“Since the Little Demoness has agreed, let’s begin now!” Jasmine said to Bai Zhiqiu, checking the time.
“Ah? Starting today? With such short notice, everyone surely won’t be prepared enough! Besides, it’s almost time for dinner…”
As he spoke, Bai Zhiqiu struggled out of Yan Qingzhu’s embrace.
“Don’t worry,” Yan Qingzhu explained with a smile, addressing Bai Zhiqiu’s concerns. “The trainees have already gathered; only you, their teacher, are missing. The first day’s training won’t take long; it’s mainly to let them witness the gap between themselves and a true expert. A single battle will suffice! It won’t take much time at all.”
“What’s more, Little Demoness, if you put on a spectacular performance tonight, how about we invite Bai Yue to dinner together? And then, what if I appear as the Magical Girl Peony? Imagine, if Bai Yue learns that her older brother helped her secure a chance to dine with a Magical Girl. Wouldn’t your status as her brother soar in her heart?”
“My status in my sister’s heart has always been very high, okay! Saying that makes it seem like my family standing is terribly low,” Bai Zhiqiu grumbled, pouting slightly.
“Oh, really? But I heard that even your pocket money is under Bai Yue’s control! And didn’t Bai Yue also stipulate that you can’t come home later than midnight every day?”
“I… I only handed all my pocket money over to Bai Yue to manage because I doted on my sister, and as for coming home on time every day, that’s purely out of concern for Bai Yue’s safety, definitely not because I’m afraid of her!”
“Yes… yes… it’s all for Bai Yue!” A beautiful curve played on Yan Qingzhu’s lips as he watched Bai Zhiqiu stubbornly refuse to admit defeat.
‘If she hadn’t known the inside story, she might have actually believed him!’
“Alright! Alright! Hurry and take me to see my little favorites… my elementary school students!” Realizing he had almost misspoken, Bai Zhiqiu hastily stopped himself, nearly blurting out the words “little favored concubines.”
“I know you’re eager, but don’t rush just yet! Here… this is your salary card, and the password is your birthday.”
Having said that, Yan Qingzhu handed Bai Zhiqiu a bank card emblazoned with the image of a long-eared girl.
It was actually a co-branded card from Zhou and Yanyin!
“There’s a hundred thousand in the card now; that’s your salary for the past two months! How does it feel? How does it feel to suddenly be rich?” Yan Qingzhu asked with a grin, already envisioning how delighted the little fellow would be when no one was watching.
“J-just average, I guess… nothing particularly exciting!” Bai Zhiqiu puffed out his small chest, feigning composure, yet his eyes, darting nervously, betrayed the unease behind his girlish facade.
Watching the little fellow before him, who was “pretending to be calm but whose heart had long since been bewitched,” Yan Qingzhu couldn’t help but pinch the soft, girlish face.
“Don’t… don’t… pinch my face!” Bai Zhiqiu huffed, glaring at Yan Qingzhu like an angry little pufferfish.
Indeed! The little fellow was quite adorable when he wasn’t up to mischief!
Seeing Bai Zhiqiu’s adorable appearance, Jasmine’s face also brightened with a smile, and her last trace of resentment towards him vanished without a trace…
‘If all demonesses could be like this little fellow… perhaps there would have been no wars in our world long ago…’
“Alright! Alright! Let’s hurry! Everyone will get tired of waiting if we’re any later.”
“Mm!”
As Rosemary’s finger traced through the void, another magic circle was carved into existence.
In the next instant, the four appeared in an activity room.
“It’s Chief Jasmine and Deputy Commander Peony!”
“And Senior Rosemary!”
“Is that… the Little Demoness! Why is she here!”
“…”
Listening to the murmurs from below the stage, Bai Zhiqiu deliberately stood on tiptoes to appear taller.
Looking around, all were former and future ‘little favored consorts’!
‘Little Favored Consort Cosmos! Sensitive spot: earlobe!’
‘Little Favored Consort Gentleman Orchid! Sensitive spot: back!’
‘Little Favored Consort Bubblegum! Sensitive spot: lower abdomen!’
‘…’
‘That’s Little Favored Consort Higanbana! Sensitive spot: sole of the foot!’
‘Damn! Who put a mirror here!’
Seeing the Magical Girls below the stage, Bai Zhiqiu silently recalled everyone’s sensitive spots and CGs…
“Trainees, please quiet down!”
A gentle voice, yet one imbued with undeniable power, rang out. Jasmine had, at some point, taken her place in the center of the arena.
Her gaze swept over every Magical Girl on the field, offering each a faint smile.
Finally, she turned her eyes to Bai Zhiqiu, standing to the side, and with a hint of encouraging amusement, announced loudly: “Let us welcome our trusted combat teacher for the Magical Girl Training Class—Miss Higanbana, the Little Demoness!”
Swish!
Dozens, hundreds of gazes instantly converged, filled with curiosity, scrutiny, and even a hint of eagerness and desire?
Seeing their ardent gazes, Bai Zhiqiu revealed a smile he thought was charming, though it truly was.
“Greetings, my little favored consorts! You are all as adorable now as you were when we first met!”
Saying this, Bai Zhiqiu walked to Jasmine’s side.
Under the lights, his silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, his crimson eyes gleamed like blood, and his dark red Lolita dress swayed gently with each step. Immediately, a suppressed gasp rippled through the hall.
“The Little Demoness!?”
“Damn it! How could it be her!”
“Surely, Lady Jasmine isn’t joking about making her a teacher?”
“Senior, what exactly did she do? Why is everyone so panicked?”
“Lily, you’re new to being a Magical Girl, so you wouldn’t know. She’s an evil demoness who specifically targets Magical Girls to ‘suck’ from!”
“But… she… she really is… so small… so cute…” (whispered)
‘Eh? Did something strange just get mixed in?’
Listening to the murmurs from the audience, Bai Zhiqiu felt his face flush slightly.
‘Alright… hearing others recount my past misdeeds really is a bit shameful…’
“Everyone!” Jasmine’s voice, imbued with a soothing magic, clearly reached every corner. “I know you all have many doubts and questions. But please trust the association’s judgment. Miss Higanbana used to be a little… mischievous? But her strength is also evident to all; she is absolutely capable of being everyone’s teacher.”
Jasmine paused, then continued: “The Little Demoness isn’t bad-hearted; she can even be called kind. Just a month ago, during the ‘Blood Moon Calamity,’ it was the Little Demoness who delivered the final blow to the Blood Emperor, thus protecting Nanducheng! How many such deeds have occurred in the years prior! Otherwise, headquarters wouldn’t have promoted her as a Magical Girl! Of course,” Jasmine’s tone suddenly shifted, and with a hint of sly amusement, she looked at Bai Zhiqiu, whose lips were almost turned up to the sky, “the Little Demoness’s infuriating nature is also evident to all. After our discussion, how about this: if everyone can defeat the Little Demoness, then the Little Demoness will unconditionally be everyone’s maid for a week?”
‘Wait a minute! Who discussed this? No one discussed it at all!’
“What do you all say?”
“Good!”
“No, not good at all! I don’t agree!”
Immediately, intense shouts erupted from the audience, accompanied by fervent applause.
Soon, that single dissenting voice was drowned out by the cheers of the Magical Girls…