Why are the magical girls in your area male?

Yuan Qing stepped back, making way for Shiori Shiomi to enter.

The latter crossed his arms in front of his chest, his body as upright as a swan, and walked straight around Kaiyuan Qing, entering the entrance hall:

"It's alright, at least you know to give way. I thought your hospitality included giving guests...slippers."

"Uh, we don't have slippers for guests, so you'll have to make do with my gray ones, they're just a bit too big."

"Um, thank you—I'm blocking the guest at the door."

"I don't think you need to complete that sentence, really..."

Yuan Qing felt somewhat ashamed.

"Ah, President, you've arrived?"

When Yuan Xun peeked out from behind and saw that it was Shiori Shiomi, he immediately broke into a big smile.

"Well, excuse me."

Shiori Shiomi nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping around the entrance hall before finally settling on Gen Ao's gray slippers.

Yuan Qing is nearly 1.8 meters tall and wears size 43 shoes. Those slippers were indeed a bit too big for her small feet, like tiny boats.

She frowned slightly, said nothing, and gracefully bent down to take off her exquisite black leather shoes, placing them neatly beside the entrance.

Then, she stretched out her small feet, clad in white ankle socks, and slipped them into her slippers.

"Da da da."

The slippers were too big, and they made a dragging sound when walking, but Shiori Shiomi didn't care at all.

Yuan Qing opened the refrigerator and asked, "Juice or lemon tea? We also have milk."

"Cola."

"Wow, I didn't know our student council president liked carbonated drinks?"

While complaining, Yuan Qing poured her a glass of cola: "I thought you were the kind of person who would hold a magazine and enjoy afternoon tea and cookies in a villa garden. I didn't expect you to be so down-to-earth."

"Heh, I have something even more down-to-earth."

Shiori Shiomi glanced at the dining table, where several Chinese home-style dishes and the siblings' rice bowls were laid out.

She sat down in Yuan Qing's seat with a natural movement and said without any politeness, "I haven't had lunch yet, could you please add a pair of chopsticks?"

"..."

This kid really does things his own way.

Yuanqing took out bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard, served Shiori a bowl of rice, placed it in front of her, and then moved a chair over to sit down.

"My sister and I like Chinese food, and we prefer strong flavors. I hope you can get used to it."

Shiori Shiomi did not answer. She naturally picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of shredded meat, examined it for a moment, and then put it in her mouth, chewing it carefully.

Yuan Qing saw this and couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.

Even a simple meal can be prepared like a five-star restaurant. How interesting. Is this what a rich girl is like?

"Yes, that's the taste." Shiori Shiomi rarely smiled. "I really miss it."

"Nostalgia? You've eaten Chinese food before?"

"Yes, we hired a chef from China three years ago. The dishes he made tasted similar to this, but he retired and went back to China to live out his retirement last year."

"Okay, as long as you're used to the food."

Yuan Qing shrugged and didn't press for more trivial questions like why they didn't hire someone else.

After finishing her meal, Shiori Shiomi put down her chopsticks, took out a small purse, pulled out two Fukuzawa Yukichi bills, and pushed them in front of Kaoru Minamoto:

"Kaoru, could you go downstairs and buy us a few cups of coffee? We just passed by that Leblanc coffee shop, and it smelled really good."

"Ah good."

Yuan Xun wasn't that slow-witted; she knew the president wanted to get her away so she could discuss association matters with her brother.

It's a pity we can't stay and listen in, but the president must have her reasons for doing so.

She grabbed her keys, quickly put on her shoes, and before leaving, she winked at Yuanqing, meaning "Talk things over properly, don't make the chairman angry," and then slammed the door shut.

The living room fell silent instantly, leaving only Gen Ao and Shiori Shiomi.

The air seemed to stiffen, and the subtle ease that had been present during the meal vanished.

Shiori Shiomi didn't speak immediately. She picked up the glass of cola that Gensei had poured for her and gently rubbed the cool glass with her slender fingers.

Those blood-red amber eyes, filled with scrutiny and weighing, quietly fell upon Yuan Qing.

Yuan Qing felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, so he cleared his throat and said, "Ahem, President, you specifically sent Xun away because you have something important to tell me privately, right? Is it about the association, or about my abilities?"

Shiori Shiomi finally put down her cup, the bottom of which made a slight "click" sound as it touched the table.

"Then I'll get straight to the point."

She looked directly at Yuan Qing, her lips parted slightly: "Yuan Qing, do you agree to join the Tarot Association and be managed and transferred by the association?"

"You're being too direct, but I like it."

Yuan Qing smiled and replied, "President, it's not that I have any ill will towards the association, it's just that I'm still completely confused about the three forces involved."

"You're trying to recruit me so quickly, you should at least show me some sincerity, right? For example, what benefits will joining the guild bring me?"

"There's a lot. We'll provide you with a wealth of information on the Moon Etching, refined combat skills, and experience against the enemy, saving you a lot of trouble. We'll also provide ample logistical support, such as equipment, supplies, and medical assistance."

In addition, there's something you need most right now: 'identity protection'.

"Identity asylum" refers to what?

