Gradually Clarifying Thoughts

When Larkspur returned to Rainbow Cloud Wetlands once again, his emotions had calmed down considerably, but he was still thinking.

Rationally speaking, she knew very well that most of Emerald's advice was correct. In fact, if she were to stand in the shoes of a third party and judge everything she was facing, she might give similar advice to Emerald.

However, when it came to the Garden Defense War, and when everything around her began to overlap with the remnants of twenty years ago, Larkspur realized that she might not be as rational as she thought.

The conspiracy of Claw Mark and Black Ash Dawn is definitely not a good thing, so it is impossible to let them proceed. The response from the Magic Affairs Institute and the Research Institute is justified, and even if there are selfish motives involved, it cannot be said to be a bad thing.

The problem undoubtedly lies with her.

What kind of feelings led her to be so unwilling to directly confront these "traitors of the City Defense Army"?

Perhaps it's because her views on these "former teammates" are always filtered through a certain nostalgic lens.

Because they had once risked their lives for the same goal, because they had once fought against the same enemy, because they had once tasted the same pain and sorrow... so many "samenesses" made her unable to help but see herself as similar to them.

She knew very well that people could change. Even Ink Lotus, who had traveled with her and had many conversations with her not long ago, might just be putting on an act. On the surface, he might be an idealist, but in reality, he might be a ruthless executioner... She had thought about all of these things.

But at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that these former comrades, even those now bearing the Claw Mark, were not the same kind of people as Sparrow, Kite, and White Wolf?

This sounds like an excuse for her "old comrades," but it's not entirely impossible. After all, based on the information Larkspur knows, the Claw Mark members are divided into at least three groups according to their origins and time periods.

The first part is undoubtedly the core of Claw Mark's establishment. It also consists of White Wolf's confidants when he was still serving as the Purple Diamond in the Magic Kingdom. They are all from the Finance Institute and magical girls with many interests intertwined with the Finance Institute. These magical girls are undoubtedly White Wolf's loyal supporters. They are willing to betray their Kingdom for him, so it is not impossible for them to do anything else.

The second part is about the time when Claw Mark began to defect from the Kingdom, and the "outcasts" who, for some unknown reason, joined him. These included Ink Lotus and many magical girls who were injured in the Interrealm War and whose combat abilities were greatly reduced.

The final part deals with the magical girls who, after Claw Mark had become independent and even gained fame, defected from their Kingdom due to their misconduct and joined the organization out of admiration. It's difficult to consider any of these magical girls as good people; their voluntary defection and joining a "traitorous organization" is a clear statement: these magical girls were probably motivated by evil from the very beginning.

Of these three groups, the first and third should be considered outright terrorists. However, the second group is highly suspicious.

Judging from their composition, these people are undoubtedly the most uncooperative part of Claw Mark. Besides, what happened to them after the war that led to their defection, why they joined forces with White Wolf and others, and what they did after joining Claw Mark are all big mysteries.

Furthermore, if Ink Lotus didn't lie or conceal part of the truth, then judging from her description of her "work," it didn't seem like she was carrying out any terrorist activities at all; rather, it seemed like she was conducting a sociological experiment.

After gathering all this information, the question facing the Larkspur became rather vague.

Have these "old comrades" truly fallen into darkness, becoming the antithesis of normal society? Or are they mired in despair yet still retain their sanity, simply waiting for someone to lend them a hand?

While pondering this question, Larkspur unknowingly walked back to the hut where Ink Lotus and the others had previously lived.

The lights were already on inside the cabin, but judging from the camping equipment outside, the residents had changed. This meant that the question in her heart was destined to remain unanswered by the person in question.

If one cannot obtain a definite answer and has no way of determining how to treat these people, what else can one do?

Gazing at the brightly lit white observation room in front of her, Larkspur stood still, rolling up her overly long skirt and tucking it into her arms, remaining motionless for a long time.

