A few days later, at the Counterasure Bureau’s special containnt facility in Fangting City.
At the entrance of the building, Veronica stood with her arms crossed, waiting in silence alongside Hong Siyu.
Today was the agreed-upon date with the Kingdom. Investigators from the Investigation Bureau were scheduled to arrive to look into the recent attack on Fangting City and take the rogue Magical Girl involved—Sparrow—back to the Kingdom.
The afternoon sun was still scorching, so the two had deliberately sought out a shaded area. But even so, the heat was relentless.
Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long.
Amidst the blinding sunlight, several golden flashes flickered in the sky, and three figures slowly descended, landing smoothly in front of them.
They were three Magical Girls.
Unlike the standard urban defense squads, they wore identical golden robes over their usual outfits and topped their heads with stiff golden hats. Under the afternoon sun, they glead uniformly, exuding an air of disciplined authority.
The leader of the trio had a striking figure, the kind that would leave an impression on the opposite sex. She sported short, ear-length, light red hair and carried herself with a stern, no-nonsense deanor.
Upon spotting Veronica at the entrance, she took a mont to confirm her identity before stepping forward and offering a distinct gesture of greeting. Then, in a steady, powerful voice, she spoke:
"Badge ID 35032, Squad Captain of the Investigation Bureau’s Special Task Force, Magical Girl—Cat Tail."
Her voice carried a commanding presence.
"Flower Card ID 41076, Inspector, Veronica."
Veronica uncrossed her arms and returned the greeting.
"Veronica?"
Hearing the alias, Cat Tail seed puzzled.
"Allow to confirm—if I recall correctly, your codena should be Veronica, correct?"
"I changed it."
Veronica answered concisely, maintaining the composed deanor befitting her role as an Inspector.
"Very well, Lady Veronica."
Displaying comndable professionalism, Cat Tail swiftly dismissed the trivial detail and moved straight to the main topic.
"We are an Investigation Bureau Special Task Force dispatched for this mission. Our purpose is to take custody of the Magical Girl you captured in this city—the one connected to 'Claw Mark.' Please confirm that the individual in question is the forr Badge ID 14267, Magical Girl Jinling, who now refers to herself as 'Sparrow.'"
"That’s correct."
"Understood. Then, please direct us to her holding cell."
Cat Tail bowed once more.
The two Magical Girls behind her also followed suit, either because they deferred to her leadership or out of respect for Veronica’s Inspector status. They remained silent and simply bowed as well.
Veronica didn’t imdiately respond. Instead, she tilted her chin slightly toward Hong Siyu. Catching the cue, Hong Siyu stepped in, greeting the investigation team before leading them inside the containnt facility.
The special containnt facility in Fangting City was, in essence, a prison designed for magic-related criminals—primarily for imprisoning local magic users who had violated the law.
Holding a Magical Girl here was actually unprecedented.
Setting aside whether such a facility was even capable of detaining a Magical Girl, the Counterasure Bureau technically had no authority to imprison or interrogate one.
It was only because Sparrow was a rogue Magical Girl from the Kingdom—and because the Investigation Bureau had approved it—that Fangting City had dared to keep her confined here.
Even so, they had placed her in a single-person cell under heavy surveillance, fearful that sothing might go wrong.
The group followed Hong Siyu up to the top floor of the building, passing by rows of tightly sealed tal doors. Not just the investigators—even Veronica was observing her surroundings with keen interest.
This was her first ti visiting this facility since her return to active duty, and upon closer inspection, she noticed many differences from the past.
Perhaps it was due to technological advancents or increased funding, but either way, the facility's infrastructure and overall design had beco significantly more advanced compared to nineteen years ago.
"That Magical Girl called Sparrow has been in pretty high spirits these past few days," Hong Siyu remarked casually as she led the way.
"Honestly, if it weren’t for that anti-magic spell hanging around her neck, I wouldn’t dare get too close to her."
"She’s just a grasshopper after autumn—might as well struggle a bit before the inevitable."
Cat Tail responded flatly. "Once she’s taken back to the Kingdom, she won’t have the chance to make a fuss anymore."
"Are there other rogue Magical Girls like her in other cities?" Hong Siyu asked.
"Yes. Our squad specializes in investigating Claw Mark."
Cat Tail’s precise response piqued Veronica’s curiosity.
"This Claw Mark group of rogue Magical Girls—where did they co from?" she asked.
"To be honest, we don’t actually know."
Since it was the Inspector asking, Cat Tail turned to face Veronica directly and answered seriously.
"Strictly speaking, it all started after the Great Disaster and Great Celebration nineteen years ago. Ever since then, the number of defecting Magical Girls began to rise. In just a few short years, they had already ford a substantial force opposing the Kingdom, constantly evading our capture."
"Nineteen years ago… you an—"
Veronica frowned.
"Yes. Not just the Great Disaster and Great Celebration—it was also after you went inactive, Lady Veronica."
Cat Tail didn’t mince words.
"So it’s understandable that you wouldn’t know about them."
As they spoke, the group reached the end of the corridor, stopping in front of a specially reinforced cell.
Hong Siyu unlocked the door, and Veronica peered inside.
Behind a transparent barrier sat a young woman on a bed, her expression calm.
But when the door opened and she saw the faces of the Magical Girls outside, her calm deanor began to shift.
At the sight of Veronica, her expression tensed slightly.
And when she spotted the investigation team in their golden robes stepping inside, her face turned to panic.
"Good afternoon, Sparrow! Brought so more people to see you today!"
Unbothered by her reaction, Hong Siyu greeted her in a familiar, almost teasing manner. She gestured toward the investigation team and smirked.
"So? About to head back to the Kingdom—feeling the warmth of ho yet?"
Since when did these two get so chummy?
Veronica found this interaction odd and glanced at Hong Siyu, though she chose not to question it aloud.
Noticing her look, Hong Siyu grinned.
"This one got bored while locked up, so she ended up chatting with a few tis."
Of course, none of that mattered now.
Sparrow was no longer in the mood for idle chatter.
The investigation team stepped forward, and despite trying to retreat, she had nowhere to go. In monts, two of them had restrained her with enchanted shackles and pulled her from the cell, her face clouded with dread.
"What will happen to her after she’s taken back?" Veronica asked, watching the scene unfold.
"Most likely, she will be interrogated. After gathering evidence, she will be sentenced according to her cris."
Cat Tail, her voice steady, watched as Sparrow was led away.
"If she didn’t commit any serious offenses while on the run, she’ll simply be stripped of her magic and revert to an ordinary person. If she has engaged in mass killings or participated in actions against the Kingdom, she’ll be imprisoned. And if she has murdered fellow Magical Girls, she’ll receive the death penalty."
"Of course, if she provides valuable intel on Claw Mark, the Kingdom may reduce her sentence accordingly."
"Even if she’s killed other Magical Girls?" Veronica pressed.
"…Even if she’s killed other Magical Girls," Cat Tail affird.
"This Claw Mark group… are they really that much of a threat to the Kingdom?"
"To put it plainly—yes, they are."
Cat Tail shook her head, then reached into her robe and pulled out an object, holding it out to Veronica.
"But that’s not for to explain. Soone else wants to speak with you."
"Who?"
Veronica glanced at her hand—and when she saw what it was, her question faded.
It was a mirror.
More specifically, a communication magic mirror.
At the top of the mirror was a gemstone, small but striking.
Golden with a tinge of deep green—one that faded under the light, leaving a pure golden hue.
There was no mistaking it.
It was a chrysoberyl cat’s eye.
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