The bus passes through the magical streets of Arcadia without potholes, bumps, or any other protrusions. As we drove through the big city, it was easy for me to lean my head against the window and the seats were quite comfortable, haha. But the only things that interfered with my rest were the constant noise and laughter of my classmates, the slow start of the bus as we weaved through the traffic, and the occasional sharp turn.

Look out the window and see how beautiful the city is. The towering buildings are all futuristic with sleek curves, elegance and majesty, while still being functional. Even the sunlight reflects off the metal and glass buildings, creating soft, shimmering waves instead of the harsh glare reflected off ordinary skyscrapers. Outside of the city center, the Arcadia region has more natural architecture that matches the city's various cultures, but here, the future becomes a reality.

I sighed to myself, I actually lived in a city made of magical technology, a fusion of magic and technology that the extraterrestrial creature Zenith had bestowed upon the electors of humanity.

"Hey, Shrimp." A voice suddenly appeared beside me. "How do you get a seat to yourself?"

My stomach tightened painfully. I opened my eyes and slowly turned to the left, my chest sinking. The American girl next to me had perfectly curly blonde hair that hung down to her shoulders. Her Chinese-style high school uniform was the same as mine, an onyx blazer with silver trim that covered most of her white button-down shirt. The skirt matches the blazer, with thin silver lines forming a plaid pattern. She wore a blue knot around her neck, marking the entire first year of high school.

Born beautiful. Her wide curves coupled with her perfectly smooth face made most of the boys in the class go crazy for her. Even her green eyes shone with vitality. All in all, Katie is the perfect American beauty.

If only she weren't a jerk.

After a moment, her eyebrows raised, adding a dangerous edge to her otherwise soft and perfect face. "What, you're just staring, Cyclops?" She snickered. "I didn't expect you to be mute now."

My hand instinctively reached over the medical-style blindfold above my right eye, and although my mouth was slightly open, I couldn't seem to find any words. Seeing this, a wicked smile appeared on her face, and I quickly put my arm back to my side.

"Oh, don't be shy," she laughs. "It looks better that way. Also, the name Cyclops is much better than Crazy Eyes. ”

My cheeks were slightly hot, but I ignored the sensation and looked down at my hands and laid them flat on my lap. I could feel my heart start beating faster, so I tried to concentrate on regulating my breathing. In and out. Slow and steady. No anxiety, only calm.

"Hey, Mai-chan, I'm asking you a question," she poked my arm hard, her familiar honorific full of sarcasm. "Why are you the only one sitting in so many people?"

I shrugged, not quite convinced that my voice would work. If it weren't for last week, I could at least say something neutral and hope she doesn't bother me. But now, I've become docile and passive, trying not to annoy her.

Again.

"Anyway," Katie finally scoffed, her gaze falling on me. "As long as you don't think you're avoiding me, you're going to break our promise. We're best friends now, aren't we? ”

The thought of nodding my head made my bile rise in my throat, so I just turned my head and looked at her gently, hoping it was enough of an endorsement. Her smile returned, her hands brushing my unkempt black hair back to her head, her fingers caressing the blindfold ring I hung behind my ear. The intrusive touch made me almost shake off her hand, but I forced myself to stay still, my teeth clenching in pain.

She smirked, flicked my ear lightly, and finally let go of her hand.

"As long as you remember."

She stood up and quickly ran back to her seat in the aisles ahead. I quickly readjusted the two loops behind the ears to make sure the patches were securely attached to my body. Then I combed my bangs back in place so that my right eye was covered again. I wanted to scream, my hands shaking slightly uncontrollably. I tried to bring my thoughts back to the city, but this moment was ruined.

A few weeks ago, it was a mistake to brave Katie's constant bullying. I should have realized that she was too self-respecting to simply back down, especially when I berated her in front of her close friends. Katie simply saw it as a direct challenge to her status, and she was quick to take revenge. Now that she has all the chips, I have to come up with another plan. Until then, I can only continue to pretend to be scared and submissive.

Feeling like my heart was still racing, I closed my eyes and forced myself to slow down my breathing.

Make believe. I'm just pretending, I'm lying to myself.

It didn't take long for the bus to stop in the parking lot and our teacher, Mr. Chen Cheng, stood up. He was young, and his black hair was tied back into a ponytail, revealing his handsome features. His glasses and crisp, slightly messy suit give him a scholarly look, but not casual. Combined with his youthful air and enthusiasm, at least half of the girls in the class were infatuated with him in some way.

