What's that woman implying?
Faced with the Purple Diamond's question, Lin Xiaolu's mind, initially blurred due to tension, suddenly became much clearer.
She was no longer a child who knew nothing. Before she came, Emerald Sparrow had repeatedly emphasized certain points, with the main idea being: don't casually engage with Purple Diamond, and certainly don't reveal everything.
Could she become a Gemstone Scepter without the Queen's "investiture"? This claim was indeed impactful, filling Lin Xiaolu with curiosity, making her want to ask more from the other party, but it didn't mean she would forget the promises she made beforehand.
Nonetheless, since the question was posed, Lin Xiaolu should provide an answer.
Why did she become special? Was it because she was the daughter of a magical girl? Or was it that her mother—An Ya was unique herself? Or perhaps Moke's always elusive background held some explanation? Had Emerald Sparrow secretly taught her some unusual abilities? Or was it her increasingly mysterious dad...
No, it shouldn't be him. After all, they've lived together for almost fifteen years, and her dad has always been an ordinary person.
Stopping herself from the baseless wandering thoughts, Lin Xiaolu hesitated for a while before deciding to reveal a bit of the truth.
"My mom is also a magical girl," she answered.
"Your mother is a magical girl? Hmm, that sounds like a distinct point, but I regret to say, it's not a sufficient reason." Purple Diamond seemed to not notice Lin Xiaolu's hesitation, analyzing by herself: "The Magic Kingdom has never lacked descendants of magical girls, even families with generations of magical girls are not uncommon. If the descendants of magical girls could inherently possess the potential to surpass the Flower Level, why has there never been one before?"
"Unless your mother herself was special? But I remember Fangting City is just a very ordinary small city, although there were some investigation projects set up before, they yielded no results, except for the generation of magical girls twenty years ago..."
At this point, she suddenly realized something and looked at Lin Xiaolu: "Who is your mother? Cornflower?"
"Ah, that can be said... uh, but my mom's code name is Ying," Lin Xiaolu stammered as she replied.
She didn't plan to hide it, considering the person before her was a Gemstone Scepter, such a fact can be discovered if one decided to investigate. Knowing that Emerald Sparrow had cautioned her not to disclose too much about her mother indicated an understanding and even tacit acceptance of the situation.
"Ying? That person?"
Purple Diamond skeptically glanced at Lin Xiaolu's face, then at her head: "Not a bit alike."
"No matter what you say, my mom is my mom." Lin Xiaolu wasn't very pleased but dared not argue too hard.
"Then let's assume what you said is true… That does sound somewhat plausible."
Purple Diamond sat back down, and with lowered eyes, pondered: "If that's the case, in fact, from a certain perspective, I also know your mom."
"Huh?" This was indeed the first time Lin Xiaolu had heard of this.
"Not anything significant; just consider me as a colleague with no personal connection to your mother."
Purple Diamond waved her hand: "It was merely due to some official engagements that there was contact, and since your mom is quite skilled at interacting with others, we've exchanged a few simple words."
"My mom… so she does get to meet with someone at Gemstone Scepter level for work?" Lin Xiaolu was a bit stunned.
"She never mentioned it to you?" Purple Diamond tapped one foot rhythmically on the ground: "Being recognized as the Strong Flower, a lot of affairs in the Material Realm are often prioritized with her in the Kingdom discussions. Although she usually finds some inexplicable excuses to stay out of things, saying stuff like 'want to accompany my husband and child' like a housewife, she would end up pushing the matters to others. So, in my eyes, she was someone always mysterious, hiding away, secretly plotting something… But then something regrettable happened, proving my views might have been biased."
"My mom couldn't be that kind of person." Lin Xiaolu firmly retorted.
"I didn't say she was. It's just that I used to suspect she was because someone with such immense power as a magical girl, yet choosing a recluse-like lifestyle, rarely exposing her whereabouts, really does lead to a lot of speculation." Purple Diamond explained seriously.
"That's because I was born, and she had to take care of me." Lin Xiaolu looked at Purple Diamond.
"I can take it as such." Purple Diamond nodded: "But you should be clear, indeed many people viewed your mother in that way."
"Find her suspicious?" Lin Xiaolu was somewhat displeased.
"Let's say 'unfamiliar', or viewed as 'not one of us'." Purple Diamond summarized: "In the eyes of many, she appears to be very skillful with people yet doesn't get close to anyone, like an 'outsider'."
"Oh." Lin Xiaolu acknowledged: "But that shouldn't have anything to do with me, right?"
"Not before, but it might later on."
Purple Diamond looked into Lin Xiaolu's eyes: "If you also wish to become a Gemstone Scepter, then your past, your thoughts, and everything will be scrutinized, interpreted under a magnifying glass."
"Others?" Lin Xiaolu was confused: "I'm not planning on publicizing the fact that my mother is Ying."
"You don't need to advertise, it's not even necessary that everyone knows the blood relation between you and Ying."
Purple Diamond said: "Being born in Fangting is the biggest issue because Fangting City not only has Ying but also Cornflower."
"What does this have to do with the Emera… I mean Cornflower?" Lin Xiaolu was losing her confidence.
"Because no one knows whether you've been influenced by Cornflower's ideology or by Ying's ideology."
Purple Diamond's words became increasingly blunt: "The Royal Court can forgive the first Cornflower and tolerate the first Ying, but the court wouldn't want a second Cornflower or Ying sitting in the position of a Gemstone Scepter. Even if Her Majesty now sees promise in you, she can suppress all opposing voices; you'll ultimately face all the concealed animosity on your own in that position. A Gemstone Scepter with no one listening would just be an empty title, nothing more than a figurehead, except a bit stronger than Flower Card."
Lin Xiaolu remained silent.
"…Didn't you say I have the potential to become a Gemstone Scepter, so even without the Royal Court's recognition, I can still…"
"You have that potential, but that doesn't mean you can simply step up to that position out of nowhere."
Purple Diamond persisted in tapping the ground slowly: "The knowledge of authority, how to surpass Flower Level leveraging authority, how to develop your abilities subsequently. Even without the Queen's endowment, you still need sufficient knowledge to climb to that height, and all this high-level information is solely held by the Royal Court. Just like every magical girl's Heart's Gem has the potential to bloom to Flower Level, most only end their career at Leaf Level. Without knowledge, potential remains unrealized."
"Furthermore, the rights in the entire Magic Kingdom are finite; all the Gemstone Scepters merely position themselves within a limited scope. If you aren't acknowledged, even if Her Majesty grants you excessive rights, without a solid grasp, they'll slip away just as I mentioned earlier, turning you into a mere figurehead."
These words undeniably cooled the hopeful heart Lin Xiaolu initially had.
"… Do you people have some demands of me?" After a long period, Lin Xiaolu inquired.
"To be precise, it's my demand."
Purple Diamond was very straightforward: "After this examination, I will help you with the paperwork, arrange courses for you, train you according to Her Majesty's wishes, and assist in establishing your own influence, making you a qualified Gemstone Scepter."
"The only condition is that you leave the Material Realm entirely, fully join the Magic Kingdom, and preferably… not get too close to Chrysanthemum Faction."
