The Courtyard and a Mysterious Guide

“I must say, your acting skills fall far short when compared to your actual abilities.”

Although she had anticipated it, seeing that the newcomer was indeed this ‘old acquaintance,’ Bai Muxue let out a soft chuckle.

Having already lowered her hidden guard, she simply took a seat directly opposite the young woman.

If this silver-haired young woman truly intended to harm her, she wouldn’t have bothered to save her when Bai Muxue was involved in that car accident; she could have simply watched her die.

Why go to such elaborate lengths?

At the very least… until her true intentions were revealed, they were not adversaries.

Hmph, yet she had gone to such great lengths to create this dreamscape, even disguising herself as Xingwan.

While Bai Muxue had no idea what her true purpose was, being ruthlessly exposed due to such clumsy acting… that truly was something.

The young woman’s gentle smile stiffened slightly upon hearing Bai Muxue’s teasing.

Her bright, cerulean eyes even showed a hint of grievance as she lowered her head and softly defended herself:

“I distinctly remember reading many books on this; this is precisely the ideal mode of interaction between a father and daughter… It’s clearly just that Young Miss is too cunning.”

The young woman’s implication was clear—she had made ample preparations, and if anyone was to blame, it was Bai Muxue for being too cunning and seeing through her meticulous setup!

Hang on… Is that a compliment or an insult? More importantly, what kind of books were you reading? ‘Eight Great Wisdoms for Educating Children’? Or ‘Parents Can Do It, So Can Kids’?

Hearing the young woman’s complaint, Bai Muxue found herself momentarily caught between laughter and tears.

Prior to this, Bai Muxue had only met the silver-haired young woman a few times, and each encounter presented her as an enigmatic figure, shrouded in mystery.

This naturally led Bai Muxue to harbor a significant degree of wariness towards her.

Yet, observing the young woman now, pouting and throwing a minor tantrum, any semblance of profound inscrutability had vanished.

However, criticisms aside, whether the young woman was aloof or mischievous, Bai Muxue’s fundamental caution towards her would not diminish in the slightest.

She shook her head, speaking softly: “Perhaps that’s an ideal mode of interaction between a father and daughter, but it is certainly not how Xingwan and I interact.”

“I don’t like it this way, and I believe Xingwan wouldn’t either.”

—She had looked after this troublesome little girl for over a decade.

While there were always bumps and scrapes, and occasional arguments, even generational gaps due to their age difference… none of it ever affected the depth of their affection for each other.

Though Bai Muxue used to complain about how wonderful it would be if her daughter could be a little less demanding, the illusion the young woman had just created, despite appearing to depict fatherly kindness and filial piety, possessed a polite, distant quality that was absolutely not what she desired.

“Is that so…”

The young woman propped her chin on her hand, gazing thoughtfully at the large bowl of noodles and the stir-fried meat beside it on the table.

Indeed, for some reason, despite the exquisitely carved round table, draped in a snow-white tablecloth and adorned with silver tea sets and several delicate pastries, the soup noodles Bai Muxue had made earlier still sat there, looking utterly out of place.

She took another small sip of the soup, then murmured with a hint of confusion, “But it truly is delicious… In a situation like this, shouldn’t one express praise?”

“Honestly, you… Forget father and daughter, even when dining with friends, people don’t typically dissect the food with such solemn formality!”

Unwilling to dwell further on the topic, Bai Muxue wearily pressed a hand to her forehead: “Come to think of it, this is our first formal meeting, isn’t it?”

“So, who exactly are you? Why did you seek me out initially? Why did you make me absorb Magical Girls’ negative emotions? What do you want from me now? And where exactly is this place?”

Bai Muxue blurted out all the questions swirling in her mind to the silver-haired young woman in one breath.

This was not the disaster relief bureau she used to work at, where every other word was about social niceties; she couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries and wanted direct answers.

Hearing Bai Muxue’s barrage of questions, the young woman merely smiled and shook her head.

She slowly wiped the corners of her mouth, then gracefully rose, extended her hands, lifted the hem of her skirt, and curtsied elegantly towards Bai Muxue.

“Welcome to the Courtyard, my Young Miss.

My name is Sevyar.”

