signingbooks Chapter 22 Heart-to-Heart Talk
Chapter 22 Heart-to-Heart Talk
Nan Xiaofeng was doing her homework in her bedroom.
Nan Jiayu stood by, holding a pointer, to supervise.
Xiao Feng's father, who had just finished washing the dishes, was called to the company to handle some business and hurriedly drove off.
Only the golden fox and the obediently sitting girl remained in the living room, along with the occasional dripping of water from the kitchen and the sound of a magical girl anime playing on the television.
Su Tianqing leaned back on the sofa armrest, her mind not on the TV at all, glancing at the girl next to her out of the corner of her eye.
Flower bell.
One of the girls with the highest magical girl aptitude in the Secret Codex, and the girl he chose as his righteous magical girl development target, is right beside him now.
A rare moment of solitude!
At this moment, she was staring intently at the magical girl anime on TV, her pupils reflecting the scene of the anime's protagonist defeating monsters with magical cannons, her expression unreadable.
The secret manual says that Hua Ling is a reclusive literary girl. Although Su Tianqing wants to know more about opening the box, the manual is very stingy and won't give her any information. It seems she will have to investigate on her own.
"Karin-san."
"Huh? I'm here." Karin paused for a moment before replying.
Have you been staying at Xiaofeng's house lately?
"Yes, Xiaofeng said my foot is injured, so she let me stay at her house temporarily," Hualing answered honestly.
Su Tianqing nodded gently.
"You two seem to have a pretty good relationship, it's to the point where you can let someone stay overnight. But if you stay for several days... won't your family worry?"
“…………”
A sudden silence.
Su Tianqing suddenly realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly shut up.
What's going on? What's happening? Do all the chosen magical girls have broken families?
An alcoholic father, a gambling mother, and who knows, a young sister might be added to the mix, leading to a broken home?
Or perhaps... there's nothing at all?
"I'm sorry, I reminded you of something unpleasant." After a long while, the little fox finally lowered its ears and whispered.
Although I am a villain, I am definitely not a chaotic evil, and I will not derive any pleasure from the scars of others!
Hua Ling finally snapped out of her reverie and turned to see the golden fox beside her, its ears drooping and its expression downcast as if it had done something wrong. The melancholy in her heart vanished instantly.
"It's okay, it's okay! You didn't do it on purpose, Sister Tianqing! Besides... I'm used to it now."
"Living alone?"
Su Tianqing answered, glancing up at the chandelier on the ceiling, her tail tip gently tapping the sofa cushion a few times, before continuing:
"I can understand that this kind of life must be very difficult."
"...Hmm?"
Hua Ling hadn't expected such an answer. She blinked and looked at the little fox in surprise.
"Huh? Sister Tianqing...you..."
"Surprising, isn't it? Actually, I've never seen my parents since I can remember. Luckily, I had the help of the Orc Mutual Aid Association, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to go to Chengdu Medical College to study."
"Xiaoyu's experience is similar to mine, except that she met her grandparents, while I... I never met anyone back then."
Su Tianqing said calmly, "Sometimes it's this kind of plain narration that resonates with others the most."
Especially for a literary girl like Karin—since she loves reading, her empathy and comprehension must be exceptional.
Sure enough, after a brief moment of confusion, the literary-minded girl beside him also pursed her lips and fell into deep thought.
The girl was completely unaware of the smile that appeared on the golden fox's lips.
"Karin-kun, do you like magical girls?" Su Tianqing asked, breaking the silence.
"Magical girls... I'm actually not that great, but Xiaofeng really likes them."
When suddenly called out, Karin was momentarily flustered, but she quickly adjusted her mood to the atmosphere of a normal conversation.
"Really? I also liked magical girls when I was your age," Su Tianqing replied.
This is not a lie. In her memory, when Su Tianqing was in school, there was a lively magical girl in Rongcheng. However, that magical girl disappeared later, probably to live in another city, and never appeared in Rongcheng again.
Two of the souvenirs I collected back then are still kept deep inside the cabinet.
"Does Sister Tianqing like it too?"
Hua Ling asked curiously in return:
"Actually... I think their clothes are really cute, and they can use powerful magic after transforming... It's really enviable."
"Sometimes I wonder, what would I do if I became a magical girl someday? Would I be able to use those powerful magics?"
