Chapter Thirty-Five: The Talent Show

As long as Miss Bai’s younger sister, Xiao Die, went up there—whether to sing or dance—it didn't matter how the performance went. As the primary financier behind the panel of judges, he could ensure Xiao Die secured a spot in the top three of the competition.

"Xiao Die, do you want to go up and participate?"

Boss Xia’s casual remark successfully shifted Iris’s gaze toward Phantom Butterfly.

"No. Too much trouble."

"Go on, give it a try. If you can take first place, your sister can grant you one request within my power!"

Iris leaned close to Phantom Butterfly’s ear, a wisp of heat brushing against the girl’s earlobe. Phantom Butterfly’s steps faltered slightly. She looked back, and through the telepathic link that only a Demon姬 could hear, she voiced her request: "Can I have my Magic Armament back?"

"Of course!"

Those bewitching, intoxicating peach-blossom eyes looked clear and transparent at that moment. Bai Yuze’s feelings toward Iris were complex. In both human society and the Abyss, Iris was a notorious figure. In the human world, she killed without blinking and destroyed countless structures; in the Abyss, she was equally fanatical and bloodthirsty, viewing all other Abyssal creatures as nothing more than ants.

*If I destroy you, what does it have to do with you?*

To him, she was both an elder sister who cared for his well-being and a demon tempting him toward sin. Her pitch-black wings would wrap tightly around him, and her seductive words would circle his ears. Each transaction seemed absurd, yet the stakes were always dangerously alluring.

A Magic Armament is a magical weapon obtained by every Magical Girl once they are recognized by a magic sprite. Each one is unique and linked to the Magical Girl’s magical core. Without it, a Magical Girl is like the Monkey King without his golden staff—her power would be more than halved. Since Bai Yuze fell from grace and became the Demon姬 Phantom Butterfly, his Magic Armament had been confiscated by Iris under the guise of guardianship. Ever since, he had been using an Abyssal Demon姬’s cursed armament—the Scythe of the Morpho.

It would be impossible for Bai Yuze not to be tempted. If he could get his Magic Armament back, many things would become much easier.

"Really?"

"When has your sister ever lied to you?"

"Then I accept."

He didn't know what Iris was plotting, but since she had offered the opportunity, Phantom Butterfly naturally wouldn't hesitate. It was just a talent show; it wasn't as if she couldn't perform.

***

At the Magical Girl cosplay talent show, the number of audience members grew alongside the influx of enthusiastic participants. There isn't a young person alive who doesn't like looking at beautiful people; if they didn't, adding cosplay and a talent show to the mix would surely break any man's resistance.

Boss Xia and Iris sat in the VIP seats on the second floor. On the table lay a bottle of Wahaha mineral water, a pen, and a sheet of paper. The ranking from the judges below was merely a reference; the true power to decide the rankings rested with him.

Currently standing on stage was a Magical Boy wearing a black robber’s mask. He was playing "Renai Circulation" on a *suona*. The sound was bright, not harsh, and carried an incredible piercing quality. His appearance instantly drew cheers from the majority of the audience. On one hand, the extreme contrast of a boy in a magical girl outfit was eye-catching; on the other, he was actually quite skilled with the *suona*.

After this performer left the stage, the subsequent acts reverted to the usual coy posing and affected daintiness. After scoring the previous standout, Xia Tao lost all interest in the performers on stage. He had no interest in cosplay; with his wealth, he could have any woman he wanted. He preferred money over beauty.

He looked at the seemingly bored Miss Bai beside him and asked, "Miss Bai, after reviewing the previous proposal, what are your thoughts?"

"This isn't really the right occasion to discuss business." Iris gave him a faint glance, appearing somewhat impatient. Having dealt him a subtle warning, she shifted her gaze back to Phantom Butterfly, who was waiting in line below.

Boss Xia nodded awkwardly. "Miss Bai is right. We shall discuss it after the competition ends." He felt a bit stifled. In the past, whenever they discussed cooperation, as long as the documentation was in order, Miss Bai would always cut through the Gordian knot with clean, decisive efficiency.

Following her gaze, Xia Tao saw Phantom Butterfly standing on her tiptoes, borrowing an instrument from a staff member. He suddenly felt a sense of clarity: it seemed that in the eyes of this angel investor, money was not as important as Miss Xiao Die. As long as Miss Xiao Die was happy, Miss Bai would naturally be happy, and the subsequent investment would follow.

