Chapter 89: The First Conversation with Bai Jingxuan

"Although this is our first meeting, you don't need to be so reserved. Sit down first."

"Yes, Teacher."

"You don't need to call me Teacher; you can call me Senior Cuique."

"Understood, Teacher."

"Why must you call me Teacher?"

"The caregivers said it is more polite to address those who teach you as Teacher."

"Magical Girls do not address each other as master and disciple. For those with more experience than us, we only call them 'Senior'."

"Understood! Senior Teacher!"

"... Just call me Teacher."

The above conversation took place in the afternoon of the same day.

At Lin Xiaolu's, also Senior Cuique's, home, while the other two girls were practicing their mana cultivation, Senior Cuique led Bai Jingxuan out of the living room they were in and into the dining room to begin a one-on-one conversation.

This was the first time Senior Cuique had spoken directly with this newcomer, and also the first time she had seen Bai Jingxuan in her original form.

Unlike her appearance with a bob haircut and a medical eye patch, which looked soft and weak, when Bai Jingxuan spoke, one could feel a subtle boyishness.

Perhaps it was her simple and clean trousers, or perhaps the bright light in her right eye, or the subtle steadiness in her words. In any case, these elements combined made one feel as if they were speaking to a quiet, precocious little boy.

Senior Cuique had thought that with such experiences, the child before her should have shown a more introverted and closed-off personality, but, unlike what she imagined, Bai Jingxuan looked very normal.

And this normality, combined with her experiences, was so strange.

But obviously, this was not something that could be solved by talking about it now; what she needed to do for the moment was simply to get a basic understanding of Bai Jingxuan as a person, and her talent as a Magical Girl.

Undoubtedly, possessing the identity of a "Diverter," Bai Jingxuan was quite special even among Magical Girls.

As for personality and behavior, just like the first impression Senior Cuique felt, this child did not show any problems.

It was just that after the conversation had proceeded smoothly for a while, in the gap where Senior Cuique was thinking about what to ask next, Bai Jingxuan suddenly spoke: "Um, Teacher, I actually have something I want to ask you."

"Please ask?" Senior Cuique replied casually.

"You just introduced us as the Magical Girl squad of Fang Ting City, right?"

"Mm."

"Then is there a Magical Girl here who wears a pink dress and has pink hair too?"

This question made Senior Cuique look up sharply.

Undoubtedly, what Bai Jingxuan described was Anya.

Hearing a familiar description from such a strange child made her quite surprised for a moment, but she quickly suppressed her fluctuating emotions and spoke with a calm expression: "Why do you ask this?"

"Because, if she is still in Fang Ting City, I actually want to meet her."

Bai Jingxuan looked at Senior Cuique, her remaining right eye very clear: "Three years ago, I encountered an incident where a Remnant Beast attacked. She saved my life from that crisis, and I have actually always wanted to thank her."

This child? Was she saved by Anya?

This information made Senior Cuique momentarily stunned.

But she quickly realized this was a completely possible thing.

Because the data showed that Bai Jingxuan encountered the Remnant Beast attack incident three years ago, and at that time, Anya was still alive and frequently active in Fang Ting City. With Anya's strength, saving a child from a disaster was not a difficult thing.

It was just that, after confirming the authenticity of this matter, Senior Cuique actually didn't know how to answer Bai Jingxuan.

Because Anya was already dead.

Should she tell her directly here that the Magical Girl she wanted to see had sacrificed herself? Would such news be too cruel for her?

But if she didn't tell her, after all, this wasn't really a secret; how much longer could she continue to hide it?

Thinking of the child before her having the experience of her parents dying at the hands of Remnant Beasts, and thinking of Liu Wenqin's request to her previously, hoping that this child would correctly view and treat everything she had experienced, Senior Cuique felt she might have to lie again.

She could feel that the gratitude and admiration for Sakura, that is, Anya, was likely the main reason this child could face the identity of a Magical Girl positively. If she rashly cut off this thread, then what would bind her to the Magical Girls would only be power, and the hatred of her parents dying at the hands of Remnant Beasts.

Senior Cuique had seen such Magical Girls, who became Magical Girls because their relatives died at the hands of Remnant Beasts, living day and night in the flames of hatred, and one day would be burned up by those flames of hatred.

In any case, she should not let Bai Jingxuan become that kind of person.

So, facing Bai Jingxuan's question, she could only pretend to be casual and say: "We in Fang Ting City did indeed have such a Magical Girl, but she left two years ago."

"Two years ago?"

Hearing this, there was obviously some disappointment in Bai Jingxuan's expression: "I see, I thought I could meet her after becoming a Magical Girl."

Senior Cuique could only remain silent.

She couldn't tell Bai Jingxuan "Someday you will be able to meet her," simply because even she herself couldn't say that sentence.

If it were possible, how did she not want to see Anya again?

Moreover, she didn't want to continue deceiving this somewhat pitiful child.

At this point in the conversation, she actually had some ideas on how to cultivate Bai Jingxuan, not only on how to develop her abilities as a Diverter; more importantly, she first had to maintain her beautiful impression of Magical Girls, at least, make her feel that life after becoming a Magical Girl is good and happy.

Only in this way could she ensure that when she told her about Anya's matter in the future, she would not lose the positive emotional bond and fall completely into negative thinking.

Combining her experiences, she had to make the worst speculation; even if this child now appeared very normal, she had to make corresponding preparations.

Moreover, whether it was an illusion or not, Bai Jingxuan's abnormal calmness gave her the feeling of a dormant volcano. Such a volcano looks silent and seems very safe, but inside still lurks fierce and surging lava.

Senior Cuique hoped this was just her own illusion.

"Then, that pink Magical Girl, I remember she said her name was Sakura? Where did Miss Sakura go?" On the other side, unaware of Senior Cuique's calculations in her heart, Bai Jingxuan just asked with some confusion.

"Where did she go...?"

With her thoughts stirred up by this question, Senior Cuique looked at Bai Jingxuan, then lowered her gaze slightly, her mind gradually becoming somewhat drifting: "It is a place carefree for a Magical Girl, I suppose?"

At least she hoped Anya was carefree.

If there is still a place for the soul after a person dies, then as a Magical Girl who saved countless people, Anya should go to the dwelling place of good people.

The dwelling place of good people should have a beautiful and peaceful life, and should also have rewards for her achievements in life. In such a world, Senior Cuique hoped Anya could get everything she wanted.

And this question also undoubtedly made her think of tomorrow.

By tomorrow, it would be the anniversary of Anya's death.

This chapter counts as yesterday's.

(End of this chapter)