I love his teaching style and I love that he leaves me alone most of the time...... But I also hate that he seems indifferent to things. These things might make him scoff at my business, but—

"Alright, listen, everybody!" He overshadowed the hustle and bustle and shouted. "Remember, you represented Long High School on this field trip. I hope you all do well! Also, don't forget to meet everyone at the end of each hour! We will walk through the mall floor by floor and go down. Don't be left behind, understand? ”

I stood up, grabbed my half-full backpack from under my seat, put it on, and waited. The bus stopped quickly, and everyone was excited to be able to go on a field trip to one of the city's largest shopping malls.

If I had the money, I would probably do the same.

Mr. Tojo barely looked at me again, motioned for me to get up, and then turned to leave. I followed him and whispered thanks to the driver, an older Korean man with a grandfatherly face. He smiled and nodded in response to my thanks, and I hurried to the dim lights of the parking lot.

"All right," said Mr. Chen Cheng. "We're on the third floor now. Other classes should also be in other parking lots, all the way to the middle of the mall. Now, let's go! Have fun and stay safe! ”

I followed my class to a sliding glass door that opened for thirty-two students, a long hallway, and another door. On the other side, the mall opened. I walked in briskly, made a quick right at the next junction, then turned left, and despite the gorgeous sight before me, I tried not to slow down my hurried pace.

Its interior is made of a combination of white, bronze gray, and agate black materials, all smooth and shiny. It seems to be made of corrugated glass, which reminds me of water. It feels more like walking into a futuristic museum than a shopping mall. Rows of storefronts swirled around me, selling everything from clothes to electronics to books. Sculptures and well-tended plants bring life to this area.

There are also fountains, water that flows constantly. Thin streams of water flow under part of the floor throughout the floor, outlining various paths. On the walls of the storefront, water drip from the ceiling along the glass pipes and into the rivers on the various floors. In some areas, various streams converge and pour into the small open-air ponds.

It's more like a sci-fi garden. I've seen photos of the mall before, but visited it in person...... It's another thing entirely. Keep walking, grab your phone from your suit pocket and take a quick look at the map. At first glance, the various shops make up an almost impossible floor plan mandala.

Still, it's a design labyrinth, and I researched the place in advance.

I walked towards the center with my head down, where there was also a food court.

A sudden shrill laugh broke my focus and tripped me. Looking up from my phone, I saw two ladies in casual jeans and sweaters standing near the storefront.

"Oh my God, you're so cute," one said to the other, nudging him lightly.

"Oh, stop!" The other responded, giggling and grabbed her friend and pulled her away.

After they left, they revealed a tall rectangular mirror surrounded by a small moat of uncovered water. It stands on the wall of a clothing store, and next to the mirror there is a cardboard cutout with a cute girl painted on it. She wears a fairy-style pink and white ruffled dress with the wings of a tulle butterfly stretched behind her back. Skirts, knee-high boots, and snow-colored primitive gloves are adorned with a large number of ribbons, hearts, and lace. The girl's hair is pink, and her eyes are in two arcs, which do not intersect in the middle, outlining the outline of a heart.

That girl is a fairy, ha, the number one magical girl in the world. Her silhouette has an arm outstretched, and a pink flower on the tip of her signature wand points to the mirror.

There are hundreds of posters of magical girls all over the city, but I've never seen them before. Out of curiosity, I approached the mirror and made out the text on the speech bubble sticking out of the clip head.

"Want to know what you'll be like as a magical guardian? Just click on the mirror and you'll find out! ”

Of course, "Guardian of Magic" is the most appropriate term. After all, it's not just girls who are chosen by Zenith. Still, only men tend to be referred to as "guardians," although some girls who pursue more esoteric archetypes in clothing and power sometimes prefer the term as well.

I was even more curious and walked over to the mirror. I guess it must be a smart glass mirror with your reflection and mock clothes on it. As far as I can tell, they are quite advanced works of magical technology, showing a complete three-dimensional reflection, and the city is actually made up of magical technology, so it's not surprising to see one here. When I got closer to the mirror, I saw a flickering circle in the middle of the glass. The text above the circle of pink letters sends chills down my spine.

"Are you willing to sign a contract?"

This sentence gives a sense of ...... Sinister feelings. Maybe it's just the show I've seen lately, and there's always a price to pay for being a magical girl. In fact, I've heard that this contract is just a promise on behalf of its system that they will fight the Cursed wherever they appear. It's not some ruse or monkey paw, just a vow to use their newly granted powers to protect and help others.

So, I reached out and touched the button. I had never really considered the possibility of being a part of it before. After all, everyone knows that it's almost a draw and who ends up being selected. More unreal creatures to fight...... Well, I don't think I'm particularly brave, and I have no illusions about what it would be like to fight these monsters.

