Starting from a Magical Girl, Dominating Eternity-Chapter 274 - 96: This Is the Moment Before Death

In this world, there are no Magical Girls.

An Shiyu knew this from a very young age.

Back in Beihai, no matter how many times she prayed, her illness never improved.

Her existence seemed never to bring any happiness or joy.

Magic Girl anime was once popular for a time in Beihai.

Miracles that could fulfill any wish, heroes that could save everyone.

But it was all fake.

She decided never to believe in Magical Girls again.

That year, she was six years old.

Until she left Beihai, she never heard of, nor saw any real Magical Girl.

Her parents boarded a bus from Beihai to Hu Lin City to treat her illness.

Then, on the way, a horrific accident occurred.

Many people died in that accident.

An Shiyu also lost her hearing in her right ear and was left with a rather unsightly scar on her neck due to that accident.

Her mother ended up hospitalized and became paralyzed, and shortly after, her father lost his job.

The family, originally doing quite well, suddenly fell into hardship.

She was still sent to the neighboring Hu Lin City.

Her parents in the hospital held her hand gently, telling her to listen to the doctors and not to wander off.

They were just going far away, and it would take a long time before they returned.

But, An Shiyu never managed to wait for her parents to return in the end.

Waiting from winter to spring, from spring to summer.

The girl's small wishes had never been granted.

Whether it was wishing for her illness to be cured.

Or hoping her parents would come to see her.

Wishes that cannot be realized will only gradually wither, swept away by the river-like passage of time.

Becoming an endless despair.

Because that's how dull and ordinary this world is.

An Shiyu was very lucky.

After leaving the hospital, some kind soul arranged for her to enter an orphanage.

Although there was no sign of her illness improving, there was also no sign of it worsening.

And so the days passed, one by one.

She seldom spoke to others voluntarily, nor did she think of making friends.

Because sooner or later, she was going to die.

But there was a girl in the orphanage who always liked to stick to her.

Because she always liked to chatter and talk incessantly, everyone in the orphanage called her Sparrow.

Sparrow was not popular in the orphanage due to her chatter; no one wanted to play with her.

Only An Shiyu wouldn't shoo her away, so whenever there was free time, she would sit beside her and talk about various things.

What she talked about most was Magical Girls.

How dazzling Magical Girls were, how beautiful and lovely, like princesses.

Girls shining brightly, performing miracles, defeating all monsters...

She really, really liked Magical Girls, always fantasizing about their existence.

That was something An Shiyu had long since given up on.

Because Sparrow was so annoying with her talk, one day An Shiyu asked her:

"Do you want to become a Magical Girl?"

Unexpectedly, Sparrow told her, "I, I can't become a Magical Girl."

"I'm not pretty, I have no power, and I'm afraid of pain, also afraid of monsters..."

In Hu Lin City, what monsters are there?

To Sparrow, who had seriously considered this, An Shiyu only found it amusing.

If you admire them so much, you'd want to become such an existence.

A shining Magical Girl who can fulfill others' dreams.

Clearly filled with admiration, yet feeling unable to become a Magical Girl, it was so unashamedly humble.

Of course, An Shiyu herself had long passed the time of aspiring to be a Magical Girl.

Therefore, when the boys in the orphanage, due to Sparrow's influence, came up to her saying: "Magical Girls don't exist at all."

An Shiyu merely smiled.

Whether it was mockery towards herself, or to attract her attention, for An Shiyu, she already didn't care about this matter.

The wishes she wanted to realize had long since vanished.

Even if a real Magical Girl were to appear before her, she wouldn't know what to wish for.

Miracles, to someone without wishes.

Are insignificant and trivial.

She just quietly, quietly waited for her death.

Like a detached outsider, watching everything happening in the world.

Until the world abandons her.

That year, she was twelve.

If possible, living peacefully until her death might be the best.

However, the world never allows her life to be too comfortable.

It has been this way since birth.

She was used to the unexpected happenings.

A group of strangers came to the orphanage, though she didn't know how or why, familiar staff were all dismissed.

The orphanage kept being remodeled, kept being remodeled.

Until it transformed into a form An Shiyu didn't recognize.

The space for activities turned underground.

And then, over time, everyone was trapped underground, unable to escape.

They were kept in the basement, guarded at the door, being chased back if they approached.

Children who tried to break out were beaten very badly.

One child who stole a key and nearly opened the door was beaten into unconsciousness by the adults.

Afterward, even hung up and beaten to make them cry out for everyone to see.

From then on, no one dared to try breaking out again.

Not long after, the other boys were gradually sent away, and no one knew what happened to them, maybe they were still alive, maybe dead.

Only girls were left behind.

A life of darkness, boredom, waiting, interrogation, and physical tests every day.