Silvia’s gaze lingered on the slumbering Lina, her brows gradually drawing together in a thoughtful frown.
‘She wondered what such a tiny bloodkin had experienced?’
‘Had she come to the Iriswing Kingdom all alone, or had she been separated from her own kind?’
‘Moreover, the magical girls guarding the borders were always vigilant; even malevolent witches found no sanctuary there.’
‘How, then, had she managed to pass through so silently?’
‘It seemed these mysteries could only be unraveled once Lina awakened.’
‘Perhaps after this blood meal, the little bloodkin loli would gain a bit more intelligence?’
‘She hoped she wouldn’t be so naive anymore.’
For now, however, Silvia believed that securing a temporary visa for Lina was paramount, lest she become an ‘illegal resident’.
Of course, with Silvia’s connections, obtaining a visa was a mere trifle.
Thus, she took out her phone and sent a message to the association staff member in charge of visas, briefly explaining the situation.
The reply came swiftly.
The message informed her that the process could be expedited, with the visa ready by tomorrow morning, though it would require bringing the individual to the personnel department for registration.
Having settled the visa matters.
****
On the sofa, Lina tossed and turned restlessly in her sleep, her brows deeply furrowed, as if caught in the throes of a terrible nightmare.
Noticing this, Silvia reached out and gently stroked Lina’s forehead, a soft white glow emanating from her palm.
Under this soothing touch, Lina’s slumbering features gradually relaxed into tranquility.
Outside the window, snow continued to fall.
Flakes drifted down, adhering to the windowpane before melting away in an instant.
Silvia drew the curtains shut.
Turning, she looked at the sleeping Lina on the sofa, a lingering unease in her heart.
After a moment’s thought, she quickly walked out into the courtyard, forming a hand seal with one hand and beginning an incantation.
To set up a barrier.
The next moment, rings of faint blue light spread outwards, centered on her.
In the blink of an eye, the entire courtyard was enveloped.
This was her small, personal barrier.
It could repel external prying eyes and guard against hidden dangers.
Most importantly, should any anomalous creature or object touch the barrier, Silvia would receive immediate feedback.
Once the barrier was set, Silvia reconfirmed its stability before finally feeling at ease.
As the guardian of Tānhuā City, Silvia understood the weight of her responsibilities.
Even though she remained concerned for Lina, maintaining the city’s peace was her foremost priority.
She returned inside, leaving a note on a chair, held down by a paperweight.
The note, penned in neat handwriting, read: ‘Don’t leave when you wake up. Wait for me to return so I can help you process your temporary visa; only then can you legally travel. – Silvia ♥’
With everything done, Silvia cast one last glance at the sleeping Lina.
Then, stepping out into the courtyard, she slowly ascended into the sky, bolstered by wind magic.
The moment she broke through the clouds, Silvia looked back.
The courtyard, enveloped by the barrier, stood sentinel amidst the pristine white snow.
****
Late into the night.
In Tānhuā City, neon lights intertwined with falling snowflakes.
From high above, Silvia surveyed the entire city.
She knew that beneath this seemingly tranquil night, countless dangers might lurk.
Be it the treacherous undercurrents, the man-eating Mimic Beasts that preyed upon and defiled young maidens, or the monstrous beasts that wrought widespread destruction and slaughter, or even the utterly wicked witch factions.
She, herself, could not afford to relax her guard.
With a flash of her figure, Silvia vanished once more into the skies above Tānhuā City, fulfilling her duty to protect it.
****
The eastern sky began to lighten, a pale dawn breaking.
The first rays of dawn stretched across Tānhuā City.
Silvia stood atop a collapsed commercial building, gazing out at the gradually awakening city.
On the streets, a sparse few sanitation workers began clearing away the previous night’s snow.
Shop shutters slowly rolled up, and vitality gradually returned.
Yet here, in the western district of Tānhuā City, swathes of towering buildings lay collapsed, smoke still lingering, and ruins piled haphazardly.
Just a few days prior, a colossal Mimic Beast had descended, wreaking havoc beneath the city, turning it upside down.
Ultimately, however, it had managed to escape.
****
A biting wind, carrying dust, howled through the air.
Above the ruins, Silvia’s keen gaze scrutinized every corner.
Her ability, ‘Discernment of Good and Evil,’ was fully activated.
She focused intently, sensing for any unknown, potential ‘malice’ that might emerge.
After a while, Silvia leaped onto a towering section of ruins, meticulously searching for any signs of aberrations.
For a long time, only after confirming the absence of any danger did Silvia finally let out a slight breath of relief.
The sleepless night of guarding had left her feeling a touch of weariness.
Yet, seeing the city’s tranquility filled her with profound satisfaction.
This night, at least, had been peaceful.
Having reconfirmed the safety of the western district, she turned and used wind magic to return to the original rooftop.
By then, figures of pedestrians gradually appeared on the streets.
Silvia silently watched Tānhuā City, slowly reviving in the morning light.
****
After another long while, Silvia estimated the time, realizing it was high time to meet her three adorable juniors.