However, this put Xia Tao in a difficult position. He had managed to glean some inside information from his wife that his daughter loved cosplaying as a Magical Girl and had a close friend from a humble background. He had originally intended to quietly award first place to his daughter and second to her best friend, giving his daughter pocket money while helping her friend—all while making his daughter happy.

Three birds with one stone. But now, glancing at the angel investor beside him and then at the beautiful figure about to take the stage, Xia Tao fell into deep thought.

Soon, the beautiful figure stepped onto the stage. The girl had long, slightly curled red hair and wore a dignified, rose-red magical girl dress. Her delicate arms were covered in snow-white lace gloves, and she wore white thigh-high socks, her figure slender and graceful.

She was as beautiful as Wang Qiang and as elegant as a maiden of Chu. Her appearance was sweet and radiant, full of the vigor of youth. Seeing her felt as if, during a calamity beast invasion, a real Magical Girl had truly stood before you.

Unexpectedly, shortly after the rose-red figure took the stage, another beautiful figure followed. She had long, wavy blue hair that flowed down like seaweed. Her snow-white, doll-like face was half-hidden by the deep blue locks, giving her a mysterious, "peeking behind a lute" quality. Her large, deep blue eyes betrayed a hint of undetectable nervousness.

The two petite, exquisite figures—one red, one blue—offered the audience and judges an endless visual feast.

"Hello, judges. My partner and I are cosplaying 'Fire Red' and 'Sea Blue' from the Magical Girls. Our performance is titled *And I'm Home*."

Fire Red leaned back as a long, flowing melody began. Sea Blue danced in the center of the stage, her movements light as a swallow, her body as soft as clouds, her arms as flexible as if they had no bones. Her dance steps were like blooming lotuses, fluttering like butterflies amidst flowers, flowing like a murmuring stream through the woods, and shining like the morning light in a narrow alley dispelling the darkness.

As the melancholic music neared its end, the two girls, like spirits of the flowers, gradually slowed their movements, ready to put a period on this beautiful poem.

Then, the mishap occurred.

At the very moment the music was about to stop, the blue-haired girl stepped toward the rose-red girl to signal the finale, but she stumbled, stepping on the rose-red girl’s ankle. Their rhythm and steps fell into instant disarray.

The pleased expression on Xia Tao’s face at the judges' table froze for a moment—a look of regret, followed by a sigh of relief.

On stage, Xia Qing could clearly feel Han Xue’s arm tense up and her muscles stiffen. She could even see fear and nervousness in her friend's eyes—emotions she had never shown even when facing calamity beasts. However, considering Han Xue rarely performed in public and their practice time had been limited, she let it go. Winning a prize would be best, but if not, the experience was what mattered.

Holding Han Xue’s sweaty, nervous hand, Xia Qing gave a slight bow to the judges below. "Because this is our first time performing on stage, both my partner and I were a bit nervous, which inevitably led to a few small mistakes. However, failure is the mother of success. Next time, my partner and I will train even harder, striving to bring everyone an even more brilliant and colorful dance."

Her etiquette was poised and graceful, her voice crisp and pleasant. She immediately won the favor and understanding of the audience. The judges nodded repeatedly, impressed by how quickly she had stabilized herself and her partner after the mistake. Even Xia Tao on the second floor nodded with satisfaction; she was his daughter, after all—her poise was impeccable.

Inevitably, Xia Tao’s gaze drifted toward where Phantom Butterfly was about to take the stage, and he began to secretly compare them.

With such a gem preceding her, it would be a lie to say Phantom Butterfly wasn't nervous while holding the *guqin* she had just borrowed. But thinking of her Magic Armament, she looked toward the center of the stage, took a deep breath, and let it out.

There was only one chance; whether she could grasp it depended on this moment.

In an instant, Phantom Butterfly’s deep purple eyes shifted from apprehensive to calm. It was her turn.

On stage, the girl’s hair was a pale purple, flowing smoothly over her fair, smooth shoulders. A crystal-clear purple gem adorned her chest, emitting a faint, shimmering glow. A deep purple, gorgeous dress showcased her slender curves, and her legs were wrapped in water-thin purple silk stockings with black lace trim.

As more and more eyes fixed upon her, a wave of inexplicable heat rose in Phantom Butterfly’s lower abdomen. Pale purple, glowing butterflies emerged from the black magic patterns on her body, fluttering out to land on the surrounding crowd, merging into them.

