"Haha... Senior, you think too poorly of the Chief. "
Hong Siyu smiled helplessly, relaxing her grip on the notebook somewhat: "Actually, it's sort of good news... It means that, if everything goes as planned, I will be able to revert back to my original form soon. "
Her words made Emerald Sparrow slightly startled.
"Revert to your original form?"
After a brief pause, Emerald Sparrow immediately pressed on, "Really?"
"Yes, though there are some complications, it should be feasible. "
Hong Siyu turned her head to the side: "But... it might not be 'reverting' in the usual sense that you think. "
"I feel like you're about to mention something troublesome."
"...You're sharp as always, Senior."
Hong Siyu nodded with her eyes cast down: "Since my original body hasn't fully recovered and is still unstable, to revert back and return to normal life, the Chief gave a suggestion."
"To create a 'temporary body' using my original form as a template," Hong Siyu candidly replied.
Emerald Sparrow didn't answer but fell into silence, staring at Hong Siyu. It took her several seconds to comprehend the meaning behind her junior's words. And perhaps because her gaze was too intense and unguarded, it caused Hong Siyu to lower her head even further.
After a long silence, Emerald Sparrow finally spoke: "What you're calling 'creating a temporary body'... wouldn't that mean crafting a physical body to act as your own in the material world?"
"As expected of a Magical Girl who is among the top five for the fastest blooming in a century, your comprehension is indeed exceptional."
Mother Green chimed in from the side, her backhanded compliment drawing a slightly indifferent roll of the eyes from Emerald Sparrow, but she was unconcerned:
"To be precise, because Chaoyan's original body was severely affected by the Remnant Beasts, and even after detaching their concept, too many organs have been eroded and cannot recover to their original state. Healing will require a long-term nurturing process, so her body must remain dormant for the time being, hence the need for a replacement body for her activity."
"Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie." Emerald Sparrow expressed her thoughts quite bluntly.
"Don't underestimate our Research Institute; some of the things in the material realm's sci-fi movies can't even imagine our capabilities."
Mother Green shook her head, seemingly forgetting she had just said a few sentences before that she was "unfamiliar with the younger generation in the material realm," and she commented sharply: "Fantasy is based on reality, and our nation's legends are often the source of people's fantasies."
"So what about the feasibility?"
Adhering to the principle of utmost caution, Emerald Sparrow further inquired: "Is the technology mature and what are the risks?"
"Worried about its maturity? You needn't be concerned about that. The technology to create life forms has been mature for decades and has seen many successful applications. We're not just talking about humans; we can replicate fairy bodies to some extent."
Mother Green pointed to her current fairy doll body: "The only thing we can't do is create a soul out of nothing. All life forms we create are unconscious objects. But for us, that's a good thing—as merely creating a backup body without self-awareness doesn't carry any ethical or moral burden."
"Sounds like you've been considering this for a while."
Mother Green nodded: "Because you know, Chaoyan's condition isn't good, and your situation is even worse. Right now, Fangting City lacks powerful deterrent forces. To be blunt, as the next keeper of The Source of Beasts, I'm not confident in the security here."
"So you want an injured member to make more sacrifices for this?" Emerald Sparrow couldn't help but frown.
"Don't jump to conclusions, young one. I have never said this is a 'sacrifice.' The technology for artificial bodies is very advanced and will not impose any burden or harm on the user."
Mother Green extended a paw, offering simple reassurance: "I can assure you that Chaoyan won't be adversely affected by this decision, and she will only benefit from it—like she can immediately start training to solidify her Magical Girl strength and also return to her original life."
"What about your own wishes?" Emerald Sparrow turned to Hong Siyu.
"It was my own idea, and I agreed to it."
Regarding this question, Hong Siyu raised her head, looking earnestly at Emerald Sparrow: "Like I said before, Senior. Even if it's just for this period of time, I want to protect this city, protect the juniors, and protect you."
Emerald Sparrow watched her quietly.
After a moment, she closed her eyes and then opened them again, sighing: "Thank you, I'm sorry."
"Senior, there's nothing for you to apologize for; you've already saved me three times."
Hong Siyu subconsciously smoothed the cover of the notebook in her hands: "And besides, you know, it's mainly... for you."
Her latter words were very soft, but still clearly heard by both Emerald Sparrow and Mother Green. Emerald Sparrow pressed her lips together, shifting her gaze as if avoiding something, while Mother Green let out an ill-intentioned whistle.
"Young people, ah, young people," she couldn't help but remark, "youth is truly wonderful."
"So? Now that you've told me this, what more do you want?"
Emerald Sparrow looked at Mother Green with a deadpan expression, steering the conversation back on track: "If you just wanted my opinion, it seems unnecessary to have called me with a magic mirror halfway through."