GR 226-250 (Patreon)

GR 226-250

Chapter 113: The Content of the Letter and Determination

"!"

"When did that person entrust you with this?!"

The stall owner's words made Silence frown slightly. She then lowered her voice and asked quietly.

"It's not convenient for me to disclose that, little girl..."

The stall owner first answered softly, then raised his voice and said loudly to Silence, "Haha, okay, girl, what kind of fruit do you want to buy? Young people shouldn't be so entangled!"

"All the fruits at my stall are very fresh, and strawberries are in season."

"...Then weigh some strawberries for me."

Silence was initially stunned by the stall owner's sudden change in tone, but quickly regained her composure and replied.

"Okay!"

...

"Thank you for coming. Goodbye, girl."

"Well, goodbye."

After saying goodbye to the stall owner, Silence left with a natural expression, carrying a large bag of strawberries.

It wasn't until she was back on the transportation heading to the Rhine Lab Headquarters building that Silence quietly took out a letter in a white envelope from a corner of the bag of strawberries, away from surveillance.

Although she hadn’t gathered any useful information from the fruit stall owner, Silence had still obtained the "target" of her trip.

To be honest, because she was unfamiliar with that area, Silence had never expected that the scene would involve a fruit stall…

She had thought this trip might be a "trap," but who would have guessed? There wasn’t even a hint of danger, let alone a trap. All she got from this trip was a big bag of strawberries and an unopened letter.

"…"

Pondering this, Silence carefully placed the envelope into her pocket. This wasn’t the right place to read this.

"Alas, I bought too many strawberries…"

After putting the envelope away, Silence's helpless eyes swept over the big bag of strawberries in her hand. In her eagerness to learn the truth, she had quickly paid for them without thinking. But now, no matter how she looked at it, she felt a bit foolish…

But fortunately, the quality of the fruit was as good as the stall owner claimed. She could share it with Ifrit and her friends later.

Having made her decision, Silence stopped dwelling on it. She put the strawberries away, changed into a white coat, and hurried toward the laboratory. As for why she didn’t take the strawberries now, the reason was simple…

Who would take time off just to buy strawberries? It’s okay to talk about it privately, but if it became public knowledge... it would seem quite odd.

Silence didn’t want word to spread around the Structural Section that she wasn’t working seriously and had gone out to buy strawberries during work hours.

————————————————

After arriving near the Structural Section's laboratory, Silence didn’t rush back in but went to the bathroom first. Once inside a cubicle, she took the envelope out of her pocket.

Not knowing what was written in the letter, she was very careful as she opened it. After pulling out the letter, Silence couldn’t wait to read it.

[Miss Silence, you must have many questions. Are you curious about the "Project Diabolic" I mentioned on the note?]

[Why not try to regain your authority and check it out in your Structural Section? After all, if I told you directly, you wouldn’t believe me. But I believe that with your keen intuition, Miss Silence, you must have noticed something…]

[Of course, there is one thing I can tell you clearly: "Project Diabolic" is a plan for Ifrit, the "experimental subject." Yes, you read that correctly, an experimental subject.]

"!"

When she saw this, Silence's pupils shrank slightly, and a look of horror appeared on her face. At the same time, her hand clenched the edge of the letter, wrinkling it.

Because if everything in this letter was true, it confirmed the speculations and thoughts Silence had been harboring for some time.

"Monitor, you..."

Silence gritted her teeth to suppress her anger, resisting the urge to run out and confront her Monitor.

"..."

After a while, Silence, furious with her inner thoughts, barely calmed down, then lowered her eyes and continued to read.

[Okay, let’s stop with the questions for now. After you discover the truth about "Project Diabolic" yourself, Miss Silence, we can cooperate again.]

[By the way, I made a bit too much noise last night, and I accidentally removed half of the Originium in Ifrit's body.]

[There's no choice but to let the child make a fuss later. After all, I might not visit in the next few days, and there will be no medicine from me… But I trust you’ll help conceal it, Miss Silence?]

[Of course, if you'd rather hear the child scream, I can't stop you.]

[It’s really pitiful. Ifrit met two people who claimed to protect her, but in reality, not only did they fail to do so, they were even accomplices and perpetrators.]

[Don’t you agree, Miss Silence?]

——Ouroboros

"..."

After reading this casually formatted and sarcastic letter, Silence’s hands began to tremble as she held it. Various emotions mixed together, leaving her feeling quite confused.

First, she was shocked that this mysterious person possessed the technology to achieve such a feat: removing half of the Originium from a human body. No matter where this technology was applied, it would be coveted by all parties.

Second, the last few sentences of this letter…

Silence admitted that these last few sentences, full of "malice," deeply hurt her… If the contents of this letter were true, then she… really had committed an unforgivable act.

In a daze, Silence seemed to hear Ifrit's wail again, which had not been heard in the laboratory for some time…

This hallucination jolted her awake. In the next few breaths, her eyes became more determined, even showing a resolute look.

...

"I'm back."

After composing herself and her expression, Silence entered Ifrit's room again with a smile on her face.

"Well, welcome back, Silence!"

Ifrit, who had heard Silence’s footsteps long before, greeted her with a smile, unsurprised.

"So, what's the situation?"

"I went there and read a letter. So now, Ifrit, can you talk to me about you and the snake?"

Chapter 114: Chat and Check

"I went there and read a letter. Now, Ifrit, can you talk to me about your Snake?"

"Well, sure."

Hearing this, Ifrit blinked slightly and nodded.

"When did you meet? What does that person look like?" After Ifrit nodded, Silence thought for a while and asked two questions first.

"I've known Snake for a while." Ifrit, who wasn’t very sensitive to time, frowned slightly and gave a vague answer.

"As for Snake's appearance... She looks about the same age as me, and she is very beautiful!"

When mentioning Mobius's appearance, Ifrit's eyes lit up slightly, and she spoke seriously.

After hearing Ifrit's answer to the first question, Silence felt rather helpless but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t until she heard the answer to the second question that she frowned slightly and murmured:

"About the same age as you... Barely teenager? How is that possible?"

"She... she is very powerful!"

Hearing Silence's words full of disbelief, Ifrit added in a low voice.

"... Then, after you met, did she start injecting you with drugs?" After a moment of silence, Silence came to her senses and didn’t dwell on the age issue but asked a different question.

She realized there were some things Ifrit couldn’t explain clearly. In this case, it was better to ask for some details and then figure it out herself.

"No, on the first night I met her, we made an agreement, and then she checked my body."

After hearing Silence's question, Ifrit gently shook her head and then answered.

"..."

Perhaps because she felt that her next question might be a bit sharp, Silence was silent for a moment before she spoke:

"Ifrit, can you tell me what the agreement was?"

"Hmm..."

Ifrit frowned, and after thinking for a while with a face full of hesitation, she finally concealed the part that Mobius didn’t want her to reveal and said:

"Snake promised me that night that she would stop the pain... and completely cure me."

"..."

Ifrit's words left Silence in complete silence.

How to put it, Ifrit is still a child after all, but Silence is very aware of the weight of the two promises in this short sentence.

You see, in today's situation where Oripathy is entirely terminal, someone dares to make such a promise, put it into practice, and is "half successful." How courageous and talented must they be?

Silence dares to guarantee that if all this is true, and if the Snake mentioned by Ifrit dares to show up in the scientific community, she must be someone that countless major forces would scramble for.

As for the price of these two promises, since Ifrit didn’t mention it voluntarily, Silence didn’t ask for now.

She knew that she wouldn’t get any answers by asking now, so instead of asking anxiously, it was better to slowly inquire in the future.

"Then what? Wait..." Silence, who originally wanted to ask about what happened next, suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly asked: "Ifrit, did you suddenly overcome the psychological barrier and start speaking because of her?"

"Hmm!"

Suddenly hearing Silence mention this, Ifrit was slightly stunned, and then her expression became a bit weird.

Although she wasn’t angry with her for this matter now, the situation at that time was also hard for Ifrit to describe.

After all, she knows her situation well, and she couldn’t tell Silence that she was eager to speak because she was afraid that Snake would leave...

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Ifrit's expression turn unnatural, Silence frowned slightly, and a trace of worry quickly flashed in her eyes.

Although she admired and was curious about the Snake based on various clues, it didn’t mean that she trusted her.

Because up to now, no one had been able to confirm what this person said was true or if what she did was harmless to Ifrit.

After noticing Silence's concerns, Ifrit shook her head and explained:

"It wasn’t long after meeting her that I could speak."

"Alas..."

Listening to Ifrit's vague answer, Silence sighed helplessly, then reached out and touched her little head, saying: "I won’t ask for more details, but Ifrit, you must speak up if that person bullies you."

Although she didn’t get the details, Silence did obtain useful information from the side, such as when the Snake and Ifrit first met.

"Yeah!"

Faced with Silence's "considerate" words, Ifrit nodded heavily and then continued with the previous topic:

"After the agreement was made, Snake was busy for a long time because of it, and before my next treatment, she injected me with the medicine you mentioned, Silence."

"It really stopped hurting immediately! And there was no noise in my ears. Snake is truly amazing!"

After praising Mobius, Ifrit seemed to remember something, and her happy expression suddenly paused. Then she pouted and said to Silence:

"But... I don’t want Snake to be so... tired! Although she hid it well, every time she came to see me, I could tell she was tired..."

"..."

After listening to Ifrit's "complaint," Silence paused for a moment, then touched her head again and comforted her:

"She may just be too worried and concerned about you, Ifrit. If you rest well and take care of your body, she’ll be able to relax a lot."

"Yeah!"

...

After that, after chatting with Ifrit for a long time and figuring out the whole situation, Silence stopped the conversation with mixed feelings and began to prepare for the examination.

Yes, even after learning so much, she still had to give Ifrit a physical examination.

Because this is the fastest way for Silence to verify the truth of [Ouroboros'] words. If this can be confirmed, then she’ll have more trust in this person and these clues.

As for whether to hide the results of this examination and help Ifrit cover up the truth, Silence planned to wait until the results were out before deciding.

After all, the premise of all the above considerations must be based on the fact that [Ouroboros] truly reduced the amount of Originium in Ifrit's body by half.

Chapter 115

Mobius, who woke up naturally in her dormitory room, received a message from Sakura as soon as she opened her eyes.

"Doctor, the progress on Silence's side is much faster than we expected. While we were resting this morning, Silence went to get the letter."

"Hmm..."

Mobius, whose mind was not yet fully clear, was momentarily confused and didn't immediately react to the significant update.

"Is that so? It is indeed faster than we expected, but it’s still within the range of our predictions." After fully waking up, Mobius responded to Sakura with a lazy tone.

"However, since the progress here is so quick, Sakura, I’ll need you to work overtime~"

"Well, I’ll make good use of the time."

After listening to Mobius's words, Sakura responded slowly.

"Hmm~"

After finishing the brief exchange with Sakura, Mobius didn’t rush to get up. Instead, she propped her face up with her hands and slowly scanned the dim room, lost in thought.

After spacing out for a while, she slowly sat up, washed up, and went out.

After all, she had rested enough, and it was time to get back to work.

---

Compared to Mobius’s comfortable rest, Silence was much busier.

Because after checking Ifrit in the morning, Silence discovered that what was stated in the letter was true—the Originium content in Ifrit's body had indeed been reduced by half.

After confirming this shocking fact, Silence began to trust what [Ouroboros] had said, leading her to hesitate before ultimately deciding not to report this situation.

Not only that, she even helped Ifrit cover it up and falsified today's inspection data as instructed in the letter. Although Silence hasn’t completely trusted [Ouroboros], she really didn’t want to gamble with Ifrit’s safety...

"..."

Thinking of this, Silence couldn’t help but recall her mentor's obsession and fanaticism when watching Ifrit’s "treatment" yesterday...

Even though she wanted to ignore it and make excuses for her mentor, she couldn’t, especially now that she knew about the [Project Diabolic] and had connected various clues.

"What’s wrong, Silence?" Ifrit, who was sitting on the bed, tilted her head slightly and looked at Silence with a puzzled expression.

Since her check-up this morning, Ifrit had noticed that her guardian seemed worried.

She had wanted to ask several times, but because Silence was busy going in and out, she never had the chance.

"It’s nothing. The next treatment will be in a few days. Ifrit, just follow what that person said." As she spoke, Silence reached out and rubbed Ifrit's head, giving her instructions.

"If someone threatens you because of me, don’t worry. They can’t do anything to me."

After saying that, Silence lowered her eyes, hiding the complicated emotions in them.

"Yeah! Got it."

Hearing this, Ifrit nodded seriously.

Although she didn’t understand why Silence suddenly changed her mind, it didn’t stop her from diligently fulfilling the agreement that both Snake and Silence had made.

"I bought strawberries. Does Ifrit want to eat some?"

Seeing Ifrit’s serious expression, Silence quickly hid her emotions and smiled helplessly.

"Yes!"

Hearing the word "strawberry," Ifrit’s eyes lit up slightly.

"Then I’ll get them for you."

"Okay!"

---Evening

Tonight, Sakura did not choose to have dinner directly in the cafeteria at Rhine Lab but opted to eat outside instead.

At this moment, she was standing quietly on the busy roadside, seemingly waiting for someone.

Just as Sakura was waiting silently, a pair of hands suddenly covered her blue eyes, and a "rough" voice whispered in her ear.

"Beautiful lady, guess who I am."

"Muelsyse, stop messing around. I know it’s you."

Sensing the familiar presence behind her, Sakura mercilessly saw through someone's "disguise."

"Hey! Really, Sakura, you didn't give me any chance." Hearing this, Muelsyse, who was standing behind Sakura, reluctantly withdrew her hands, and her voice returned to normal.

"Hehe~ That's because you’re too obvious, Muelsyse." Sakura turned around slowly, smiling at the elf behind her.

"It’s getting late, and you must have been busy all day. Let’s head to the restaurant."

"Well! I got paid this time, so I’m treating you, Sakura—don’t fight me on this." After hearing Sakura’s words, Muelsyse clapped her hands as if she suddenly remembered something.

"Alright."

"Let’s go!"

...

In the restaurant, after placing their orders, the two began chatting while they waited.

"It’s been a long time since we came out to eat. Why did Saria give you such a job!" Muelsyse "complained," looking at Sakura, who was smiling back at her.

After listening to Muelsyse’s complaint, Sakura shook her head gently and then softly said, "I think it’s fine—it's a chance to protect a child. In fact, if possible, I’d like to be there during the day as well."

"Hey, Sakura, aren’t you tired? It’s too much to be there 24 hours a day!" Muelsyse was stunned by Sakura’s words. For a moment, she even felt like giving a thumbs-up to the dedicated woman in front of her.

"Of course I’m tired. Even though I’m healthy, I still feel it. It’s just... I’m worried about Ifrit." Hearing this, Sakura shook her head gently, her expression filled with concern.

"Well... Sakura, are you worried that Ifrit’s Originium Arts might get out of control again?" Seeing Sakura's worried expression, Muelsyse touched her chin thoughtfully.

"Yes, and no."

"Well, what do you mean?"

Hearing this, Muelsyse became even more interested, looking at Sakura with a curious expression, waiting for her answer.

"Losing control of her Originium abilities is just one of the problems I’m worried about. I’m more concerned that the child might be mistreated." After carefully choosing her words, Sakura explained slowly.

"The day the child lost control, the expression and eyes of the head of the structural department gave me chills..."

"Those fanatical and excited eyes—it didn’t seem like he was looking at a patient, but more like he was observing an experimental subject or a guinea pig."

Chapter 116: Muelsyse's Suspicion

"That kind of fanatical and excited look doesn't seem like he's looking at a patient... but more like he's looking at an experimental subject or a guinea pig."

"...Is it that exaggerated?"

After hearing Sakura's words, Muelsyse was slightly stunned. After a moment, he came back to his senses and whispered.

"I don't like the director of the Structural Section very much either. He behaved like that at the time. Maybe it was because the treatment had made progress?"

"No, this is exactly what I'm confused about, Muelsyse. Do you know? When Ifrit lost control yesterday, I was by her bed... so through that layer of glass, I clearly saw the director's eyes."

Facing Muelsyse's words, which he himself was not sure about, Sakura shook her head gently and said seriously, "But the problem is here. Since Ifrit showed signs of losing control, the director looked at her with such eyes... If it was a normal treatment, would there really be a doctor who would look at his out-of-control patient with such eyes?"