"Or rather, if I became a magical girl, would I be able to protect those who need protection?"
Hearing Hua Ling's words, Su Tianqing did not rush to speak, but listened silently.
"What do you like most about magical girls, Sister Tianqing?"
The topic was suddenly turned to himself.
Su Tianqing paused for a few seconds, turned her head and met Hua Ling's gaze for a moment, her face showing a thoughtful expression.
"Me..."
"How should I put it... I'm probably a little different from most people. I prefer the kind of... [willpower] that magical girls have."
"Willpower?" Karin blinked; this description was clearly beyond her comprehension.
"Yes, willpower."
Su Tianqing nodded and said in a serious tone,
"The magical girls fight against monsters to protect the citizens and will not stand idly by while innocent people are hurt. Even the villainous magical girls are just playing pranks. So far, that Kokoro no Kokoro has not caused even a single casualty."
"Hanatsu-kun, didn't you also encounter something like that? When you were attacked at school, wasn't it magical girl Hyacinth who protected you?"
The girl opened her mouth slightly, but then silently closed it again, recalling the scene when Hyacinth raised her greatsword and shield to block her way. She gently pinched the hem of her skirt.
—There's hope!
Su Tianqing cheered inwardly.
That's right, this is my plan!
Karin didn't really know anything about magical girls. Her knowledge of magical girls probably all came from news reports about her daily life or Nan Xiaofeng's recent promotion of them, and she hadn't built up a reliable understanding of them.
What I need to do is very simple:
Knowing her background, you can then project your own experiences onto her, giving her a sense of kinship that "we are the same kind of people." However, you can't completely project yourself into her life; you need to lay the groundwork for future conversations!
Next, since I can't directly influence her as Xin Yuehu, I'll subtly change her perception as a caring older sister!
As long as we can get her interested in magical girls, and with Nan Xiaofeng, a righteous person, by her side, wouldn't it be a piece of cake to develop her into a genuine magical girl?
But...
Seeing Hua Ling's conflicted and introspective expression, Su Tianqing stroked her own tail while pondering the situation.
Was what I just said a bit too obscure for a naive girl?
Even if Karin is a literary girl, her literary foundation is probably not very deep at this point. Isn't it setting the bar too high to expect her to understand the meaning of the words on her own?
"...Although it's abrupt..."
Hua Ling's voice once again drew Su Tianqing's attention away from the television.
"But, Sister Tianqing, can I ask you a few questions?"
"Say what you want! Leave it to me!"
Su Tianqing loosened her tail and confidently puffed out her flat chest.
[Task: Expansion - Phase 1, Completed]
The whispers of the secret manual echoed in her mind. Su Tianqing was slightly taken aback, then suddenly understood something.
The secret manual will display a message indicating mission completion at this point, signifying the effectiveness of her persuasive skills! Karin is now completely in control!
Or rather, her image in Karin's eyes has completely transformed into that of a "kind older sister with similar experiences"!
Next, we should actively engage with Karin's narration and act as a listener, carefully listening to the hidden meanings in her words. This will further propel this perfect candidate onto the path of a magical girl!
Seeing Su Tianqing agree so readily, Hua Ling moved closer to Su Tianqing, leaned close to the fluffy fox's ear, and whispered:
"So... if I accidentally find out a friend's secret, how long should I keep it a secret for them?"
"This...?"
Su Tianqing hesitated for a moment.
This so-called "secret" is not hard to guess; it is probably about Nan Xiaofeng's true identity.
The little fox sat up straight and said earnestly:
"Karin-san."
"If I knew your secret, as long as I still consider us friends, I would keep her secret for her."
"No matter what happens, it should be kept strictly confidential."
Hua Ling opened her mouth slightly, and remained stunned for a long time.
Then he gently bit his lower lip and nodded forcefully.
[Task: Expansion - Phase Two, Completed]
Another mission completion notification rang in her mind. Su Tianqing hadn't even had time to open the secret manual to see what the mission was before she had completed it in a daze.
Su Tianqing turned to look at Nan Jiayu, who came out of the bedroom with a dark face, and Nan Xiaofeng, who looked miserable, and shifted Hua Ling's gaze away from her.
So next... is the final step.
Become a magical girl, Karin.