With a certain level of strength, it was fully capable of hunting on its own, gradually replenishing its own power.
But the Royal-Class Magic Beast had failed to teach it one extremely important thing—that in this era, it was best for magical creatures to keep a low profile.
“It’s very hungry right now, and it can’t wait to escape that little pocket space. Since I’ve already broken the space here once, this is the place it’s most likely to use to enter our world.” The Soul Summoner Princess tapped twice on the electronic map with her finger, speaking to the magical girls gathered in the meeting room.
All the magical girls in Jidong City above the Initial Bloom Class were now seated in the conference room, listening as the Soul Summoner Princess spoke about matters concerning the Resentful Spirit Demon King.
Scarlet Feather Flame Princess sat at the very front, her head lowered as she typed away on her phone.
Only after the Soul Summoner Princess finished speaking did she finally look up to add, “Headquarters has already dispatched two Full Bloom-Class Magical Girls for support. They should arrive late tonight.”
Then she glanced toward the Soul Summoner Princess at the podium, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. “Senior Soul Summoner Princess, when do you think that creature will break through into this world?”
“At the current rate, the latest will be dawn tomorrow. The creature will break its seal and emerge, and the phantom images you’ve been seeing will become real magical creatures,” the Soul Summoner Princess replied solemnly.
This incident was even more serious than the last Royal-Class Magic Beast hunt.
Last time, it had been a Magic Department operation; she hadn’t even participated.
But this time, no matter what, she couldn’t stand aside.
While the Resentful Spirit Demon King might be dealt with by Blooming-Rank Magical Girls, the magical creatures scattered across the city were the true threat.
If they really let those creatures rampage and level all of Jidong City, the disaster recovery would—
directly cause an uproar among the upper echelons of the Magic Department.
“The coming battle will be tough. Everyone, the safety of Jidong City rests in your hands!” With that, the not-too-long meeting ended.
The magical girls of Jidong City filed out in twos and threes.
Very soon, only four people remained in the room.
Luo Shuangyue and Xia Mo, as well as Scarlet Feather Flame Princess and Soul Summoner Princess.
Scarlet Feather Flame Princess looked at the Soul Summoner Princess, then after a moment of silence, lowered her head and walked out of the conference room as well.
“Looks like their relationship’s kind of complicated?” Luo Shuangyue whispered to Xia Mo.
She’d thought that Scarlet Feather Flame Princess, who’d stormed off alone to Jingan Palace for the Soul Summoner Princess’s help, would be bolder, but she hadn’t expected her to act like a sulky little girl quarreling with her mother.
When Scarlet Feather Flame Princess had gone to Jingan Palace, had she been just as silent, exchanging only glances with the Soul Summoner Princess? Not speaking, only relying on eye contact?
“I remember your name’s Ming Die? Did Long Wen send you to find me?” The Soul Summoner Princess walked over to Luo Shuangyue and asked.
The situation had been urgent just now, so she hadn’t had time for Luo Shuangyue.
Now that everything had been said and arranged, she finally had a moment to meet this junior sent by her old friend.
“She messaged me saying you ate something dirty. There aren’t many things she would call dirty, so I’m guessing you consumed the Original Magic Power of a magical creature, am I right?”
Right on target, Luo Shuangyue nodded a bit awkwardly.
Still, she tried to defend herself, “Senior, I didn’t eat it. The moment I touched those little black blocks, they just melted into my body.”
She really wasn’t a glutton. She’d meant to taste them slowly, but who knew things would turn out like that?
“They actively fused into your body? What level was the Original Magic Power you absorbed?”
“Royal-Class.”
“?”
A big question mark appeared on the Soul Summoner Princess’s forehead. You dare eat something like that?
What was Long Wen doing? Got so excited after slaying the Royal-Class Magic Beast that she forgot to clean up? How could she leave the Original Magic Power behind?
Now she finally understood why Long Wen had sent Luo Shuangyue to her.
