That's Not How It Works in Dating Sims!
Molly led Luoxi and Xiao Zhuotao through the living room, upstairs, and into her bedroom.
Molly said:
"Tell me, what exactly do you need my help with?"
"..."
Xiao Zhuotao felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the lace trim of her skirt.
She took a deep breath, as if making a decision, raised her head, her gaze falling on Molly, and then slowly lifted the hem of her red and white dress.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
When Molly saw this, her eyes widened instantly, and she instinctively raised her hand to cover her eyes, her heart pounding.
What... what kind of development is this?
Is this some kind of remote, hidden corner?!
They've only known each other for one day, right?
Even in the gutter, it's not like this, is it?!
While Xiao Zhuotao is indeed very cute, like a delicate porcelain doll, is it really necessary for her to... do something like this right from the start?
Luoxi was still watching from the side!
You're a magical girl, you need to be reserved!
Molly's mind was in turmoil, with all sorts of thoughts popping into her head.
Is this some kind of quirk of rich heiresses?
Or perhaps, she actually likes herself?
She covered her eyes, but couldn't help peeking through a crack in her fingers.
Just one glance, just one glance...
Xiao Zhuotao paused in her act of lifting her skirt, her blush deepening as she looked at Molly covering her eyes, her eyes filled with confusion.
Why are you covering your eyes? I want you to see!
"No... no!"
Molly quickly covered her hands even more tightly, her voice stammering:
"Men and women should not touch each other, and women should especially not touch each other! We've only just met, we can't do that!"
"Who wants to be so distant from you!"
Xiao Zhuotao stomped her foot in anger, her cheeks flushed red as if they were about to bleed, and snapped:
"What are you thinking! I told you to look at the curse symbol on the inside of my thigh! Not anything else!"
"Ah?"
Molly froze, slowly lowering her hands from her eyes, her face full of astonishment.
Curse symbol?
She thought...
Indeed, one of the biggest illusions in the world is that she likes me.
A slight sense of disappointment inexplicably rose in my heart, but it was quickly replaced by curiosity.
She looked down at Xiao Zhuotao's thigh and then noticed that, after Xiao Zhuotao lifted her skirt, a strange, dark symbol was clearly imprinted on the inside of her fair and smooth thigh.
The symbol looked as if it had been drawn with ink; its lines were twisted and complex, exuding a chilling aura and appearing quite sinister.
Molly leaned closer, examining the symbol carefully, her brows gradually furrowing:
"What is this thing? It looks really weird, like some kind of scribbled messenger."
Seeing that she had finally seen clearly, Xiao Zhuotao also lowered her skirt, and the blush on her face slowly faded, replaced by a bitter look.
She looked at Molly, her eyes filled with shock:
You don't know this?
Should I know?
Molly scratched her head in confusion and gave an awkward smile.
"I'm a complete novice when it comes to things like Curse Arts. All I know is fighting; I'm clueless about anything else."
"..."
The air instantly became tense.
Xiao Zhuotao's eyes dimmed, her lips pressed tightly together, and her fingers gripped the hem of her skirt until her knuckles turned white.
Even the Magical Girl Pale doesn't know about this curse, so is she truly beyond saving?
Seeing that the atmosphere was tense, Luoxi coughed lightly, stepped forward, and explained to Molly:
"This curse is called the Calamitous Child Curse, a very vicious curse from Demon God."
"The Zhuo Tao was planted three months ago during the siege of a cultist."
"Those afflicted by this curse will gradually revert to their childhood appearance, and as the curse deepens, their life force will slowly diminish."
"At a normal rate, the person afflicted by the curse will die completely within a month."
"Revert to childhood? Die within a month?"
Molly's eyes widened as she looked at Xiao Zhuotao:
"But wasn't she cursed three months ago? Now, apart from being a little short and having a flat chest, she doesn't seem to have any other problems?"
Upon hearing this, a hint of sadness flashed in Xiao Zhuotao's eyes.
Luoxi explained:
"That's because, three months ago, when Zhuo Tao was on the verge of despair, she met a mysterious woman who claimed to be a member of the Tarot Society."
"That person helped her temporarily suppress the curse and even extended her lifespan by six months."
"Furthermore, the other party prophesied that the only way to completely break this Calamitous Child Curse is to find the Magical Girl Pale."
"So, you came looking for me?"
Molly pointed to herself, looking completely bewildered:
"But I really don't know how to break the curse! I thought you were looking for me because you encountered some Monster Demon you couldn't defeat and wanted my help in the fight."
Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Xiao Zhuotao's heart.
Xiao Zhuotao's shoulders slumped slightly, the light in her eyes completely extinguished, she bit her lip, forcing back her tears, her heart filled with resentment.
She didn't want to die.
She was only eighteen years old, hadn't even had a chance to see the beautiful scenery of this world, hadn't even had a chance to be filial to her parents, how could she die like this?
"..."
Luoxi looked at her like this and fell silent.
She knew that Molly was telling the truth.
Molly is very strong, that's for sure, but breaking the curse and fighting are two completely different things.
Even with Molly's exceptional talent, learning how to break the curse in a short period of time would be an impossible task.
The atmosphere in the bedroom was so oppressive it was suffocating.
Seeing Xiao Zhuotao's dejected look, Molly also felt a pang of sadness.
She remembered the days she had traveled to, the people who had been harmed by the Monster Demon, and her goal of slaying the Demon God.
Xiao Zhuotao is a magical girl, and her comrade is on the same side as her. She can't just stand by and watch her comrade die...
Etc!
She seems to have a unique advantage that no one else possesses.
Proficiency Panel!
Others need a year or two to learn Curse Arts, but she's different!
She can quickly level up her skills simply by practicing her proficiency!
If she could learn the Curse Arts and improve them to a higher level, she might actually be able to break the Calamitous Child Curse on Xiao Zhuotao!
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Molly's eyes lit up.
She held up one finger, looking at Xiao Zhuotao and Luoxi, her tone tinged with excitement, and suddenly said:
"Hey! I have an idea!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhuotao and Luoxi both looked up at her.
Molly asked:
Do you have any books on Curse Arts or magic? Just basic ones!
Luoxi was stunned for a moment, looking at her with some confusion:
"Yes, I do. I have several basic books on Curse Arts, from beginner to advanced."
"But what do you need this for? Even if you're a genius, it's simply too late to master Curse Arts in a short time."
"It would take an ordinary person at least a year to learn basic Curse Arts."
"You don't need to worry about that!"
Molly smiled mysteriously, patted her chest, and said confidently:
"Just give me the book, and I'll find a way! But you'll need to give me some time!"
Her eyes were firm, and her tone was full of unquestionable confidence.
Luoxi hesitated for a moment when she saw her like this.
She knew that Molly wasn't one to speak carelessly.
Perhaps, it really is possible?
Let's try anything, even if it's a long shot.
Even if there's only a sliver of hope, we must not give up.
Luoxi nodded:
"Okay, I believe you. I'll get the book for you now."
After saying that, Luoxi conjured several thick books out of thin air and handed them to Molly:
"This is the most basic book on Curse Arts I could find. It records the principles behind various common curses, as well as basic methods for breaking them. You... good luck."
"Rest assured!"
Molly took the book, hugged it to her chest, and said:
"Leave it to me!"
Luoxi gave a few more instructions, telling Molly to contact her anytime if she needed anything, and then left with Xiao Zhuotao.
As they walked out of Molly's building, Xiao Zhuotao couldn't help but grab Luoxi's arm, her voice trembling with emotion:
"Sister Luo, no matter how talented she is, even if she can master the Curse Arts within three months, it's impossible for her to break the curse on me, right? My time is running out..."
Despite Molly's promise, Xiao Zhuotao still felt uncertain.
Luoxi stopped, turned to look at her, reached out and ruffled her hair, her eyes filled with certainty:
"Not necessarily... Please believe her, and believe in yourself."
Looking into Luoxi's resolute eyes, Xiao Zhuotao nodded forcefully, forcing back the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Um!"
The two figures gradually disappeared at the end of the street.
In Molly's bedroom.
Molly, clutching the thick books on Curse Arts, sat down at her desk and eagerly opened the first one.
The pages were covered with dense text and various complex Curse Arts symbols, making it look dry and difficult to understand.
But Molly watched with great interest.
Her eyes scanned the lines of text, her brain working at lightning speed to absorb the knowledge.
Not long after, the familiar Proficiency Panel popped up in her mind.
[Curse Arts: Tier 1 0/10000]
Looking at the information on the panel, Molly couldn't help but smile with excitement.
Really!
She knew it; the Proficiency Panel was all-powerful!
What others learn in a year, she can master quickly by simply leveling up her proficiency!
"Wuhu! Let's start!"
Molly clenched her fists, her eyes gleaming with fierce determination.
[Curse Arts Proficiency +1 +1 +1...]