Chapter 139: Sympathy for the Same Suffering?
“Is this place a bit too lively?”
Held hands with Xia Mo as they walked into the event venue for today, Luo Shuangyue was greatly startled by the excitement within.
This was practically a garden of beauties, filled with girls of striking appearance.
Some girls wore dark green camouflage uniforms, their expressions very resolute, while others wore uniforms resembling white lab coats, appearing not as fierce as the former.
In addition to these transformed girls, there seemed to be quite a few magical girls active in the area.
“Look, this is how magic is used. Come, do it with me…”
In a corner of the venue, a budding magical girl was surrounded by a large group of transformed girls, earnestly teaching them how to use simple magic.
The transformed girls surrounding her were almost all combat personnel, their valiant older sisters taking notes like elementary students, diligently recording the magical girl’s explanations.
From time to time, a transformed girl would raise her hand to ask a question, and the magical girl, acting as the teacher, would patiently answer them.
Xia Mo and Luo Shuangyue were not too conspicuous in the crowd. Although both were near-perfect beauties, the sheer number of stunning girls in the place diluted the impact of their looks significantly.
A score of 99 might stand out among a group scoring in the 60s, naturally becoming the focal point.
But when everyone around reached a height of 90, they didn’t stand out as much.
This made Luo Shuangyue feel somewhat relieved, as she actually didn’t like being surrounded by too many people receiving their attention.
Her thoughts had always been a bit cliché; she wanted to be a dashing lone ranger, admired by everyone, but didn’t want to be cornered by fans.
Thus, her public persona had long been that of a cool and somewhat aloof Dark Butterfly.
“But why did you bring me here? It’s not just to appreciate beauties, right?”
“Are they prettier than me?”
“Not at all!” Facing Xia Mo’s seemingly unconcerned retort, Luo Shuangyue immediately pledged her loyalty.
You, Xia Mo, are the most beautiful and fragrant flower in this garden; compared to you, anyone else is an ugly monster.
“Not sincere enough, but I’ll let you pass.” Xia Mo lightly hummed and pulled Luo Shuangyue towards a slightly quieter area.
Above this area hung a large banner: Psychological Counseling.
Those coming here were transformed individuals struggling to adapt to their new identities after their transformation.
Here, they could enjoy private one-on-one services from professional psychologists and communicate with others who shared similar struggles, mutually discussing the problems they faced.
This made Xia Mo and Luo Shuangyue feel out of place.
In this area designated for ‘patients’, they were the only two wearing skirts, looking completely like girls.
“Wait, Xia Mo, what do you want to do?” Luo Shuangyue felt a pang in her heart, her intuition telling her that Xia Mo might do something quite embarrassing next.
“Of course, it’s to help you, someone who can’t let go of the past, to properly receive some psychological counseling!”
“I don’t need psychological counseling; my mind is fine!”
Xia Mo turned back to Luo Shuangyue with a thoughtful look, Did you dare to touch your conscience while saying that?
At this moment, the Magic Department staff managing this area had walked up to them, somewhat confused as they inquired about their intentions.
Were they here for psychological counseling, or were they just looking to discuss issues?
As for causing trouble… how could that be possible? This event was only open to girls, and any ordinary girls working here could be described as kind-hearted.
Neither transformed individuals nor magical girls would be likely to cause a disturbance.
“The habit of hers can’t be changed, so I brought her over to take a look,” Xia Mo pointed to Luo Shuangyue and explained earnestly.
The welcoming staff blinked, somewhat curious as they asked, “What is your relationship?”
She probably guessed the relationship between the two girls standing before her; asking was just for confirmation.
“Boyfriend and girlfriend… um, I suppose it should be girlfriend and girlfriend now,” Xia Mo answered without hesitation.
Oh, the staff exclaimed with an expression that confirmed her guess. She had seen this many times in the past few days; it was hardly surprising.
The Magic Department isn’t like the heavenly realm from mythological stories, where working here means one can’t date.
In fact, the Magic Department encourages its talented young people to connect internally, which led to many employees being in romantic relationships.
And when transformation technology gradually spread within the Magic Department, many couples faced situations like Xia Mo and Luo Shuangyue.
“Well, over there are others like you; you can go exchange ideas with them first,” the staff handed a queue slip to Xia Mo and pointed her in a direction.
That area was filled with people in relationships similar to Xia Mo and Luo Shuangyue’s.
This surprised Xia Mo a bit. She had initially just planned to let Luo Shuangyue receive guidance from the psychologists here, but unexpectedly discovered a pleasant surprise.
Couples in the same situation as her and Luo Shuangyue? Of course, they needed to go check it out!
She could learn from those girls who shared their plight.
Pulling Luo Shuangyue to the area indicated by the staff, Xia Mo saw four girls sitting in a circle, and the atmosphere inside the circle seemed somewhat subdued.
When they heard Xia Mo approaching, two of the girls in the circle looked up toward her.
Two girls in skirts? Why were they here?
The next moment, they remembered the area they were in.
Wait, does this mean these two girls share the same issues they had faced, and these two had already traveled far down the road to resolving their problems?
Look at them, both in skirts, while the black-skirt girl was forcibly dragged over by the white-skirt girl, her expression so familiar.
The two girls exchanged glances, then independently looked toward their awkward companion beside them.
The meaning in their eyes was quite clear.
And the transformed girl being stared at by these girls felt a little complicated.
Another companion who was about to join them in the trials of being a partner? That was good news.
But this companion seemed to be further along the journey than they were?
They were still hesitantly clinging to certain things, while their companion appeared to have already abandoned most of her dignity.
Just look at her wearing a skirt; how skilled she seemed at it, clearly she must have done it more than once.