Clearly, she wanted her to check whether Luo Shuangyue was harboring the consciousness of a Royal-Class Magic Beast!
A magical creature’s consciousness followed its Original Magic Power.
Now that the Royal-Class Magic Beast’s Original Magic Power was inside Luo Shuangyue, what about its consciousness?
Naturally, it had entered Luo Shuangyue’s body as well.
If anything went wrong, the Royal-Class Magic Beast they’d finally dealt with might take root and revive inside Luo Shuangyue.
Inside her body.
“You, come with me right now. There’s still time before the battle starts. Let me check whether the creature’s consciousness is inside you.”
“Oh……”
Luo Shuangyue, like Scarlet Feather Flame Princess before her, bowed her head.
When the Soul Summoner Princess got serious, she had the stern air of a senior, and Luo Shuangyue was exactly the type who’d feel like a child caught doing something wrong.
If she didn’t hang her head in shame, she’d hardly be human; Luo Shuangyue’s skin wasn’t exactly thick.
Following the Soul Summoner Princess into a nearby empty room, Luo Shuangyue saw her draw the Spirit-Cutting Blade from her waist and point it at her.
“Senior, even if she did eat something bad, isn’t it a bit much to just chop her up?” Xia Mo saw this and quickly rushed in front of Luo Shuangyue, spreading her arms to shield her.
The scene looked pretty scary, and she really was afraid the Soul Summoner Princess would slice Luo Shuangyue with one stroke.
“I’m not that unreasonable. This blade is better at cutting spirits than people. If you don’t believe me, you can see for yourself.” The Soul Summoner Princess offered a gentle smile.
The blade in her hand wasn’t actually sharpened. At worst, it’d hurt for a moment if it struck a person.
Once Xia Mo was sure the Soul Summoner Princess wasn’t about to hack Luo Shuangyue to pieces, she backed away, still a bit shaken.
The Soul Summoner Princess raised the blade again and said to Luo Shuangyue, “Are you ready?” “Ready!” Luo Shuangyue nodded.
Pa!
A flash of violet light streaked past her eyes.
Luo Shuangyue suddenly blacked out, and when she opened her eyes again, she realized there was now a black-eyed girl beside her.
The girl knelt motionless on a mirror-like, pitch-black surface, like a statue.
Her eyes held no whites, no pupils—just pure, bottomless blackness.
Even with someone suddenly at her side, the girl showed no reaction at all—not even the slightest inclination to turn her head.
Luo Shuangyue recalled what the Soul Summoner Princess had said before swinging the blade.
Since she didn’t see anything unusual after the strike, that meant everything in her body was normal.
But if she did see something—well, then it’d be a huge problem.
And right now, what Luo Shuangyue faced was the biggest problem of all.
Because she recognized this girl—it was the very Royal-Class Magic Beast that had tried to kill her before!
That thing’s consciousness really was hidden inside her body!
But…this one’s mental state seemed just a little bit off? Luo Shuangyue waved her hand in front of the creature’s face—no reaction.
She poked the creature’s shoulder—still no response.
Finally, she started tugging the creature’s hair and cheeks, and at last, the creature reacted.
“Haven’t you had enough?!” Snatching her hair back from Luo Shuangyue, the creature glared at her, exhaling in anger.
At that moment, Luo Shuangyue’s first thought was that this magical creature seemed oddly human.
“Uh, let’s talk, okay? Can you leave my body?” Seeing that she could communicate, Luo Shuangyue quickly sat down facing the creature, trying to reason with her.
You’re a dead magical creature anyway, wouldn’t it be better to just die properly instead of clinging on in my body?
Isn’t it unnecessary?
Life’s so miserable, why not just reincarnate sooner? Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll be reborn as a Magical Girl next time, right? But—
“Can’t leave.” The creature closed her eyes, looking deeply aggrieved.
“What do you mean, can’t leave? If you just extract your Original Magic Power, you’ll be able to go, right?”
It would’ve been better if Luo Shuangyue hadn’t brought up Original Magic Power.
