"Hello, Yuri!" The student council president greeted me warmly. Inside the student council room, six more members were lounging, sipping tea. When they noticed me, they plastered banal smiles across their faces.

  "Greetings," I replied, matching their overly familiar tone with a polite smile.

  "Ah, I haven't introduced myself. It's been some time since you left for New Mesa. I'm Francesca, the student council president since last year. Nice to meet you!" she said, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.

  "Pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Francesca."

  "How's Shirayuki doing?" she asked, beaming as she glanced at her side to thank the secretary who served her coffee. "Thank you! Would you like something to drink, Yuri?"

  "No, thank you," I declined, suppressing the growing unease in my chest. There was something off about this. Their expressions were too calculated, their smiles too forced. They wanted something from me.

  "Don't be so shy! We're all citizens of Eden. It's only natural to help each other out."

  "Really? What kind of help do you need?" I asked, forcing my own smile to remain pleasant.

  "Well, we were wondering if we could ask for Shirayuki's cooperation?"

  "Hm?" I tilted my head, feigning innocence. From their demeanor, I assumed they were asking for an advertisement or sponsorship. Were they hoping for Shirayuki to lend them some sort of televised platform?

  "Ah, it's regarding the recent… misunderstanding with our companies, Enra and Newstar..."

  Shock jolted through me. I never expected them to be this brazen, approaching me so openly. Did they know I was Black Lily?

  "So, what kind of help did you need to ask for Shirayuki company?" I asked, masking my rising frustration with a polite tone. My heart felt heavy. Once, I could've simply thrown this problem onto my father or Kageyama—they were the decision-makers, not me. But now, as a magical girl, my words carried weight. My father and Kageyama would listen to me if I made a decision. The question was—did I even want to help them?

  "Well, you see," Francesca began, her tone shifting to one of practiced sorrow, "we made some mistakes. NewLake and NewHill were destroyed because reinforcements were delayed. But the public is furious! They're accusing us of being heartless and uncaring, but that's simply not true." Francesca whined, her expression melodramatic, as if she were the victim in all this.

  "Francesca is right. NewHill and NewLake were simply blunders. Instead of punishing us, we should focus on making things right. For instance, proper evacuation systems should be installed in future cities. Exiling us and appropriating our assets is not the solution," a man interjected, supporting Francesca. "Ah, I'm sorry. My name is Zhou Ren."

  "So, you're from NewStar and Enra?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

  "Yes, I am from Enra," he admitted.

  I was taken aback to realize that all these people were connected to those companies. But on reflection, it made sense. Enra and NewStar were the two largest corporations in Eden. Given that this was one of the most prestigious schools in the city, it wasn't surprising that their families would send their children here.

  "Well, I don't think I can help you there. That's a matter for the adults to decide," I said with a forced smile, trying to end the conversation. But they clearly had other plans.

  "We're not talking about negotiating with the adults," Francesca replied, her tone sharpening. "They're blinded by greed. I'm sure Shirayuki's leadership is celebrating day and night over our misfortune. That's why we want to reach out to their magical girls for help. You know Black Lily, don't you? Do you happen to know her true identity? We'll also be contacting Shining Arrow later. If we can get the support of two magical girls, Shirayuki won't be able to ignore us. They'll be forced to change their approach, and we can make real changes."

  Anger flared within me, but I forced myself to remain calm. "Hm... I'm not sure about that. Wouldn't it be better if Enra and NewStar were appropriated by the UNH or Guardian Command? That way, future mishaps could be prevented."

  "How can you say that?" another man snapped, his face flushed with anger. "Our parents built these companies over the years! How can they dismiss us just because we made one mistake?"

  I met his glare with a cold stare. "It's not like Enra and NewStar will vanish. They'll simply change names. Their employees will remain, except for the CEOs and stakeholders. If your parents work for Enra or NewStar, their positions should be secure. That's what's been reported in the news, correct? The trial is for the stakeholders and CEOs, not the employees."

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  "Those stakeholders and CEOs are our parents!" the man shouted, slamming the table in frustration. He quickly realized his mistake, took a deep breath, and apologized. "My apologies."

  "Bertran, you need to control your emotions better," Francesca admonished him gently. "Yuri isn't part of Shirayuki's main family. She was in New Mesa. Her father made the same mistakes we did. She and her father must have been discriminated against by the main family until recently."

  Her words were calculated. Everything about this interaction was staged. Nothing was genuine. I could see the web they were weaving to trap me.

  The worst part? They weren't entirely wrong. If not for Felicia recruiting me as a Magical Girl, no one in Shirayuki would have given me a second glance. Kageyama wouldn't have listened to me. When I thought about it, if I hadn't become a Magical Girl, I might have survived New Mesa alongside my father, escaping with the first boat just like those CEOs. Why did this realization fill me with such anger? Was it wrong of me to hate them?

  "So, Yuri," Francesca continued, her tone softening. "I plead with you to speak to Black Lily and Shining Arrow. If you can convince them, I'm sure we can sway public opinion. What happened in NewHill and NewLake wasn't a crime—it was just an unfortunate accident. Ah, my cousin-in-law, Jonathan, mentioned trying to contact you. Did you get his call?"

  "Well… I must decline," I said firmly. "Kageyama and my father have advised me not to contact you until the court reaches a verdict." I stood, signaling the end of the conversation.

  "Yuri… you're 17 now," Francesca said, her voice tinged with condescension. "You shouldn't rely on your father or family for every decision."

  I smiled faintly. Those words might have stung two or three months ago, back when I was still just Yuri. But now, I was a Magical Girl. I made my own decisions. Kageyama and my father were merely convenient excuses.

  Inwardly, I called Felicia, asking for an update on the court proceedings.

