Temporary Body

When Lin Yun arrived at the Emerald Research Institute by subway, she bumped into Hong Siyu getting off the treatment bed, ending her day's treatment. The Fairy Doll was also sitting by the bed, seemingly still adjusting something.

Clutching the Heart Gem in his pocket, Lin Yun briefly sensed it and discovered that Hong Siyu's magical energy fluctuations seemed somewhat different. A thought struck him, and he instinctively stepped into the research institute.

However, just before he landed, the doll beside the bed noticed the magical fluctuations from the runes at the door. It raised its head, looked at Lin Yun, and extended its paw, making a stop gesture. "Wait, don't come in yet."

Lin Yun's feet suddenly stopped in mid-air.

His slightly questioning gaze perfectly conveyed his thoughts. Noticing this gaze, Emerald didn't keep him in suspense any longer. The doll's paw curled up, and one finger pointed straight at the Heart Gem in Lin Yun's hand. "Transform first, don't come in with your true form."

Lin Yun then realized that he hadn't transformed into a magical girl yet. He took a half step back, looked around in the office building corridor to make sure no one else was watching or there were cameras, then transformed into the form of Larkspur and entered the Emerald Research Institute.

What would happen if I entered this room using my physical body?

She casually activated the runes on the door, closed the research institute door, Larkspur asked with slight confusion, "It seemed to be like this when I came before."

"It's complicated to explain, but simply put, the space of this room has been influenced and changed to some extent by the Kingdom, and is in a transitional state."

Seeing that Larkspur had completed his transformation, Emerald lowered her head again and began fiddling with the treatment bed panel in front of her. "A magical girl's magical body will have no problem entering here, but entering this space in her true form might cause some adverse reactions you don't want to see."

Larkspur glanced at Hong Siyu beside her, then walked to the treatment bed. "For example?"

"For example, if the body is overwhelmed by excessive magic, it can become a spirit creature."

The Fairy Doll revealed a shocking truth. "Or perhaps your body becomes imbued with magic, incompatible with the Material Realm, and you'll be incomplete or underweight when you venture out."

"That sounds even more serious than physically entering Kingdom." Hearing the terrifying consequences described, Larkspur couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Because Kingdom is a stable world, and the transition of Rule between worlds has a stable entry point; but this is just a temporary, small space, and its stability is much worse."

Emerald didn't seem to mind revealing the immaturity of her technique. She lazily dragged out her words, explaining, "You can also think of it as a kind of anti-theft measure. If a thief from the Material Realm tries to break in, they'll most likely Explosion on the spot as soon as they walk through the door."

"... Is this really a method a magical girl should use?"

"Didn't you say it before? I am Gem Scepter." Emerald's voice was calm and still.

A person who has completely abandoned their pride cannot be hurt by words. Clearly, the other party has completely given up on clarifying the meaning of the name "Gem Scepter" and has instead used it as a shield.

Since she had already gone this far, Larkspur naturally tactfully stopped asking questions and instead raised another one.

"Then, why did you call me through the Magic Mirror on my way here?"

As she spent more time interacting with Emerald over the years, Larkspur had come to understand Emerald's temperament better. She became more direct in her presence, unlike her previous insincere manner with Chrysoberyl Cat's Eye: "You should know how eye-catching it is to pull out a Magic Mirror in public. I wouldn't do that. Using Magic Mirror at a time like this can't just be for fun, can it?"

"An old person like me can't understand you young people's stuff. As for what you're talking about, you'll have to ask her."

After giving a half-serious, half-joking response, the doll extended a paw, gesturing towards Hong Siyu: "You can ask her to explain it to you."

Upon hearing this, the Larkspur remembered that when she first entered the room, she sensed that Hong Siyu's magical energy fluctuations were somewhat unusual.

A month has passed Hong Siyu was sent to the Kingdom for treatment after the Full Moon Festival. After this period of adjustment, True Form condition should have stabilized. If not cured, it shouldn't have worsened.

However, changes in magical fluctuations are often inseparable from the True Form the magic. The fact that the other party was taking it so seriously made her somewhat worried.

"Is something wrong?" Her first thought was that something had gone wrong with the treatment, so she asked with a frown.

"No, it's not a mishap or anything..."

Hong Siyu, still in her magical girl form, hesitated before speaking, clutching her Magic Armament notebook and turning it over and over, her eyes darting around. "There's something I need to take care of."