I'm curious what kind of clothes it will put on me. I looked up from the button, looked in the mirror, and was stunned, my fingers dangling from it, and my blood was cold.

The girl in the mirror wears the same school uniform with some opaque black tights, but the similarities end there. The clothes were clinging to her, highlighting her lack of big curves at all. She was short and thin, and looked more like a little girl from a high school student. Her hair was jet black and skipped her chin. The girl's right eye was covered by a medical blindfold, mostly covered by long bangs that had been swept over. Her left eye is a bright sky blue with an unnatural, vibrant glow. The vivid color of her eyes contrasts with that of this little girl.

Suddenly his throat tightened.

In fact, the small figure shrunk to less than five feet tall in uniform does look cute. The problem is not my appearance, but ......

I stared at my reflection for a moment. Then I took a deep breath and pulled my fingers away. It's stupid. Fantasies about things don't do me any good. Ha, living so hard, what else do you have to play with dressing up?

I turned to leave, but I suddenly felt strongly that someone was watching me. It was more visceral than any gaze I had ever felt before, enough to sting my skin. I looked back in the mirror for the person who was squinting at me.

In the corner of the mirror, a small hedge behind me was reflected. There's a strange, undulating shadow on it, the size of a small animal. I squinted in the mirror, trying to make out the strange shape, and just as I did, two pure red eyes opened, glistening like drops of blood. I exhaled and turned around.

Nothing. There was nothing on top of the hedge. My heart skipped to my throat and I slowly looked back in the mirror, but the shadow was gone. I was shivering and cold sweat broke out on my back. I looked around, but passers-by didn't seem to know anything. I licked my dry lips, forced myself to go, and took out my phone and looked at the map of the mall again.

Probably nothing. Just stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep. Yes. How many hours did I have last night? Two? I must have been more tired than I thought.

I rubbed my uncovered left eye and forced myself to dispel the ghost. Maybe it's even part of a mirror, like a ruse or something?

I chuckled softly and shook my head, the thought calming me down. Between magic and magical technology, dozens of strange phenomena have emerged around the city. Holograms with artificial intelligence, force fields for all sorts of things, and even magical girls jumping on rooftops on their own or running faster than cars are fairly common. Ha.

There's no need to get excited about something as trivial as a strange reflection.

I went to the food court. It is a ring of shops surrounded by picturesque gardens outside a Victorian mansion. There is a large fountain in the center of the courtyard, and dozens of covered streams run to and from the fountain. In the fountain stands a statue of a fairy, with her palm outstretched and pouring water down.

I walked over to the fountain and looked around. Some of the students had already made their way to the food court, and none of them were the ones I was looking for. To pass the time, I looked down at my phone again and checked the text messages. No new text messages were found, and I bit my lip gently.

Is something going on? Maybe one of her friends dragged her somewhere? No, she won't abandon me...... Is it?

"Mai Mai!" Suddenly a cheerful voice came from behind him. Fingers pinched the sides of my abdomen, and as I spun, I let out a scream of surprise.

Lily was there, with a triumphant smile on her face. The same uniform, but her blazer was tied around her waist. As one of the best members of the track team, she has lean, well-defined muscles that enhance her casual aesthetic. She is slim, curvy, and full of confidence. Her sunflower-like blonde hair was tied in a long ponytail, but I looked into her mischievous sky-blue eyes.

"Well, screams, that's it?" She thoughtfully raised one hand to support her chin. "Maybe I can pinch somewhere else to get the right reaction, though......"

She smiled, then put her arm around my shoulders and pulled me along.

"Just kidding, kidding...... Mostly. Anyway, I'm starving. Let's go get something to eat. Burgers? ”

I muttered under my breath, a sudden rush of hunger in my stomach.

I broke free of her restraints and began to take off my backpack and take out my wallet.

"It's just a big fry for me," I said with a shrug trying to do nothing. "I'm not that hungry."

"Ouch, don't do that!" Lily exclaimed. "If you don't eat burgers, you're going to make me feel like a snake! Come on, Mai, let me pamper you once in a while, ha. ”

I shook my head with a wry smile, pulled out two pieces, and handed them out sadly.

Lily sighed, took my money, and rolled her eyes at me.

"Okay, okay, let's get a table, I'll go buy a burger."

Then she blended into the crowd and came to a fast-food restaurant. A quick look around found a smaller table with two stools on it, which I quickly claimed and placed the backpack next to me. As I sat down and waited, I ran my fingers over the moss and vine patterns on the table, marveling at their details as my mind wandered.

