An Unexpected Lifespan and a Mischievous Revelation

It was the height of summer, and the amusement park itself was not as chilling as the eerie underwater tunnel they had just escaped.

As her body temperature slowly returned to normal, Bai Muxue felt much better, gradually regaining full consciousness.

“Mm…”

Her face flushed, she shakily rose from Amber’s embrace.

Had an outsider witnessed the notorious Bai family’s eldest daughter appearing so bashful and fragile, Bai Muxue would have wished for immediate reincarnation.

Yet, at present, no outsiders were around.

Though her cheeks were rosy, the young woman inwardly found herself not entirely averse to such intimate contact.

Only then did she have the energy to observe her surroundings.

They were inside one of the amusement park’s tents.

The eerie clowns and Nutcracker guards that once roamed the park had long vanished.

The children, lured out by the Calamity Beast, lay exhausted on the ground, yet their faces still bore smiles, seemingly lost in sweet dreams.

The entire amusement park had reverted to its former desolate state.

“Say, Amber…”

Gazing at the serene surroundings, a sense of relief washed over Bai Muxue as she softly spoke:

“We succeeded, didn’t we?”

‘This feeling of protecting others’ happiness… it was unexpectedly quite good?’

‘Perhaps Teacher Shen and Amber had chosen to become Magical Girls for this very reason?’

‘Heh, yet she herself had chosen to absorb their negative emotions, all to survive, for the sake of that girl Xingwan’s remaining life.’

‘Thus, while she was deeply reluctant to see these young girls risk their lives to save the world, she had to admit that they were the true heroes, and she was merely a villain.’

Bai Muxue shook her head, unconsciously shifting her gaze to the edge of her vision.

Upon the vivid red ‘twenty-four days,’ a faint hint of self-mockery appeared on her youthful face.

‘So I only have twenty-four days left to live… Wait?’

Bai Muxue suddenly froze, staring at the clear ‘twenty-four days’ before her, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

‘How could it be twenty-four days?’

‘When she came to the amusement park, she remembered having only thirteen days left!’

‘Only by absorbing the negative emotions of a Magical Girl could her lifespan increase…’

‘But the only Magical Girl she had interacted with tonight was Amber, wasn’t it?’

‘And she hadn’t done anything to bully her!’

‘Seriously, it was more like she was bullying me!’

“Don’t tell me… I did something while I was asleep? No way, right?”

‘My lifespan increased by over ten days in one go… What exactly did I do?’

A bewildered Bai Muxue inexplicably felt a pang of guilt.

She stiffly tried to turn her gaze towards the golden-haired girl beside her.

‘Wait, come to think of it, Amber hasn’t said a word since a while ago, has she?’

No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than she heard a sharp, heavy thud.

It sounded as if someone had fallen directly to the ground.

Bai Muxue’s heart jolted, and she quickly turned her head.

There, Amber was half-crouching on the ground, hands clasped over her knees, her delicate brows tightly furrowed, and a hint of pain etched on her pretty face.

“Amber?”

Her small face tightened with concern, and she rushed over to check on Amber.

“Are you alright?”

‘Could it really be that I did something in my sleep?’

“I…”

Amber parted her lips slightly, attempting to stand.

Yet, her trembling legs gave out, and she slumped back to the ground powerlessly, a fine sheen of sweat beading on her forehead.

“What’s wrong? Tell me quickly!”

“I…”

Gazing at Bai Muxue’s anxious and earnest expression, Amber tightly clasped her small hand.

She leaned weakly against the girl, feeling somewhat limp.

“Mm-hmm, what’s happening to you!”

“I…” Amber panted, her face growing paler.

Meeting Bai Muxue’s anxious gaze, she slowly lifted her head.

Then, a mischievous smile spread across her face.

“My lady’s leg fell asleep, eheh!”

Bai Muxue: ???

She froze on the spot, utterly petrified.

Glancing at the now-petrified girl, Amber pouted, casually waving a hand.

“What’s with that look?”

