The Knight Returns

Magical Girl Association, Local City Branch. Underground training ground.

Bang!

A straight punch caved in the alloy dummy's chest. The whole thing slid three meters backward and slammed into a crash mat with a dull groan.

The girl who had thrown the punch shook out her high silver ponytail, her brows drawn tight.

"Something's off."

"You're doing well." At the edge of the training ground, Old Wei flipped through the records in his hand. "Your energy efficiency is up four percent since you left. Looks like that training method from the neighboring province really worked."

At the mention of the neighboring province, the Knight's eyebrow twitched.

If that punk guitarist with the smoky eye makeup had taught me anything useful, I'd be thanking my lucky stars.

Only she knew what she had been through these past few days.

The girl sighed softly and turned around.

Silver light armor covered her body. Her pauldrons had clean, blade-sharp curves, and a shield-shaped crest was emblazoned on her chest.

Her striking face suited the knightly outfit: strong brows, thin lips, and eyes as sharp as a drawn sword.

Magical Girl Knight.

A magical girl stationed in Our City. Firefly Rank.

"Uncle Wei." The Knight folded her arms, her expression grave. "I heard about it as soon as I got back yesterday. While I was away these past two days, there was a Fallen Beast in the west of the city—and an... unregistered magical girl?"

"Yes."

"What rank?"

Old Wei lowered his clipboard and fell silent for two seconds.

"Possibly Dawn Rank."

The Training Ground went quiet for a moment.

"...Dawn Rank?" The Knight's voice shot up an octave. "Dawn Rank?! The rank you can count on one hand nationwide?! Here, in our sleepy little city that hasn't seen a second-tier Fallen Beast in six months?!"

"That's why the Branch Director's blood pressure has been all over the place these past two days." Old Wei rubbed his temples. "You went to see the site too. What did you think?"

The Knight's expression grew serious.

She had made a detour to the west of the city that morning.

The deep, fan-shaped trench. The factory building with half of it sheared clean away. She had circled the site three times, and each pass had left her more shaken.

"The power behind that strike is far beyond anything I can achieve right now."

She admitted it without hesitation.

What incredible power... She must be a formidable warrior.

In the Knight's mind, the image of a formidable warrior took shape: dashing, powerful, and unmistakably fierce.

"We're looking for her now. Our only lead is the testimony of the couple she saved," Old Wei said. "Mainly pink and white, stars in her eyes. She called herself 'Pure-Love Warrior Ai.'"

"P-pink?"

The corner of the Knight's mouth twitched.

The image of the magnificent warrior shattered. In its place, a tiny, adorable girl bounced into her mind, drawing a heart in the air with her fingers.

"Love you! Mwah!"

You've got to be kidding me!

What relic from another era came up with that? What year does she think this is?

No... Knight... Uphold the virtues of knighthood. Don't judge people...

The Knight took a deep breath and regained her composure.

At the very least, the woman's strength was beyond question. For that alone, the Knight owed her respect.

"Is there any pattern to where she appears?"

Old Wei shook his head.

"We've only got one sighting so far... But the couple she saved said she seemed to have been drawn by the pure love between them."

"Drawn by 'love'..."

The Knight turned the words over in her mind. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.

"Uncle Wei, I've got it!"

"Got what?"

"The pattern!" The Knight punched her palm. "She doesn't appear at random. She's drawn to love! That means if love burns brightly and purely enough somewhere in this city, she'll show up!"

"In theory... yes."

Old Wei nodded.

It was hardly a difficult conclusion to reach. It was like being told one plus one equaled one, then being asked what one plus one equaled.

"Then this is simple."

A confident smile curved the Knight's lips.

"From now on, wherever there's love in this city, that's where I'll go."

A bad feeling crept over Old Wei. "...Where exactly are you planning to go?"

"Outside the marriage registration office." The Knight spoke with righteous conviction. "So many couples get their marriage certificates every day. The love there must be intense."

"..."

"And the matchmaking corner in People's Park, the street with all the bridal shops, outside the maternity hospital—"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Old Wei nearly blacked out. "You're a magical girl, not a creep! Stand outside the marriage registration office in armor all day and you'll be on the local news tomorrow!"

"Then I'll go in plain clothes."

"You'll still look suspicious!"

"Uncle Wei." The Knight turned to him, her eyes shining with alarming intensity. "If it means finding that Dawn Rank magical girl, it'll all be worth it, won't it?"

Her voice softened.

"Fallen Beast attacks have been increasing in cities across the country, and it looks like the same thing might be happening here... If someone that powerful were protecting this city, think how much we could save."

And besides... a Dawn Rank magical girl...

I've been stuck at Firefly Rank for almost a year without making any progress... This isn't what I want... I want to see what greater power looks like!

After a long pause, Old Wei waved a hand.

"...Go on, then. Plain clothes. Keep a low profile. Don't frighten the public."

"Understood!"

The silver-clad figure swept out of the Training Ground like the wind.

Old Wei watched her go, put a cigarette between his lips, and forgot to light it.

"That damn girl. She isn't going to bask in someone else's light," he muttered. "She wants to shine herself."

Three days later, at dusk.

People's Park.

On a bench, a girl with a high ponytail, a baseball cap, and an ordinary hoodie held a cup of milk tea. Her keen gaze swept over the pairs of people strolling through the park.

Day three of her plainclothes stakeout.

The marriage registration office had yielded nothing. So had the matchmaking corner, unless getting hit on counted.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, the Knight's gaze fixed on two figures not far away.

Two girls, around eighteen or nineteen, walked side by side along a tree-lined path.

One gestured animatedly as she talked. The other carried two schoolbags with a look of utter despair.

"Yang Chen! Are you even listening?"

"I am, I am. You were talking about the cat your best friend's brother's girlfriend has—"

"The cat isn't the point!"

"Then what is?"

"The point is—" Chen Qianqian faltered. "The point... The point is, give me back my milk tea!"

"You've already drunk half of it, and it's still 'your milk tea'?"

"Even if I drank from it, it's still mine!"

The Knight narrowed her eyes.

Ah, to be young...

No! This isn't the time to get sentimental!

Still, after three days of stakeouts, she had found no trace of the Dawn Rank magical girl. She had, however, nearly mapped every romantic spot in the city.

The Knight held her milk tea and suddenly felt her cheeks growing warm.

W-well, that's fine.

Protecting love and all things beautiful is part of a magical girl's duty... Part of it!

Just as she convinced herself of that—

Without warning, the light above the park dimmed slightly.

It wasn't a cloud.

The Knight jerked her head up.

In the gathering dusk, a barely visible wisp of gray-black mist drifted along the treetops, like a drop of ink spreading through clear water.

The passersby noticed nothing and went on chatting and laughing.

Only she felt the malice that chilled her to the bone.

"A Fallen Beast..." The Knight shot to her feet. Beneath her hoodie, silver lines had begun to glow. "Here? Why now, of all times?!"