Lily is from my grade and she's the nicest person I know. Of all the people in our grade, she was the only one who was completely friendly to me. No matter what sport she plays, she is a star and very popular. Even Katie mostly ignores her, except for the occasional snarky comment. Even so, it doesn't seem to affect Lily's bubbly personality.

I don't quite know why Lily was hanging out with me or how it all started. Aside from a brief encounter after school, she continued to come to lunch with me two or three days a week.

But that's enough for me.

Her joy is contagious, and every time she comes to me out of here, I look forward to it. It's like stepping out of a stuffy room and into the sun and fresh air.

Two packed takeout bags were placed on the table. I raised my eyebrows, and she scoffed.

"What? I have to keep my carb intake. Or is it protein? Anyway, I'm a growing girl. ”

She handed me large fries, which I carefully held.

At the same time, Lily takes a burger out of the bag and opens the package. There are two meatloaf on top, and greasy strips of bacon stick out from under the bread, and melted cheese is sprinkled on top of it, glowing golden. I drooled as she started tearing the burger and I forced myself to look down at my fries.

"Hey, what's wrong with your arm?" Lily asked with a sudden frown.

I blinked, looked at my left forearm, and there was some gauze. I quickly pulled down my sleeves.

"Ah, cooking burned myself.". Some oil sprayed on me. ”

"Ah, nasty," Lily shook her head. "I hope the burns aren't too severe, right?"

"No," I continued with a quick sigh of relief. "Just a little speck."

There was silence as I picked up the food, and Lily shredded her own food.

"So, are you no longer playing Magical Girl's Sunset Rebellion?" She finally asked through gritted teeth. "I'm still haunted by the third dungeon boss, that weird centaur spider mantis."

"Hmm," I began, my eyes turning to the side. "yes...... I'm in the fifth dungeon right now. ”

"So bad!?" She stammered, the food almost squirting onto the table. "I just introduced you to this game two weeks ago!"

"I don't really have any electronics other than my phone," I shrugged, ignoring my growing embarrassment. "Combined with the city's free Wi-Fi, it makes it easy for you to play anytime, anywhere.

You just need to play as a magical girl with high agility and dodge its attacks in time. Its strength and armor-piercing ability are too strong to directly tank, but even a twenty-two star with agility to grow to the S rank can surpass it. ”

She finished the burger in record time, and I briefly wondered if she chewed, ha.

"Man," she cried, stretching. "I wasn't supposed to introduce you to the world of games in the first place. I've turned my cute, innocent wheat into creepy, closed nerd! ”

I forced a smile and tried to put it on my face.

"If you talk like that again," I sneered at her arrogantly, "I won't need a five-star princess blade to play games with you again." ”

Her eyes widened comically, her hands folded, and she bowed her head deeply, as if in prayer.

"Miss, please! Tell me what you want!

I laughed out loud, ha, and the laughter grew stronger as Lily continued to feed me more and more outrageous things, from a lifetime supply of spam to armored kangaroo-pulled carriages. Eventually, it culminates with "the key to a shining new throne". strong

She smirked, her eyebrows swaying as she pleased. "My Queen."

This eventually got me laughing out loud, and Lily joined in. I could feel my clenched muscles loosen as I let myself sink into the growing warmth in my chest. It is a gentle bliss. I feel ...... Satisfy.

When our laughter finally subsided, Lily had a big smile on her face and tilted her head to stare at me. I consciously raised my hand and began to curl up the hair behind my right ear.

"What?" I asked.

Lily...... "I started protesting.

"Ah, drink!" She patted her head gently. "I forgot to get a drink. Please wait, I'll be back shortly. I'll bring you something too, don't worry. ”

After only a few steps, she stopped and turned her head to face me with a lewd smile on her face.

"You know, if you're the Queen of Australia, I think you need a princess. So, I offer this humble body to you, my—"

"Go!" I shouted, my cheeks burning. She laughed wickedly, turned and walked away.

I watched her leave, then looked at the food she left for me and sighed. She always wanted to buy me things, especially food, which made me feel like a leech. I don't have the money to pay her back, and there's nothing I can really make up for. I really just wanted to be her friend and not a burden that she had to take care of all the time......

I'm a friend......

The gurgling sound in my stomach made me frown. I gave in, reached for the bag, and opened it. I blinked at the sight of three burgers or something, and I started drooling. I picked up the first one, opened it, and took a bite without looking too closely.

If you bought it for yourself, then why are there pickles and onions? You'll only eat if I shove vegetables down your throat.

