Aside from going out on missions, Silver Bell really hadn’t been going out much lately.
After all, it used to be Song of Parting who organized their outings.
Now that something had happened to Song of Parting, Silver Bell wasn’t the type to take the initiative to go out and have fun.
Now, Silver Bell’s life seemed to have returned to how it was when she first transferred to North Blossom City: go out on missions when there were missions, and when there weren’t, just stay at home playing games.
The days just cycled on like that.
Thinking about it, it was always Song of Parting who dragged both of them out to play.
The number of times Silver Bell and Qiuli spent time alone together was also few, and this was the first time the other had come to her home.
Thinking this, Silver Bell couldn’t help but feel a little nervous again.
Fortunately, Qiuli was easygoing. After glancing around the simple and monotonous living room, she pursed her lips.
“It really does suit your style. Is that one over there your bedroom?”
Silver Bell hurriedly closed the half-open door. “M-my room is too messy, it’s better not to look…”
“I thought so. Have you eaten breakfast? If not, make some for me too.”
Qiuli sat down on the sofa, crossing her legs. Watching Silver Bell take two convenience store rice balls from the fridge and throw them into the microwave, she knew Silver Bell wasn’t the type to cook for herself.
Her culinary limit was probably boiling instant noodles.
Come to think of it, was Silver Bell so small because she always ate these non-nutritious things?
“Qiuli, did you really come to see me for no other reason?”
“There actually is—there’s something I’m very curious about and wanted to ask you. It’s about Song of Parting.”
Silver Bell’s hand holding the cola trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
“I’ve never been able to figure it out. Even if the Church really arranged a lot of work and activities for Song of Parting, it shouldn’t have exhausted her to the point of physical problems, right? No matter what, she’s an S-Rank Magical Girl; her physical abilities are much stronger than an average person’s.”
“But you know Song of Parting’s character, Bell. She’s always worrying about others, but when she has problems herself, she hides them, afraid others will worry. A real pushover. I could tell she never told me the whole truth.”
Silver Bell sat down next to Qiuli with the rice balls and cola, forcing a smile. “Isn’t it the same? If she didn’t tell you, why would she tell me?”
Qiuli looked helplessly at the cup of still-fizzing cola—who serves cola to guests for breakfast?
But Silver Bell probably didn’t have anything else to drink at home.
This kind of two-dimensional shut-in who only drinks beverages and not water probably didn’t even own a kettle.
Qiuli looked directly into Silver Bell’s eyes.
“Someone insignificant like me, a small-time Monster, naturally has no right to know the Church’s information. But you’re different, Bell. You’re the S-Rank Silverflame Dragon Princess. You attended all those events with Song of Parting.”
“Do you really know nothing? I just want to know the truth, Bell.”
A few seconds of silence passed. Silver Bell timidly averted her gaze and finally relented.
“Alright, alright. At this point, there’s nothing that can’t be said. Song of Parting’s situation really is more serious… Do you know the other way a Magical Girl’s power increases, Qiuli?”
Silver Bell changed the subject. The more a Magical Girl is loved and trusted by people, the stronger her power becomes.
Xiaoxi had also told Xiao Keke about this. Although Qiuli hadn’t known before, she quickly digested this information.
No wonder both the Church and The Association placed so much importance on the “management” of Magical Girls.
“This is supposed to be perfectly normal for a Magical Girl, but it just went wrong with Song of Parting…”
Perhaps it was because the Tower of Commandments expanded the scope of Song of Parting’s abilities, making her more susceptible to the influence of people’s affection.
Or perhaps it was because the Church over-promoted Song of Parting. In any case, the power brought by people’s trust and love for Judgment Scales backfired on Song of Parting.
When people thought of Song of Parting, their impression of her was basically that she represented justice and fairness.
After all, her code name was Judgment Scales, and the Church had been deliberately promoting that image.
Then one day, Song of Parting suddenly discovered that the power of “discipline,” the power of suppression, was actually turning back on herself.
That feeling of suppression grew stronger and stronger, gradually affecting her even when she wasn’t in her Transformation State.
The feeling of being eroded by her own ability and Magic Power was not pleasant.
Song of Parting’s physical condition worsened, so much so that Silver Bell, who attended events with her, quickly noticed something was wrong.
Silver Bell shook her head. “Song of Parting’s condition was very poor back then. If the Magical Backlash was allowed to continue, she would eventually be crushed to death by her own ‘Discipline’!”
It was ironic. Judgment Scales, famous for her kindness and protection of the people, was actually being suffocated by the people’s trust and love.
“The Church knew about this situation, but…”
Silver Bell bit her lip and didn’t continue. Qiuli immediately understood.
After learning the situation, Silver Bell had also gone with Song of Parting to see the Church’s higher-ups.
Song of Parting’s special condition was most likely caused by maintaining “Discipline” for too long.
No matter what, they should temporarily shut down the Tower of Commandments to let Song of Parting rest for a while.
But the Archbishop rejected the proposal without a second thought.
Qiuli didn’t need to think hard to guess the Archbishop’s reasons.
Stopping the Tower of Commandments would cause substantial losses and damage to the Church’s reputation…
But the problem was, no matter how great the losses, they shouldn’t be more important than Song of Parting, right?
Although Qiuli didn’t want to say it, for the Apocalyptic Church, Song of Parting was indeed a golden signboard, a very valuable… asset.
“The Church also couldn’t organize the people to stop loving and trusting Song of Parting. That’s unrealistic and could also expose the secret of Magical Girls… So, the best solution at the time was to temporarily stop the Tower of Commandments, even if it was just to let Song of Parting rest for a while?”
At this point, even Silver Bell’s expression darkened. “But the Church’s Archbishop was like he couldn’t understand human speech. He didn’t even give us a reason, just stubbornly refused to agree to stopping the Tower of Commandments.”
Qiuli pursed her lips. “I think you two were just too kind. If it were me, I would have just stopped maintaining ‘Discipline.’ After all, the control of the ability lies with me.”
“I thought about that too, but… sigh, Song of Parting didn’t agree to do that…”
If they rashly stopped maintaining the Tower of Commandments, North Blossom City’s defenses would be very weak in the short term.
Moreover, it would also be bad for the Church’s public opinion.
News might spread that Judgment Scales and the Apocalyptic Church had a falling out.
Song of Parting didn’t want to see that result.
She still hoped to negotiate with the Church, arrange defensive measures first, and then stop the Discipline.