Ephemeral City.
A winter night.
Large snowflakes, carried by the northern wind, danced wildly, fluttering under the streetlights.
The sign for ‘Time for a Sip’, a quaint eatery, was half-obscured by the falling snow.
Yet, its warm orange glow valiantly pierced through the curtain of snow, casting light upon the drifts piled at the entrance.
Even through the fine mist condensed on the shop’s glass, one could vaguely sense the warmth and lively bustle within.
Inside the shop.
Chandeliers cast a brilliant light, while flames danced merrily in the fireplace.
Walnut tables and chairs, along with the intricately carved main door, gleamed with a polished sheen.
And.
Maid waitresses gracefully weaved through the predominantly female clientele, trays laden with steaming coffee cups and fragrant desserts.
****
Outside.
A small girl, with golden hair and crimson eyes, clad in a black and red Gothic-style dress, stood alone, struggling to stand on her tiptoes.
Her hands pressed against the glass, her body leaned forward, her nose almost touching the cold pane.
Her warm breath rapidly condensed into a patch of white mist on the glass.
The shape of the mist shifted continuously with her hurried breaths.
It was truly frigid outside.
The snow beneath her feet was nearly ankle-deep, and her stomach rumbled with hunger.
The little girl instinctively rubbed her hands together, then blew a puff of warm air into her palms.
However.
Tilting her head, her crimson eyes reflected the warm scene inside the shop—
Particularly, she gazed with both curiosity and confusion at the elegantly moving women inside, all dressed in splendid attire.
Her hesitation grew more profound.
Inside the shop.
A maid, wearing a ruffled apron, navigated between the tables and chairs, carrying a teapot.
Casually, she glanced up, and through the hazy glass, she spotted the small figure outside.
“Clink—”
The porcelain cup struck the tray, producing a sharp, clear sound.
The maid frowned slightly, a flicker of doubt and concern crossing her face.
Setting down the tea set, she quickly traversed the carpeted corridor.
The moment the carved wooden door swung open, a gust of icy wind, laden with snowflakes, surged inward.
“Little one, why are you out here all alone? Aren’t you cold?”
The maid stepped forward, kneeling slightly, her lace cuffs brushing softly against the accumulated snow on the ground.
Tiny bells in her hair chimed faintly.
However.
Before she could finish speaking.
The little girl suddenly lunged towards the maid…
Her eyes, tinged with red, fixated on the maid’s fair neck, and a low growl rumbled in her throat.
Her chapped lips parted slightly, and she swallowed repeatedly.
Her appearance suggested an intense craving for… food?
The maid’s heart jolted.
She instinctively assumed the little girl mistook her for a villain and was about to attack.
Therefore.
She hastily began to explain:
“Don’t be afraid, little one, big sister isn’t a bad person…”
Her voice was laced with urgency and reassurance.
Her hands instinctively rose, adopting a defensive yet gentle posture.
Yet.
Just as she was about to press against the maid, the little girl seemed to regain a sliver of rationality.
Her body trembled, and she stumbled back several steps.
At this point.
The maid noticed the little girl’s exposed ankles, now somewhat purplish from the cold.
A wave of pity washed over her.
‘This child has likely gotten separated from her mother, hasn’t she? And she looks so timid.’
‘Poor thing…’
‘With such heavy snow, and her so tiny, staying out on the street like this…’
‘It would be terrible if some wicked woman lured her away.’
Promptly.
Before the little girl could make another move.
The maid extended her arms and pulled the little girl into a tight embrace.
“Little one, come inside with big sister and warm up.”
The little girl struggled faintly in her arms, but the maid held her fast, giving her no chance to escape.
Snowflakes fluttered down onto the girl’s fluffy golden hair, but a wisp of blood mist escaped, quickly dissolving into a droplet of water.
A moment later.
The maid turned, carrying the little girl, and stepped back inside.
The wooden door closed behind them, shutting out the biting wind and the falling snow.
****
Meanwhile.
The locally falling snowflakes seemed to freeze in place as a streak of silver light flashed past—
As the light dissipated, a woman materialized, suspended in mid-air.
