“Your condition is somewhat unusual. We need to run some tests.”
Captain Su Li’s words still echoed in Lu Yuan’s ears.
Lying on the cold examination table, Lu Yuan stared up at the mechanical apparatus rotating overhead. As the machine started, she felt a familiar warmth spreading from her chest, much like the sensation during transformation, but gentler.
An older female staff member frowned as she examined the data screen.
“All done. You can get up now,” she said.
“What’s happening to me?” Lu Yuan lay on the device, instinctively pressing down on her skirt.
“Hmm…”
The staff member hesitated, seeming reluctant to speak, which made Lu Yuan increasingly uneasy.
“You might be a girl for life.”
“W-what?!” Lu Yuan sprang up from the exam table, nearly hitting her head on the scanning device still in motion. “W-what do you mean by that?!”
The older researcher pushed up her glasses, face serious. “According to the tests, the Transformation Crystal’s energy has completed reconstruction of 98.7% of the cells in your body.” She zoomed in on a set of data. “Your levels of female hormones are steadily rising, and your chromosomes…”
“Speak plainly!” Lu Yuan pressed her hands firmly over her newly forming curves, as if that could stop some dreadful change.
“In other words,” Su Li suddenly cut in, “your feminine traits will become more pronounced, you’ll start having periods, and eventually you’ll have to learn how to use sanitary pads.”
The Detection Room fell silent except for the hum of the machinery.
Lu Yuan’s expression twisted as if she were acting in a play. “I…?”
“Yes.” Su Li nodded, as calmly as if confirming whether she had locked the door before leaving the house.
“Well, that’s not so bad, right? Becoming a Magical Girl and all. Welcome to our big family, Lu Yuan,” Aoi Hoshino smiled warmly.
“Don’t make decisions for me without asking!” Lu Yuan groaned in despair.
“Aren’t you unemployed? I can offer you a job as a Magical Girl,” Su Li said. “It’s mutually beneficial.”
“Mutually beneficial? Who wants that?” Lu Yuan crossed her arms. “Trying to bribe me with a few broken trinkets? No way.”
“A monthly salary of 100,000.”
“100,000?!” Lu Yuan forced a cough to hide her surprise. “Hmph, just 100,000 to bribe me? I have my principles…”
“Plus overtime pay,” Su Li added.
Lu Yuan’s eyes flickered. “Well… that’s…”
“Social Security and Housing Fund.”
“Hmm…”
“Three months paid vacation every year.”
“Deal!” Lu Yuan grabbed Su Li’s hand eagerly. “From now on, I’m an honored Magical Girl!”
Tian Aixing beside them couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll find good teammates for you, and your living arrangements have been taken care of. You can go check it out first.” Su Li handed her a bunch of keys. “Don’t worry, Headquarters covers all expenses. You just need to move in.”
“Oh… okay…” Lu Yuan accepted the keys.
***
Lu Yuan stood before the familiar apartment door, the keys warm in her hand.
The moment she opened the door, a familiar scent wafted in, but the scene before her froze her in place.
The coffee table, once cluttered with instant noodle cups and energy drink cans, was spotless. The yellowed esports poster on the wall remained, and her treasured limited-edition game controllers were neatly arranged inside a glass display cabinet.
“This… is my home?”
Lu Yuan stepped inside slowly. Catching her reflection in the mirror by the door, she startled slightly.
For a moment, she thought a high school girl had moved in… but it was just her.
She walked into the kitchen and noticed a note stuck to the fridge:
【Supplies replenished. Remember to eat on time. — Ciallo~(∠・ω<)⌒☆】
There was even a cute emoticon. The logistics Magical Girls really were adorable.
Opening the fridge, she found various ingredients and lunch boxes neatly arranged, and several pudding cups on the bottom shelf.
“Looks like… the whole place has been tidied up.”
Lu Yuan sighed. Headquarters really doesn’t care much about employee privacy…
Uh, privacy?
