They Said This Isn't a Life Simulation Game! Part 29

Even the blade she carried added a distinctive charm to her.

"Go on, while that annoying Elysia hasn't arrived yet... Or are you planning to just stand there beside me, the third wheel?"

Mobius spoke again, then sniffed the drink in her hand, her expression turning a little worse.

"I think I heard someone secretly talking bad about me~?"

She lightly patted Mobius on the shoulder, then deftly dodged the hand reaching for her. Elysia appeared behind her like an elf.

"Elysia..."

Mobius's expression darkened further.

"Oh, don't look so unhappy~ It's rare for you to come to a Dance Party. Why not enjoy yourself?"

"Not interested."

"Oh? Did you bring Sakura here specifically for the Dance Party? But since Xi Wang is here, Sakura would definitely come too~?"

"Do you think I have that much free time?"

"Then that's not it either... Could it be that you came specifically to see me? Oh my~ Being too cute really does come with these troubles, doesn't it~?"

"Listen when people are talking, Elysia!"

"Alright, alright~ I'll stop teasing you~"

Elysia lightly stepped back a few paces and raised both hands in surrender. Then she turned her gaze toward Sakura, her eyes lighting up slightly.

"Sakura looks so beautiful today! You must have spent a long time getting ready, right?"

"Actually, it didn't take that long..."

Elysia stepped forward and circled Sakura several times before nodding in satisfaction. Then she hugged Sakura from behind and affectionately rubbed her cheek against hers. Their similarly pink hair intertwined, making it impossible to tell whose was whose.

"Elysia?!"

"Hehe~ Sakura is so beautiful today that she's stolen everyone's attention~ Even mine~?"

"But this outfit was clearly prepared especially for someone, wasn't it?"

Elysia blinked and whispered into Sakura's ear.

"..."

Sakura's gaze shifted slightly away, a faint blush crossing her face.

"So cute~ But still~"

Smiling, Elysia rested her chin on Sakura's shoulder and leaned close to her. Looking toward Xi Wang, who seemed not to be paying attention but kept glancing this way from time to time, she asked with a smile.

"Xi Wang, whose invitation will you accept this time~?"

"This is the first dance of our Dance Party~"

Elysia skipped into position, holding Sakura's hand as they stood shoulder to shoulder. With her free hand, she lightly lifted the hem of her pure white dress, revealing a hint of pale purple beneath it. Elegant yet playful, she said, "Although I'm not dressed as beautifully as Sakura, I worked very hard for today's Dance Party too~?"

"So~ Who will you choose~?"

"..."

At Elysia's question, Xi Wang's expression instantly froze. Then, visibly, he grew conflicted and awkward, his brows nearly twisting together.

"Whoo—"

Someone let out a cheerful whistle. Looking up, they found quite a few people watching from nearby, their gazes resting on Xi Wang with undisguised amusement—ah, just as expected, the Dance Party's regular event had begun!

Countless people waited for Xi Wang's choice. After all, this was one of their greatest sources of entertainment. For someone like Xi Wang, who never changed expression no matter how strange a mission he received, this was the only time they could see him look awkward. It was one of Moth to Fire's great curiosities, a recurring delight not to be missed.

"Hehe..."

Even Mobius, who was taking small sips from her drink nearby, couldn't help but laugh at the sight—especially at Xi Wang's nearly twisted-up expression. It wasn't her first time seeing it, but she still found it hilarious.

"Hehe~"

Perhaps feeling that this had gone far enough, Elysia happily shook her head and gently pushed Sakura half a step forward.

"I'll let you off this time~ I don't want to be the kind of girl people hate~?"

"But you have to save the last dance for me, alright~?"

"...Alright."

Xi Wang nodded in agreement, then gave an elegant bow and extended his hand to Sakura in invitation.

"Enjoy yourself~ I won't yield to you next time, you know~?"

Elysia whispered into Sakura's ear.

"Elysia..."

"Hehe~"

Elysia lightly stepped back and turned around, ignoring Sakura's helpless gaze. Knowing there was little she could do about Elysia, Sakura merely glanced at Mobius again. Once she confirmed that Mobius truly had no reaction, she slowly removed the blade from her waist, set it aside, and asked Elysia to keep an eye on it.

After all... bringing something like that onto the dance floor would be far too much of a mood-killer.

