NOVEL NEXT Chapter 51 Destination to Visit
"Not participating in next year's exam?"
Asou Haruka's words were like a depth charge, causing the girls of the Fangting City squad to collectively lose their voices. Emerald Sparrow was the only one who spoke up to inquire at this moment, her expression uneasy, "What do you mean by that?"
"It doesn't mean anything much, just simply making a proposal," she said.
Asou Haruka's expression remained unchanged, as if she didn't find anything inappropriate about what she had just said, "If you really need an explanation, then think of the upcoming sparring as a 'preliminary test' for qualification. If one cannot pass the 'preliminary test,' then naturally they're not qualified to participate in the subsequent exam, that's quite normal, right?"
"Are you the examiner for next year's exam?"
"Not at all."
"Then I don't think you have any legitimacy in making such a proposal."
Emerald Sparrow slightly lifted her chin, her gaze turning a bit colder, "Or is this the 'exchange' reason for your visit to Fangting City? Just looking for trouble?"
"I've said it already, I don't have an ounce of malice. If it were just picking on someone, I wouldn't specifically target a group of little girls I don't even know, right?" Asou Haruka looked innocent.
However, her words obviously failed to persuade Emerald Sparrow, who didn't even show a desire to respond, just kept silently staring at her.
After enduring this icy gaze for several seconds, Asou Haruka's smile finally started to falter. As the smile faded, a helpless look took its place.
"Alright, it seems I really can't convince you this way," she said with a light sigh, "Indeed, we might need to find a place to talk things over properly. I can clear up some of your doubts, and perhaps you could tell me some things I don't know."
"Find a place?"
"Yes, at least not here."
Asou Haruka turned her head and glanced at the girls next to her, smiling mysteriously, "Some things are adult matters, too early for children to understand."
With these words, the expressions of the nearby girls varied, some unaffected, while others clearly disagreed. Lin Xiaolu even took a step forward, looking like she was about to object, yet she fell silent upon seeing Emerald Sparrow nod abruptly.
"Fine."
She spoke crisply, with a resonant voice, "Where to? Do you have any good suggestions?"
"You are the host here. As for where to talk, you should have more thought-out suggestions than me, right?"
Asou Haruka crossed her arms, "I'm curious about what interesting places there are in Fangting City nowadays, after being away for so many years. Show me around, will you?"
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"...Let's go to the Abnormal Strategy Bureau in Fangting City then."
Ignoring the latter part of the other's request, Emerald Sparrow casually made the suggestion, obviously disinterested in the matter of "where to go," more concerned about the content of the conversation, "The conference rooms of the Abnormal Strategy Bureau can ensure the confidentiality of our discussion, and nobody else will be able to overhear."
"The Abnormal Strategy Bureau? No, that's too boring."
Asou Haruka immediately rejected the offer without a second thought, her gaze inquisitive, "Don't you have any more interesting suggestions?"
"What do you have in mind?" Emerald Sparrow looked back at her.
"Since I'm back in Fangting, I will surely visit the Abnormal Strategy Bureau later. So why don't we take this opportunity to find a place with more atmosphere?"
Asou Haruka tapped her forearm, "You see, like a nicer restaurant? Or perhaps some of the attractions built in recent years? Make it a little more romantic."
"...If you don't want to go to the Abnormal Strategy Bureau, we can go to the study at the secret base. No outsiders there, either."
"The secret base? That's just another place we'll frequently visit later on."
Asou Haruka showed dissatisfaction, "You've been in Fangting for over a decade more than I have, can't you come up with anything? You know, even a simple search online before I came showed many 'must-visit' spots listed by people."
"Then I'm sorry, I'm just such a person with no interests for such things." Emerald Sparrow couldn't help but pull down her eyelid and turn her face to look towards the corridor nearby.
Perhaps because of earlier instructions, only a few staff members passed through the hallway at this time, with no intention of moving in this direction. The area outside the lounge seemed to have an invisible boundary, keeping everyone apart from magical girls out.
With her unfocused gaze wandering, Emerald Sparrow pursed her lips in thought for a while, then as if she had remembered something, looked up, "Speaking of which, if you really want a place to talk that is also 'meaningful,' I do have a suggestion."
"Oh? What is it?" Asou Haruka's eyes lit up, seemingly intrigued.
"A very quiet place, not somewhere people usually frequent, but ultimately, most residents of Fangting City cannot avoid dealing with it," Emerald Sparrow spoke with a calm voice, her face expressionless, "You know, you should go there and see."
"Not many people go, but I should see it... Is this a riddle?" Asou Haruka laughed bitterly.
"Is it hard to think of the answer?"
"A bit hard, since the clues and conditions are too few. Honestly, there are just too many places like that..."
Asou Haruka's voice trailed off midway, suddenly falling silent.
Her facial expression also froze at that moment; she was quiet for a long time before resignedly letting out a sigh, "Ah, I understand, you're right, it's not difficult to guess."
The two exchanged a silent look, and surprisingly, in that moment, the atmosphere became much more somber, leaving the girls beside them completely baffled.