Get off work and become a magical girl

Chapter 244: Forged Clothing

"It has nothing to do with me. This project is not my business."

That afternoon, in Emerald's laboratory, the chubby fairy doll spread his hands and said in a rather simple tone: "Even if you ask me a hundred times, my answer will still be this. The National Research Institute has never conducted any research project related to the 'Gate of Ascension to the King'."

"I believe you, Mr. Chief, but even if the institute itself has not studied the Gate of Ascension, what about the peripheral projects funded by the institute?"

Sitting at the low table opposite her, Kuei-Jin rested one hand on her knee and the other on her chin: "Or it could be a private project that Gem Scepter personally invested in, or it could be the private research of your 'friends'..."

"Of course not. I'm not playing word games with you."

Emerald sighed helplessly: "Now I am answering your question very seriously, which is 'this matter really has nothing to do with me', young man."

Delphinium blinked when she heard that, but said nothing more, just looked at Emerald in surprise.

Emerald was a little unhappy and asked, "Why? Does it sound so incredible?"

“It’s really incredible.”

Delphinium nodded honestly. "After all, you said before that 'Magical girls are not allowed to have skills that they cannot master'. There is no reason not to investigate such a serious-sounding rumor."

"I really should have you as my chief secretary, my dear. My current secretary is not as good at digging up my past as you are."

The fairy doll rolled its eyes. It was hard to imagine that such a vivid expression as "rolling eyes" could appear on a doll with a rather simple appearance. "But you have to know that the premise is that it is really a technology... I am a scholar, not a detective. There are so many rumors in the world. How can I investigate every one of them seriously? I should choose those that are more factual, right?"

"You mean, the rumor about 'The Gate to Kingship' is actually not reliable?" Delphinium heard another meaning in Emerald's words.

"There is no time, no location, and no witness information. Even as a rumor, it is a complete three-no product."

Emerald said bluntly: "To be honest, if you hadn't brought this up in front of me, I wouldn't have been able to remember the term at all."

"Then, how do I explain the record I saw in the Green Tower?" Delphinium couldn't help but frown.

"It is enough to prove that someone did try to investigate something in Fontaine City decades ago."

Emerald crossed her legs with the doll's body. "However, there is no clear evidence to link the record you got with the 'Gate of Ascension'. After all, even the internal records of the Strategy Bureau you mentioned did not mention the name 'Gate of Ascension'. So far, we have been able to link that record with it, relying more on subjective inference."

"Ok, I know."

Delphinium replied softly, "I am not so stubborn as to easily insist that a rumor is the truth. At present, whether this record is related to the so-called 'Gate of Ascension' is still unknown. But there is one thing that makes me feel a little concerned..."

"Certain records written on paper seem to match the year you, or your wife, became a magical girl. Is that what you mean?" Emerald recalled.

"Yes."

Delphinium nodded: "Although this may be a bit too sensitive, I always feel that this part is not a coincidence."

"...Okay, I understand."

Emerald understood: "Since you said so, I will make a note of this matter. In a few days, I will investigate the flow of resources in this state decades ago, and I will also set up a team to research information related to the 'Gate of Ascension to the King'."

"Okay." Delphinium agreed.

"Yeah." Emerald confirmed.

Then, both of them fell silent at the same time.

After a while, Delphinium raised an eyebrow in a strange manner, looked at Emerald and said, "And then?"

"What then? Do you think there is something missing in this arrangement?" Emerald asked back.

"You just agreed to this so easily? No other conditions?"

Cuique was suspicious: "Logically speaking, this is not part of our previous deal. Shouldn't you take advantage of the situation and raise some more conditions?"

"Forget it. In your current state, apart from the Source of Beasts, what else can I be interested in?"

Emerald said in a muffled voice, "Don't overthink things, and don't think too badly of others, young man. Just think of this as my additional investment."

After hearing this, Delphinium hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively: "Then... thank you?"

"uh-huh."

Emerald accepted Delphinium's somewhat uncertain thanks calmly: "Of course, if you really feel uncomfortable owing me a favor, then I just happen to have something for you to do now."

"What is it?" asked Delphinium.

"It's also about you. It's what I told you before. I need you to disguise yourself when you go to the kingdom next time."

Holding the armrest of the chair, the fairy doll slowly straightened up: "Is the fake heart gem I gave you still there? Did you bring it with you?"

