Something's off about this magical girl.

Chapter 11 Farewell

We skipped lunch.

For people like Tao Zhuo and Gu Bai, missing a meal is not a big problem.

As the sun set and the area cleanup was completed, the volunteer team gradually dispersed.

Gu Bai and Tao Zhuo rested on a low wall by the roadside, holding pancakes brought by a junior.

A young girl came looking for her.

Gu Bai recognized her; she was from the three-star magical girl team from yesterday.

The girl's hair was tied in two small buns. She wasn't very tall. Standing in front of Tao Zhuo, she clutched her sleeve and glanced around before speaking, making sure no one else was around, before whispering:

"Senior, I..."

"What's up?" Tao Zhu handed the pancake to Gu Bai, clapped her hands, and looked up. "Go ahead and say it."

The girl was silent for a few seconds, as if organizing her thoughts, before finally saying, "I'm applying for the exorcism ritual and preparing to transfer schools."

There was a moment of silence. Tao Zhuo didn't speak immediately, but just looked at her.

After the age of 24, magical energy will become uncontrollable and disordered within a magical girl's body. At that time, an exorcism ritual will be performed to remove the magical energy in order to live a peaceful life.

But the girl applied for this, clearly not because of her age.

"Yesterday, I watched as Dong-senpai's magic barrier shattered." The girl's voice was low, her eyes looking at the ground. "I'm not saying Dong-senpai is bad. I know it's because the monster was too big and the impact was too strong, but I was standing right behind her at the time. I watched that white light crack open one by one and then shatter."

She paused for a moment.

"If it weren't for Fuyu-senpai, would I and the magical girl who protects us both...?"

After saying that, she didn't continue.

The rest of the meaning doesn't need to be explained; everyone present understands.

Tao Zhuo didn't say you're too fragile, nor did she say you're okay. She just listened quietly until the other person finished speaking.

"And..." the girl spoke again, this time in an even lower voice, "I feel like something's wrong with my heart."

"What's wrong?"

"When I stood there yesterday, my first thought was...where to run?"

Gu Bai listened to those words from beginning to end, and frankly, it was only human nature.

"That's not a problem."

Tao Zhuo spoke in the same way, her tone very calm, not comforting, but more like stating: "Your first reaction was to run there, which means your instincts haven't been terrified yet."

"But all I think about during battle is running away." The girl looked up, her eyes slightly red as she spoke, but she didn't cry. "Then I'm just a burden to the team. I'm... not suited to be a magical girl..."

"So, you're leaving?" Tao Zhuo replied.

The girl hummed in agreement, lowered her head, and fiddled with her cuffs again: "Yes..."

"A person's path can only be decided by themselves."

Tao Zhuo raised her hand and patted the girl's head: "You're a first-year high school student, right? Hmm, I remember Qi Xin has introduced a policy to send people to the countryside. Instead of fighting, they use artificial rainmaking and magical power generation. The paths are different, but the results are the same. Of course, in the end, it's up to you to decide."

The girl hummed in agreement.

He didn't say anything more, but just lowered his head and slowly nodded.

The three of them stood by the roadside for a while, and a Xiaoqi cleaning robot bumped past them. Its maintenance time was over, and it was back at work.

"Um..." The girl finally raised her head: "Even if I leave, even if I don't become a magical girl like you, I will continue to work hard."

"I'll pass on myself; I should learn from someone like Senior Dong."

Tao Zhuo said in a somewhat casual tone, but earnestly offered her advice: "Whatever your choice, I wish my juniors all the best in the future."

The girl lowered her head, nodded, and turned to leave.

"Quite serious."

Gu Bai silently handed the cake back to Tao Zhuo.

Tao Zhuo took it, took a bite, chewed it twice, and then spoke in a high-pitched voice:

"What can I do, teacher? This path is destined to separate me from many people. Along the way, many people's ideals will not be realized, just like this junior. If I don't act like an adult, I can't solve many problems."

"Is that so?" Gu Bai continued, "What is your ideal?"

"The teacher asked a rather personal question, but I..." Tao Zhuo chewed another bite and finished her sentence: "I'll earn a million, retire, and then use the investment interest to build a house in a remote rural area to live out my days in peace."

Gu Bai glanced at Tao Zhuo again and noticed that her gaze held a hint of helplessness, as if she had a deeper ideal that she hadn't yet expressed.

They didn't ask any further questions.

I understand; after all, everyone has things they don't want to say.

Gu Bai put the pancake bag aside, looked up at the sky, and saw that the wind had pushed the debris that hadn't been swept away along the roadside a bit forward, but it wasn't a problem for the Xiao Qi cleaning robot that was already in operation.

Gu Bai turned his gaze back to the setting sun:

"I'll make up for dinner today; I owed you yesterday."

"Anything is fine?"

"Either is fine," Gu Bai nodded.

"Hooray!" Tao Zhuo stood up, patted her face, and regained her usual carefree attitude: "Thank goodness Teacher didn't covet the money Qi Xin gave me. All those stipends were used to pay off the debts after the margin call, and my wallet is still empty~"

Finally, Gu Bai signed the departure confirmation on the supervisor list according to procedure.

Tao Zhuo went to the aunt to record her volunteer points for the day. After returning the broom to the equipment station, she washed her hands and remembered that she still had a 'main quest' to complete.

A subtle crack appeared in her facial expression. She then took out her phone from her pocket, dialed, and said casually while waiting for the call to connect:

"Then I'll make an appointment with Dong-mei today. Yesterday's meeting was too short. Teacher probably still has some questions, right?"

"Alright."

Gu Bai nodded normally, but this only deepened Tao Zhuo's prejudice.

The call was answered quickly.

"What is it?" Dongchun's voice was as usual.

"Let's eat, let's go to the same place as last time, you know it."

Tao Zhuo held her phone, adjusting her tone slightly: "I'm going now, I'll wait for you, the teacher is here too."

"...good."

The call has ended.

Tao Zhu put her phone back in her pocket, glanced at Gu Bai, and smiled smugly, as if surprised by her own cleverness: "Then, teacher, let's go~"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

into the night.

The small restaurants on the street turn on their lights early, and the warm, diffused light shines on the glass, making the view inside blurry and warm.

Dong Chun arrived faster than Tao Zhuo had expected. She sat in a seat near the back, her casual clothes still buttoned up to the top. The menu was already open on the table, and she was looking down at it with a serious expression, as if she were making a difficult multiple-choice question.

But Tao Zhuo plopped down and snatched the menu from her hands:

"I'll order!"

"Less spicy." Dong Chun didn't snatch it back, but calmly corrected, "I already said last time that spiciness will ruin the original flavor of food and cause serious loss of nutrients, leading to an unbalanced intake of energy by the body, and in the long run—"

"I know, I know!"

Tao Zhuo flipped through the menu, glancing at Dong Chun while muttering, "It's always 'I already said that last time,' Dong Chun, are you a broken record...?"

Gu Bai sat down opposite Dong Chun.

Dongchun looked over, met his gaze, paused for a moment, and then asked, "You're here today too?"

"Yes." Gu Bai picked up his teacup. "No need for honorifics, just call me teacher."

"it is good."

Dongchun didn't speak again, turning her gaze back to the table, lost in thought.

Tao Zhuo had already ordered. She raised her hand to call the waiter, her eyes sweeping over the two of them, her eyebrows curving into a smile.