“Lulu! I’ve become a magical girl too! Let’s work hard together from now on!”
The homeroom teacher on the podium was just about to pick up a pen and write the new student’s name when the new student’s “confession” to Tang Xiaolu echoed through the entire classroom.
The teacher froze.
Tang Xiaolu froze.
The surrounding classmates who witnessed the scene froze too.
“……”
For a moment, the large classroom fell silent, leaving only the sound of the summer wind rustling the curtains through the window—whoosh, whoosh.
Only the girl with twin braids and round-framed glasses remained unfazed, still bent over, holding Tang Xiaolu’s hands, her eyes full of admiration for her “senior magical girl.”
“Ah…”
After a few seconds, Tang Xiaolu snapped out of it, her face full of embarrassment.
“This… um… that…”
“Huang Quan!”
The homeroom teacher couldn’t stand it anymore.
“You haven’t even introduced yourself yet! Come up here first!”
“O-okay, I’m sorry, Teacher.”
Called by the teacher, the girl named “Huang Quan” trotted back, pat-pat-pat, and stood obediently next to the blackboard, waving at Tang Xiaolu.
What… is going on here?
I shot Tang Xiaolu a look that said, “Are you hiding something from me?”
“You’ve got it wrong, babe!”
Tang Xiaolu clearly had no clue either.
“I really don’t know her… The only magical girls I’ve ever met since I was little are Xiao Xin, Jia Jia, and that one long-haired senior magical girl. But she’s definitely not that senior—I’m sure.”
I lowered my voice.
“Then could she be the magical girl we ran into last night at the Xingjianyuan Residential Area?”
“I don’t know.”
Tang Xiaolu shook her head.
“Honestly, I can’t remember what that magical girl from last night looked like, what she wore, or even what her voice sounded like.”
“Huh?”
Thanks to Tang Xiaolu’s reminder, I realized something was off.
We seemed… to genuinely not remember that magical girl’s appearance or voice from last night.
Out of habit, both Tang Xiaolu and I had assumed the new transfer student would most likely be that magical girl who suddenly appeared last night and warned, “This city will soon welcome the most powerful witch, Koutili.”
But we hadn’t carefully considered just how far an ability like “interference with existence” could go.
Even face-to-face, neither Tang Xiaolu nor I could recall what that magical girl looked like, what she wore, or even the sound of her voice.
In other words, even if the transfer student “Huang Quan” on stage right now really was the magical girl we met last night, there would be no way to prove it if she didn’t want to reveal herself.
Of course, I personally lean toward her having nothing to do with that magical girl.
Because their personalities… are completely different.
Last night’s magical girl came straight up to Tang Xiaolu and said expressionlessly, “Huang Yao, Tang Xiaolu will kill you,” while the girl on stage looked thrilled to be in the same class as Tang Xiaolu—so happy that she risked exposing her magical girl identity just to confess to Tang Xiaolu right away.
Could they be the same person?
If I remember correctly, Tang Xiaolu once said that magic girls can be in competition with each other—there are only so many witches in the city, and if two magical girls suddenly appear hunting the same witch, they might end up fighting.
Unless they’re sure the other’s personality is compatible, magical girls—including Tang Xiaolu—keep their identities hidden to avoid unnecessary conflict.
The new student revealing herself as a magical girl right off the bat means she already considers Tang Xiaolu an “ally.”
But then a new problem arises.
Tang Xiaolu says she doesn’t know Huang Quan, so how does Huang Quan know Tang Xiaolu?
Also, Huang Quan should know that “a magical girl’s identity must be kept secret.”
By openly announcing both her own and Tang Xiaolu’s identities in the classroom, isn’t she afraid of being targeted by other magical girls?
Even if she doesn’t care about herself, shouldn’t she care about her “Lulu”?
Or… is this “magical girl Huang Quan” the type who’s a bit airheaded, or maybe she really doesn’t know that magical girls fight each other, thinking it’s fine to reveal their identities?
Thinking this, I subconsciously cast a curious glance at the new student on the podium.
Her hair wasn’t long—the two braids reached just down to her chest.
Her skirt seemed to have been altered by hand, slightly longer than the standard female uniform of Heijiang No.3 Middle School, and combined with her round glasses, she gave off a “good girl” impression.
“The new student used to live in Shangjing City, next to Heijiang. She might have some different habits or ways of speaking, so don’t bully her.”
After writing “Huang Quan” on the blackboard, the homeroom teacher gestured for the girl to begin.
“Just a simple self-introduction, within three minutes.”
“Okay!”
The girl stepped onto the podium, her eyes fixed on Tang Xiaolu the whole time.
“Hello everyone, I… my name is Huang Quan. I transferred from… from Thirty-sixth Middle School in Shangjing City next door.”
“And I… I’m 15 years old, my birthday is December 23rd. My hobbies are drawing and handicrafts. If anyone else likes drawing and handicrafts, feel free to exchange ideas with me anytime!”
After saying that, the girl Huang Quan seemed to pause, took one last look at Tang Xiaolu, and then turned her head uncertainly toward the homeroom teacher.
“That’s it?”
The teacher said jokingly, “You haven’t explained what that ‘magical girl’ thing was all about. Is it cosplay or something? Do you know Tang Xiaolu?”
“Ah, the magical girl is…”
Huang Quan scratched her head.
“It’s just one of my personas.”
“You girls, always putting your minds on things other than studying.”
Obviously, the teacher didn’t believe her, and teased, “Always thinking about magical girls, Pretty Cure warriors, or something like the heroes of the Divine Tree, right?”
“Hahaha…”
The teacher’s words sparked laughter from the students.
“And you boys, don’t laugh either.”
The teacher tapped the podium.
“I know some of you are either hiding a transformation device to turn into Ultraman and borrow power, or you’re carrying that Kamen Rider belt everywhere, and whenever you have free time, you run out into the street shouting ‘What’s going on? What’s going on?’ and then put the belt on to show off—right?”
“Hahaha…”
The students laughed even harder.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough for the introduction. Huang Quan, go sit in the last seat of the fourth row. We’ll rearrange seats during this Friday’s homeroom.”
The teacher pointed to the two empty seats in the back.
“Okay.”
The transfer student Huang Quan nodded and stepped down from the podium.
Whether intentionally or not, she deliberately walked past Tang Xiaolu and gave her a playful wink.
“Lulu…”
“Can we have dinner together after school? Just the two of us!”