Hot Springs Trip (Part 1)

Luo You dispelled her transformation and paid over 200 yuan for a late-night taxi ride back home.

“Zining should be in class right now. Perfect time to set up some traps…”

“She dared to screw me over like that—if I don’t get back at her, I’ll never be at peace!”

She was never the type to bottle things up when wronged.

Biological daughter or not, if you made her mad, you’d cry either way.

“…Huh, why are there so many people around my house?”

Luo You narrowed her eyes at the passing pedestrians.

Their gazes weren’t just appreciative—there was a suspicious intent behind them.

Magical Alliance?

Or…?

No… There was no murderous aura. Couldn’t be the Xiren Organization.

With lingering doubt, she pulled out her key and opened her front door.

Creak—

“Good morning, old fart. Finally decided to show your face again?”

“…Morning. What’s with this setup?”

Luo You was greeted by the sight of her daughter lounging on a small couch,

Planted right at the entryway like a guardian deity, radiating sheer oppression.

Honestly, if a real door god showed up, it might get kicked out by this one.

“Zining? Shouldn’t you be in class at this hour?”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

“That’s kinda important, you know.”

“Tch! Classes were canceled for a week because of the dimensional beast attack. Understand now?”

Luo Zining stared at her like she was looking at a lizard—

Disdain level: 8 out of 10.

“So? How does a female body feel?

Was it everything you imagined it to be? Nice and sensual, right?”

“Yeah, I found it fascinating too. Like, how can such a small body hold so much wat—uh!”

Halfway through, Luo You caught herself.

“Let’s maybe take a moment to clear up any misunderst—”

“Pervert.”

Zining spat with full judgment.

Disdain level now: 12 out of 10.

“You didn’t even know your own daughter was off school.

Disappeared for two days. No phone calls, no messages.

What were you doing—spreading your legs in some sketchy basement for random men?!”

“Hey! Don’t say it like that—I wasn’t the one spreading anything!”

“Ohhh~ so you’re the topping type? How bold.”

“Actually, none of it involved men! And why am I explaining this to you?!”

Seeing this little backstabber only made Luo You’s expression sour.

She’d spent five years grinding away to build that Elera persona,

And this brat wrecked it in a single day.

And now she had the nerve to lecture her?!

“Oh? Since you enjoy running around so much,

Why don’t you just not come back at all?”

Zining’s eyes were ice cold—

Void of warmth, full of disappointment.

She turned away, leaving her a cold back view.

Whoa, what a masterful emotional reversal.

Luo You made a face behind her daughter’s back.

Oh, just you wait—revenge is still coming…

But then—

As if possessed by the spirit of emotional intelligence,

Luo You suddenly had an epiphany.

“You’re… worried about me?”

—!

Zining froze.

The back of her neck and the tips of her ears turned bright red.

She stomped her foot, whipped around with a tiny fang showing,

Eyes darting everywhere except at her,

And yelled:

“D-Don’t you have any self-awareness?!

You look like a lost little girl out there!

I was terrified some perv would drag you home and turn you into an incubator for their sick fantasies!”

“…Bit dramatic, but… sorry.”

If smiles had warmth,

Then Luo You’s barely-suppressed grin was practically glowing.

For the first time, this rebellious daughter had shown her something called care.

Something inside her—something fatherly—was deeply satisfied.

Alright!

Today is now a commemorative holiday!

Luo You, in excellent spirits, pulled out her phone.

“September 16th… Starting today, this will be our annual family hot spring day.”

“…Dad, did having so many ‘others’ inject their essence into your body mess up your brain?

You wanna go to a hot spring in the middle of summer?!”

“I’m in a good mood today, so I won’t smack you.”

She raised her hand… and then put it down gently.

Today, she would be a kind and gentle parent.

No more single-hand takedowns in front of the neighbors.

“Think about it—

There’s a place in this country where it’s always winter.”

“The Arctic? Antarctic? Do those even have hot springs?”

“Nah—Jiuming Sea.”

“…What? Jiuming Sea?!?”

Zining’s face turned pale.

It wasn’t far in terms of geography—

But it was infamous.

Jiuming Sea wasn’t a real sea,

But a semi-abandoned city,

Permanently covered in snow and ice,

Its climate unaffected by the outside world.

Four years ago, it was the site of a brutal battle.

