The Price of a Second Chance

Shen Jingyi was stunned for a long, long time after hearing those words.

Only when the girl before her, whose legs were encased in black stockings, subtly lifted them and gave two light coughs, did Shen Jingyi snap out of the shock from the recent pronouncement.

‘This person… this person just told me to lick… to lick her foot!?’

Humiliation.

Utter and absolute humiliation.

Despite her family’s decline having brought her to this point, Shen Jingyi had always maintained a reserved yet proud sense of self-respect.

Now, Bai Muxue was asking her to lick her foot; could there be anything more demeaning?

At this thought, the girl’s previously flushed cheeks abruptly turned frigid.

It was a cold more terrifying than the depths of winter.

‘Eek, how terrifying, how utterly terrifying. Is this what a true magical girl is like?’

Observing Shen Jingyi’s face grow steadily colder, Bai Muxue’s heart gave a slight flutter.

Yet, outwardly, she betrayed no reaction, her face still adorned with that faint smile.

Just a week ago, Bai Muxue had been a corporate drone, abstaining from cigarettes, only occasionally sipping alcohol, and living a mundane life commuting between her workplace and home, toiling tirelessly to provide for her daughter.

The greatest crises she faced daily were merely the exploitation from her superiors and her adolescent daughter’s rebelliousness… as well as the constant worry that those magical girls might demolish her house during their skirmishes.

Oh, at that time, she wasn’t even called “Bai Muxue.”

However, on her daughter’s birthday, a speeding truck mercilessly crushed that ordinary daily life into fragments.

There was no goddess, no mythical transmigration to another world… only a girl in a black dress, whose face remained obscured, who produced a strange agreement as Bai Muxue lay dying.

“You wouldn’t want your daughter to be left uncared for after your death, would you?”

“For you, it would be much better to sign this contract, wouldn’t it~”

The frivolous and cheerful tone sounded suspicious in every way, but for Bai Muxue, who was on the verge of losing consciousness, what other choice was there?

And so, as fate would have it, the pitiful corporate drone perished in the car accident, replaced by this “infamous” young lady of wealth, Bai Muxue.

After signing the contract, her daughter received enough assets to live independently, and she herself naturally embarked on a second life.

It felt as though everything was moving in a positive direction… or so she thought.

Taking benefits naturally entailed paying a price, and as for the price Bai Muxue had to pay…

Bai Muxue subtly lowered her gaze.

In the lower right corner of her vision, a string of vivid red characters glowed, appearing shockingly ominous: [Death Countdown: 17 Days 15 Hours].

“If you wish to continue living, then strive to conquer the magical girls and turn them all into your captives~”

The mysterious black-clad girl’s soft laughter still echoed in Bai Muxue’s ears.

Indeed, the current Bai Muxue could only survive by continuously bullying and humiliating magical girls, absorbing the negative emotions emanating from them.

‘Huh… *I* beat up magical girls? Seriously?’

This was Bai Muxue’s initial reaction upon hearing the demand.

With her current frail physique, facing a group of magical girls who could demolish buildings at a whim, she would likely not even qualify as cannon fodder.

Bai Muxue strongly suspected some conspiracy lay behind this, but since she had already signed the contract and was unsure if breaching it would incur a penalty worse than death, it seemed prudent to diligently fulfill its terms for now.

This was not only for herself but, more importantly, for her daughter.

After eliminating several incorrect options, the target she selected was none other than Miss Shen, whose family had fallen on hard times.

Although Shen Jingyi was quite cautious both before and after her transformation, a high school student was still a high school student.

After Bai Muxue deliberately used her influence for a thorough screening, the target was quickly identified… leading to the scene that had just unfolded.

‘I might not have superpowers, but at least I have money-powers now!’

A girl like Shen Jingyi, compelled by the pressures of life, was undoubtedly the ideal target.

Although it felt somewhat cruel to bully a young girl in this manner, work was work, after all.

Moreover…

There was nothing more delightful than watching a girl’s face slowly flush under your teasing, as that shy innocence, mixed with bashful timidity, bloomed on her features.

While it might be a bit mischievous, the more a cool and ethereal girl like Shen Jingyi bit her lip, desperately trying to conceal her inner turmoil, the more a subtle sense of pleasure bloomed in Bai Muxue’s heart.

Especially these magical girls, constantly smashing things around the city; they had caused her to work countless hours of overtime back then.

This could be considered a small act of revenge.

However… Miss Shen’s two consecutive acts of resistance just now had indeed caused a flicker of panic in Bai Muxue’s heart.

Fortunately, her years of navigating the complexities of society allowed her to skillfully mask her inner unease.