"Then... Sakura, what do you mean?"

After listening to Sakura's serious words, Muelsyse gradually restrained her smile and asked seriously.

"..."

Hearing this, Sakura did not directly answer the question of the person in front of her but looked at her quietly, as if she was worried about something.

"Sakura, just say it directly. Don't worry about me~ Maybe you can provide me with some clues."

Looking at Sakura, who was hesitant to speak, Muelsyse understood her hesitation, then stretched out her finger and shook it in front of her, saying in a playful tone.

"Heh~ Then I'll tell you."

Looking at the mischievous elf lady in front of her, Sakura chuckled gently and then continued, "According to my brief observation, the behavior of this laboratory in the Structural Section towards Ifrit is not like treatment at all but more like a human experiment disguised as treatment."

"!"

Although Muelsyse had been mentally prepared, he couldn't help but be shocked when whe heard Sakura slowly utter these words.

"Has Sakura collected any evidence for this speculation?"

Muelsyse did not doubt the words of her new friend but asked hurriedly in a low voice.

"Well... Muelsyse trusts me so much?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to be stunned. Obviously, she didn't expect Muelsyse to trust her so much and had no intention of refuting it at all.

"Hey, we are good friends! Isn't it normal for me to trust Sakura? Don't you trust me?!" Looking at the surprised Sakura in front of him, Muelsyse puffed her cheeks lightly and then leaned over to say.

Sakura turned her head slightly to look at the beautiful elf who came close to her and said helplessly with a smile, "That's not the case. It's just a little unexpected. After all, you are the director of the Ecological Section, and I heard from others that you seem to be a veteran."

"That's about right, so Sakura, have you collected any clues? Share them with me!" Faced with Sakura's gentle answer, Muelsyse was a little satisfied and then leaned towards her, whispering in a low voice.

Facing Muelsyse whispering in her ear, Sakura's human ears turned slightly red, and the fox ears on her head couldn't help but twitch.

"I have only been in the Structural Section for a few days; how could there be too much evidence? However, I have also collected some clues. Do you want to hear them, Muelsyse?"

"Yes!"

Hearing this, Muelsyse agreed without hesitation.

"Well, let me tell you Mu... Can I call you Mu Mu directly?"

Sakura, who was about to start sorting out the clues, got stuck halfway through her words and then changed the subject and asked. Sakura suddenly changed her name not because she wanted to get closer, but simply because she felt that Mu Mu's name was a bit long and a bit troublesome to call.

You know, now even when Mobius is called, Sakura calls her just Doctor.

"Hey, did Sakura learn this name from Ifrit?" Suddenly hearing this familiar name from her friend, a hint of curiosity appeared in Muelsyse's eyes. In fact, there was a question she wanted to ask just now, which was why Sakura suddenly cared about Ifrit and wanted to protect her everywhere.

"No, this name is one I just thought of. I think your previous name is a bit long, so I wanted to replace it with this one. Does that child also call you Mu Mu?"

Looking at the curious elf lady beside her, Sakura explained gently.

"So that's the case. Of course! I like this name too." As she said that, Muelsyse held her face up and smiled happily.

After a while of playful banter, she put down her hand and added, "That's right, that kid also calls me Mu Mu!"

"Then I'll call you that from now on, Mu Mu. Okay, let's get back to the point. I'll share with you the clues I noticed. See if you can find something useful."

"Yeah."

...

Then, Sakura spent a lot of time sorting out the various doubts in the Structural Section's laboratory for Muelsyse. From the director of the Structural Section to various experimental details, she pointed them all out.

The more Muelsyse listened, the faster the smile on her face disappeared, replaced by solemnity and thought.

"Sakura, now that you say that, there are indeed many doubts in this laboratory." After lowering her head and thinking for a while, Muelsyse raised her head and said to the person next to her.

"That's right, but unfortunately, they are very careful, and I haven't been there for long, so I haven't had time to collect useful evidence." Hearing this, Sakura nodded gently, looking a little "disappointed."

Noticing her friend's disappointed expression, Muelsyse restrained the complexity in her eyes and then began to comfort her with a smile, "It's okay, Sakura. These clues of yours are of great help to me. Next, you continue to work hard, and I will also pay attention to this aspect~"

"Well, thank you for your comfort, Mu Mu."

"Hey~ We are friends!"

However, although Muelsyse smiled happily in front of Sakura at this moment, her complicated mood did not cease and was always surging in her heart.

Until today, when her new friend Sakura mentioned it, Muelsyse, who had been looking for clues outside for a long time, finally realized an organization that she and Saria had subconsciously ignored... Rhine Lab.

Just like her long-time friend Saria, Muelsyse actually didn't want to think about Rhine Lab.

However... she had to admit that there were indeed some doubts about the laboratory of the Structural Section and the treatment that Ifrit received here...

It would be fine if she didn't know, but now that she knew, Muelsyse didn't really want to stand by and watch... At least she felt that necessary investigations were required.

Chapter 117: Silence's Complex Emotions

Happy times are always short. After dinner with Muelsyse, Sakura would return to Rhine Lab resuming her job.

"See you tomorrow, Mu Mu."

Standing where they were about to part, Sakura smiled and waved to Muelsyse.

"Wow! The good times are coming to an end so soon." Looking at Sakura, who was smiling gently, Muelsyse sighed with some reluctance. Then, as if she remembered something, she approached Sakura and whispered earnestly, "Although I know that Sakura is very capable, you should also know that someone has secretly targeted Ifrit. So, remember to be careful at night."

"Well, don't worry. I will pay attention." Hearing this, Sakura smiled softly and then responded, "Mu Mu, you should go back and rest quickly. You have been busy outside all day."

"Well, see you tomorrow, Sakura!"

After hearing her friend's agreement, Muelsyse nodded gently, stepped back a few paces, turned around, and left.

...

After watching Muelsyse's figure disappear, Sakura slowly withdrew her gaze, left, and headed to the Structural Laboratory.

For this dinner, she had mentioned everything that needed to be said, and she hoped and believed that Muelsyse would take action.

---

Structural Laboratory

"You're here, Miss Sakura."

Silence, who had just come out of the laboratory, smiled and greeted Sakura upon noticing her arrival.

"Well, how is Ifrit today?" Sakura nodded gently and then asked calmly.

"... Ifrit is still a little weak but in good spirits." Facing Sakura's casual question, Silence's expression was unnatural for a moment, and then she quickly answered.

Silence's strange look was naturally noticed by the perceptive Sakura, but her expression did not change, and she continued in a gentle tone:

"Is that so? What a poor child. I hope she can recover soon."

"Well, I also hope Ifrit can recover soon." Hearing Sakura's answer, which seemed completely insincere, Silence suppressed the emotions in her eyes and responded.

"Hehe~ Miss Silence should also take care of herself and not work too hard." Looking at the girl who had her thoughts plainly visible, Sakura's beautiful blue eyes quickly flashed a trace of helplessness, and then she offered a warning.

In Sakura's opinion, compared to the three people who had been working in the scientific community for many years—Saria, Muelsyse, and others—Silence, a girl who had just graduated, was too easy to read.

Take Silence's strange look just now, for example. Sakura didn't need to think too much to guess that Silence was doubting her.

After all, she had reported to her superiors this morning that there were no issues last night, but Silence knew what happened, so it was reasonable for her to be suspicious.

It's just that Silence's "acting skills" were too poor; it was almost exaggerated to say she couldn't hide the truth. No wonder Silence's Mentor, the director of the Structural Section, Ahrens, could always manipulate her, fooling her around, and even causing misunderstandings with Saria.

Of course, Sakura didn't care about Silence's suspicion of her; it was expected.

"I will. Sakura, please help me tonight."

Facing Sakura, Silence nodded gently.

"It's my job, Miss Silence."

...

After settling Ifrit down completely, Silence said goodbye to Sakura, left, and walked towards her dormitory.

Just as Sakura guessed, although Silence tried to remain calm on the surface, she was actually extremely confused at the moment.

The reason for her complicated mood was not only because she had received a lot of clues and information that she couldn't digest but also because she had found a loophole that made her a little scared.

This loophole made Silence unconsciously suspect Sakura. Although she thought it was unlikely, she couldn't help but associate her new colleague with the mysterious snake owner.

However, suspicion is just suspicion. Silence couldn't and had no way to investigate this matter right now.

To investigate, she had only two choices: either ask Sakura for all the details or go directly to the Defense Section to check surveillance or other methods. But no matter which method she chose, she couldn't use it now.

For the former, if Sakura had no issues, it would be fine. If there were issues, it would be a false alarm.

For the latter, because she had to conceal Ifrit's condition, Silence couldn't investigate directly.

Otherwise, if she accidentally attracted the attention of her Mentor, Ahrens, he might force Ifrit to be checked... It would be disastrous for the experiment to continue.

So, even with doubts and suspicions, Silence could only keep them to herself.

However, compared to uncovering what happened last night, Silence was more concerned about Ifrit's safety and the truth of [Project Diabolic].

It would take a long time to investigate the truth of the plan, but Ifrit's safety was more immediate, so even if [Ouroboros] said they would not come these days, Silence planned to visit the Structural Section Laboratory in the middle of the night.

If it were elsewhere, she would not dare to do such a risky thing. But this was Rhine Lab's headquarters, and the safety factor was relatively high.

"Ah..."

After thinking about it, Silence, who was walking back to the dormitory, couldn't help but sigh softly, and a trace of fatigue flashed in her eyes.

---

Mobius's Laboratory

After noticing that the sky outside the window was completely dark, Mobius slowly put down the information in her hand, then stretched her body and muscles, and said to herself:

'Sakura, you've worked hard~ I'm going to rest.'

'I didn't expect you, Doctor, to adhere to the agreement with Ifrit so much...?'

Sakura, who was standing guard, was caught off guard by what Mobius said. She was stunned for a moment and then responded.

'What are you talking about? I'm just tired and want to rest. What does it have to do with the little white mouse?' After hearing Sakura's words, Mobius refuted without thinking.

'Well, Doctor, I'm glad you're happy.'

'Hmph~'

...

With the end of the conversation, Mobius stood up, turned off the equipment and lights in the experimental office, and left.

And this office once again welcomed a long-awaited restful night.

Chapter 118: Silence's Decision

In the next few days, Mobius did as she said and did not visit Ifrit at all. She maintained a very regular work and rest schedule, spending her days in the laboratory and returning to rest on time each night.

However, compared to her regular and "leisurely" life, others were completely exhausted.

Saria and the others were still frantically investigating the truth about Hayden Laboratory, and due to Sakura's warning, Muelsyse had an even heavier workload than in the original story.

During the day, she joined her friends in investigations outside, and in her spare time and at night, she conducted investigations at Rhine Lab.

Because of ber understanding of Saria, and without concrete evidence, Muelsyse chose not to share her suspicions or Sakura's information with her, instead quietly investigating on her own.

Silence was even more exhausted than Saria.

Ahrens, unable to bear it any longer, decided to quickly resume "treatment" on the patient, Ifrit, despite recent reports indicating that Ifrit was in poor physical condition.

Silence had no authority to veto her Mentor's decision. She had yet to regain her previously suspended authority and the right to contact Ifrit during the experiment...

Not only that, but her progress in investigating [Project Diabolic] was limited due to her lack of authority and the need for discretion, which severely hindered her efforts.

...

Early in the morning, in Ifrit's room—

"Silence, what's wrong?"

Ifrit tilted her head and looked at Silence, who had brought her breakfast, with a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"Nothing, just some small things. Ifrit, you don’t need to worry," Silence replied, briefly looking up from tidying the room and forcing a smile at Ifrit.

However, it was this smile that made Ifrit, who had been merely confused, slowly frown.

Honestly, she really hated this situation. Everyone was lying. They had problems but insisted that they were fine...

"..."

But after noticing the fatigue in Silence's eyes, Ifrit withdrew her gaze and finally said, "Then... Silence, you should get some good rest."

After that, Ifrit lowered her head and quietly continued eating her breakfast.

Although she was concerned about Silence's current state, Ifrit knew that questioning her wouldn’t yield the desired results. Instead, it would only make the already tired Silence even more weary.

Ifrit was not an ignorant child, so she temporarily set aside her thoughts of asking...

"Well, I will."

As she watched Ifrit eat breakfast, a trace of helplessness and guilt flashed across Silence's tired eyes.

In fact, Silence had longed to find someone to talk to and share the difficulties she was facing... But in her opinion, that person definitely should not be Ifrit, a child who should live a carefree life.

After tidying up the room, Silence straightened up, a firm look flashing in her eyes. She then said to Ifrit, who was sitting on the bed:

"...Ifrit, I have to go out for something. You stay here and behave. If you're bored, read the new picture book I bought for you."

"Okay, I’ll wait here obediently for you to come back."

Hearing this, Ifrit was a little surprised but still nodded obediently.

"Good, I’ll come back to keep you company soon."

Looking at the obedient Ifrit, Silence couldn’t help but reach out and gently rub her little head.

——————————————————

After leaving Ifrit's room, Silence went directly to the office of her Mentor, Ahrens, the director of the Structural Section, without hesitation.

Time was running out, and she really couldn't delay any longer. She wanted to know the truth, and at the same time, she wanted to delay Ifrit's "treatment"...

Even if she couldn't completely stop it, she hoped to at least regain access to Ifrit, so it would be easier for her to take action.

...

"Knock knock—"

"Come in."

Hearing the knock on the door, Ahrens, who was busy processing documents, spoke.

As his voice trailed off, the person outside opened the door and walked in.

"Oh, it's Silence. What's up?"

Ahrens looked up at the person who had entered. Realizing it was his student, he put down the pen in his hand, adjusted his glasses, and asked.

"Mentor, I need to talk to you."

Facing the person sitting at the desk in front of her, Silence looked very serious. Before Ahrens could react, she quickly bowed to him and said loudly, "Mentor, I'm sorry!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Ahrens slowly opened his eyes, clearly puzzled by the situation.

But Silence continued, her face sincere:

"I’ve calmed down and thought about it these past few days. My sympathy for the patient’s injury and pain affected my judgment, and I contradicted you, Mentor!"

"I even disclosed the experimental process to outsiders... You’ve been very kind to me, but I let you down."

"I am truly ashamed of this. Please forgive me, Mentor!"

"..."

After listening to Silence’s apology, Ahrens was stunned for a moment. Then he stood up, walked to her side, patted her on the shoulder, and smiled, saying: "Well, that's great, Silence."

"I'm glad you understand my intentions! Of course, I forgive you!"

"Thank you, Mentor!"

"Very good..."

Hearing this, Ahrens smiled and nodded. Then, as if he remembered something, he changed the subject: "By the way, Silence, Ifrit's treatment will resume tomorrow. Be sure to prepare."

"As for your authority, I’ll restore it to you before the treatment begins."

"!"

Even though Silence had mentally prepared herself, she couldn’t help but feel shocked when she heard this.

Although she knew her Mentor would resume Ifrit's "treatment" as soon as possible, she didn’t expect it to be so urgent and start as soon as tomorrow.

But soon, Silence suppressed her surprise, nodded to Ahrens, and said seriously: "In that case, I’ll go back and prepare."

Then, just as Silence had turned to leave, she suddenly remembered something and quickly turned her head to look at Ahrens.

"Right! Mentor..."

Chapter 119: Teacher-Student Confrontation

"By the way, Mentor, since we’re going to begin treatment tomorrow, the new injection machine and other instrument data need to be adjusted. If you’re busy, you can give me your work card, and I’ll handle it for you..."

"Oh!"

Hearing this, Ahrens adjusted his glasses, narrowed his eyes slightly, and smiled. "Look at me, I almost forgot about that!"

"Thank you for your hard work, Silence!"

After speaking, Ahrens took off the work card hanging around his neck and handed it to Silence.

"Well."

After successfully obtaining Ahrens' work card, Silence's smile faded as she left the office. With a serious expression, she headed toward the Structural Section’s database.

However, in her anxiety and nervousness, Silence failed to notice that not long after she left, the door to the Structural Section director's office opened again...

...

"Beep—"

When she reached the database, Silence quickly took out Ahrens' work card and scanned it, successfully opening the door. She entered and hurried to the computer that stored the Structural Section’s data, searching specifically for anything related to the [Project Diabolic].

