“Oh, little witch! Thank you so, so much!”
Observing Bai Yue’s blissful expression as she clutched the signed postcard, Bai Zhiqiu found herself smiling with a sense of contentment, thinking that perhaps being an idol wasn’t so bad after all.
The crowd proved far more enthusiastic than Bai Zhiqiu had ever imagined. In what felt like mere moments, she had already signed hundreds of autographs. As the stream of people continued to surge forward, Bai Zhiqiu cast a pleading glance towards Yan Qingzhu.
Meeting Bai Zhiqiu’s wine-red eyes, Yan Qingzhu instantly understood that the little witch had no desire to sign another autograph.
“Just hold on a little longer,” Yan Qingzhu murmured, her voice so faint it was barely audible to the two of them, “Someone will be here to pick us up very soon.”
“How much longer must we wait?” Bai Zhiqiu whined, “My hand is aching!”
Upon hearing Yan Qingzhu’s words, Bai Zhiqiu’s pretty face immediately crumpled in dismay.
“It should be any moment now…”
As the two continued their hushed discussion, a girl with pale blue hair, sporting a baseball cap, deftly pushed through the throng and maneuvered her way to their side.
Once she reached them, the girl produced a diamond-shaped cube. A soft, pale blue light emanated from it, coalescing into a shimmering blue vortex beneath their feet.
The next instant, the three vanished from their spot, leaving behind a bewildered crowd of eager onlookers gasping in astonishment.
****
“A pale blue vortex… This is… it’s Magical Girl Rosemary!” exclaimed a surprised young man, spectacles perched on his nose, who possessed the distinct air of an otaku. His gasp clearly indicated his extensive knowledge of Magical Girls.
“How incredibly lucky we are today, to witness three Magical Girls in a single day!”
“Indeed! Usually, we’re limited to seeing them only on television and in magazines…”
Approximately nine and three-quarter seconds later, the trio landed smoothly within an office located in the North Building of Nandou University.
****
“It seems today truly brings a double blessing!” a voice declared. “Not only has Junior Sister Peony returned, but she’s also brought a little witch along with her! I didn’t even have to come looking for you; you, little witch, simply ran right into my grasp!”
A voice, as melodious as a nightingale’s song, drifted into Bai Zhiqiu’s ears.
‘This… this voice… it belongs to *that* woman…’
Bai Zhiqiu tremblingly lifted her gaze. The sight of the girl in pale yellow attire, seated at the office desk, sent a jolt through Bai Zhiqiu’s heart.
‘This is a trap! A veritable Hongmen Banquet!’
‘I’ve been snared!’
‘Run!’
An idea instantly germinated in Bai Zhiqiu’s mind. Almost the very moment it took root, her hand instinctively snatched the pendant hanging from her neck.
“Gate of Higanbana, open for me!”
Instantly, a black stone gate materialized within the office, faint purple luminescence seeping from its depths.
The instant the gate manifested, Bai Zhiqiu mustered every ounce of speed she possessed, lunging towards it. ‘Just get inside! Just get inside!’ she urged herself.
Yet, Bai Zhiqiu was still a step too slow.
“Fragrant Bloom, Lunar Dewfall!” A pale yellow light flared, and countless jasmine petals transformed into myriad tiny dewdrops, bombarding the Gate of Higanbana.
In the very instant Bai Zhiqiu was about to plunge through the Gate of Higanbana, it splintered and cracked apart!
Bai Zhiqiu lunged into empty air, tumbling twice across the floor before sprawling ungracefully into an empty cardboard box a short distance away.
The impact left Bai Zhiqiu seeing stars. She clutched her head, her eyes welling up with tears.
Even with a witch’s formidable physique, such a fall was bound to sting!
Witnessing Bai Zhiqiu’s disheveled state, all three couldn’t suppress their laughter, and the office instantly filled with a buoyant, cheerful atmosphere.
“Running, are we?” Jasmine purred, approaching the cardboard box. “Why aren’t you running now?” She then began to idly toy with Bai Zhiqiu’s silver hair.
Her melodious murmur, however, now sounded like a devil’s insidious whisper.
‘After all, she had only recently drained her victim…’
“Alright, alright!” Yan Qingzhu interjected, her voice gentle. “Let’s begin discussing the actual business at hand.” With that, she carefully lifted Bai Zhiqiu from the cardboard box, pulled a chair closer to the table, and settled down.
