Recovery

Huo Lin had no idea she had already drawn the attention of the Time-Space Administration Bureau.

She did not even know the Time-Space Administration Bureau existed.

Earth, designated "World 97," was an unadministered world, meaning the Time-Space Administration Bureau had no permanent presence there. In fact, before the Jewel Seed incident broke out the previous year, this magically barren region had been entirely outside its notice.

So on Earth, magic was still something out of "legend," something most people would not believe in.

There were a lot of people waiting for the train. Huo Lin was not used to the looks people gave her, even when there was no malice in them. The thought of squeezing into a crowded carriage with so many people made her instinctively recoil.

Had she been male, or female from the beginning, she probably would not have been so sensitive.

But for Huo Lin, who had been a little boy just two weeks earlier and was now a little girl through and through, adjusting her mindset was still rather difficult.

Hayate pulled her farther down the platform, and Huo Lin realized she had finally been saved.

Right. She had actually known all along that trains in this era had "women-only carriages." It was just something that had been so utterly irrelevant to her that it was understandable she had not thought of it.

This was her first time stepping into a women-only carriage. Although no law had ever forbidden men from entering, doing so could mean social ruin. Generally, no one broke that rule. In a sense, social ruin was a more serious consequence than legal punishment.

Naturally, Huo Lin had never entered one before.

Like the women's baths or the women's restroom, it had been another world. Now she belonged here, without looking the least bit out of place.

"Huo Lin, are you okay?"

"I'm okay... probably."

To anyone looking at her, her face was a little too red to be normal. Huo Lin had made up her mind to go out as little as possible from now on.

Magic was so interesting. She would rather study it.

At least until she had grown completely used to this body. That meant not only getting used to the body itself, but also to interacting with other people.

The hospital was near Shinjuku Station. They had boarded at Takadanobaba Station, so it was only two stops away.

Rather embarrassingly, even the attending doctor mistook Huo Lin for Hayate. After all, she looked a little frailer.

"So, Hayate, are you two twins? But I remember you had a twin brother, didn't you?" Dr. Ishida, who was in charge of Hayate's treatment, felt rather confused.

"Haha, um, yes, there's another one." Even Hayate had no idea what she was saying.

"Triplets, then?"

What could they say? Neither Hayate nor Huo Lin knew how to explain it.

Fortunately, Dr. Ishida was not responsible for household registration. She had only asked because she was surprised by how identical they looked, and she did not even wait for an answer.

"Hayate, congratulations. Your test results show that you've completely recovered."

"Thank you, Dr. Ishida."

"No, you really shouldn't thank me. I didn't actually do anything. I'm rather ashamed."

The illness had appeared without explanation, then disappeared just as inexplicably. As her doctor, she had neither identified its cause nor discovered why she had recovered. She had truly failed in her duties.

Still, recovery was certainly a good thing.

"Avoid spicy foods for the time being. They aren't good for your nerves, and don't overdo the exercise. When you return to school, you should sit out PE for the rest of this term. I'll write you a note."

Still concerned, Dr. Ishida gave her a few more reminders. She knew about Hayate's family situation. The girl did not even have a guardian.

"Call me if anything happens, anytime. You have my number."

Ishida was a good doctor. Her earlier inability to treat Hayate had not been a matter of medical skill.

Walking out of the hospital building, Hayate looked at the medical documents certifying her recovery, which would let her return to school. The past few months felt like a dream.

Her life had suddenly plunged into an abyss, only for a miracle to arrive just as suddenly.

And the person who had created that miracle...

"Huo Lin, what are you going to do?"

She could return to school now, but what about Huo Lin, who had brought her this miracle?

At school, there was only a boy named Huo Lin, not a girl. How could she return to classes? And it was not just school-there was the rest of her life to consider.

"It's okay. I'm a mage now."

"A magical girl," Hayate corrected her.

"All right, a magical girl. Anyway, magic can work miracles."

That was true, but at present she merely possessed magical power. She could hardly count as a magical girl when she did not know a single proper spell.

Still, that was all right. She had the Book of the Night Sky.

As a magical device, the Book of the Night Sky was out of control and completely unusable. But it really was a book, and it contained knowledge of magic. Simply reading it as a book was perfectly fine.

Of course, Huo Lin was the only person who could do that.

Anyone else who touched the Book of the Night Sky would immediately cause it to go out of control. They would either have their magical core drained away or trigger a rampage and get caught up in it.

Only Huo Lin could keep the book completely sealed within her infinite magic.

Enough magical power would make it erupt, but an excessive amount left it unable to do anything but lie there.

"Anyway, let's buy some clothes first."

"Huh?"

Hayate had mentioned it earlier, but Huo Lin had not expected her to change the subject so quickly. As for buying clothes, Huo Lin was not ready yet.

Of course, it was not something that required any preparation.

"If you aren't comfortable with it, Huo Lin, shall we get something plainer?"

"Lady Hayate, please do!"

Well, with Huo Lin being so honest, Hayate decided not to tease her. Such was a sister's kindness.

As for buying clothes, Hayate was naturally familiar with that. After all, Huo Lin was now another version of herself. She could simply treat it as putting together an outfit for herself.

There would be no problem.

No problem?

Then how had it turned out like this?

"Hayate, aren't you done yet?"

Inside the fitting room, Huo Lin had already lost track of how many outfits she had tried on.

"This one, or this one? No, no, no, let's go back to the original idea..."

Having a "dress-up doll" to try different outfits on was completely different from shopping for herself!

The inspiration just would not stop!

Besides, they did not have much money left for living expenses. She had to put together the best outfit for the lowest price. What a challenge.

"I think a bow at the collar would look better."

An unfamiliar voice interrupted Hayate's thoughts. It belonged to a girl around their age. With long, jet-black hair and a fair, delicately tapered face, she looked like a little lady.

"That way, the colors wouldn't be too monotonous."

Hayate thought she was right.

"Or maybe add a hair accessory?"

"Then how about putting her hair into two buns?"

"Good idea!"

And so one person's dress-up game became a game for two, until another voice called out a greeting.

"Tomoyo, have you been waiting long?"

"Oh, no. You're finished already, Sakura? I met some interesting people." The "wardrobe adviser" named Tomoyo waved goodbye to Hayate and Huo Lin.

Although someone had interrupted, it had helped her make up her mind.

"The colors are a little plain, but beige and white work very well together."

Paired with a patterned bow at the collar and red hair accessories, all of them inexpensive, the result was surprisingly good.

"But Hayate, isn't the skirt a little short?"

"It isn't short. It almost reaches your knees."

But that still meant it didn't reach her knees, didn't it? Even a little of her thighs showed.

"It's summer. It's fine. Look, yours is even a little longer than mine."

That was true, but although it did not bother her when other people wore something like that, wearing it herself was always rather embarrassing.

Still, it really did look nice.