"Click, click..."

With the rapid sounds of typing, the information Silence was looking for soon appeared on the screen before her...

However, the more she read, the more her expression darkened, and she became increasingly frightened, with cold sweat gradually forming on her forehead.

"[Project Diabolic]... codename [Ifrit]?!"

"How could this be... why..."

"What... what is all this?!"

Although Silence had mentally prepared herself somewhat, given what she knew from [Ouroboros], when she saw the detailed experimental plan, she was still filled with disbelief and found it difficult to accept.

"Tap, tap..."

"!!!"

As Silence stared at the experimental plan with horror and anger, she suddenly heard the faint sound of footsteps behind her. Startled, she quickly turned around.

"Silence, did you see everything?"

"Mentor?"

Seeing the familiar face of the person who had entered, Silence was so frightened that she leaned back against the table. Her expression showed not only anger but also fear.

"It’s okay, Silence. Take a good look."

Unlike the visibly distressed Silence, Ahrens remained calm, smiling "kindly" at his student.

"These materials were originally meant for you."

"..."

Looking at her Mentor, Silence could no longer hold back her anger. "Mentor, what is all this?"

"Project Diabolic... What is this experiment really about?!"

"Sorry, due to confidentiality, much of the information wasn’t explained earlier, which led to your not fully understanding the significance of the experiment."

As Silence grew angrier, Ahrens' smile deepened, and he continued slowly: "I hope you can understand my position."

"Understand what? Understand that you’re conducting illegal human experiments?!" The calmer Ahrens appeared, the angrier Silence became.

"So your goal isn't to cure Ifrit, and you don’t want to prevent her Originium skills from spiraling out of control..."

"You... you’re just waiting for her to become a killing machine!"

"Silence..."

At this point, the smile faded from Ahrens' face, replaced by a look of resignation.

"When you took on this project, didn’t you realize this was a human experiment?"

"!"

This brief remark from her Mentor startled Silence out of her fury. "What... I don’t understand... why?"

At that moment, Silence seemed to recall something and quickly brought up a past incident. "Didn't you oppose the experiment that Joyce underwent before?!"

"Joyce?"

Faced with his student’s question, Ahrens paused, then after some thought, said: "Oh, of course."

"Joyce was an excellent researcher, and her intelligence and life should be dedicated to more valuable work. It would’ve been a waste for her to be harmed by an experiment."

At this point, Ahrens closed his eyes for a moment, then continued with a pained expression: "For an experiment like that, if we recruited participants from outside, we could find as many desperate [volunteers] as we needed."

"!"

Silence had never imagined that the reason her Mentor opposed his friend's experiment wasn’t out of concern for safety, but simply because of the perceived value. This realization left Silence’s mind in turmoil, even causing a moment of tinnitus.

In the end, the unwillingness in her heart forced Silence to speak again. "Is Ifrit's life worthless?"

"She’s a human being too!!"

"Of course Ifrit’s life has value. She’s one of the very few precious subjects who can tolerate the fragments of the Flame Demon. Her sacrifice and contribution to the experiment will also be recorded in history."

No matter how many times Silence questioned and argued, Ahrens remained calm.

After hearing such an answer, Silence's anger only intensified, and she nearly gritted her teeth.

"Are you insane?!"

"Illegal human experiments... are inhumane! They’re a recognized taboo in the academic community! How can you do something like this?!"

"Ah... I don't understand, Silence."

After waiting for his student to finish venting, Ahrens removed his glasses and gently wiped them before responding calmly, "I really don't understand."

"Scientific progress is always accompanied by sacrifice. How could you forget this?"

"Progress achieved at the cost of human lives... that’s not science! That’s a crime!" Silence immediately retorted as soon as Ahrens spoke.

She simply couldn’t agree with her Mentor’s views.

However, whether Silence agreed or not, Ahrens continued, "Sometimes, it’s the lives of experimental subjects that drive scientific progress, and sometimes it’s the scientists themselves."

"And the strongest driving force for scientific and technological progress is often war. I don’t know how many children like Ifrit have died in wars."

"Today, much of the technology we use was born from countless sacrifices. It’s hypocritical to point out that sacrifice is inhumane while enjoying these technologies, Silence."

At this point, Ahrens looked directly at Silence, his tone growing more serious.

Chapter 120: Wavering and Doubt

"…"

After hearing what her teacher said, Silence fell silent, and cold sweat began to appear on her forehead once again. She knew in her heart that things were not as her teacher described, but she couldn’t find the words to refute it at the moment.

While Silence remained silent, Ahrens spoke again, "Ifrit—we rescued her, and I even asked you to take care of her daily life. Not only can she enjoy a life free from worries about food and clothing, but she also gets to contribute to such a great experiment.”

“Compared to the children who died from ore disease in the wilderness, how lucky she is."

"No... that's not right!"

Silence was so confused that she started to argue again, but unlike her previous organized and targeted rebuttals, she was disoriented, simply repeating, “No.”

However, Ahrens's demonic words did not stop.

"This child gave everything for science, and you are blaming science itself."

"No! No..."

Just as Silence was becoming extremely emotionally unstable, Ahrens suddenly walked up to her, patted her shoulder, and "comforted" her, saying, "Calm down, Silence, don't let your emotions cloud your reason."

"Reason is the guiding principle for all our colleagues at Rhine Life, and it's what makes you so exceptional. You personally implanted the Balrog fragment into Ifrit. Your contributions have been indispensable to the progress of the Balrog plan."

As Ahrens' final words landed heavily, Silence's pupils shrank slightly. Then, like a frightened animal, she waved her teacher’s hand away, took a step back, and shouted:

"No!"

"You deceived me! Rhine Lan is not... it shouldn't be like this! All these illegal activities you carried out in secret! I... I will report this to the Components Control Section! ...and to Saria!!"

At this point, Silence seemed to have grasped a lifeline, adding excitedly, "Saria will definitely not allow you to do such things!!"

"Saria?"

Hearing that name, Ahrens smiled again as if he had heard something amusing.

"Silence, it's been so long since the incident at the Hayden Laboratory. Have you seen any media reports revealing the truth of the accident?"

"Do you remember who was responsible for handling the accident?"

"…"

Silence, who had been so agitated moments earlier, was stunned again after hearing her teacher’s rhetorical questions. At the same time, an unbelievable thought emerged in her mind.

"That's right. In addition to internal security and stability maintenance, the Defense Section also handles a lot of external work—special rescue missions, special accident investigations, and protecting Rhine Lab's interests..."

"Public relations campaigns by any means necessary."

"To prevent similar incidents from causing public outcry and hindering Rhine Lab's development, Director Saria has undertaken countless such tasks."

Ahrens's words were like a giant hammer, striking Silence's heart hard, causing her to slowly lower her head as she recalled the things she had done alongside Saria...

"Even so... she must have had her reasons, but this... Saria would never allow something like this..."

Although shaken, Silence still gritted her teeth, trying to make excuses for Saria, wanting to prove that she had nothing to do with the [Project Diabolic].

"Oh, you're not so naive as to think that Saria, who protects the entirety of Rhine Lab, has kept her hands as clean as a baby’s, right?" Faced with Silence's obviously weak retort, Ahrens smiled and closed his eyes, continuing:

"Do you think she would choose to side with you against the interests of Rhine Lab as a whole?"

"...I don't believe it. Even for the sake of Ifrit..."

This time, before Silence could finish speaking, Ahrens interrupted her directly, saying, "Let me tell you about another aspect of the Defense Section, Silence."

"Due to the Section's own needs, the Defense Section also undertakes or participates in some weapons development work. And because of the [Project Diabolic], we at Rhine Lab designed a flame emitter for Ifrit."

"Now, look—whose signature is on the project approval document?"

After speaking, Ahrens pointed at the computer behind Silence. His meaning was clear.

"!"

"…"

Hearing this, a terrifying suspicion arose in Silence’s mind. She then turned her body stiffly, moved the mouse... and slowly lowered her gaze to the project approval document.

The moment she saw the name clearly, Silence felt the blood in her body turn cold, and her mind went blank.

At this moment, Ahrens did not forget to add fuel to the fire. He slowly walked over to his student, Silence, looked at the computer with her, and said with a smile:

"See what a perfect design this is—especially after Director Saria's improvements, its performance has been fully realized."

"And why do you think that Director Saria, as a senior executive at Rhine Life, would be unaware of a project of this magnitude?"

"When it comes to the pursuit of scientific inquiry, Director Saria and the General Manager are the most persistent and determined individuals at Rhine Lab. You should be well aware of the story behind their founding of Rhine Lab, right?"

In order to completely break down the “weakness” of his talented student, Silence, Ahrens relentlessly attacked and provoked the relationship between her and Saria.

This time, Silence did not retort as she had before. Instead, she fell completely silent, quietly listening to her teacher’s words.

"For instance, last time, although Director Saria and I had some differences of opinion, there was no doubt that we both hoped the experiment would succeed."

"The last time Director Saria and I met with the Components Control Section, they raised concerns and made requirements regarding the safety of the experiment. I fully understood them and reached a consensus with them on the subsequent experimental plan."

Having said this, Ahrens suddenly paused, then the curvature of his mouth deepened. He turned to look at Silence and continued: "And..."

"Director Saria personally assured the Components Control Section that if Ifrit suffers from a serious loss of Originium Arts, she is fully capable of resolving the crisis and maintaining the safety of Rhine Life."

"!..."

Ahrens's last words shocked the already "numb" Silence once again. The ridiculous and tragic emotions in her heart spread rapidly, making her expression even more twisted, almost terrifying.

"This is the mindset of a scientist with a lofty sense of mission for scientific exploration. Silence, you must learn from Director Saria in this regard." After delivering this final blow, Ahrens slowly leaned over and said with a smile:

"As I said before, you are my best student. If you think things through, come to me."

"…"

Chapter 121: Ho'olheyak's Curiosity and the Purpose of the Plan

"…"

With her thoughts in disarray, Silence had no idea how she got back to the laboratory from the database. Standing at the door of the lab, she did not rush in but leaned against the door with her head down, obscuring her expression.

Although Silence had guessed the contents of the [Project Diabolic], she did not expect reality to be so cruel. Not only that... she never imagined that her teacher, Seria, could be that kind of person.

Thinking of this, Silence subconsciously clenched her fists, and her body began to tremble.

She absolutely did not agree with this idea! She would protect Ifrit, no matter the cost...

—————————————————

In Mobius' Office——

"How come the little snake is interested in visiting me so early in the morning~"

Mobius slowly put down the information in her hand and squinted at the uninvited guest before her.

"There have been a lot of interesting developments lately, so I'm here to discuss them with you. I assume you know a lot of inside information." Ho'olheyak leaned over Mobius's desk and replied with a smile.

Although every time she interacted with Mobius, she was intimidated by the news and details that were revealed, Ho'olheyak had gradually learned how to deal with this "god" before her. As long as she didn’t overstep her bounds, there would be no trouble, and by staying in contact with Mobius, she could learn many secrets.

Ho'olheyak was also aware that the more she knew, the more dangerous it became. However, she believed that if she stopped at the right moment, her safety would still be somewhat guaranteed. After all, in her opinion, if Mobius wanted to kill her, she would have done it long ago instead of saying so much and engaging in pointless conversation.

"As expected of Miss Spy, you're as well-informed as always. But you always come to me, a 'newcomer.' Aren’t you afraid of arousing suspicion and having your identity discovered?"

"Don't worry. You should have faith in my abilities in that regard. If my identity were exposed because of something so trivial, it would be too embarrassing."

After hearing Mobius's words, Ho'olheyak smiled lightly and responded calmly.

Watching Ho'olheyak become more adept at handling her "teasing," Mobius slowly restrained the smile on her lips. She waved her hand dismissively and said with some boredom:

"Tsk, how dull~ If you have something to say, say it quickly. After that, I'll just use the second condition."

"Hmm? It seems I came at the right time. I happened to catch you when you needed someone." Hearing this, Ho'olheyak was momentarily stunned, but then, after understanding, she smiled even more.

"Since you said so, I won't be polite. Let me get straight to the point."

"One condition for each question~" Looking at the delighted Ho'olheyak in front of her, Mobius's eyes flashed with a trace of dissatisfaction before she mercilessly dampened her spirits.

"Of course, I remember your request." Hearing this, Ho'olheyak was not upset at all. She simply nodded lightly and continued with a smile: "Miss Mobius, you really are amazing—making two groups of people at Rhine Lab anxious, including two directors."

"Stop, how come I don't know I'm that amazing~" After listening to Ho'olheyak's words, Mobius raised an eyebrow slightly, then nonchalantly dismissed it.

"Miss Mobius, you just praised me for being well-informed, but now you deny it?" After hearing what Mobius said, Ho'olheyak’s face took on a touch of "grievance," and she said, "Although you didn't participate personally, you guided both sides... Although I don’t know how you did it."

"So, what do you want to know?"

This time, Mobius neither confirmed nor denied it. She simply asked again, calmly. She realized that Ho'olheyak wasn't in the mood for teasing today, so she decided to get straight to the point.

"I want to know what your ultimate goal is with all this." Seeing that Mobius had gotten straight to the point, Ho'olheyak also set aside her scattered thoughts and asked directly.

To be honest, Ho'olheyak had been observing this drama from the sidelines for some time and had gathered a lot of information and details. However, there were still things she didn’t understand—more precisely, she didn’t understand Mobius's ultimate objective.

If the two events were viewed separately, Ho'olheyak could still make some guesses. But when she combined the affairs of the two directors with those of the structural department, she was left puzzled.

She couldn’t quite understand why Mobius was putting in so much effort... and what kind of benefits she expected to gain from it.

In truth, Ho'olheyak knew that these matters had nothing to do with her and wouldn’t affect her. Yet, she was still very curious about Mobius’s motives...

So, after holding it in for a few days, she finally came to confront the "culprit" directly.

"I have to say, little snake, your curiosity is as strong as ever~"

Hearing this question, Mobius did not look surprised. Based on Ho'olheyak’s earlier words, she had already anticipated it.

"The result I want…"

Mobius slowly stood up, looking down into the eyes of the person before her with her beautiful snake-like gaze, and continued with a malicious smile:

"It's very simple. I just want Seria and some other annoying people to leave Rhine Lab~ Because, in my future plans, these people are obstacles~"

"You want to control Rhine Lab? But…"

After hearing this answer, Ho'olheyak was stunned for a moment. Then, as she seemed to realize something, she subconsciously wanted to object.

However, before she could speak, a slender finger was placed in front of her lips, silencing her.

After stopping Ho'olheyak from speaking, Mobius chuckled and said with confidence and finality: "Heh~ Little snake, your concerns and worries are not mine~ Since I’ve set my mind to it, I can and will achieve it!"

"…"

Ho'olheyak, who had previously had a lot to say, silently gave up the idea of speaking after meeting Mobius's eyes, which were shining with a faint light and filled with confidence.

Chapter 122 Contact from Griseo

"So, do you have anything else to ask, Little Snake~?" Mobius asked with a slight squint and a smile, watching Ho'olheyak fall silent.

"Alas... No, it's just unfortunate that you’ve targeted the two directors." Looking at Mobius, who was behaving like a "villain," Ho'olheyak’s eyes showed a hint of sympathy.

"Since you’ve finished asking your questions, it's my turn~ You arrived at just the right time; there's something I can give you." As she spoke, Mobius retracted her gaze, casually sat back in her chair, and continued slowly:

"Given your intelligence-gathering skills, Miss Spy, you should know that the two directors are on the verge of a final showdown~"

"I see." Ho'olheyak's eyes flashed with understanding upon hearing this.

Although Mobius didn’t spell it out clearly, Miss Kukulkan was smart enough to grasp the implication instantly.

"How about it? This little task should be within your capabilities, Little Snake."

In fact, Mobius hadn't initially considered using Ho'olheyak as a "pawn" for this task. But since the "pawn" happened to be there...

So, with the mindset of not letting it go to waste, she pushed this small task onto Ho'olheyak.

"This task is indeed within my abilities, but I must say, Miss Mobius, your timing is impeccable." Ho'olheyak nodded gently, then sighed helplessly.

"Alright, since Miss Mobius has invited me to join your 'play,' please share the details of the 'task.' After all, if your perfect plan has any loopholes here, it would be quite unfortunate."