A Light-Cleaving class dimensional beast appeared there—

A monster so powerful it required an all-out war to seal it.

Even when “killed,” such creatures couldn’t die.

Only carefully researched weak points and special sealing tools could contain them.

Though the beast was eventually forced back into the rift,

The area was left devastated—

Poisoned, lifeless, and eerie.

The Magical Alliance even used their ultimate spell:

Zero-Rank Magic

…just to buy time for sealing.

That battleground—scorched and corrupted—

Was now called Jiuming Sea,

Named after the terrifying skywaves that rolled through the area like endless frozen tides.

In recent years, the government had developed it into a unique tourist spot.

And the battle?

Turned into a heroic tourism attraction.

Zining rested her chin on her palm.

“Isn’t that place… way too close to the dimensional rift? Sounds risky.”

Risky? Luo You snorted.

You’re a magical girl and you’re scared of danger?

Where’s your courage? Your training? Your contract!?

“It’s fine, really.

It’s been four years, and there haven’t been any new invasions.

Probably still reeks of that last monster—

Keeps the rest at bay.”

The real reason Luo You picked it?

She’d been active in Huahai City recently as Elera.

No doubt the Xiren Organization had noticed.
Time to lie low.

Besides—

She had absorbed ten times more Divine Particles than her daughter.

There was no way Xiren would let her go that easily.

“Divine Particles might be tied to the ‘Box.’
Not just Xiren—others will be looking for me soon…”

The Box—a rumored artifact possibly tied to the origin of dimensional beasts.

Everyone wanted it.

If Luo You held even a clue—she had to find it first.

“Anyway, you’ve got time off. Let’s go~”

Luo You twirled her skirt, lowered her stance suggestively,

And teased:

“Don’t you wanna see what your old man looks like in a swimsuit~?”

Zining: (Deadpan) “Old fart, maintain your previous character setting.”

“So? You in or out?”

“Ugh… I’ll think about it.”

She didn’t say no.

She planned to ask for clearance first.

Given everything that had happened in Huahai,

She should have refused.

But…

Cute dad is hard to resist.

And besides—

Zining had another reason for going:

“I’m dying to see what Dad looks like in a swimsuit!”

Oh, and she wanted to visit her aunt who lived in Jiuming Sea.

——

“Hot springs? Sure, sounds good!” Zhao Xin approved the request in a heartbeat.

“Wait, that easy?”

Zining clutched the phone in disbelief.

“What about everyone else? Muemuzi-senpai and the others still haven’t recovered…”

“No worries.

HQ sent in more reinforcements.

You can rest.

Take a soak, unwind a bit.”

“…Then I’ll enjoy it with a clear conscience, okay?”

“Oh, and—

Mind taking someone else along?

She needs to lie low for a bit.”

In front of Luo You’s car, a girl stood in a breezy summer outfit.

“Dad—uh no, Yuyu, I believe you know this person already?”

“…Isn’t that a magical girl!?”

Luo You pointed at Zhou Xi.

Her magical girl identity was public,

So even in casual wear, she was easy to recognize.

Having just—ahem—been rather intimate with her,

Luo You couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.

She could even see Zhou Xi walking a bit funny.

“Why is a magical girl with you?!” she feigned shock.

Before Zining could answer, Zhou Xi spoke up,

“All magical girls belong to entertainment firms.

Zining works at mine.

She invited me along.

May I ask—you’re her…?”

“I’m her guardian. Luo Youyou.”

“But I thought she only had one registered guardian—”

“I’m her guardian’s girlfriend. Girl-friend!”

Luo You proudly puffed her chest.

Her roleplay settings were now soul-deep.

From now on, she was officially Zining’s mom.

“Cough cough! Let’s just get going already!”

Zining quickly dragged Zhou Xi into the car

And shoved Luo You into the driver’s seat.

“Explain later why a magical girl’s tagging along,”

Luo You muttered.

“Ugh…”

Zining was nervous too—

Terrified her use of the Divine Particles might come out.

But this whole thing was Zhao Xin’s idea.

She’d just gone with it.

Emotionally, logically, Zining had no reason to say no.

After all—

Zhou Xi sacrificed her chastity for her.

Submitted herself to the Aurora Witch’s torture.

Suffered terribly.

(Although… Zining had a feeling Zhou Xi may have enjoyed it a little…)