  "Hm… I couldn't find anything new in the public record beyond what you already know," Felicia said. "Right now, it's uncertain whether they'll be exiled. The CEOs definitely don't want to be exiled. Guardian Command wants their assets and employees. Meanwhile, the union workers are out for blood."

  "We're only 17, Francesca," I said, my tone steady. "Let the adults handle things their own way. You're very responsible, but what happened in NewHill and NewLake wasn't even your business. Even if your parents are convicted, I doubt they'll exile you too."

  "So, you won't help us?" Francesca asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

  "I w—"

  [New Quest Issued]

  A glowing blue box materialized before my eyes, interrupting me mid-sentence.

  [Classified Quest! Enra and Newstar Investigation]

  Description: Investigate the inner workings of Enra and Newstar companies. The Zenith is curious about their operations. Determine whether they disobeyed the evacuation command intentionally or if it was purely a blunder.

  Note: This quest is classified. If you accept, you must swear on your soul gem not to divulge the quest to anyone until its completion.

  Difficulty: Unknown

  Reward: 20,000 Points

  "Twenty thousand…" I stopped myself from saying the reward aloud. I glanced at the student council members before returning my attention to the glowing screen. Twenty thousand points—double the entirety of my current points.

  "Yuri?" Francesca pressed, her voice breaking through my thoughts.

  "...Very well," I said, forcing a smile. "I'll do my best."

  Her face lit up with excitement. "Really? Yes! Thank you, Yuri! If this succeeds, I'll make sure to repay you. This is a secret, but... I'm actually a Magical Girl. Consider me in your debt!" Francesca beamed.

  I turned to Felicia, uneasy.

  "No public Magical Girl goes by the name Francesca," Felicia whispered. "I don't know who her magical girl's name is."

  "Doesn't Zenith monitor all Guardians?" I asked inwardly, my mind racing.

  "No. In fact, Zenith does not monitor any of them," Felicia replied. I frowned, my doubts creeping in. How could that perfectly timed quest have appeared for me, then? Nevertheless, I chose not to press further. This wasn't the time or place. I was still in the student council room. Bowing politely, I bid them goodbye.

  "I shall await your good news!" Francesca said as she hugged me. I returned the gesture, subtly activating my mana eyes on her clothes for future purposes.

  The rest of the school day passed uneventfully, though it was hard to keep the turmoil inside me in check. When I finally returned home, I retreated to my room and summoned my boxable home inside.

  "DAMN IT! CURSE YOU ALL!" I shouted, throwing the gifts—dolls, chocolates, and various cutesy mugs my classmates gave me across the room. Anger surged through me, and I summoned my naginata, slamming it into the pile of presents to vent my frustration. I sighed deeply, retrieved a broom, and began cleaning the mess I'd made. It was undoubtedly unbecoming of me to vent my anger on these gifts. I couldn't explain why my anger suddenly surged like this.

  Felicia sat nearby, lazily licking her paw, watching me with her usual calm demeanor. I wondered if she was growing disillusioned with me.

  "Aren't you going to scold me?" I asked, exhaling another sigh. A few untouched gifts remained, but I felt no desire to destroy them. However, I didn't want to use them either. So, I tossed them into the trash bin.

  "Why would I?" Felicia said evenly. "You didn't do anything evil. Guardians are humans too. They get angry, and sometimes they lash out. Venting on inanimate objects is one way to relieve stress. As your familiar, I can only observe and support you. Besides, your classmates—the senders of these gifts—might be different from the student council."

  "They're the same," I muttered bitterly. "They feel guilty, so they try to bribe me with gifts."

  "That's normal for humans, isn't it?" Felicia said, tilting her head. "When they've done something wrong, they attempt to make amends or offer reparations. But I suppose their approach rubbed you the wrong way."

  "I see… so that's why the student council's behavior is tolerated, huh? I thought they wanted to rebel against the Zenith," I murmured. "And what's with the quest anyway? Are you or Zenith seriously suggesting that NewStar and Enra aren't siding with humanity? No matter how evil or greedy they might be, that's hard to believe."

  "The quest wants you to determine whether the incident was an unavoidable accident or a case of gross negligence," Felicia said, scratching her neck thoughtfully.

  "I see," I replied, beginning to understand what she was getting at. Gross negligence was the key. I had been grappling with doubts—whether Shirayuki might be just as corrupt as Enra and NewStar. Maybe investigating Enra's actions would also give me clarity about my own condition. "What kind of gross negligence does Zenith suspect?"

  As I mulled over the question, I felt my anger and guilt begin to subside. Identifying the root cause of my frustration brought a strange sense of relief. Leaning against my bed, I returned my boxable home to my inventory. This massive room always felt so hollow. I found I could relax more easily inside my compact, portable space.

  "There are a lot of accusations," Felicia continued. "The death of two hundred Guardians is no trivial matter. Zenith wants to uncover the cause."

  "What's there to investigate? Couldn't Zenith just ask the familiars?"

  "No familiar will ever betray their Guardian, Lily. Zenith treats this issue very seriously. Guardians and familiars are designed to support each other. A familiar's role is to advise and guide their Guardian, but betrayal is against their nature."

  "Even if the Guardian violates Zenith law?"

  "Yes. However, Zenith has countermeasures in place if they discover that a Guardian is planning to betray them. What those are, I am not permitted to know."

  "I see," I said, nodding, though doubts still lingered. For now, I pushed them aside and decided to focus on my next move. I resolved to spy on Francesca. Over time, I had developed a habit of leaving my mana eyes scattered in places I frequented. The school grounds were no exception.

  [New Class Unlocked:

  Beginner Spy]

  "..." I stared at the notification as though it was accusing me of my intentions. Nevertheless, I had already committed to this quest. Twenty thousand points was too tempting to ignore.