I sighed again and decided that it was better to immerse myself in the urge of greed. A double quarter pound, a crispy chicken burger with hot sauce, and some kind of fish sandwich, I finally wiped my hands clean on a napkin and sighed contentedly. My stomach feels a little bloated,

She developed a habit of imposing large amounts of food on me, but it disappeared after a few minutes and never stayed while I was eating. What was that for?

When she came back, I took out my phone and looked at the time, it was almost twenty minutes.

So I might ask Lily to drag me around while she shopped. There is a dollar store on the next floor. I'm going to go there and pack some things.

"Never!" Lily's voice interrupted my thoughts and startled me.

"The three of them?" She asked, sitting down. "Where did you put them all? You're still young! ”

"The law of reality, ha," I argued,

"The size of a girl's belly is directly proportional to how cute they are."

"It's true, but it doesn't explain everything!" Lily wailed, sliding a can of soda in front of me. "The only reason I'm not fat is exercise. What secrets are you hiding to stay so thin? ”

That's so heartbreaking, Mai! Everything is going well, but we can't do that, can we do it now?

"It must be your huge brain." Lily struggled to come to her senses and waved her hand absentmindedly. "All those calories go straight into your multidimensional strategy. Seriously, you will know how to defeat it by taking a look at the boss's fight. It must have sucked all your energy away. ”

"yes." I weakly agreed. "Well, when I have cheap people like you on my team, it does take quite a bit of effort."

"Hey, that's ...... Well, it's basically true, but—" Her smile returned when she began to protest.

"Alright, let's see who it is!" A cold voice said suddenly. "Two of my favorite classmates!"

Frozen. Slowly, I forced myself to turn around, fear already creeping through my veins.

Katie stood there with a funny smile on her face. Behind her, I saw Aiko, one of her many followers, texting on her phone. Our eyes met for a moment, but she quickly looked away. Aiko was one of my classmates, and she would approve of whatever Katie did, but most of the time she tried to stay on the periphery. It's a passive engagement.

In my opinion, she could be just as bad as Katie herself.

"Yo, Katie," Lily said impatiently. "You need something?"

"Why, can't I stop by to meet a few friends?" Katie smiled and walked over to me and stood up. Her presence gave me goosebumps, but I forced myself not to react and looked down at my legs.

Every nerve in my body was screaming at me.

- I know exactly what it is.

Fear suddenly paralyzed me, and I couldn't seem to breathe.

"See a friend, huh?" Lily retorted, looking around exaggeratedly. "I didn't expect you to have such a person here."

Katie smiled haughtily, which made Lily frown. Then, Katie slowly placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it hard.

"Oh? Don't you know that Mai-chan and I are almost inseparable? Why, she is one of my closest friends. ”

The relaxed smile on Lily's face vanished, and I felt my heart sink as she squinted.

"Really, Xiao Wu?" Katie asked me softly. "Go ahead, tell her. I don't want any ...... Misunderstand. ”

When I looked up in horror, fear slipped into my stomach. Lily looked at me with a cold gaze I had never seen in her. For a moment, I couldn't do anything, and my heart was beating wildly in my head. Slowly, I forced myself to grit my teeth.

"Yes," I choked up. "Katie is...... A good friend. ”

Lily took a step back in shock, and I looked away. I didn't want to see the hurt look on her face. At the same time, Katie was triumphant. I wanted to find a hole to climb into, because I could almost hear the dying throes of my only friendship.

But what choice do I have? Maybe then I will at least have a chance to fix it one day.

"Anyway," Katie said, her silky voice sounding like a snake. "I just wanted to remind Mai that she promised to go shopping on the next floor with me. That's it. ”

My heart sank further. When I

Seeing Katie's familiar touch, something burned in Lily's eyes. She didn't move, but I could almost feel the heat washing over me. After a moment, Katie sighed and let go of her hand. Despite the powerless anger that erupted inside me, I tried not to let myself breathe.

"We'll see you later," Katie sang, turning away from our table and waving absentmindedly.

Aiko followed, paused for a moment, and looked at me with pity. I wanted to tell her that she could put selfish pity, this coward, where to put it, slap her, and tell her that she was part of the problem. Before I could do anything, she turned around and hurried after her master, leaving Lily and me behind.

In the silence that followed, I glanced up at Lily, only to see that she had turned her gaze to the side, wearing a stone mask on her face.

My heart fell to the ground and shattered.

Maybe I'd better stay away from her.

"Lily—" I said, her voice calm.

"Mai—" Lily said at the same time, and we both stopped. Then Lily took a breath -

System warnings

A curse has been detected. The usurpation of reality is imminent.