Chương 169: Look, she's glowing.

"This is----" Ji Ying watched as Director Roland took out the box and gently placed it on his desk after all the security personnel had left, and felt somewhat puzzled.

She couldn't quite understand how this old man could use such a small wooden box to prove his stance and determination.

Director Roland did not explain immediately. Instead, he used his weathered hands, with an almost reverent gesture, to slowly and gently open the clasp of the wooden box.

Inside the box, a layer of deep black velvet, as dark as the night sky, lay quietly. In the center of the velvet, a diamond-shaped crystal with a dim light and several shocking cracks on its surface lay there quietly.

That familiar shape, that pure magical energy even in its dimness—

"Tears of a Star?!"

Almost the instant Ji Ying saw the rhombus-shaped crystal, he subconsciously straightened up slightly from the sofa, his dark red pupils contracting sharply in surprise.

She immediately spoke, her voice filled with undisguised shock: "Why—as an ordinary person, do you possess a magical girl's power core?"

Director Roland did not answer Ji Ying's question immediately, but simply gazed quietly at the Star Tear in the wooden box. His once dull and empty eyes now seemed to shine with the gentlest light in the world.

He no longer sat in the large chair that symbolized power, but slowly got up, carefully holding the wooden box in one hand, and slowly walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

With her other hand, she gently pressed it against the cold tempered glass, a tender smile on her face.

Outside the window, a continuous, cold rain curtain shrouded the entire city in a hazy gray outline.

But in Roland's "vision," the blurry rain scene before him seemed to vanish in an instant, replaced by a sunny afternoon many years ago.

He was much younger back then, with jet-black hair and full of vigor.

The Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs building had only recently been completed, and he stood in the same brand-new office, overlooking the bustling yet peaceful city below.

The only difference was that there was a small figure standing next to him, much shorter than him.

A little girl with cute pigtails, wearing a pretty princess dress, is looking at the world with curiosity and excitement through her clear, bright eyes.

He held her soft, delicate little hand, his voice filled with the pride and tenderness of a father: "Xiao hope, look, this is where Daddy will work in the future, and it's the city we'll protect together."

The little girl named Luo Xi stood on tiptoe, pressing her face against the cold glass, looking down at the tiny, ant-like traffic below, her eyes shining with a light brighter than the sunlight.

She turned her head and, in a childlike yet incredibly firm voice, made her first vow to herself: "Dad, I want to be like you someday, a really, really amazing person! Together with you, we'll protect this beautiful city!"

The memories shattered like a broken mirror, and the cold, rainy scene in reality once again filled his "vision," completely washing away the illusion of a sunny day.

Director Roland's smile remained unchanged, but beneath that gentleness lay a deep, unforgettable pain that was difficult to dispel.

"This Tear of the Star—it was left by my daughter, Rosie." His voice was low and hoarse, each word carrying a heavy weight.

"She was also a magical girl like Miss Starfrost, codenamed Morning Star."

"A child—the bravest and kindest I have ever met."

"Unfortunately, she sacrificed herself a few years ago in a battle against the Void Realm, in order to protect this city and her companions."

Ji Ying listened quietly without saying a word, a bittersweet feeling welling up inside her.

She could clearly feel the almost overwhelming grief in the old man's words, as well as the deep-seated love and longing for his daughter hidden beneath that grief.

Just then, Ji Ying suddenly remembered something.

When they first met, Roland told her, who was Starfrost, that he had constructed a spell with the help of a magical girl, which allowed him to "see" the things around him in a way similar to that of a bat.

Could it be that—

"Director Roland," Ji Ying asked tentatively, "that spell on you—that allows you to see things—could it be—?"

Upon hearing this, Director Roland paused for a moment, then a more bitter, yet gentler, smile appeared on his face.

"Yes, that was the last gift Xiaoxi left me."

"She knew I was blind, so after becoming a magical girl, she worked hard to research and eventually created this spell."

She said she wanted me to be able to continue seeing this world we both protect in a special way.

Jiying's heart was deeply touched after hearing this cruel yet tender truth.

She felt a deep respect for the elderly man before her who had lost his daughter but still chose to carry on her legacy, continuing to protect the city through his daughter's "eyes."

Director Roland was unaware of the turmoil in Ji Ying's heart. He simply turned around slowly, handed the wooden box containing the Star Tear to her, and his voice returned to its previous calm and steady tone: "Miss Ji Ying, let's get back to the main topic."

"I know that this story alone may not be enough to completely dispel all your doubts about me."

"But the Tears of Stars don't lie."

"It can sense the essence of the soul of the one it touches; a pure heart of protection can make it shine again, while twisted evil intentions will only make it dimmer."

Roland paused, then added calmly, "I know this may sound a bit far-fetched. If you don't believe me, you can leave here immediately and ask Miss Starfrost or the Star String Inspector for confirmation."