At that moment, the fervent gazes of the people around her were filled with a pale purple halo, all of them suffused with a sense of possessiveness that was impossible to control. The pale purple aura filling the air surprised Iris, who was watching from the sidelines. She couldn't help but remark:

"Xiao Die’s charm has reached a new level. She’s only just taken the stage, and all the humans here are already enchanted. But we can’t let them evolve now, or a bunch of thralls appearing at a comic convention would ruin a perfectly good date."

Iris extended her smooth, white palm and gave a gentle wave. The pale purple butterflies vanished entirely, and the faint commotion among the crowd settled back into calm.

Just then, the screen behind the stage shifted to a sunset by a lotus pond.

The peerless girl stood there, her dark hair like a waterfall cascading down. Her hands, flawless as mutton-fat jade, plucked the strings lightly, and a beautiful melody flowed out. The sound of the zither was like rippling blue water, misty and vast. It carried a gentle rhythm, drawing everyone into an intoxicated state. She simply sat there with lowered eyes, possessing an otherworldly elegance and nobility, as if a fairy had descended to the mortal realm.

Everyone was rendered speechless.

Phantom Butterfly plucked the strings again, the melody lingering and intertwining, mirroring the clouds and water. In this instant, she was no longer the Demon姬 Phantom Butterfly, but a noble and dignified Dark Elf princess, leaving no room for a single impure thought.

The audience below was mesmerized. They had originally thought the *suona*-playing "Magical Boy" was impressive, and then the Magical Girl twins' *And I'm Home* had followed—but now, this fairy-like Demon姬 cosplayer with the *guqin* was competing for the spotlight. It seemed this trip to the comic convention was worth it.

After a moment, someone finally snapped out of it and pulled out their phone to snap pictures of the fairy-like Magical Girl on stage. Even if they didn't post a video to the P-site, just having a few photos for a wallpaper would be nice. The fast ones had already uploaded videos to the P-site and various short-video platforms.

Under each video, netizens began to comment:

"Hey, isn't this the Ye Qiu City comic convention near my house? Damn, so many beauties! If I’d known, I would’ve gone, but it’s not too late to go now."

"Envious of the guy above, I want to go too."

"My god, so many beauties. I originally thought the 400-yuan ticket wasn't worth it. Uploader, post the location quickly!"

"This is so interesting. I think I recognize that uploader wearing the Magical Girl outfit. Isn't that the *suona* madman!"

"Wow, the Magical Girl twins are so pretty, and the dance was great too, though it’s a shame about the mistake at the end."

"I'm a medical student, and I know a bit about skin conditions. That Demon姬 lady playing the *guqin* has somewhat pale skin. It could be due to malnutrition or a weak constitution leading to pallor; or it could be depigmentation, or even large sweat patches caused by bacteria growing because she often sweats and doesn't clean up in time. But there aren't enough details for a diagnosis. So, uploader, can you help me get her contact info? No other reason, I just think treating illnesses should be done early—don't take it lightly."

"The abacus beads from the guy above just hit me in the face."

"I really like that Demon姬 lady. Seeing her, I feel like I've fallen in love at first sight."

"No, that’s just lust."

"Agree with the comment above."

"Hey, those two Demon姬 cosplayers in the video are acting so real. Do you think it’s possible they’re actually real Demon姬s?"

"Would you go to a sheep pen to throw a party?"

"Why not?"

"..."

"The internet has once again shown me the diversity of life."

After the performances, the participants retreated to their respective rest areas to drink water and relax, waiting for the judges to tally the rankings.

Phantom Butterfly lay on Iris’s lap, watching as she scrolled through the P-site on her phone. At a glance, she saw the latest trending video: *"Shock! I fell into a nest of Magical Girls at the Ye Qiu City Comic Convention."*

It told the story of how the uploader had originally regretted paying 400 yuan for a ticket, only to see a stunning poster for the Magical Girl talent contest—first place 10,000, second 5,000, third 1,000. It wasn't just the cosplayers who were tempted; even the uploader’s eyes lit up as he watched the girls shedding their costumes. The video showed some of the better cosplayers, followed by a highlight reel of the entire competition. The editing was excellent, cutting out the boring parts and making the whole event look continuously exciting.

Watching Iris frantically "liking" comments in the section, Phantom Butterfly couldn't help but feel speechless. The once dignified and imposing Abyssal Demon姬 was now giggling away like a regular human girl.