"You mean this?"

Delphinium reached into her skirt pocket and fumbled around, then took out the bud-shaped heart gem: "I brought it with me, but does it have any other functions?"

"Not now, but there will be one soon."

Taking the fake gem from Delphinium, Emerald walked to a precision device nearby and said, "I will record a new set of magic clothes into this gem. It will be different from your original magical girl image. It will help you disguise yourself as the new magical girl 'Ryudan'."

"A brand new magic outfit?" Delphinium followed Emerald to the side of the device, and expressed her doubts while watching what Emerald was doing.

"Yes, you can think of it as a set of armor tailor-made for you. Its protective ability may even be stronger than your original magic clothes."

Emerald's voice was flat, as if "making a set of equipment with stronger protection than the flower-level magical girl's clothing" was not something worth boasting about: "You only need to secretly activate this fake gem after transforming, and it will cover your original clothes with the equipment recorded inside, giving you a completely different look."

"understood."

Delphinium nodded with a hint of understanding, and then asked again: "But it's still just clothes?"

"Yes, it's just the clothes. Your height, body shape, and appearance are still the same as they are now. I've said before that it's easy to be found out if you make a fuss about these things."

Emerald placed the fake gem into the groove of the device and reached out to touch the rune panel beside it. "But don't worry. Considering that you are somewhat well-known in the country, I have hired several professional stylists to help you create a completely different image for your disguise."

"Ha..." For some reason, after hearing Emerald's words, Delphinium had a bad feeling in her heart: "The temperaments are completely different. What is the difference?"

"That's what I need you to do."

After a while, Emerald took the fake gem off the device and handed it to Delphinium: "Here, try it on."

"Let me confirm first. This should be an acceptable outfit for going out, right?"

After taking the gem, Delphinium drooped her eyelids: "And theoretically speaking, it's best for me to keep a low profile on this trip, so my clothes shouldn't be too eye-catching..."

"You'll know after trying it." The voice from the fairy doll was still lazy, but it contained a bit of interest. "Okay."

So Delphinium said no more and used magic to activate the fake gem in her hand according to the instructions given by Emerald.

A burst of blue-purple light shot out from the gem, as if it was really a magical girl's transformation. After a brief moment of light, the Delphinium standing there had changed her outfit.

The long hair that was originally loose was pulled up high at the back of her head and fixed by several rather gorgeous hairpins, forming a bun. The bonnet on her head was gone, leaving only the hairpins holding her bangs. There was also a pair of bright silver earrings hanging down on both sides of her ears.

Further down, the navy blue Lolita dress was replaced with a purple sleeveless stand-up collar split cheongsam, with a traditional Donghua knot hanging between the buttons, and a rather delicate ink painting with white and gold silk threads on the outside of the hem, and the content of the painting was a clump of gentian flowers among the grass and trees, which complemented the slightly raised pointed embroidered shoes on her feet.

If Cuiqiao's original outfit looked like a noble lady from Xiluo Province, then this outfit now looked full of the characteristics of Donghua Province. The slightly mature outfit and the childlike appearance produced a strange chemical reaction, bringing a magical feeling of cuteness and maturity.

"How about it?"

Emerald brought a mirror from somewhere and placed it in front of Delphinium: "Because the magic costumes of the previous generation of Longdan were also in the style of Donghuazhou ancient costumes, my people directly inherited this style. Doesn't it feel like they are completely different from one person?"

"perhaps?"

Delphinium stared at the mirror in silence for a while, then looked away without leaving a trace: "Rather, it's obviously still myself in the mirror, but subconsciously I have a feeling of 'seeing another person', which subtly makes me feel a little uncomfortable."

To her surprise, she was worried that Emerald was so secretive, and that this so-called "fake outfit" might have some unspeakable flaws. But after putting it on, it not only looked good, but also didn't reveal too much. By the standards of a magical girl, it could be said to be a fairly normal outfit.

"It's just a bunch of little details."

Emerald didn't seem to care. "Anyway, I'm only responsible for making sure that others can't be sure that you are 'Cornflower'. I can't control or do anything else. Rather, the following content is your job."

"What is it?" Delphinium's attention was drawn back to Emerald's words.

"It's simple. After all, it's a fake identity. We have to make it a complete show. We also have to forge some traces of 'Magical Girl Longdan''s activities in Fangting City."