"As magical girls, they must know the secret of the Star Tears."

"I'll wait for you here until you're sure I'm telling the truth."

Looking at Roland's open and sincere face, Ji Ying quickly made a final confirmation with the system in his mind.

【Tears of Stars are the highly condensed essence of a magical girl's soul and will, possessing an extremely high sensitivity to intense emotions and core will】 [In theory, when it comes into contact with a soul that possesses a pure, positive core will such as "protection" or "love," it can indeed resonate strongly, thus being rekindled.] After receiving the system's affirmative reply, Ji Ying took a deep breath and solemnly said to Roland, "I believe you, Director Roland. Please—begin your proof."

Roland nodded solemnly. He reached out his slightly trembling hand and gently took out the dim Star Tear from the wooden box, holding it steadily in his palm.

He slowly closed his eyes, no longer trying to "see," but instead focusing entirely on "feeling" and recalling.

He recalled the first loud cry of his daughter Luo Xi when she was born, the joy of her first toddler rushing into his arms, the proud expression on her face when she first transformed, and the way she cried and apologized to him at the last moment of her life.

Endless love, endless longing, and the unwavering determination to inherit his daughter's will and fight the Void Realm to the death poured out from the depths of his soul at this moment.

In his palm, the once dull and lifeless Star Tear seemed to be summoned by some kind of inspiration, and began to emit a soft and warm glow.

The light, though not very bright, was incredibly pure and steady, like a star stubbornly shining before dawn.

The morning star that never goes out.

Ji Ying watched this scene quietly, his heart filled with indescribable shock and emotion.

Just then, Director Roland slowly opened his eyes. He gently rubbed the glowing Star Tear with his fingertips, a smile of immense satisfaction appearing on his face.

Then, he turned to Jiying and extended an invitation that caught her off guard: "Miss Jiying, why don't you give it a try?"

"Me?!" Ji Ying was shocked upon hearing this and almost reflexively took a half step back, waving his hands frantically.

"No, my current body is constructed from ethereal energy. What if I damage it? This is Miss Morning Star's keepsake!"

She absolutely did not want her reckless actions to cause the power within her, originating from the void, to destroy this invaluable relic that carried the deep emotions of a father.

Director Roland smiled gently again, shook his head slightly, and said softly in a tone full of peace and tolerance, "It's alright, Miss Jiying. I have already made a judgment on your position, and inviting you to touch it was not for testing purposes."

"I just want someone who also has a firm heart to protect her to be a witness to her shining again. Perhaps she also wants to feel the resonance from the guardians of the new era."

"As for whether this Star Tear will be damaged, please don't worry."

"As I just said, whether you can make her shine does not depend on whether you are drawn to magic or ethereal energy, but on the essence of your soul, on your—heart."

Is it within my heart?

Ji Ying's heart stirred slightly, and he confirmed with the system again.

Theoretically, a body constructed purely of virtual energy could indeed cause some degree of erosion against the Tears of the Stars.

However—host, your situation is rather special; we suggest you try it yourself.

After receiving the system's ambiguous yet somewhat encouraging answer, Ji Ying looked at Roland's eyes, which were full of trust and expectation, and at the Star Tear lying quietly in his palm, emitting a faint light, and no longer hesitated.

She knew that this was not just a test, but also a response to her inner determination to protect, and a belated tribute to the magical girl senior codenamed "Morning Star".

Ji Ying took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the illusory energy within his body, and with utmost awe and reverence, slowly extended a slender finger.

Then, under Director Roland's expectant "gaze," she carefully and gently touched the Star Tear that was emitting a soft glow.

The instant her fingertips touched the Star Tears—

"Buzz—!!!"

Ji Ying instantly felt an indescribable resonance, as if it came from the depths of his soul.

Immediately afterwards, the Star Tear, which had previously only emitted a soft glow, suddenly burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling light.

The light was so dazzling, so warm, so pure, as if it contained all the beauty and hope in the world, illuminating the dim office almost instantly.

Although Roland could not see the light, he could clearly "feel" a pure and powerful resonance flowing from his palm, warming his heart that had been frozen for many years.

He also sensed in the silent figure before him the same unwavering will as his own daughter to protect those he cared about, a will that was willing to give everything to protect those he loved.

His weathered face first showed an expression of extreme shock, which then turned into a smile of immense relief and reassurance.

Two silent tears slid uncontrollably down his empty eye sockets.

He didn't "look" at the lonely figure in front of him, but rather seemed to see, through the dazzling light, his daughter who had stood beside him many years ago, proudly making a vow to him, shining like a morning star.

He murmured softly, his voice trembling slightly yet filled with immense relief, as if speaking to the girl in heaven, or proclaiming to the world: "Look—"

"She is glowing."