Is there a solution that can ensure the safety of the certification assessment site while allowing security forces to exercise restraint and not immediately kill Ink Lotus and the others, thus preserving space for questioning? Simultaneously, it's crucial to avoid revealing too much of one's interference in the Magic Affairs Institute's operations, to conceal any communication with the Claw Mark, and ideally, to reasonably distinguish between the Claw Mark and Black Ash Dawn, ensuring that the harmful elements of Black Ash Dawn are not overlooked through screening...

"... ah."

Yes.

After a long time, the Larkspur came up with a plan that, although somewhat clumsy and inefficient, could perfectly execute its will.

--Why don't you go and capture Ink Lotus and the others yourself? Let the Research Institute handle Black Ash Dawn.

She could recognize those who were fellow veterans of the City Defense Army, so she wouldn't choose the wrong people from the start. By personally taking action, she could ensure the intensity of the battle remained under control, preventing anyone from being killed at the outset. And if, after questioning, it was confirmed that the person had completely fallen from grace and was beyond redemption, then she would personally bring them to justice.

Without a doubt, this was the safest option she could think of.

The only thing to worry about is whether he will be recognized when he fights with Claw Mark and the others. Therefore, he should probably make some minor adjustments to the layout of the examination room to ensure that he fights with them in a place where no one will notice.

In addition, the distribution of security forces at the examination site, the adjustment of viewing positions, and the activity range of the candidates... all these things need to be adjusted accordingly to suit this plan.

As Larkspur pondered the details of her plan, she turned around, lifted her skirt, and walked towards her little house.

Now that the core principles have been clarified, there's no need for her to rack her brains here alone. She can simply hand this plan over to the Magic Affairs Institute and have Zhe Helan and the others help her refine it.

It was already late at night, and if he didn't return soon, his descendants would probably worry about him.

After walking for a while, the Larkspur returned to the cottage.

To her surprise, there was a person standing at the door of the cottage.

Lin Xiaolu held her phone, head down, biting her thumbnail, looking deep in thought. She paced back and forth around the doorway, seemingly making a difficult decision.

"... Why haven't they come back yet? Could something really have happened? I should probably call them. But if it's something important over there, my call might ruin things. But if something really has happened, it wouldn't be right not to call..."

Faintly, the Larkspur could also hear its strange self-talk.

Lin Xiaolu's strange behavior continued until Larkspur approached the door, making her footsteps quite noticeable, before she stopped. She looked up in Cuique's direction, first showing expressions of "anticipation," "a sense of relief at having achieved her wish," and "happiness"; then, she showed expressions of "doubt," "surprise," and "amazement"; after displaying several expressions like a Sichuan opera face-changing act, she began to evolve towards "admiration," "shock," and "moved."

If Larkspur hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, she would have found it hard to imagine that a person's face could change so many expressions in just a few seconds, especially since that person was her own daughter.

"... It's so beautiful."

Finally, Lin Xiaolu's expression froze in "ecstasy." She gazed at Larkspur's current form, clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes as if worshipping a deity.

"God, if this is a dream, please let me never wake up; if this is reality, then please let me open my eyes and still see this unparalleled beauty of the world."

After she finished muttering this, she reopened her eyes, and when she looked at the Larkspur again, confirming that what she had seen was not an illusion...

Lin Xiaolu shed tears.

"I lived in this world just to see this, Larkspur, you're simply an angel!"

She struck a pose that suggested she wanted to pounce on him and get intimate, but was too hesitant to make a move, so much so that she froze halfway through, transforming the gesture into one that resembled worship.

This exaggerated, almost humiliating performance left Larkspur speechless for a moment.

She looked down and glanced at her attire, only then realizing that she had been lost in thought on her way back, forgetting to change back into the princess dress she had worn to the dinner party.

Is this outfit really that good?

She couldn't help but wonder, but after Xia Liang and Bai Jingxuan came out because of the commotion Lin Xiaolu had caused, and then showed expressions that were no different from Lin Xiaolu's, only to varying degrees, she knew the answer to her question.

--Well, it seems Emerald has great taste in clothes.

Too late, sorry meow.

This chapter is considered the update for the 17th. There should be another update before midnight on the 18th. Please forgive me, Sasuke, there won't be a next time.