Besides, she had promised Qiye that they would finish their game of Go.
It was Qiye’s favorite pastime, and the young girl had pestered her endlessly about it.
****
Chaoyang Mountain.
This mountain boasted an excellent vantage point, perfectly positioned to greet the rising sun and offer a panoramic view of Tānhuā City.
Hence its name—Chaoyang, meaning ‘Facing the Sun’.
On the mountain stood a pavilion, within which rested a stone Go board.
However, the black and white stones were scattered across the ground, blown about by the wind.
With a gentle wave of her hand, magic surged, drawing the scattered stones back into their respective stone boxes with orderly precision.
Immediately after, Silvia took her seat on the stone bench and began to set up the unfinished game.
Her slender fingers picked up a white stone, placing it gently on the board with a crisp click.
Morning light bathed her, outlining her exquisite profile and graceful figure.
As she arranged the stones, Silvia couldn’t help but recall Qiye’s adorable antics when she used to play tricks.
Yet, the solitude of the night had left her emotions exceptionally sensitive—a profound sense of loneliness.
As her thoughts swirled, the line, ‘My rendezvous failed to arrive past midnight; idly tapping chess pieces, the lamplight flickers,’ quietly slipped from her lips.
However, lost in her own musings, she hadn’t realized she had spoken aloud.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and gently gripped her wrist, just as she was about to place a stone.
A familiar voice chimed in:
“Silvia-senpai~ reciting poetry in secret again? This time… I wasn’t late, you know.”
As she spoke, Qiye, seizing the moment, pulled on the hand she held, causing Silvia’s body to lean slightly forward.
Qiye took the opportunity to embrace her, one arm encircling her waist.
Her other hand gently stroked Silvia’s hair.
“Silvia-senpai~ you must have been waiting for ages, I’ve missed you so much!”
Silvia’s body stiffened for a moment before relaxing as she looked at the newcomer.
Only then did she belatedly realize she had unconsciously recited that lonely poem.
Nonetheless, Silvia offered praise:
“Well done, my little darlings, you’ve actually come so early today! You’re making progress.”
Qiye, the leader of the Primary Colors Squad, possessed fiery red long hair.
She wore a shirt as white as snow, paired with a black pleated skirt that exuded youthful vibrancy.
A red bow was tied at her collar, swaying gently with her movements.
Not far away, Weizhan had originally flown over excitedly, but upon seeing this scene, she abruptly halted.
She pointed at Qiye.
“Qiye, you’re so mean~ To get here first and snuggle with Silvia-senpai, you actually hid my underwear… that’s just too much!”
As she spoke, Weizhan quickly walked behind Silvia and embraced her from the back.
She rested her head on Silvia’s shoulder, rubbing against it before softly murmuring:
“Silvia-senpai, I missed you too.”
Weizhan sported neat, vibrant blue short hair, tidy yet playful.
Her blue eyes shimmered like clear lake water beneath a cerulean sky.
Just then, Xincheng arrived a little late; seeing the scene, she too quickly stepped forward and embraced everyone.
Her long yellow hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders.
When she smiled, two shallow dimples evoked a sense of warmth and affection.
“I’m here too~ You can’t leave me out!”
With that, the Primary Colors Squad was fully assembled.
All of them wore identical white shirts and black pleated skirt uniforms.
The only difference in their outfits was the color of their collar bows.
****
The four girls huddled close together.
Yet, despite sensing Silvia’s slightly turbulent magic fluctuations, they acted as if nothing was amiss.
Though they didn’t understand why their senpai’s magic was in such a state, concern was evident in the glances exchanged among the three of them.
Even though Silvia-senpai’s magic had been unstable for quite some time now, every time they felt it this closely, they genuinely worried about a potential magic backlash.
Therefore, the three of them tacitly circulated their own magic, carefully attempting to help Silvia regulate hers.
However, the effect was negligible.
It was akin to three trickling rivers flowing into an boundless ocean.
Even a single wave could disperse them.
****
According to the rotational schedule of the Tānhuā City Magical Girl Association branch, the Tānhuā City guardians operated on a day and night shift system.
Special-grade magical girls could single-handedly bear the heavy responsibility of guarding the city at night.
Daytime, conversely, was relatively safer.
The ‘Primary Colors Squad,’ composed of the three high-grade magical girls Weizhan, Xincheng, and Qiye, was responsible for its protection.
****
After a long embrace, Qiye reluctantly let go of Silvia, her eyes fixed on the Go board.
“Senpai, let’s continue our game.”
“Alright.”
The two of them began their back-and-forth match.
Qiye’s brows furrowed slightly as she stared at the board, each move carefully pondered before placing a stone.
Silvia, however, maintained a serene expression, exuding composure, her gaze drifting between the chessboard and Qiye’s focused face.
At this moment, Weizhan and Xincheng came closer, affectionately linking their arms through hers, one on her left, the other on her right.
****
The game proceeded under the morning sun.
On the board, black and white stones intricately crisscrossed, and the situation gradually grew tense.
Qiye stared intently at the board, lost in thought.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she placed a crucial stone in a seemingly lifeless corner!
