"Mr. Fang Ming, please have a seat."
At the Spring City Investigation Department headquarters, in the reception room, He Xuan personally poured Fang Ming a cup of tea before sitting across from him.
Fang Ming looked at He Xuan seated opposite him and could not help asking:
"Director He, did you call me here because there's something you wanted to ask?"
"Yes, I think you've probably guessed already."
He Xuan pointed toward the Sky Screen outside.
Fang Ming pretended to think before realizing. "You want to ask me about what happened at the swimming pool that day?"
"Yes. I've already asked Xiao Chun. She doesn't remember much from that day, and she doesn't remember how she fell asleep, so I wanted to ask Mr. Fang Ming."
"Then you've asked the wrong person, Director He." Fang Ming said helplessly, "Just like what was shown on the Sky Screen, Xiao Chun hazily put me to sleep with magic. By the time I woke up... the three of them had already finished packing and were waiting for me to wake up."
At this point, Fang Ming even smiled. "I was especially embarrassed at the time. I'd just said we should pack up and get ready to head back, but then I ended up snoring away in the chair... I even thought I was so tired because I'd stayed up late playing games."
Fang Ming said it half-jokingly.
He Xuan gave Fang Ming a long, deep look, as if observing something.
In the end, she did not pursue that question any further and instead asked:
"Then do you think Xiao Chun falling asleep midway had anything to do with the Demons?"
"You're asking me?"
Fang Ming pointed at himself, his face full of astonishment.
He Xuan was also taken aback, then smiled helplessly. "...Sorry, that was a stupid question. Please don't mind it, Mr. Fang Ming."
"It's nothing. I'm also curious why Xiao Chun fell asleep that day. What did she herself say? I mean, what did it feel like at the time?"
"She said she didn't remember anything either. As for how it felt... she couldn't describe that, either."
He Xuan sighed.
Anyone with even a little rationality could tell that there was definitely something wrong with Xiao Chun's slumber in the final scene of Episode Seven shown on the Sky Screen.
After all, Xiao Chun had always been steady and dependable. She kept her promises and would never do something like sleeping soundly while her companions were fighting Demons.
If it had been Chen Xiaoxia, people might have thought Xiaoxia was simply carefree.
But if it was Xiao Chun, even passersby who knew little about the anime Magical Girl Xiao Qiu could understand, as long as they had occasionally watched the Sky Screen, that Xiao Chun would never do such a thing.
After all, Xiao Chun had become a Magical Girl for Xiao Qiu and Xiaoxia. She had no reason not to support them.
So why Xiao Chun had fallen into a deep sleep that day became a very important matter.
Yet so far, even after questioning the person involved, they had no clue what had happened that day.
More than two months had passed since then. Xiao Chun and the others themselves had not paid much attention to the matter, so when asked about it again now, they truly could not explain anything.
After confirming that Fang Ming truly knew nothing about it, He Xuan chatted with him for a bit longer before dropping the subject.
She suddenly asked Fang Ming:
"By the way, Mr. Fang Ming, there's something else I'd like to ask. If the Sky Screen had never appeared, where would you have gone after Xiao Qiu and the others' summer vacation ended?"
"Why ask that all of a sudden?" Fang Ming asked in confusion.
He Xuan said, "Do you remember the Toy Bear that appeared last time?"
"I remember. It was mentioned on the news."
"According to our analysis, if this entire world... has become a projection, something similar to an 'anime,' then the Toy Bear likely involves the plot of the second season."
As He Xuan spoke, she turned to look at the Sky Screen and said slowly, "...At present, we still don't know what Xiao Qiu and the others will face in the second season. But because of the Sky Screen, we can be certain that the real-world 'second season' plot has already become completely unrecognizable compared to the original.
"Even so, if we can follow the broad development of the second season's plot, we can still infer some things.
"And Mr. Fang Ming, you count as a major supporting character in the first season. There is a high chance that you will appear in the second season, and it is even possible that some events will revolve around you. So... we wanted to know your thoughts in order to determine what to do next."
He Xuan spoke to Fang Ming in a grave and earnest tone.
And it had to be said that He Xuan's deduction was quite similar to Fang Ming's own.
Putting aside what the Sky Screen actually was, based purely on what it had shown, there was a high chance that Fang Ming, this major supporting character, would appear in the second season.
In the first season, beginning with Episode Four, Fang Ming had provided Xiao Qiu and the others with a temporary place to stay and acted as their temporary guardian. The chance of him vanishing completely in the second season was low.
At the very least, he would probably make a cameo for an episode or two.
Since he would appear, there would likely be certain special events centered around Fang Ming.
The Investigation Department's plan was to first determine Fang Ming's personal intentions before the Sky Screen appeared and deduce his movements during the second season if the Sky Screen had never appeared.
That way, they could imitate the course of the second season as closely as possible and prevent this world's fate from straying too far from its original track.
Before they knew what would happen if fate was altered, acting according to the original trajectory might be passive, but at least it would not lead them astray.
After hearing He Xuan's explanation, Fang Ming understood her thinking.
He pondered briefly and said:
"If nothing unexpected happened... I probably would have gone to Spring City."
"Hm? Why?"
"One reason was Uncle Yu's invitation. He and Aunt Zhang had always wanted me to live in Spring City, saying it would make it easier for them to look after me. The other reason was..."
Fang Ming thought for a moment, then said seriously to He Xuan, "I had actually noticed that there was something off about Xiao Qiu and the others. I couldn't say exactly what was wrong, so... I also wanted to observe them from up close."
