Temporary Team Formation
Lin Xiaolu got up early, which was unusual for her.
It was still dark outside the cabin, but Larkspur had already left sometime earlier, while Bai Jingxuan and Xia Liang were still fast asleep on the bed that had been pushed together. Lin Xiaolu tiptoed off the bed, yawning as she went into the bathroom.
She casually drew a rune in the air, and the bathroom lights came on. Half-closing her eyes, she picked up her toothbrush from the shelf and began her morning routine.
Since four people were living together and they were already very familiar with each other, everyone's toiletries were placed together here. And since everyone except Larkspur was a young girl, the shelves next to the sink only had basic items like soap, sunscreen, and face wash, in addition to toothbrushes. At most, Xia Liang would add a few more bottles and jars that Lin Xiaolu didn't recognize, so the space was still enough.
However, what Lin Xiaolu had always found somewhat curious was that Larkspur seemed surprisingly unconcerned about such matters.
Lin Xiaolu still has vivid memories of her mother when she was alive. Although Anya claims to be someone who doesn't care much about beauty or skincare, there are still some common skincare products on the sink. In addition, she has always felt that it is a matter of course for adult women to take care of their skin when washing up, based on what she has heard from her classmates.
However, after arriving at Rainbow Cloud Wetlands and everyone stayed together, Lin Xiaolu discovered for the first time that Larkspur only had toothbrushes, soap, and face wash on the washstand shelf.
In fact, based on her unintentional observation, among Larkspur's items, only the soap was clearly getting smaller; the face wash tube hadn't been touched at all, and Lin Xiaolu even began to doubt whether Larkspur had ever opened it.
The last time she saw this scene was probably at home, when her father's bathroom counter was just as neat and tidy. And the order in which Larkspur arranged her toiletries was almost identical to her father's, giving off a masculine, rugged feel.
Although this matter aroused Lin Xiaolu's slight curiosity, she didn't ask too many questions. After all, in her eyes, Larkspur's skin had always been very good, which was probably because she could move in a magical body for a long time, so she didn't need to care about these things like ordinary people, right?
Lost in thought, Lin Xiaolu slowly stirred the toothbrush in her mouth until she felt it was about time before rinsing her mouth and starting the next step of washing her face.
Starting today, a seven-day practical assessment begins, and Lin Xiaolu feels it's necessary to take good care of her image.
This wasn't just to prepare for the worst and leave a better first impression if the examiners or even the Queen noticed them; it was also because starting today, all the magical girls participating in the practical assessment had to form new teams to participate in the upcoming assessments as a group.
In other words, Lin Xiaolu will meet her temporary teammates today, and to ensure a smooth collaboration, she needs to maintain a presentable appearance.
Of course, not all the teammates are new.
An assessment team is generally limited to three people, and each magical girl can designate one other examinee as her teammate. After that, neither the magical girl who designated the other nor the magical girl who was designated has the right to designate or be designated.
This means that in a team of three, a maximum of two people can be acquaintances, and the remaining spot must be randomly assigned by the Examination Institute.
The reason for this system is that the number of test takers in large cities and small cities is often unequal. If each team of three can choose freely, then magical girls from large cities can choose to act with their original teammates, while newcomers from small cities who come to take the test alone may find themselves in the predicament of not having a team. Even if they form a team with other unfamiliar test takers, their teamwork is destined to be inferior to that of the teams formed by test takers from large cities.
While it might seem fair if all three members of a team were assigned by the Examination Institute, this could lead to a huge variance in skill levels. Some teams might have all three strong members due to random assignment, while others might have all three weaker magical girls. Some teams might have members with good personalities who can work together harmoniously, while others might be full of troublemakers who refuse to submit to each other, ultimately leading to their downfall.
Using a 2+1 team system ensures that two people in the team have a good relationship, while also providing a safety net for the team's overall strength. After all, if two candidates are willing to team up, it's rarely just because they have a good relationship; either they recognize each other's abilities, or one of them is truly strong and believes they can carry the weaker candidate. As for the remaining random "1," that's where the candidates' teamwork and coordination will be tested.
Regarding the allocation of these 2+1 candidates, after a night of discussion, the Fangting City Squad has reached a preliminary conclusion.
That is, Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan will choose each other, while Xia Liang and Larkspur will wait for the Examination Institute to assign them randomly.