"Hmm~"

Mobius snorted and nodded after hearing Ho'olheyak's compliment.

She then began to slowly explain the requirements and details of the task to the person in front of her.

——————————————————

After spending some time talking to Ho'olheyak, Mobius "dismissed" her from the office without hesitation or mercy.

After all, in Mobius’s opinion, the questions had been answered, the business had been discussed, and keeping Ho'olheyak around any longer would only cause unnecessary trouble.

Once Ho'olheyak was gone and the office was peaceful again, Mobius didn’t immediately return to reading her documents. Instead, she quietly pondered her next steps.

On both sides, now that Saria and Muelsyse had Ho'olheyak as a guide, the "guide" or "contact person" for Silence had yet to be decided.

The reason... was that Mobius didn’t really want to reveal her or Sakura’s identity to Silence, an upright young woman.

Doing so would introduce additional risks, and Saria might even catch on at some point.

So, Mobius was still considering who would be the right contact person for Silence.

However, just as she was lost in thought, a familiar, tender voice entered her mind after a long absence, causing her to pause.

‘This candidate... Aunt Mobius, let me do it.’

‘Heh~ Why is Griseo suddenly interested in this~’ Hearing this, Mobius couldn’t help but laugh softly.

‘Well, Aunt Mobius should know that Tarurua and the others are worried about food, and I want to help them...’

Faced with Mobius’s teasing, Griseo explained earnestly.

After listening to Griseo’s explanation, Mobius wasn’t particularly surprised, but she seemed to consider something before responding:

‘I know you're short on food, but weren't you planning to go to Bianka’s place, Griseo? Why the sudden change of plans~?’

‘Because if I go to Aunt Mobius, I can still help you, right?’

‘Heh~ In that case, welcome aboard, Griseo~’

‘Well… I’ll go talk to Tarurua and Sister Bianka, then I’ll come over.’

‘Go ahead.’

——————————————————

*Elsewhere, in Ifrit’s room...*

With Silence busy, Ifrit was in her room, absorbed in a new picture book.

However, just as she was happily reading, a faint noise suddenly echoed in the room, causing her to pause. She looked away from the picture book and instinctively scanned the room.

She quickly identified the source of the sound—under her bed.

After noticing this, Ifrit set the picture book aside, lay down on the bed, and peeked underneath...

Even though she had prepared herself, Ifrit couldn’t help but be startled by what she saw...

There was nothing particularly strange under her bed—just a pool of black mud emitting a faint green light, with a letter floating on top of it.

Once she regained her composure, Ifrit reached for the letter under the bed...

If it had been something else, Ifrit might have felt a bit scared. But since it was just this black mud, she had grown accustomed to it and even felt a bit happy.

Because, while others might not know, she was well aware that the owner of this black mud was her favorite Sister Snake! And the Snake would never hurt her!

"Hmm!"

After grabbing the envelope, Ifrit seemed to think of something. She quickly stuffed the envelope under her pillow, then hurriedly jumped off the bed barefoot, dashing out of the lab in a series of excited exclamations.

However, once she was outside the lab, the familiar figure she was hoping to see did not appear before her as she had imagined.

"Ifrit, what are you doing?"

Silence, who had followed her out of the lab, looked at Ifrit standing outside with a helpless expression.

"Well, nothing... I just thought I saw something."

After hearing Silence’s voice behind her, Ifrit looked around again. After confirming that the familiar figure was nowhere to be found, she turned around, a little disappointed, and replied softly.

"Ah... You didn’t even put on your shoes. Get back inside quickly." Silence rubbed Ifrit’s head helplessly, then gently guided her back inside.

...

However, just as Silence finished wiping Ifrit’s feet, settled her down, and was about to leave again, she was suddenly called back.

"Wait a minute, Silence."

Chapter 123: The Second Letter from Ouroboros

"Wait a minute, Silence."

"Hmm? What is it, Ifrit?"

Silence, suddenly called back, turned around and looked at Ifrit sitting on the bed.

"Hmm!"

Ifrit nodded emphatically, then cautiously glanced outside the laboratory. After confirming that no one was paying attention, she gestured for Silence to come closer.

"......?"

Seeing Ifrit’s mysterious demeanor, Silence suppressed the complex and negative emotions brewing inside her, mustered some patience, and slowly approached.

Even though she was in an extremely bad mood and feeling a bit broken, she was determined never to show her negative emotions in front of the child. This was her bottom line.

"Here..."

Once Silence was closer, Ifrit carefully pulled out something from under the blanket. She glanced at the letter’s cover and then quickly stuffed it into Silence’s arms.

"......?!"

At first, Silence was confused, but when she saw the words [Secretly deliver this letter to Silence - Ouroboros] on the envelope, she was momentarily stunned.

However, she quickly composed herself, folded the envelope calmly, and slipped it into her pocket.

Then, Silence leaned down and whispered to Ifrit: "So, Ifrit ran out earlier because of this? Did she just come by?"

"I don’t know. This letter just appeared suddenly. I thought Snake was here..." Ifrit shook her head slightly, a hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes.

"...I see."

After hearing Ifrit’s explanation, a flash of fear crossed Silence’s face, but she softened her voice and continued, "Ifrit, if you’re not in any danger, then it’s fine. But if someone suddenly shows up and tries to hurt you, remember to shout."

"Yeah!"

"Good girl. I’ll head out now."

After saying that, Silence gently rubbed Ifrit’s head in comfort, then turned and left the room.

To be honest, if Silence had still been guessing about the connection between Sakura and Ouroboros before, her suspicions had greatly diminished now...

After all, someone had managed to sneak something into Ifrit’s room without anyone noticing. In that case, it wasn’t impossible for them to come and go unnoticed...

"..."

After watching Silence’s retreating figure for a while, Ifrit picked up the picture book beside her, intending to continue reading. Although she was a bit disappointed that Snake had sent a letter but hadn’t come to see her, she understood that she was not as free as she was and couldn’t reveal her identity.

Of course, while Ifrit knew and accepted this, she was already planning to make up for this "debt" the next time she met Snake. Next time, she would eat 10 candies in one go!

But just as Ifrit was starting to calm down and immerse herself in the picture book’s story, a familiar little sound caught her attention, causing her to pause mid-page.

Then, Ifrit skillfully tossed the picture book aside, lowered her body, and peeked under the bed. When she saw what was there, her eyes widened in surprise.

This time, there was no black mud or letters under the bed, just a small, lonely bag of candies.

————————————————

After leaving Ifrit’s room, Silence greeted her colleagues in the lab and made her way to the bathroom.

Although she didn’t particularly enjoy reading letters in the toilet every time, there were too many people around, and she couldn’t find a better place at the moment.

"..."

On the way to the bathroom, Silence frowned slightly, her hand in the pocket of her white coat tightly clutching the envelope from Ouroboros.

Even though she hadn’t opened it yet, Silence had some guesses about the letter’s content.

After all, she hadn’t forgotten the "cooperation" mentioned in the last letter from Ouroboros...

With mixed emotions, Silence reached the bathroom, entered a stall with practiced ease, closed the door, and took out the letter from her pocket. She opened it and began to read.

[Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a mess, kind-hearted Miss Silence~]

[You always thought you were doing justice and saving others, but in the end, you found out that it was all fake, and you were also an accomplice. That must feel terrible~]

[I really pity that poor child, Ifrit~]

Just reading the opening paragraph, Silence clenched her fists, her expression growing uglier as her sore spots were mercilessly poked.

[Okay, enough with the chit-chat. Let’s get straight to the point this time—do you want to cooperate, Miss Silence?]

[Oh, by the way, I almost forgot. To prevent the naive Miss Silence from relying on that ridiculous method, I must remind you.]

[During the experiment, if Ifrit suddenly becomes paralyzed, loses consciousness, and loses control of her body, then the chances of her Originium Arts going out of control are as high as 90%~]

[If Miss Silence doesn’t mind losing such an experimental subject due to severe physical deterioration, you could take a gamble.]

"!"

After reading this paragraph, Silence’s pupils contracted slightly, her face full of horror and disbelief.

But there was no helping it. After all, no one would remain calm when an outsider accurately guessed their thoughts and issued "warnings."

"Huh——"

After taking a moment to compose herself, Silence continued reading.

[However, I doubt the kind-hearted Miss Silence would be willing to gamble with someone’s life~]

[And now, you’re being restricted and "attacked from all sides." If you want to save the innocent Ifrit, the best solution is to cooperate with me.]

[Of course, cooperation requires both parties to be willing. Come to xxxxxxxx at 2 o’clock this afternoon. If Miss Silence is interested, we can discuss the details~]

——[Ouroboros]

"..."

After reading the entire letter, Silence fell into deep silence, not even noticing when her nails dug into her palms.

Silence had to admit that each time Ouroboros sent a letter, despite the casual and conversational tone, it was as if they were stabbing directly at her most vulnerable spots, perfectly understanding her.

"2 o’clock in the afternoon..."

Chapter 124: Griseo's Notice

Ursus Snowfield, the temporary base of the Reunion Movement——

"I'm back... why are you sitting here alone in a daze?"

Alyona, the little white ursus who had just returned to the base and was wearing a thick cotton coat, walked to the campfire and asked the little Lolita who was sitting alone in a thin dress.

"(꒪꒫꒪)?"

Griseo, who had just finished communicating with Mobius and Bianka and was in a daze, slightly shook her hair and then turned her head to look.

When she saw who it was, she said slowly:

"Welcome back... Why did Alyona come back so early today?"

"I already mastered the training content in advance, so I was allowed to return early," Alyona said, sitting down next to Griseo with a smile.

"Well... Alyona is amazing." Hearing this, Griseo gently nodded her head and then raised her thumbs to the person next to her with a serious expression.

"Hehe, I'm just a nobody. This little power can't even protect the people I want to protect..." Facing the little girl's praise, Alyona shook her head gently and said with a wry smile.

After listening to Alyona's self-deprecating words, Griseo stretched out a pair of warm little hands, held her little face that was cold from the wind, and encouraged her: "No, I believe Alyona will do it... I will always be with you."

"... Well!" Feeling the warmth on her face, Alyona was slightly stunned, then gently rubbed Griseo's little hand, smiled, and nodded.

"..." Looking at her little friend who was laughing happily because of her words, Griseo didn't say anything, but was thinking about what gifts to bring back for her friend and everyone else when she went to Mobius to buy goods this time.

In the Little Loli's opinion, since they were already there...it was no use buying food, so why not bring some gifts for everyone? After all, many things were still scarce on this snowy plain.

...

After lunch at noon, Griseo did not go back to take a nap with Alyona as usual but took Talulah and Alina to their tent.

"Little one, what's the problem? So mysterious." After returning to the tent, Talulah, who had been holding back all the way, asked curiously.

Alina, on the side, also cast a curious look at Griseo, waiting for her answer.

Hearing this, Griseo looked up at her two "guardians" in front of her seriously and said:

"Well, there is something I want to tell you, Tarurua. I will be leaving the camp for half a day this afternoon..."

"!" ×2

Listening to the words uttered by the little Lolita in front of them, both Talulah and Alina were slightly stunned.

"Ahem... Can you tell us the reason, Griseo?" After a moment, Talulah reacted first and leaned over to ask softly.

"Well... Can I tell you, Sister Alina, when I come back?" Facing Alina's gentle question, Griseo did not directly answer the reason but asked in a low voice first.

"Is it dangerous? If safety cannot be guaranteed, I will never allow you, a little one, to act alone!" After hearing Griseo's words, Talulah raised her eyebrows slightly and grasped the key point directly.

"Don't worry about my safety, because Sister Sakura is with me." As she said that, Griseo shook her little head gently. As she shook her head, the strand of hair on her head also shook.

"..." Hearing this, Talulah and Alina looked at each other and saw the helplessness in each other's eyes.

"Since Miss Sakura is protecting you, Talulah and I won't say anything. So will Griseo return tonight or at another time?" Alina reached out and touched Griseo's little head, asking gently.

"I'll be back tonight."

Griseo gently rubbed Alina's palm and answered softly.

"Then come back early and pay attention to your safety, little one." Talulah, who was standing aside, still reminded her with some worry.

"Yes!"

—————————————————

After talking to Talulah and Alina, Griseo walked out of their tent slowly and headed towards the campfire.

As for why she went there...of course, it was because the little Lolita guessed that there must be a "fool" waiting for her there.

"Alyona didn't go to rest..."

When she arrived at the campfire, Griseo saw her familiar little friend and said to her with a calm expression.

"...Because I want to wait for Griseo to come with me."

Hearing this, Alyona's light green eyes flashed a trace of guilt, and then she answered seriously.

"Hmm..."

After her friend said this, it was Griseo's turn to be embarrassed.

Because the little girl hadn't figured out how to tell Alyona that she had to go out this afternoon and couldn't accompany her for a nap...

"What's wrong? Did you encounter any problems?"

Looking at the tangled look in Griseo's eyes, Alyona asked with some concern.

In fact, she was worried as early as when the little girl finished her meal and asked her to go back and rest first, and then took Talulah and Alina away alone.

She even kept wondering in her heart if something had happened... Although she didn't figure it out later.

"Well, I encountered a problem." Facing her friend's question, Griseo gently nodded.

"What's the problem?"

Seeing Griseo "admit" it, Alyona's face couldn't help but become serious.

"I can't take a nap with Alyona today..."

"Ah?"

...

Alyona, who originally thought there was something wrong, lost her seriousness after listening to Griseo's explanation, and was replaced by a helpless smile.

After a while, she gave instructions in a helpless tone.

"You must be careful when you go outside and protect yourself."

"Yes, I will."

"When will Griseo leave?"

After getting Griseo's assurance, Alyona seemed to suddenly think of something and asked again.

"I'll send Alyona back to sleep and then leave."

"Okay."

Then, the two little ones returned to their tents one after another.

Griseo said goodbye after watching Alyona lie down and then left the tent.

Afterwards, she did not stay at the camp at all, but walked out directly, while contacting others in her mind.

Chapter 125: The Arrival of the Little Loli

At this moment, on the deserted Ursus Snow Forest Trail, Griseo was held in the arms of her knight, contacting other people.

‘So, which sister has time to exchange places with me?’

To prevent this purchase from becoming a one-way ticket, Griseo needed to summon someone to serve as an anchor point before leaving, to facilitate her return.

‘I can, Little Griseo~’

As soon as Griseo raised the question, Rita's voice, tinged with a smile, quickly responded.

‘Let me do it, Rita. You and Bianca have been busy recently. Compared to you, Senti and I are much more relaxed.’

Just after Rita answered, Hua, who hadn’t spoken for a while, suddenly chimed in with a calm tone.

‘?’

‘Hey! Old Timer, who are you calling Senti!’

Accompanied by Hua’s words, Sentience, who had been “traveling” with her and rarely appeared, also made her presence known.

‘Hmm, hello, Sister Senti…’

‘?’

‘Don’t call me that, call me the Great Miss Herrscher of Sentience!’

‘Okay, Sister Senti.’

‘Griseo, you!’

…

“Okay, stop messing around, Senti. I’ll be there in a while. You can move freely this afternoon, but be careful not to cause any trouble.”

Looking at the childish Senti in front of her, Hua showed a hint of helplessness and then gave her instructions.

“Hmph, I’m not causing trouble!” Senti retorted, raising her eyebrows, somewhat unconvinced.

“But, old relic, if you want to leave, leave quickly! It’s really boring to travel with you every day. How can someone stay in one place for so long!”

Saying this, Senti scratched her long-haired head, looking a little frustrated.

"Alas..." After hearing Senti's words, Hua shook her head helplessly and did not refute her. Because it was indeed the truth. Compared to Hua's slow-paced nature, Senti was fast-paced... The travel rhythms of the two were completely incompatible.

“You can go out alone this afternoon, just be careful not to cause any trouble.” After another worried reminder, Hua continued communicating with the others in her mind.

‘I will be the anchor point, and Rita should go help Bianka or rest.’

‘That’s fine, then I’ll leave it to Miss Hua.’

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Hua would be the anchor point.

‘Alright, then I will summon Sister Hua here.’

As Griseo concentrated, Hua, who was originally far away in the Dragon Gate, appeared in front of her with a faint light flashing.

