A solemn declaration: every character in this book is over eighteen! There are no minors!
Why did villains pick fights with Magical Girls?
Su Tianqing carried a glass of milk and two slices of toast from the kitchen and sat down at the plain dining table. As she scrolled through the previous owner's phone, its screen cracked from a fall, she pondered that eternal question.
Destroy the world? Rule humanity? Or aim for something even grander?
Unfortunately, Su Tianqing had no such ambitions, and this world had no official villain organization. Setting her sights too high would only cause trouble.
Between the internet and the memories of the body's former owner, Su Tianqing had gained a rough understanding of this world.
Magical Girls, monsters, and beasts really existed.
The Hero Association oversaw and deployed Magical Girls. They fought monsters while appearing in public as idols. Their true identities were secret, but their transformed appearances were widely known. Their battles against monsters and beasts had even become a form of publicity.
And Rongcheng, where she lived, happened to have an active Magical Girl.
"Mm... munch, munch..."
Su Tianqing took a bite of toast spread with cheap jam and opened an introductory video about that Magical Girl.
Know your enemy and know yourself. If she wanted to be a villain and pick a fight on purpose, she had to learn about her opponent first. That was the mindset a villain needed.
On-screen, a sky-blue girl darted up and down as she fought a ferocious beast in the middle of a street. The fight was hardly dazzling, but every blow landed hard. Su Tianqing's stomach tightened. She glanced down at the fair, delicate skin of her wrist, and her eye twitched.
"Hyacinth..." Su Tianqing murmured her codename.
She can summon a greatsword and chop a beast's head off. I'm supposed to pick a fight with a Magical Girl who specializes in close combat? Seriously?
Su Tianqing had no real sense of how strong she was after transforming, but judging by her delicate little-girl appearance, she definitely did not look built for a fistfight.
"I don't have a clue!"
She put down her phone, stuffed the last piece of toast into her mouth, and washed it down with milk. After wiping her mouth with a tissue, Su Tianqing padded over to the sofa in her slippers and picked up the heavy old book again.
The book had introduced itself as the Mercury Codex.
She did not know why it had suddenly stopped talking, but perhaps it contained information she needed.
She turned to the second page. Sure enough, several more lines of text appeared before Fox Fox's eyes.
[Quest: Wish] [Gain 200 followers] [Become a shining Magical Girl. Make everyone remember your name, and live on for her too.] [Reward: 500 Divine Codex Stones]
What a heavy quest. Did this come straight from the cast of MyGO?
Still thinking about a quest description heavier than a black hole, Su Tianqing looked at the third page.
There it is!
[Magical Girl Hyacinth] [A recently active Magical Girl who excels at close-range suppression and hand-to-hand combat. She is not yet proficient with magic.] [A monster will appear in Rongcheng's Greenheart Park tonight. Hyacinth is predicted to engage it.]
See? There's my chance.
Su Tianqing closed the book and immediately began planning her day.
She lived in eastern Rongcheng, while Greenheart Park was in the city center. Even by subway, it would take two hours to get there. Going early to stake out the place was her best option.
Besides, classes at Rongcheng Medical College, where she had enrolled, would not start until the day after tomorrow. She had plenty of time to wait for Hyacinth.
She shed her pajamas and put on a simple dress. Sitting before the full-length mirror, Su Tianqing carefully tidied her hair and fluffy ears. She felt the unfamiliar sensation of having a tail while admiring the petite figure in the mirror.
The original Su Tianqing had not come from money, and Fox Fox had no particular knack for earning a living. She usually made a little money for food by writing novels online. Her wardrobe was visibly sparse, but she still had some eye-catching outfits. Then again, a cute little girl looked cute in anything.
As expected, I'm the cutest in the world.
The little fox put her hands on her hips and smiled in satisfaction.
The subway was not very crowded.
With a shoulder bag hanging at her side, Su Tianqing tucked the cross-shaped star and the old book inside. She found a seat in a corner, ignored the curious and admiring glances around her, and took out her phone to keep reading about Hyacinth.
Beastfolk were not uncommon in Rongcheng. People gave her a second glance, then went back to minding their own business.
Before she knew it, the time had passed.
"Ding-dong. Tianfu Square. Passengers transferring to Line 1, please disembark promptly..."
Her subway ride was over in a flash. Su Tianqing stretched and let out a couple of indistinct little noises. Her tail and ears straightened along with her.
I'm already downtown. Those two hours went by fast.
Fox Fox picked up her bag and followed the route she remembered out of the station. Taking in this strange yet familiar world with interest, she headed toward Greenheart Park as planned.
It was Rongcheng's largest wetland park and a popular place. Nearby residents liked to stroll there after meals, and over time it had become one of the city's landmark parks.
Surrounded by lush trees, Su Tianqing narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air.
Lovely.
What should I do now? It's only just past noon, and I've got two slices of bread in my bag for dinner. Maybe I'll read for a while.
With that thought, Su Tianqing unzipped her bag, took out the heavy black book, and began reading in earnest.
Passersby were treated to an unexpected sight:
A petite little fox sat obediently on a bench. Sunlight filtering through the leaves fell across her, making her golden fur glow. It was as lovely a sight as any in the world.
As she read the Mercury Codex and compared it with what she found on her phone, Su Tianqing gained a new understanding of this world and of "herself":
Though the former Su Tianqing had been cute, the social anxiety and solitary habits she had developed in childhood meant she rarely went out. A two-hour subway trip into the city center was probably the farthest she had traveled in six months.
The Beastfolk Mutual Aid Society's support was limited, and she was not particularly good at writing novels. She had barely scraped by on her attendance bonuses, and her work performed terribly.
Writing novels is a dead end.
Looking at the meager savings in her bank account and her tuition loan, Fox Fox felt a pang of distress.
Don't worry, Su Tianqing. Now that I've become you, I'll make sure you have a better life! the little fox vowed to herself.
Her gaze fell on the quest on the page.
[Quest: Wish] [Gain 200 followers]
Hmm... what does "followers" mean? Fans? If that was her dearest wish, wouldn't it be a little too easy to fulfill?
With a face like this, I could post a few selfies on a social app and pick up a thousand followers without trying. What's there to worry about?
Click!
With that in mind, Su Tianqing raised her phone and tried taking a selfie.
Right. The front camera broke when the phone fell. Better put that idea aside for now.
As she daydreamed about the future, time flew by. Soon the sun was setting, dusk deepened, and night rapidly enveloped the park.
Tap.
Su Tianqing turned off her Rice Phone, its screen covered in cracks, connected it to a power bank, and put it in her bag.
The paths were full of residents out for a leisurely walk after dinner. Many had children with them. Their laughter reached Fox Fox's ears and made her a little envious.
In my last life and this one, I'm still all alone.
Su Tianqing sighed inwardly. Melancholy crept into her heart, but she promptly pushed it back down.
Well, I'm a little tired after watching videos all day. Time to focus on the matter at hand—
"Graaah!!"
A shrill roar came from behind the trees and pierced Su Tianqing's fluffy ears, making them both jerk.
She looked into the distance. At the sight of people fleeing in panic, she tensed instinctively, and her tail puffed up to twice its size.
The Codex was right. A monster really did attack Greenheart Park tonight.
Wait, why am I nervous? I'm the villain. Hyacinth's the one coming here—she should be nervous.
At that thought, a devilish smile spread across the little fox's face.
"Come on, Hyacinth."
"I've prepared a wonderful welcome gift for you."
Before you continue