Chapter 47: Early Summer

Summer vacation is, without a doubt, a vacation, but the focus ultimately falls on the word "summer."

It is mid-July, and the early summer heat is already stifling; cicadas chirp incessantly on the streets, clamoring and complaining about the scorching sun.

Warm breezes sweep past the lush street trees, yet even in the shade beneath them, there is no respite from the heat; the air is thick with heatwaves, making every breath feel like a gasp of burning air.

Lin Xiaolu sits quietly on the sofa in her living room, eyes tightly shut. Even though she is at home, she has transformed into her magical girl state, her hands folded over the Heart Seed on her chest, meditating in deep concentration, magic power surging around her.

The cabinet air conditioner in the living room hums as it blows cold air, keeping the temperature inside much cooler than outside, allowing her to calm her mind and practice properly despite the weather.

The hour hand on the wall clock ticks silently, moving through more than half a circle in the quiet atmosphere before pointing exactly at eleven.

"Time's up, take a break!" a voice comes from beside her.

Withdrawing her thoughts from the long meditation, Lin Xiaolu slowly opens her eyes and pulls back the magic power overflowing from her body. After a moment of daze, she lets out a long sigh, her expression becoming lively once again.

Looking toward the direction the voice came from, a pink cat-shaped fairy sits there, looking triumphant and bossy. Seeing Lin Xiaolu look at it, it wags its tail and says, "Very good, your meditation hasn't been interrupted once these past two days; the progress is very obvious, Xiaolu!"

"…Well, thank you for the compliment."

She instinctively wants to pout, but Lin Xiaolu manages to control her expression.

The summer special training has been going on for over half a month, and Cuique has indeed kept her word, increasing the workload of magic practice and schoolwork several times over, showing no mercy and almost completely depriving Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang of their summer vacation.

If it were anything else, Lin Xiaolu would have lost her patience long ago, but firstly, this training was something she requested herself; secondly, the one who designed the plan is a senior she admires; and thirdly, it concerns whether she can become a capable magical girl. With these layers of reasons combined, she cannot afford to be lazy.

After this period of high-intensity practice, besides the steady growth of her own magic power and soul, her control over magic has finally become a bit more effortless.

Of course, it still doesn't compare to the other newcomer in the same batch.

"Hiss, it's so cold, can't the air conditioner temperature be set a bit higher?"

Xia Liang, who has leaned in from behind her, complains in a low voice: "I feel so cold my legs are trembling; I can't concentrate at all."

"Then go stay in another room." Lin Xiaolu glances at her.

"And be too hot without air conditioning?" Xia Liang smiles innocently.

"You have so many demands, if you want to be comfortable, go back to your own house!" Lin Xiaolu glares at her fiercely.

"You know I only have one old air conditioner at home." Leaning against the sofa in a lazy manner and grabbing a cushion to hold in front of her, Xia Liang moans, enjoying it, "Ah, this is much better, I feel like I could take another nap."

Originally, according to Cuique's plan, the training location for the rest of the summer should have been set at Xia Liang's house, whether for daytime indoor training or evening study sessions, so as to help Xia Liang alleviate some of her loneliness.

But on this matter, for some reason, Lin Xiaolu developed a sense of competitiveness and insisted that her own home would work too, eventually changing the daytime training location to Lin Xiaolu's house. Thus, the current awkward situation was formed: training in one place during the day, and having to switch to another at night.

"…Only you would have this kind of attitude." Seeing her relaxed demeanor, Lin Xiaolu feels a tightness in her chest and begins to feel a bit troubled, "After all, your practice progress is so fast."

After making up her mind half a month ago, Xia Liang put all her heart into improving her strength, and the talent she displayed has repeatedly exceeded the understanding of Lin Xiaolu, and even Lin Yun.

Not to mention her magic growth rate, even her soul strengthening speed is unreasonably fast, and her precision in controlling magic is effortless; it is expected that in at most another half a month, both her magic and soul will reach the threshold of forming a true manifestation.

In comparison, some magical girls with average talent need at least half a year to a year to reach this stage from scratch.

Given the current situation, it can be said that as soon as Xia Liang masters the trick of forming a manifestation, she can calmly bloom into the Bud stage and obtain her own magical construct.

Although Lin Xiaolu's talent is not bad, it is ultimately far inferior to Xia Liang's; to reach this standard, she will likely have to wait until after the summer vacation ends.

"Speaking of which, you haven't explained in detail yet."

Xia Liang, holding the cushion, suddenly says: "You said a contact sent you some strange messages a few days ago, what's that about?"

"Hmm? Just that there was a malicious magical girl operating near Fang Ting City..."

Lin Xiaolu rests her chin on her hand, looking indifferent: "What was the name? Claw?"

"Although I don't know the real name, it probably isn't the one you mentioned."

Xia Liang feels a bit helpless at her nonchalant attitude: "But a malicious magical girl? So there really are people like that."

"That's normal, right?"

Lin Xiaolu glances at her: "After all, magic can hurt people."

"True, that's a bit different from what's shown on TV." Xia Liang can't help but sigh.

"On TV? Magical girls who don't hurt people? Then you must be talking about anime from several years ago."

"Is it not like that anymore?"

"It hasn't been for a long time."

Lin Xiaolu lifts her body and counts on her fingers: "From the era of the Magic Cannon Girl to the recent Rainbow Sky Angel, the battles between magical girls and enemies have had to avoid ordinary people."

"Xiaolu, you seem to know a lot about magical girl anime?" Xia Liang notices the information in Lin Xiaolu's words.

"…I watch it occasionally." Lin Xiaolu turns her face away.

"Occasionally?" Xia Liang asks, as if confirming.

"Occasionally." Lin Xiaolu says firmly.

The two look at each other; Xia Liang's eyes hold a hint of inquiry, and although Lin Xiaolu feels a bit guilty, she stubbornly insists on meeting her gaze.

It seems she really doesn't want others to think she likes magical girl anime.

"Hehe, I won't ask you about that then; let's talk about something else. What are bad magical girls like?"

Seeing that teasing is useless, Xia Liang changes the subject: "Do bad magical girls still drive away remnant beasts?"

"I don't know, after all, I wouldn't do bad things."

"…Also true, I probably wouldn't either."

Rarely blocked by a single sentence from Lin Xiaolu, Xia Liang continues to ask: "Then, what should we do if we actually run into one?"

"I asked Cuique; she said to be careful when going out on missions, and if I see a magical girl I don't recognize, I should just tell her."

Lin Xiaolu thinks seriously: "I remember Cuique said she is a 'Patrol Envoy'; catching bad magical girls is her duty, right?"

"A Patrol Envoy, huh..." Xia Liang tilts her head.

—"Ding-dong."

Just as the two were starting a new round of gossip based on this term, the doorbell suddenly rings at the entrance.