Luodie didn’t quite understand why she had awakened as a Magic Girl. This unexpected blessing felt like a turning point in her fate—at least, that’s what she believed at the time.
That night, Luodie curled up alone under her blanket, the faint glow from her phone screen illuminating her face.
On the screen was a video of Eternal Star being interviewed after a battle.
“The most important thing? Definitely my teammates. Without their support, I definitely wouldn’t have made it this far. I might have even been eaten by monsters already.”
“You could say they changed my destiny, after all… a Magical Girl Team is a community bound by fate.”
The girl on screen had bright eyes and a radiant smile, warm and cheerful. Luodie’s vision blurred, and gradually, only four words echoed in her ears.
Change fate… huh.
That night, Luodie made a decision. She packed her pitifully small amount of luggage and left without saying goodbye to the “friends” she had been sneaking around with for years.
Not long after, a newly minted Magic Girl appeared in the neighboring city. Although her magical power level wasn’t high, her battle experience was rich.
After all, Luodie wasn’t a newcomer who had just learned to use magic. Fighting monsters was something she was quite familiar with.
Though her name started to spread a little, Luodie didn’t indulge in the feeling of being admired.
What mattered more to her was being able to do something to help others—that gave her the sense that she was on the right path.
When she was a freak, of course, she could fight monsters, but no one ever thanked her afterward.
Even when she lent a hand, most people kept their distance, wary of the freak. Being thanked by others was a new and strange experience for Luodie.
Soon enough, Luodie got what she wanted—after a monster fight, she met a group of new friends who were also Magic Girls.
That day, she had just finished dealing with a few low-level ordinary monsters when several Magic Girls descended from the sky.
“Wow, looks like we’re a bit late…”
The leader was dressed entirely in pink, with twin pink ponytails and a magic wand adorned with hearts. Her look perfectly fit the stereotypical image of a Magic Girl.
“You defeated all these monsters by yourself?” the girl’s eyes sparkled as she looked Luodie over, “Not only are you powerful, but you’re really cute too!”
“I see you’re a lone Magic Girl. Want to join our squad? Come on, think about it—we’re just missing one adorable girl like you~”
By this time, Magic Girls had mostly adopted the concept of team combat.
First, because you couldn’t guarantee every monster you encountered was weaker than you.
Sometimes, the power gap could be fatal, so teaming up was safer.
Second, people had noticed that Magic Girls had different strengths—some were suited for front-line combat, others better off staying back to provide buffs—so cooperation was the optimal strategy.
At that moment, Luodie idolized Eternal Star completely. Of course, she wanted to team up with other Magic Girls. But this invitation came so fast and enthusiastically that she didn’t quite know how to respond.
“Looking closer, you really are cute, and your style is unique… by the way, do you know Eternal Star?”
“I do,” Luodie finally found a question she could handle, “I’m sort of… her fan.”
“That’s great!” The girl grasped Luodie’s wrists with both hands. “Join our squad, okay? Oh, I haven’t introduced myself—I’m Pink Sweetheart. And you?”
“My name is… Luodie.”
At that time, Luodie hadn’t thought about what kind of title she should take. She just clumsily returned the handshake and agreed to the proposal.
Luodie admitted she was quite excited inside. But when she followed them back to their base and transformed back to her true form, the others’ expressions turned strange.
“Luodie, so you’re actually…”
Luodie stiffened. Since her awakening, she hardly ever showed her true self to outsiders. She hadn’t experienced this kind of wary gaze in a long time.
“Yes, I’m a born freak.”
The faces of the other Magic Girls morphed into a mix of emotions. The atmosphere started to get awkward, so Pink Sweetheart quickly jumped in to smooth things over.
“It’s okay, as long as you’re a Magic Girl, that’s what matters, right?”
Luodie didn’t suspect anything from this ambiguous statement. Pink Sweetheart speaking up made her feel a little warmth in her heart.
From then on, Luodie officially joined Pink Sweetheart’s squad, acting alongside them in battles against monsters.
But as time went on, she felt her teammates were hiding something from her.
Moreover, they didn’t seem interested in enhancing their strength. This was different from what Luodie had initially imagined.
She had thought the Magical Girl Team was a place where members boosted each other and relied on one another in battle… just like Eternal Star had said.
Until one night, when Luodie woke up and found the living room light still on. Through the slightly open door, she overheard several Magic Girls arguing.
“Are we really going to replace her? Luodie’s pretty good, both in skill and looks.”
Luodie wanted to step forward and ask what was going on but froze in place. Peering through the door crack, she saw Pink Sweetheart click her tongue in dissatisfaction.
“We have to replace her. Haven’t you noticed after spending time with her? Luodie’s too stubborn. I don’t like her. Sure, she’s good-looking… but she’s a freak.”
“Our goal is to become a famous Magical Girl Team like Eternal Star’s squad. It’s like being an idol—no blemishes allowed. You get it?”
Another Magic Girl suggested, “What if she just hides her identity? Like Eternal Star—no one knows her real identity, and she’s still super popular.”
“Forget it. Who can keep their identity secret forever? Take Bailing Songstress Muxingge—she hid her real identity like Eternal Star at first, but it wasn’t long before people found out she was an underground idol. She had no choice but to reveal herself eventually.”
“This kind of risky business is best avoided. And have you ever seen a top Magic Girl Team with a freak on it? If this leaks, it’ll drag us all down!”
Pink Sweetheart’s demeanor was worlds apart from the version Luodie usually saw.
That night, Luodie understood two things—becoming a Magic Girl wasn’t always about protecting others.
Some people just wanted to use the Magic Girl identity to make money or gain fame.
No matter how much she became a Magic Girl, she couldn’t change how others saw her.
“A freak, huh…” Pink Sweetheart’s words stuck in Luodie’s heart like a thorn.
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