Larkspur glanced at her, then at the doll beside her, and asked somewhat seriously, "What is it? Is the Chief demanding an exorbitant medical fee from you?"

"Hey, I can't pretend I didn't hear that. Your question is a questioning of my character, and I feel my self-esteem has been insulted."

Emerald, standing nearby, immediately drawled out her discontent, "Even if I desperately need funding, I wouldn't stoop to bullying a junior in a place like this."

"Haha... Senior, you think too badly of the Chief."

Hong Siyu smiled somewhat helplessly, her grip on the notebook loosening slightly. "Actually, it's good news. It means... we just discussed a plan, and if it goes smoothly, I can revert to my original form."

Her words startled the Larkspur slightly.

"Can I revert back to my original form?"

After a brief pause, Larkspur immediately pressed on, "Really?"

"Well, it's a bit troublesome, but it's doable, at least for now."

Hong Siyu tilted her head. "But, what I mean is... it might not be the same as 'turning back' in the usual sense."

"I have a feeling you're about to say something that will really give me a headache."

"... As expected of a senior, indeed."

Hong Siyu her eyes lowered. "Because my original body hasn't fully recovered and is still in an unstable state, the Chief has given me an idea if I want to change back and return to a normal life."

"What idea?"

"Using the True Form as a template, create a 'temporary original form'," Hong Siyu said honestly.

Larkspur didn't reply, but fell silent for a moment. She stared at Hong Siyu, taking several seconds to understand the meaning of her junior's words. Because her gaze was too direct and undisguised, Hong Siyu, and lowered her head even further.

After a long silence, Larkspur finally spoke again, "What you mean by 'creating a temporary body' is not just about forcibly creating a body to use as your physical form in the Material Realm, is it?"

"As expected of one of the top five magical girls in terms of speed of Blossoming in the past century, her comprehension ability is indeed extraordinary."

Emerald chimed in, her sarcastic compliment earning a slightly cold glare from Larkspur, but Larkspur seemed unfazed.

"To be precise, because Morning Glory's original body was so severely affected by the Aberrant Beast, even after removing the concept of the Aberrant Beast, too many of her eroded organs are difficult to restore to their original state. Healing requires a long-term nurturing process, and she must be forced into a dormant state for the time being. Therefore, a spare body is being used."

"It sounds like technology from a science fiction movie," Larkspur said bluntly.

"Don't underestimate our Kingdom Research Institute; some science fiction movies in the Material Realm might not even be able to imagine our capabilities."

Emerald shook her head, completely forgetting that she had just said "young people who don't understand the Material Realm," and commented somewhat sharply, "Fantasy is based on reality, and legends of the Kingdom are often the source of people's fantasies."

"Then how feasible is it?"

Adhering to the principle of being as cautious as possible, Larkspur pressed further. "Is the technology mature, and how great are the risks?"

"Whether it's mature or not? You don't need to worry about that. The technology for creating life forms matured decades ago, and there have been many successful applications. Not to mention humans, we can even replicate the bodies of Fairy to a certain extent."

Emerald pointed to her current Fairy Doll body. "The only thing we can't do is create a soul out of thin air; all the life forms we create are just mindless, lifeless things. But for us, this is a good thing—we're just creating a spare body without self-awareness, so we don't have to bear any moral or ethical burdens."

"It sounds like you've been planning this for a while."

"I don't deny it."

Emerald nodded. "Because you also know that Morning Glory's condition is not good, and your condition is only worse than hers. Fangting City currently lacks a high-end combat force with deterrent capabilities. To be honest, as the next master of the Beast Source, I am not at ease with the security situation here."

"So you want an injured person to make even more sacrifices?" Larkspur couldn't help but frown.

"Don't rush, young man. I never said this was a 'sacrifice.' The technology for artificial bodies is very advanced and will not cause any burden or harm to the user."

Emerald extended her claws, offering a simple reassurance. "I can assure you that Morning Glory will not suffer any adverse effects from this decision; she will only gain benefits—for example, she can immediately begin training to solidify her Flower Rank strength, and she can also return to her original life."

"What are your own wishes?" Larkspur looked at Hong Siyu.

"It was my own suggestion, and I agreed to it."

In response to this question, Hong Siyu and looked earnestly into Larkspur's eyes. "I've said it before, senior. Even if it's only for a short time, I want to protect this city, protect the younger generation, and protect you."