She possessed long silver hair and wore a casual, pink-and-white maxi dress, adorned with delicate lace and crafted from soft, gauzy fabric.
Coupled with the snowy backdrop, she exuded an exceptionally cool and ethereal aura…
However.
Clad so thinly in the depths of winter, did she not feel the cold?
Of course not; an invisible magical energy shielded her body.
Her dress billowed freely in the currents of air… yet, it remained perfectly modest, revealing nothing untoward.
Her violet eyes were fixed on the scene unfolding inside the shop.
Just moments ago, she had sensed a faint surge of bloodlust, a fleeting emanation from that non-human little girl.
Though it had lasted for only a brief instant…
Witnessing this unpredictable element enter a bustling establishment filled with people.
Silvia dared not show the slightest slackness.
Her figure flickered.
Once more, she transformed into a silver streak of light, soaring through the swirling snow towards ‘Time for a Sip’…
“Whoosh—”
Silvia landed at the shop’s entrance and pushed open the wooden door.
A wave of warmth, infused with the aroma of coffee and pastries, enveloped her.
She scanned the room, quickly locating the little girl being led by the maid…
****
The maid, holding the little girl’s small hand, guided her to an exquisite dining table near the front counter.
She gently brushed away the snowflakes accumulated on the girl’s shoulders.
And spoke in a soft, gentle voice:
“Little one, sit here and wait for big sister. I’ll get you a cup of hot tea.”
Hearing this.
The little girl nodded slightly, her golden hair swaying gently with the movement, her crimson eyes filled with timidity…
Her gaze followed the maid’s retreating figure.
Until she vanished behind the swaying curtain of the back kitchen door.
The restaurant was filled entirely with women…
Women sat in small groups of two or three, their conversations intertwining with the clinking of cutlery.
Yet, the little girl was restless.
Clasping her skirt hem, her small hands trembled slightly, lost in thought.
Every subtle sound made her entire body stiffen.
From time to time, she would furtively glance towards the kitchen, then sweep her gaze across the unfamiliar faces around her… swallowing hard.
Then she lowered her head again.
She parted her lips slightly, revealing two emerging fangs that glinted coldly in the light…
But just then.
“Little monster lolis who break in to rob or cause trouble will be expelled, you know.”
A sharp female voice cut through the clamor of the restaurant.
Thereupon.
An unfamiliar silver-haired girl had, at some unknown point, gracefully seated herself opposite her.
Seeing this.
The little girl’s lips parted slightly, her small fangs receding, but she couldn’t utter a sound…
Silvia crossed her hands over her chest, a purple glow flickering in her eyes.
“I’ve been watching you since you stepped onto this street… Ephemeral City absolutely forbids monsters from running rampant. Though you’re still so small, that’s no excuse to endanger the public…”
At these words.
Lina’s eyes reddened, and her lower lip trembled incessantly.
She wanted to retort…
But seemed unable to articulate it?
After a long moment, she finally squeezed out a few indistinct syllables from her throat:
“I… didn’t…”
Silvia leaned forward slightly, her gaze piercing:
“Didn’t what? Didn’t intend to cause destruction? Then how do you explain the faint bloodlust emanating from you, and that fleeting malice I just sensed?”
As a naturally born magical girl, Silvia possessed numerous innate abilities.
For instance.
Silvia could keenly perceive the good and evil within beings weaker in magic than herself.
This was her ‘Moral Judgment’ ability.
Of course.
As long as the target, or any external factors, did not deliberately interfere with magic.
They could not escape her perception.
****
Just then.
The maid hurried back, carrying a steaming cup of tea.
The moment she saw Silvia, she paused slightly. ‘Wait… that beautiful face?’
It aligned too perfectly with the face she remembered from the posters.
After a closer look, the maid recognized her…
The tray in her hands nearly slipped, the cups clinked, and a little tea spilled out.
The maid was utterly astonished.
“You… you’re Magical Girl Zhennu Yibai!”
At these words.
Inside the shop.
The collective chattering of the female patrons ceased abruptly as they all simultaneously looked up and turned their heads.
A brief silence fell over the restaurant, followed by an outbreak of whispers:
“It really is Zhennu Yibai.”
