Yuan Qing didn’t speak; he just picked up his coffee and took another sip.
Mizuho watched him, waiting for a few seconds. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft noise of sipping.
“So?” Mizuho pressed. “Are you going to accept the invitation?”
Yuan Qing set down his coffee cup and asked back, “Do you want me to go?”
Mizuho blanked for a second.
“Me?” She pointed at herself. “You’re asking me?”
“Yes.”
“I think Hifumi is right. To become stronger and to crush others for the sake of victory, it’s necessary to study with her,” Mizuho said, then tossed the topic to Raven. “Raven, you think so too, right?”
“Eh? Ah…” Raven hadn’t reacted yet. “That’s right, I think so too. Such an opportunity is rare, and Hifumi isn’t the type of person to be petty.”
“…”
He didn’t answer for the moment, just lightly swirled his coffee cup. The coffee inside began to whirl, and he looked at it as if mesmerized.
Mizuho and Raven exchanged a look.
Raven shrugged, indicating that she didn’t know what this guy was thinking either.
“At least give some kind of response? I cleared my entire morning for you. If I don’t have an answer, I can’t explain it to the producer,” Mizuho said, spreading her hands.
“I’m not going,” Yuan Qing answered bluntly.
The room fell silent for an instant, and Mizuho and Raven exchanged another look.
“Isn’t it a bit too hasty to decide like this?” Raven hopped in front of Yuan Qing. “If you’re unhappy, I’m sorry. But as your Familiar, I haven’t been able to guide you properly and could only blindly urge you to work hard. This is my failure. How should I put it… out of a desire to make up for it, I hope you don’t miss this chance.”
“Then let me ask you, Raven,” Yuan Qing said expressionlessly, stroking Raven’s feathers. “If I always follow in Hifumi’s footsteps, won’t I just become Hifumi number two? If I lose, should I comfort myself by saying ‘I worked just as hard as Hifumi did’?”
Mizuho didn’t speak. She looked at Yuan Qing and Raven, but her mind was on Sundae.
“Sundae…” she started slowly. “Sundae… you ran into her that day, didn’t you? Did she say anything?”
The livestream was still going.
On the screen, Hifumi had already stood up, preparing to end the press conference. Reporters were still frantically shouting questions, but she didn’t respond anymore. She just gave a slight bow and turned to leave.
The White Snake was coiled around her arm, swaying slightly with her steps.
The live chat was still scrolling rapidly.
“Miss Kazama is so cool!”
“I’m so looking forward to the duel one month from now!”
“Good luck, Miss Raven!”
Mizuho checked the time on her phone and stood up. “I have to go. I need to meet with the producer and talk about this Hifumi situation.”
Yuan Qing nodded. “Okay, goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
With that, raven feathers surged, swallowing Mizuho’s figure. Raven waved a wing at her to say goodbye.
***
Outside, the sunlight was perfect.
At Mizuho’s talent agency, Mizuho was teleported inside. She leaned back and sank into a soft sofa. Beside her sat her manager, Sachiko.
Sachiko pulled out a cigarette. “You’re back? I thought you’d forgotten about our meeting.”
“How could I? You’re always on my mind.”
Mizuho’s sitting posture wasn’t very graceful; she was slumped on the sofa. Raven’s double rested on the back of the sofa. Along with Sachiko, they were discussing Hifumi.
“So, what is your choice?” Sachiko lit the cigarette in her mouth. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the fight.”
“I… still need to think about it.”
Mizuho brushed it off for now.
“What about you?” Sachiko turned to look at the double. “The little Familiar should have her own thoughts, right?”
The double immediately rolled over and sat up. “Not me, I don’t. I’m still thinking too.”
Hearing this, Sachiko took a deep drag and slowly exhaled the smoke.
“If you don’t make up your mind, any thinking is just a waste of time. Or rather, you’ve known the answer for a long time; you’re just suffering because you don’t dare to say it.” She pointed at Mizuho with the two fingers holding her cigarette.