The Larkspur watched her quietly.

After a long while, she closed her eyes and then opened them again, sighing, "Thank you, I'm sorry."

"Senior, there's nothing to apologize for. You've already saved me three times."

Hong Siyu unconsciously stroked the cover of the notebook in her hand. "And, you know, it's mainly... for you."

Her last sentence was spoken very softly, but it was still clearly heard by Larkspur and Emerald. Larkspur pursed her lips and looked away for some unknown reason; while Emerald let out a very malicious whistle.

"Young people, oh young people," she couldn't help but sigh, "It's so good to be young."

"So? Now tell me about this, what else do you want?"

Larkspur looked at Emerald with a blank expression, forcibly steer the conversation back on track. "If it was just to ask for my opinion, there seems to be no need to call me with the Magic Mirror halfway there."

"Oh, that one."

The Fairy Doll leaned back slightly. "Actually, it's quite simple. It's still about artificial bodies. To achieve the best fit, we'll create her body to resemble Morning Glory's True Form. However, as you know, her original appearance and age are nearly twenty years True Form. To make the backup body identical to the original, some additional adjustment costs may be necessary."

"'Additional costs,' meaning you still have to charge money?" Larkspur immediately understood what she meant.

"We should accept it, but it can be included in the transaction for the Beast Source."

The Fairy Doll shook her head. "Mainly, Morning Glory made another suggestion."

"... What suggestion?" Larkspur turned to look at Hong Siyu again.

"What I'm saying is, how about we cut costs a bit?"

Hong Siyu her notebook again. "I think it's fine not to make any adjustments; we can just use the True Form as a backup body..."

"There's no need to cut corners on this if we want to return to a normal work life."

After considering it for a moment, Larkspur earnestly suggested, "Since His Excellency has promised that there will be no additional fees, you don't really need to worry about this."

"It's not really about cost considerations."

Hong Siyu's voice trailed off. "What I mean is, I really hope that after I change back, I can still look like my True Form."

Now the Larkspur understood what she meant.

This is not hard to understand, because the ideas that Hong Siyu expressed are not uncommon among other magical girls in history.

As people age, their physical appearance enters a stage called "aging," making it increasingly difficult to relinquish True Form youthful looks.

True Form magical girls may not always be in their prime, they are all brimming with youthful energy and vitality. Even women in their thirties or forties possess their own charm, but most women ultimately desire to stay young forever, and magical girls are no exception.

In fact, some magical girls do join the Magic Kingdom for this somewhat absurd reason: they simply cannot accept the fact that they will gradually grow old after retiring, and choose to live forever as magical girls.

While Hong Siyu may not be that obsessed, it's understandable that she wants to look younger... right?

Thinking this through, Larkspur noticed Hong Siyu a slightly strange look, and for a moment she became unsure of her answer.

"It's not that it's impossible."

So she nodded and expressed her thoughts. "However, if the backup version of you is your sixteen-year-old self, do you still plan to go back to work at the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau?"

Another silence followed.

"I want to go back," Hong Siyu said slowly after a short while.

"... Are you planning to come to work looking like this?"

"Senior, you promised me, didn't you?"

Hong Siyu said softly, "I'm back. Let me be your secretary."

"I did promise that."

Larkspur swallowed hard. "But you're Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau 16 years old, isn't it a bit... a bit...?"

Only then did she realize why these two people had used the Magic Mirror to call her on her way here.

It turns out that everything mentioned before was just a setup, merely background information. The real issue she needed to accept and decide was never whether Hong Siyu should accept a spare body, but rather whether "Director Lin Yun of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau should hire a secretary who looks only 16 years old."

"... That won't work, will it?" she said almost instinctively in denial.

"I think it's great, a 16-year-old high school girl as the bureau chief's secretary."

Emerald, standing to the side, said leisurely, ignoring Larkspur's eye roll. "Perfect, don't you often transform into a magical girl in your true form? Why not use your current appearance to become the bureau chief? A primary school student bureau chief and a high school student secretary, with the two of you working together, I believe the employees of the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau will be much more motivated."

"What the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau needs is guidance on mission direction, not flashy but impractical idols."

Larkspur looked at her indifferently and dismissed this unreliable opinion without any politeness. "Even if I didn't mind having a few more rumors about myself in the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, what would happen to Hong Siyu's identity? She can't go back to work with her original name, can she?"

