Chapter 49: Forgive

The early morning sunlight slowly rose.

Luo Tianyou opened her eyes groggily and found herself lying on top of Luo Tianyi.

Her face was buried in that full, soft chest, nearly making it hard to breathe.

“Ugh, Mother, you’re holding me too tight…”

She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Luo Tianyi lay peacefully on the sofa with her eyes closed, the holy light still dutifully censoring her.

Honestly, Luo Tianyou still hadn’t figured out why there was holy light.

Of course, she could make it vanish, but she decided against it.

After last night’s experiment, Luo Tianyou had basically mastered how to use the second body — consciousness could switch freely, and Luo Tianyi could exist independently.

However, if her consciousness wasn’t inside or if she didn’t give commands, the body would enter a standby mode.

She got dressed and walked out of the room.

“Good morning.”

Li Huayu had already finished washing up and had changed into a simple T-shirt and long pants, her hair tied in a ponytail.

“Morning, Huayu,” Luo Tianyou yawned.

“Tianyou, I’m ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“To turn myself in at the Management Bureau. I want to go today.”

“Alright, I’ll go with you.”

The two of them ate breakfast, and Luo Tianyou pulled Luo Tianyi back into her body.

Before leaving, Luo Tianyou thought for a moment and sent a message to Lin Weiwei:

[Sister Weiwei, I’m taking Huayu to the Bureau to register some things. I might need assistance.]

The reply came almost instantly:

[I’m at the Bureau. I’ll arrange for someone to receive you.]

Aiya Community was only a 10-minute walk from the Management Bureau building.

On the morning streets, people came and went, office workers walked briskly, and students played with their backpacks.

The city had fully returned to its normal operations.

The two entered the Management Bureau building.

In the hall, people bustled about.

Uniformed staff members hurried by carrying files, and electronic screens scrolled with the city’s safety index.

This was a KPI that every city was evaluated on, calculated through a formula involving the number of unnatural deaths, Magical Girl quality, and monster frequency.

Lin Weiwei was already waiting at the elevator.

“Miss Tianyou, this way.”

She waved and led them into a private elevator.

“I’ve already spoken with my colleagues in the Public Security Division. Miss Huayu’s case is special, so they’ll go easy on her. The focus is on her voluntary surrender and her willingness to pay compensation.”

Li Huayu looked gratefully at Lin Weiwei.

“Thank you, Sister Weiwei.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Lin Weiwei smiled.

“It’s brave of you to make this decision.”

In reality, after Qingluan and Hongying handled the matter, the Bureau had already given Li Huayu a verbal warning per the two girls’ agreement.

This was also because of Moonlight Glass, as neither dared to do anything more.

For Lin Weiwei, this was just going through the motions again, and it wouldn’t leave a mark on Li Huayu’s new record.

The elevator stopped on the third floor.

the moment the doors opened, Luo Tianyou froze.

In the hallway, a familiar figure stood with her back to them, her long blonde hair in a high ponytail as she talked to Zhou Zheng.

It was Moonlight Glass.

Moonlight Glass seemed to sense something and turned around.

Her golden pupils met Luo Tianyou’s violet eyes.

“Luo Tianyou.”

Luo Tianyou frowned. “What are you doing here? I’m warning you, don’t even think about — “

“I’m sorry!”

Moonlight Glass suddenly shouted, interrupting her so loudly that several other staff members in the hallway turned to look.

“I was wrong! Really wrong!”

Luo Tianyou was stunned.

What kind of development was this? Again?

“I shouldn’t have forced you, shouldn’t have teased you, and shouldn’t have treated you like an object. I shouldn’t have… in the hotel… I shouldn’t have hurt you. Flora’s promise is Flora’s business. I shouldn’t have vented my resentment for her onto you.”

Moonlight Glass’s golden eyelashes trembled slightly.

“I’m a jerk.”

Luo Tianyou was completely lost.

She had imagined countless scenarios of meeting Moonlight Glass again, and she didn’t think Moonlight Glass would be willing to give up, but she never imagined an apology like this.

During the last apology, Moonlight Glass hadn’t recovered and looked like a child, so Luo Tianyou hadn’t taken it seriously at all, thinking the other party was just acting.

“You…”

Luo Tianyou opened her mouth, but she didn’t know what to say.

‘She didn’t reject me immediately!’

Moonlight Glass felt encouraged and leaned in a bit closer.

