Confusion (Part 1)

“…Crap. I’m late.”

Tidal accelerated, dashing toward the meeting point.

She’d set the rendezvous for 5:30 p.m. for good reason. According to plan, she would end her patrol around 4:40, return to the office, transform back into You Dong, and clock in.

That would leave about twenty minutes for the commute—more than enough time for a magical girl who could fly.

But ideals were one thing. Reality? The moment You Dong stepped back into the office, a subordinate immediately cornered him.

By the time he finished listening to one report after another, it was already past 5:30. He was undeniably late.

“Senior! Over here!”

The moment Tidal landed, You Xi rushed over, beaming.

She brushed the dust off her clothes and resumed her usual aloof expression.

No choice. The image had to be maintained.

“Sorry. I’m a bit late.”

“It’s fine. I haven’t been waiting long,” You Xi said, shaking her head. “You’re an adult, right? Adults must have a lot on their plate.”

“Good, I’m glad you understand. So, did you find anything?” Tidal asked.

“Nothing. But…”

Here, You Xi hesitated.

“But?”

Tidal glanced at her. Every thought was written on her face—she was clearly hiding something.

“Have you ever had that Magic Kingdom app malfunction?” You Xi asked.

“App malfunction?” Tidal thought for a moment. “During my patrol this afternoon, the app didn’t alert at all. What kind of malfunction are you talking about?”

“It kept going off for no reason, saying the Nightmare Fiend was nearby.”

“Did you check the area?”

“Of course. Nothing was there,” You Xi replied. “And a few minutes later, the alert just disappeared. So it must’ve been a glitch.”

“That’s what you think?” Tidal mused.

Was this “malfunction” really just a random error? She wasn’t so sure anymore.

As a mid-level manager in a large company, Tidal was highly attuned to small details.

In her experience, if you labeled an incident based on assumptions instead of investigation, problems would only multiply.

This was especially true in the workplace.

Take her company, for example. When a product defect arose, tracing it back often revealed unexpected, previously unseen root causes. These issues were like a single spark in a forest—tiny in origin, massive in consequence.

“Where exactly did this happen?” Tidal pressed.

You Xi gave the name of the neighborhood. Of course, out of respect for her friend’s privacy, she didn’t mention what had happened inside Bai Mian’s apartment.

“Let’s go. We’ll investigate again.”

Even as she spoke, Tidal was already lifting into the air. You Xi quickly transformed and followed close behind.

Leaving behind the jungle of steel and concrete, they soared into the vast, untamed sky—a realm still unconquered by humanity.

Here, the planet’s raw, wild energy rushed at them as fierce wind, whipping their hair and skirts into a wild dance.

“…Cough, cough…”

“Senior, are you okay?”

Raging Flame worriedly glanced at Tidal.

“I’m fine.”

Tidal said she was fine, but inside, she was already thinking of quitting.

She knew her own body best. The constant, exhausting switch between being a salaryman and a magical girl had drained her completely. At this rate, she wouldn’t be protecting her niece—she’d collapse first.

“Senior Tidal… your real self is an adult, right?” Raging Flame suddenly asked.

“Yes.”

“That must be really hard. Taking care of family, and fighting as a magical girl,” Raging Flame said, her voice full of sympathy.

“…”

“If… if it’s okay to ask… what keeps you going? What’s your motivation?” she asked.

“Motivation?”

At the question, Tidal slowed down.

The wind calmed. Their conversation grew clearer.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well… um…”

You Xi lowered her head, fidgeting awkwardly.

She seemed unsure if her words were appropriate, or if she could even express what she truly felt.

“You can say it. It’s okay,” Tidal said gently, sensing her hesitation.

When she was You Xi’s age, she’d been the same. Overflowing with emotions she couldn’t release, burdened by endless questions textbooks couldn’t answer, confused and lost about the future.

Back then, she’d longed for a “big brother”-type senior—a role model who could guide her.

Now, as Tidal, her mission was to be that “big brother”—or, more accurately, “big sister”—for Raging Flame.

“I… I became a magical girl because I wanted to change this world with my own hands.”

After saying this, Raging Flame’s face flushed bright red.

“Haha… that’s arrogant, right? Kind of ridiculous?”

She cautiously glanced at her senior, expecting a mocking laugh.

Instead, she was touched to see Tidal looking at her with quiet approval.

“…My parents… both died because of aberrations.”

Gaining courage from Tidal’s silent support, Raging Flame’s voice steadied.

“After that—really, up until now—I’ve hated adults. I hated their helplessness. I hated how they could do nothing when faced with aberrations. I know sometimes I’m just being childish, throwing a tantrum. But back then, I thought: if I became a magical girl, I could stop it all. I could make sure fewer people suffered like I did.”

“But later… when I actually became a magical girl, I realized… I couldn’t change anything.”

Here, Raging Flame’s eyes dimmed.

“I don’t have power like you, Senior. I can’t beat aberrations. My relationships in real life are a mess.”

“My friend got bullied, and I couldn’t help her. I lost control and hit someone—now I’m suspended indefinitely. Every time a problem comes up, I instinctively run away and make my uncle deal with it. And even then, I’m always rude to him, saying hurtful things… Honestly, I hate myself. I hate all the unfair, cruel things happening around me.”

“Sometimes I wonder… does this life, this world, even have a point in going on? I know that’s an extreme thought. So I keep wondering… am I even suited to be a magical girl?”