Fairy Immortal

"Fairy Immortal?"

The title the other party gave sounded quite strange; the words "Fairy" and "immortal" seemed so incongruous that Lin Xiaolu was momentarily stunned. "What is that?"

"Ah, Fairy Immortal!"

Moko, standing to the side, exclaimed in surprise, "I had no idea you were Fairy Immortal!"

"You know about it?" Lin Xiaolu turned her gaze to the side.

"Have no idea."

"Then what are you yelling about?" Lin Xiaolu rolled her eyes at it.

"That name sounds impressive."

Moko looked at Lin Xiaolu with some confusion. "I've never seen a fairy from the Fairy before, isn't that something to be amazed about?"

Lin Xiaolu was speechless for a moment.

The inefficient communication between the human and the Fairy clearly failed to reach a useful conclusion, and in the end, the Fairy Doll outside the window had to explain herself, "There's no need to dwell on the specific meaning of this title; just call me that. Anyway, can you stop this endless debate and let me come in and rest for a bit?"

"You still need to explain what you do for a living, right?" Lin Xiaolu was still a little worried.

"What am I here for? Um... I'm the previous Seeder of Fangting City, and also a friend of the Fairy Nini."

The doll's round eyes stared unblinkingly. "I heard it say that Fangting City is in quite a bit of trouble right now, so I came here specifically to lend you a hand."

Lin Xiaolu looked at Moko silently.

"I don't know if Nini- senpai has any friends like that..."

Moko twitched his beard and said somewhat uncertainly, "But this guy looks a lot like a pureblood Fairy from the Garden. Maybe he really does know Nini- senpai?"

"Maybe...?"

Lin Xiaolu's gaze darted back and forth between Moko and the doll outside the window. Looking at the doll's pitiful expression, pressed against the glass with its fur drooping, she hesitated for a long time before finally sighing, "Oh well, it's just Fairy anyway, might as well let it in."

After saying that, he reached out and opened the French windows.

"Ah, I'm saved! If I had stayed exposed to the cold wind any longer, my power core would have frozen solid."

The round, Fairy Doll squeezed into the room as if granted a pardon, wiping its paws on its belly before unceremoniously jumping onto the sofa. Completely oblivious to the girls' stares, it lazily found what seemed to be its most comfortable position before slowly and deliberately speaking:

"Alright, alright, to show my gratitude for letting me in, please feel free to ask any questions you have."

"... So what exactly is this 'trouble' you were talking about?"

Struggling to swallow the words that were about to spill from her mouth, preventing those cold remarks from actually escaping, Lin Xiaolu put one hand on her hip and asked, "Why didn't I know anything about this?"

"It's simple, because your predecessors didn't want you to know."

The Fairy Doll said calmly, "You are all too naive. You are completely incapable of dealing with the enemies they will face. Rather than having you drag them down, it would be better if you had never known in the first place and continued to live carefree lives."

Seeing the girl's clearly defiant expression, it extended its paw, signaling her to be quiet. "Don't rush to refute me, child. You should carefully consider what level of enemy you are capable of dealing with right now."

"I can now handle even a wisp of Looper Tier Aberrant Beast all by myself."

Lin Xiaolu frowned. "Even if it's Pupa Stage... as long as certain conditions are met, it shouldn't be a hindrance..."

"That's not enough."

The doll spoke calmly, "Aberrant Beast at the Pupa Stage might be considered a relatively difficult enemy for a normal magical girl, but compared to what your seniors have been involved in, it's still not enough."

"You mean the incident at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau a few days ago involved an enemy exceeding the Pupa Stage?"

Xia Liang thoughtfully picked up where Lin Xiaolu left off, analyzing seriously, "The junior told us back then that there was a 'powerful enemy' and that we should stay away... What you're saying is true. Even if she was injured afterward, the one she was so certain was a powerful enemy must not be an ordinary one."

It's no wonder she's only now getting a glimpse of the truth, since none of them have ever seen the enemy who appeared at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau that day.

It wasn't that they didn't want to know—in fact, on the day the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau was attacked, even though Larkspur took the initiative to inform her juniors to stay away from the battlefield, the girls still resolutely chose to rush to provide support after the news reached them.

However, they were a little too late. Before they even arrived at the location, they were informed that the battle was over and the area had been cordoned off.

As if she had guessed their whereabouts, Larkspur even sent them a follow-up message urging them to hurry back to class, and the matter ended in a muddled and ambiguous manner.