This plan sounds a bit strange, but it's the only option available. Larkspur can't feel at ease sending either Lin Xiaolu or Bai Jingxuan out to find a team on their own. But having her choose one of them as a teammate would be too unfair and would also defeat the purpose of training the younger generation.
After much thought, even relying on Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan to take care of each other seemed a bit unreliable, but having the two team up was a relatively safe option.
As for Xia Liang's participation in the random allocation, it was her own initiative.
"I want to fully validate my abilities, even if it means more work."
Xia Liang's goal was to break away from the Fangting City Squad, which was clearly not a suitable frame of reference, and instead go to other, more ordinary teams to determine the true extent of her abilities.
With the team's destinations decided, the final tasks before the assessment were completed.
While Lin Xiaolu was still washing up at Rainbow Cloud Wetlands, Larkspur had already left alone. Early in the morning, she first went to the Magic Affairs Institute to finalize all the details of the action plan. After that, she hurriedly headed to the Silver Gallery.
The first practical assessment will still be held in the Silver Gallery. Moreover, the team assignments will be announced in front of the square at the school gate. Many candidates who come to take the assessment alone and do not have teammates from the same city will arrive here a little early to find their teammates.
When Larkspur arrived, a considerable number of examinees had already gathered in the square.
She had no interest in finding teammates, so she didn't talk to anyone. Instead, she found a corner at a higher elevation and stood there quietly, observing the crowd.
Among the many examinees present, it was no wonder that no one noticed Larkspur; her outstanding appearance alone was enough to make many magical girls take a second look at her. It wasn't that no one tried to ask Larkspur about her willingness to join a team, but after seeing the age on her examination admission ticket, they all silently backed down.
A 10-year-old magical girl may have great potential for future development, but at this age, her only advantage in participating in the assessment is probably her potential.
Unlike the deserted area around the Larkspur, a group of people had clearly gathered in another corner of the square.
And the person in the center of the crowd, who seemed to be surrounded by stars, was someone that Larkspur actually recognized.
She was a quiet-looking girl with long, grayish-white hair, holding a book in her hands, her expression serene. If Larkspur remembered correctly, her code name was Tudingui.
Unlike when they first met, Tudingui no longer had her hair half-tied up; instead, she neatly tied it on both sides of her head into twin ponytails and wore a hat. She was no longer wearing the school uniform she wore on the Kingdom Express, but a magnificent and spirited blue and white dress resembling a military band's attire. Judging from the magical energy fluctuations, it was undoubtedly her magical outfit from when she was a magical girl.
The magical girls gathered around her seemed to be lining up, taking turns to ask her questions, and after Tudingui gave her a reply, she would turn away with some disappointment.
Even with such frequent conversations, Tudingui showed no impatience whatsoever, remaining calm and composed as if it were all his duty, answering the surrounding examinees' questions methodically.
Without a doubt, those people would love to have Tudingui as their teammate.
There were undoubtedly several other groups of people gathered like this, but none were as large as the crowd around Tudingui. After the candidates in the other groups dispersed, many more would directly join the crowd around Tudingui, making it somewhat daunting just to see them.
"... It must be really tough for a celebrity."
After only a couple of glances, the Larkspur looked away.
Since the examinees gathered there were all quite polite and didn't cause any trouble, and the magical girl who was surrounded didn't seem to care, she didn't need to meddle.
She took her phone out of her bag and began checking work-related information, preparing to use this free time to arrange some tasks for the Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau. But soon, she sensed someone walking towards her.
Looking up, Larkspur saw two magical girls who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, but were completely unfamiliar to her.
Without a doubt, she didn't know either of them.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked the two men, turning her phone face down.
The two magical girls did not respond immediately.
Their expressions kept changing; sometimes they seemed conflicted, as if they had something unspeakable to say; sometimes they seemed deep in thought; and sometimes they looked at each other with mysterious smiles that made Larkspur feel uneasy.
After a while, one of the magical girls hesitated before speaking:
"Um, excuse me, little sister, could it be that your magical outfit... was inspired by the magical girl Gentian from <Sweet Angel>?"
Because I wrote until the early hours of the morning, I've scheduled an update for 6 AM.
From now on, I will update in the morning if I write late, so you don't have to wait for updates after 12 o'clock. I apologize to everyone who has been forced to stay up late with me these past few days. (bowing in Japanese style)