Chapter 17 : Calculations That Clink and Clatter

【Zining’s such a nuisance. How am I supposed to get close to Zhou Xi like this?】

In the hot spring pool, Luo You poked his head out of the water, glaring intently at Luo Zining.

No matter the time or place, she always managed to position herself squarely between him and Zhou Xi.

She was definitely doing it on purpose.

Luo You puffed bubbles into the water in frustration, venting his silent grievances.

Yes, no doubt about it—she was doing it on purpose.

Luo Zining, meanwhile, had repeatedly disrupted the interactions between Luo You and Zhou Xi, all while suppressing a cold smirk.

Hmph, old man, do you think I don’t know what you’re up to?

Like I’d believe a crusty virgin like you wouldn’t be excited to meet a real, live magical girl.

You’re just putting on an act!

As long as I’m here, don’t even dream about laying a finger on Senior Zhou Xi!

That was what she told herself, though she failed to notice the flicker of hostility and suspicion creeping into her gaze whenever she looked at Zhou Xi.

Time ticked on, second by second.

“Zining, your phone’s lighting up,” Luo You suddenly pointed toward the waterproof bag on the pool’s edge.

“Ugh, not this again. I’m not falling for—huh?”

Zining turned around.

Sure enough, her phone really was ringing—and it was Zhao Xin calling.

Because of the unique nature of magical girls, their phones had to stay with them at all times.

A call from Zhao Xin could only mean work.

She grabbed her phone and spoke briefly, then cast a few uneasy glances back at Luo You and Zhou Xi before trudging off to a secluded corner to take the call properly.

Luo You couldn’t hear what Zining and the person on the other end were discussing.

All she caught were the first few lines. It sounded like someone was arriving soon, and Zining needed to meet them.

Probably someone from the Magic Alliance, Luo You guessed.

Now, it was finally her turn.

She had just turned toward Zhou Xi when the latter spoke first.

“Yuyou, what do you think of magical girls?”

“…Celebrities? Influencers?”

“Wow. That’s a pretty ordinary answer.”

“Well, that’s what they are to the average person.”

But if Luo You were to give an honest, unfiltered opinion, she might’ve added a few labels that weren’t exactly flattering.

The kind you’d often see in… certain illustrated books.

“But you’re not wrong,” Zhou Xi said with a faint smile.

She relaxed her posture, a note of melancholy creeping into her voice as she gave form to the thoughts swirling in her heart.

Stars, influencers, idols… That was indeed how the general public saw magical girls.

It was the image they had cultivated, the path they often followed.

“But that only applies to second- or third-tier magical girls,” she added.

Those stationed on the frontlines at the Realm Sea Border—magical girls who faced the real horrors—rarely made public appearances.

After all, you never knew when one of them might not come back.

Even the strongest magical girl, Xingyue, was little more than a name in text.

There were barely any photos of her in circulation.

“Me and Yueyuezi… Ah, Yueyuezi’s a colleague of mine. Both of us were temporarily transferred from the frontlines to deal with a dimensional beast that surfaced in Huahai City.”

“We thought it’d be an easy win, but… things didn’t go well.”

“I can’t tell you the specifics, but… The casualty rate for magical girls is probably going to rise again.”

Zhou Xi let out a long, weary sigh.

Just one dimensional beast had nearly wiped out the entire defense force stationed in Huahai City.

After that crushing failure, whether she and Yueyuezi would be sent back to the frontlines remained uncertain.

Not because their strength or health was in question, but because of concerns about their mental state.

“Oh,” Luo You replied blandly.

She wasn’t sure why Zhou Xi was suddenly confiding all this in her.

Maybe she just needed to unload some of the pressure weighing on her.

To be fair, the recent events in Huahai City were alarming.

A suspected hybrid of human and dimensional beast—utterly unheard of.

It had been over twenty years since the first dimensional beast appeared, yet this was the first time Luo You had seen something like that.

It might even mark the first time humans had managed to harness the power of a dimensional beast.

If true, it could lead to a bloody upheaval.

Was it the work of the Altered Ones?

The government?

Or… the Magic Alliance?

Luo You had suspicions about all three.

Most likely the Altered Ones.

They’d always been the villains, after all.

Second most likely?

The Magic Alliance.

Despite their mysterious origins in the depths of the Realm Sea, humans still knew little about them.

That was one reason local governments rarely gave magical girls much media support.

The Altered Ones had a shady past, sure, but at least they were known to be human.

Their powers typically stemmed from “mutations,” and the authorities had them relatively well-mapped.

The Magic Alliance, though… that was another story.

Even though magical girls were chosen from among humans, their powers remained a complete mystery—beyond explanation, beyond analysis.

The Realm Sea was full of secrets—so many that even the best scouting teams returned empty-handed, if they returned at all.

The Magic Alliance actively resisted any form of oversight from human governments, which only heightened suspicion.

In the first two years after magical girls emerged, their very existence was a matter of heated debate.

At the time, there were powerful voices among the upper echelons who firmly believed the Magic Alliance was an “alien race from the Realm Sea,” and under their influence, magical girls teetered on the edge of becoming modern-day witches.

And yet, it was undeniable that magical girls were the frontline defense against dimensional beasts.

Thanks to that indispensable role, the Magic Alliance eventually secured a foothold in human society, and magical girls were widely accepted by the public.

