Chapter 352: Penacony Arc 『 Part Forty-seven 』, Rondo Across Countless Kalpas Part 1
「 "The remembrance is no different from the deep sea; one must never gaze upon its surface on a starless night."
The halo of the crystal chandelier flowed across the dance floor, staining the ground into a lake of honey.
Black Swan approached with measured elegance, treading upon ripples of light. Her purple veil fluttered gently with each step, like the final wisp of sunset refusing to dissipate into the dusk.
"Are you waiting for someone?"
Her voice was soft and warm, like silk soaked in moonlight.
Acheron raised her head, gazing at her with a certain vacant intensity before shaking her head slightly.
"Then…" Black Swan's fingertip brushed past the corner of her own lips as she extended a hand toward her. "Would you care to share a dance with me?"
Acheron remained silent for a moment before finally reaching out, her palm resting lightly against the other's.
…
The music shifted with impeccable timing, the violin's melody intertwining around their toes like threads of spun sugar.
Two slender silhouettes formed a perfect composition in the center of the ballroom. Black Swan's right hand was interlaced with hers, spinning lightly before pulling away. Like a wisp of violet smoke, she circled behind Acheron, her hands gliding upward with the fluid grace of a serpent.
"I have watched her for a long time; tonight is the first invitation. A 'Galaxy Ranger,' every bit as mysterious as the rumors suggest. Somewhat noble…"
Gloved fingertips brushed over Acheron's wrist, trailing up her sleeve to a subtle pause at the elbow, as if waiting for the rhythm of the music. When her palm finally pressed against her shoulder, a gentle pat not only recaptured Acheron's gaze but also caused the eyes of the entire ballroom to fixate upon their overlapping forms.
"And somewhat dull." 」
「 ..... 」
〜Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid World〜
"OHHH—!"
Inside the rental apartment, Kobayashi, Tohru, and Kanna stared with wide, involuntary eyes.
"Kobayashi, Kobayashi! Let's do that too!"
Tohru leaped onto the sofa, her golden slit-pupils fixed intently on the heavenly screen where Black Swan and Miss Acheron danced gracefully. Her face was a mask of envious anticipation.
"If we dance like that together, it would definitely look amazing!"
"T-Tohru… stop joking around."
Kobayashi frantically adjusted her glasses.
"They look good not just because of the choreography; their looks and figures are beyond reproach. And then there's me…"
Years of life as a corporate slave programmer had left Kobayashi nearly numb. She had never bothered with fitness; her only hobbies were drinking beer after work and discussing maids. A boring, mundane salaryman like her was likely ten thousand miles removed from the glamour of Penacony.
Dancing in such sexy, beautiful clothes…
Kobayashi looked down.
…A certain prominent area was, quite frankly, as flat as a prairie.
"Let's just forget it, Tohru."
"We cannot just forget it!"
Tohru buried her head deeper, her massive tail thumping against the sofa. She looked up, a flush creeping across her face.
"In my heart, Kobayashi is the most perfect! A dancing Kobayashi would absolutely be the most, most, most—adorable!"
"Thank you, Tohru. But—"
Kobayashi smiled warmly.
"Tohru-san, Tohru-san."
Kanna suddenly tugged on Tohru's maid's skirt, her watery blue eyes wide and serious.
"I can dance with Tohru-san too!"
As she spoke, she stood on her tiptoes and spun in a circle, the cat pattern on her little white socks spinning along with her.
"Ara~"
Tohru knelt down and poked Kanna's chubby little cheek.
"You have to wait until Kanna grows to…"
She moved her finger to her own dragon horns.
"This height, okay~?"
—
「 "But in the hunt of the night, the 『 Hunt 』 is not the only predator."
Black Swan's fingertip suddenly grazed Acheron's cheek like a sharp feather, tracing her jawline—an incredibly intimate gesture, like two wisterias intertwining under the moonlight. But Acheron quickly turned away, once again putting distance between them.
Black Swan's grip suddenly tightened. With a sharp slide, she pulled Acheron into her embrace. The purple veil carved a fluid arc through the air, like the falling curtain of night.
The moment Acheron lost her center of gravity, the small of her back caught firmly in the crook of Black Swan's arm—that black-gloved hand was pressed against her spine with an irresistible force.
"At this distance, you are even more charming than you appear."
With a hook of her arm, Black Swan lightly pulled the reclining Acheron back up. Their movements swirled out like overlapping wings, casting ripple-like soft light under the ballroom lamps.
"She also came for the Watchmaker's legacy. Without a doubt, in this game, everyone lies."
In the gap of the next spin, Black Swan suddenly leaned down, her fingers deftly flicking open Acheron's cuff to reveal the sharp lines of her wrist.
She lowered her head as if to kiss it, her lips nearly touching Acheron's skin—
—But unfortunately, she caught only air at the final moment.
Acheron's wrist slipped away like a swimming fish, her fingertips tracing Black Swan's jaw in passing. Her expression remained serene; not even a flicker of emotion stirred in the depths of her eyes. 」
「 ..... 」
〜Honkai: Impact 3rd World〜
In the lounge of St. Freya High, Kiana's voice was loud enough to shatter glass.
"How—How—How dare she kiss Mei's hand?!"
"Kiana, that is just my counterpart. And besides, that wasn't my hand."
Mei sighed helplessly.
"That doesn't make it okay!"
Kiana paced back and forth in the lounge like a bristling cat.
"What is with this Black Swan? I noticed it just now—this woman's hands have been restless from the start, touching Mei all over! Are they close? They only just met!"
"Tsk, tsk…"
Bronya glanced at Kiana and pursed her lips.
"Kiana, do you know what you look like right now? You're like a puffed-up pufferfish. Your face is all round~"
"I-I am not?!"
Kiana's face instantly turned beet red.
"I just can't stand this Black Swan! She has zero sense of boundaries! Who just grabs someone's hand and kisses it, right?! Mei?"
The purple-haired girl beside her didn't speak. Kiana turned around to find her still staring unblinkingly at the screen, watching the two figures whose movements seemed intimate yet distant.
"—Mei, say something!"
"Ah, oh…"
Mei finally snapped out of it, coughing lightly as the tips of her ears turned slightly red.
"It… it really is a lack of boundaries."
—
「 "In this game, everyone lies, but memories do not."
The light of the chandelier continued to spin. Black Swan suddenly felt the force in her fingertips countered—Acheron's palm had somehow flipped upward, firmly catching her wrist.
Black Swan's eyebrows arched slightly, only to be led into a powerful spin in the next second.
Breath intertwined with breath.
Acheron's right hand had somehow found a firm hold on her left shoulder. The grip was neither heavy nor light, yet it carried an undeniable resolve, pulling the two of them into a dangerously close proximity.
"It's getting better, isn't it?" 」
「 ..... 」