“Long time no see, Sister Hua. I’ll leave things to you for now.” Griseo greeted her seriously.

“Go ahead, leave this to me.” Hearing this, Hua nodded slightly and smiled at Griseo.

“Yeah.”

———————————————————

Columbia Tremont——

After everything was ready on Griseo’s side, Sakura used the same method that Mobius had used to summon her and quietly summoned the person over.

After successfully bringing the person over, Sakura didn’t linger, turning around and reasonably returning to Rhine Lab.

As for why she didn’t become a guide... the reason was simple—there was no need. After all, the memories of several people were shared, and no one necessarily knew more than anyone else.

“Hmm...”

Standing on the busy street, Griseo felt a little lost for a while...

Although she had Sakura's memories of the streets and cities here, she still didn’t know where to start. Moreover, she had to buy a lot of gifts for her friends...

However, just as Griseo was standing on the roadside in a daze, a familiar figure with beautiful colors caught her eye, making her eyes light up slightly.

However, even though she liked the color of that person very much, the little Lolita had no intention of going forward to get involved and even took a small step back.

The reason...

Because the person with this beautiful color was a silver-haired Waifan woman with two pairs of dragon horns and a tail, nicknamed the Rhine Boxing King.

If it were a normal day, Griseo might have followed her directly, but today was special, and she had a mission... To avoid affecting her Aunt Mobius's plan, she had to set aside this idea for now.

When she thought of this, a trace of regret appeared in the beautiful violet eyes of the little girl.

At the same time, Griseo also experienced the curious feeling of seeing things from different perspectives again...

You know, Mobous doesn’t like Saria very much and could even be said to hate her.

However, seeing it from the little girl’s perspective gave a brand new feeling. For example, through the pure color of Saria, you could conclude that she is a good person to approach, and you might even want to draw her or something...

“Hmmm…”

After thinking about it for a while, Griseo realized that Saria’s figure had disappeared without her noticing, and she gently shook her little head to snap out of it.

After coming back to her senses, the little girl stopped struggling and planned to visit the nearest candy store first.

Although there were still many people whose gifts she hadn’t decided on, there were many children in the camp, including Alyona, so buying more candies would definitely be the right choice in this case.

Ifrit has it, and Griseo wants her friends and the children of the Reunion Movement to have it too.

As for the candy flavor, the little Lolita planned to choose the one that Muelsyse had recommended to Sakura before.

———————————————————

In the Structural Laboratory——

Silence looked up at the clock in the laboratory again, and her entire demeanor seemed a little irritated.

And, naturally, her expression was noticed by the others in the laboratory.

“What’s wrong, Silence? This is the nth time you’ve looked at the time.” Albert, who noticed his colleague’s dissatisfaction, came over and whispered in Silence’s ear.

“Nothing... I just have an appointment at 2:00, and I’m still thinking about whether to go.” Facing her colleague’s inquiry, Silence showed a complicated smile and explained.

Chapter 126: Mobius's Action and Silence's Appointment

"Nothing... I just have an appointment this afternoon, and I'm still thinking about whether to go." Facing her colleague's inquiry, Silence gave a complicated smile and explained.

"Is that so... Wait, Silence, you're not going to an appointment with Director Saria, are you?" At this point, Albert's eyes lit up slightly, a hint of gossip flashing in them.

Although he hadn't seen it in the past few days, anyone in the office with eyes could tell that Silence had a good relationship with Director Saria, who was famous for her strictness and seriousness in the defense department next door.

"No... it's someone else."

Silence shook her head gently at this.

"That's right, if it were Director Saria, Silence, you wouldn't be so conflicted." After hearing Silence's words, Albert nodded with approval.

At this moment, Lamy, who had been sitting with Albert, also joined in with a smile: "It's rare that a small appointment can make our top student, Silence, so conflicted and distracted."

"However, we support your choice. It's okay if you don't go. If you do, we'll help you ask for leave!"

Obviously, both Albert and Lamy had misinterpreted the situation. They didn't realize that the person Silence wanted to meet was the "culprit" they had recently been discussing and were curious about.

"Well, thank you. If I decide to go, I'll let you know..."

Realizing that her two colleagues might have misunderstood, Silence gave a bitter smile, but she wasn't in the mood to explain anything at the moment. She simply lowered her head and pondered.

Because of the mention of that person, Silence's mind once again conjured the figure she had once admired... If possible, she really wanted to disbelieve what her teacher had said.

However, the evidence was undeniable... Saria's big signature on the document had already hurt her heart and trust.

——————————————————

Mobius's Laboratory——

"Pah, pah——"

In the empty and quiet laboratory, small explosions echoed regularly.

At this moment, Mobius wasn't reading materials or conducting experiments as usual. She just sat on a small sofa used for entertaining guests, expressionlessly pinching bubble wrap.

The only reason Mobius had given up the experiment to do this was that she had encountered a bottleneck and was feeling a little irritable.

"Pah, pah, pah..."

"Huh——"

It was not until she finished pinching the bubble wrap that Mobius's irritability lessened a bit.

She then slowly exhaled, tossed the now useless bubble wrap into the trash can, and stood up.

Of course, Mobius stood up not to resume experimenting, at least not for the time being.

Because compared to the long-term experiment that required continuous attempts, she now had a more meaningful task to complete. Once successful, it would make Mobius's future actions far more convenient.

With this thought, Mobius picked up the special data instrument from her desk, glanced at the empty laboratory, and then opened the door, leaving slowly and heading toward her dormitory.

The next step was relatively important and formal, so she planned to go back and tidy up her clothes first.

…

After making some preparations and gathering all the "chips," Mobius applied to the general manager's secretary at the end of the lunch break.

Finally, with the approval of her application, she calmly and slowly boarded the elevator to the office of General Manager Kristen Wright.

————————————————

On the Other Side——

Long before the agreed time, Griseo arrived at the place agreed upon by Mobius and Silence and found a corner to wait quietly.

As time passed, it was nearly time for the appointment, but the little girl still hadn't seen Silence.

However, Griseo was not in a hurry. She had reserved an hour for Silence to deal with any possible emergencies.

In other words, whether Silence showed up or not, the little girl would wait there for an hour, until 3 o'clock. If Silence didn't arrive by then, she would leave to continue shopping.

As for whether the absence of Silence would affect the plan, that had nothing to do with Griseo. After all, this wasn't her territory, but Mobius's and Sakura's.

…

Finally, around 2:15, a car arrived and stopped at the agreed location. Silence, who had changed into ordinary clothes, got out, looking somewhat anxious.

After getting out of the car, she quickly scanned the surroundings for the figure that might be [Ouroboros].

However, even after looking around for a long time, Silence didn't spot anyone who looked like or could be the [Ouroboros] among the scattered pedestrians.

"Still... am I late?"

After looking around again and finding nothing, Silence lowered her eyes, anxiety and a hint of disappointment filling them.

After a brief struggle, Silence decided to keep the appointment, acting quickly in all respects. She thought that since she had made up her mind to go, she might as well arrive early to seize the opportunity.

However, what caught her off guard was that she didn't even have time to ask for leave before a task from the head of the Structural Section, her teacher, came up...

If it had been another task, Silence could have asked Albert, Lamy, or others for help. But this task was to prepare the medicine for the next day's "treatment."

You see, with the level of the others in the laboratory, if Ahrens, the head of the structural department, didn't intervene, then only Silence, an excellent student with superb skills, could perfectly prepare the medicine.

So, in this case, even though Silence worked at her fastest speed, she was still a little late. Not to mention her original intention to arrive early.

However, Silence didn't notice that since she had arrived, a pair of round eyes had been closely watching her from a corner...

Until the owner of those eyes slowly walked up to her, looking somewhat surprised at the person in front of them.

Chapter 127: Griseo, Who Is Not Good at Negotiation

"Little sister, is something wrong?"

Looking at the cute blue-haired little girl who had walked up to her and was looking up at her, Silence suppressed her turbulent emotions and asked patiently. However, when she noticed the little girl's attire, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. She quickly took off her coat and wrapped it around the girl in front of her.

"Why is the little sister wearing so little, and without shoes? Aren't you cold?"

"Hmm..."

Griseo, who had originally intended to confront Silence directly, found herself skillfully wrapped in a coat before she even had time to speak, a trace of confusion slowly flashing in her big violet eyes...

Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do (꒪꒫꒪)?

"...Did I scare you? Sorry."

Seeing Griseo stunned by her actions, Silence showed an apologetic expression, then reached out to gently rub her little head to comfort her.

"Well, no..."

Hearing this, Griseo, who had regained her composure, gently shook her head. She then glanced behind Silence and began to explain, "I'm not cold, and I'm not a child who ran away. I'm here to find Sister Silence..."

"!"

Hearing the familiar name come out of Griseo's mouth, Silence was startled, and her hand paused mid-rub. An incredible guess began to form in her mind.

"It was the Aunt Snake who asked me to come. There are a lot of people here, and I'm about to dye. Let's go somewhere else to talk," Griseo said slowly, looking up at the surprised woman in front of her.

"Huh..."

After hearing Griseo's words, the surprised Silence felt a sense of relief. To be honest, just a moment ago, Silence had almost thought that [Ouroboros] who had been treating Ifrit behind her back was the little girl standing in front of her.

But now it seems that the little girl here was just there to pass on some words.

"Let's go, let's find a quiet place to talk."

With that, Silence calmly withdrew her hand from Griseo's head, looked around, and spoke.

"Yeah."

Griseo nodded slightly in agreement, as if leaving the decision entirely to Silence.

...

Eventually, Silence led Griseo to a nearby cafe.

After finding a corner to sit down, Silence didn't immediately ask the questions on her mind. Instead, after glancing at the little girl next to her, who radiated a pure and innocent atmosphere, she silently picked up the menu on the table.

"Please enjoy your drinks and cake."

"Thank you."

After thanking the waiter, Silence pushed the cake and drinks in front of Griseo and began to ask in a low voice, "Little sister, did [Ouroboros] ask you to bring me any message?"

"..."

Faced with Silence's question, Griseo didn't rush to answer. She first glanced at the cake in front of her, then at Silence, before slowly saying.

"I'll tell you after Sister Silence puts away those toys."

"...How did you know? Did [Ouroboros] tell you in advance?" Griseo's cryptic words made Silence pause slightly. After a brief silence, she asked in a somewhat dry voice.

As she spoke, her hand reached into her pocket and took out a recording pen. Silence had prepared this recording pen after reading the small note she had received from Ifrit last time, but the previous situation had been beyond her expectations, so she hadn't used it...

Of course, this situation was also beyond Silence's expectations. After all, she had been prepared to face [Ouroboros] directly before coming...

"She didn't tell me, maybe it was intuition?"

After hearing Silence's words, Griseo gently touched her smooth chin, then answered softly.

"Intuition..."

Although Silence still had some doubts, she didn't intend to delve into the matter. She reached out, closed the recording pen on the table, and then looked at Griseo, the meaning clear.

"She asked me to tell you that she will take Ifrit away before the experiment tomorrow... Sister Silence should be mentally prepared." After meeting Silence's gaze, Griseo nodded gently and began to explain.

"Take her away directly?!" Silence's face showed surprise once again.

"Yes, but Aunt Snake doesn't intend to take Ifrit away from you forever." At this point, Griseo paused for a moment before continuing, "She will send her back after curing her..."

"Send her back? No!"

Upon hearing Griseo's explanation, Silence subconsciously objected. Whether or not [Ouroboros] could completely cure the Oripathy, Silence couldn't accept the idea of Ifrit, who had finally escaped the "devil's cave," being sent back.

"No... um..." Griseo shook her head after listening to Silence's words, but she was momentarily at a loss for how to explain the situation involving Rhodes Island...

In the end, the little girl had to reach behind her, take out a letter from her hidden space, and place it on the table. To avoid saying something wrong, Griseo, who was "not good at speaking," finally resorted to using the letter that Mobius had prepared for her in advance.

"Ah, this..."

Seeing the envelope in front of her, Silence was stunned once again... To be honest, this was the first time she had been so stunned and shocked because the little girl didn't play by the rules.

Then she looked at Griseo, who was eating the cake, with helplessness and opened the envelope to read the letter.

————————————————

General Manager's Office——

"..."

In the huge and empty office, it was so quiet that only two sounds of breathing could be heard—one smooth and the other a bit hurried.

After a while, the hurried breathing gradually calmed down, and then a voice broke the silence.

"...I agree."

"Hehe~ Then it's a pleasure to cooperate, Kristen Wright."

Mobius, who had been standing quietly by the side waiting for the answer, chuckled and said.

"Ms. Mobius doesn't seem surprised by my answer," Kristen, who was sitting in the office chair, observed in a matter-of-fact tone after hearing what Mobius had said.

"I'm indeed not surprised because I know you well enough. I believe you will seize this opportunity." As she spoke, a hint of appreciation appeared in Mobius's gradient serpent eyes.

Chapter 128: Doubts and Answers

"Then I am truly honored."

After listening to Mobius's words, Kristen raised her head slightly, looked directly into her beautiful snake-like eyes, and spoke softly.

"However, I still have a question... Miss Mobius, what is the real reason you are helping me?"

Although the transaction, or rather, the cooperation between herself and the person in front of her had just been established, Kristen still had many details she wanted to clarify.

"Why, do you think the reason I gave before is a lie?" Hearing this, Mobius narrowed her eyes slightly, a smile playing on her lips.

"I don't know if it's a lie, but my intuition tells me that it’s definitely not the whole truth." As she said this, a trace of inquiry appeared in Kristen's eyes, and her tone was quite firm.

"I don't deny that. If you really want an answer, then you can regard it as my appreciation for talent~" Facing the inquiry, Mobius responded calmly.

A trace of pity appeared on her face, and after a pause, she continued: "Although it's a pity that a genius like you has to be a pioneer who tears through the false starry sky, but... since I happened to meet you, it wouldn't hurt to help you a little."

"Is that so..."

After receiving this answer, Kristen, who had initially expected to be surprised, suddenly realized that she didn’t feel much surprise at all.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention something. There might be some minor movements in the Structural Department tomorrow because I want Ifrit, the little white mouse from [Project Diabolic]. But don't worry, it won't affect you~"

Seeing Kristen lost in thought because of her words, Mobius seemed to remember something and spoke slowly.

"What do you want with that experimental subject?"

Upon hearing Mobius’s words, Kristen ended her thoughts, her expression tinged with curiosity.

"What do you want with that experimental subject?"

"I plan to cure her Oripathy, and then let her perfectly merge with the Flame Demon fragments in her body to become a new generation of Flame Demon."

In response to Kristen's inquiry, Mobius didn’t hide anything and directly stated her intentions.

"I didn't expect Miss Mobius to be interested in the [Project Diabolic]. Are you planning to conquer Oripathy directly through Ifrit?"

After hearing Mobius's straightforward answer, Kristen raised her eyebrows slightly, a somewhat surprised expression on her face.

"I'm not interested in this rough and crude experimental plan. It’s simply a waste of mice~" Mobius shook her head slightly, her tone laced with disdain.

"As for treatment... if it’s just treating individuals, then the word 'conquer' is completely inappropriate."

"......!"

After a moment of silence, Kristen’s pupils suddenly contracted as she grasped the meaning behind Mobius’s words, and she looked at the person in front of her with a shocked and eager expression.

"Heh~ Why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden? Are you surprised?"

Although the person in front of her maintained a cold demeanor, without a hint of a smile, meeting her gaze at this moment, Mobius seemed to see a large golden retriever staring at her with intense eyes.

"Miss Mobius's words are indeed very surprising." Hearing this, Kristen nodded gently at first, then changed the subject, asking with a hint of urgency:

"Then, as a collaborator, may I have the honor of knowing how far you’ve progressed in this area?"

Although Kristen always had higher goals and ambitions, she hadn’t forgotten that [curing Oripathy] was one of the original goals she and Saria had pursued.

If Mobius hadn’t appeared, she and Rhine Lab would only do their best to study in this area, as conquering Oripathy is indeed very difficult.

But now that an unexpected opportunity had arisen, she would definitely do her best to seize it and try to achieve this initial goal.

"Heh~ You want to know?"

Hearing this, a playful smile appeared on Mobius's face as she teased, "I thought the General didn’t care about this aspect~"

"..."

