Chapter 17 : Are you secretly playing with toys?

“Or… did you go out to do something you’re ashamed of?”

Thinking about how tonight Xiao Xi not only brought him warm milk to help him sleep but also deliberately told him she was going to bed, Ye Xinglan became even more suspicious.

This really looked like it was done on purpose.

“I…”

Xiao Xi tried to keep a straight face, but inside, she was already panicking.

Being a magical girl wasn’t really something shameful, but judging by how much Ye Xinglan disliked magical girls, it was better if she didn’t find out.

“You can’t say? Looks like it really is something you want to hide.”

Xiao Xi wracked her brain for an excuse.

Suddenly, as her gaze passed Ye Xinglan and landed on the desk, a bright idea struck her.

“It is a bit embarrassing, actually I just went out… to secretly buy some late-night snacks.”

Late-night snacks? Ye Xinglan blinked in surprise; she hadn’t expected that answer.

“I was going to sleep originally, but I was too hungry to fall asleep, so I went out and bought some snacks.”

“I wanted to invite you to eat with me, but I worried you might already be asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you up, so I ate them myself.”

“Didn’t expect you to come in suddenly… well, eating alone isn’t very nice, so I told a little white lie. Sorry, Xinglan.”

Xiao Xi’s explanation was reasonable, but Ye Xinglan still looked at her suspiciously, not quite convinced.

“Here,” Xiao Xi pointed to the desk. “If you don’t believe me, go check. There’s still a bag of snacks in the drawer.”

Ye Xinglan opened the drawer and sure enough, there was a small bag of snacks, and the box of fried chicken on the table was still warm, showing it hadn’t been long since she bought them.

Could it be that Xiao Xi really just went out for some late-night snacks? Was she overthinking it?

Xiao Xi breathed a sigh of relief.

Luckily, she hadn’t found it troublesome to bring the snacks back. If she hadn’t taken Lady L’s share of the snacks, today’s situation would have been impossible to explain!

“See? I told you there’s nothing going on,” Xiao Xi smiled awkwardly. “Why don’t you grab some and go back to your room?”

But Ye Xinglan didn’t leave; instead, she returned to stand by the bed.

Although Xiao Xi’s story was reasonable, Ye Xinglan now suspected that when Xiao Xi went out just now, someone might have slipped something to her.

You have to know, the Church of the Divine Summoning loved pulling tricks like that—deliberately giving passersby objects tainted with negative mana to tempt them into corruption and turning into monsters.

“The late-night snacks are fine—but what’s that thing you’re hiding in your quilt? You can’t be hiding food in there, right?”

Before Xiao Xi could react, Ye Xinglan went straight for a direct approach.

She launched herself onto Xiao Xi’s bed, intending to lift the quilt and see for herself!

No! Xiao Xi panicked. She hadn’t expected that Ye Xinglan saw her hide something earlier!

“Wah, don’t grab it! There’s nothing in my quilt…”

Just as Xiao Xi started to speak, a strong vibration suddenly pulsed from under the quilt.

Ye Xinglan, who had jumped onto the bed, felt it too. Both froze on the spot.

Actually, that black sphere had been growing restless ever since Ye Xinglan entered the room.

It was as if the sealed mana inside wanted to break free.

But Xiao Xi, who had just been interrogated, hadn’t noticed.

Now, through the quilt, the black sphere sent out a strong trembling sensation along with a faint humming noise.

This isn’t good.

Is something about to happen?

Xiao Xi’s expression grew serious.

Without hesitation, she reached to take out the black sphere for a closer look, but Ye Xinglan pressed down on her arm.

“It’s fine now, I’m okay. You don’t have to take it out for me to see!”

Xiao Xi: “?”

Ye Xinglan stared at the small lump under the quilt between Xiao Xi’s legs, her cheeks tinged with pink.

When she had jumped on the bed, her hand had brushed past Xiao Xi’s, barely able to feel that it was a small, round object… and then it started vibrating.

Ye Xinglan then noticed the damp tissue ball tossed carelessly on the bedside table after Xiao Xi had wiped her rain-soaked hair.

Coupled with the quietness of the late night and the fact that Xiao Xi was alone in her room, Ye Xinglan felt like her mind exploded in a little mushroom cloud.

When she jumped onto the bed just now… did she accidentally press the switch?

To be honest, Ye Xinglan wasn’t very familiar with these things.

Created by the Church of the Divine Summoning as a secret humanoid weapon, Ye Xinglan had been the Blood Moon Witch from birth, never given the chance to learn such knowledge.

Even most common social skills were taught to her by A Lan.

So the terrifying Blood Moon Witch was, in this regard, as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.

That’s why Xiao Xi could only watch as Ye Xinglan, who had just been fiercely interrogating her, now covered her eyes and fled in embarrassment.

“Sorry to interrupt your rhythm. Next time I’ll knock before coming in!”

No wonder Xiao Xi looked so flustered when Ye Xinglan entered the room earlier and hastily pulled the quilt over herself.

Of course she’d be nervous—it was only natural when her ‘flight was interrupted’.

Since what was hidden under the quilt wasn’t anything bad, Ye Xinglan guessed her suspicion about the mana was wrong too.

Probably Xiao Xi just accidentally got a trace of negative mana when she went out, which was normal—after all, the air at night did have a higher concentration of negative mana.

As for monsters, that was even less likely.

Ye Xinglan had never seen anyone turn into a monster just because their ‘flight’ was interrupted.

Ye Xinglan’s logic was smooth and self-consistent, but Xiao Xi was dumbfounded.

What rhythm? Don’t suddenly say such weird things!

This was the first time Xiao Xi had seen this kind of expression on Ye Xinglan’s usually cold and aloof face.

She quickly realized what Ye Xinglan meant, but it only made her more anxious.

What exactly have you misunderstood?!

Xiao Xi hurried after her and knocked on Ye Xinglan’s door.

“No, don’t overthink it. I’ll show you! Let me show you what I’m holding, alright? It’s just a, uh… an ordinary toy!”

“No need, no need. I know that kind of thing is also called a toy…”

“Not that toy! Just come out and take a look for yourself!”

Xiao Xi was extremely earnest now.

She was practically begging Ye Xinglan to come out and see the thing in her hand.

Just one glance and Ye Xinglan would know that the thing vibrating earlier wasn’t a little toy!

After all, Ye Xinglan was a normal person and probably couldn’t recognize what the mana storage spirit sphere used by the monster organization was for.

As for showing a mana artifact to a normal person, Xiao Xi didn’t care anymore.

She figured Lady L would understand and forgive her—it was about protecting her own innocence!

With a click, the door lock released, and Ye Xinglan finally opened the door a crack.