: Just a Glance

On Sunday morning, when Mu Ming opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a ticking countdown.

【2030:42:16】

【2030:42:15】

It's been almost half a month since I became a magical girl.

The countdown was decreasing at a visible rate, but the increase in power was also much more significant.

[Magic value: 471]

This improvement applies not only to quantity but also to quality.

Logically speaking, this progress is not slow, and the process of becoming stronger is proceeding in an orderly manner.

It should be a time to relax.

But... we still seem to be a long way from our goal.

To reach the third tier, you need at least 1000 points of magic power.

The system recommends reaching at least level four, with higher levels being better.

But now it seems that even reaching the fourth tier is a stretch.

The third and fourth orders are not consecutive; there is a "flowering period" between them. Once the flowering period is over, the seed of the heart will become the "flower of the heart".

At this point, the unique abilities of magical girls are basically formed.

However, not every magical girl can experience this blossoming period.

As long as there is enough time and no unexpected events occur, even the purest salted fish can reach the third level through persistent effort.

The number of magical girls who can reach the fourth rank will decrease significantly.

"Everything is proceeding in an orderly manner, there's no use in being anxious," Mu Ming comforted himself.

Today is the day I'm doing a psychological assessment with Jin Yu. Thinking of Jin Yu has calmed my anxious heart a little.

Although she gives the impression of an office-based magical girl.

But she was ultimately a fifth-level official, the person in charge of this city.

Mu Ming had glimpsed a corner of her strength and knew that her power was beyond doubt.

So, even if the sky falls, there are tall people like this to hold it up.

dong dong dong-

"Muming, could you open the door?"

Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao will arrive.

But... it's really early.

It's only a little past seven o'clock now.

I really don't know whether to call her diligent or just fond of slacking off.

Mu Ming got up, not caring that he hadn't tidied himself up yet, and went to the door to open it.

The guardian has arrived; we can't just leave them standing outside.

As always, Jin Yu wore a formal long dress that resembled a gown, with dignified bearing, bright eyes, and a fair and rosy neck and shoulders that were exposed.

She possesses a perfect blend of youthful sunshine and mature femininity.

Seeing Mu Ming's disheveled appearance, she gently covered her mouth, a blush of embarrassment appearing on her face.

"Excuse me..."

She realized she had done something stupid—she had arrived too early.

After exhausting her magic power early in the morning and arranging things at the General Affairs Bureau, she headed straight for the Muming family's house.

She was used to waking up early, but overlooked the fact that young people nowadays generally have the habit of staying up late.

"Please come in."

Mu Ming said something indifferently, poured her a glass of leftover boiled water, and then slipped on his slippers and went into the bathroom to wash up.

After leaving Jin Yu alone, she actually relaxed a lot and took one last look at the clean and tidy living room.

"This kind of lifestyle is great," she thought to herself, nodding in approval.

"Unfortunately... the corrupting magic is even more concentrated than before."

Although the change was very subtle, so subtle that a normal person would not notice it at all, it was still very obvious to her.

It seems to be a combination of multiple D-rank monsters, with some C-rank ones also vaguely present.

That's really bad luck.

If it weren't for the fact that Mu Ming's body was completely devoid of magic, with only a very faint aura of filth, Jin Yu would almost suspect that Mu Ming had connections with illegal organizations.

At this moment, Jin Yu was actually somewhat relieved that Mu Ming was in a "magical girl mental state," since magical girls would find it difficult to tolerate the behavior of those illegal organizations and would never get involved with them.

Of course, not being involved doesn't mean you won't be taken advantage of.

Splash splash—

The bathroom was filled with the sound of running water, and Jin Yu soon couldn't sit still any longer.

Having been frightened by Mu Ming last time, Jin Yu is now determined to help him properly, so she decided to explore his room.

After all, a person's inner world can be reflected to some extent in their room.

Mu Ming's home is not big; besides the living room, bathroom, and balcony, there is only one bedroom.

The places used for public viewing were very clean, like hotel rooms.

The only difference is definitely the bedroom.

While there was still time, Jin Yu silently got up, walked around the bathroom, and came to the half-closed bedroom door.

Just as his hand was about to touch the door, he stopped.

"Wouldn't that be too impolite...? Wouldn't that anger him...?"

Although her parents described her as someone who was easy to manage, she had gone through puberty herself and understood the mindset of teenagers.

The bedroom is a no-go zone for parents, as there might be diaries or similar items inside—and if parents who don't understand these boundaries happen to find them, it can easily ignite a family war.

Jin Yu was conflicted. From the perspective of a guardian, she certainly had the right to enter Mu Ming's bedroom; however, being asked to be Mu Ming's de facto guardian was something she found hard to accept.

She wasn't ready to be the "mother" of a boy who wasn't much younger than her.

"Just a quick glance."

She chose a compromise: she moved closer to the crack, and her nearly depleted magic gathered in her sun pupils, revealing the state of the dimly lit room.

The ceiling had a layer of plaster on it, making it look a bit worn; the blanket was still warm, and the curtains weren't drawn, so it was clear that the person had just woken up; there was a small notebook on the computer desk, covered with drawings and writings.

Could it be a chuunibyou diary? It records his charm after becoming a magical girl.

"Plop—"

The feeling of being spied on excited her. She couldn't help but pound her forehead. If it really was that kind of diary, she should feel scared and guilty, not excited!

But I still want to watch it.

Just a quick glance—though it's long past the point of just glancing.

"Magic power...cultivation...the usual method..."

This is the central content of the paper; it's very blurry, and you can only make out the general idea at a glance.

Seeing the content related to magical girls made Jin Yu's heart tighten, and at the same time, the sound of water in her ears stopped.

She gasped and quickly and quietly returned to the sofa. She picked up her glass and took a sip of water.

It's so cool...

There was a clear colored lip print on the cup—she had a charity event to attend this afternoon, so she was wearing makeup.

Jin Yu quickly wiped the red stain off the cup; Mu Ming must really value cleanliness...

Although the thought of such a scene is heartbreaking, I feel like my heart would break if Mu Ming saw the lipstick mark on the cup and threw it away instead of washing it before using it again.

In no time, Mu Ming was dressed, and his appearance even caught Jin Yu's eye.

Kids from our own orphanage are always good-looking; I imagine they'd be popular with girls at school.

Aside from his mental state, which was somewhat disappointing.

The thought of Mu Ming's manuscript, which seemed to be the culmination of his painstaking efforts, made Jin Yu feel even more pity.

Magical girls don't become stronger through so-called magical energy regeneration, but rather through the fluctuations and outbursts of their emotions, which instantly make them stronger.

"Poor little fool..."

He's not a magical girl; he can only imagine how magical girls become stronger based on the bits and pieces of knowledge he's heard.

Even though the way magical girls become stronger is a well-known fact.

There is absolutely no other way.

The power to transform and become stronger is entirely a matter of "writing whatever comes to mind".

Hopefully, this psychological test will help him.

Jin Yu was preparing to take him to the Bureau of Statistics, where the test could make people temporarily forget their identity while making them react instinctively.

This will definitely be helpful in understanding Mu Ming's psychology.