A Bar of Secrets

“Why are you in this godforsaken place? You haven’t been following me, have you?” Chloe questioned bluntly, simultaneously creating distance from Anna and observing her with a wary gaze. This person, having learned of Chloe’s Magical Girl identity through unknown means, was clearly no ordinary individual.

“And, are you a Magical Girl?”

Anna, seemingly prepared for Chloe’s question, grinned as she hooked an arm over Chloe’s shoulder, then impolitely pinched her plump, round cheek. “Why does my little fox distrust me so much? Is it that I don’t fit your aesthetic?”

“Don’t get so close to me!” As Anna’s face drew nearer, Chloe could feel her warm breath. She forcefully pushed Anna away, her face etched with exasperation. “Answer my question! I’m not interested in you!”

“Oh, alright. Of course, I’m not a Magical Girl. I’m just an ordinary person who helps Magical Girls with their work. You should know, right? There are many people like that. Some are doctors, some directly participate in command, and some even join battles. As for me, I’m just a small-time informant. Recently, I investigated a bar that’s very likely a place where witches and some undercover Magical Girls exchange information, which is why I’m working there part-time. I’m actually on my way to work now.”

‘An informant?’ This made sense. The Watchtower had many positions that didn’t require one to be a Magical Girl, such as Lucas and Doctor Blanca.

“You say you’re an informant, so where did you learn about the method to cure demonization?”

Upon this topic, Anna scratched her head, a hint of awkwardness in her reply. “Well, it’s actually just a way to gather information. After all, we need to monitor demonized individuals to provide early warnings.”

“So, you’re just lying then! You’re still a fraud!” Chloe didn’t care what kind of informant Anna was; her primary concern was the cure for demonization. She had held onto a sliver of hope, but now, even that possibility had vanished, leaving her utterly exasperated.

“Hey, how can you call it lying? While it might not be a complete cure, in principle, it’s like traditional Chinese medicine. If you maintain a joyful mood, won’t the black miasma naturally cease to grow?”

“That makes no sense! No matter how much you regulate your body, you can’t cure cancer, can you?”

“Hehe…”

“Still laughing!”

After learning of Anna’s identity, a new layer of suspicion settled in Chloe’s heart. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to voice her concern: “You… you haven’t reported my situation to the Watchtower as intelligence, have you?”

If an ordinary person became demonized, they would merely be monitored. But Chloe was a Magical Girl. If symptoms of demonization were discovered in her, would she be quarantined, or even worse…? Imagining this terrifying possibility, Chloe suddenly felt that eliminating Anna in this secluded spot might be the best option. She had already killed once; a second time wouldn’t make much difference.

“Hehe… Of course, I wouldn’t do something like that…” Anna patted her chest with conviction, declaring with an air of righteousness: “Of course not! At most, I’m just a freelance informant, not directly under the Watchtower’s jurisdiction. Gathering information is merely a hobby of mine! My little fox is so adorable; I couldn’t bear to see you locked away underground by those scary big sisters!”

“It had better be.” At this point, Chloe was the passive party; she had no choice but to believe, even if she didn’t want to.

“Is there really no cure for demonization?”

Seeing the little loli grow increasingly despondent, Anna offered a comforting pat to her head, a flicker of pity in her eyes before they reverted to their usual cheerful demeanor. “Silly girl! Don’t look so glum. Won’t that make you more susceptible to the black miasma? Keep a cheerful mood~ There’s always a way! Do you want to come with me to that bar?”

Chloe glanced around, still seeing no sign of people, let alone any shops. “A bar in a place like this?”

“Uh… that bar specifically chose this location. As for why… you’ll know once we get there.”

‘How suspicious!’ Were it not for Chloe being a Magical Girl, fearless of ordinary criminals, this scene would undeniably appear to be luring an underage girl.

“I’ll go, but let me make one thing clear: I can’t drink alcohol!”

“Eh~ My little fox isn’t a child anymore, so why can’t you drink?”

“I just don’t like the taste of alcohol. That’s all.”

“What a pity.”

Under Anna’s guidance, the two continued deeper along the desolate street, the setting sun casting two long shadows ahead of them. They were also approaching the bar’s busiest hours.

Amidst a cluster of boarded-up storefronts, a single bar stood out.

“It really is open here! Business must be terrible!”

“You’d be wrong about that.” The bar didn’t even have a sign. Its exterior wasn’t adorned with the usual flashing lights; instead, a few simple pendant lamps glowed. The windowsills were filled with green plants, and a wooden sign, suspended by a chain before the door, announced “Open for Business.”

Reaching the entrance, Chloe suddenly halted, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. Her decision to come here was merely an impulse, born from the mindset of ‘anywhere is better than returning to Tia.’ In reality, Chloe’s experience with such social settings was a complete blank slate. Her impression of bars was that they were filled with a motley crew, and most arrived with impure intentions. Given Chloe’s appearance, she was highly likely to be harassed by ill-intentioned perverts.

As if sensing Chloe’s apprehension, Anna leaned close to her ear and whispered, “This place is full of gentle big sisters~ There won’t be any strange men~”

“How do you know?”

Anna smiled, took Chloe’s small hand, and pushed open the rather charming wooden door. A rich aroma of alcohol, mingled with a distinctly feminine scent, wafted out. Chloe, peering from behind Anna, observed her surroundings and indeed found that both the staff and the patrons were young women. Not a single man was in sight.

‘This place… could it be the legendary…’