Inside the City A Magical Girl Association branch, bright light filled the entire meeting room, and a faint magical glow lingered in the air.
Several girls of the Dreamweaving Squad stood gathered together, their faces filled with excitement they could barely hide, their gazes fixed in unison on the figure in the center of the meeting room—S-Rank Magical Girl Blood Butterfly.
Her highly recognizable black-and-red gradient long hair, with slightly curled ends, draped over her shoulders and back.
In the sunlight, the black strands gleamed with a cold luster, while the red strands were like burning flames, lively and bold.
Wispy bangs fell gently over her forehead, partially covering her brows and eyes.
Her eyes were clear and sharp, carrying a warrior’s resolve and coolness.
A faint red magical aura surrounded her, her presence steady and powerful.
“It’s really you, Senior Blood Butterfly!”
Haitang Hua of the Dreamweaving Squad couldn’t contain herself first, her face beaming with an excited smile.
She briskly circled Blood Butterfly again and again, her eyes full of admiration, her voice even trembling slightly:
“I’ve long heard of your exploits, Senior. I never thought I’d get to see you in person. You’re even more amazing and beautiful than the rumors!”
Clover on the side helplessly massaged her forehead, then reached out and gently pulled the overexcited Haitang Hua back, pressing her fingers lightly on her shoulder to signal her to calm down.
Then she turned to Blood Butterfly and gave a warm and appropriate smile, her tone respectful but not stiff: “Welcome to City A, Miss Blood Butterfly. I am Clover, the acting captain of the Dreamweaving Squad. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Blood Butterfly looked at the lively and restless Haitang Hua, then at the gentle and steady Clover, a hint of softness flashing in her eyes.
The girls’ demeanor reminded her of her past experiences with her own companions.
Blood Butterfly lifted the corner of her mouth, revealing a faint smile.
Her tone was warm, instantly dispelling some of the fierceness of her magical girl form:
“No need to be so formal. From now on at the branch, treat me like a friend.”
Having said that, she paused slightly, her gaze falling on Clover with a hint of curiosity: “By the way, you said you’re the acting captain?”
As soon as she finished speaking, a barely restrained scream came from behind Clover: “Aaaah! Senior is so gentle! Even gentler than I imagined! I like her so much!”
The voice was clear and full of joy, echoing in the meeting room.
Green Ivy on the other side helplessly shook her head and silently reached out, gently covering Haitang Hua’s mouth.
Taking advantage of her struggling, she half-dragged, half-pulled her to a corner, her movements quick and clean, to prevent her from disturbing the conversation any further.
Clover struggled to steady the smile at the corners of her mouth and suppressed her helplessness.
She nodded at Blood Butterfly, her tone still warm:
“Yes, Miss Blood Butterfly. Our captain recently went to the Magical Girl Association headquarters to undergo the A-Rank Magical Girl certification assessment. So for the time being, I am acting as captain and handling the squad’s affairs.”
“I see.”
Blood Butterfly nodded gently, showing an understanding expression without further inquiry.
She then spoke: “By the way, I called you all here today because there’s something I need to tell you.”
As she spoke, she raised her eyes to the door of the meeting room, her tone softening:
“Come in, Wu Wang Wo.”
As soon as she finished, a slender figure slowly walked in from outside the door.
The girl carried a long, slender sword on her back, its scabbard a light beige color with delicate patterns engraved on it, complementing her aura.
She was also in her magical girl form, looking cute and lively.
She had soft, light brown short hair with slightly inward-curving ends that lay against her cheeks, making her face look even smaller and more delicate.
Her brows curved gently, her eyelashes long and thick, casting a faint shadow under her eyelids when she lowered her gaze, making her appear very gentle.
She wore a light pink combat uniform with small white forget-me-not embroidery on the cuffs.
It fit her figure without restricting movement.
A faint, pale golden magical aura surrounded her, cute yet carrying a hint of a warrior’s sharpness, making her instantly likable.
“This is A-Rank Magical Girl Wu Wang Wo,” Blood Butterfly introduced to the girls of the Dreamweaving Squad.
“She’ll be staying in City A for the time being, working with us and helping investigate the witch’s trail.”
Wu Wang Wo lifted her eyes slightly and slowly swept her gaze over the girls of the Dreamweaving Squad.
Her face showed little extra expression.
She simply nodded lightly and greeted them in a soft but somewhat distant tone:
“Hello.”
With that, she said no more, turned and walked to the corner of the meeting room, stood with her back against the wall, arms crossed, her gaze on the floor, quietly staying aside, as if wrapped in a faint layer of film.