"That's easy."

The Fairy Doll gently closed its paws. "You can just make up a resume. Just say she's 'Hong Siyu's niece,' and that she voluntarily transferred from Heavenly City to take over her aunt's work because she was injured. As for the issue of her looking too young, just write 25 years old on her resume, and no matter how many questions people ask, that's how she'll look."

The Larkspur was completely speechless.

"Alright, if you have no objections, lie down. Morning Glory's situation is mostly settled, but you yourself have much more serious problems. We need to have several more physical therapy sessions to stabilize your injuries."

Emerald patted the treatment bed in front of her and urged, "Finish this quickly, I still need to study the Beast Source."

Of course, it turned out that the previous claim that the treatment required "taking off clothes" was a complete lie; the treatment did not require being naked at all. Therefore, Larkspur hardly needed to prepare anything; he only needed to lie down on the treatment bed, drift in and out of consciousness for a while, and the whole process was completed.

Even as she left the research institute and walked down the corridor with Hong Siyu, she still couldn't figure out how to refuse the two people's absurd suggestion.

While pondering, she deactivated her transformation, reverting to Lin Yun's appearance, and walked into the office building elevator one after the other with Hong Siyu.

The two stood alone in the elevator car. Just as Lin Yun's mind was still preoccupied with the question of "how to refuse," Hong Siyu suddenly spoke up in a low voice:

"Senior, if I want to go to work in a new spare body, my old work clothes might not be suitable anymore, and I might need to change into something else."

"The size doesn't fit?"

Lin Yun snapped out of her reverie, looked at Hong Siyu now, and nodded subconsciously. "I feel like we need to buy a few more."

"Yes, we need to buy a few new clothes that suit our True Form appearance."

Hong Siyu continued, following his lead, and then whispered, "So, could you please give me some advice?"

The elevator was silent. The bright white lights flickered slightly as the floors changed, and the light inside the car was somewhat inconsistent.

After a long pause, Lin Yun understood what she meant and the emotions contained in her words, and her expression became somewhat complicated.

"... I can go with you."

He softened his voice. "But, there are some things, thank you, and I'm sorry."

"... I've said it before, no apology is needed."

Hong Siyu gazed at the blurry reflection on the elevator door, her expression serene. "Senior, it would be fine if you could come with me."

After another moment of silence, the elevator display showed that it had reached the first floor, and with a soft chime, the elevator doors slowly opened in front of the two of them.

Outside the office building is the largest shopping mall in the vicinity; you can see the flashing neon lights just by looking out through the elevators and the glass curtain wall of the office building.

"Going there?" Lin Yun asked suddenly, her gaze level with Lin Yun's.

"Yes, let's go there." Hong Siyu looked ahead and answered.

The two stepped out of the elevator together, their footsteps synchronized. In the twenty years since they had known each other, the distance between them seemed to have never been closer than at this moment.

The two people's hands were back to back, and due to the height difference, their hands were also at different heights. The hand that was lowered was slightly raised as they walked forward, and the back of the hand touched the other person's. But in the end, the owner of the hand put it down, grabbed the hem of his clothes again, and walked out of the office building side by side with the other person, trying to appear natural.

Ahead lies a dazzling, vibrant scene; behind lies a desolate, quiet landscape.

Human urban civilization has developed for over a thousand years. In modern cities, people can be very close yet worlds apart.

Amidst the neon lights and walking in the cold winter night wind, Lin Xiaolu, who had just left the shopping plaza with her companions, suddenly stopped and turned around as if she had sensed something.

She first looked towards the entrance of the shopping mall with some doubt, then, as if to confirm, she took two steps back and walked to the entrance.

Gazing at the two rather familiar figures, her expression grew increasingly puzzled.

"What's wrong?" Xia Liang, who was carrying bags and looking quite pleased with her shopping haul, suddenly turned around and asked, noticing Lin Xiaolu's strange behavior.

Lin Xiaolu did not answer Xia Liang's question.

She first took two steps closer to the door, then rubbed her eyes as if worried she had misread something. After finally confirming what she was seeing, she stood there dumbfounded.

Then, she stared wide-eyed and slowly opened her mouth wide.

Today's word count is 6,000; consider this a 2,000-word make-up to yesterday's poor performance. Thank you all for your continued support and donations during this period of inconsistent updates. I am deeply moved, ashamed, and very grateful.