Now, the distance between them was so small they could feel each other’s breath.

“I’m here to act spoiled.”

Luo Tianyou: “…Huh?”

The S-rank Magical Girl Moonlight Glass, standing over 170 centimeters tall with a mature, slender figure and once incredibly arrogant, suddenly squatted down.

It wasn’t a normal squat, but the kind a child does when being stubborn — arms hugging her knees, huddled into a ball.

She looked up, her golden eyes watery as she looked at Luo Tianyou, her lips pouting slightly.

“I was wrong…”

The sound was drawn out with a rising tone, clearly the sound of a girl acting cute.

The hallway fell dead silent.

The documents in Zhou Zheng’s hands hit the floor with a clatter.

He scrambled to pick them up, looking like he didn’t even know where he was.

He stared at the ceiling, shielded his eyes, and ducked into a nearby office.

Lin Weiwei covered her mouth and turned to look out the window.

She couldn’t leave, as Li Huayu’s case still needed to be handled.

Li Huayu just stared blankly, scratching her head.

Luo Tianyou fell into deep thought.

“Please don’t be mad anymore, okay?” Moonlight Glass continued, her voice soft and sweet. “I promise not to force you anymore, not to be mean to you, and not to bite you whenever I want.”

Bite…

Luo Tianyou couldn’t take it.

“Get up! People are watching!”

Moonlight Glass hugged her knees tight, determined to be stubborn to the end.

“I’m not getting up until you forgive me.”

“Get up first, we’ll talk…”

“No.”

Moonlight Glass shook her head, her long blonde hair swaying.

“My apology last time didn’t work. I’m going to stick it out this time.”

As she spoke, she actually shuffled on the floor to find a more comfortable position to squat in, looking like she was prepared for a long haul.

People from other departments were already peeking out into the hallway to see what was happening.

Luo Tianyou felt her face get hot enough to fry an egg.

She wasn’t the type who enjoyed seeing others embarrassed.

Whenever she saw a character in a TV show hit a cringeworthy moment, she couldn’t help but change the channel.

“Moonlight Glass, you’re an S-rank Magical Girl. What does this look like?”

“What’s the point of being S-rank? I just want to apologize and have you forgive me.”

“You…”

Luo Tianyou was speechless and didn’t know what to do.

Hit her?

Scold her?

Walk away?

But with Moonlight Glass like this, if she really just turned and left, would this person really squat here all day?

Just thinking about that image made Luo Tianyou’s toes curl.

She looked at Lin Weiwei.

Lin Weiwei immediately looked away, staring at the ceiling and using the documents in her hand to hide her face.

‘Miss, I can’t afford to offend either of you.’

“Tianyou…”

Moonlight Glass nudged Luo Tianyou’s calf, her voice as soft as cotton candy.

“I really know I was wrong. You can make me do anything, just don’t ignore me…”

A layer of tears pooled in her golden eyes.

She wasn’t faking; she was actually panicking.

“I can feel where you are every day, but it hurts when you won’t see me.”

Looking at Moonlight Glass huddling on the floor and looking up at her, Luo Tianyou suddenly realized there was a real emotion in those golden eyes — the panic of losing something.

It was just like when she used to fear her mother abandoning her.

Even though her mother would never do such a thing, she had been too small then and always worried, wanting to cling to her mother’s side every day.

Something in Luo Tianyou’s heart softened.

But she immediately became alert again.

‘No, I can’t be soft-hearted. This dog is best at faking and plotting. This must be a new strategy, the Self-Inflicted Wound Stratagem from the Thirty-Six Stratagems!’

“Get up first. We’ll find a place to talk.”

“You forgive me?” Moonlight Glass’s eyes lit up.

“…We’re just talking.”

“Then I’ll stay down here. You might leave after we talk. I’m waiting for your forgiveness.”

Luo Tianyou stomped her foot in frustration.

“What do you even want!”

“I want you to forgive me.”

Moonlight Glass looked up.

“Then we can start over. Not as master and servant, or controller and controlled… just… just normal…”

She stammered, unable to find the right word.

Luo Tianyou watched her rare clumsiness, and her defenses crumbled a bit more.

‘Since when did this dog become so stupid?’

The elevator doors opened again.

Xiaoyuan walked out carrying a file folder.

She stopped at the sight of the hallway.

Her gaze shifted between the squatting Moonlight Glass and the blushing Luo Tianyou.