But everyone with eyes could see the truth—the recognition belonged to the magical girls, not the Magic Alliance.

Luo You included.

She had long harbored doubts about the Magic Alliance.

Which was why, in her mind, they ranked second on the list of suspects.

“Hmm…”

Zhou Xi rolled her shoulders, trying to work out the stiffness that had crept across her back.

Luo You immediately perked up. Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?

After all, just two nights ago, she’d tied Zhou Xi’s arms behind her back with rope and strung her up for the whole night.

Of course her shoulders would be sore.

“About earlier—when I was supposed to apologize,” Luo You moved in closer with exaggerated innocence.

“How about I give you a massage to make up for it?”

“No need… Just having someone listen to me vent was enough. Sorry for unloading all that heavy stuff on you.”

“Listening? That’s something anyone can do.”

Luo You slid in behind her, placing both hands on her shoulders, her fingers dancing across Zhou Xi’s skin like they were plucking harp strings.

“Mmnh~”

Her touch was dangerously good.

The tension in Zhou Xi’s shoulders melted into a rush of sensation that sent an involuntary, embarrassed moan spilling from her lips.

Leaning in close, Luo You whispered beside her ear, “My massage skills are good enough to earn a Level One certificate, you know~ Don’t you want to see for yourself?”

“…T-Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Great. I’ll make~~ sure you feel really good.”

Don’t say things that can be taken that way!

Zhou Xi squeezed her eyes shut, her cheeks burning red.

What was with this woman, Luo You?

One moment she was distant, the next she was in your face.

There was a weird sense of déjà vu about her…

Luo You’s technique lived up to her claim.

If she said she could pass the national exam, Zhou Xi wouldn’t have doubted her.

Within moments, Zhou Xi had gone limp, resting her head on a towel, her breath fogging softly in the cool air as drowsiness settled over her.

That said, sleep became a bit more difficult when Luo You’s hands started venturing beyond the boundaries of her shoulders.

“You’re definitely carrying a lot of fatigue. That girl really went at you hard, didn’t she? Must’ve worn you out.”

“Mm… Yeah… huh? Wait—how do you know it was a girl?!”

Zhou Xi jolted awake, suddenly wide-eyed.

Luo You tapped her on the waist.

“It’s obvious just from the marks. You’ve still got her bite mark, right there.”

“Wha—!”

A deep blush spread across Zhou Xi’s face as she realized her swimsuit had been quietly lifted, exposing the scandalous little mark beneath.

“No need to be shy. These days, girl-on-girl isn’t even considered a big deal. Feeling ashamed over it? That’s actually kind of rude to your partner, don’t you think?”

“P-Partner?! No, no, no! She’s not my partner!”

“Ah… so it’s just a PY deal, then.”

“You’re saying that kind of thing so casually, like it’s normal!”

“Am I wrong?”

“This—!”

Zhou Xi opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Maybe… maybe that really was all it was with Herrera?

Maybe not even that.

If she was being honest, their relationship was nothing more than her being used—just a convenient outlet for the other’s desires.

Zhou Xi thought of that maddening, irresistible figure, the one she couldn’t stop yearning for or resenting.

Deep down, she knew it was true—but she wasn’t going to admit defeat that easily.

“Well, I mean… If she really wanted to make it official, I wouldn’t say no,” she muttered under her breath.

“Heh…”

Ah, Luo You mused.

So you’ve got a touch of Stockholm Syndrome.

You’re going to need help with that.

Still, that was as far as her sympathy went.

After all, Luo You had never felt responsible for any of the magical girls she’d slept with.

Even if Zhou Xi had just shown a glimpse of her true feelings, Luo You wasn’t about to acknowledge it.

If she was going to play the villain, she might as well go all in.

“In that case…”

Luo You’s voice took on an unmistakable tone—the kind that practically oozed “trouble.”

“You suffered a lot this time, right? Next time, you’ve gotta put her in her place! Show her she can’t treat you like that!”

“Eh? Ehh? You think I can pull that off…?”

“With your current skills? Not quite. But… I’ve got it!”

Luo You’s eyes lit up with wicked inspiration. “How about I help you practice?”

“Practice? What kind of practice?”

Zhou Xi looked puzzled.

“A live demonstration, of course. A little hands-on training, so next time, you can really dominate her!”

Her words were so explosive, they left the air dead silent in their wake.

Here’s what Luo You was thinking—

Usually, she was the one taking the lead, aggressively ravaging magical girls until they were left wrung out and satisfied while she herself never quite reached her limit.

So this time, she figured… why not switch it up for once?

Let herself be on the receiving end?

No, no—wait.

That’s not it.

Her real reasoning was this:

Zhou Xi had been so aggressive in bed.

Clearly, she was a natural sadist.

If Luo You could just “endure” a little to help this girl unlock her full potential, then she’d be paving the way for her daughter’s bright future.

A worthy sacrifice for a loving “father,” if she did say so herself.

“Hm?”

Elsewhere in Huahai City, Zhao Xin paused, frowning as she glanced around.

One of her colleagues nudged her.

“What is it, Zhao Xin? We’re about to meet the Ten Seats. No time to be zoning out.”

“Did you hear that? It sounded like someone next door was clattering an abacus.”

“An abacus? Who uses that kind of thing these days?”

“No one…?”

Zhao Xin tilted her head in confusion.

“Then why did it sound like someone was furiously calculating something…?”