As the three engaged in their animated discussion, Bai Zhiqiu, cradled in Yan Qingzhu’s arms, gradually pieced together the subject of their conversation: the establishment of a new major at Nandou University, specifically designed to cultivate Magical Girls’ combat techniques. When the topic of selecting an instructor arose, all three pairs of eyes converged, almost in unison, upon Bai Zhiqiu.
“Why are you all staring at me like that?!” Bai Zhiqiu exclaimed, a hint of alarm in her voice. “You can’t possibly expect *me* to be the teacher, can you?”
In perfect synchronicity, all three nodded in response to Bai Zhiqiu’s incredulous question.
This sudden revelation made Bai Zhiqiu laugh, albeit bitterly. ‘A witch teaching Magical Girls? Has the world truly gone topsy-turvy?’ she wondered.
“Firstly,” Yan Qingzhu began, observing the little one’s disgruntled expression in her arms, “as an instructor here, one’s power must at least reach the Half-Brilliant Moon rank. Throughout the entire Jiangnan Province, only the four of us present possess that level of strength.” She continued patiently, “Rosemary and I are burdened with even more critical assignments, while Chief Jasmine typically oversees the guard at the Xuan’guan – a key defensive position. While she might occasionally lead a class or two, long-term commitment is out of the question. Therefore, after much careful deliberation, we unanimously concluded that you are the most fitting candidate. Moreover, compared to anyone else, little witch, you possess a natural, inherent advantage!”
“What inherent advantage could that be?”
“Why, it’s your notorious habit of antagonizing so many Magical Girls!” Yan Qingzhu chirped. “When they eventually see you become their instructor, they will undoubtedly seethe with resentment, eager to give you a thorough ‘education.’ Yet, since they are incapable of defeating you, their only recourse will be to train even more diligently!”
Upon hearing Yan Qingzhu’s explanation, a deep sense of indignation flared within Bai Zhiqiu.
‘How could it be said that she ‘antagonized’ them? She was merely bringing love and happiness to this world, just as the Magical Girls did.’
‘The only distinction, however, lay in the fact that Magical Girls delivered nouns, while she, herself, delivered verbs.’
“So, your intention is to use me as a lightning rod for their animosity,” Bai Zhiqiu summarized, “to motivate these Magical Girls to train diligently, only to eventually defeat me?”
“That’s one way to interpret it,” Yan Qingzhu conceded. “However, barring any unforeseen circumstances, virtually none of the remaining Magical Girls possess the strength to overcome you. Thus, you needn’t harbor any concerns about being defeated.”
“But what if, by some chance, I *am* genuinely defeated?”
Listening to Bai Zhiqiu’s stubbornly persistent question, Yan Qingzhu’s reply was delivered with a dramatic flair: “Should you genuinely be defeated, then you’ll simply have to suffer the consequences! In essence, this demands that our little witch always remains stronger than them, wouldn’t you agree? It serves as a personal incentive for you, too!”
Yan Qingzhu’s words struck Bai Zhiqiu’s mind like a thunderclap, instantly conjuring a terrifying scenario.
In this vivid mental image, the little witch knelt, gasping for breath, in the center of a grand arena, surrounded by a dense, seething mass of Magical Girls she had once bullied.
The little witch struggled with every fiber of her being, but her efforts proved futile. She was then led by the girls into a cramped room containing only a single bed, where a relentless cycle of torment began. Her sole defense was to desperately resist using water magic.
‘This… this is simply too terrifying!’
“No… I won’t do it… I absolutely refuse!” Thinking of that dreadful scene, Bai Zhiqiu vehemently shook her head.
‘I’d be completely dehydrated!’
“Alright, alright, little Peony, don’t scare her so much,” Jasmine said, offering Bai Zhiqiu a friendly smile before explaining, “You merely need to come here each evening and assist them with their training… As for compensation, how does fifty thousand yuan per month from the association sound?”
Fifty… fifty thousand yuan!
Truth be told, Bai Zhiqiu’s heart stirred. Fifty thousand yuan was an immense sum! Although her family operated a small company, their monthly profits hovered around sixty to seventy thousand.
And she could earn fifty thousand herself each month!
‘It’s just being a teacher… it’s nothing, right?’
‘A bunch of defeated opponents… they shouldn’t be able to beat me… right?’
Meeting Jasmine’s expectant gaze, Bai Zhiqiu nodded.
“Then, we look forward to your guidance, Little Witch Teacher~”
Magical Girl Ranks: Fluorescent, Candlelight, Spark, Brilliant Moon (Calamity), Sun Wheel (Nation-Shattering), Rainbow Radiance (World-Class)