"...I see."
He Xuan understood and did not doubt Fang Ming's explanation.
Xiao Qiu and the others' usual Disguise was actually quite clumsy.
If someone already knew they were Magical Girls, then from an outsider's perspective, all their performances and Disguise were practically child's play.
Even without knowing they were Magical Girls, one could guess that they shared some sort of secret, and that this secret could not be told to anyone outside their group.
And during the summer vacation, Fang Ming had spent time with Xiao Qiu and the others. Over time, even if he knew nothing about Magical Girls, he would definitely have found them strange.
Whether as their cousin or as their temporary guardian, it was perfectly reasonable for Fang Ming to worry about Xiao Qiu and go to Spring City to watch over and care for them from nearby.
"Since that's the case, how about you settle down in Spring City, Mr. Fang?"
After confirming Fang Ming's actions in the second season, He Xuan made the suggestion.
Fang Ming considered it, then nodded. "Sure. I'm a freelancer anyway. I can go wherever I want."
"Thank you for your cooperation. The Federation will provide your residence in Spring City. You only need to carry on with your original plans and do what you were going to do."
"Alright."
That concluded Fang Ming and He Xuan's conversation. Since He Xuan had other matters to deal with, she did not remain in the reception room.
She told Fang Ming to make himself at home before leaving the room.
Not long after He Xuan left, the reception room door was opened again.
The little heads of the three girls and Nino peeked in from the side of the door, looking into the reception room.
Then they met Fang Ming's gaze.
The moment the three girls met Fang Ming's eyes, they all shrank back.
In the end, only Nino walked into the room with her head held high, raising her chin at Fang Ming.
"What are you looking at? Never seen a talking cat before?"
"..."
Fang Ming fell silent, then said to Nino in a quiet, eerie voice:
"Ten cans."
Nino: "!"
"A bag of... probably twenty cat treats."
"!!!"
"And fish biscuits, freeze-dried meat..."
"...I'm sorry. I was too arrogant just now. Please forgive me!"
Nino dropped to her knees before Fang Ming at light speed, prostrating herself completely.
During the time Nino had stayed at Fang Ming's house, Fang Ming had prepared plenty of food cats liked for her. Although Nino was a Magical Creature, her diet was surprisingly not much different from a cat's.
Fang Ming had fed Nino plenty of delicious things during that time. It could be said that Nino was now completely at his mercy when it came to food. As soon as Fang Ming brought those things up, she could not say another word.
"Hmph, spineless!"
Chen Xiaoxia walked in right behind Nino and expressed deep contempt for Nino's instant surrender before Fang Ming.
Then she put on a radiant smile, ran over to Fang Ming, and said:
"Brother Fang Ming, long time no see~"
"Yeah, long time no see. Seeing that you're still so energetic puts my mind at ease."
Fang Ming smiled at Chen Xiaoxia as well.
Chen Xiaoxia's attitude toward Fang Ming was the complete opposite of her attitude toward Xiao Bai.
She disliked Xiao Bai, but she liked Fang Ming very much. After all, whenever Fang Ming took them out, he really did treat them to delicious food.
Ice cream cones, cakes, and all kinds of ice cream.
Fang Ming was not short on money, and in his eyes, Yu Muqiu and the others were just a group of children. Naturally, he spoiled children as much as he could.
And so, Fang Ming earned the wholehearted affection of all three girls.
Even Chen Xiaoxia, who was always ready to argue with anyone, acted like a well-behaved child in front of Fang Ming.
After Chen Xiaoxia came Yu Muqiu. She walked in somewhat awkwardly, then apologized to Fang Ming.
"...Sorry, Brother Fang Ming. That day... we didn't mean to knock you out."
"You don't need to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. If it were me, I definitely would have done the same. So..."
Fang Ming looked toward the door. "Xiao Chun, you don't need to feel so guilty either. I'm not blaming you."
Xiao Chun, who had been hesitating by the doorway, clutched the hem of her clothes and said softly:
"But... but I was the one who used the sleep magic at the time..."
"Didn't you fall asleep in the end too? By the way, do you really not remember anything from that time?"
Fang Ming naturally changed the subject and turned the tables, asking about what had happened that day first.
However, Xiao Chun and the others did not think much of it. Hearing Fang Ming ask, she pondered it again and shook her head.
"I don't remember..."
"That really is strange."
Fang Ming fell into thought. "You're a Magical Girl. How could you have fallen asleep so easily?"
"It must have been that black one!"
Chen Xiaoxia suddenly cut in and directly identified the culprit.
Fang Ming's heart skipped a beat, while Yu Muqiu looked at Chen Xiaoxia in confusion.
"That can't be right. Wasn't Xiao Bai with us then?"
"Who knows what she did before she got there! Anyway, since we can't find the culprit, we can't go wrong pinning it on her!"
Chen Xiaoxia said righteously.
Fang Ming gave Chen Xiaoxia a long, eerie look.
This little mouse hates children with sharp instincts the most... Chen Xiaoxia is terrifying. She must not be allowed to live!
Perhaps sensing Fang Ming's thoughts, Chen Xiaoxia shuddered. She turned and suspiciously looked at Yu Muqiu and the others. After meeting Yu Muqiu's gaze, she explained:
"Who else could it have been? If it was a Demon, how could Xiao Chun have been spared? And if it wasn't a Demon, then aside from that one, who else knows magic?"
"...Th-that does seem right? But there's still no evidence..." Yu Muqiu was led around by Xiaoxia and actually felt that Xiaoxia's deduction made sense.
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