In the end, they didn't even see the enemy, and with Larkspur repeatedly saying "it's nothing serious," the girls could only choose to believe Larkspur and keep their doubts to themselves.

"So, this is also an incident Aberrant Beast?"

Having grasped the enemy's strength, Xia Liang's thoughts began to wander. "Is this a follow-up to the previous Full Moon Festival incident? Or do the people of Black Ash Dawn still have some ulterior motive?"

"The Full Moon Festival, is it? Hmm... In a way, this is indeed a follow-up to the Full Moon Festival in Fangting City. As for the enemy's identity, it's not Black Ash Dawn, but comes from 'Claw Mark'."

The Fairy Doll leaned against the armrest, turning slightly to the side. "I probably don't need to explain what Claw Mark are, since it seems this isn't the first time you've encountered them."

"They're just a bunch of bad magical girls, right?"

Lin Xiaolu succinctly stated, "That guy who came to Fangting City before seemed to be hanging out with Black Ash Dawn; he's definitely not a good person."

"... You can interpret it that way if you want."

After a moment of silence, the doll continued lazily, "Anyway, the enemy this time is very strong. Even before their betrayal from the Kingdom, they were magical girls at the level of Flower Card, you could say they are the elite of the elite. So if we send you to join in the fun, the best outcome will be that you won't be of any help, and the worst outcome will be that the enemy will end up with a few more hostages."

"Flower Card."

Upon hearing this word, the girls fell silent for a moment.

"That's precisely why we need another one, that magical girl named Hong Siyu."

Ignoring their reactions, the doll continued, "Compared to your predecessors, she may be significantly weaker, but at least her combat strength is intact. Only with the two of them together can they possibly hold off this enemy."

"So, Red... Sister came back specifically to replenish our fighting strength?"

Xia Liang's expression was slightly complicated. "Is it because the young senior is currently unable to handle strong enemies on her own, that's why she needs to transform back into a magical girl?"

"That's exactly right."

The doll nodded. "That's the whole story. It wasn't that your predecessors intentionally deceived you, but rather that you're not yet capable of standing on your own and can't shoulder the responsibility. We need to bring in new fighting power. Directly telling you this would dampen your enthusiasm, so we didn't spell it out."

"But we've only been magical girls for six months."

Even with her usually good temper, Xia Liang felt somewhat dissatisfied with the Fairy's harsh words. "In terms of effort, it's not that we haven't tried, but objectively, the improvement we've made is indeed limited to this level."

"I don't deny it."

The Fairy looked at Xia Liang: "In just half a year, you've already Blossoming the Leaf Rank... no, you're almost there, right? That's quite a speed to be proud of. A typical magical girl would still be familiarizing herself with her Magic Armament abilities."

"So, I'm not criticizing or belittling you. In fact, you could completely ignore this incident."

It spread its paws. "Your predecessors will naturally take on the responsibility of facing the enemy, and what you should do is study and train hard. With the potential you have shown, as long as you grow properly, you will surely be able to take over the baton from your predecessors in the future, instead of rushing to help now and becoming a hindrance instead."

"... But if that were really your thinking, you wouldn't have come to visit in the first place."

Xia Liang smiled and continued, "As long as you don't come, things will probably continue to develop as the young senior hopes, since we don't know the truth anyway."

"A smart girl."

The doll raised its head slightly, a glint of light flashing in its emerald eyes. "You're right, because my viewpoint contradicts hers; I don't agree with her way of handling things."

"If you want your juniors to grow up strong, it's essential to let them weather storms and face dangers. Magical girls who grow up in a greenhouse and under protection can't become a force in times of crisis."

"That's why I'm here. I'm here to shatter her stubborn beliefs and to tell you the truth!"

As it spoke, it reached out and groped its belly for a while, then suddenly dipped its paw into a furry area and slowly pulled out several posters that were larger than itself:

"Look! Take a look at this!"

The girls exchanged glances, and finally Lin Xiaolu reached out first, taking the poster that was offered to her, and unfolding it with a slight hesitation:

"The Magical Girl Kingdom Certification Exam Intensive Training Program boasts a strong faculty, professional guidance, high-end equipment, and Spell Formula, providing a pathway to success for every aspiring magical girl who wants to quickly improve her abilities..."

Are you still troubled by your lack of strength, unable to defeat your enemies? Are you still anxious about your insufficient knowledge, making it difficult to pass the Kingdom's written exams? Register now, first come, first served, plus special benefits! Call the contact number to speak with the Fairy Immortal, and your future will be in your own hands.

