Mobius: I Believe We'll Get Along Very Well~

"Don't say that, Dr. Mobius~?"

Elysia's voice came from behind Cang Xuan, as cheerful as ever.

"Oh my~ Sakura looks so cute in this one~ Mm-hmm~ Wang looks so handsome too~?"

Gently taking the camera from Cang Xuan's hands and flipping through the photos just taken, Elysia spoke happily.

"Elysia, I hope that the next time you come, you'll learn to knock before greeting people."

Mobius said coldly.

"Next time for sure~?"

"Ahem... um... Miss Elysia, could you return the camera to me? Actually, that's Danzhu's camera..."

"What?! I was wondering why I couldn't find my old camera! I even had to use my private savings to buy a new one... so it was you!"

"I just wanted to use it to make some money... A-Anyway, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours. We're sisters, no need to be so particular about it~"

"Even sisters settle accounts clearly! You dared take the camera I use for shooting! I'll fight you!"

"Shh—keep it down~?"

Elysia placed a finger over her lips, gently cutting off the quarrel between the two troublemakers, Danzhu and Cang Xuan, while gesturing slightly toward the other side of the one-way glass.

"Don't disturb them~"

...Returning her gaze...

"Um... Wang, do you care about these ears?"

Seeing Xi Wang's gaze fixed on the pair of long ears atop her head, Sakura lowered her head somewhat bashfully.

"Mm."

Xi Wang did not evade the matter and simply nodded, asking directly.

"...May I touch them?"

"P-Please... go ahead..."

Sakura closed her eyes and lowered her head slightly, presenting those long ears before Xi Wang... though she seemed rather stiff, clearly nervous.

"..."

Xi Wang slowly reached out as well, carefully and gently stroking those long ears—whose species he could not identify—as though touching something fragile.

They were fluffy and felt wonderful, making one want to give them a little squeeze—and Xi Wang did exactly that.

"Mm—"

As though he had touched some sort of switch, Sakura let out a soft moan. Her long ears instantly stiffened, then quickly drooped again.

Looking downward, one could also see that Sakura's other pair of ears had turned faintly red, just like the long ones.

It seemed the right person had touched the right spot with the right technique~ How wonderful~?

"Did that affect you?"

"N-No."

"It won't become a weakness in battle, will it...?"

"It won't. Just now was... a special circumstance."

"..."

Xi Wang understood. After stroking them a little more, he let go.

"W-Would you mind them? Or do you think they're ugly... or something..."

Sakura raised a hand to smooth the long ears atop her head, then shifted her gaze away slightly, asking as though casually.

"No. If anything, they're very cute."

"I see... that's good..."

Sakura seemed to have let go of some concern in her heart.

"And if it's Sakura, I like you no matter what you become."

"..."

Sakura's body instantly froze, and the ears atop her head shot straight up.

Wow~ As expected of Wang, he effortlessly did something others could never do~?

But hadn't he just said something incredibly outrageous as though it were nothing?

Ah... what should she do, what should she do... She should respond at a time like this, right? She had to respond, right?

"I... feel... the same..."

The ears atop Sakura's head trembled slightly. Already the color of cherry blossoms, they now deepened into an even redder hue, while her response was as soft as a mosquito's buzz—so subtle it was almost impossible to notice, like falling cherry blossoms.

Click—

"?" x2

"If it's Sakura, I like you no matter what you become."

"??" x2

"If it's Sakura, I like you no matter what you become."

"???" x2

"Alright~ Audio recorded~ Photos taken~ Playback works perfectly too~?"

"...Elysia?"

Xi Wang and Sakura stared in stunned confusion at Elysia, who was fiddling with a camera and a little speaker of unknown origin some distance away.

"Hi~ Did you miss me~? Sorry for interrupting you two, but I happened to record a very important moment~?"

As she spoke, Elysia pressed the speaker's play button again, as though displaying her spoils.

"If it's Sakura, I like you no matter what you become."

Xi Wang's voice came through loud and clear, looping continuously.

Elysia was also holding a camera in her other hand. Sakura could clearly see the photo displayed on it... it showed her and Xi Wang.

An inexplicable feeling of shame surged through Sakura.

"What a pity~ I didn't manage to record Sakura's response... Sakura, you need to be bolder and more decisive~ Just be as straightforward as Wang~?"

"..."

"Elysia!"

In response to Elysia's words, Xi Wang narrowed his eyes in helpless exasperation, while Sakura was so flustered she was nearly "overheating."

"My~ Why is Sakura the one so anxious? Is it because you're worried Wang will embarrass himself in front of others? You two have such a wonderful relationship~ I'm so envious~?"

"So then~ You two~ Now..."

Though it was a little regrettable that she had not recorded everything, Elysia was still delighted as she spoke with a hint of mischief. She turned the little speaker's volume all the way up, then... ran straight out of the laboratory.

"It's time to tell our friends the news~?"

But... how many friends did Elysia have again?

Actually, not that many—probably around ninety percent of Moth to Fire, mm.

...Wasn't that practically the same as telling everyone?!!

"Elysia! Wait!"

Sakura hurriedly chased after her, bursting forth with speed far beyond expectations.

"...Sigh, I have to update the data again."

Klein glanced at the data on Sakura's speed that had just been detected on the fly and sighed helplessly.

"My camera..."

Cang Xuan watched the two pink figures rapidly vanish into the distance and bit her sleeve unwillingly.

"No, my camera."

Danzhu silently corrected her.

Chapter 26: Mobius: I Believe We'll Get Along Very Well~

"Alright~ Now that Elysia, that troublesome woman, has left, and your little girlfriend has run off after her, perhaps... we can start settling matters between us?"

Mobius leaned leisurely against the doorway, her dangerous gradient eyes openly assessing Xi Wang.

"What made you set aside your prejudices and come looking for me? White Rat~"

"I came to ask you some questions."

Faced with Mobius, Xi Wang's tone returned to that water-like calmness, drawing a sigh from her.

"My, my~ The moment those two leave, you go back to being like this. Are you really that unhappy being around me? I like you too, you know~"

The corners of Mobius's lips curled upward, and the seductive quality in her words rose several levels.

"Physically~"

"I hope you'll answer my questions."

"Fine, fine~ What a boring fellow... but since you're my favorite White Rat~"

Mobius spread her hands as though helplessly, then smiled again. Tapping a fingertip against her lips, she asked,

"But... what are you willing to offer in exchange...?"

"Naturally, what interests you most."

"...Are you serious?"

"Of course. Or is there something else that interests you more?"

"Ha... no... hahaha... no, I'm only interested in you, in your body, White Rat~"