Veronica’s fingers tightened slightly, but her face remained devoid of extra expression. “What is Black Cinder Dawn?”
“That’s the second thing I wanted to tell you,” the blonde girl in the mirror replied calmly. “The two factions that attacked Fangting City this ti—one was ‘Claw Mark,’ a group of rogue Magical Girls. The other was this organization called Black Cinder Dawn.”
“Who are they?”
“A group of people who believe they can overthrow the Magic Kingdom.”
There was no emotion in the voice of Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye, but Veronica could detect a hint of contempt. “They’re made up of discontented magic users from the Material World and radical enemies from the Interworld.”
Veronica fell into a brief silence.
Two years had not been enough to extinguish the flas of hatred in her heart. Hearing her enemies’ na, along with the news of Tumi’s death, only fueled those flas further.
She had never been particularly close to Tumi. She had retired too early to have fought alongside her, so she didn’t even know what kind of Magical Girl Tumi was—what battles she excelled in, what her combat style was like.
Their connection existed only because of Anya. They had the titles of senior and junior, but in reality, Tumi had rely been Anya’s teammate.
And yet, Tumi had walked this dangerous path to uncover the truth behind Anya’s death. Now, she had truly given her life for it. That thought left Veronica feeling unsettled.
She suddenly recalled the Ravager she had slain a few days ago—the one that had supposedly originated from Black Cinder Dawn, once human before its transformation.
Tearing that thing in half had been too rciful.
Veronica thought to herself in silence.
But now was not the ti to let emotions take over. This was still a formal discussion, and she had to suppress her feelings. She maintained her composure and continued asking, “...What about the others from Fangting City?”
She had long since grown accustod to restraint and silence. She wouldn’t show her anger toward her enemies—not in front of anyone. This was not the ti for an outburst.
“For now, everyone else is still in their positions.”
Seemingly unaware of Veronica’s emotional shift, Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye flipped through her notebook before closing it. “As for Tumi’s sacrifice, our colleagues at the Investigation Bureau mourn her loss. But when it cos to matters like survivor benefits... well, that falls under the jurisdiction of the Court of Magic. And unfortunately, as you know, the best word to describe their efficiency is ‘regrettable.’”
Veronica nodded expressionlessly.
The Court of Magic was the only major institution not assigned a Jewel Scepter, operating nominally under the Queen’s direct authority. In reality, it was the most disorganized and lackadaisical of the five courts. Most of its mbers were either native to the Kingdom or veteran Magical Girls who had long since left the front lines. Their work ethic was notoriously lazy, and they were quietly looked down upon by the other courts.
And setting aside the Court of Magic, there was another question mark—whether Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye truly felt any sorrow for Tumi’s “sacrifice.”
After all, anyone who knew her understood one thing: no one could ever tell what she was really thinking.
As a Jewel Scepter who had held her position for over a century, she had complete control over her past. And ever since she had taken up her role, she had never explicitly expressed her stance on anything.
That was one of the reasons Veronica disliked dealing with her.
“Speaking of your juniors, there’s also your colleague, Miss Margaret. She was recently promoted to Flower Card, and there’s strong support within the court for her to beco the next Inspector.”
When Veronica remained silent, the blonde girl in the mirror continued, “She was out on a solo investigation when she sohow learned about what happened in Fangting City. So, she submitted a request to transfer there—”
“No.” Veronica’s face darkened, and she shook her head firmly.
“Good. Then it seems my decision was correct.”
Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye narrowed her eyes slightly and paused. “It looks like you really don’t want to see her.”
“If possible, at this stage, I’d rather not see any ‘old friends,’ Director.” Forced to respond, Veronica sighed. “Margaret included.”
“Then I’ll respect your wishes.”
Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye nodded noncommittally, as if making a ntal note. Then, she set her notebook aside. “Since I see you’ve returned as a Magical Girl, does that an you’ve made up your mind about what cos next?”
“...I have. I’m ready.”
Veronica’s voice was quiet but firm. “But I need to stay in this city for a while. The Magical Girl line in Fangting City was severed. Until the day truly arrives, I have to focus on training the newcors.”
“I believe Miss Margaret could be a great help in that regard.” Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye’s tone carried a subtle suggestion.
“I’d rather not. If she finds out I’ve co out of retirent, I’ll have no end of trouble.” Veronica shook her head resolutely.
“You should know—the Investigation Bureau has the best intelligence network. If she really wants to investigate, she’ll learn about Fangting City sooner or later.”
Veronica remained silent. She knew it was the truth.
“Well, let’s confirm things one last ti.” Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye leaned back slightly. “You still intend to stay in Fangting City. You have no plans to return to the Kingdom, and you don’t want more people to know you’ve co back—correct?”
Seeing that Veronica had nothing more to say, Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye moved on.
“Then that concludes everything. This discussion has served its purpose.”
She narrowed her eyes, and a faint smile touched her lips. “You may end the call now, Miss Veronica.”
“Salutations to you, Director.”
Veronica gave a small nod, then reached out and placed her hand on the gemstone at the top of the magic mirror. As a surge of magic flowed through it, the image on the mirror’s surface gradually blurred.
——“But before we end, there’s one last thing I need to remind you of.”
Just before the connection fully cut off, the blonde girl added, “Your current Seeder in Fangting City—that fairy nad Moko—seems to be hiding a little secret.”
“It’s nothing bad, but if you’re interested, you might want to ask it yourself.”
With that final remark, the image in the magic mirror vanished completely, returning to an ordinary reflection.
Veronica stood in silence, gazing at the mirror, lost in thought.
Her conversation with Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye had co to an end.
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