“Su Mengdie, why do you look so tired today?”
Early the next morning, when Penelope dragged her aching body to school, she slumped directly onto her desk, instantly entering power-saving mode.
Seeing her like that, Jin Can’er immediately turned a suspicious gaze toward Su Mengdie.
It was hard for her not to suspect that ‘Little Die’s’ current state was the Young Miss’s doing.
“It’s nothing. I just went to a pet cafe yesterday, and now I’m like this.”
The training was a secret.
Although Su Mengdie said she trusted Jin Can’er, Penelope didn’t trust her quite as much.
“What kind of pet cafe? To think it could make you this tired… Su Mengdie didn’t go there to help walk dogs, did she?”
“If only it were just walking dogs, haha… hahaha…”
Penelope gave a few bitter, dry laughs, then seemed to suddenly remember something.
“By the way, Can’er, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Hmm? Go ahead.”
Penelope opened her mouth, but the words were swallowed back down as they reached her lips.
She turned to look at Su Mengdie.
‘Su Mengdie, how did you teach me to ask that again?’
Penelope blinked at her, asking with her eyes.
After a whole day and with her body being so exhausted, she had completely forgotten how to say it.
Seeing the two of them communicating with their eyes again, Jin Can’er acted as if she saw nothing and flipped open her book to preview today’s lessons.
While the two top students were busy with other things, she was going to secretly out-study them.
After a moment, Penelope turned back.
“Can’er, I want to know what that ‘special’ thing you mentioned the day before yesterday was.”
Jin Can’er looked as if she had long guessed Penelope would ask this question; there wasn’t a hint of fluster on her face.
“You want to know? I can tell you… but Su Mengdie, you have to come to my house alone before I’m willing to say.”
“?”
What did that mean?
Penelope looked at Su Mengdie again, but Su Mengdie shook her head, indicating she didn’t know either—or rather, she didn’t want to know.
Although she felt it was unlikely, could Jin Can’er actually be interested in her?!
“If Su Mengdie makes up her mind, I can take you back with me anytime.”
“Can’er, you aren’t actually interested in Su Mengdie, are you?”
It was unclear where Penelope got the courage, but she actually blurted out the possibility Su Mengdie had just imagined.
Not only was Su Mengdie shocked, but even Jin Can’er showed a look of surprise, to the point that she ignored the strange way Penelope had addressed her in that sentence.
“Su Mengdie, although I like you very much, as for being ‘interested’ in that way… that’s still a bit of a stretch, heehee… If Little Die is worried that I’m taking you back to do *that* kind of thing, then you can rest easy. Even if I wanted to, those little ones at my house wouldn’t agree to it.”
As Jin Can’er explained, she was originally worried about whether the other girl would be hurt.
However, what she didn’t expect was that Penelope actually showed a satisfied expression after hearing the explanation.
What on earth was she thinking?
Jin Can’er found herself unable to see through her best friend at all.
***
After half a day of classes ended, Penelope took the initiative to pull Su Mengdie by the hand and head to the pet cafe.
As soon as the two entered the door, Penelope greeted the other person enthusiastically, as if yesterday’s cowardice had never existed.
“Manager, I’m back!”
“Welcome, welcome. Did something good happen today? You’re smiling so happily.”
The Manager had seen Penelope when she left yesterday.
With that tearful face, the Manager felt like she would never come to this shop again.
Seeing her optimistic look now, the Manager silently gave a thumbs up to her courage in her heart.
“Hehe! Actually, I talked it over with Su Mengdie yesterday, and she agreed to train with me starting from today!”
Following Penelope’s explanation, the Manager’s gaze fell upon Su Mengdie.
Su Mengdie nodded and then added.
“Actually, the Young Miss’s body is a bit too weak. I was originally thinking of asking you to help me train it a bit.”
“Su Mengdie, who are you calling weak! I think your body is sensitive!”
“Young Miss… I’m telling the truth. Can you please stop making trouble!”
Sensitivity aside, just saying such things in front of an outsider was enough to make Su Mengdie annoyed.
Seeing Su Mengdie’s angry face, the Manager felt a bit awkward.
Penelope immediately realized she had misspoken and apologized for her words.
“Su Mengdie, sorry~”
Penelope inadvertently moved two steps closer, leaning down to whisper into her ear.
“But Su Mengdie’s body really is very sensitive…”
If Su Mengdie’s face wasn’t red enough before, at this moment, it was completely dyed crimson, faintly emitting white steam.
The Young Miss is truly annoying!
That’s her own body; wouldn’t she know about such things?
Why did she have to keep harping on it…
Seeing that the situation wasn’t right, the Manager coughed lightly a few times and told Penelope to go change first, drawing her away from Su Mengdie.
“Are you serious? Or are you being forced by your Young Miss?”
While Penelope was away, the Manager looked at Su Mengdie with a serious gaze, intending to personally confirm her intentions.
“Of course I’m serious! The Young Miss’s body is really too weak; even my own body isn’t a match for it.”
“To be honest, I think ninety-nine percent of magical girls’ true forms wouldn’t be a match for you… But since it’s your own wish, I’ll help you out a bit.”
“Please give me your guidance.”
Su Mengdie gave a standard maid’s bow, then seemingly felt it was inappropriate and bowed again in the style of a Young Miss, making the Manager feel slightly awkward.
“Given our relationship, do you really need to be so polite with me?”
“There’s no need with you, Manager, but it’s unavoidable in the Young Miss’s family… I’ve never done it before, so I can only practice whenever I have the chance.”
“The troubles of a Young Miss? Does Su Mengdie understand her a bit more now?”
The Manager gestured for Su Mengdie to follow.
The two talked as they walked up the narrow stairs next to the counter to the second floor.
“I wouldn’t call it understanding. I just feel that being a Young Miss isn’t as free or as good as I imagined.”
“That is a new understanding, Su Mengdie! If your mother were still here, she would definitely be proud of who you are now…”
“Manager! You talk too much…”
As soon as the Manager mentioned her mother, Su Mengdie’s expression immediately changed.
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop… You’ll definitely need a uniform, right? Are you going to transform?”
There were four rooms on the second floor: a master bedroom, a guest bedroom, a washroom, and a room specifically prepared for training magical girls.
Su Mengdie had once received her magical girl training here.
Seeing that it was still the same as before, Su Mengdie felt a slight sense of nostalgia.
“Of course. How can I test the ‘Demon King’s’ strength without transforming? Just tell the Young Miss later that I’m training upstairs and will go down to find her in a bit.”
“Fine, then enjoy yourself, Su Mengdie. The VR system is always on.”
The Manager finished speaking and left the room, closing the door behind her for Su Mengdie.
“Phew, she’s finally gone! Well then… Transform!”
As Su Mengdie recited the transformation incantation, Caroline—who was currently squatting on a chair in the monitoring room holding a bowl of instant noodles—suddenly saw a faint dot light up on the map used to detect magical girls…