Chapter 25: Hero Saving the Beauty

T District General Bureau, Ability Countermeasures Department service hall.

The place was bustling with noise and activity. 

It lacked the solemn administrative atmosphere one might expect and instead felt more like a massive comic convention.

Magical girls in all kinds of flashy, eccentric outfits came and went, filling the air with lively chatter.

Only in front of Window 3 was the pressure so low it was downright terrifying.

“I’ve already told you how many times, little girl.”

The middle-aged female clerk behind the window stared at Fei Xia with the kind of look one might give garbage.

She pointed at the red pop-up on her screen, her tone extremely impatient.

“Article 7 of the Anonymous Management Regulations—can you not read the words?”

“You don’t have to fill in your real name. You don’t have to fill in your address. You don’t even have to fill in anything at all. That’s your right.”

“But new applicants who choose ‘complete anonymity’ mode are classified as high-risk uncontrollable personnel. You must have an on-duty staff member of B-rank or higher provide on-site guarantor support.”

Lu Yushan’s brows furrowed tightly. His fingers clenched unconsciously, turning slightly pale.

“One moment.”

He turned away, pulled out his phone, and dialed Qiong Ling’s number.

In the magical girl circle, the only two people he knew were Qinghai Starlight and Qiong Ling.

Qinghai Starlight was a huge star; they had only met once. 

There was no way she would rush over for a random stranger.

That left only Qiong Ling.

Beep— Beep— Beep—

A long busy tone came from the other end.

No one picked up.

Lu Yushan refused to give up and tried again.

“Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable…”

Deliberate.

Lu Yushan’s face instantly darkened.

That woman had definitely done it on purpose! She had told him to come to this exact window, and now she was refusing to answer. 

She clearly wanted to watch him make a fool of himself.

“Finished with your calls?”

The clerk rolled her eyes dramatically, as if she had seen straight through Fei Xia’s embarrassment.

“No guarantor. What if you’re a monster in disguise? What if you take the signing bonus and run?”

“I’ve seen too many broke black-household types trying to scam benefits. If you don’t have money, go get a normal job instead of coming here to try your luck.”

Whoosh.

She tossed the half-filled form—containing only a codename—back through the window.

The paper fluttered down and landed on the footprint-covered floor.

“Either go to the next room and enter your real identity information, or go find a senior who’s willing to sign for you. Next!”

Fei Xia stared at the form lying at her feet. Her fists clenched involuntarily.

Enter her real identity?

Wouldn’t that be the same as exposing that she was actually male?

She didn’t care about social death, but if she did that, the copyright fees would go up in smoke.

Ah, damn it.

Lu Yushan gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly.

Fine. He could forget about the copyright fees. At least he could still get the signing bonus.

“Hey, how much longer are you going to hold up the line?”

Suddenly Fei Xia felt something poke her waist.

She turned around and saw a short green-haired magical girl behind her, chewing bubble gum.

The girl was short, but she was still a head taller than Fei Xia.

She squinted at Fei Xia with a mocking, trash-looking gaze and wore a nasty smirk.

“Aiya? Got rejected? How pitiful~”

She exaggeratedly covered her mouth, eyes full of schadenfreude.

“Don’t even have a guarantor? Hey hey, don’t tell me you’re one of those pathetic magical girls with no friends, no family, and no seniors who like you?”

The short girl blew a bubble. It popped with a snap.

She continued in that infuriatingly sweet yet contemptuous tone.

“A small fry with no money and no background should just give up already.”

“This is the adult world. Little pitiful things like you who nobody wants should hurry home and drink milk from Mommy, hehe~”

Quiet laughter rippled through the crowd.

I want to kill them. I seriously want to kill them this time.

Fei Xia took a deep breath and forced down the urge to tear apart both the people and the counter.

…Forget it. There has to be another way. I’ll just go back and find Qiong Ling.

Just as he bent down to pick up the form and leave—

Clack— clack— clack—

A series of urgent, crisp high-heel clicks cut through the surrounding noise, growing steadily closer.

The air in the hall seemed to freeze at that moment.

The previously noisy crowd was hit with a mute button. The laughter died instantly.

A fair, slender hand reached down one step ahead of Lu Yushan and picked up the form from the floor.

“Who said she has no guarantor?”

A cool, gentle voice rang out, carrying an unquestionable authority.

Lu Yushan looked up.

What filled his vision was a girl in blue-and-white attire, long hair cascading like a waterfall, aura fully unleashed.

Although Lu Yushan noticed up close that her face looked unnaturally pale beneath her flawless makeup, in front of outsiders she still maintained that perfect, flawless idol posture that drove countless people crazy.

“Q-Qinghai Starlight?!”

“It really is her! The top idol of T District?!”

“Why would she come to the service hall?!”

The mocking voices behind them choked off. The green-haired girl who had been laughing at Fei Xia turned deathly pale and shrank back, desperately trying to disappear so no one would remember her.

The snobbish clerk behind the window shot up from her chair. Her face was plastered with a fawning smile mixed with panic.

“Q-Qinghai, Miss Qinghai! Why did you come in person? For something this small you could have just called…”

Qinghai Starlight acted as if she hadn’t seen any of them. She turned her head. Those deep, sea-like eyes looked straight at Fei Xia.

She pressed her lips together, picked up the pen on the counter, and in one fluid motion wrote her name in the guarantor column.

“I am her guarantor.”

Qinghai pushed the form back through the window. Her gaze swept coldly over the clerk and then over the group of onlookers who had gone deathly silent.

“I vouch for her under the name ‘Qinghai Starlight’ and the reputation of the T District direct magical girls. If any problem arises, it’s on me.”

She lifted her chin slightly, eyes sharp.

“Is this name enough?!”

“Yes yes yes! Of course it’s enough! Your guarantee is approved instantly with no review!”

The clerk scrambled to type on her keyboard. Cold sweat ruined her makeup.

Who would dare question Qinghai Starlight? That was just asking for death.

Fei Xia watched the scene and then glanced at the woman beside her who seemed to be glowing.

Although he really hated owing favors—especially huge ones like this—

…having someone back you up didn’t feel half bad.

“…Thanks.”

Fei Xia turned her head away, tugged at the brim of her cloak, and spoke in a small, awkward voice.

Hearing that awkward word of thanks, the taut string in Qinghai Starlight’s heart loosened for some reason.

“No need to thank me. This is what I owe you.”

Qinghai leaned in closer and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear.

“From now on, please take care of me, Lu…”

She paused, suddenly realizing something. She glanced at the name on the form.

“…Fei Xia.”