At noon, Yuan Qing and Mizuho settled their lunch at an inconspicuous roadside ramen shop. The storefront was unremarkable, and the taste, naturally, was nothing to write home about.
Several shopping bags were placed on either side of their chairs, leaving Yuan Qing’s long legs with nowhere comfortable to rest.
“I’m sorry, it’s been a long time since I’ve taken someone out shopping like this,” Mizuho said with her hands clasped together and a sheepish smile. “I got a bit overexcited for a moment.”
“It’s fine. At least I didn’t have to pay. Besides, because of my height, there aren’t actually that many clothes I can wear.”
Yuan Qing took a sip of the savory, rich broth to moisten his throat, which had grown dry after following Mizuho around all morning.
Mizuho, however, was in no rush to eat her ramen. “You really do care about that, don’t you?”
“Is it strange to care about money?”
“Not necessarily,” Mizuho said as she handed Yuan Qing the spice jar. “It’s just that for someone like me, money is no longer a problem I need to consider.”
Yuan Qing sprinkled some seasoning into his bowl. “I see…”
Mizuho gently stirred the ramen in her bowl with her chopsticks. “Since my debut, my income has been very stable. My producer handles everything for me. How much to spend, how much to save, and how much to invest each month—someone plans all of that for me. I only need to focus on my work.”
“That sounds pretty good.”
Yuan Qing began to eat his noodles.
“…” Mizuho fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “What about you? What did you do before?”
“Part-time jobs,” Yuan Qing answered succinctly. “Convenience stores, izakayas, and handing out flyers. I’ve done a bit of everything. Overall, I stayed at a level where I could just barely get by.”
“Then why come to Japan? It sounds like your life here hasn’t improved much,” Mizuho asked curiously.
“Well…” Yuan Qing thought for a moment about how to answer. “To put it simply, I wanted a change of scenery.”
Mizuho waited, but Yuan Qing simply focused on his noodles with no intention of continuing. She decided not to press him further.
However, Raven poked its head out from the messenger bag under the table and whispered, “Can you two talk about something interesting? Like the upcoming Tea Party?”
“I’m eating noodles,” Yuan Qing said without looking up. “We’ll talk after I finish.”
“You!”
Mizuho smiled and pressed down on Raven’s head as it prepared to ruffle its feathers. “Alright, alright, let him finish. I’m hungry too.”
Raven let out a dissatisfied huff and retreated back into the bag.
The two ate their noodles in silence. The only sounds in the shop were the *slurp* of noodles and the midday news coming from the television.
“…Regarding the reports on the newly debuted Magical Girl ‘Miss Raven,’ there has been heated discussion on the internet recently. It is reported that the true identity of this Magical Girl, characterized by her black wings, is the popular idol Mine Mizuho…”
Yuan Qing and Mizuho both looked up at the television hanging in the corner. The screen was playing footage of the previous battle.
Yuan Qing’s black silhouette darted through the air, raven feathers fluttering as monsters collapsed into dust.
Then came the most critical part: the expressionless heart gesture.
Yuan Qing immediately buried his head back into his bowl.
“Miss Mine stated in an interview that she will continue to be active in the dual roles of both Magical Girl and idol. Fans have reacted enthusiastically to this news…”
The screen cut to the press conference, where Mizuho was giving the camera a perfect smile.
Yuan Qing remained silent, focused solely on his noodles.
Mizuho stole a glance at Yuan Qing before quickly looking away. “Oh, right. If any Magical Girls ask about idol matters later, I’ll have Raven answer through the familiar. You can just brush them off.”
“Understood…” Yuan Qing swallowed a mouthful of noodles. “That’s for the best. I have no understanding of what an idol is supposed to be.”
“That’s fine. Understanding things can sometimes be detrimental to appreciating them. It’s better to maintain a sense of distant beauty.”
Mizuho picked up a bundle of noodles coated in thick, oily soup that looked crystal clear. She blew on the rising steam, brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, and *slurped* them down.
Raven lay in the bag, listening to the world go by outside, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
“…It is reported that this monster subjugation was the second public battle for ‘Miss Raven.’ Compared to her debut, the combat time was more compact, and her movements were smoother and more ferocious. Experts analyze that Mine Mizuho’s potential as a Magical Girl far exceeds expectations…”
The ramen was finished.
—
That evening.
“One… two… one…”
Inside Mizuho’s apartment, she was dressed in loose-fitting athletic wear, standing before a floor-length mirror. she was repeatedly practicing the movements Yuan Qing had used in battle.
“One… two… one…”
Mizuho called out her own beat, her body swaying in sync. With her background as a popular idol, the results were decent, but every time she reached the movement for releasing a skill, she felt like something was missing.
‘It’s not right…’
She stopped and frowned at her reflection in the mirror.
The familiar crouched on the dressing table, tilting its head as it watched her. “It’s already very good. It’s much stronger than when you first started practicing.”
“It’s not enough. His movements have a certain…” Mizuho shook her head, unable to find the words. “Mine are too deliberate.”
The familiar ruffled its feathers. “That’s because he was actually fighting. You aren’t a real Magical Girl.”
“But I have to play the part well.” Mizuho took a deep breath and resumed her stance. “One… two… one…”
Her wrist twisted.
Her five fingers splayed open.
She imagined raven feathers swirling around her wrist before shooting outward.
No, it was still slightly off.
She opened her phone again, watching the specifically clipped segment of the “Falcon” technique being released.
‘Where exactly is it lacking…?’ Mizuho muttered.
The familiar flew down from the dressing table and landed on her shoulder. “I think you’re already amazing. At least more impressive than many Magical Girls I’ve seen.”
“Have you seen many Magical Girls?” Mizuho asked casually.
“Of course,” the familiar puffed out its chest proudly. “I’m a veteran familiar. Although I was weak for a long time due to lack of popularity, I still have my experience. I’ve seen almost every famous Magical Girl in the Tokyo Area from a distance.”
Mizuho turned her head to look at the familiar on her shoulder. “That’s perfect. Tell me about this Tea Party. Even though Mr. Luo is going, it still concerns my career. It won’t hurt to know more.”
The familiar tilted its head in thought. “Well… a Tea Party is a regular exchange event organized by Magical Girl groups. Both veterans and newcomers can participate. It’s mainly for everyone to get to know each other and exchange combat experience.”
“What’s the scale?”
Mizuho adjusted the subtle movements of her wrist while watching the video on her phone.
“It varies. Sometimes it’s a dozen people, sometimes thirty or forty,” the familiar said. “But since this one is themed around ‘Miss Raven,’ the turnout shouldn’t be small. There will be at least twenty or more.”
Mizuho nodded. “I see.”
The familiar continued, “You’ve met Sakuma Seidai. There are many Magical Girls like her. I can tell what her deal is just by looking.”
Mizuho began to move her whole body, starting from the wrist. “What is her deal?”
“She’s an apprentice Magical Girl, probably in the industry for about one year. Although she works hard, her strength is very average. She’s the serious type,” Raven recited the details as if they were common knowledge. “There are too many people like that. There’s nothing worth paying attention to.”
“…”
It was still slightly off.