Faced with Mobius's teasing, Kristen remained silent for a while before replying, "This matter is indeed not as important as that, but this doesn’t mean I don’t want to see it completed, even if it’s just as a witness."

After hearing Kristen's honest words, a trace of surprise flashed in Mobius's eyes, and she lost interest in continuing to play around, adopting a more serious tone:

"Miss Kristen is unexpectedly honest. In that case, I don’t mind telling you."

"I can cure Oripathy now, but unfortunately, due to energy and environmental constraints, this method cannot be scaled up."

"..."

After listening to Mobius's words, a trace of complexity flickered in Kristen's eyes. However, she didn’t rush to say anything but instead looked at the person in front of her intently.

Then, as if she had realized something from Mobius, Kristen slowly closed her eyes, a self-deprecating smile forming at the corner of her lips.

How should she put it? The feeling given by the person in front of her made Kristen suspect that if Mobius were given enough time and resources, she could completely conquer Oripathy, in a way that could be fully scaled up.

However, Kristen connected this with the content of their transaction and Mobius's identity as she perceived it, believing that Mobius had an even greater goal, much like herself.

And this type of person wouldn’t focus on the present, just as she did not.

In this situation, Kristen felt that, as a selfish person, she was not qualified and didn’t know how to bring up the matter of "completely conquering Oripathy."

As for the temptation of interests... She doubted the confident, capable, and ancient woman before her would care about such things.

"......?"

Observing Kristen's strange behavior, Mobius’s eyes quickly flashed with doubt, but she quickly concealed it.

She realized that there were very few normal people in this company, from the General Manager down to the employees... Oh, she herself wasn’t normal either, so that was fine.

However, it didn’t matter to Mobius whether these people were normal or not, as long as they didn’t interfere with her work.

"Speaking of which, this farce is about to end. It's time for me to carry out the next experiment. At that time, the resources and manpower will be handed over to you~" At this point, Mobius paused briefly, then continued:

"I believe that the General Manager of Rhine Lab should be able to handle it~ After all, I still want to quickly and thoroughly overcome Oripathy and then continue to pursue what I desire~"

"?!"

Chapter 129:: Silence's Shock and Questions

"?!"

After hearing what Mobius said, Kristen, who had closed her eyes and was immersed in her own thoughts, opened them instantly and looked at the person in front of her with surprise.

"Why are you surprised again? The general manager's performance today is not at all like the 'iceberg beauty' that outsiders call her."

Facing the startled Kristen, Mobius raised her eyebrows slightly, and a hint of helplessness appeared on her face.

"Why are you surprised again?"

Hearing this, Kristen quickly calmed her surprise and said with a slight curl of her lips:

"This name is just given by those who don't know me. Didn't Miss Mobius say that she knows me well enough?"

"That's right, but I thought you would only show these emotions in front of Saria now." At this point, Mobius showed a meaningful smile and continued:

"After all, you've been wearing an indifferent and cold mask for a long time, haven't you?"

"..."

Faced with Mobius's sharp words, Kristen fell into Silenceagain. After a moment, she said through gritted teeth, "Miss Mobius, you really know a lot..."

"Hehe, thank you for the compliment."

Mobius, who didn't care about what she had just said, happily accepted this "compliment" from the general.

"..."

Kristen, who had been in a high position for a while, had not encountered anyone who dared to speak to her like this in a long time, and was actually a little speechless.

"Okay, let's stop playing around here. With this time, my experiment may have made new progress. I'll leave what I just mentioned to you."

As she spoke, Mobius slowly restrained the smile on her face, and her expression became formal and indifferent.

"Oh, by the way, Miss Kristen Wright, if you have any questions, you can ask me."

After she finished speaking, Mobius waved at the person in front of her without hesitation, then turned and left the empty office.

A transaction or a conversation cannot reveal all the details, but this level is enough in Mobius's opinion. It could even be said to be just right.

If there were more, Kristen might have trouble digesting it. It's time to give people some space to process today's information.

"..."

After watching Mobius disappear completely from the office, Kristen slowly relaxed, tapping her fingers on the desk, silently sorting through the huge amount of information from this afternoon's transaction and conversation.

---

In the cafe on the other side—

After reading the letter in her hand, Silence's delicate brows furrowed at some point.

"Silence, don't keep frowning. Be happier." Sitting next to Silence, Griseo, who had adopted her tone at some point, spoke softly to her, trying to comfort her.

"Hmm?"

After hearing Griseo's words, Silence subconsciously looked at her. But when she saw the expression on the little loli's face clearly, her eyes became a little surprised because she had a strange sense of déjà vu.

"Did Aunt Snake's letter explain the matter clearly? If not, I can help clarify it."

As if she didn't notice Silence's reaction, Griseo's tone remained soft, as if she were coaxing a child.

Although she was somewhat surprised by the little loli's transformation and the strange sense of déjà vu, considering that she was related to the Ouroboros, Silence guessed she might not be an ordinary child.

So, Silence chose to temporarily suppress her curiosity about the girl's abnormality in her heart and address her doubts first. After all, this was related to Ifrit's safety, perhaps even her life and death.

After organizing her thoughts, Silence asked: "What is the little method mentioned in the letter to take Ifrit away? Will it hurt her?"

"The little method is to take her away directly, and it will not hurt Ifrit..." Hearing this, Griseo did not hide anything and directly explained the little method mentioned by Mobius.

In fact, it's not that Mobius has no way to take Ifrit away quietly. But in her opinion, that would be too meaningless and somewhat tasteless.

After all, no matter how you look at it, taking someone away quietly is not as impactful as directly and violently kidnapping someone, which would cause more chaos and anger from Saria.

Mobius wants Saria, who is furious and disappointed with Kristen, to react. How can it be enough without adding some ingredients?

"Take her away directly? Rhine Lab's defense is very..." After listening to Griseo's explanation, Silence frowned slightly and then subconsciously refuted, but halfway through her speech, she suddenly remember something, and her voice gradually trailed off.

"Rhine Lab's defense is only strict for ordinary people, but it is easy for Aunt Snake." Looking at Silence, Griseo shook her head slightly and said seriously.

Since the first problem was resolved, Silence didn't dwell on it. She asked the next question with a serious look:

"...Then, how long will it take to take Ifrit away and treat her?"

"Well, one day. If Ifrit wants to stay there to play, it may take longer..." Facing this new question, Griseo carefully considered the time in her mind before answering.

"Hiss!"

Although she had mentally prepared herself before coming and asking, when she heard the answer, Silence couldn't help but gasp.

As a researcher studying Oripathy, she knew how difficult it was to cure it.

In fact, she was shocked when she checked Ifrit's body a few days ago and found that the Originium content in her body had really reduced by half with no side effects.

Although it wasn't a complete cure, it was like a miracle in Silence's eyes to achieve that level. What's more, it was achieved in just one night.

It was precisely because she understood how extraordinary the miracle was that she had now gained some trust in [Ouroboros], at least in terms of technology.

However, now that she had the exact answer, Silence couldn't help but be shocked again by [Ouroboros's] technology.

"Sister Silence, do you have any other questions?"

After the shock had subsided, Griseo asked softly.

"Yes, I do."

"I want to know, after all this is over, do you really have a way to transfer Ifrit, the 'patient,' from Rhine Lab to the Rhodes Island you mentioned?"

Chapter 130: Little Lolita: Snake is a person who says one thing and thinks another

"I want to know, after all this is over, do you really have a way to transfer Ifrit, the "patient", from Rhine Lab to the Rhodes Island you mentioned?"

Faced with the soft question of the little Lolita, Silence nodded gently and then raised another big question.

The first two questions were easier to answer, at least she had some expectations, but this question... she really didn't expect it.

Because Silence knew the procedures in this regard very well. If you want to transfer patients within Rhine Lab to other treatment institutions, you need the signature of the general manager.

How can this [Ouroboros] pass this procedure? Fake? Or... is there an undercover inside Rhine Lab?

"Well, there is... This is already prepared, Sister Silence can rest assured." Hearing this, Griseo gently nodded her cute little head and answered.

Of course, the little girl didn't intend to reveal too much about the details, because it was completely unnecessary. After all, even if Silence's color was pretty good, she was still a "stranger".

"..."

After listening to Griseo's answer, although Silence was not very satisfied, she didn't continue to dig deeper into the issue after taking another look at the young face of the person next to her.

"I have asked almost all the questions about this letter. As for other doubts, I wonder if the little sister is willing to answer them for me."

The content of the letter left by Mobius this time was still very simple. She didn't even ask her "accomplice" to do anything, so after asking these three questions, Silence had no other questions about the envelope.

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Griseo gently raised her little head and looked at Silence in confusion.

Because Silence was very weak, Griseo had naturally faded the dyed color at this moment and returned to the state of being a white paper.

Facing Griseo's innocent eyes, Silence considered the words and tone for a while, then lowered her voice and said:

"Well... what kind of existence is [Ouroboros] for you? Has she abused... hurt you?"

After saying that, Silence's eyes could not help but sweep across the little loli's exposed white thighs and feet, and her expression was a little strange.

"Well, no, Aunt Snake has always been very good to me and has never bullied me." Hearing this, Griseo shook her little head, and then continued to add: "Sister Silence, are you worried that Ifrit will be bullied?"

"No... I'm worried that you will be bullied." Facing Griseo's straightforward words, Silence shook her head gently, and then whispered with some concern.

How to say it, although Silence has believed in [Ouroboros's] skills and abilities, she doesn't really believe in her character.

Especially the words full of bad taste and arrogance in the three letters, which further aggravated her stereotype of this person.

"Hmm..."

After noticing Silence's worry, Griseo frowned slightly, and her expression was serious as she organized her words in her mind.

Although the little girl knew that Mobius didn't care about other people's opinions of her, she still felt that it was necessary to clean up Silence's opinion.

After all, the contact with Ifrit was not completely gone after this treatment, and Mobius would definitely conduct experiments related to the "Diablo Fragment" in the future.

In this case, improving Silence's impression of [Ouroboros] would not be bad for Mobius at all, and it would even facilitate possible subsequent actions.

It's impossible that after any subsequent experiments, she would just go to Rhodes Island to abduct people...

"What's wrong?"

Looking at Griseo who was hesitant to speak, Silence asked with some doubt.

"It's just that I think... Silence doesn't like Aunt Ouroboros very much..." Facing Silence's inquiry, Griseo considered the words and whispered in a calm tone.

"Uh..."

Little Gray's words successfully made Silence speechless.

Although what the little girl said was indeed the truth and hit her heart, she didn't want to admit it or say anything in front of a child, because it was unnecessary and would easily hurt the child's heart.

"I always feel that Sister Silence has some misunderstandings about Aunt Snake." Looking at Silence who didn't know what to say, Gray said seriously:

"However, her way of speaking is indeed easy for others to misunderstand."

"Misunderstanding?"

After listening to Gray's words, Silence's eyes silently turned to the letter in her hand, and her eyes became a little weird.

"Well, according to you, elder sister's words... well, it's saying one thing and thinking in the opposite?" Hearing this, Griseo nodded gently.

"..."

To be honest, although Griseo explained it to herself like this, Silence really couldn't imagine that the guy who was so "bad" in the letter was saying one thing and thinking another.

"Really? Sister Silence, do you know that if it weren't for Aunt Snake, Griseo might... well, no, she would have become a star in the sky like my parents." Griseo looked at Silence beside her seriously, and then told her "her" past in a calm tone.

"......?" Silence was stunned for a moment, and then after realizing what it meant to become a star, she couldn't help but show surprise on her face.

Obviously, Silence had guessed the relationship between Griseo and the Ouroboros many times in her heart, and even thought about the "ignorant and simple" experimental subject and the "black-hearted" researcher, but she didn't think of the relationship between the patient and the doctor.

After noticing Silence's puzzled and surprised expression, the little girl continued to add: "At that time, I was involved in danger... It was the first time I saw Aunt so anxious..."

"..."

After Griseo's words, Silence's expression was a little complicated, and she fell into silence completely. She found that she seemed to think that they were a little bad because of stereotypes?

Griseo looked at Silence who was completely silent, blinked her big eyes gently, and decided to add fuel to the fire.

"Although I don't know how Aunt Snake knows Ifrit, but... Aunt has been busy for a long time for her, and she doesn't rest well at night."

"Uh..."

...

While Silence and the little loli were having a friendly exchange around Mobius, inside Rhine Lab, Ho'olheyak was thinking seriously about how to "coincidentally" guide Muelsyse to let her discover [Project Diabolic] at the right time.

Chapter 131(244): Muelsyse—Who Doesn't Look Like a Good Person?

At the entrance of the coffee shop——

"Little Griseo, are you sure you can go back by yourself?" Looking at the cute and innocent little girl beside her, Silence asked with a worried tone.

You really couldn't blame her for worrying, mainly because Griseo looked more vulnerable than her own Ifrit...

"Yes, don't worry, Sister Silence, I'm quite capable." Hearing this, Griseo gently nodded toward Silence and replied.

"Well... Be safe." Seeing Griseo's serious expression, Silence showed a helpless smile, then touched her little head and gave her some advice.

"Yes... Sister Silence should also stay safe. If possible... try not to get too close to Ifrit tomorrow morning." As if suddenly remembering something, Griseo gently rubbed Silence's hand and offered her advice in return.

"Okay, I'll be careful."

Although she didn't understand why Griseo said that, Silence kept her words in mind.

"Well, see you next time..."

"See you next time, little Griseo."

After saSakura their goodbyes, Silence and Griseo didn’t linger and went about their business.

——————————————————————

After completing the task from Mobius, Griseo continued to wander around this relatively unfamiliar city.

After all, so far, the little girl had only bought some candy for the children. She still needed to buy gifts for others and, most importantly, food.

Of course, Griseo was mainly responsible for buying gifts for everyone. Sakura would help her arrange food and other resources.

Because, even if the little girl wanted to buy food... Generally speaking, no shopkeeper would sell so much to a "child."

...

Griseo was originally just wandering aimlessly along the street, but as she received more and more attention, despite mentally preparing herself beforehand, she still felt a little uncomfortable at the moment.

However, just as she was about to find a quieter place to relax, she noticed a familiar color in her peripheral vision. She paused slightly, then turned and walked in that direction.

…

"That intelligence organization is really hard to find, so tiring..."

Muelsyse, who was sitting at a table outside the cafe to rest, leaned on the table, exhausted, and spoke with a bit of disappointment.

"If you're tired, you can go back. I'll investigate alone next." Saria, who was already accustomed to her friend's behavior, looked at the information in her hand and said "ruthlessly" without looking up.

"Hey, Saria, you're really heartless! I've accompanied you this far in the investigation, how could I go back now?"

Upon hearing Saria's ruthless words, Muelsyse instantly stood up and complained.

"It's not like I asked you to follow me."

Faced with Muelsyse's accusation, Saria, the no-nonsense woman, didn't blink an eye as she refuted her.

"Damn it! No one will like you with that attitude, Saria..." Hearing this, the corners of Muelsyse's mouth twitched slightly, and she gritted her teeth in response.

"...Hey."

Then, just as Muelsyse was about to say something, a small figure walking toward them suddenly caught her attention, and she swallowed her original words.

"?"

The sudden silence of her normally chatty friend made Saria look up at her in confusion. She noticed that Muelsyse was looking elsewhere, so she also glanced in that direction.

It would have been better if she hadn't looked, but when she did, Saria slowly frowned.

"Wow, that little girl is so cute! And she's walking toward us... But isn't she dressed a bit thinly?" Muelsyse came back to her senses, gently patted Saria beside her, and her little mouth started chattering again.

"Ah..."

Looking at her friend, who started chattering again, Saria sighed softly and then confirmed, "She is wearing thin clothes and no shoes."

"She doesn't look like a child from an ordinary family, but more like a little princess who escaped from somewhere. Hey, I'll go ask!" With that, Muelsyse stood up excitedly and walked toward Griseo.

Although Miss Elf was still a little tired at the moment, she was intrigued when she suddenly encountered such a special child.

"?"

Seeing Muelsyse suddenly walking toward her, Griseo paused, a puzzled and conflicted expression appearing on her delicate little face.

To be honest, the little girl didn't want to be entangled with the chatty Muelsyse at all—it would be very troublesome.

You see, she had originally planned to walk over quietly and "borrow" some of Saria's color to offset the influence of others, then continue shopping.

