Ark Simulator, Don't I Have a Body?

Su Rui nodded, but he still seemed uneasy. Looking at Texas, he added,

"If—if you really want to tell Vulpisfoglia about this and apologize... could you at least wait a little while? Vulpisfoglia shouldn't be put through any strain right now. At the very least, wait until she's had the baby and recovered."

Silly boy. This was all part of Vulpisfoglia's plan.

Looking at the handsome young Nine-Tailed Fox in front of her, his face full of shame and remorse, Texas felt she understood why Vulpisfoglia had done this.

A faint smile unconsciously tugged at her lips, then quickly vanished. Texas nodded.

"Don't worry. I just want to chat with Vulpisfoglia. Pregnant women need someone to talk to and vent to, don't they?"

"That's true."

Su Rui nodded and continued walking with Texas toward Vulpisfoglia's room. Still, his tone was a little indignant as his attention shifted back to the matter at hand.

"But aren't Vulpisfoglia and I close enough? Is there anything she can't tell me?"

Texas couldn't help smiling. Even her voice held a hint of amusement.

"Of course she isn't trying to exclude you. But sometimes it's easier to talk about certain things with someone of the same sex, isn't it? You must have topics you'd feel awkward bringing up with Vulpisfoglia, but could talk about easily with another man, right?"

"I guess so."

Su Rui nodded, then complained helplessly, "But there aren't any men at this shrine besides me. Even the ninjas are women."

"We can't exactly arrange for a man to stay by your side. What if something happened?"

Texas couldn't help laughing. Then she quickened her pace, leaving Su Rui standing there for a moment, confused about what she meant.

A moment later, Su Rui figured it out and jogged after Texas in embarrassed fury.

"Hey, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? I'm not interested in men! Explain yourself!"

Texas didn't respond. With a smile she could barely suppress, she came to Vulpisfoglia's door, opened it, then stepped aside to let Su Rui enter first.

"?"

Su Rui glanced at Texas in confusion, but still carried the food over to Vulpisfoglia and sat down beside her.

Texas followed him in and sat opposite Vulpisfoglia.

Vulpisfoglia and Texas exchanged a look. She immediately realized Texas had something to discuss with her, so she gently stroked the fluffy ears on top of Su Rui's head.

"Su Rui, could you give us a little privacy? I'd like to talk with Texas."

"What can't I know?"

Su Rui sounded a little unhappy, but didn't make a fuss. He picked up his portion of breakfast and stood, somewhat sulkily.

"Fine, I'm going to play games. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay."

Vulpisfoglia smiled and watched Su Rui leave. Only after his footsteps had faded away did she turn to Texas.

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"I... I want to stop. Is it really right to do this to Su Rui, leaving him consumed by guilt?"

Texas felt embarrassed to say it, and part of her didn't want to give it up, but she still brought it up.

Vulpisfoglia only smiled as she listened to Texas share her feelings. Then she picked up her breakfast with the chopsticks she was gradually getting used to and took a bite.

When Texas had finished speaking, Vulpisfoglia swallowed her food, gently wiped her mouth with a napkin, and only then asked, unhurriedly,

"But you don't want to leave Su Rui either, do you?"

"I don't... But this isn't fair to you. I'm the third party. I shouldn't have barged in between you out of nowhere."

Texas paused, instinctively trying to defend herself, but Vulpisfoglia casually cut her off.

"You already did it. And now you think it was wrong?"

"..." Texas was at a loss for words. Her moist lips parted, but she couldn't say anything.

She really had let herself get carried away. Before doing those things to Su Rui, Texas had already thought it over, but her impulse had made her put those thoughts aside.

"I won't agree to it, Texas. It's not because I have some unusual preference. It's hard to explain, but this is for Su Rui."

Vulpisfoglia shook her head and began sampling the breakfast Su Rui had brought her, seemingly unwilling to keep arguing with Texas.

"...Then what if we tell Su Rui about this?"

"No!" Vulpisfoglia immediately looked up and cut Texas off.

Noticing the confusion and questioning in Texas's eyes, Vulpisfoglia couldn't help pausing.

"..."

After carefully considering what to say, Vulpisfoglia could only reply, "Because of certain restrictions, I can't tell you much. Su Rui is special. Why do you think he could appear out of nowhere and have a physical body?"

"...Why?" Texas was curious too, and asked without thinking.

"I don't know either, but that isn't important. What matters is that Su Rui is special. He'll probably leave after a while, meet other women, and continue adventuring with them, and then..."

And develop feelings, then have a relationship like the one he had with Vulpisfoglia. And perhaps it would happen again and again?

Texas immediately understood what Vulpisfoglia meant. Anxiously, she pressed,

"Then why don't we keep an eye on Su Rui and stop him from leaving?"

Vulpisfoglia only looked at Texas as if she were an idiot. "Do you understand how Su Rui exists when he doesn't have a physical body? Or do you have the ability to give him one?"

Texas fell silent. She suddenly realized what detail she had overlooked.

"...Is someone forcing Su Rui?" Texas instinctively gripped the weapon at her waist, on alert for danger nearby.

But Vulpisfoglia only glanced at her and said helplessly,

"All right, don't panic. There's nothing you can do to stop it, just as we can't touch Su Rui when he has no physical form."

"...I understand what you mean."

Texas fell silent for a moment, thinking it through, then stared straight at Vulpisfoglia.

"You want to make Su Rui feel guilty so he'll remember you more vividly."

