Sai Luonuo's Disguise Technique

(Bai Ziye)

"Heat Haze... wanted you to become a real girl?"

I couldn't make sense of the situation for a moment.

What exactly was that Fire Turkey lady plotting?

"Yeah. I confessed my identity to her, and she hoped I wouldn't make her feel sick."

Heat Haze had actually called A-Yao "sickening."

That obedient Heat Haze had actually said something so cutting. Could it be that her attitude was simply different when it came to Miluno—me?

I frowned and asked, "She made that request, and you really plan on becoming a girl?"

Ceruno nodded, then shook her head.

"Even if she hadn't brought it up, I already had that intention... I finally became a Magical Girl, so I wanted to present the most ideal Magical Girl in my heart. To do that, I first needed to learn how to become an outstanding woman."

I understood her logic and tried to restate it.

"...In short, you don't truly want to become a girl. It's more like how a professional actor experiences a role's job in order to portray that role well. Before becoming a proper Magical Girl, you want to first learn how women behave."

"That's right! As expected of Yezi, you understood so quickly!"

As a Magical Girl fanatic, A-Yao had her own standards for judging Magical Girls. Now that she had become Ceruno, of course she wanted to strive toward the most perfect state.

I could understand how she felt.

Even I wanted to leave behind my most perfect image in front of the camera, so every time I fought, I couldn't help being a little... pretentious.

There was no need to elaborate on exactly how I acted pretentious.

But the most obvious effect was that my public image was being pushed further toward that of an "unattainable beauty."

"Idiot, what perfect Magical Girls are there in this world? They're all ordinary people who changed, and everyone has more or less some bad habits. Those idealized Magical Girls in your mind simply can't exist."

To my surprise, Ceruno pulled a long face and argued back.

"They do exist! Isn't Miluno one? She doesn't care about fame or profit at all, makes eliminating Monsters her mission, and even secretly protects other Magical Girls... Let me tell you a secret! When I was fighting last night, Miluno was watching from nearby!"

"Wow! Really?"

Of course I knew, but I still put on a perfunctory look of surprise.

"Why do I feel like you aren't surprised at all, Yezi..."

Ceruno gave me an adorable eye roll, then picked up the TV remote and aimlessly flipped through channels.

--We now interrupt with an international news report.--

It seemed like something major had happened, so I turned to look at the television too.

--After discovering a Star Crystal capable of resonating, Eastern Japan's Prime Minister Abe Naoko announced her resignation this morning. She stated that becoming a Magical Girl had always been her dream, and that she would continue protecting the lives and safety of the people as a Magical Girl. It was a profession more noble than being prime minister.--

"She quit being prime minister just to become a Magical Girl?"

I voiced my thoughts on the news, but Ceruno did not seem very surprised.

"It's not that unexpected. Is there anyone in this world who wouldn't want to become a Magical Girl? That old lady is already over sixty. Becoming a Magical Girl lets her regain her youth, so there's absolutely no reason to refuse. Compared to that, what does the position of prime minister even count for?"

In Ceruno's mind, Magical Girls stood above everything else, but not everyone necessarily thought that way.

Most Magical Girls operated with hidden identities. Even Magical Girls registered with the Association remained mysterious figures to ordinary citizens. So it was not hard to infer that the old prime minister's high-profile declaration was, at its core, still meant to gain political capital.

"Even after becoming a Magical Girl and leaving politics, she was still a politician at heart."

Ceruno sighed along with me.

"Ugh, there really aren't many Magical Girls as pure and powerful as Miluno. I really wish the Star Crystal would put more thought into choosing suitable candidates."

Hey, why was she bringing up Miluno again?

After being praised so extravagantly over and over, I could barely keep a straight face and had to awkwardly change the subject.

"Ahem, but we still haven't managed to figure out a pattern for how Star Crystals choose suitable candidates, have we?"

"Maybe there isn't any pattern at all. After all, even I got to become one."

Ceruno laughed self-deprecatingly, then continued, "As far as I know, the most outrageous Magical Girl is in Antarctica. Star Crystals only descend near wormholes, but almost no humans live within the Antarctic Circle, so the Magical Girl there is... an Emperor Penguin."

I knew who she meant. After all, she was quite famous.

"You mean Antarctic Star?"

Though she was not one of the original seven, she had likewise been granted a constellation name: the Guardian of the Antarctic Circle.

After remote sensing satellites discovered a Phase Wormhole in Antarctica, personnel from an Antarctic research station went to observe the area around it. There, they witnessed Antarctic Star, a female Emperor Penguin, fighting External Invaders to protect her husband while he incubated their egg.

Useless fact: male Emperor Penguins incubate the eggs.

Fortunately, the local penguins had a good relationship with humans. After dealing with the Monster, Antarctic Star did not attack the research station's personnel. Later, under their guidance, she learned human common sense, etiquette, language, and methods of combat.

To protect the Emperor Penguin colony, Antarctic Star took on the mission of guarding the Antarctic Circle.

