Ye Lan started to look forward to it.

But before the magician could begin his performance, he paused for a moment, as if he’d just received a message from someone.

The magician’s expression quickly turned crestfallen. He said to Ye Lan regretfully,

“I’m very sorry, but something’s suddenly come up. I might not be able to perform for you now. If it’s all right with you, could I put on a show the next time we meet?”

Ye Lan scratched her little head.

“Well, if that’s the case, there’s nothing we can do. Maybe next time, if we get the chance.”

The magician was deeply moved.

“Thank you. I’ll come find you.” Then the magician turned and left.

Ye Lan breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

Looks like this old guy wasn’t a bad person after all.

When he’d asked her to go with him earlier, Ye Lan had thought he might be a human trafficker.

So he really was an amazing magician~

“I’m incredible. I actually talked to a stranger for that long. I never would’ve dared to do that before...”

Ye Lan muttered to herself.

Just then, her communicator rang. Ling Miao was calling.

“Senior Ling Miao?”

“Ye Lan, are you still in the car, meow?”

“No, I got out for a little walk.”

“What!? You’re a brand-new rookie, and you dared to stroll around so casually in a place where Star Eclipse appeared? That’s dangerous! The Night Watchers are enemies of whoever caused the Star Eclipse. If they spot you, you’re done for!”

Ling Miao was so angry she even dropped her usual “meow.”

After all, Ye Lan was someone she’d brought along without permission. If anything happened, getting punished would be the least of her worries. The important thing was that she’d never forgive herself, and would blame herself for a long time.

“Um, I’m sorry.”

Hearing how angry Ling Miao was, Ye Lan immediately backed down.

Anyway, when a girl gets angry, it’s better not to argue with her. Otherwise, you’ll probably just make her even angrier.

That was something Ye Lan had learned online, though it hadn’t been much use in her day-to-day life.

“I’ll come back right now!”

“Hmph~ Hurry up, meow. Our Night Watcher support team will be here soon. There are quite a few Star Eclipse this time, so it’s best to be careful. If you’re not in the car when I get back, then this won’t be as simple as buying you a meal.”

Maybe two fancy meals, then.

“Waaah~”

Then the call ended.

Ye Lan headed back the way she’d come. But before she could use her escape ability to speed up, she accidentally ran straight into someone coming around the corner.

“Oof~”

Ye Lan was overwhelmed with sorrow.

Why did she keep bumping into people today?!

Damn it!

Fortunately, the other person caught her and stopped her from falling to the ground.

Ye Lan hadn’t even gotten a good look at them before she hurriedly bowed in apology.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! I was running too fast and didn’t watch where I was going. I’m so sorry!”

“It’s all right. I forgive you. I don’t mind well-mannered children. You can lift your head now. You only need to apologize once.”

The other person’s voice was gentle. He sounded like a good person.

Ye Lan raised her head and saw two figures standing in front of her.

One was a smiling man wearing a mask that covered the upper half of his face. The other was a mysterious man in a top hat and black formalwear.

They were the Trickster and the Gentleman.

The Gentleman smiled kindly and said, “If you’re in a hurry, little lady, don’t worry about us. People make mistakes when they’re in a rush. Your good manners make me very happy. I wish everyone were like you.”

“Don’t praise me so much. You’re making me a little embarrassed...”

Ye Lan covered her slightly flushed face. Being praised by a stranger really was a little embarrassing.

She’d never been praised like that before, and she wasn’t the kind of person who got a big head easily.

The Gentleman nodded. “Modesty is good manners, too. Since we both have things to do, let’s part ways here. I hope we get the chance to meet again. Goodbye.”

“Mm-hmm, goodbye~”

Then the two mysterious men left, gradually disappearing into the crowd.

Ye Lan scratched her head, a little puzzled.

They gave her a feeling somewhat like Mr. Magician had.

“Whatever. I should get out of here first.”

Putting those strange thoughts aside, Ye Lan sheepishly headed back.

......

By the time Ye Lan got back to the hovercar, Ling Miao was already waiting there.

“Hmm...”

Ling Miao glared at Ye Lan, fuming. Her little tiger fangs looked ready to bite her, like an angry cat with its fur standing on end. It was incredibly cute.

Ye Lan was charmed by the sight, too.

But she knew this wasn’t the time to be silly. It felt like Ling Miao might pounce on her and bite her at any moment.

She was doomed.

Ling Miao strode over to Ye Lan and repeatedly poked her soft, squishy cheeks with a finger.

“I’m so mad! Do you know what you did wrong?”

“Wuu~ I shouldn’t have wandered off...”

Ye Lan couldn’t understand how a little girl who wasn’t even an adult could be so forceful. Ye Lan was actually older than her.

Was this what the Night Watchers were like?

“Anything else?” Ling Miao still looked furious.

Ye Lan looked confused. “What else?”

“Did you think my livestream was boring, meow? That I’m a useless rookie who can’t even get near a Star Eclipse core?”

“Mm-hmm!”

She admitted it! She was incredibly brave!

Ling Miao poked her cheeks even faster.

“You don’t know anything! There were at least three Star Eclipse at Wanyu Plaza. Two troublesome ones were on the second floor, and there was no point in me going there. Finding the third one was the other Night Watchers’ job. Did you think I was just wandering around?”

“Waaah!”

“Crying cutely won’t help. When we get back, I’ll be the one to look after you and teach you the basics of being a Night Watcher~”

Ye Lan timidly raised her hand.

“I think I’m still too young for this. Look how little I am. The organization wouldn’t send a kid out on a mission, would it?”

To slack off, Ye Lan shamelessly decided to act younger.

Ling Miao fell into thought and muttered, “I guess that’s true.”

After all, she hadn’t been officially sent out either.

She snuck out every time. When the other Night Watchers found out, they could only sigh helplessly. There wasn’t much they could do about her.

After a few times, she’d gotten used to it.

Disciplinary action?

It wasn’t like she ever got anything too harsh.

Ling Miao could dodge a lot of the less serious punishments by acting cute. Those lolicon Night Watchers were ridiculously easy to handle!

That’s just how shameless she was.

Then Ling Miao quickly caught on.

“A mission is a mission, and the basics are the basics. Knowing the basics doesn’t mean you have to go on a mission, so they’re completely unrelated, meow!”

Ye Lan suddenly understood. “Oh, right~”

Just then, Ling Miao received a message: the two Star Eclipse on the second floor had disappeared.

The traces of Star Eclipse nearby had all vanished, too, as if they’d withdrawn according to plan.

“That damn Tragic Shadow Troupe! This is why they’re such a hassle, on par with a Supernova, meow!”

“What’s that?” Ye Lan asked curiously.

“Nothing. It’s not something you can get involved in yet. Let’s go back.”

“Oh.”