Emerald raised her paw and pointed at the clothes on Delphinium:
——"So, for the next period of time, before you leave for the kingdom, use this outfit to move around in Fangting City more."

……

……

Delphinium's new clothes received unanimous praise in the stronghold.

Emerald was right. This outfit was indeed a masterpiece. Whether it was the structure and the lines, or the combination of various external decorations, it was ingenious and the appearance was impeccable. As soon as she appeared in the base wearing this outfit, several magical girls raised their phones and took photos of her.

"So... so beautiful, so cute, so tempting, Senior!"

The one who was most enthusiastic about taking photos was probably Hong Siyu. While the flashlight of his phone was flashing wildly, he also kept pouring out compliments:

"Every fashion magazine in the country should ask you to be the cover character... No, it should be the annual cover character!"

"Is it really that exaggerated?" Delphinium couldn't help but raise her eyebrows.

"Well, of course you can go back and forth on the streets of the capital right now. I'm afraid all the girls along the way will look at you with amazement and envy!"

Hong Siyu was so excited that her face turned red: "Ah, I can see my senior dress up like this for once, even if I die, I will have no regrets..."

"Don't seek death for such a boring reason."

Delphinium sighed helplessly: "So, what you mean is that I am actually very conspicuous when I dress like this?"

——"To quantify it, if the young senior's turning-head index when walking on the street was 70 points, then now it has reached 90 points. Is that how it feels?" Xia Liang, who was also taking pictures with his mobile phone, said thoughtfully.

“What is the re-engagement index?”

"It probably means how strong the thought is that after seeing this person, you want to look back again."

Xia Liang raised a finger with a smile: "How about it, does it sound vivid?"

"...I think I should ask them to make a new set of low-key clothes." Delphinium looked down at the cheongsam she was wearing and came to this conclusion.

"No, Senior, it's fine like this now!"

"Yes, yes, it's a rare opportunity to have such a beautiful set of clothes. It would be a shame to send it back!"

However, this decision was quickly overcome amid a chorus of opposition.

Finally, Kuznetsova had to accept the fact that she would have to go out in this outfit from time to time for some time to come. Then, despite Hong Siyu's objections, she took off the fake gemstone outfit.

The reassuring navy blue dress was back on her.

The day's work was over and most of the things that needed to be dealt with had been dealt with. Cuique did some housework, watched TV with Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan, and then prepared dinner for the day with Aso Yuanxiang.

It was not until dinner time that the three-member team from Baian City, who had been missing for a long time, finally came down from upstairs.

Although it is not known what these three people had done before, according to the information obtained by Cuiqiao, it must be because Mu Baihe has completed the purpose of coming to Fangting City, so they renegotiated the issue of when to return to Bai'an.

The subsequent conversation at the dinner table also confirmed Delphinium's thoughts.

After finding the clue to the "Gate of Ascension", Mu Baili naturally no longer had any reason to stay in Fangting City, and she reached a reconciliation with Bai Ji. The two apologized together at the dinner table for the quarrel of the previous day, and then said goodbye to the Fangting City team again.

The departure date was set for next week, which was almost a week before Fangting City set off for the country.

Even for a magical girl, it is not easy to travel back and forth between cities, so after this farewell, it will probably take quite some time before we meet again.

"Well, in that case, we should really hold a good farewell party, right?" Xia Liang said at the dinner table.

"No, no, no, we have already disturbed you enough during this period. You don't need to spend any more time on this matter."

Bai Ji immediately declined, "Besides, you all have to take the national exams next, and your time is very precious, so we shouldn't take up any more of your time.

"But if we just ignore it, we won't be able to justify it."

Hong Siyu on the side spoke up: "Even if it only takes up one night, shouldn't we do something?"

Bai Ji wanted to refuse, but before he could say anything, Lin Xiaolu next to him suddenly spoke.

——"Do something... Isn't that just a temple fair?"

She held chopsticks in her mouth and said as if it was a matter of course, "The time and schedule match. There will be a New Year's blessing meeting at the temple at the end of the month. Why don't we all go together?"

This suggestion caused everyone at the table to fall into a brief silence.

Then, except for Bai Ji who was still confused, and Bai Jingxuan who didn't know what the "temple fair" was, it was approved unanimously by everyone in the restaurant.

(End of this chapter)