"Contact phone number... Contact address..."

With some difficulty, Lin Xiaolu managed to make out the crooked, illegible text on the poster. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, and after a long while, she looked up blankly.

"So?"

"Therefore, I have a way to help you take your skills to the next level! Whether it's a skill you can't master on your own, a bottleneck you've been struggling to overcome, or a lack of a mature skill development plan, as long as you come to my training course, you can become stronger!"

The doll held its head high with confidence, extending its paw and shaking it slightly. "Once you come here and undergo special training, you will surely be able to display strength that will astound your predecessors. At that time, she will look at you with more respect and take the initiative to accept you to deal with powerful enemies!"

"That sounds like it makes some sense..."

Lin Xiaolu nodded subconsciously. "So, what do we need to do?"

"What are you doing? Cough cough, it's very simple, my request isn't high."

The doll's voice suddenly became muffled for some reason, and perhaps to cover it up, it coughed twice in a mocking manner.

"I don't need tuition or anything, but... I mean... do your seniors ever have any loose hairs or clothes they don't have time to change into? I just need a couple of pieces..."

"Xia Liang." Lin Xiaolu suddenly put down the poster and called out expressionlessly.

"What's wrong?"

"Do it."

"Good."

The two girls surrounded the sofa, one expressionless, the other with a strange smile. They blocked both sides of the sofa, watching the Fairy who was still talking incessantly.

"If you can't get those things, secretly collecting some saliva while she's sleeping will do. As for blood, that's too difficult to obtain, so I won't force you... Wait a minute, what are you doing? I need to emphasize that for the sake of friendly communication, we should try to avoid any unfriendly behavior that might cause misunderstandings between humans or Fairy..."

"Whoa! What are you doing! This is so rude! Stop it! Put me down right now!"

"I came with sincerity! Even if there's something unattainable, there's no need to act like this! Wait! Don't open the windows! Don't you want to become stronger...? Aaaaaah!"

As the night grew darker, the floor-to-ceiling window of the Secret Base was suddenly flung open. From the brightly lit house, a spherical object was thrown out as if it were trash, landing heavily in the grass several meters away.

Click.

Then, the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows were closed.

After closing the window, Lin Xiaolu clapped her hands as if she had caught something dirty, glanced back at the bushes not far away, then drew the curtains before sitting back down on the sofa.

However, even after driving this uninvited guest out of the Secret Base, her expression never relaxed.

"What's wrong?"

Xia Liang, who had also returned from the window, noticed Lin Xiaolu's expression and couldn't help but wonder, "Did that Fairy say something particularly annoying to you?"

"No."

Lin Xiaolu pondered for a moment and shook her head, "On the contrary, excluding the last few points, I think it makes a few very good points."

Which sentences?

"Larkspur accepted Hong Siyu and that woman back into Fangting City's team because one person wasn't enough to protect the city, and she didn't want us to bear the pressure."

Lin Xiaolu lowered her voice slightly. "In other words, there must be some entanglement we don't know about in this."

"That can't be that bad..."

Hearing her words, Xia Liang couldn't help but smile helplessly, "You're overcomplicating the relationship between the junior and Sister Hong. They're just like us; they were once teammates fighting side by side."

"No, Xia Liang, you're too naive."

Lin Xiaolu shook her head deeply. "Larkspur and my dad's relationship has been progressing very well recently, while Hong Siyu also had ulterior motives before. In other words, there is a conflict between the two of them called 'love rivals,' but now they have to fight side by side."

What she didn't mention was that on the day Larkspur introduced Hong Siyu the team, she saw Larkspur and Hong Siyu exchanging glances.

At that moment, Hong Siyu glanced at Larkspur as if showing off, while Larkspur's helpless gaze seemed to indicate that she was silently enduring it.

In other words, the woman was threatening Larkspur.

That's what Lin Xiaolu thinks.

"So, although that Fairy was spouting nonsense and trying to sow discord, there's one thing she said that I think was true."

"Which sentence?" Feeling a subtle sense of déjà vu about the situation, Xia Liang was reluctant to continue the conversation, but she had no choice but to ask anyway.

"... I need to know the truth, and sometimes I have to resort to extraordinary measures."

Lin Xiaolu suddenly stood up, clenched her fists, and shouted, "So, I'm going to follow that woman!"