there was only the phase detection airship in this area. The pure blue sky was like a giant curtain.

Despite the sweat pouring down my back, I still asked Miss Miluno.

"...So, are we going boating on the lake now?"

The park gate is not far from Changyue Lake. After walking a few steps, you can see the wide lake and the dock for renting boats—but there are no boats on the lake.

When I asked her this, Miluno also looked towards Lake Long Moon, where the rising steam caused the water surface to distort unnaturally.

"...No, I'd rather not go boating."

Although she's known as an ice queen, Miss Miluno isn't immune to cold. The high temperature by the lake made her face slightly flushed, but she remained remarkably calm—a testament to her remarkable resilience! Miss Miluno is truly amazing!

However, I was relieved that I didn't have to go boating.

"Then what are we going to do?"

Milno looked at the park map and pondered for a moment before saying, "Let's walk along the lake to the entrance of the mountain path and then climb the mountain. The temperature will always be lower in the woods halfway up the mountain... But before we go up, we need to buy enough water."

"Okay, I'll go buy it!"

We can't always let Miss Miluno pay for things. Since she didn't even pay for the tickets, it's only right that I do it this time. After all, Miss Miluno isn't registered with the association; she's a magical girl out of obligation, which is one of the reasons I admire her so much.

Miss Milno eliminates monsters not for money, just like the protagonist in a traditional story. She is a noble and righteous hero, the guardian of the city, and she is so pure... I also want to become a magical girl like her.

There was a shop on one side of the entrance, and I asked, "Miss Miluno, what would you like to drink?"

"Regular mineral water is fine; I don't like sweet drinks."

"learn!"

I ran towards the store.

Miss Miluno is so cool for not liking sweets!