The first morning of the New Year, after the previous night's New Year's Eve revelry, the whole of Fangting City remains in a tranquil state.
In the past, the Donghua Region had a tradition of setting off fireworks and firecrackers on New Year's, with people entrusting their hopes of "expelling the Remnant Beasts" to these simple explosives, wishing their desires to reverberate through the city streets with the crisp sounds of the New Year. Alas, with the passage of ti, a portion of research indicated that these stimulating explosions were more likely to agitate the Remnant Beasts lurking beneath the city, increasing unnecessary losses. Thus, this tradition ant to drive away the Remnant Beasts waned in practice due to the presence of the beasts themselves.
On this rare day, Lin Yun also has a few days of an incomplete vacation. The reason it's considered incomplete is that he still has to visit the Abnormal Strategy Bureau from ti to ti—comforting the employees while also ensuring the Bureau's operations run smoothly; however, it counts as a vacation because, other than inspections, he truly has no further complex work, enjoying a fair amount of personal ti.
Therefore, Bureau Chief Lin, who did not need to go to work on the first day of the New Year, rose early and drove through the virtually deserted streets to the comrcial office building next to the Abnormal Strategy Bureau.
——"So, you've co here for refuge?"
Controlling a doll that looked just like a pureblood Fairy, Erald slouched her head supported by her arms on the research desk lined with pipes and asked in a languid tone.
"What's this weird talk about 'refuge'? I'm rely here to fulfill an agreent," Erald Sparrow responded with confusion to Erald's words, all the while taking out a purple-black Crystal Stone from her sleeve and placing it in front of Erald, "Here, I'm done with this thing, now it's back to you."
"What's this? Oh right, the Source of Beasts."
Erald grumbled gruffly, caressing the purple-black Crystal Stone with the doll's paws a couple of tis, then hoisting it in her paws as if examining sothing, "It's indeed good that you could return it on ti, but honestly, there's no need to be so hurried."
"Who was it last night that insisted I almost return it imdiately after using it?"
Unable to help herself, Erald Sparrow's eyelids drooped, "Given how much you emphasized it, I made a special trip here early on a holiday morning to deliver it, and now you're telling there was no need?"
"Ah... well, actually, it's also thanks to you all," Erald glanced at her indifferently, "I only had one Source of Beasts on hand, naturally all the experintal data had to co from it. But since you all fought with that Claw-mark youngster last night, I also collected a lot of data at the scene, oh my oh my, quite unexpected and useful."
"At the scene? Data?"
Erald's ntion of a few key terms inadvertently made Erald Sparrow frown, "So you were there?"
"I was, but also not," Erald continued to fiddle with the Source of Beasts in her hand, "I do have several spare clones at my disposal, though their performance and quality fall far short of this body I'm using now, but they're adequate for so simple tasks. I just casually sent one clone along with you to the outskirts of the city. If you won, I could just casually collect so data; if you lost, I couldn't truly let that Claw-mark kill you, could I?"
Her words seed logically sound, yet, no matter how Erald Sparrow thought about it, sothing didn't seem right, one of the core questions being, could Erald really be so benevolent?
"You're wondering if I could really be so kind-hearted, aren't you?"
As if she had used the Mind Reading Technique, Erald suddenly spoke out.
"How did you know?" Erald Sparrow, having her thoughts guessed accurately, was not annoyed at all and bluntly asked.
"Guessed it, considering that each ti you et , you have 'don't trust' practically written all over your face," Erald looked at her askance, "I have no intent to reassert my integrity as a veteran Magical Girl to you, but I will take this opportunity to tell you, I am always sincere about the transactions I initiate."
"Which is reflected in what?"
"It's reflected in how I place great importance on the completion of a transaction and set a series of protective asures," placing the Source of Beasts in a container on the research bench, Erald carefully stowed it away, "In the process, I also pay close attention to the trading partner's free will and don't engage in unnecessary actions. Take our transaction, for instance, over these two months, have you felt my protection?"
"No."
Erald Sparrow looked at Erald with suspicion, "Never mind whether I felt it or not, your approach sounds, to , less like 'protection' and more like 'surveillance' and 'tracking'?"
Both paused sharply in unison.
"No, that won't do at all, not at all, youngster," right after the pause, Erald quickly interjected, "If you disregard my subjective goodwill and presu malicious intent in my actions, our relationship will suffer irreparable rifts."
"In other words, if we disregard 'subjective goodwill,' you indeed tracked ?"
Erald Sparrow's eyes widened slightly, "Madam Chief, it's not that I'm saying this, but although I have so idea about the lower limits of a Gemstone Scepter's character, this... have you really gone to such lengths?"
"What do you an 'gone to such lengths'? Don't make it sound as if my character has utterly failed, okay?" Erald reacted fiercely.
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