You call this a love game?

Now it was Bai Yu's turn to be surprised.

Last time, the simulated Kyubey said he was very qualified and tried every means to trick him into making a contract with it, but it didn't work this time?

"Well... Nakazawa-kun, don't be too sad. After all, you're becoming a magical girl, and you're a boy, uh..."

Mami Tomoe glanced at Shiraha from head to toe, seemingly imagining the boy as a magical girl wearing a little skirt. She couldn't help but cover her eyes, looking as if she couldn't bear to look.

Kaname Madoka, who was standing nearby, also comforted him, "It's okay. If you're in any danger, Nakazawa-kun, you can call me and Mami-senpai anytime, and we'll be there for you right away!"

"It's okay, it's alright if I can't become a magical girl, there's still Homura." Bai Yu turned to look at Homura Akemi, who was flustered when her name was mentioned. "Hamura has the potential, she'll definitely become a very powerful magical girl."

"Um... I can't do it..." Homura Akemi hurriedly waved her hand, subconsciously belittling herself.

It's so unfair that Bai Yu, who is clearly more outstanding than her, doesn't have the qualifications, while someone like her, who is useless and can't do anything, does.

Kaname Madoka excitedly leaned closer to Akemi Homura, "Hamura, have you decided what you want to wish for?"

"me……"

Homura Akemi reverted to her stuttering form. She frantically tried to think of what kind of wish to make, but it seemed like she had nothing at all, yet she also felt like she wanted everything. A single wish was simply not enough to satisfy her.

"It's better to think about this decision more carefully." Bai Yu naturally interrupted their conversation, while giving Homura Akemi an encouraging look. "You agree, right, Homura?"

“Yes!” Homura Akemi nodded repeatedly.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Only One Child Allowed (4k)

"So does that mean I really can't become a magical girl?"

Bai Yu, still somewhat unwilling to give up, asked another question.

The reason we didn't handle the last simulation well was because we hadn't figured out the situation yet, but now we don't need to figure out the situation anymore. The most important thing is to resolve Witch Night as soon as possible.

“No, that won’t work.” Kyubey shook his head.

However, it's not impossible; the conversion efficiency is actually low. If he were to wish to become a magical girl, even if he eventually becomes a witch, the energy he can recover would be far less than what he consumes.

Simply put, making a contract with Bai Yu to grant his wish is a losing proposition; it's the kind of deal that you can't recoup your investment. Of course, it's not going to waste this hard-won energy.

"Don't be too sad, Nakazawa-kun. You can't force these things," Mami Tomoe comforted her as usual.

“Yes, yes, Mami-senpai is right.” Kaname Madoka nodded repeatedly, then a curious look appeared on her face. “But Nakazawa-san, is there some wish you really want to fulfill that you want to become a magical girl?”

Bai Yu sighed dramatically, then leaned back and collapsed onto the soft carpet. "Because becoming a magical girl is so cool! I also want to unleash cool magical beams like Kaname and Mami."

Hearing this ridiculous reason, Homura Akemi couldn't help but burst out laughing. She quickly covered her mouth, but the way her eyes curved into a smile betrayed her.

"Actually..." Kaname Madoka suddenly leaned closer mysteriously, "Nakazawa-kun can be our cheerleader!"

She pulled out a pair of pink pom-poms from somewhere, "Like this—Go! Go!"

The pom-pom in her hand swayed back and forth, and the girl's slender waist twisted with her arms, her skirt fluttering in the air.

He finally saw it: a white cloth with a pink bear.

However, Bai Yu just pushed the cheerleading ball away with disdain, saying, "I don't want to wear a little skirt and shake this."

"Huh?" Madoka Kaname tilted her head. "I didn't say I was going to wear a skirt..."

Seeing the lively atmosphere between the two, Mami Tomoe, who was elegantly sipping her red tea, couldn't help but join in. A mischievous glint flashed in the girl's eyes, "Could it be that Nakazawa-kun really wants to wear it?"

"I didn't!"

Seeing the mocking looks in the eyes of the two girls in front of him, Bai Yu chose to turn the battle against Akemi Homura, who was watching the show from the sidelines.

"Homura would look amazing dressed like a cheerleader, right? You haven't decided yet whether you want to become a magical girl, so you could go cheer on Kaname and the others."

"Huh? Um... I..."

Homura Akemi hurriedly waved her hand to refuse, but Madoka Kaname's eyes lit up.