Being stared at with such eyes made Luo Shuangyue feel her sense of shame explode. After all, in the eyes of these people, she appeared to be just like those transformed individuals!
Which meant her identity card was completely exposed!
“Come, sit here!” Xia Mo didn’t give Luo Shuangyue a chance to escape, pulling her onto two empty chairs that had just been brought over.
Then, she looked at the two among the other four girls who were more normal and feminine, and said softly, “The issues you all face should be the same, right?”
The two original girls nodded vigorously.
“She just won’t wear a skirt. Even though she’s already like this, she still refuses to accept reality,” one girl loudly accused her partner, pointing at her.
The girl being accused shyly turned her head away, muttering things like, “I’m a man, I can’t wear such girly things,” and “If I wear it, I can never go back.”
This reminded Xia Mo of Luo Shuangyue from not long ago.
But back then, Luo Shuangyue had already gotten used to wearing female clothing, she just wasn’t willing to change into female clothing in front of Xia Mo while taking on the identity of Luo Shuangyue.
Perhaps at the beginning, Luo Shuangyue was also just like this transformed girl, quite unwilling to fully accept the changes to her body and acknowledge that she was completely different from who she used to be?
Thinking this, Xia Mo curiously looked at Luo Shuangyue, subtly asking with her eyes.
‘Don’t look at me; I’m just forced by life.’ Xia Mo’s intent was clear, so Luo Shuangyue could also respond to Xia Mo’s question with her eyes.
Luo Shuangyue could accept wearing feminine clothing, but that was due to circumstances; after all, she was a magical girl who could transform.
Once she entered her transformation state, her outfit became a magically characteristic little dress, leaving her no chance to resist.
And while working for Polar Night, she also had to use female clothing to hide her identity. With these conditions piled together, how could she not adapt or accept wearing female clothing?
“Actually… it’s not that hard to accept, haha.” She awkwardly scratched her head.
This statement made the two other transformed girls shoot her looks of betrayal. Have you been corrupted by wearing feminine clothes? How weak!
“Wearing it is quite comfortable, and it looks good too…” Luo Shuangyue continued her awkward explanation, trying to convey that her wearing female clothing didn’t mean abandoning her previous identity but rather that feminine clothing indeed looked good and was comfortable.
But this explanation had a feeling of making things worse.
The looks of those two transformed girls at Luo Shuangyue were now entirely wrong. They realized their mistake; Luo Shuangyue wasn’t a traitor; she was simply psychologically twisted.
Instinctively, they moved their chairs further away from Luo Shuangyue.
“Am I really that scary?” Luo Shuangyue felt quite crushed by their actions. Clearly, they shared similar experiences, yet she felt as if she were being abandoned.
“I will never be like those shameless individuals!” one transformed girl said seriously.
She had undergone transformation with several companions, and they initially agreed to uphold their identities together, but after several days, she was the only one still foolishly wearing ill-fitted male clothing.
This feeling of betrayal angered her, so she decided that since they had all betrayed her, she would go on alone!
“She just likes to be stubborn, sigh.” Her partner said helplessly, pressing her forehead, casting a pleading glance at Xia Mo, wanting to know how this good sister could help her partner see and accept reality.
The expression of the other original girl was similar; anyone sitting here surely wanted to solve these issues.
Xia Mo rested her chin on her hand, appearing thoughtful.
After a long while, her gaze fell on the several girls before her, maybe she really had a way?
These two transformed girls could be seen as not having accepted reality yet, so she needed to find a way to help them come to terms with it.
The quickest and easiest way to accept it was right in front of them, wasn’t it?
“You could do this and that…” Xia Mo whispered a few words in the ears of the two girls.
“Eh?” “Can we really do that?”
Upon hearing what Xia Mo had to say, both girls suddenly turned bright red, but after exchanging glances, they felt that there didn’t seem to be much wrong with what Xia Mo suggested.
Their feelings for their partners were absolutely strong—no matter how their partners had changed, they still loved each other deeply; otherwise, they wouldn’t have dragged each other to this place.
And Xia Mo’s suggestion happened to fit their situation very well.
After pondering seriously, they believed this method was feasible.
Thus, they immediately stood up, taking their partners by the hand, and left the area, eager to implement the method Xia Mo had suggested.
Watching this, Luo Shuangyue was quite curious about what Xia Mo had told them that would cause them to display such a shy but determined expression.
“What did you tell them?”
“Nothing, just shared some practical advice for recognizing reality.” Xia Mo shrugged, indicating that she only spoke about usual and ordinary matters.
Luo Shuangyue remained curious. Since they hadn’t queued yet, they might as well discuss it a bit more.
Under Luo Shuangyue’s pitiful gaze, Xia Mo finally sighed and chose to satisfy Luo Shuangyue’s curiosity.
“It’s just those things we haven’t gotten around to doing yet. If there’s any method to make someone recognize reality the quickest, this would undoubtedly be it, wouldn’t it?” Xia Mo grinned mischievously, “After a few more times, do you think you could stubbornly insist you are a man?”
Hearing that Xia Mo actually came up with such an idea, Luo Shuangyue’s eyes widened in shock.
Oh my, isn’t this a bit too bold?
If I hadn’t softened up and kept insisting I was a man, would Xia Mo use this method on me too?
“Your gaze is quite disrespectful.” Xia Mo propped her chin, somewhat displeased, as she said to Luo Shuangyue, “What, do you doubt that I want to use this method on you?”
“You wouldn’t do that, would you?”
“Well, it depends on your performance. If you do well, I won’t use it. If not, I naturally have to correct your self-identity properly.”
