Chapter Twelve: The Best Friend

The broomstick train soared ever upward, yet Jiang Si could sense that time and space were not quite right. Here, time and space seemed distorted—chaotic, even. He noticed the surroundings wrapped in a strange magical aura, and at a certain altitude, his vision began to warp.

When the broomstick train slowed, the world spun wildly—not merely figuratively, but literally. The sky lay beneath his feet, while the ground hovered above; looking up, he could even see the distant, ethereal station platform. Below him stretched layers of cumulus clouds, dense and solid as earth, atop which stood a solitary, modern skyscraper—jarringly out of place amidst the fantastical vista.

This sudden appearance of a modern building in such a surreal landscape was not just unrelated—it felt utterly incongruous. The taste of the Disaster Bureau was despairingly consistent. Ever since Jiang Si saw their blatant plagiarism of platform nine and three-quarters, he had lost hope in their aesthetics. Yet this bizarre scene still surpassed his expectations.

Yin Lian was the first to leap from the carriage, stepping directly onto the clouds. The cumulus bounced gently beneath her feet, solidly supporting her weight without faltering. “Don’t worry,” she said, hopping lightly to reassure them, “as long as you’re not a disaster beast, ordinary people and magical girls can stand on the clouds.”

She was petite to begin with; now she looked like a little schoolgirl. Jiang Keke tentatively extended her right leg, pressing down on the cloud to confirm its solidity. Once confident, she placed her other foot down, grasped the broomstick, and carefully began to walk across the clouds.

“How is it? I wasn’t lying, right?” Keke bounced slightly, her youthful enthusiasm breaking through the usual maturity forced by her home environment. Seeing her hop about on the clouds, she finally looked her age. Yin Lian joined in, hopping alongside her like an older sister playing with a younger sibling.

Jiang Si observed them for a moment, intending first to confirm their safety before releasing his grip. Though his hands ached and grew weary from holding the broomstick, he could not let go prematurely. Falling here meant having to transform—but clearly, transforming now would be unwise.

Yet the moment his legs pressed into the cloud’s soft embrace, his broomstick suddenly vanished. This caught Jiang Si off guard. Worse still, with no support beneath him, he felt himself sinking into the cumulus, losing all sense of solid footing, and began to fall!

But the sensation was paradoxical—falling and yet strangely like flying upward, a maddening distortion.

“Careful!” Yin Lian was the first to notice the danger, rushing over. For a brief moment, pink magical energy flared around her, and with its aid, she grabbed Jiang Si’s hand with lightning speed.

Jiang Keke instinctively stepped forward, and seeing Jiang Si secured, her tension eased. She slowed, moving beside Yin Lian to grasp Jiang Si’s other hand, preventing him from slipping away.

“Hold tight! Don’t let go!” Yin Lian urged.

“You really aren’t human, falling like this…” Keke muttered.

“Now’s not the time for that, Keke!” Yin Lian snapped.

To avoid exposing herself, Yin Lian withdrew the power from her seed, but the weight was immense, and she struggled to keep hold. Puzzled by how heavy Jiang Si felt despite his lean frame, she heard him say urgently, “Hold on, I’ll call the broomstick back!”

He retrieved the key once more; this time, pink magic swirled visibly around it, radiating outward. The broomstick that had vanished moments before suddenly plummeted from the sky—this time without its carriage—landing beneath Jiang Si’s feet. By now, half his body was submerged in the clouds.

“Are you okay?” Yin Lian breathed out, clearly shaken. She had never seen anyone fall through the cumulus like that. “Why did you suddenly fall? That shouldn’t happen.”

Keke added with a smirk, “Definitely not human.”

“Have you been in contact with any disaster beasts recently?” Yin Lian asked, a thought striking her. “Could you have been contaminated?”

Jiang Si considered this. “Actually, yes—I went to the junior high section and stepped in the blood of a large bat disaster beast.”

“That might explain it…”

Though contamination wasn’t that simple, Jiang Si suspected it was linked to the magic he absorbed from the Seed of Lament. The Disaster Bureau certainly had some tricks up their sleeve.

As Yin Lian helped Jiang Si steer the broomstick toward the Disaster Bureau building, Keke suddenly asked, “Why did you go to the junior high section?”

“Just passing through.”

In truth, he was there to collect the Seed of Lament and absorb its magic. To the two girls, however, this took on another meaning entirely.

Breaking through the clouds, they soon saw the Disaster Bureau’s entrance. Above the glass revolving door hung a gleaming plaque with the bureau’s name. After testing the ground for stability, Jiang Si dismounted. The marble floor beneath felt far more reliable than the clouds.

Once assured of his safety, Yin Lian reclaimed the broomstick and stepped back, maintaining distance from Jiang Si and leaning beside Keke, lowering her voice. “He’s probably worried about you—that’s why he went to the junior high section, right?”

“He doesn’t lie,” Keke said flatly. “Or rather, he’s too lazy to lie. ‘Passing through’ means exactly that—don’t overthink it.”

“But it’s too coincidental. How did he just happen to pass through the junior high section and step in disaster beast blood? I think he really was worried about you, so he went to check it out, got contaminated, and nearly died…”

Keke immediately pinched her senior’s cheek. “Stop overthinking!”

Don’t make me overthink. Worry about me? No way. This guy wouldn’t care about me—he didn’t care when our parents died. If anything, he might secretly wish I were gone, so he could have the inheritance all to himself.

With that thought, she watched Jiang Si’s retreating figure and took a deep breath. There’s no way he went to the junior high section out of concern for me. Even if he almost died, it was his own fault and has nothing to do with me.

“Keke? Keke?”