"Yes, yes, Homura should come too! She can watch our battle and it might help her decide whether or not she wants to become a magical girl."

"Waaah..." Homura Akemi let out a mournful cry, curled up into a ball, buried her face in the pillow and refused to look up, her ears were so red they looked like they could bleed, and a few strands of hair in her braids popped out.

She recalled the cheerleading outfits she had seen on TV: the super short skirts that barely covered her thighs and revealed her panties, and the tops that were obviously too short and exposed her waist and belly.

Too, too, too! I'm so ashamed!

Obscene!

She absolutely refuses to wear those kinds of clothes!

Even death is not an option!

“Speaking of which, I think I happen to have a cheerleading outfit at home.” Tomoe rested her finger on her chin, looking at the already incredibly shy Homura Akemi with great interest.

Why would you have something like this in your house?

Seemingly guessing what Bai Yu was thinking, Mami Tomoe, meeting his curious gaze, explained, "I was a cheerleader for a while when I was in the first year of junior high school, but before I could perform on stage, something happened and I quit. I bought the clothes myself, and I don't know if they fit Akemi's size."

It definitely won't fit.

Bai Yu compared the sizes of the two girls. If Madoka Kaname could barely be considered a xiaolongbao (soup dumpling), then Homura Akemi was a flattened xiaolongbao, completely different from Mami Tomoe, who was like a balloon filled with water.

"Ah, I'll go get it first. It's okay if Akemi doesn't want to." Mami Tomoe blinked and smiled at Homura Akemi.

Her gentle smile almost made Homura Akemi lose control and agree to wear it.

No, no, absolutely not!

Homura Akemi shook her head violently, but her eyes couldn't help glancing in the direction Mami Tomoe had left.

Mami-senpai wouldn't force her to do that kind of thing, right?

However, more than herself wearing a cheerleading outfit, she was curious about what Mami-senpai would look like in that outfit; she must look beautiful.

And Kaname and the other two girls' magical girl battle outfits are also super cool!

Although she has no plans to become a magical girl yet, Homura Akemi has already started to imagine what her battle suit would look like.

Cute like Kaname-san? Or cool like Mami-senpai? Or some other style?

Wow, this is such a difficult choice...

While Homura Akemi was still immersed in her fantasy of how powerful she would be as a magical girl, Shiraha gently patted the girl's head.

"What are you thinking about?" Bai Yu asked, leaning closer to the girl's slightly upturned lips.

"Well--"

Suddenly interrupted, Homura Akemi quickly snapped out of her reverie and stared nervously at Shiraha.

"No, I wasn't thinking about anything. I just thought Mami-senpai and Madoka were amazing. They weren't afraid of monsters like that."

Homura Akemi seemed to still be shaken, as her body visibly trembled when she spoke of the monster.

"Homura is very strong too. Didn't she say before that she wouldn't be afraid to die with me? You will definitely become a very powerful magical girl."

Upon hearing this, Homura Akemi immediately lowered her head, and her body began to tremble slightly, as if she had returned to that terrifying witch's barrier and was facing the witch again.

Only now, after Bai Yu reminded her, did she realize that she had said such shameful things back then.

Dying together... isn't that a confession?

So that means she confessed to Bai Yu!?

We've only known each other for a day, yet she could say such things...

Woohoo...

Obviously, this is not her fault. After all, she was facing the threat of losing her life. Even under such circumstances, Bai Yu still did not abandon her and wanted to help her escape. It would not be an exaggeration to repay her with his body.

That makes sense, but Homura Akemi is clearly no longer able to think about these things.

She buried her head in the cushion like an ostrich, and lay on the ground in a duck-like position, avoiding Bai Yu's burning gaze, but her mind had already begun to wander.

As for marriage, shouldn't we at least wait until she's an adult before talking about it?

If possible, she hopes to have only one child because it's too painful, and she's terrified of pain.

What's a good name for my child...?

However, seeing that the girl had become a coward again, Bai Yu had no choice but to temporarily give up on questioning her.

He originally wanted to remind her not to reveal his ability to stop time.

After all, she's not a magical girl yet, but she can use that kind of magical ability; something just doesn't seem right.

Since it seemed that Kyubey hadn't discovered his true identity this time either, he decided to remain an ordinary passerby and observe the girls' battle as if nothing had happened.

