The Unforeseen Protector and the Looming Threat

Sera saw the newcomers and felt a stir of annoyance.

“Night Moon? And you… you’re that transfer student? What business is it of yours!”

According to her father, this Night Moon possessed a significant backer, and Sera was advised to befriend her if possible or, at the very least, avoid provoking her. Sera had, of course, attempted to engage with Night Moon, but the girl seemed to be missing a crucial ‘wire’ in her brain, insisting she only befriended magical girls and remaining utterly unmoved by Sera’s various overtures.

How powerful could her background truly be? If it were so exaggerated, wouldn’t I have heard even a whisper?

With a dismissive wave of her hand, Sera declared, “Scram, and don’t meddle! Otherwise, you’ll all get a beating too!”

Night Moon let out a cold scoff, her gaze sweeping disdainfully over Sera and her entourage. “Just you lot? You’re merely ganging up to bully the weak!”

“Then there’s nothing more to say. Girls, get her!”

Sera’s hangers-on hesitated, unsure whether to step forward. They were followers, not brawlers. One girl, thinking that being the first to act might earn her mistress’s favor, and seeing that this ‘Night Moon’ character appeared to lack any real strength, charged forward with a raised fist.

After all, Night Moon was a girl not much taller than herself. Just as Chloe was about to unleash some of her magical girl powers to defend herself, a hand intercepted her, pressing her behind its owner.

“Little Chloe, hide behind me.”

“You…”

“Don’t worry, they’re just a bunch of rotten fish and shrimp,” Night Moon stated coldly, an aura of formidable power emanating from her, starkly different from her usual demeanor.

“You don’t know what’s coming!” Seeing Night Moon make no attempt to evade, the girl sneered.

As the charging girl’s fist was about to strike Night Moon’s head, Chloe’s grip on Night Moon’s hem tightened, ready to pull her back at any moment. This small gesture, however, was perceived by Night Moon as a sign of fear.

With one hand, Night Moon gently took Chloe’s hand, while her other hand, moving with impossible speed, seized the girl’s wrist. A faint, crisp crack echoed, followed by the girl’s terrifying shriek, which Chloe distinctly heard.

Night Moon still held the girl’s wrist aloft, but the girl herself was now writhing in pain on the floor.

“Ahhh! My hand! I’m sorry! Please let me go!” the girl cried out, collapsing to her knees in supplication. She couldn’t feel her hand, yet the excruciating pain was undeniably real.

“W-what are you staring at! Get her, all of you!” Sera commanded the remaining girls. They had intended to surround Night Moon, but a single glare from her fierce, wolf-like green eyes instantly sapped their resolve. They skirted around the two and fled the restroom.

“Now it’s just you left, isn’t it~” Night Moon remarked, slowly cracking her knuckles as she advanced on the bewildered Sera.

Damn it, how can this person fight so well! Has she studied martial arts!?

Sera’s limbs felt like jelly. As Night Moon drew nearer, her previously fierce gaze was eclipsed by terror, and finally, clutching her head, she scurried away in defeat.

“See? I told you it would be fine~” Night Moon gently stroked Chloe’s small head, running her fingers through her soft, golden hair. The sensation was absolutely delightful, much like petting a dog.

Chloe, surprised, inquired, “Did you study martial arts? I couldn’t even see how you grabbed her wrist.”

Night Moon’s hand speed just now was inhuman. Chloe doubted that even as a transformed magical girl, she could achieve such a feat.

“Didn’t I tell you? I am Magical Girl Wolf Fang! Dealing with these ordinary little girls is effortless. Of course, I wouldn’t want to use these skills against humans unless absolutely necessary. Their true purpose is to combat demons.”

Chloe pondered for a moment. Perhaps this girl truly was a magical girl. She would have to ask Tia about it. Chloe recalled Tia holding a significant position within the Watchtower, so she should know.

“Are you alright?”

Hearing Night Moon’s question, Chloe suddenly remembered there was another victim present. The introverted girl appeared utterly disheveled after the bullying; her hair was askew, tangled with some liquid from the restroom floor, and her worn clothes now bore several new tears.

“…”

Xiaolan slowly raised her head, and through her thick hair, Night Moon caught sight of a pair of eyes brimming with resentment. Without a word, she fled the restroom with her head bowed, as if escaping.

“What a strange child.”

Night Moon wasn’t angered by Xiaolan’s lack of thanks. A girl with such a personality would likely find it difficult to calm down after an experience like that. It was best to let her compose herself.

Subsequently, Night Moon turned her gaze to Chloe. “Little Chloe, if you encounter anything like this again, come find me, okay? Don’t try to be brave on your own. I wouldn’t want to see you become that bullied girl,” she said gently.

You’re overthinking it, Chloe thought inwardly. If you hadn’t shown up, I would have just pretended nothing happened and gone back to the classroom to sleep. Even if a conflict had truly erupted, she was a magical girl—a probationary one, perhaps, but still not someone ordinary people could compare to.

“Well then, thank you~” A radiant smile bloomed on Chloe’s face, melting Night Moon’s heart.

“Come on, let’s head back to class. It should be starting soon.” Night Moon covertly took Chloe’s delicate, boneless hand, only for Chloe to gently pull away.

Night Moon, a little puzzled, stole a glance at Chloe walking beside her, wanting to ask why she didn’t want to hold hands. Yet, Chloe’s expression remained perfectly calm, as if nothing had happened, making Night Moon hesitant to speak. Perhaps Chloe simply wasn’t accustomed to holding hands with others.

That was certainly one reason, but more importantly…

The moment Chloe first realized what was happening, a cold sweat broke out. She felt an intense gaze upon her, and from the corner of her eye, she spotted a familiar figure not far away. She should have known Tia would come to this floor! After all, Tia had said her purpose in coming here was to ‘supervise’ her.

When Chloe saw Tia’s slightly curved lips, a profound unease settled within her.

That ominous smile of hers can’t possibly mean anything good!

“Oh, is this Little Chloe’s piglet doll? It’s quite… cute, isn’t it…” Night Moon, noticing for the first time the small fox doll hanging from Chloe’s waist, began to play with it curiously.

“It’s… it’s a fox! Not a pig…”

“A fox, you say? How incredible…” Night Moon, oblivious to Chloe’s paling face, continued to examine the doll, attempting to discern fox-like features. She eventually gave up, concluding it must be some abstract artistic representation.

But then her attention shifted to the fox hairpin in Chloe’s hair.

“This is also a fox, isn’t it? Does Little Chloe like foxes so much? Why are there so many fox-related accessories?” Night Moon leaned closer to Chloe’s head, fiddling with her hairpin. “How strange, this hairpin feels a bit special… like I’ve seen it somewhere before?”

Lost in thought, Night Moon neglected to watch where she was going. At a bend, she forgot to turn and accidentally tripped over something.

“Eek!”

A startled cry escaped her. Night Moon instinctively clutched Chloe, who had nearly stumbled, but then lost her own balance, and they both tumbled to the ground. Chloe pushed against the ‘floor’ to get up, only to hear a delicate gasp emanate from beneath her.

“Ah~ Little Chloe, you’re pressing on my chest!”

“I’m sorry!” Chloe’s face flushed. It felt soft and yielding, unlike her own flat chest. While she had experienced unique sensations, this was new. I wonder what Tia’s feel like… hers look bigger…

Just as Chloe was about to rise, a voice from behind her sounded like a final judgment, freezing her body.

“Well, well, isn’t this my adorable little Chloe? Does my little sister need some help~”

Tia’s smiling face was belied by her eyes, which were as sharp as needlepoints.

This is it, I’m doomed!