A Date and a Special Gift

Saint Lily had changed into casual clothes, a fitted apricot dress with a rope-braided buckle. She adjusted her slightly oversized black-rimmed glasses, which made her face appear even daintier. Upon seeing them approach, she smiled gently and waved.

‘What kind of first love filter is this?’

‘How could anyone possess such terrifying charm?’

Red Spider Lily looked around. Truly, anyone who witnessed this scene, regardless of gender, seemed momentarily dazed, completely captivated by that smile.

“So, didn’t we agree to keep a low profile? You’re an absolute beacon of light~”

She sighed, pressing a hand to her head, convinced that Saint Lily must have some profound misunderstanding about what ‘low profile’ meant.

“Eh?” Saint Lily let out a small gasp, blinking in confusion. “But this is quite plain, isn’t it~”

“Sometimes, though, this is exactly right. Or rather, ah! What’s that saying? Yes, the finest ingredients are often prepared with the simplest methods.”

Red Spider Lily raised her index finger.

“?” Saint Lily looked utterly bewildered.

“It means I’m praising your beauty, hmm, ‘natural and unadorned, a lotus emerging from clear water’!

“Haha~ Red Spider Lily, you’re so eloquent~” Saint Lily was amused, reaching out to pat her and clap her hands.

“Of course! Having memorized three hundred Tang poems, even if I can’t compose, I can still recite.”

Red Spider Lily puffed out her chest, a hint of pride in her expression.

Today was a date.

Indeed, Saint Lily had asked her out several times before she finally agreed to come.

‘Didn’t expect that, did you!’

‘I’m super charming.’

‘Even if I’m a “lady lord”.’

┓(´∀`)┏.

“Alright~ It seems there might be a slight miscalculation with my outfit, but I can compensate with my abilities.”

A faint glow emanated from Saint Lily’s fingertips, and a misty curtain of light shimmered into existence around them, then vanished.

The view became clear again. Around them, the pedestrians snapped back to reality, no longer paying them any mind, as if they had forgotten their presence. They simply continued whatever they had been doing before.

“I said I’d keep a low profile, so I won’t cause Red Spider Lily any trouble.”

“After ‘Blossom,’ this is a new application of ‘Barrier.’ Compared to the previous physical isolation, this is more of a mental redirection~”

As she spoke, Saint Lily began explaining her abilities, truly without any reservations. “Not only does it consume less energy, but it also won’t inconvenience anyone’s travels anymore~”

“Haha~” Well, it seemed the previous incidents had left Miss Saint Lily with a slight grievance, or perhaps a lingering obsession.

“Oh~ Don’t laugh at me~” Saint Lily looked at Red Spider Lily, speaking with a helpless air, yet she too began to chuckle.

“I’m truly grateful for Red Spider Lily’s help in rescuing White Rose and the others this time.”

“You’re the one who rescued them! My mission was just to help you level up by fighting monsters; it had nothing to do with them.”

Red Spider Lily waved her hand dismissively, wanting no part of the credit.

“Ah… even if that’s the case… alright! Let’s just say it is~” Saint Lily sighed.

The previous few times they had met at Dandelion’s place, intending for everyone to express their gratitude. However, Red Spider Lily always refused, citing busyness and promising to meet another time, simply because White Rose and the others were present. Yet, she would always ask about them afterward. It was hard not to notice the pattern.

“Does Red Spider Lily really dislike Magical Girls?”

Saint Lily finally voiced the question that had piqued her curiosity since their very first encounter. Now that their relationship had deepened, she mustered the courage to ask. “Did something happen?”

Red Spider Lily pondered for a moment, then shrugged, a smile playing on her lips. “Didn’t I tell you about our first meeting? Does Saint Lily not remember? It was my first time being carried in a princess carry after that, you know~”

“Ah…” Saint Lily seemed to recall the scene, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. “You, didn’t you carry me back too? It was my first time as well…”

‘……How cute~ Truly a classic Magical Girl!’

“So, was that real?” Red Spider Lily, resting her chin in her hand, listened as Saint Lily’s next words reached her ears.

“……”

“It’s true~” The answer came casually, as if referring to something long past, though by real-world calculations, barely a month had passed.