Seeing that Homura Akemi was no longer able to communicate, Shiraha moved to Madoka Kaname's side.

"Kaname-kun—" Shiraha looked mysteriously at the ring with the pink gemstone in the girl's hand, "May I take a look at your Soul Gem? I'm quite curious."

When Mami Tomoe introduced the magical girls earlier, she showed off her Soul Gem, a golden gem encased in a metal frame. Sayaka's is blue, but Shiraha would like to take a closer look, and it would be even better if he could touch it.

"Of course you can."

Kaname Madoka readily agreed, summoning the Soul Gem which floated in her hand. The gem emitted a pink light, but upon closer inspection, there were small black spots on it, like stubborn stains that couldn't be removed, polluting the pure gem.

He knew about this thing; it was probably meant to be purified using the Seed of Lamentation that dropped after defeating a witch, and that thing could also replenish magic power.

He personally purified Sayaka in the last simulation, but it seems no one told him what would happen if his magic was completely depleted and his soul gem was completely stained black.

Bai Yu quickly looked at Kyubey on the table. The little white beast seemed to understand his thoughts. After eating and drinking its fill, it licked its lips and then curled up on the cushion where Mami had sat and fell asleep.

Okay, I can ask Mami Tomoe later.

"so beautiful."

Holding the girl's soft little hand, Bai Yu gazed at the soul gem on it. Its exquisite appearance was as gorgeous as if it had been carved by a world-class master. The gem also emanated a faint warmth. It would be very convenient to use it to warm hands in winter, wouldn't it?

But since it's called the Soul Gem, doesn't that mean the soul of the Soul Gem's owner is stored inside?

However, neither Madoka Kaname nor Mami Tomoe seem to be soulless zombies at present.

Shiraha stroked his chin, staring thoughtfully at the Soul Gem in Madoka Kaname's hand, pondering what secrets it held.

"Nakazawa-kun, bullying girls is not gentlemanly behavior."

Mami Tomoe, who had gone to the bedroom to get her cheerleading outfit, came downstairs and couldn't help but tease the two of them as they held hands.

"Huh? Bullying a girl..."

Shiraha glanced at Madoka Kaname beside him and noticed that she had also buried her head in her knees, just like Homura Akemi, with her other hand covering her face, and a faint blush visible through her fingers.

"Sorry, Kaname-kun, I was really engrossed in what I was watching just now."

Shiraha reluctantly let go of Madoka Kaname's hand.

"No, it's okay. I understand how Nakazawa feels, so feel free to contact me anytime if you need anything in the future," Kaname Madoka said, shaking her head with a blushing face.

What did you understand?

He mentally complained that the girl was being too dramatic, but he still managed a forced smile on his face.

"Thank you so much! Kaname-kun, you're so kind. I'll definitely keep your secret safe!"

"N-no, not really." Even after being friend-zoned, Madoka Kaname couldn't help but smile, scratching her head and grinning sheepishly. "But if Nakazawa-kun doesn't mind, you can just call me Madoka."

"Oh, really?!" Bai Yu feigned surprise, looking at her with a touched expression. "Then Xiao Yuan can call me Bai Yu too."

"Okay, Bai Yu, let's work hard together from now on!"

Madoka Kaname generously extended her hand, hovering it in front of him. Her cheerful smile even infected Homura Akemi, who was lurking in the shadows nearby.

"Yeah! Let's cheer each other on!"

As the sun set and the room gradually darkened, a corner of the girl's heart was quietly illuminated.

Although Homura Akemi didn't end up wearing the ill-fitting cheerleading outfit, the three girls' friendship grew rapidly, and they even made plans to go to a cafe together after school.

Of course, Shiraha also shamelessly sidled up to him. After all, he was one of the few people who knew the secret of magical girls. Even if he didn't mention it, given Madoka Kaname's personality, she would have invited him to go with her.

…………

The next morning.

Bai Yu was intently explaining to Akemi Homura what the teacher had taught in the previous lesson.

The girl's foundation was relatively weak, but she was not unintelligent. With Bai Yu's earnest and meticulous guidance, she could barely keep up with the pace of the lessons. However, she needed more time outside of class to catch up on the material she had missed, otherwise she would become increasingly confused as she learned.

However, this is a huge undertaking, and it's basically impossible for Homura Akemi to finish her tutoring in a short period of time. Let's see if she can get through April first.

"Um... Bai Yu."