‘Phew… simulations are simulations, and reality is reality, after all.’

‘It’s a good thing this magical girl is still reasonable and didn’t just pull out her wand to blast me with a beam… Everything is going according to plan, let’s keep going!’

Observing Shen Jingyi, who stood before her with bowed head, her heart waging an internal war, Bai Muxue’s lips, as delicate as rose petals, curved into a slight arc.

Then, lightly covering her mouth, she yawned subtly, deciding to give Shen Jingyi another decisive push.

She pulled out a phone, which was still playing the video from earlier.

“Hmm, how about this? I’m not a villain, after all. I’ll give Teacher Shen ten seconds to consider~”

The girl chuckled softly, suspending her finger above the screen as she delivered her ultimatum.

“Ten.”

‘No, I can’t agree to her demands. If she’s asking me to do something like this right from the start, who knows what even more outrageous things she’ll demand later?’

A voice deep within Shen Jingyi’s heart spoke thus.

“Five.”

‘But what if… what if this person really exposes my secret identity to the public?’

“Four.”

The thought of her peaceful daily life being mercilessly shattered, and the glances of her classmates and friends regarding her as an outcast…

Shen Jingyi lowered her gaze, her small hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes.

“Three.”

Tick-tock, tick-tock…

The hands of the antique wall clock rotated mechanically, their ticking sounding exceptionally jarring in the quiet room.

Meanwhile, Shen Jingyi’s hands, which had been clutching her hem, slowly relaxed their grip.

Her dark eyes, once filled with stubbornness and cold defiance, gradually softened into a look of evasion and surrender.

“Two.”

The girl’s finger was poised to descend the next moment, yet Shen Jingyi still offered no reply.

“One~”

Bai Muxue, with a hint of mischievous glee, drew out the final syllable.

Then, she heard Shen Jingyi’s reply, faint as a mosquito’s buzz.

“I agree…”

“Oh dear, did Teacher Shen say something just now?” Bai Muxue’s slender finger swayed lightly over the phone screen, her dark eyes fluttering slightly.

“Could you speak a little louder? I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I agree… I agree to your demands!”

The girl finally lowered her head.

The moment she answered loudly, as if in despair, she felt something shatter within her, and her carefully maintained rationality seemed to be gradually devoured and consumed.

“Is that so? Then, Teacher Shen… shouldn’t you?”

‘Excellent, the plan is a success!’

Bai Muxue subtly shook her head.

The moment Shen Jingyi agreed, the slight unease in her heart instantly vanished into thin air.

Suppressing the joy bubbling within her, Bai Muxue gently lifted her slender right leg, subtly swaying it a few times in Shen Jingyi’s direction.

The black stockings contrasted with her smooth, pale skin, reflecting a faint sheen under the light.

“…”

Gazang at the other’s flawlessly delicate skin, Shen Jingyi silently bit her lower lip.

Unbeknownst to her, a blush had once again crept onto her cheeks.

With trembling fingertips, she unfastened the garter strap of the stocking, then silently peeled the stocking down from Bai Muxue’s right leg.

The girl’s skin was so smooth and slippery that even a slight pressure from Shen Jingyi would leave a noticeable red mark.

The cool, soft sensation intermittently transmitted to her fingertips, combined with the faint rustling sound as the black stocking was removed, unexpectedly sent a slight shiver of tingling pleasure through Shen Jingyi’s heart.

With the black stocking no longer concealing and encasing it, Bai Muxue’s slender, fair, jade-like leg was revealed entirely before Shen Jingyi.

Her tender, pink foot glowed with a pale luminescence, so delicate that not a single flaw could be found.

As her fingers brushed against Bai Muxue’s delicate skin, the sensation was far smoother than through the stocking, like stroking a warm, precious jade, and it even carried Bai Muxue’s unique body warmth.

For some inexplicable reason, despite being the one reaching out to touch, the subtle sensation was like an electric shock, directly stirring a tremor in Shen Jingyi’s heart.

‘This feeling, this strange feeling…’

‘Just a touch elicits such a strong reaction; if I actually go and lick her… Ah!’

Certain subtle scenes involuntarily flickered through the girl’s mind.

The blush on her cheeks grew even more pronounced, and her heart pounded with unprecedented intensity.

Shen Jingyi bit her pearly teeth, her hard-won rationality slowly crumbling.

Strange thoughts began to surface uncontrollably from within her, and her clear eyes grew hazy.

Then, the girl closed her eyes, as if surrendering all resistance.

She slowly bent down, and with a mix of unease and timidity, she parted her cherry lips, exhaling warm breath onto the arch of the foot.