Mizuho scratched her hair. “Is that so? Maybe it is.”
“Since you have the leisure to think about such things,” Sachiko stood up, propping herself up on her knees, “you might as well go train now.”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
The two lazybones both looked up at Sachiko.
“Yes, training,” Sachiko walked to the window with her back to Mizuho and the double, putting the cigarette back in her mouth. “Regardless of what Miss Raven decides, your duties as the popular idol Mine Mizuho won’t change. Magazine shoots, variety shows, brand endorsements, and those media outlets waiting to interview you—those won’t wait for anyone.”
Mizuho sat up straight.
“Got it.” She stood up, rolled her shoulders, and walked toward the door.
“Hey! Wait for me!” The double immediately rolled off the sofa and flapped its wings to fly onto Mizuho’s shoulder. “I’m coming too!”
“Now, the reporters —”
As they reached the door, Mizuho suddenly stopped, interrupting Sachiko.
“Sachiko.”
Sachiko looked back. “Yes?”
“What do you think of that person, Sundae? Sakuma Seidai,” Mizuho suddenly asked.
“That Magical Girl you saved?”
“Yes.”
Sachiko flicked some ash out the window. “She works hard, but if she were a bird, she would just be a bird that can’t fly.”
Mizuho stood at the door, her hand still on the handle. The double was preening its feathers on her shoulder.
“I see…” Mizuho seemed a bit down.
“Yes, that’s how it is,” Sachiko turned around and leaned against the window. “This world is cruel, Mizuho. Hard work is certainly worthy of respect, but no matter how hard that girl works, she can only fight the lowest-level monsters. When she runs into one that’s a bit stronger, she needs someone to save her. It’s not her fault; it’s just how things are.”
“…”
Mizuho didn’t speak.
“Why are you asking?” Sachiko took a puff. “Want to introduce her to some work?”
“No,” Mizuho shook her head. “Just… wondering.”
Sachiko glanced at her with a look of realization.
“Fine, just wondering then,” she waved her hand at Mizuho. “Go train. Don’t overthink things.”
“Okay.” Mizuho nodded and pushed the door open.
The hallway was very quiet, with only the sound of her footsteps echoing.
The double rested on her shoulder, bobbing up and down with Mizuho’s movements. “It’s started. Yuan Qing is out hunting monsters again.”
“Right, I’ll avoid looking for a bit.” Mizuho quickened her pace toward the training room.
Opening the door to the practice room, the familiar floor-to-ceiling mirror came into view. Mizuho changed into her sportswear, stood before the mirror, and began to warm up.
Stretching, bending, spinning.
Every movement was standard, and every detail was perfect.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She danced seriously, always looking at herself in the mirror.
‘That face, exactly the same as Yuan Qing’s.’
‘That talented guy, that guy Hifumi took an interest in, that guy who made over 2,000,000 people hold their breath…’
Mizuho took a deep breath, preparing to continue dancing.
Just then, her gaze accidentally swept past the window.
Outside, in the distant sky, a black figure was spreading its wings.
It blotted out the sun.
The sunlight was blocked by those wings, casting a massive shadow on the ground. The shadow swept across the streets, over buildings, and across the very skyscraper she was in.
Mizuho stood still, watching that figure.
It was Yuan Qing; he was hunting monsters.
The curve of those spreading wings, the swirling posture of that black robe, the clean and efficient movements with every strike—even from this distance, she could recognize him, because that was “Miss Raven.”
Because that was the version of herself she dreamed of but could never become.
The double perched on her shoulder and whispered, “The third one today.”
Mizuho watched that figure weaving through the sky, watched the wings obscure the sun, watched that monster crash to the ground and vanish with the wind brushed aside by the wings.
Then, the black figure flapped its wings once more, raven feathers scattering as it disappeared into the distant horizon.
The sunlight spilled in once again, shining upon her.
Mizuho remained standing right where she was.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.