"You should know that once an Awakened is discovered, an Abnormality Countermeasures Committee will come to their door to register them and semi-mandatorily accept their management."

Joining the association will make the Countermeasures Committee and the Demon Hunter's Guild think twice before bothering you, which can save you a lot of unnecessary trouble.

“That sounds good,” Yuan Qing nodded, a meaningful smile on his face. “So, the price is being controlled by the association and losing your freedom?”

"I can give you a heads-up about this."

Shiori Shiomi's voice was calm, her tone completely even:

"The association is not a prison. It will not restrict your personal freedom, much less turn you into an obedient puppet."

Essentially, we are merely a safety net for order, ensuring the magical girls can live safely and avoid causing a stir in the outside world—nothing more.

Volume 1: Chapter 64 Brother, can I be tempted by you?

"Well......"

Yuan Qing rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

He wasn't doubting Shiori Shiomi's words; judging from the behavior of Kaoru Minamoto and Yuki Tsukishiro, they both seemed to trust the association quite a bit.

In addition, there's Shiori Shiomi, Tsukasa Kimura, and Go Nakado; they're all decent guys.

With such a group of people around, the Tarot Association shouldn't be hiding too many problems.

Silence fell over the living room again, with only the occasional sound of a car passing by outside the window.

Joining the association can provide strong support and resources, but it also means losing some freedom and potentially getting caught up in future political turmoil.

If they don't join, they'll face more than just the Tarot Association's influence.

Moreover, the Moon Etch is fraught with danger, and it is quite risky for him to fight alone.

If one day I were thrown into a dangerous instance like last night, without any newbie protection or backup, I wouldn't even be able to survive.

Most importantly, by joining the association, he can better protect Yuan Xun.

Uh, we can also see what kind of trouble that bastard Yuki Tsukishiro will cause in Moon Etch.

After a moment, Yuan Qing took a deep breath, raised his head, and his gaze became firm: "I have one last question."

"Just ask."

"Kaoru told me that the Tarot Association stopped recruiting Awakened Ones other than Magical Girls after that attack. Why are you willing to recruit me?"

"Because I trust you."

"......ah?"

"I trust you, it's that simple." Shiori Shiomi repeated bluntly, "Is it hard to understand?"

"Uh, thank you for trusting me, but I'm still completely confused!"

"This issue involves important secrets of the association. Once you officially join the association, Nakado Go will be responsible for explaining it to you."

"Oh......"

"Then I'll take that as a yes, and I'll get this sorted out as soon as possible."

"Alright, President, you're really lucky to have such an outstanding talent like us."

Yuan Qing shamelessly started boasting.

To his surprise, Shiori Shiomi not only didn't mock him, but instead replied in a very cooperative manner:

"Indeed, your involvement might save many people's lives."

"Ha, it's not that exaggerated."

"...This is not an exaggeration."

Shiori Shiomi's voice suddenly turned somber.

She stared intently at Yuan Qing's face, and those usually cold eyes seemed to hold a hint of sadness in that instant.

“Yuan Qing, the association needs you more than you need it.”

"......What's the meaning?"

"What I mean is, I appreciate your choice, and the association will not let you down."

After saying that, she didn't linger. She went straight to the entrance, changed into her little leather shoes, opened the door, and her small figure disappeared outside.

Yuan Qing stood there, looking at the empty doorway, then looked down at his outstretched hand, smiled helplessly, withdrew it, and touched his nose.

Why is this little girl suddenly muttering something sad?

I hope I don't get tricked by her and end up on a pirate ship without even realizing it.

Anyway, things have come to this point, there's no use thinking about it too much. As long as I can protect my little sister, I'll just accept it.

Oh, right!

I need to quickly message Yuan Xun and tell her to buy one less cup of coffee. Anyway, the president has already left, so I might as well take the two Fukuzawa Yukichi cards she gave me!

......

The day passed quickly, and it was the familiar midnight again.

Because they had spent their precious day off cleaning the house, and Yuan Qing hadn't recovered from last night's exhaustion, he and Yuan Xun decided to take a day off tonight and skip the Moon Etching.

According to Yuan Xun's teaching, if you don't want to undergo the Moon Etching, you can just lie in bed and sleep normally. After that period of time, the Moon Etching will end on its own.

If one remains in a dream state, the awakened individual can be just like a normal person, unaware that they have taken a nap within the lunar etch.

The next day was another unlucky Monday.

The tram stopped at Yanhudai Station, and Yuki Tsukishiro boarded the tram at this station as always.

The entire day of silence allowed her to mentally prepare herself, so when she encountered Yuan Qing, she naturally gave him the middle finger as before:

"Good morning, you bastard. You didn't reply to your dad's messages yesterday, and you're still alive?"

"Good morning, you little rascal. Why didn't you fall and die on your way here?"

Yuan Qing naturally returned the gesture with the middle finger.

Yeah, this kind of bickering relationship suits them better.

What happened within the lunar etch was like a fleeting dream; both sides tacitly preserved this veil of secrecy.

They chatted casually about the most common topics for teenagers, and Yuki Tsukishiro would occasionally steal glances at Gensei's profile when he looked down.

It's so weird.

Why do I always want to kiss him?