“My lady’s thigh has been your pillow for so long; it would be unscientific if it *didn’t* fall asleep, wouldn’t it?

Tsk, I feel like my blood vessels are all clogged…”

After a few disgruntled complaints, a teasing smirk slowly curved Amber’s lips.

“Oh, but our busy little Xiaoxue is finally willing to acknowledge me, is she?”

“I just took care of you for so long…

And the moment you opened your eyes, you rushed off without even a single word to me.

My lady thought she had turned invisible.”

‘I… you… she…’

Bai Muxue’s lips parted and closed.

How could she not realize that someone was playing a prank on her at this point?

“You scoundrel!!!”

‘Girls these days are truly infuriating; they make my blood pressure skyrocket! Give me back my worry!’

The young woman instantly broke character, brandishing her delicate fists.

She was determined to make this annoying Magical Girl taste her wrath!

“Ahaha, someone’s getting flustered~”

With a swift carp jump (TL Note: A maneuver where one springs up from a lying position to a standing or crouching one, often used in martial arts or acrobatics.), Amber sprang up from the floor.

She showed no signs whatsoever of having numb or incapacitated legs.

The two chased each other like this for quite a while.

The entire silent amusement park echoed with Amber’s taunting grimaces and Bai Muxue’s impotent fury.

But in the end… the battle concluded due to Bai Muxue’s lack of stamina.

After all, her delicate, sickly frame was ill-suited for a chase with a Magical Girl; it was simply too much to ask of her.

The two, now at a truce, sat on a bench somewhere in the amusement park.

Neither seemed inclined to speak, simply staring blankly at the brilliant moon high in the night sky.

After silently sending several messages to the Bai family, the Disaster Prevention Bureau, and the Anomaly Investigation Department, Bai Muxue returned her phone to her pocket.

The evening breeze brushed her cheeks, gently lifting the long strands of hair on either side of her face.

Previously, due to the Calamity Beast interfering with signals, the messages Bai Muxue had sent to the Bai family steward via her phone had failed to go through.

Now, her own phone was unfortunately ruined from water damage, and Amber was unwilling to offer up hers…

Fortunately, Sister Wang, the driver who was still unconscious, had a phone specifically for contacting the Bai family.

This averted the awkwardness of being unable to inform the outside world of their situation.

Taking advantage of the moment she brushed her hair aside, she turned her head, her gaze sweeping to the other side.

She spoke, feigning casualness:

“Speaking of which, once this is all over, it’ll be time for us to say goodbye, won’t it…”

“Perhaps, Amber, you could leave me your contact information…”

Though she claimed casualness, her very first words betrayed her hidden thoughts.

Despite her reluctance to admit it… after these few hours of adventure, she genuinely felt a pang of reluctance to part with this lively, carefree golden-haired girl.

In front of Amber, she didn’t have to rigidly maintain her persona as the villainous young lady, unlike when she faced Shen Jingyi.

She could let down her guard and experience a long-lost sense of ease and joy.

But… if Amber truly wasn’t a Magical Girl from Wangdu (TL Note: A fictional city or region mentioned in the story.), then it might be difficult for them to meet again in the future.

“Eh~”

As if sensing Bai Muxue’s inner calculations, Amber playfully winked at the girl.

“What’s wrong? Can it be that you’re reluctant to part with my lady?”

“Of course not…”

Bai Muxue’s heart fluttered in panic, and she was about to explain.

But then she saw Amber place a small hand on her head, chuckling softly.

“If fate allows, we’ll meet again.

After all, the Earth is round.”

“The way you say that…”

Bai Muxue opened her mouth, attempting to say something, but found herself at a loss for words.

Her lips slightly pursed, she hesitated for a moment before softly asking:

“So, Amber, what are your plans for the future?”

“Plans, huh…”

Amber pressed a forefinger against her fair, delicate chin, furrowing her brows as she pondered for a moment.

“I might go investigate… the Bai family, perhaps?”

“Huh?”

Bai Muxue stared at the golden-haired girl before her, who wore a faint smile, and her small face froze once more.

‘This girl just said… investigate what?’