However, just as Griseo hesitated for a moment, Muelsyse, with a bright smile, had already arrived in front of her and enthusiastically said:

"Little sister, are you lost? Big sister can help you!"

"..."

Faced with Muelsyse's enthusiastic inquiry, Griseo not only didn't answer but even subconsciously took a step back.

"Eh? Do I look that scary?"

Noticing the little girl's reaction, Muelsyse, who had been quite happy, couldn't help but show a trace of disappointment on her face.

However, she didn't continue to approach, instead taking a few steps back to consider the emotions of the child in front of her.

"Well, Aunt Snake said that elves with long ears are not good people..." Griseo looked at Muelsyse, who had taken a few steps back, gently blinked her beautiful big eyes, and then said with a serious expression.

"?"

After hearing this, a question mark slowly appeared in Muelsyse's mind. After a moment of realization, she responded indignantly:

"That's nonsense, a rumor, and completely unbelievable! How can a cute and kind elf like me be a bad person!"

"Hmm..."

Seeing Miss Elf react a little "intensely" to her words, Griseo lightly raised her feet and stepped back a bit more.

"?"

"Don't stay so far away, little sister, I'm really not a bad person!"

Looking at the little girl who was getting farther away from her and the strange looks from people around her, Muelsyse explained with a pale look, on the verge of tears.

Chapter 132: Steel Straight Girl Saria

"What's going on?"

Noticing the unusual situation with Muelsyse, Saria put down her coffee cup and walked over to ask.

"Uh, it's just... this kid said I don't look like a good person QAQ." Seeing her friend approaching, Muelsyse put on a sad face, wiping non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes as she explained.

"...You really don't look like a good person. The kid did the right thing—she was being vigilant." Hearing this, Saria was silent for a moment before nodding gently and saying it seriously.

"?"

"???"

"Saria, how can you say that! How am I not a good person!?" Saria's serious words made Muelsyse explode instantly.

"..."

But this time, Saria didn't respond to Muelsyse's outburst. Instead, she looked at the little girl not far away with a serious expression.

"Did you encounter any problems? Or did you sneak out from home?"

After carefully choosing her words, Saria tried to make her voice sound gentle as she asked.

If this had been the past, the cold-faced and rational head of the defense department wouldn't have been so gentle. Whether facing adults or children, rationality had always guided her life, words, and actions.

But during the time she spent with Ifrit and Silence, Saria had changed, even if just a little.

At least when it came to dealing with children, she had made some subtle progress—she no longer scared them to tears as she did before.

"No, I didn't encounter any difficulties, and I didn't sneak out from home..." Facing Saria's question, Griseo gently shook her little head and answered.

"..."

Looking at the innocent little girl in front of her, Saria frowned slightly, unable to detect any signs of lying, and for a moment, she didn't know how to continue the conversation.

After all, although she had made some progress in getting along with children, she was still not very good at it.

Just as Saria was considering the feasibility of handing Griseo over to the police, Muelsyse spoke again.

"I say, why don't we go over there and talk... Everyone's stares are getting weirder and weirder."

As she spoke, Muelsyse pointed to where they had originally been.

"..."

Saria naturally noticed the stares from people around them. She had no objections to Muelsyse's suggestion and then cast an inquiring gaze at Griseo, waiting for her answer.

"Well... Sister, will you lie to me?"

Noticing Saria's inquiring gaze, Griseo gently blinked her beautiful big eyes and then asked in a low voice.

"No."

Although she couldn't quite follow Griseo's train of thought, Saria still answered truthfully.

"Then..." Hearing this, Griseo's eyes lit up slightly. She then took a few steps forward and stretched out her small, snow-white hand to Saria, who was much taller than her. The meaning was clear.

"Ah, damn, this is unfair! Why do I look like a bad guy, but this one is a good guy! She looks so rough!" Seeing the little girl's actions, Muelsyse's resentment nearly overflowed, and she couldn't help but lower her voice to complain.

"..."

Looking at the little hand stretched out in front of her, Saria was stunned. She clearly didn't expect Griseo's action at all. After she processed it, she frowned again and lectured, "Don't trust strangers so easily next time. It's very dangerous."

"꒪꒫꒪)?"

Faced with the sudden lecture from Sa·Steel Straight Girl·Ria, the little girl was stunned. Although she knew from the game plot, comics, and shared memories from other identities that Saria was a straight-laced woman, experiencing it firsthand left her dazed. This was a careless move—she didn't dodge in time...

"Pfft, Saria, you're really steady." Seeing her "cold and ruthless" friend and the confused little girl in front of her, Muelsyse suddenly couldn't help but laugh.

And the resentment she felt due to Griseo's different treatment mostly dissipated at this moment.

"Hehe, sister said, Saria is a good person; but she's a fierce and ruthless one."

"Well..."

After hearing Muelsyse's words with a smile, Griseo came back to her senses and planned to withdraw her outstretched hand.

However, before she could make any move, a coat with residual warmth was suddenly draped over her, wrapping her up.

"꒪꒫꒪)?"

Griseo looked up at the culprit who had squatted down and wrapped her up, stunned again, with a big question mark slowly appearing on her little head.

It seems the two "couples" are quite synchronized in this aspect...

But before Griseo could fully react, Saria's next move followed swiftly.

She carefully picked up the little girl and turned to walk towards the coffee shop.

"꒪꒫꒪)?"

At that moment, not only was Griseo stunned by Saria's actions, but even Muelsyse, who was standing nearby, was shocked. The smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a look as if she had seen a ghost.

Oh my god, Saria—the steely straight woman, inflexible and ruthless—was being so careful and gentle!

……

After bringing the little girl over and settling her down, Saria sat back in her original position and asked seriously:

"Alright, since you didn't sneak out, tell me what's going on."

"Yes, little sister, tell us what happened. After all, there aren't many cute little girls like you running around barefoot in skirts during this season." Muelsyse, who was gently stirring her coffee with a spoon, also chimed in at this moment.

"I came out to buy things."

Faced with their questions, Griseo, who had just absorbed some of Saria's "color," explained briefly with a serious expression.

"So you came out to buy things, but what made you not wear your shoes properly, little sister? Luckily, your feet aren't scratched... Speaking of which, aren't your feet a little too clean?"

As she spoke, Muelsyse suddenly noticed a detail she had overlooked, paused her hand, and her expression turned curious.

And when she mentioned this, Saria, who hadn't paid attention to that detail before, also looked at Griseo's smooth, white, and clean little feet.

Chapter 133 Self-Introduction?

"The dirty stuff is isolated."

Hearing this, Griseo didn't hide her feelings and still spoke in the same serious and indifferent tone as Saria.

"Hmm... this tone, this little expression..."

Muelsyse, who noticed something, didn't care about Griseo's answer at that moment but touched his chin, looking at her and Saria's faces with suspicion.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing her friend's strange behavior, Saria slightly raised her eyes, looking at her, and asked.

"More like, but... tsk."

Muelsyse ignored Saria's question and continued to scrutinize the two, who wore the same expression in front of her.

Then, Miss Elf reluctantly approached Griseo, gently pinched her face, and said, "Little one, this isn't fair. Not only are you close to this fierce person, but you also imitate her."

"You don't learn from me, it's so sad..."

"Well, I... didn't... don't be unfair."

Griseo, whose face was pinched, tried to maintain the same seriousness as Saria, but... she looked too cute now, and it was impossible to see any seriousness at all.

"Obviously!"

Hearing this, Muelsyse changed her hand movements from pinching to rubbing and retorted unhappily.

Because of Muelsyse's sudden close contact, the serious expression that Griseo had adopted from Saria quietly faded away.

"Okay, stop bullying her and let her explain the situation clearly."

Seeing her friend bullying the little girl, Saria spoke up, with a slightly exasperated look.

"Okay, okay, let's stop joking around. Let me introduce myself. My name is Muelsyse. I'm an elf, but I'm not a bad person! So, little sister, what are you in such a hurry to buy?"

Hearing this, Muelsyse withdrew her hand and introduced herself to Griseo with a smile.

"Well... but bad people don't usually admit they're bad."

After listening to Muelsyse's introduction, Griseo gently rubbed her blushing face and added seriously.

"Ah?"

"Isn't that right?" Griseo asked sincerely with an innocent expression, looking at Miss Elf, who was gradually clenching her fists in front of her.

"... It is."

Though a bit annoyed, after meeting the innocent eyes of the little girl, Muelsyse was silent for a moment before finally gritting her teeth and conceding.

"Hmm..."

Looking at Muelsyse's expression, though Griseo's face remained calm, a brief smile flashed in her big violet eyes.

"Although I don't know whether you're a good person or a bad person, you told me your name, so I will introduce myself."

"My name is Griseo, and I'm a painter. It's nice to meet you, Sister Muelsyse, and..."

At this point, Griseo cast a puzzled look at Saria, the meaning of which was clear.

"My name is Saria."

Though slightly exasperated by the direction the conversation had taken, Saria still introduced herself after noticing Griseo's gaze.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Sister Muelsyse and Saria."

Hearing this, Griseo gently nodded her little head and then finished what she had been about to say.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too. It would be better if you weren't biased. But how old are you to call yourself a painter?"

Although slightly annoyed by the little girl in front of her, Muelsyse didn't dwell on it.

"I'm good at painting."

"Hmph, I don't believe it~"

On the other side...

When Mobius returned to the laboratory and continued to work through a pile of information and experiments, she suddenly recalled a loophole in her plan that wasn't exactly a loophole.

That is... she notified and guided people from the three parties, but it seemed that she had forgotten Ifrit, the person involved... She hadn't informed her of tomorrow's plan at all.

"What a hassle..." Although she said this, Mobius was very diligent and put down the information in her hand, then closed her somewhat tired eyes and began to contact Sakura telepathically.

It wasn't necessary for her to go in person; she could ask someone to help deliver a letter or something...

...

After handling this small matter, Mobius gently blinked her gradient serpent eyes and didn't pick up the information immediately. Instead, she began to think about other things.

For example... when would Kristen send her some assistants...

The workload would only increase over time for projects like researching mineral disease potions.

In the early stages, Mobius could manage on her own, but later on, the amount of data and files that needed sorting would only increase. In this case, to avoid wasting time, she would definitely need some assistants.

After all, she couldn't create a Klein for herself in a short time... If she could, she wouldn't have so many concerns right now.

----

After some small talk and questioning, Saria and Muelsyse finally figured out the specific situation of the little girl who looked like a runaway princess in front of them.

"Muelsyse, I'll leave Griseo in your care. It's getting late, so I'll continue my investigation."

After checking the time and realizing it was getting late, Saria turned her head and said to the two who were still playing around.

"Hey! How can this be, Saria? You actually want to abandon me!"

Muelsyse, who had been playing around with Griseo, was stunned when she heard Saria's words and immediately complained.

"Time is tight. I'm not good at taking care of children, so you and Griseo can chat. I'll have to rely on you for this matter."

Hearing this, Saria gently shook her head and explained with a serious look.

You see, because of meeting Griseo, Saria, who had originally planned to take a short rest here and exchange information with Muelsyse, had already lost a lot of time.

"Well, leave Griseo to me. This kind of thing is really my specialty!"

After listening to her friend's explanation and realizing the seriousness of the matter, Muelsyse put away her playful attitude and nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'll be off then."

Hearing this, Saria nodded gently to Muelsyse and Griseo, then stood up and prepared to leave.

However, at that moment, a small snow-white hand suddenly grabbed her hem, stopping her from leaving.

Chapter 134 Little Lolita's Conflict

"Hmm?"

Saria stopped and looked at Griseo with some doubt.

"Sister Saria, please take a rest... don't overexert yourself."

Facing Saria's inquiring eyes, Griseo said seriously.

Although the person in front of her hid her fatigue very well, and there was no extra expression on her face, the little Lolita still noticed it.

"Saria, you really should take a proper rest. Even the children can see how tired you are." After hearing Griseo's words, Muelsyse's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, and then sbe quickly agreed.

"Hmm... I know."

Without paying attention to her friend's agreement, Saria looked at Griseo for a while, nodded slightly, and replied.

"Then... goodbye, Sister Saria."

After seeing Saria agree, Griseo let go of her little hand that was holding her clothes, and then waved.

"Goodbye."

As the words fell, Saria didn't stop this time and soon disappeared around the corner of the street.

...

"Little Griseo, do you like Saria that much? She's already gone far away..." Muelsyse looked at Griseo, who was still watching Saria disappear around the corner, and couldn't help but stretch out his hand and pinch her little face.

"Yes, I do..."

Even though her little face was still being pinched, Griseo still answered truthfully in a low voice.

"It's really strange. Saria just left. Tell me, what do you like about that person?" Muelsyse let go of her hand, puffed up her cheeks, and asked unhappily.

"Because Sister Saria's color is very beautiful."

Griseo gently rubbed her little face, which had turned a bit red from the pinching, and answered with a serious expression.

"Color? The color of Saria's clothes?"

Hearing this, a trace of surprise flashed across Muelsyse's face. Clearly, she didn't expect this answer.

"It's not the color of her clothes... but the color of Sister Saria herself. Her color is very beautiful and makes people feel at ease."

Noticing Muelsyse's surprised expression, Griseo blinked her big eyes gently and finally chose to kindly explain in more detail, rather than simply saying "color is color" as usual.

"Huh?"

After listening to the little Lolita's rather detailed explanation, Muelsyse gently touched her chin, and after a while, her expression became more subtle.

"Little Griseo, do you have some special ability that lets you see people's character... No, that’s impossible, I'm not a bad person!!"

Initially, Muelsyse was still guessing whether Griseo had some ability to identify other people's character... But before she could finish speaking, she suddenly caught herself and abruptly changed her tone.

After all, if it were really confirmed that the little Lolita had such an ability, wouldn’t that mean she would be confirmed as a bad person?

No, she, Muelsyse, is a good person!

"Hmm..." Looking at Muelsyse, who was still hung up on the "good guy" and "bad guy" issue, a trace of guilt flashed across Griseo's big violet eyes, and then she changed the subject:

"It's getting late, I have to go shopping... I promised Tarurua I'd return early tonight."

"... Forget it, don't worry about that. What exactly does little Griseo need to buy? Sister can go with you, and I can send you back afterward." Hearing this, Muelsyse, who was more easygoing in her thinking, quickly dropped the previous topic and asked curiously.

After all, they had been chatting for a long time, and Miss Elf still hadn't figured out what this cute little girl in front of her was planning to buy.

"I don't know... Because I need to buy gifts for a lot of people, and I haven't figured out what to get for most of them yet." Facing Muelsyse's curious eyes, Griseo shook her head gently and then explained.

"Oh, so you want to buy gifts for others." After listening to Griseo's explanation, Muelsyse's face showed a hint of understanding, and then her eyes lit up as she smiled: "It seems like there are quite a few. In that case, let me give you some advice!"

"Hey, won’t it be troublesome for Sister Muelsyse? You and Sister Saria seem very busy... If you're just concerned about my safety, it’s not necessary..."

To be honest, Griseo admitted that she was in a bit of a dilemma at the moment... In the past, the little girl would not have wanted to be entangled with Muelsyse and act together. It would have been more troublesome and inconvenient for purchasing many things.

However, when she just heard "give advice," her heart was shamefully swayed.

"Of course, it's not trouble! And it’s not just about your safety. I've been busy for several days, and it's time for me to go shopping and relax." Hearing this, Muelsyse smiled and patted the little girl's white shoulder, reassuring her.

"Well, then I'll trouble Sister Muelsyse."

Looking at the happy Elf lady in front of her, Griseo's eyes showed a hint of helplessness, and then she whispered.

"Then let's go! Go out with Sister, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

"Yes."

—————————————————

Structural Section, Mobius's Office

Knock knock—

The crisp knock on the door outside announced that Mobius's usually cold office had welcomed a guest again—if it could be considered a guest...

"..."

Mobius, who was recording experimental data in the laboratory at that moment, did not raise her head after hearing the knock on the door... She remained focused on the work in front of her.

After recording this short piece of data, she finally raised her head and gently snapped her fingers in the direction of the door.

With this crisp sound, the floor of the laboratory and office was instantly covered with black mud with a green glow. It quietly overflowed the room, swallowing up the person who had been knocking on the door and waiting outside, and then "spat" them out in the office.

