A Mother’s Affection and a New Mission

‘Crunch… crunch… It seems Magical Girl Youlan is indeed the strongest of the three.’

Within her private chambers, Yue Ling, clad in a voluminous white nightgown, reclined serenely on her sofa. As she savored the small treats prepared by the Modified Human Girl, her gaze remained fixed on the memory footage captured just before the Slime Doppelganger’s demise.

To glean insight into the Magical Girls’ signature moves and combat methodologies, each Doppelganger was, upon its creation, inextricably linked to a “memory synchronization device” within the base. Consequently, the moment a Doppelganger met its end, its memories were automatically retrieved and transformed into visual recordings, making them readily available for observation and study by all personnel at the base.

From the footage unspooling across the screen, it was apparent that Magical Girl Akahoshi and Magical Girl Biyu had been successfully extracted, paving the way for Magical Girl Youlan’s dramatic entrance. Adorned with a chilling aura, Magical Girl Youlan’s blade proved effective at thwarting the slime fragments from re-coalescing. Yet, this measure alone was insufficient; it provided no definitive means of eradicating the colossal slime.

On-screen, upon grasping this crucial realization, Magical Girl Youlan slid the horizontal blade into its sheath. Instantly, both blade and sheath vanished, dissolving into a myriad of shimmering starlight. A moment later, her voice echoed, uttering: [“Form Change★Youlan Cold Star”]

No sooner had the words left her lips than the sapphire ring adorning Magical Girl Youlan’s left middle finger slowly disengaged, gracefully ascending to hover directly before her. In a breathtaking instant, the ring disintegrated into an infinitude of luminous particles. Then, with an almost simultaneous surge, these myriad motes reconfigured, coalescing into a deep blue magic wand.

‘A form change, then?’ Yue Ling mused aloud, her gaze fixed on the unfolding spectacle. ‘It’s almost as if… it mirrors a certain giant’s power, aerial, and composite forms.’

[“Energy Explosion★Extreme Cold Sky Feather”]

The moment the magic wand materialized, Magical Girl Youlan seized it, directing its tip towards the seething mass of slime fragments below as she intoned the spell’s true name. In the ensuing second, a potent torrent of frigid energy surged forth from behind Magical Girl Youlan, instantly encasing the ground in ice.

Such was the intensity of the cold that Yue Ling felt its biting chill even through the screen, prompting her to instinctively snatch up the sofa cushion beside her and pull it close.

The frigid energy itself appeared to possess a nascent sentience; rather than dispersing upon release, it coalesced into what resembled… an “egg”? In truth, it was no egg, but an ice crane, meticulously formed from the congealed cold. It merely shrouded itself with its vast, substantial wings, thus creating the illusion of an ovum. Once fully materialized, the ice crane abruptly unfurled its colossal, sky-obscuring wings, simultaneously unleashing a piercing cry towards the heavens. In that same instant, an innumerable volley of icy feathers shot forth from its plumage, freezing every last slime fragment in its path.

The gargantuan slime summoned by Avila Dolly was thus vanquished by Magical Girl Youlan, a feat accomplished with what appeared to be… remarkable effortlessness.

“This Magical Girl Youlan is truly formidable… A shame she wasn’t with the other two during my last reconnaissance mission in disguise. Still… now that I’ve pinpointed their school, I’ll simply bide my time until the Commander furnishes me with that device capable of altering others’ facial recognition. After that, I’ll devise a means to infiltrate this ‘Mingtu High School’… Hehe~ Magical Girls, just you wait!”

“Um… Master?”

Just as Yue Ling was losing herself in the magnificent blueprint she had meticulously constructed, Medusa’s sweet, childlike voice softly chimed in, carrying a distinct tremor of… nervousness.

Yue Ling hummed in acknowledgment, then turned, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes, to ascertain why the diminutive Medusa was addressing her. What she beheld was Medusa, adorned with a white headscarf and a blue apron, clutching a mop. Her hair-tentacles were intricately entwined with various cleaning implements—rags, dusters, and brushes—presenting the perfect image of a diligent homemaker.

“Little Medusa, what in the world are you…”

“Um… Master… your foot…”

With a noticeably anxious tone, little Medusa spoke, her eyes resolutely avoiding Yue Ling’s gaze, as though gripped by the fear of having committed some grievous error.

Upon hearing this, Yue Ling cast her gaze downwards, only then realizing that little Medusa’s mop had already reached her feet. This sight involuntarily conjured some “cherished” memories from Yue Ling’s life before her reincarnation. Her body, as if governed by an ingrained muscle memory, abruptly drew her feet upwards, an apology inadvertently spilling from her lips:

“Oh, my apologies, my apologies, I hadn’t noticed. I’ll lift them right away.”