As this stone was laid, Qiye immediately stood up.
Concurrently, Weizhan and Xincheng seemed to receive a silent signal.
This move was, in fact, a ‘secret code’ they had quietly agreed upon beforehand.
Their purpose, of course~ was to seize the opportunity to take a ‘small advantage’ of their senpai.
Faster than words could tell, Qiye leaned forward.
Bracing her hands on the stone table, before Silvia could ‘react’, she gently pressed a kiss onto Silvia’s forehead.
Qiye showed restraint, not kissing her on the lips.
Weizhan, tightly clutching Silvia’s left arm, also planted a sweet kiss on her left cheek.
Xincheng, holding Silvia’s right arm, pressed a kiss onto her right cheek.
At this point, Silvia momentarily froze, her fair cheeks instantly flushing with a delicate blush.
Yet, she was also comfortably enjoying the moment.
Qiye, observing Silvia’s reaction, blinked playfully.
“Senpai, we agreed on this beforehand, so no getting angry, okay?”
Weizhan and Xincheng chimed in, echoing her words:
“Mhm mhm, Silvia-senpai smells so good~”
“Imagine how happy the woman who gets to share a bed with Senpai in the future would be~”
With that, the three of them burst into laughter.
****
After a while, Weizhan blinked her watery eyes, clasped her hands together, and asked with eager anticipation:
“Silvia-senpai, shall we go to a restaurant this afternoon? There’s a newly opened dumpling place called ‘Shuijiaojiao’… Winter’s here, so eating dumplings will keep our ears from freezing.”
As she uttered the word ‘ears’, Weizhan even blew a warm breath near Silvia’s ear.
“Mhm mhm.”
Silvia agreed, finding herself utterly helpless against her three juniors.
After all, the magical girl Zhennu Yibai, widely known online, had a temperament vastly different from her offline persona.
People who filmed her battling and upholding justice almost always captured her cool and detached side.
But in reality, Silvia truly enjoyed physical closeness ♥~
She was human, a woman, and a woman from the Iriswing Kingdom—how could she not appreciate her own gender?
Moreover, that feeling of being pursued, of being teased and flirted with, was genuinely wonderful.
Of course, Silvia hadn’t yet met ‘the one’ in her life.
Her usual interactions were, at most, close friendships—more than friends, less than lovers.
To this day, Silvia’s first kiss and first night remained untouched.
****
At dawn, a light breeze swept through the mountains, carrying a fresh scent.
Suddenly, Weizhan’s brows furrowed; this ‘scent’ was wrong.
“Senpai!” Weizhan’s eyes widened, her voice rising in pitch.
“You… why do you smell of another woman?”
At her words, Qiye and Xincheng gasped and drew closer.
The two first paused, then exchanged glances, a peculiar smile appearing on their faces.
Qiye blinked playfully.
“Senpai, I can’t believe that after just one night, you already have a new situation! Confess honestly, did you sneak off for a date with a beauty while we were away?”
Xincheng covered her mouth, giggling softly, her long hair swaying gently.
“Exactly! This scent~ Which beauty could possibly have so utterly captivated our usually ‘aloof’ senpai?”
Teased by their remarks, Silvia’s fair cheeks flushed crimson once more.
She extended a finger and gently tapped each of their foreheads in turn.
“You three, what on earth are you thinking? Last night during patrol, I encountered a little bloodkin girl. She was cold and hungry, looking truly pitiful, so I brought her home to take care of her.”
Upon hearing this, Qiye crossed her arms, feigning anger, her soft pink lips pouting as she playfully retorted:
“Hmph~? You even brought her home, huh? Senpai, you can’t get a ‘new love’ and forget about us ‘old loves’… If anything like this happens again, you absolutely must report it to us immediately!”
Weizhan tugged at Silvia’s arm, sniffing the unfamiliar scent repeatedly.
“Even if she’s a little girl, it’s not allowed… and a bloodkin at that! Senpai, you mustn’t be deceived by appearances, hmph hmph. We don’t want to share your care even one bit.”
“When we go for lunch this afternoon, Senpai must stay with us the whole time, not even a second of distraction…”
Xincheng leaned closer to Silvia’s ear, her voice dropping to a whisper with a hint of mischief:
“Senpai, quickly tell me, is this little bloodkin girl pretty? If she is, maybe before long, she’ll become our sister-in-law…”
Silvia found herself helpless against the trio’s incessant teasing, one after another.
She raised a hand to rub her throbbing temples.
Her intuition told her something was about to happen.
Thus, Silvia cut the topic short.
“You little troublemakers, stop stirring up nonsense here~ She’s truly just a child who needed help. Alright, I need to hurry back to check on her… See you at the dumpling restaurant this afternoon.”
Despite being busy all night, and now being playfully teased by her three adorable juniors as day broke, Silvia felt no trace of sleepiness.
Bidding farewell to the trio, Silvia transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the orange-red morning glow.
She flew towards her base, her thoughts dwelling on Lina, who was still there, wondering if she had woken up, or if she was hungry again.