At the mention, the creature seemed to explode.
She shot to her feet like a panther, pouncing on Luo Shuangyue and raising her fist to punch her in the face.
While pounding away, she growled, “You dare bring that up! You thief, you have the nerve to talk about that!” Her fists landed on Luo Shuangyue’s face, but Luo Shuangyue felt no pain at all—it was more like a gentle breeze brushing her cheeks.
“You want me to leave? Sure! Have that thing above your head spit out my Original Magic Power!” The creature pointed upward, gritting her teeth.
It was then that Luo Shuangyue realized they weren’t alone in this space.
Above them hung a huge, blackish-purple butterfly.
This butterfly resembled the little ones Luo Shuangyue usually summoned, but was far more dignified and powerful.
Right now, it was entwined with brambles—but the large butterfly seemed unfazed, calmly nibbling away at the brambles, little by little.
Those brambles were clearly the Royal-Class Magic Beast’s power.
At first glance, Luo Shuangyue thought the Royal-Class Magic Beast had subdued the big butterfly, but judging by its current state, that wasn’t the case.
“My magic power’s all been eaten by it! I can’t get out!” The creature grabbed Luo Shuangyue’s collar, her voice filled with despair.
Her magic had already merged with Luo Shuangyue’s, and soon, her consciousness would dissolve as well, becoming just another part of Luo Shuangyue’s spiritual world.
She would lose all individuality. In fact, her emotional instability now was proof of the assimilation.
Magical creatures weren’t supposed to have such intense mood swings—but now, she could laugh, cry, rage, and barely control her feelings at all.
All signs that she was becoming less of a magical creature—and more like a real, living person.
She was, bit by bit, becoming human.
“It’s over, everything’s over. I’m a failure. Just let me rot here alone.” After venting, she slumped down, turning her back to Luo Shuangyue.
A miasma of “I give up, just let me die already” drifted from her, making Luo Shuangyue feel a tinge of sympathy.
But suddenly, Luo Shuangyue had an idea.
This magical creature seemed pretty communicative—maybe she could ask about the Resentful Spirit Demon King?
You’re about to die anyway, it’s not too much to give me some intel before you go, right?
“So, do you remember that Demon King you raised in Jidong City?”
“Oh, it made a fuss? Well, I’m already dead. No matter how much trouble it causes, it has nothing to do with me.” “Do you know how to get rid of it?”
“Easy. Just find three Full Bloom-Class Magical Girls and you can beat it to death.”
Of course I know three Full Bloom-Class can kill it! I’m asking if there’s a simpler way to deal with it! Luo Shuangyue roared internally.
But she forgot—this was her inner world.
So her angry voice echoed throughout the space.
Now Luo Shuangyue was embarrassed. All those rude thoughts had been heard by the magical creature—who probably wouldn’t cooperate anymore. But—
“A simple way? Nope. I put a lot of effort into creating such a perfect child. Why would I leave it a weakness?” The Royal-Class Magic Beast tilted her head at an almost impossible angle to look at Luo Shuangyue, a dangerous grin spreading across her face.
Who would build a weapon and leave it a weakness? She wasn’t stupid—why do something so thankless?
“But aren’t you afraid it’ll lose control?”
“Why would I be afraid? I’m stronger than it is. Most of its power comes from me. It would naturally be drawn to me and follow my orders.”
Wow, magical creatures play the emotional card now? Luo Shuangyue was astonished.
“From the way you’re talking, it’s caused some big trouble?”
“Huge trouble. And I’m right where all the chaos started.”
Hearing this, the Royal-Class Magic Beast’s smile grew even broader.
That smile made Luo Shuangyue uneasy.
“Let me give you a friendly reminder: when a starving child suddenly smells the scent of the person who used to feed it, what do you think it’ll do?”
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Luo Shuangyue’s forehead.
What will it do?
If even the Royal-Class Magic Beast put it that way, what else could it do?
“It’ll happily come running to you for food. And if you don’t give it any—it’ll swallow you whole~”