Barbara! Taking the First Step!

(Ceruno)

"Huff, huff, ha..."

I was panting as I tried to keep up with Yezi's effortless pace.

Hmm, Yezi.

To make her training more effective, she even deactivated her transformation, and surprisingly, her physical abilities in her original form were superior to mine... Am I too weak, or is she too strong?

Spending all day around superheroes like this, I've lost track of my own level compared to other magical girls!

"Wow! Oysters— Ceruno sauce, wait for me!"

But there was this guy who was even weaker than me.

Mono wailed behind us, but I vaguely sensed that Yezi quickened his pace.

Fortunately, her phone rang before I reached my limit.

"Halley's here. This lap will stop at the entrance hall."

Yezi slowed her pace, allowing Mono and me to keep up.

"I'm starting to feel tired too."

Although it was a morning run, Yezi was running a long distance at a sprint pace, making it really difficult to keep up...

She added, "You two have terrible stamina, even worse than the average magical girl."

"We're all support characters!"

Mono complained angrily, but Yezi shook her head.

"I've deactivated my transformation, so theoretically my physical abilities aren't stronger than yours. The difference between us isn't physical, but mental. Enduring the pain of pushing your body to its limits and breaking through those limits is the only way to become stronger."

I understand this big principle!

Fitness, in essence, is about constantly pushing your limits and growing.

But knowing and being able to do are two different things. After all, my chest is too big, and when I run, it pulls on the muscles in my shoulders. Even if I wear a sports bra, it can only barely alleviate the symptoms; the weight is still there... It's not soreness! It's just a simple pulling pain!

Mono's Base Body is also quite large, so it's about the same size.

This kind of pain is something that the Yezi of the Wailing Wall can never understand!

As soon as we entered the entrance hall, Miss Halley, whom we hadn't seen for a while, was already waiting for us.

Her hair clearly had been meticulously permed and dyed at a styling center, with her bangs styled into S-shaped outward curls, revealing her high forehead;

Although she was dressed in a well-fitting office lady outfit, the succubus's bat wings and tail with heart-shaped tips were still present.

"Good morning! Little Yezi, Ceruno, and... Little Mono, right?"

"Hey, hello Halley!"

Mono leaned forward and Miss Halley rubbed his cheek.

"Yes, good boy."

Although Mono is mischievous and playful, she is selective about who she targets. Like a primary school student trying to get someone's attention, she only acts up towards people like Yezi who don't give her a friendly look. However, she values the relationship with those who are close to her.

In other words, if Yezi could pamper her more, Mono wouldn't cause her any more trouble, and the two could get along well.

At least, I haven't seen her do anything rude to Xiaojie, and she usually listens to me.

"Shall we go find a venue now? Ideally, we could set up the stage today..."

Miss Halley seemed to be in a hurry, Yezi also said that time was tight and they had to hold the fundraising concert before the forest was cut down.

"Wait a minute, we still need to go to Skyreach City. I'd like to invite Barbara over for a visit as well."

Miss Halley glanced back at the Wormhole Device.

"Go back? But I just came from Skyreach City!"

"I can open a teleportation portal directly instead of going back through Wormhole Device. That's much better than a wormhole."

Miluno's explanation, however, displeased Miss Halley.

She put her hands on her Yezi and poked the leaves with her long tail.

"Since it's so convenient, couldn't you just pick me up on the way?"

Mage, open a door.

From the City School drifting over the Indian Ocean, we travel to the lush Skyreach City Forest Park.

I learned the teleportation magic first, so why is Miluno using it at a completely different level...?

Miluno pointed to the large pit in front of her and explained:

"That pit is where Barbara once lived; the wooden house in the pit was Barbara's home and also her alchemy workshop."

In the unnatural pit stands a quaint little wooden house, surrounded by lush green grass with a path paved with stone slabs. The house also resembles an earthen kiln, as if it's trying to recapture the feeling of being rooted, still half-hidden beneath the earth.

It's somewhat like the humble mountain dwelling where ancient hermits lived, and we've come here today to invite that hermit lady to come out of the mountains.

Knock knock--

Miluno gently knocked on the wooden door, and soon a bright green head peeked out from behind it.

Xiaojie's previous body was a "vegetative state," so her hair was green vines. However, the magical girl Barbara was transformed from a plant, so her hair is still hair, only it is a long, straight, translucent, emerald green.

Not only was she petite, but her figure was also very straight, like a child who hadn't reached puberty and had no curves at all. After all, plants don't need to nurse, so for her, certain organs were indeed unnecessary...

However, it certainly doesn't have the aura of an elder. Despite being Ancient Tree that has lived for thousands of years, it gives people the feeling of a little sister.

[So many people]

She held up a tablet from behind the door to communicate with us, looking a little timid.

"Can't Miss Barbara speak?"

I asked in a low voice, Miluno explained, "She was originally Ancient Tree, so she didn't have the habit of making sounds. Although she grew vocal cords using a magic potion, she still can't talk like a human. I think she can do it with some learning. Let's work hard together with her."

Having vocal cords but being unable to speak is a psychological barrier.

According to Miluno, Miss Barbara will also be performing on stage with us later...

Are they going to sing? Or perform some other act using magic?

Miss Barbara raised the tablet again.

Want to come in?

Miluno leaned down, looking directly at Miss Barbara, and said, "We won't go in today. We'd like you to come out... Barbara, please pack your things, then come back with us to the City School to check out the venue and stage, and then discuss the concert program."

Miss Barbara was reluctant and unconsciously pursed her pink lips.

Are you going out today?

"Of course, the concert only has a few days left, there's no time to dawdle here, right?"

I don't have anything to prepare.

Miss Barbara mustered her courage and opened the door, which gave me the chance to peek inside the cabin.

The furniture consisted mostly of simple wooden pieces, and there wasn't anything else of value. In addition, a bitter smell of herbs wafted out.

"Take the first step."

Miluno stood in the doorway and reached out her hand to Miss Barbara.

"Taking this step isn't just about saving that forest, it's also about yourself. Isn't it about time to learn how to be a real human being?"

Barbara stood behind the door, hesitant, then looked up at the towering fir and cypress trees surrounding the pit.

"Ah--"

She uttered a single, simple syllable to indicate affirmation.

Stepping out of the wooden house, he took Miluno's hand.