“Ah… um… Master, it’s quite alright, please don’t trouble yourself.”

Witnessing Yue Ling, her own Master, unexpectedly apologize, little Medusola visibly flustered, her delicate, pale hands fluttering nervously. Despite her words, this was the first time little Medusa had ever witnessed such a nervous and flustered side to her Master Yue Ling, a woman usually so unburdened, self-assured, and even a touch narcissistic.

Though such a thought felt slightly disrespectful towards Yue Ling, yet…

‘Master Yue Ling looks so small and vulnerable… So adorable… I love it…’

After indulging in a moment of admiration for Yue Ling’s unparalleled beauty, little Medusa recalled her immediate task and proceeded to explain, her voice soft and demure:

“I am your subordinate, Master, there’s no need for you to apologize to me…”

“Mm… cough cough…” Yue Ling herself seemed to grasp the implication, clearing her throat with a touch of embarrassment. Then, as if nothing untoward had occurred, she inquired of Medusa, “Say, little Medusa, what prompted this sudden urge to clean? If you find the room less than pristine, you could always summon the Modified Human Girl to tidy it.”

“Um… because I wish to make Master happy… These past few days… I’ve been watching television programs, and it seemed that if one could create a clean environment for someone they admire… no, no, if I could create a clean environment for Master, then their mood would surely improve…”

Little Medusa lowered her head, her voice trailing off into a near whisper, while a faint blush bloomed across her pristine, childlike cheeks. The diminutive creature who, only days prior, had felt no compunction about her nudity, her entire being devoted solely to Master Yue Ling, had, through several days of “humanization,” now come to comprehend the concept of shyness.

After little Medusa concluded her somewhat bashful confession, Yue Ling’s response was noticeably delayed. Medusa, fearing she had misspoken and earned her Master’s displeasure, felt an involuntary tremor run through her body.

“Ma… Master?”

Little Medusa tentatively lifted her gaze, hoping to discern the expression on Yue Ling’s face, only to find… Yue Ling’s exquisite features directly before her, her eyes glistening with a faint sheen of tears.

“Little Medusa has truly grown up, knowing to do such things. However… even if you don’t do them, I’ll still be very happy, you know~”

Yue Ling gently stroked little Medusa’s head, a warm, benevolent smile gracing her lips.

‘This child… When I first created her, I’d imagined treating her as a mere plaything, but she’s far too well-behaved to ever lay a hand on! Never mind, from now on, I shall simply raise her as my daughter.’

Upon receiving Yue Ling’s affectionate head pat, little Medusa instantly blossomed into an expression of pure bliss, her free tentacles swaying joyfully. After all, for her, no greater delight existed than earning Yue Ling’s affirmation.

Just as Yue Ling was musing over the blessing of having such a wonderful “daughter,” a knock resonated from beyond her door.

“Lady Yue Ling, I have brought the device you requested.”

The Modified Human Girl’s voice, devoid of any discernible emotion, broke the silence. Under normal circumstances, Yue Ling would have welcomed it, for each of the girl’s visits offered her an opportunity to playfully tease her, leveraging her own superior status. This particular instance, however… felt decidedly ill-timed.

“I know~”

Yue Ling responded with a languid, drawn-out reply, then bestowed a soft kiss upon little Medusa’s cheek before finally turning to open the door, leaving the bewildered Medusa standing alone in the room.

“Greetings, Lady Yue Ling. This is the device Commander asked me to deliver to you.”

Upon the door’s opening, the Modified Human Girl first offered an elegant bow. Then, she extended her augmented hands, adorned with metallic components, presenting a small, triangular device resembling a pendant to Yue Ling.

“This… is this the device that alters one’s perceived appearance?”

Yue Ling delicately pinched the device between her fingers, lifting it to eye level for a meticulous inspection.

“The instructions for its use have already been transmitted to the television in your room. If there are no further matters requiring my attention, I respectfully request leave to withdraw.”

“Go on, then, go on. Oh, and while you’re at it, please convey a message to the Commander for me. Ask him… if he could arrange an identity for me at a school in this area called Mingtu High School. It would greatly facilitate my investigation into the Magical Girls’ true forms.”

“Understood. I shall transmit this message to the Commander, however…”

“However, what?”

Yue Ling regarded the Modified Human Girl with a puzzled frown. While the girl’s demeanor remained as detached as ever, this time… Yue Ling could almost perceive a faint flicker of distaste in her eyes.

“It is unexpected that Lady Yue Ling, even with myself and Medusa, remains unsatisfied. Is she truly contemplating extending her nefarious grasp towards the girls within the school?”

“Huh?”