Then, she smiled.

“Ara, are we playing some kind of game?”

“Sister Xiaoyuan!”

Luo Tianyou felt like she had seen a savior.

“Make her get up!”

Xiaoyuan walked over to Moonlight Glass, squatted down, and gently patted her head.

“Little Glass, why don’t you get up first?”

Moonlight Glass shook her head.

“No, not unless Tianyou forgives me.”

Xiaoyuan sighed and looked at Luo Tianyou.

“Little Tianyou, look at her. Why not give her a chance?”

“Sister Xiaoyuan, you too?”

Luo Tianyou asked in disbelief.

“I think admitting a mistake is a good thing. Besides, your mana is already linked together; that’s an unchangeable fact. Instead of running, why not find a new way to get along?”

She leaned in and whispered in Luo Tianyou’s ear: “Besides, don’t you think she’s quite cute like this?”

Luo Tianyou: “…”

Cute?

Looking at Moonlight Glass huddling there and looking up expectantly…

‘Maybe, just a little…’

“Just a tiny bit,”

Luo Tianyou muttered.

“What?”

Moonlight Glass didn’t hear her.

Luo Tianyou took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she looked at Moonlight Glass and said each word clearly:

“I can give you a chance.”

Moonlight Glass immediately looked excited.

“But!” Luo Tianyou quickly added, “On conditions!”

“Tell me! I’ll agree to any condition!”

“First, you aren’t allowed to force me to do anything ever again.”

“Okay!”

“Second, no teasing me or plotting against me.”

“Okay!”

“Third, I must have absolute autonomy. I’ll see you when I want to, and if I don’t, you can’t force yourself on me.”

“…Okay.”

“Fourth, regarding the transformation issue, we’ll find a way to solve it together, but you can’t use it as an excuse to take advantage of me.”

“Okay…”

“Fifth. You must truly learn to respect me. Not just saying it, but from the bottom of your heart.”

Moonlight Glass was silent for a few seconds.

Then, she slowly stood up.

Her tall stature was prominent again, standing half a head taller than Luo Tianyou.

She looked down seriously, her golden eyes locked onto Luo Tianyou’s.

“I promise. I agree to all the conditions.”

Luo Tianyou looked at her. “…Then that’s that.”

Moonlight Glass’s eyes crinkled in a purely happy smile that Luo Tianyou had never seen before.

“So, you forgive me?”

“Temporarily. We’ll see how you behave.”

Luo Tianyou looked away.

“I’ll be on my best behavior!”

Moonlight Glass said immediately.

Then, as if remembering something, she pulled a delicate little box from her coat pocket.

“Oh, this is for you.”

“What is it?”

“Strawberry cake. I went to several shops this morning to find this specific sweet and sour flavor.”

Moonlight Glass opened the box to reveal a small, exquisite Strawberry Mousse Cake.

Luo Tianyou looked at the cake and then at the expectant look in Moonlight Glass’s eyes.

The last of her anger suddenly vanished.

It wasn’t easy to stay mad at delicious food.

“…Thanks.”

She took the cake.

Moonlight Glass’s smile grew even brighter.

Xiaoyuan watched from the side, nodding with satisfaction.

Li Huayu smiled as well, happy as long as Tianyou was.

“Alright, alright, stop standing in the hallway. You all have business here, right?”

Xiaoyuan clapped her hands.

“Lin Weiwei, set up a meeting room. I have some things to discuss with Little Tianyou as well.”

“Understood.”

Lin Weiwei led the way.

Moonlight Glass walked in the back, watching Luo Tianyou’s figure.

Her heart was racing with a mysterious excitement.

She had succeeded.

Luo Tianyou had forgiven her.

Even she found it hard to believe.

Moonlight Glass lightly covered her face.

Her cheeks felt hot.

She thought back to the last page of Flora’s Notebook.

[Remember, an apology isn’t a means, nor is it an end. A real apology isn’t a one-time performance; it is persistent change.]

[My Little Tianyou has a soft heart, but she will be very wary once she’s been hurt.]

[So, be patient, be sincere, and let her see your change.]

[Finally — ]

[If none of these work, you’ll have to use your ultimate move: lie in front of Luo Tianyou severely wounded, baring your heart and soul, and cry to her, ‘I can’t live without you,’ and then die immediately. This move is definitely effective on Little Tianyou because she can’t stand it when people cry for her.]