Lin Xiaolu’s question ca out of nowhere, prompting Veronica to ask in return, “Why do you want to know?”
“Because of what you said on the phone that day… telling us not to co.” Lin Xiaolu answered in a low voice.
“You think I was implying that you two are useless?”
Veronica raised an eyebrow slightly and explained, “Not at all. I had no such intention.”
“But… you’ve been acting alone this whole ti, haven’t you?”
Lin Xiaolu fixed her gaze on Veronica. “Even before, there were tis when you would just stare at sothing in your hands for ages or say you needed to investigate sothing. I’ve often wondered—could it be that you’ve been fighting alone in places we don’t even know about?”
She clenched the hem of her clothes, her voice growing louder. “I know you’re strong, but even so, I still worry. I don’t want to just stand on the sidelines, worrying helplessly—I want to help you!”
“That day will co.”
Veronica lowered her eyes. Her voice was cool, yet carried a hint of reassurance. “You’re still rookies—you just need ti to grow. My generation will eventually step off the stage. The future will be yours.”
“The future, huh…”
Lin Xiaolu repeated the word, mulling it over before shaking her head. “But honestly, I still think the present matters more.”
“I told you before—I want to beco a Magical Girl like you, Veronica. I don’t want to get so used to standing behind you that I eventually lose the courage to stand beside you.”
“That’s why I want to grow stronger. I’ll be careful not to get hurt, and when we face Ravagers I can handle, please… let fight alongside you.”
Her plea was sincere, and her emotions so strong that Veronica felt a strange pang of jealousy.
Not as a father.
As a Magical Girl.
She felt jealous that this identity—being Veronica—was what made Lin Xiaolu open her heart so willingly.
“…I understand how you feel. And I’m glad.”
Suppressing the odd emotions in her heart, Veronica decided to take Lin Xiaolu’s question seriously. “Since you’re this determined, I’ll give you a proper answer.”
“First, I can bring you along when I go on missions. But if we encounter a Caterpillar-tier or higher Ravager, you’ll have to observe from a distance—because, right now, those fights are beyond your capability.”
“Second, you want to know exactly how strong you need to be to help . I’ll explain that now.”
“I ntioned before that I hold a Flower Card certification, number 41076. Do you know what ‘Flower Card’ ans? Has Moko ever explained it to you?”
At that mont, Moko, who had been dozing in Xia Liang’s arms, twitched her ears and groggily lifted her head. “Huh? What?”
“The certification cards,” Veronica repeated.
“Oh, right… I haven’t told them yet.” Moko blinked sleepily before tilting her head in confusion. “Wait… is the Inspector planning to have Xiaolu and Xia Liang take the certification test?”
“But… didn’t this year’s exams already end? Isn’t it a little early to talk about this?”
“It is early. I’m only bringing it up now so they have a goal.”
Veronica turned to Lin Xiaolu. “The Magic Kingdom has an official ranking system to asure a Magical Girl’s combat power. This system is called ‘Certification Cards.’ Like this one.”
She removed the deep-blue emblem from her collar and held it up for them to see. “Certification Cards are divided into three levels, ranked from lowest to highest: ‘White Card,’ ‘Character Card,’ and ‘Flower Card.’ The Flower Card is issued directly by the Royal Court, while White and Character Cards require passing an exam.”
“Right now, you and Little Viola are unlicensed Magical Girls. If you want to obtain a White Card, you’ll need to travel to the Magic Kingdom and take the test.”
“However, the test is usually held in March. It’s already June now, so you’ll have to wait until next year. If you keep up your training, you should be able to pass the White Card certification by then.”
“If you earn a White Card, I’ll acknowledge that you can act independently and allow you to participate in more dangerous battles. If you reach the Character Card level, you’ll be able to assist in those fights. And if you attain the Flower Card… then I’ll be able to entrust my life to you.”
“Flower Card…”
Lin Xiaolu murmured the words in a daze.
Beside her, Xia Liang also seed deep in thought—her eyes glimring with interest.
“Let’s set the Flower Card aside for now and focus on the White Card exam,” Veronica continued. “It may be next March, but at your current pace, you’ll need to start preparing now—it’s a tight schedule.”
She counted on her fingers. “If you want to pass next year… hmm, isn’t your sumr vacation coming up?”
The two of them instinctively nodded.
“Then for the entirety of this sumr break, I’ll be putting you through hellish training. The goal is to push both of you to Seed-tier within two months and ensure you master your Magic Constructs.”
She pointed at the two of them and declared, “That’s my plan.”
“Eh? Two months?”
“Isn’t that a bit…”
The two rookies exchanged uneasy glances. After training for a month, they knew they still had a long way to go before reaching Seed-tier.
“That’s why I said it’ll be tight. You can quit anyti,” Veronica replied flatly.
“Ugh… but if it’s to help you, Veronica—”
The hesitation didn’t last long. Lin Xiaolu quickly set her priorities straight, reigniting her determination.
No matter how tough the road ahead was, she had to work hard and catch up to Veronica!
She steeled herself.
—“But speaking of exams and sumr vacation… I have another question for you two.”
Veronica picked up her teacup, taking a slow sip as her bangs concealed her expression.
“White Rose, Little Viola… how were your final exam scores?”
The mont she asked, the previously fired-up Lin Xiaolu and Xia Liang both felt a chill run down their spines.
Their bodies tensed instinctively.
And it was no wonder—Veronica’s voice was colder than usual.
Why?
The answer lay in what had happened two days prior—at the parent-teacher eting.
Through the pouring rain, Lin Yun had arrived at Lin Xiaolu’s classroom… only to receive a report card that made him wonder if there had been a printing error.
Out of 100 points:
Chinese: 77
Math: 53
English: 63
Physics: 42…
The scores weren’t horrific, but they were definitely unpleasant to look at.
And if that were the end of it, it wouldn’t have been that bad.
But once the eting ended, the horoom teacher had specifically asked Lin Yun to stay behind.
Out of politeness, they didn’t ntion how utterly drenched he looked. Instead, they first chastised him for arriving late, saying that such behavior set a bad example for his child.
Then, they earnestly advised him to pay more attention to her education.
Lin Yun had no words. He could only force a smile and apologize, all while feeling Lin Xiaolu’s guilty gaze on him.
On the way ho, he tried to bring up her grades, but her attitude was one of complete indifference—like a dead pig unbothered by boiling water.
And after much thought, he concluded there was only one effective solution.
Back in the present, Veronica stared at the two report cards on her phone.
If Lin Xiaolu’s scores were bad, then Xia Liang’s could only be described as a disaster.
“Failed every subject? A single-digit math score?”
Veronica lifted her head, staring at Xia Liang—who was now sitting perfectly upright like a model student.
She took a deep breath and locked her phone screen.
“…At this point, there’s no helping it.”
Crossing her arms, she sternly declared, “Starting today, in addition to training for your certification exams, there will be one more requirent.”*
—“Every night, you two are going to study properly.”
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