The Airhead Magical Girl and the Secret Wardrobe

(Bai Ziye)

Like a child with a new toy, A-Yao couldn’t wait to show off her magic to me.

“So, your ability is to turn air into these… spheres?”

She waved her ruby-encrusted wand, and the entire living room filled with bubbles she’d conjured. No matter how I pressed them, they wouldn’t pop—soft and pliable, they were useless for attack but perfect as pillows.

Classic A-Yao. Not only was she soft herself, but her magical girl powers were just as fluffy.

“An air-element magical girl. You might be the first… but how do you plan to fight monsters with this?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet, but I can do this!” She pointed the wand at me.

A distinct membrane of magic enveloped my body. Then, like a bubble being blown, it expanded into a spherical shield slightly larger than myself. And then, the bubble floated gently upward.

“Oh? Is the internal weight ignored?”

It was like putting an iron block inside a balloon, yet the balloon still floated—A-Yao’s ability made the weight of whatever was inside disappear. Not only that, but inside the bubble, I was also weightless. External gravity couldn’t affect the bubble’s interior.

“Mm! Though soft, the bubbles I create are quite sturdy. This afternoon, I asked a magical girl at the Association to help test their strength. Whether from inside or out, they take some effort to break. So they’ll be great for rescuing people who can’t evacuate in time.”

From that perspective, this ability was actually pretty impressive. She didn’t seem to consume much magic power, either. As a defensive skill, it was formidable.

But defense alone wouldn’t cut it.

“Then how will you fight monsters with this?”

“My current idea is to trap the monster first, then keep layering more bubbles!”

“That’s just restraint, not really an attack, is it?”

A-Yao gripped her wand, her small face serious as she replied, “Then… I’ll let the monster suffocate.”

“…Sounds cruel, but do monsters even need to breathe?” I mused.

Take that rock monster from this afternoon—it didn’t even have facial features. There was no way to deduce its biological needs using carbon-based logic.

“But I really can only make these bubbles for now.” A-Yao scratched her head, looking troubled.

From the perspective of a magical girl, I could have offered some advice, but as “civilian” Bai Ziye, I couldn’t say a word.

“Applications of magic are slowly figured out and tested in battle. Other magical girls definitely went through the same process. There’s no need to rush, right?”

Hearing that seemed to cheer her up.

“Oh! Even though you always say you’re not interested in magical girls, you actually have some good insights! Ye Zi is right—only those who grow through battle are true magical girls!”

I didn’t know why she was so moved, but as “Magical Girl Miluno,” I didn’t share that sentiment. I’d been a magical girl for a year now and fought over a dozen battles, but I’d never encountered a monster that couldn’t be taken down in one round.

Growth? I just wished these External Invaders would show some improvement.

I tapped the inner wall of the bubble. “Let me out first.”

She dispelled the bubble, and I was once again bound by Earth’s gravity.

“If you’re staying here, I’ll go clean up the guest room.”

“No need to go through all that trouble! Can’t we just sleep together like before? We could even play a round of Monster Hunter before bed! I made a new weapon this afternoon and haven’t tested it yet!”

“…Sleep together?”

“Yeah! Is it not okay?”

This airhead—just moments ago she was emphasizing how she was a girl now, but the moment games came up, she lost all awareness. She even pulled a Nintendo Switch out of her backpack, flashing that typical geeky, goofy grin.

I rubbed my forehead and shook my head. “A-Yao, do I need to remind you? You’re a magical girl now. A girl. How could we possibly sleep in the same bed?”

“…Oh. I guess you’re right. I am a girl now.” A-Yao lowered her head, looking at herself. Given the “assets” her transformation had granted her, I figured she probably couldn’t even see her own toes.

“Ye Zi.”

“Hm?”

“Um, c-can I borrow your bathroom to take a shower?”

This guy’s thoughts were way too transparent. Of course—I totally understood her curiosity about a female body. Why? Because when I first became Miluno, I went through a narcissistic phase, too.

“Sure, use the one in my room. The water heater’s on.” I pointed toward the bedroom, then added, “It’s your own body, after all—remember to take it easy.”

Her face instantly flushed bright red. “I have no idea what you’re talking about! I just want a shower! You’re so annoying!”

Muttering insults, A-Yao ran into the small bathroom in my bedroom. I didn’t stay idle; I got up to clean the guest room. But when I pushed open the door, I was dumbfounded.

“Ugh, so dirty.”

Since the guest room was never used, I’d been too lazy to clean it. There was some dust, sure, but I hadn’t expected it to be this filthy. Just patting the bedspread sent up clouds of dust like a smoke grenade. The window had been left cracked open for over a month.

It was uninhabitable. To get it done before A-Yao finished her shower, I’d need to cheat.

Bringing all the cleaning tools into the room, I locked the door and pulled out the dark gold Star Crystal from my wristband.

The origins of the Star Crystals were unknown, but a romanticized tale had spread widely: they were the “will of the stars,” here to help Earth resist the External Invaders. Each crystal symbolized a star in the night sky—a fixed star, a planet, a moon, or even a comet.

“So which star does my crystal represent? Star Platinum?”

Murmuring to myself, I let the crystal dissolve into a stream of light.

Magical Girl Miluno, making a sparkling debut!

…I tried striking a transformation pose, but it really didn’t suit me.

“Time-Freeze.”

In an instant, the entire world slowed down, except for me. Magic and techniques didn’t have to be shouted to activate; silent casting worked perfectly fine. Some things were just unwritten rules of the trade, but I wasn’t most magical girls. For example, Miss Yang Yan never yelled “Fire Phosphorus!” because that would just be stupid.

“Alright, time to clean!”

I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed a broom. Ever since obtaining this Star Crystal, using magical girl powers for daily chores had become my norm. I usually used a “triple-speed” flow for chores; any faster and I’d risk breaking things.

In battle, I could increase my personal time flow further, but the air would become too heavy, putting a massive strain on the body. Thinking would also grow sluggish, causing all kinds of mental side effects. Ten times speed was the safe limit I set for myself.

By the time the cleaning was finished, about an hour had passed for me, but in real time, only six minutes had elapsed.

The sound of the shower stopped. Quicker than I expected. I canceled my transformation and stuffed the Star Crystal back into my wristband.

“Ye Zi, where are you?” A-Yao called out.

“I’m in the guest room!” I replied.

I peeked into my bedroom and saw her stepping out of the bathroom wrapped in nothing but a bath towel. I quickly pulled my head back.

“Hey! Put some clothes on! That’s way too suggestive!”

She was so unaware of herself that I wondered if she was doing it on purpose. She even asked, “Hey, do you have any clothes in your wardrobe I can borrow? I’ll go check. You keep cleaning!”

“No big deal, pick whatever you—”

A sudden realization hit me like a lightning bolt.

Wait! In my wardrobe… there was “something” that could expose my identity.

“Don’t open it!”

When I rushed back into the bedroom, A-Yao had already pulled open the wardrobe door. She stood there, completely stunned.

“No!!”