"In my opinion, Antarctic Star is far purer than most Magical Girls nowadays. A Magical Girl who exists solely to protect others... she truly shines."

Ceruno's tone carried disappointment toward the "industry."

"Alright, I understand the situation, but why did you come to me? I'm a man. How could I possibly give you advice about being a woman?"

"But I can't exactly ask anyone else right now. I can't trouble Miss Yin Lu over something like this, can I? Besides, Yezi, don't you have experience cross-dressing? You should have some insight into being a girl, right?"

Damn it.

I had forgotten I even had that "cross-dressing expert" persona.

"I told you not to bring that up! I only wore women's clothes because I had no choice. Why would you think that means I understand how women think?"

To cover one lie, you had to leave behind another. I had to end this cycle, or the accumulating lies would eventually be exposed.

"Then use your imagination. What kind of girls do you like, Yezi?"

It was an embarrassing question, but since it was Ceruno, I could answer.

After all, it was perfectly normal for brothers to discuss their preferences. We had spent plenty of time commenting on girls together...

"Idiot, don't you already know my type? They have to be big-chested."

Ceruno's little mouth formed an O.

"Whoa, that direct?!"

"You asked about my tastes in women. I don't think any man could refuse a cute, busty beauty, like you are right now~"

Since I was standing while she was sitting, from my angle I could just glimpse her deep cleavage... My clothes were a little too small for her, even though I, as Miluno, was taller.

Noticing my gaze, Ceruno covered her chest in displeasure and turned sideways.

"Hey, Yezi! Even if we're best bros, you can't say sexually harassing things like that to me, okay?"

I was the one getting lectured instead. It was precisely because I treated her like a brother that I could joke around so freely.

"But weren't you planning to seduce me last night?"

"That was because... I know I have a great figure... If Yezi wants to look, it's not like you can't... But don't say it out loud. I get embarrassed too, you know."

I couldn't look, but I could look?

No, I didn't get it.

Ceruno's heart had evolved into something as unfathomable as a needle at the bottom of the sea. How exactly did she want me to see her?

I scratched my head.

"Forget it. Go change clothes first. We're heading out."

"Huh, we're going out today too?"

Ceruno's shut-in tendencies surfaced again. At the mention of going outside, she slumped limply onto the sofa.

"Didn't you say you wanted to train? You should buy a few outfits of your own too, especially underwear. Are you planning to wear the Battle Dress freebies for the rest of your life?"

"Even if you say that, it's not convenient for me to go out. Look... my hair is really distinctive, right? Even with a mask and sunglasses, I was basically recognized on the way back. If it weren't for the Secrecy Act, I'd probably have been exposed all over the internet by now."

These days, casually doxxing someone or exposing a Magical Girl's identity could land you in prison. It was not just the Association that had relevant laws; every country with Phase Wormholes within its borders had heavily favorable protection policies for Magical Girls. Ordinary people had no chance against Magical Girls in any respect... After all, Magical Girls were humanity's Guardians. Without Magical Girls, humanity would face the threat of External Invaders. No one dared offend their own umbrella of protection.

As Miluno, I had neat, conventional black hair, giving me a natural advantage when disguising myself. No one had ever recognized me when I went out in casual clothes.

But Ceruno was different. It was hard for her appearance not to be recognized. Even if no one took photos or spread them around, if someone saw me acting alongside a rookie Magical Girl, my position would become... awkward.

I sighed. "If only there were a way to dye that pink hair of yours black."

"I can't exactly go to a hair salon, can I? Then when I fight next time, it would revert... Wait, maybe there really is a way!"

Ceruno smacked her forehead and jumped to her feet, then ran into my bedroom without properly explaining herself.

"I'll give it a try. Wait a little, Yezi."

With that, she turned around and shut the door.

She had taken over both my room and my bathroom, leaving me no choice but to wait "a little" in the living room.

That wait ended up lasting more than half an hour. In terms of time awareness, she really had become rather "female."

I hated waiting. If I had been able to transform into Miluno, I would have accelerated time and skipped this part long ago.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! It took some effort to adjust it until I was satisfied."

Ceruno emerged from the bedroom with not only her long hair dyed black, but also straightened through some method. Even her whole aura felt different.

"How did you do that? I don't have hair dye or a curling iron."

She showed her usual goofy grin.

"Hehe! Yezi, tell me this: is the color we see with our naked eyes truly an object's original color?"

I only thought about it briefly before understanding the principle behind her hair dye.

"You covered yourself in a layer of Magic Membrane, then absorbed all the light reflected by your hair?"

"As expected of Yezi. You didn't even give me the chance to reveal the answer."

She ran over to me with a giggle, turned slightly to let her long hair fall before my eyes, and I picked up a strand for a closer look. There was no trace of any membrane at all—only glossy black hair.

Ceruno's magic could actually straighten and dye hair. Aside from lacking combat power, her magic was remarkably versatile in practical applications.

"It's not just the color! I also canceled out the curl in my hair. As long as I keep this membrane over it, my hair can stay straight and smooth. Convenient, right?"