Seeing the Contract Goddess here, bored and counting numbers, Yin Lin’s first instinct was to leave.
The other party was obviously bored—so let her stay bored a bit longer.
“Don’t mess around. If you really leave, don’t even think about coming back for the next half a year.” The Contract Goddess threatened her.
It was impossible to tell if she was serious or just joking.
So, is it True History to leave right now, or is staying and talking business True History?
“I’m really going to go, you know.” Yin Lin tested her.
“Stop testing me. Staying here is True History.” The Contract Goddess urged her.
Yin Lin: “Then why did you say, if I leave I shouldn’t think about coming back for half a year?”
Contract Goddess: “That’s because I plan on not seeing you for half a year.”
Yin Lin: “You think you can avoid me? Can’t I come here whenever I want? I know this place like my own home.”
The conversation was getting awkward.
But you could hear a trace of anticipation in the Contract Goddess’s voice. She didn’t seem to find this kind of talk boring at all.
Well, after all, who knew how long she’d been alive in here, without a phone, without a computer, not even a TV—which young people dislike the most.
If her body could move, she could at least run laps, take walks, or even do some healthy or unhealthy exercises to kill time.
But she couldn’t even move, bound here by the World Tree.
That was just too painful.
Just think—Yin Lin had nearly gone mad after hanging from a lightning rod for just one early morning. The Contract Goddess had to endure countless days and nights like this—it was unimaginable.
Yin Lin’s resistance to this future only grew, her desire to bail out even stronger than last month.
The first few times she met the Contract Goddess, after finding out she was her Future Self, and learning about that fate worse than death, Yin Lin—blinded by her own powerful abilities—intended to follow history, planning to reap enough benefits and then jump ship to change history before things became irreversible.
Until a few days ago, after an encounter and lesson from the magical girl Green Field, Yin Lin had become much more subdued.
In front of the Contract Goddess, she was less arrogant, and more hesitant and indecisive.
Faced with this mysterious World Tree, faced with the unpredictable Contract Goddess, did she really have the ability to play her in the palm of her hand?
“That’s a good way to think. You must keep reverence for the Goddess.” The Contract Goddess clearly knew what Yin Lin was thinking.
In the past, Yin Lin might have chatted with her playfully, maybe tried to guess her intentions a little, but rarely thought deeper.
But this time, Yin Lin was thinking much more.
The Contract Goddess knew her thoughts, yet still spoke those words. Maybe this wasn’t idle chat at all, but part of her plan.
This plan—was a psychological game.
If Yin Lin continued to follow history, making no effort to change it, then it was the Contract Goddess’s victory.
If Yin Lin bailed out and tried to change history, then the Contract Goddess lost.
The fact that the Contract Goddess had just stated her inner thoughts meant something—it showed that this moment was still True History, so she could know what Yin Lin was thinking.
That woman was playing a card openly, trying to stabilize Yin Lin’s wavering mind so she’d keep following True History.
“That’s not very fair.” Yin Lin complained, “You know everything about me, but my knowledge of the future is limited to what I see now. Simply put, if you don’t satisfy my curiosity this time, I’ll pick a moment and bail very soon.”
The space fell silent.
The Contract Goddess was probably sorting through her vast memories, not speaking for a long time.
To avoid affecting the future, the Contract Goddess had to perfectly imitate the posture and tone of the Contract Goddess she had once seen—making sure every word, even every character, was exactly the same.
Mistakes were inevitable; she couldn’t possibly reproduce it perfectly.
She had clearly already tested the margin for error, knowing how much she could say wrong without affecting the future.
Still she waited, silent.
Until Yin Lin, with a look of disgust, dodged a tentacle octopus goose-stepping past her, as if reaching some time node.
Only then did the Contract Goddess finally speak: “Ask. I’m in a good mood today.”
Yin Lin finally got down to business, raising one of the most important questions for herself—about the two basic spells she learned from the Contract Goddess last time.
[Magical Power Property Conversion] and [Magic Construction].
“These two things… they’re probably not that simple, right?” Yin Lin’s suspicion grew stronger.
“Yes, just as you think.” The Contract Goddess admitted easily, then continued, “There are two ways to use magic in this world. The first can be called Ancient-Style Spellcasting. The second is New-Style Spellcasting, the method most magical girls are familiar with.”
Yin Lin walked toward her. Talking at a distance was uncomfortable.
The Contract Goddess continued, “New-Style Spellcasting involves the laws of the world. With your intelligence, it’s really hard to explain it to you right now.”
Yin Lin interjected, “Aren’t you just insulting yourself?”
The Contract Goddess ignored her and went on, “In short, as long as you perform a certain movement and focus your mind on the magic you want, that’s New-Style Spellcasting. Some mysterious force will automatically help a magical girl create that spell. To put it in terms you can understand—it’s a Mouse Macro. One-click execution.”
Her tone shifted, “But Ancient-Style Spellcasting isn’t a Mouse Macro. It’s personally carrying out every step of the process, from nothing to something. You have to convert your magical power into the required attribute, then construct the spell, then channel the attributed magical power to fill it, and finally complete a spell.”
Yin Lin took over and explained, “So, New-Style Spellcasting is for convenience—fast, time-saving, and easy. Ancient-Style Spellcasting has a long windup, slower casting, but is endlessly flexible. You can improvise any kind of spell.”
The Contract Goddess didn’t object—accepting her statement.
Then she brought up what made Yin Lin different from others.
Most magical girls have limited magical power and are young, with limited calculation abilities. New-Style Spellcasting was made for them: no magical power wasted, no need for complicated calculations. Just do the motions the Contract Beast teaches, and you’re good.
But Yin Lin’s magical power reserves were huge, so she could afford to waste some. She had an ultra-strong magic shield and plenty of time for the especially long windup of Ancient-Style Spellcasting.
Ancient-Style magic was better suited for her.
That’s how the Contract Goddess explained it, but Yin Lin was more convinced it was just to keep history on track.
Her past self used Ancient-Style Spellcasting, so now they wanted her to use Ancient-Style Spellcasting too.
But she couldn’t deny that this spellcasting style really did suit her.
“As long as you want, you can modify spells however you wish.” The Contract Goddess kept promoting it, “You can make the Sky-Cleaving Spear take any shape, even a B-shape—do whatever you want. That’s Ancient-Style Spellcasting.”
It all sounded a little crude.
By now, Yin Lin had reached the tree hollow and squeezed inside.
The girl called the Contract Goddess still remained in that place.
This time, there was no lighting; it was pitch dark—probably because she didn’t want Yin Lin to see her in such a pitiful state.