"I know it isn't right, but... don't you want Su Rui too?"

A few conflicted, uneasy emotions flickered in Vulpisfoglia's eyes, but her words left Texas speechless.

Volume One: 61 Don't Panic

Su Rui had no idea what Vulpisfoglia and Texas had talked about. Once he got to his room, he quickly finished breakfast, tidied up, and started playing games.

But the fun gaming session, which had let Su Rui forget his worries for a little while, didn't last long.

As he played, Su Rui heard the door open beside him.

It couldn't be Vulpisfoglia, could it? She really shouldn't be moving around much right now.

Su Rui turned his head, only to see Texas walk in.

"What are you doing?"

Su Rui immediately grew wary. He stood up and stared at Texas over the back of his chair, afraid she would rush over and drag him into doing something again.

"Don't panic. I just want to chat with you."

Texas glanced at Su Rui but made no sudden moves. Instead, she pulled up a chair and sat beside his.

"Just make sure that's all you want."

Su Rui looked at the door, which wasn't blocked by a stick, and relaxed a little. He sat back down, picked up the controller again, and resumed his game.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

A smile curled Texas's lips. She leaned close to Su Rui's ear and whispered, "You don't want Vulpisfoglia to find out what happened between us, do you?"

"...I don't respond to threats. If you want to tell her, go ahead. We can take you down together."

Su Rui rolled his eyes, refusing to be intimidated by Texas. "Vulpisfoglia might get mad at me, but do you really think she wouldn't help me tear you limb from limb?"

You really do trust Vulpisfoglia. Even though she was the one who planned all this for you.

Texas watched Su Rui out of the corner of her eye as he played, apparently unconcerned.

Then she gently put an arm around his neck. Su Rui reflexively tried to shrug her off.

"What are you doing? I'm warning you, someone might come into my room."

"I just want to hug you. We're so close now, aren't we?"

Texas's words were pointed. Su Rui fell silent and focused on his game, as if he'd already forgotten she was there beside him.

As for Texas, her breathing gradually quickened and her body grew warmer as she held Su Rui close.

The idea that she only wanted a hug was, of course, a lie. Texas wanted more than that.

But out of embarrassment, she couldn't bring herself to reveal her intentions before actually getting up to no good.

Because of that embarrassment, the stalemate dragged on until noon, when it was time for lunch.

Su Rui set his controller aside, gently shook Texas's arm off, and stood up.

"All right, I'm going to make lunch for Vulpisfoglia. You're not coming along too, are you? It'd feel a little weird."

"Of course it wouldn't be weird. We're friends."

Texas said it casually and followed Su Rui.

And so lunch passed with Su Rui feeling uneasy, while Texas and Vulpisfoglia silently understood one another.

"Su Rui, could you prepare some hot water for me?"

After lunch, Vulpisfoglia made this request. Su Rui nodded. "Of course."

Then Texas followed him and quietly slipped into the bathroom. She covered his mouth from behind and leaned close to his ear.

"If we get caught now, Vulpisfoglia will be very upset, won't she?"

"...You despicable woman."

Su Rui gritted his teeth, wanting to bite Texas's fingers off, but Texas was clever—or rather, her experience as an assassin had taught her how to avoid being discovered.

"All right, don't move. If you just cooperate, Vulpisfoglia won't find out... Besides, you're a little hungry too, since Vulpisfoglia can't keep you company, aren't you?"

"I don't mind being hungry. I can take care of it myself. You can do that too. If there's nothing to eat, go find something instead of stealing from someone else."

Su Rui gritted his teeth. He couldn't help being held by Texas and couldn't get free, so he could only try to talk her out of it in a low voice.

"Texas, I thought you weren't this kind of person. Don't you feel guilty about doing this?"

Of course I do, but this is for you... and part of Vulpisfoglia's plan.

Texas was doing something so awful for her own selfish reasons. When Su Rui confronted her, she faltered and instinctively loosened her hold, nearly letting him escape.

Fortunately, Texas had the quick reflexes of an assassin. She pulled Su Rui back just as he was about to get away, holding him in her arms once more.

"Of course I do. And I'm hungry, so I came to you."

"That's a pathetic excuse. Let go of me!"

To keep Vulpisfoglia from finding out, Su Rui had to keep his voice down, but that only made things easier for Texas.

So, in the bathroom, the sound of running water from the faucet covered up Texas's misdeeds.

When Texas slipped away and Su Rui came out of the bathroom, Vulpisfoglia looked at him in feigned surprise. Seeing how disheveled he was, she asked with concern,

"What happened? Why are you so wet?"

"I, uh, got a little carried away and accidentally knocked something over with my tail."

Su Rui didn't dare tell her the truth. He couldn't exactly say he'd had a party with Texas in the bathroom, could he?

Texas had slipped away by herself, leaving him to face Vulpisfoglia with his guilt.

Damn it, Su Rui gritted his teeth in anger, but he couldn't beat Texas... He'd find a chance to teach her a lesson later.

As Su Rui avoided Vulpisfoglia's eyes, turning his face away as he waited for her to bathe, she came over to him.

"All right, don't be upset. It's just a little thing. Why don't we go together? I'll help you tidy up your tail afterward."

"Mm, Vulpisfoglia, you're the best."

Su Rui instinctively rubbed his cheek against Vulpisfoglia's. Her concern made him feel much better, and its warmth melted some of the coldness weighing on his heart.