Yet, compared to the series of changes that had occurred in her life during this period, the near-death experience felt somewhat hazy. Even the emotions she’d felt at the time were difficult to recall.

“Then… was that person important to Red Spider Lily?”

“Uh…” Red Spider Lily was surprised, meeting Saint Lily’s worried gaze. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded gently. “Yes, they are. Very important, like another version of myself.”

‘Although I’m always being picked on, it would be too pathetic to pick on myself.’

“Host, you’re very important to me too!!!” Su Xiaoqian, perched on Red Spider Lily’s shoulder, expressed her earnestness with three exclamation marks.

Red Spider Lily glanced at her, her expression tender. ‘This little one truly never misses an opportunity to earn my favor~’

“I’m sorry…” Saint Lily was momentarily at a loss for words. The description ‘another version of myself’ sufficiently conveyed the person’s importance, be it a family member or a close confidant. Yet, Red Spider Lily had been forced to watch such a person be… by other Magical Girls. ‘If…’

Saint Lily tried to imagine herself in Red Spider Lily’s shoes, with Bai Ruoruo being the one attacked. She clapped a hand over her mouth, unable to even contemplate further, and forcibly stopped the thought.

“It’s not your fault.” Red Spider Lily waved her hand. “They are them, and you are you. I distinguish very clearly; you are not that kind of Magical Girl~”

“……”

Saint Lily fell silent. Reflecting on Red Spider Lily’s trust, she realized that if she hadn’t passed Red Spider Lily’s test back then, she would never have been able to get close to her.

A Magical Girl inherently hostile and wary of other Magical Girls.

Understanding the situation, Saint Lily knew that forcibly pulling Red Spider Lily into the Magical Girl group again would not be an act of kindness, but merely putting her in a difficult position.

Red Spider Lily’s insistence on a low profile was a form of evasion, and more importantly, self-protection.

“Hmm…”

“But despite all that, Red Spider Lily, you still clear out calamity beasts, uphold your sense of justice, don’t take your anger out on others, and are even willing to help me.”

“Red Spider Lily, you are undoubtedly an excellent Magical Girl. Hmm, and a good person.”

“……”

‘How many “good person cards” has this person given me by now?’

Red Spider Lily pressed her forehead, feeling incredibly awkward. ‘Please stop looking at me like that. I truly haven’t accomplished anything exceptional to warrant such high praise from you.’

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. Saint Lily, you called me out for a reason, didn’t you?”

“Mm.”

Saint Lily handed her a bank savings card, emblazoned with Red Spider Lily’s emblem.

“?”

“This is Red Spider Lily’s deserved compensation for accompanying me on the mission.”

“Ah…” ‘What? That mission actually came with real-world compensation?’

“How much?”

“Hmm, it’s not a lot, only a few hundred thousand…” Saint Lily rubbed her cheek. “Because it didn’t escalate into a disaster, the handling of the calamity beast was only compensated at the lowest level. And we still needed to provide relevant proof and go through approval. This is all we could get for now, I’m sorry…”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Saint Lily, do I look like someone who’s after money?”

Red Spider Lily’s tone was firm, yet her hand moved with no less speed, slipping the savings card into her pocket.

“Host, you don’t ‘look like’ one, you *are* one!” Su Xiaoqian quietly retorted.

“Red Spider Lily…” Saint Lily’s face was filled with emotion. Then, as if remembering something, she hastily retrieved a delicate small gift box from her ladies’ bag beside her. “Oh, right, I also prepared a personal gift.”

“A gift? For me?” ‘What kind of beginner’s gift package is this? Miss Lily, no, Great God Lily, you’re sparkling!’

“Hurry and open it~”

Without much hesitation, Red Spider Lily opened the gift box with anticipation. Inside lay something understated yet luxurious, gleaming with golden light.

‘If I’m not mistaken, this…’

‘This seems to be a lipstick?’

“……”

“This shade really suits Red Spider Lily. Dandelion and I picked it out together; it will best showcase the charm of a mature woman!”

“Haha~ Mm, haha~”

“I’m very happy~” She nodded and smiled.

****

Su Xiaoqian: –Host, I want to see! I want to see!–

Su Mu: –Go play somewhere else~–