Haitang Hua finally broke free from Green Ivy’s hold and leaned close to the new magical girl, Blue Rose Li Qing’s ear, lowering her voice and whispering: “Li Qing, Li Qing, look at her. She seems so aloof, but she’s really cute, like a soft little dumpling.”
As she spoke, she couldn’t help stealing a glance at Wu Wang Wo, her eyes full of curiosity.
But as soon as she finished, Green Ivy on the side reached out again and firmly covered her mouth, dragging her aside once more, her eyes full of helplessness.
Blood Butterfly paid no heed to the small incident in the corner.
Her gaze returned to Clover, and her tone gradually became serious, shedding its previous warmth:
“Clover, earlier you reported to headquarters that you discovered traces of a witch in City A and also found a piece of school uniform. Now, has the investigation into that school uniform fragment yielded any results?”
“Let me say this! Let me say this!”
Haitang Hua broke free from Green Ivy’s restraint again, raised her hand high, her face full of eagerness, her eyes shining, afraid of missing the chance to speak.
Blood Butterfly looked at her enthusiastic expression and nodded lightly, signaling her to speak.
Haitang Hua immediately restrained some of her excitement, her tone becoming serious as she spoke methodically:
“We’ve thoroughly investigated. That school uniform fragment belongs to Coral Middle School in City A.”
“We specifically contacted the teachers at Coral Middle School and conducted a detailed investigation. According to the current findings, no students are missing from Coral Middle School; all students attend classes and go home normally.”
“So we can be certain that the owner of that school uniform fragment is still alive and still attending Coral Middle School.”
“In other words, it’s highly possible that she is the witch.”
“Witch…”
Blood Butterfly frowned upon hearing this, gently pinching her chin between her fingertips, lost in thought, a hint of gravity in her eyes.
“Coral Middle School is a key school with a large number of students. If a witch is truly hiding there, once an accident occurs, the consequences would be unimaginable.”
After a moment, she lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over the girls of the Dreamweaving Squad, and said firmly: “I plan to go to Coral Middle School in a few days with Wu Wang Wo to conduct a thorough check of all teachers and students, ensuring no clue is overlooked.”
“At that time, your Dreamweaving Squad will be responsible for peripheral support and maintaining order on site. If, during the inspection, we truly discover traces of the witch, you must be careful to protect the safety of the students on site and ensure no student is harmed. Understood?”
“Understood!”
The girls of the Dreamweaving Squad answered in unison, their tone firm, their faces full of seriousness, nodding one after another, not daring to slack off—being able to carry out a mission with S-Rank Magical Girl Blood Butterfly was both a sign of trust and a test for them.
After everyone had dispersed, after signing an autograph for Haitang Hua and giving her a senior’s hug, Blood Butterfly looked toward Wu Wang Wo.
“It’s been so long. Want to take a walk together? Just to relax a bit.”
Wu Wang Wo slowly shook her head, her tone still gentle but with a hint of coldness, keeping her head slightly lowered and her gaze on the ground:
“No need, Lady Blood Butterfly. I’ll go cultivate a bit more. I’m just one step away from breaking through to S-Rank. I don’t want to waste time. If anything comes up, just call me. I’ll come at any time.”
Blood Butterfly looked at her stubborn demeanor and helplessly rubbed her own head:
“Wu Wang Wo, I know you’ve always had a knot in your heart. Are you still blaming us for casually labeling Lark as a traitor and a witch back then without conducting a thorough investigation?”
When Wu Wang Wo heard the name ‘Lark’, her body stiffened slightly.
Her fingers tightened, and the hands at her sides clenched into fists.
Her lips pressed tightly together, and a complex emotion flickered in her eyes.
She slowly lifted her head and looked at Blood Butterfly.
Her tone was calm but carried a hint of determination:
“I know this isn’t something you could decide, and you couldn’t defy it. But…”
She paused, her tone carrying a hint of obsession:
“Even now, I don’t believe that Teacher could have fallen into becoming a witch. She was so gentle, so kind. How could she become a witch that harms the world?”
With that, Wu Wang Wo said no more.
She turned and walked toward the door of the meeting room, her steps firm, her slender back exuding an indestructible strength.
When she reached the door, she stopped, her back to Blood Butterfly, and said firmly:
“Lady Blood Butterfly, I will find Teacher. No matter where she is, no matter whether she was truly framed or not, I will find her, bring her back, and clear her name.”