“This place exists at the boundary between reality and dreams, and it is also the source of power for Magical Girls.”

“You say this is… the Courtyard? And the source of Magical Girls’… power?”

Bai Muxue couldn’t help but be stunned by the revelation.

She truly didn’t know how Shen Jingyi and Amber became Magical Girls; after all, that was their most private secret, and she naturally wouldn’t proactively inquire.

She subconsciously began to survey her surroundings.

Aside from the towering black spire, everything visible in her line of sight was desolate, with seemingly no other structures.

The ominous, dark sky was heavily overcast, and flashes of thunder boomed and flickered through the clouds, creating a suffocating, deathly silence that presaged a coming storm.

“Indeed, it’s beautiful here, isn’t it? As beautiful as the hearts of Magical Girls~”

But the young woman named Sevyar clearly had no intention of elaborating.

She simply smiled and nodded, then leisurely picked up the small teapot beside her and poured Bai Muxue a cup of fragrant, sweet black tea.

Ugh, this place hardly seems to fit the description of “beautiful” in any way… But why did this person suddenly bring up “the hearts of Magical Girls”? Was she hinting at something?

A flicker of doubt crossed Bai Muxue’s pretty face, but before she could speak, Sevyar continued:

“As for me…”

The young woman’s cerulean eyes emitted a faint glow.

She then elegantly picked up a small spoon, added two spoonfuls of sugar to Bai Muxue’s teacup, and only then handed the cup to her:

“My duty is to guide you towards salvation, to alter your predetermined destiny, and indeed, that of this world… In return, you must fulfill your obligations by making more Magical Girls your captives.”

Sevyar returned to her seat and took another small bite of the noodles in her bowl, her eyes curving as she offered Bai Muxue a gentle smile: “In other words, Young Miss may also consider me your destined one.”

‘Ugh, it feels like she said a lot… and yet nothing at all.’

Ignoring the young woman’s final teasing remark, Bai Muxue leaned back in her chair and took a sip of the black tea before her.

This person named Sevyar seemed to have said a great deal… but it was all vague, boilerplate language, revealing not a single crucial piece of information.

‘Heh, but even if I pressed her, I probably wouldn’t get the answers I wanted anyway…’

Thanks to Sevyar’s two spoonfuls of sugar, the black tea was cloyingly sweet, but Bai Muxue drank it impassively, frowning slightly as she spoke:

“Alright then… Miss Sevyar, could you tell me why you called me here this time?”

‘…You don’t need to be a riddler about this, do you?’ Bai Muxue silently added in her thoughts.

“Ah, for no particular reason.”

Sevyar clasped her small hands behind her back and walked with nimble steps to stand before Bai Muxue:

“I merely wished to offer Young Miss a reminder, which is why I created this scene—one that Young Miss supposedly dreams of…”

“Er, a correction: I do not desire such a scene.”

Bai Muxue’s lips twitched slightly, and she unconsciously took a step back.

Sevyar choked for a moment, the smile on her pretty face visibly fading a few degrees.

She then lowered her head and mumbled softly: “You can’t blame me for this, can you? It’s clearly Young Miss’s own problem… *cough, cough*!”

Regaining her composure, she cleared her throat twice, then looked up as if nothing had happened, her characteristic smile returning.

“Young Miss has now successfully established feelings with Magical Girls… and certain future Magical Girls.

That’s a very good start.

However…”

Sevyar solemnly and earnestly extended both hands, taking Bai Muxue’s small hand in hers, and spoke again:

“However, if excessive kindness is bestowed upon those who shouldn’t receive it, she will cling to you like chains, refusing to let anyone else interfere.”

‘What does that mean? What is she talking about?’

The whistling wind swept past her ears.

Bai Muxue was about to speak, but Sevyar seemed to have no intention of saying anything more.

She simply held Bai Muxue’s small hand with reverence, then left a kiss on the back of the young woman’s hand.

“—On a side note, Young Miss, your cooking truly is excellent.”

Sevyar’s smiling words were the last Bai Muxue heard before losing consciousness.

Accompanied by the soft touch on the back of her hand, Bai Muxue felt her vision blur, and the world before her crumbled once more.

Subsequently, she plunged back into darkness.