Because this series of events happened so quickly, Ho'olheyak, who was swallowed and spat out like this, still had a vigilant and sharp look on her face.

However, her mood did not last long. After seeing her surroundings clearly and looking into Mobius's smiling eyes, her tension quietly faded away.

"Your actions really gave me a big scare." Ho'olheyak, who had put on a smile again, complained to Mobius with a helpless expression.

"Heh~ Isn't it because Miss Spy came to disturb my experiment first?" As she spoke, Mobius retracted her gaze from Ho'olheyak, looked at the instrument in her hand, and continued:

"Tell me, little snake, what's the matter this time~"

Chapter 135: Candy Store and Stickers

"Tell me, little snake, what's the matter this time~"

"Of course, it’s related to the task you assigned me, Miss Mobius." Ho'olheyak didn’t beat around the bush and directly explained the purpose of her visit.

"Although the task itself isn’t difficult, the lovely elf isn’t around during the day... So, to avoid affecting your plan, I thought it necessary to discuss it with you in more detail."

At this point, a hint of helplessness appeared on Ho'olheyak's face.

Although Muelsyse would return at night, if Ho'olheyak approached her then, it would seem rather deliberate.

So, given that she couldn’t contact the target at all, she couldn't really be blamed for her lack of success.

"Really, I didn't expect Miss Spy to be unable to handle even such a small task~" Mobius's eyes flashed with understanding, but she still responded with ruthless ridicule.

"Forget it, I won’t count on you for this matter. I’ll let the kid help me instead."

"Indeed, delicate work like this isn’t suited for me. But it seems Miss Mobius has quite a few helpers around her..."

Ho'olheyak didn’t get angry or refute Mobius's "venomous tongue." Instead, she admitted it with a smile.

After spending some time together, Ho'olheyak had found that this ancient entity in front of her was usually easy to talk to and get along with—aside from occasionally speaking harshly and having some peculiar tastes. Of course, this was as long as her work or experiments weren't disturbed.

"Yes, I have quite a few helpers. Why, are you interested in meeting them?" Mobius snorted, a smile playing on her lips as she responded to Ho'olheyak's tentative remark.

After hearing Mobius’s snort, Ho'olheyak quickly waved her hand in refusal:

"There's no need for that. I'm just a little curious... After all, they’re the ones you, Mobius, consider helpers."

What a joke. Ho'olheyak thought she was just curious and didn’t have a death wish... She was already risking enough by seeking out some of these secrets.

If she met Mobius's secret allies and helpers too... she might as well prepare to die on the spot.

"Hehe~ They are indeed very good helpers. You’ll meet them eventually, if you still have the chance then~" After saying this, Mobius looked at Ho'olheyak meaningfully.

"!"

Suddenly meeting Mobius’s gaze, Ho'olheyak, who had been calm, felt goosebumps instantly, and the hairs on her body stood slightly on end.

Although reason told her that Mobius didn’t entirely mean it that way, the meaningful look still made her feel like she was destined to be killed later...

For a moment, Ho'olheyak wondered if she had been asking too many questions recently and knew too many things she shouldn’t know...

"..."

Seeing Ho'olheyak’s expression turn strange because of her words and a look, Mobius squinted slightly, a touch of amusement on her face.

With the end of this little episode, she stopped paying attention to Ho'olheyak. After consulting Griseo in her mind, she focused on her experiment again.

——————————————————

Tremont, Street

As time passed, the sun slowly set, leaving only a touch of gorgeous sunset in the sky.

"How was it? Did you have fun shopping with your sister today?" As the outing was about to end, Muelsyse raised the corner of her lips, leaned toward Griseo, and asked.

"Yeah, I had fun!"

Griseo, who had been influenced by Muelsyse’s vibrant energy, nodded earnestly and answered happily.

Even though she had to carry things herself and couldn’t buy certain items because of Muelsyse's company...

The little Lolita had to admit that she had a lot of fun playing with Miss elf that afternoon!

But there was one thing that Griseo couldn’t help but complain about...

Because someone always "bullied" her, after Saria left, the color of someone else had never faded from her body!

Because of Muelsyse's personality, the little girl, influenced by her, had a crazy afternoon mimicking her energy...

"So, who’s better—me or Saria?"

"Sister Muelsyse!"

Hearing the little girl’s answer, Muelsyse proudly straightened her chest and smiled:

"That’s more like it. Okay, does Griseo want to buy anything else? If not, let’s go pick up the things we deposited, and then I’ll take you home."

"Sister, can you accompany me to the candy store again?"

Griseo thought for a moment before replying to Muelsyse's inquiry.

Even though she had been there before and didn’t lack candy, she remembered Aunt Mobius asking her to help while she was shopping this afternoon... so she still planned to go to the candy store again.

"A candy store? Let's go!"

"Let's go!"

With similar expressions, the two—one big, one small—excitedly rushed toward their final destination.

...

After entering the large candy store, filled with a rich variety of sweets, Griseo politely declined the attendant's help, picked up a shopping basket, and asked Muelsyse with a faint smile: "Does Sister Muelsyse have any candy recommendations?"

"I need both adult and child-friendly options!"

"Are the candies for gifts?"

Muelsyse didn’t rush to choose but instead asked curiously.

"Yeah!"

"This is what I’m best at. Come on, let me pick some for you!" Hearing this, Muelsyse gently ruffled Griseo's fluffy little head before quickly heading toward a shelf brimming with candies.

"Okay."

...

After this big shopping spree, the two, who had entered the candy store empty-handed, left with their hands full of shopping bags.

"This... seems like too much. It’ll be hard for the two of us to carry everything." Muelsyse frowned slightly, standing on the street, a bit distressed.

Actually, if it were only what they had in hand, it would be manageable, but the problem was... the candies were just a small part, and there were still many items stored elsewhere.

"It’s okay, we can ask someone to help pick up the rest later. Now, I have something to give to you, Sister Muelsyse..."

Chapter 136 Candy and Parting

"I have something for you, Sister Muelsyse..."

After speaking, Griseo reached into the bag she was carrying, quickly found a box of assorted candies, and handed it to Muelsyse.

"Thank you for spending so much time with me this afternoon."

"Hey..."

Looking at the candy handed to her, Muelsyse was slightly stunned, a smile forming on her face. Then, she covered her mouth in surprise and said, "I didn't expect little Griseo to be so thoughtful at such a young age. It was worth spending the whole afternoon with you!"

After speaking, Miss Elf took the candy and gently pinched the little Lolita's smooth and delicate face.

"Hmm..."

Griseo was used to Muelsyse's habit of pinching her face, so she didn't resist and let her do it obediently.

...

After a while, when Muelsyse let go of her face, Griseo gently raised her head, her beautiful big eyes shining with light, and then said seriously, "By the way, there's something I want to ask you, Sister Muelsyse..."

"Hmm, tell me what it is!"

Muelsyse smiled and responded with interest.

"Well... could you please wait until tomorrow morning to open the candy I just gave you?" Griseo gently touched her chin and, after organizing her words a little, asked hesitantly.

"Yes, but should little Griseo tell me why?" Muelsyse asked, her curiosity piqued by the unusual request.

"Because candy is also a gift, I plan to give other gifts to friends tomorrow morning. So, I hope you can wait until then to open it..."

Griseo, who tried to look innocent while giving this flimsy excuse, couldn't help but feel a bit guilty...

Yes, the box of candy the little girl just gave out was the one she had exchanged earlier and had a certain issue. Of course, the problem did not lie with the candy itself. After all... it wasn't meant to poison anyone.

The box had been tampered with by Mobius, who had stuffed some [messages] into the unopened candy box.

That’s why, to avoid disrupting the plan, Griseo wanted to control the timing of when the candy would be opened, or when the message would be discovered.

But to be honest, the little girl wasn’t good at this kind of task. It was too easy to make a mistake. If it weren’t for her Aunt Mobius... she wouldn’t have made it so complicated.

Next time, no matter what, she didn’t plan on taking this kind of job again... Although it seemed she was just here to make a purchase and help out.

"Oh, so that's the reason. I didn't expect little Griseo to have such an obsessive-compulsive sense of ritual~" After listening to the little girl's explanation, Muelsyse chuckled and teased.

"But since you’ve asked, I can certainly fulfill this little wish of yours!"

After saying that, Muelsyse couldn’t help but reach out and rub the furry head of the little girl in front of her.

Obviously, Miss Elf had no doubts about the words of the simple and cute child in front of her.

After all, how many people would doubt or question the words of an innocent and cute child...

"Well, thank you, Sister Muelsyse... Here."

Hearing this, Griseo looked at Muelsyse, who had no suspicions at all, and breathed a sigh of relief.

At the same time, she reached into the candy bag in her hand, grabbed a handful of candies that had just been opened, and handed them to Muelsyse.

"Hey~ Then I won’t be shy, thank you, little Griseo."

Seeing Griseo's little hand stretched out again, Muelsyse smiled happily and accepted all the candies.

After peeling off the wrapper of one candy and popping it into her mouth, Muelsyse began to ask about something more serious.

"Alright, it's getting late. It's time to send you back. Where does little Griseo live?"

"Don’t trouble yourself, Sister Muelsyse. My family has sent someone to pick me up, we just need to wait here." Griseo gently shook her head and said softly in response to Muelsyse’s inquiry.

That afternoon, when Mobius had informed the little Lolita about the plan involving Muelsyse, she also told her that she would pay someone to pick her up in the evening and that she should wait here.

After all, where did Griseo have a home in Tremont?

Actually, Muelsyse could have taken her back to the property purchased by Sakura and Mobius, but that would easily leave clues... It would be bad if her identity was accidentally exposed.

The candy box would be opened sooner or later. What happens then may confuse people, but after some reflection, it might not remain a mystery...

Therefore, to reduce risks and complications, Mobius and Sakura had arranged to separate the little Lolita from Muelsyse.

This way, even if Muelsyse and others later wanted to investigate Griseo, they wouldn’t find any clues.

"Hey, has your family contacted you?"

Muelsyse’s expression turned slightly surprised at hearing this.

"I took the initiative to contact them when you went to the bathroom, Sister Muelsyse, and then they asked me to wait at the candy store." As she said this, Griseo gently pointed to the candy store the two had just left.

"Oh, I was wondering why you suddenly wanted to come to the candy store. So that was the reason." After hearing what the little girl said, Muelsyse also looked at the candy store not far away, a look of realization on her face.

"Then, I’ll wait here with you."

"Yes."

...

It wasn’t long before a strange woman approached them, smiling at Griseo and saying, "Miss, I’m here to pick you up."

"Well." Hearing this, Griseo blinked gently and didn’t respond to the woman immediately but turned to Muelsyse and said:

"Sister Muelsyse, the person who came to pick me up is here..."

"So soon? It's finally time, but little Griseo is going to miss her sister!" As she spoke, Muelsyse reached out and rubbed the little girl's head again.

Although she had spoken lightly about parting before, when it was time to say goodbye, Miss Elf still felt a little reluctant.

"Yes, I will."

After chatting for a few more moments, Griseo wrote down Muelsyse’s phone number, and then the two of them parted ways, ending a crazy afternoon of fun.

Chapter 137: Griseo: ꒪꒫꒪)? ? ?

After Griseo and Muelsyse parted ways, Griseo followed the strange woman hired by Mebius and the others to a more secluded area.

Looking around, the little Lolita suddenly changed her pace when she found a suitable spot and darted into a dark alley nearby, much to the woman's surprise and alarmed shouts.

She then disappeared completely into the city’s shadows...

When the woman chased after her, all she found was a dark and deserted dead end...

The sudden disappearance of a living person gave the woman goosebumps, and she almost screamed.

She stood there, stunned for a moment, before tremblingly pulling out her phone and quickly dialing her employer’s number.

"Hello..."

The call connected, and a deep male voice came from the other end of the line.

After hearing the voice, the woman hurriedly recounted what had just happened.

However, before she could finish her explanation and shift blame, the deep male voice interrupted her.

"Don’t worry about it. Take the money and leave. But remember... you know what to say and what not to say."

Beep--

As the threatening male voice trailed off, the call was abruptly ended. The woman tried to call back, but only received a message saying the number was unavailable...

This sudden and strange turn of events left the woman feeling confused and disoriented. If it weren’t for the extra sum of money in her account, she might have thought she was still dreaming.

---

Rhine Lab, Structural Section—

Sitting at her desk, Mobius, who had just witnessed a scene unfold, was mentally communicating with Sakura about their plan.

‘This method is really old-fashioned...’

‘But, Doctor, you have to admit that it’s effective and leaves no clues for anyone to trace back to us.’

Facing Mobius’s complaint, Sakura responded helplessly.

‘Heh, isn’t this just a complaint~’

‘Well, the show is almost over. Tonight is the last night. I’ll need to trouble Sakura.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll keep a close watch.’

Sakura knew exactly what Mobius meant and agreed seriously.

Even though she had done her best to control the timing of when Muelsyse would find the clue in the candy box through Griseo, these things could be unpredictable.

So, to avoid any unexpected situations, Sakura would be on high alert at Ifrit tonight to ensure the plan proceeded smoothly.

‘Thank you for your hard work~’

...

After ending the conversation with Sakura in her mind, Mobius didn’t choose to continue working in the lab. Instead, she packed up and left the office to get some rest.

The reason, of course, was that there was a big show tomorrow, and she needed to be well-rested to have the energy for it...

---

In a forest on the Ursus Snowfield—

Sitting on a tree branch, Hua looked up at the starry sky of the Ursus Snowfield. She then slowly retracted her gaze, turned to the little Lolita who had suddenly appeared beside her, and smiled:

"Welcome back, Griseo. How was it? Did you have fun today?"

"Yes, I’m back. I had a lot of fun today, thank you, Sister Hua." Hearing Hua’s words, Griseo's eyes sparkled with a smile as she answered softly.

"I’m glad you had fun. Senti and I are almost at Lungmen. If you’re interested, you can come and visit us later." Hearing this, Hua gently patted Griseo’s little head and smiled.

"Yes."

...

Knowing it was getting late, Hua simply chatted with Griseo for a while before starting to communicate with Senti in her mind.

‘It’s almost time, summon me back, Senti.’

‘?, No, I don’t want to!’

Receiving the message from her “old timer,” Senti, who was having fun, straightforwardly refused.

‘Stop it, Senti. I’m not suitable to stay with the Reunion Movement... and it’s getting late, it’s time for Griseo to go back.’ Facing her willful child, Hua’s tone was quite helpless.

“Then, old timer, beg me! If you beg me, I’ll bring you back.”

“…”

…

After much back-and-forth and fussing, Hua was eventually brought back by Senti.

After Hua left, Griseo didn’t stay in the woods but summoned Mr. Knight and rushed towards the Reunion Movement camp.

---

Reunion Movement Base—

After entering the base, Griseo dismissed Mr. Knight. She planned to sneak in quietly to surprise Tarurua and the others.

However, as the little girl snuck in, she soon reached her usual activity area and saw familiar figures sitting around the campfire in the distance.

"꒪꒫꒪)?"

But soon, Griseo noticed something unusual... it was too quiet.

Although there was still some distance between them, she couldn’t even hear the faint sounds of chatting, bragging, or the usual lively atmosphere...

This felt very strange to the little girl. A sense of unease crept into her heart, and she hurried her pace, forgetting to stay hidden.

As she got closer, Griseo saw the expressions on their faces—some were solemn, some anxious, and some worried... This made her even more panicked, though she had no idea what was going on.

Finally, she jogged up to the campfire and shouted in a panicked tone, "Hey, everyone, I’m back! Are you all okay...?"

"!"

"Little one, you’re back!"

"Welcome back!"

"Finally, I was so worried."

"Huh... I was so anxious, but it’s good to have you back!"

As Griseo’s voice fell, the previously silent and tense atmosphere suddenly came to life, and everyone looked at her and began talking excitedly.

"?"

꒪꒫꒪)? ? ?

Seeing the sudden warmth in the atmosphere and everyone greeting her with smiles, Griseo, who had originally thought something terrible had happened, slowly found herself puzzled, a row of question marks forming in her mind.

Just as the little girl stood there stunned, a white figure quickly stepped forward, hugged her tightly, and whispered in her ear: "Welcome back, Griseo."

"Well, I’m back, Alyona."