Suddenly realizing something, Lu Yuan felt like she’d been struck by lightning and hurried to her room, practically crawling.
“It’s over, it’s over, it’s over…”
She slammed on the brakes and leaned against the bed, peeking under it sharply.
Scattered there were a few stacks of manga.
…My precious collection is still here, thank goodness.
Lu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. Though she’d lost her ‘manhood,’ this ‘lifeline’ remained, so she could accept it.
It had been a busy few days; the flight hadn’t even taken off yet.
She pulled out a few of her favorite old manga volumes, nostalgically flipping through them.
…Well, not really nostalgia, she just wanted to read.
“Hmm…”
Even if she couldn’t take flight anymore, she could still mine.
Lu Yuan sat cross-legged on the bed, manga open before her.
Gulp… she swallowed, hugged a pillow with her left hand, bit it lightly with her mouth, and slowly let her right hand wander down.
***
After a strange tremble, Lu Yuan sighed, releasing the pillow and shoving the manga back under the bed.
Mining as a girl felt strange. Instinctively, she felt she should do it less, or else she might truly become a girl at heart.
Time for a shower.
As she walked toward the bathroom, she noticed the bathtub already filled with hot water, petals floating on the surface.
On the nearby shelf, various feminine toiletries were neatly arranged, even skincare products laid out in order of use.
How thoughtful.
She stripped, and the moment the warm water lapped over her shoulders, she suddenly remembered Su Li peeking at her while she changed. This bathwater had been prepared in advance…
Su Li wouldn’t have been spying on me here, would she?!
“Ugh…” Lu Yuan sank slowly into the water.
Thinking about the possibility that Su Li might have seen everything was embarrassing.
She buried her face in the water as bubbles rose to the surface.
She told herself not to worry. Besides, Su Li probably wouldn’t do that, and if she wanted to spy, Lu Yuan couldn’t do anything about it with her abilities.
Besides, this is a normal biological reaction! Nope, I’m not at fault!
Enough thinking, time to shower.
***
To be honest, when Lu Yuan lived alone before, she rarely wore clothes at home, just a pair of shorts.
But now, it felt strange not to wear anything.
Still, standing before the wardrobe, she hesitated.
All the clothes had been replaced with female attire, even underwear was prepared.
Blushing, she picked out the most conservative sleepwear.
“This is way too short!”
The nightgown’s hem barely reached mid-thigh, posing a risk of exposure with any movement.
Lu Yuan struggled with the decision, then gave up and flopped onto the bed.
On the bedside table lay an envelope containing a brand-new Magical Girl Certificate and a bank card. On the back of the card was written:
【First month’s salary has been deposited. The password is your birthday.】
Clearly Su Li’s doing. Does she even know my birthday? Ugh, no privacy even as a Magical Girl.
Lu Yuan stared at the card for a long time, then buried her face in the pillow.
“But… this compensation is too good…”
Ding dong.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
“Who is it?”
Panicking, Lu Yuan grabbed a jacket and threw it over her nightgown. She tiptoed to the door.
Besides Su Li and the Logistics Department, no one should know where she lived. Who could it be?
Through the peephole, she saw Lin Wan standing outside, having already changed out of her combat suit, now in a pale blue dress, holding a paper bag.
Lin Wan? Why would she come looking for me?
Lu Yuan opened the door.
“Lin Wan…?”
She seemed unaware of how inappropriate her appearance was — her hair still dripping wet, the too-short nightgown revealing her pale thighs.
Lin Wan’s eyes widened slightly, cheeks flushing.
“I… I’m here to deliver this.” She handed over the paper bag. “Headquarters prepared some daily necessities for you.”
Inside were several sets of well-fitting casual clothes, and… a full set of underwear.
“Thanks for going out of your way to bring this…” Lu Yuan covered her face.
“Huh? Not a special trip,” Lin Wan explained. “I just moved in next door to you.”
“Next door?”