The Real Senior

“Then…”

Tidal pulled a sky-blue soul gem from the cigarette box and placed it over her chest. In an instant, a sharp, brilliant light flashed—

Her form vanished, replaced by the magical girl Tidal, staff in hand.

The sheer amount of magic radiating from the blue-clad girl surged outward like a gale, rustling every leaf and blade of grass around her.

“Your turn.”

With her usual calm expression, she nodded at Shi Minjun.

“Oh?”

Having just witnessed Tidal’s transformation, Shi Minjun lifted her sunglasses slightly with one finger, revealing eyes wide with surprise. She studied the petite blue girl from every angle, then, after a few seconds, delivered her verdict in that same unshakable tone:

“What? Isn’t she just adorable?”

“That’s not the point!”

Tidal forced a stiff, awkward smile. After all, for a thirty-year-old man, being called “cute” wasn’t exactly a compliment to be proud of.

“No, this is actually the point,” Shi Minjun said, shaking her head.

“You men probably don’t get it. But women our age? Compared to death, we fear aging far more.”

“Typically, magical girls retire once they reach a certain age,” she explained.

“As recognition for their service in protecting the city, retired magical girls receive status, wealth—enough to secure generations of descendants.”

“But among First-Gen magical girls, many couldn’t let go of eternal youth. They rejected retirement and gave up those privileges.”

“And what happens if they refuse to retire?” Tidal asked.

“Some become fugitive magical girls, hiding in the city’s shadows. Others actively cooperate with local [Connectors], proving their worth through missions and aberration hunts to earn trust from the Magical Kingdom and [Special Operations Bureau].”

“The former includes Heilou’s group—the [Tea Party of the Abandoned]. Though, to be fair, many members—like Heilou—are victims of flawed contracts that ruined their lives.”

Here, Shi Minjun shot Lao Lin a sharp, reproachful glance. Lao Lin lowered his head in silent shame.

“The latter… is my own organization—the [Saint Girls’ Domain]. I won’t interfere in your conflict with Heilou or the Tea Party. Frankly, I don’t want trouble. In a way… we’re not so different. Heh.”

She gave a cold chuckle.

“I’m only doing this because of your connection to Huimei. And… as a favor to them.”

‘We Connectors will remember this kindness.’

Lao Lin chimed in at the right moment.

“Alright. Enough talk. Let’s begin.”

Shi Minjun raised her left hand—the one bearing the ring with its embedded mana crystal. Just as she was about to transform, Tidal suddenly spoke up:

“There’s one thing I still need to know.”

“She paused. ‘Why did Heilou take Menglimo? What does she plan to do?’”

“I don’t know,” Shi Minjun replied. “Our organizations are different. Not enemies, but no communication either.”

Beside her, Lao Lin shook his head—also unaware.

“Fair enough,” Tidal nodded.

“Then… shall we begin?”

Shi Minjun lightly tapped the mana crystal on her ring.

At that moment, without warning, Tidal felt violent tremors ripple up from beneath her feet.

“An earthquake? Now?”

To her shock, a deep fissure split open at Shi Minjun’s feet.

From within the chasm, thorny vines slithered out like serpents, coiling and merging until they formed a single colossal tendril as thick as a human body.

At its tip, a vivid red rose bud sprouted—growing visibly, blooming into full, radiant blossom in mere seconds.

For the first time, Shi Minjun’s gaze softened—warm, affectionate, like reuniting with an old friend. A confident smile curled her lips.

“It’s time to awaken, my Queen.”

At her call, a dazzling magic wand slowly emerged from the heart of the rose.

Shi Minjun reached out and grasped it.

The instant her fingers closed around it, the giant rose exploded into petals, swirling into a storm that enveloped her completely.

“…What kind of magic scale is this?”

Tidal recalled the dread she’d felt from Heilou—but this? This was stronger.

“Watch closely,” Lao Lin said reverently. “This is what a true senior looks like.”

As the last petals scattered, Shi Minjun’s transformed figure was revealed.

Though still called a magical girl, her post-transformation appearance was clearly more mature—undeniably adult.

“Is it the outfit?”

Tidal glanced at the elegant gown, which boldly exposed part of her chest and smooth legs.

“…Actually, being a little blue girl isn’t so bad. At least I’m not that flashy.”

In that moment, she made peace with her height.

“Magical Girl—Rosetta. That’s her flower name.”
“The teacher beside me added.”

After transforming, Rosetta didn’t rush into battle.

Instead, she gently caressed her own alluring face, then smiled in blissful satisfaction.

“…No amount of money could ever restore my skin to this condition,” she murmured.

It was the look of someone enslaved by desire and obsession—utterly unlike the composed, detached Shi Minjun from moments ago.

Unable to reconcile the two, Tidal felt a chill crawl down her spine at the sight of this overwhelmingly powerful Rosetta.

“Oh, I’ve already decided on a training method,” Rosetta said, finally getting to business.

“To train you in mere days to fight someone like Heilou head-on… impossible.”

She crossed her arms.

“But since your only enemy is Heilou, why not focus entirely on her?”

“Focused training?” Tidal frowned.

“Yes. I’ll mimic Heilou’s attack patterns in combat. If you can counter everything I throw at you, you should gain the upper hand when facing her.”

“Mimic all of Heilou’s techniques? Is that even possible?”

Tidal thought back to Heilou’s terrifying abilities—razor-sharp feather blades, immortal giant shikigami, that bizarre, unbreakable cage.

Just recalling them made her doubt anyone could replicate such power.

“What are you talking about?”

Rosetta looked down at Tidal with cool superiority—radiating such absolute confidence that doubt seemed foolish.

“Heilou isn’t just some random magical girl. She’s a beloved junior… personally trained by me and Huimei.”