Preparation for the Culture Festival

That evening, at the Yang residence.

Yang Chen tossed and turned in bed.

It wasn't insomnia.

It was just that the scenes from the day kept replaying in his mind.

"We want you to cross-dress as the lead in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica stage play!"

But all he could think about was not messing up the magical girls' worldview again.

Yet now that he had calmed down, he suddenly felt that... this might actually be a great idea!

A stage play.

A magical girl stage play.

The script had... a transformation scene.

The transformation effects would definitely have to be done with various manual "special effects" on the day of the performance... but what if he really transformed?

Everyone would assume it was just a stage effect...

Of course, that depended on him keeping the commotion of his transformation under control.

That way, aside from Chen Qianqian, who would also be a magical girl onstage, no one would know that he had truly transformed.

And Chen Qianqian?

When she first found out that she had to perform in women's clothing, she might be surprised, then make a few jokes at her own expense...

She might think that was all there was to it, and that nothing else could surprise her.

But then he would transform right in front of her, before the entire school.

There was absolutely no way Chen Qianqian wouldn't be scared out of her wits!

Most importantly, Chen Qianqian had only just become a magical girl. Her control over Magic Power was nowhere near his level, so she definitely wouldn't be able to transform as well.

As soon as he left the stage and ran, Chen Qianqian certainly wouldn't be able to catch up and beat him senseless.

Everything fit!!

"That's it..." Yang Chen muttered in the darkness, growing more excited as he spoke. "That's it!!"

Yang Chen could already imagine the expression on Chen Qianqian's face at that moment.

"Heh heh... hehehe..."

In the darkness, the boy's laughter gradually headed down the path of villainy, never to return.

The next day, in the classroom.

"Everyone." Yang Chen stood up and solemnly patted the shoulder of the boy in the row ahead. "I've changed my mind about the Cultural Festival performance."

"Huh?"

"I'm doing it."

The classroom fell silent for a second, then erupted into cheers.

"Yes!!"

"Long live Yang Chen!!"

"Wait." The boy in front scrutinized him suspiciously. "Who was it yesterday that said, 'I'd rather die than go'?"

"That person died yesterday." Yang Chen didn't bat an eye. "He's been resurrected today."

"Besides, the Cultural Festival performance is a rare group activity. How could I possibly be unwilling to contribute to the collective?"

"That sounds noble, but you just want to wear a little skirt, don't you, Miss Yang!"

"Damn it! I was wrong! Stop!"

Bang!

At the back of the classroom, Chen Qianqian slowly lowered the textbook in her hands.

He changed his mind?

Yesterday, he had sworn he would rather die than go, and today he had volunteered?

Her eyes slowly narrowed.

Good.

Good, Yang Chen.

First his hair, then a women's-clothing stage play, and now he even insisted on dragging the whole class into watching—

This guy really did plan to use the Cultural Festival as an excuse to cross-dress and mess with her in a perfectly legitimate way!

"I can't wait to see what kind of tricks you pull onstage."

In the days that followed, rehearsals got underway in full swing.

Of course, this Xiao Yuan wasn't that Xiao Yuan. After all, the magical girls of this world would never tolerate such dark subject matter.

A comic with a similar plot had once appeared. The chapter released that morning had its door kicked in by magical girls that very afternoon.

Naturally, the story's theme was still about the protagonist, Xiao Yuan, fighting and making sacrifices to save the city.

Yang Chen naturally took on the role of Xiao Yuan, the protagonist.

Chen Qianqian, meanwhile, played Homura.

Then, the entire class quickly discovered something terrifying.

"Brother, you smell amazing..."

When Yang Chen appeared before everyone after his stage makeup was complete, nearly everyone's eyes went blank.

Aside from the complete lack of movement in his chest, Yang Chen looked almost exactly like a magical girl.

"Tsk..."

"Ah... this is exactly what I wanted..."

Even Chen Qianqian felt a little strange as she watched the intoxicated expressions on her classmates' faces.

There was no other reason.

Yang Chen simply looked far too practiced.

When she had first worn high heels, she hadn't even been able to walk normally, yet Yang Chen didn't seem affected in the slightest.

Every frown and smile of his radiated cuteness, as though he had been born a girl.

He couldn't have already been secretly cross-dressing at home, could he?

Had he started practicing in secret long ago just to mess with her?

Late that night, on the Rooftop.

"Tell me, what was so urgent?" Celestial Star yawned while holding her Record Book. "I have to get up early tomor—"

"Cultural Festival." Love interrupted her, her eyes shining unnaturally brightly. "The Campus Culture Festival. A stage play."

Celestial Star's yawn stopped halfway.

"The Cultural Festival stage won't draw as much attention as a magical girl concert, but the atmosphere will be just as passionate!"

It provided the conditions for a dazzling entrance while still guaranteeing a certain degree of safety.

"And Chen Qianqian is one of the actors... She'll be able to see my transformation up close and feel the Magic Power from it... But everyone else won't know. They'll just think we made the special effects by hand... Perfect!"

By then, Celestial Star's thoughts had already started turning again.

Hiss... this might really work?

After all, Love's original goal had merely been to find a good opportunity to confess while also giving Chen Qianqian a fright and leaving her thoroughly stunned.

This situation would be a little less tense, but the element of surprise would definitely be there.

But... to say that no one would be able to tell...

"I remember Knight goes to your school, right? Looks like we should tell her in advance, too."

"Oh, right."

Knight's true identity was a student named Li Qi, and she attended the same school as them. Love had nearly forgotten that.

If Knight didn't know what was happening, she would probably rush over the moment she saw Love transform at the Cultural Festival.

According to reliable information, because of Love's help at the concert, Knight's attitude toward her had become incredibly friendly. If Love hadn't joined the Association and had no officially licensed merchandise for sale, Knight's home would probably have been filled with it by now.

"Looks like you know Knight?"

Celestial Star watched Love's expression with some curiosity.

Love nodded.

"I saw Knight transform back at the park. Besides, don't forget that I was the one who healed her mother."

Celestial Star finally understood.

"But if we tell Knight... why not have her appear directly as a special guest, then say that she added Magic Power to you on a whim and use that to fool everyone else? As for Chen Qianqian, she shouldn't be unable to distinguish the source of the Magic Power."

"Good idea!"