Snapped back to reality by Yin Lian’s call, Keke looked up. “What’s up?”

Yin Lian waved a hand before her face. “Nothing, just saw you zoning out. What were you thinking?”

“Maybe I should join the Disaster Bureau,” Keke said, glancing at the attendant behind the counter. “That way I can get away from Jiang Si sooner.”

“Glad you want to join, but that’s hardly a cheerful reason,” Yin Lian teased.

Jiang Si paid no mind to their chatter. The entire building was ultra-modern. Inside, they entered a long corridor lined with framed paintings—animated depictions of magical girls and disaster beasts. Approaching, the beasts would roar as if ready to leap from the canvases, while the magical girls might be reading, flipping pages, or painting scenes that changed moment to moment.

He recalled something similar in Harry Potter but hadn’t paid much attention then. Here, these paintings were just another example of the bureau’s flair.

At the corridor’s end, they paused before a painting of a blue-clad magical girl who winked charmingly at the viewers.

“That’s Senior Turquoise Sparrow,” Yin Lian said with pride. “Only seventeen but already one of the Disaster Bureau’s top magical girls. She ranks high in disaster beast hunts, participates in the bureau’s idol program—bringing in lots of event funds—and her grades are top-notch too…”

“An all-round superhero,” Keke remarked dryly. “Impressive, but a bit much, isn’t it?”

“She’s the idol of many magical girls. Have you met her?”

Keke spoke softly, “Three years ago, when we encountered a disaster beast, it was Turquoise Sparrow who saved us.”

“Oh,” Yin Lian nodded knowingly. “No wonder you admire her.”

“Admire is a strong word,” Keke said guiltily. “Back then, I blamed her for not saving my parents sooner. I’ve regretted it ever since and want to apologize.”

Yin Lian patted her back, though unable to reach her head. “It’s okay. Turquoise Sparrow won’t mind. If you really care, joining the bureau will give you plenty of chances to meet her and make amends.”

“Hmm…”

For the first time, Jiang Si glanced back at his sister. “Are you sure about joining the Disaster Bureau?”

“As you wish—to become independent sooner.”

Used to her tone, Jiang Si simply nodded and looked at Yin Lian. “Let’s register then.”

“We’re almost there. Follow me.”

The trio crossed the corridor into a large lobby. The reception was staffed not by humans but by two Hatchlings—one white, one black—similar in appearance to those Jiang Si had seen before, but vastly different in aura.

Jiang Si’s own Hatchling was lazy and dumb, usually clinging to Bing Tang and reluctant to come out, let alone fight. Its knowledge was shallow, barely able to explain magical girl lore. To Jiang Si, Hatchlings were essentially useless.

But these two at the counter were different—their presence was imposing, their magical power dense and rich. Hatchlings typically shared their magical girl’s power; thus, their owners were likely top-tier magical girls. Jiang Si knew firsthand that such depth of magic was unattainable through mere bloom alone.

If only he could claim them for himself.

“Yin Lian, why are you back so late? Did you find the disaster beast yesterday?”

“Found it, found it! And…” Yin Lian pushed Jiang Keke forward. “I also found a new magical girl!”

The two Hatchlings immediately became excited. “What? You actually found a new magical girl?”

“We must celebrate!”

“Hurry, call An Ruola…”

Their flustered enthusiasm was palpable.

“Wait, wait, register her first,” Jiang Si interjected, taking a seat. The Disaster Bureau’s lobby resembled a police station’s, albeit sparsely populated. Much of the building, aside from the station and corridors, was clearly converted from a police precinct.

After requesting registration, the Hatchlings fetched a computer, plugging it into their tails. Then, like kindly elders, they warmly attended to Jiang Keke, as if she were a precious treasure. Indeed, the bureau hadn’t seen a newcomer in years, so Keke was a prized gem.

No worries about her being bullied here.

“Hey, you there,” the black Hatchling called to Jiang Si, “Are you Keke’s guardian? Come sign here.”

“I’m her brother,” Yin Lian reminded it. “Watch your tone.”

“Keke doesn’t even like him—why should we be polite?” the Hatchling retorted.

Yin Lian was speechless, stepping closer to Jiang Si. “Sorry, they’re a bit dense.”

The two Hatchlings shouted in unison, “Who’s dense, Yin Lian!”

Jiang Si paid no mind and examined the printed contract—an official employment agreement for magical girls, detailing numerous rules. He skimmed it and found no major issues. The Qingyun Sect had issued similar contracts, copied from the Disaster Bureau’s template, so he was somewhat familiar.

He signed casually, then awaited Keke’s completion of her paperwork. Yin Lian explained the procedures to Keke while frequently checking on Jiang Si, ensuring he didn’t feel left out—a tiring but caring effort.

Jiang Si rose, intending to walk back to the corridor and observe the magical girls. Yet, barely two steps away, the entire hall flashed red as a piercing alarm blared through the building.

“Attention all units! Attention all units! The Miracle Seed in the security room has been stolen! All personnel remain in place! No movement allowed!”

Armed soldiers flooded out of the building, equipped with American MK18 rifles—sleek weapons introduced in the early 2000s alongside the M16A4. The aesthetics were impressive.

Still, why was the security force here military? This was supposed to be the magical girls’ stronghold.

Leading them was a blonde girl clad in a sharp military uniform, her emerald eyes icy and unforgiving.

All doors slammed shut as the troops formed a perimeter, sealing off the lobby.

The blonde’s gaze swept over Keke and Jiang Si. “Monitoring detected a disturbance in the clouds earlier. Who caused it?”

At this, Yin Lian’s face fell. Trouble had arrived.