“I can’t believe I’d see her here…”
****
Had it not been for the maid’s startled exclamation.
They might never have realized that the popular Magical Girl had quietly visited their shop.
In response.
Silvia offered a polite smile, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment to the crowd.
Yet, her gaze never left the person seated opposite her…
The next moment.
Everyone eagerly pulled out their phones.
The continuous ‘click-click’ of camera shutters filled the air, accompanied by flashing lights.
“Quick, take a photo! Post it on Moments! Our luck today is incredible!”
“Hurry, get closer, get a clearer shot…”
“Yes, yes, I want an autograph, and a photo together!”
****
At this.
Silvia sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. Her current identity was simply too sensitive…
After her appearance, the formerly tranquil café had become incredibly noisy.
‘This is rather inconvenient.’
‘It’s occupying public resources and affecting the dining experience of regular customers…’
Thus.
Silvia waved a hand, and faint pink magical light shimmered around her.
Within the glow, everything in the shop began to flow in reverse—
Time magic, rewind…
One could see.
The spilled tea on the maid’s tray returned to the cup, and the droplets of saliva that had flown from the women’s mouths during conversation retreated back inside.
Even the sparks dancing in the fireplace reversed their trajectory, returning to the firewood…
After a few breaths.
Everything reverted to the moment the maid was walking towards them, just about to exclaim—
Silvia preempted her, raising a slender finger to her lips, and spoke softly:
“Big sister, shhh~ Please don’t reveal my current identity, alright?”
Hearing this.
The maid, experiencing rewind magic for the first time, felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.
She nodded, even her loose strands of hair swaying along.
The maid composed herself, then turned to place the hot tea before the little girl.
Only then did she obediently stand to the side.
And subtly pulled out her phone, taking a photo with Magical Girl Zhennu Yibai…
Following this.
Silvia crossed her legs, one hand idly toying with a strand of her hair, then murmured:
“This little one seems ravenous. How about getting her something to eat? I’ll pay…”
“No, no, it’s on me! Uh… I’ll go prepare it right away.”
The maid was so overjoyed she became incoherent, waving her hand dismissively.
Afterwards.
She hurried off, almost sprinting towards the back kitchen, her apron forming an arc behind her.
****
After a while.
Silvia looked at the little girl opposite her.
She was holding the teacup with both hands, the rising steam blurring her face.
But she wasn’t drinking; she was merely using the hot tea to warm her hands…
She secretly glanced at the surrounding crowd, then at Silvia.
Her body grew increasingly tense…
She sensed a threat from the other person, her crimson eyes flickering uncertainly behind the mist.
****
A little while later.
The delicate dessert on the table had long since grown cold.
The cream had slightly deflated, and the fruit had lost its original luster.
Yet, the little girl hadn’t touched a single bite.
At this moment.
Silvia noticed the little girl’s subtly visible fangs at the corners of her mouth.
As well as the fleeting bloodlust she had sensed.
Silvia leaned in slightly, lowering her voice so it would only reach the little girl’s ears:
“You just showed your teeth… were you planning to attack? It’s rather cute, though~ Just like a little squirrel…”
Silvia teased.
‘Come to think of it, squirrels and bats look quite similar when they bare their teeth.’
At such a question.
The little girl remained unperturbed; she hadn’t grasped the underlying meaning, only finding the words a bit strange…
In response.
Silvia had no choice but to pull out her phone.
Her other hand manipulated a holographic cube suspended in her palm.
This was one of the black technologies distributed by the Magical Girl Association—the Cube Scanner.
A reconnaissance device, capable of scanning all races and acquiring basic information…
The next moment.
The holographic cube activated.
Fine scanning beams tightly enveloped the little girl’s body from all directions.
Simultaneously.
The phone screen flickered, synchronizing information…
A series of runes and complex data combinations scrolled across the screen.
Once the data stabilized.
The screen conspicuously displayed the scanned subject’s information—
[Race: Vampire]
[Bloodline: Unknown]
[Status: Ravenously hungry…]
[Age: Unknown]
[Identity: Unknown (No Iris Feather Kingdom Citizen Visa)]