Then she walked up to Xi Wang, elegantly returned the gesture as she had learned, gently placed her hand in his palm, and entered the dance floor with him.

The spectators withdrew their gazes and returned to their own affairs, but before long, they were drawn in again by the pair's graceful dancing. Watching the handsome and beautiful couple, many sighed at how well matched they were. But when they thought of Elysia waiting off to the side, quite a few suddenly laughed—the relationship between these three really was strange, but... what did it matter? They were enjoying the show.

"They're both so beautiful, aren't they?"

Elysia sat in a corner holding Sakura's sword, watching the two dance across the floor as she smiled.

Ah... so her efforts hadn't been in vain after all~ Teaching the two of them to dance back then had really taken quite a bit of thought.

Elysia gently swung her legs, her head swaying softly to the music. As she watched Xi Wang and Sakura, her eyes curved into crescents.

How wonderful~

"And yet you still inserted yourself between them? You look just like a wicked woman meddling in someone else's romance~"

Mobius spoke from beside her, her tone faintly mocking.

"I never expected this from you, Elysia. So you're this kind of person."

"How mean, accusing someone so casually. Even if it's you, Mobius, I'll still get angry, you know~"

"Hmph, who cares..."

Mobius shook her empty glass, then found a similar drink on the table and picked it up, taking small sips.

"But how long are you going to keep playing house with him? You don't actually like him, and he doesn't actually like you. Stringing each other along like this will only make everyone else think it's strange and disgusting."

"You think so too?"

"Who cares about you?"

Mobius wore a somewhat disgusted expression.

"Ehh~ I thought Mobius might care about me a little more~"

Elysia blinked, her gaze lingering on Xi Wang in the dance floor.

"Still... there's one thing you got wrong~"

She watched his elegant movements, watched his once-calm expression gradually change, watched the slight lift at the corners of his lips, watched the joy slowly emerge in his eyes.

Within those black eyes like the night sky, the tiny flecks of gold shone like stars, drawing Elysia's gaze.

"I actually like Wang very much, you know~ Very~ very much~?"

"So that's why you're stringing him along?"

"Not at all~ It's just that sometimes, if no one keeps even a little watch over him, he might be like a ship in a storm and suddenly capsize, or like a star in the night sky—look away for just a moment, and you may never find him again..."

"Then you're underestimating how strong people can be."

"Who knows? Still... there's nothing wrong with cherishing him a little more, is there?"

"Mm... I think I understand what you mean."

"Right~ Right~"

"Then it should be fine if I participate a little too, right?"

"...Huh? Eh?"

Elysia froze for a moment, then turned to look at Mobius, whose face was completely flushed.

"Honestly, how could something like this... mm~ How could something like this possibly leave me out!"

Mobius unsteadily set down her glass, letting out a cute hiccup in the middle of her sentence. Then she began walking forward with wobbly steps.

"...Why have you been drinking?"

Elysia hurriedly reached out and grabbed her, then took her glass and gave it a slight sniff, speaking helplessly.

"It was handed right to me... How could I... not drink it!"

Mobius shook her head, flung off Elysia's hand, then removed the white lab coat she almost never took off and tossed it to Elysia. Turning around, she headed for the dance floor, making straight for Xi Wang and Sakura.

"White Rat~ The snake's coming to eat you up~"

When Xi Wang pulled Sakura behind him, Mobius smiled and directly grabbed the hand he had tried to use to push her away. She then opened her mouth and bit a mark into his hand, as though leaving her own mark on him.

???!

That action left everyone else completely dumbfounded.

"...Doctor, you're drunk."

Sakura poked her head out. Seeing Mobius's flushed face, she understood at once and spoke helplessly.

"Drunk? I'm not! Come on! White Rat, I'll take you to the lab to see something go~od~"

As she spoke, Mobius grabbed Xi Wang and tried to drag him away. But after taking two steps and realizing she couldn't move him, she turned back to look at the two of them. Seemingly understanding something else, she continued.

"Oh, I get it! Sakura, you come too! Your work isn't finished yet! I'll give you both a full~ body~ examination. Ah~ Don't worry, it'll be over very~ soon~"

"Ah... though it might not be that soon~ That depends on you~ White Rat~"

As though she had thought of something incredibly delightful, Mobius once more adopted that seductive tone. She even tried to reach out and tap Xi Wang between the brows, but failed.

"..."