"Hmph, well then, see you next time, my lovely young lady♪"
"...Yes, see you next time."
Facing the incredibly enthusiastic Elysia, Mei managed to squeeze out an equally enthusiastic smile. The moment she turned around, however, she couldn't stop an involuntary shiver.
She had never been one to handle such overt passion, which was precisely how she'd earned the nickname "Lightning Queen."
Sigh... what a strange girl. A bit narcissistic, maybe... but she really does seem like a good person.
With that thought, the image of her red-eyed self surfaced in Mei's mind once again, and the small bit of comfort she'd found instantly dissipated.
Could she really reconcile with that other self?
When it came down to it, was that other self an incarnation of her fears, or was it truly another part of her?
Mei sighed. Her heart was weary.
Any normal person who suddenly learned they might have a dual personality would likely be filled with doubt.
"Forget it. I should just go home."
Mei murmured to herself and walked away with heavy steps.
Not long after she left, a figure emerged once again from the back room of Elysia's office. Looking at the woman by the door, she asked in a cool tone.
"Lady Elysia, who was that?"
"Oh my, it's Little Bronya! It really has been a while. Hmm... it looks like you've been practicing your deadpan expression. Very good, you deserve some praise♪"
Hearing the voice, Elysia turned around with a beaming smile to look at the person who had just emerged.
It was a rather petite young girl with gray, spiral twintails and a cold, emotionless face.
However, it was all an act.
"It's alright. Walking around with these things on is more uncomfortable than pretending to be deadpan."
Bronya replied faintly, then glanced down at her legs, which were encased in metal shells that looked like prosthetics, and started to complain.
This mission was, to put it mildly, far too unusual.
It seemed like a simple recovery mission for after a Herrscher lost its combat capabilities, yet it required her to feign a deadpan personality and crippled legs.
If it weren't for the fact that Sakura and Elysia had always treated her well, Bronya would have never accepted a mission that seemed so suspicious from the start.
"You still haven't answered my question." Bronya looked toward the spot where Mei had disappeared. "Who is she? She doesn't look like she's from Schicksal."
As she spoke, she took a step back, perfectly dodging Elysia's attempt to pat her head.
Elysia sighed as if in disappointment, then turned around with a smile. "Hmph, for now, she's just an ordinary customer♪"
"....."
"If you don't want to say, you don't have to make up such a flimsy excuse."
Bronya turned away, her tone somewhat stiff, and began to walk back inside, half-annoyed.
"Alright, alright, wait a minute."
Sensing her displeasure, Elysia reached out from behind and placed a hand on Bronya's shoulder to stop her.
"Okay, okay, I know we've kept a lot about this mission from you, but please trust me, we would never harm you."
"This..." Bronya hesitated for a moment before letting out a long sigh, a hint of frustration in her voice. "I understand."
From the very first time she met Elysia, Bronya had realized one thing.
No one could refuse a request from Elysia.
What an enviable ability.
Bronya thought to herself, her mind drifting to the lonely figure still trapped within the Imaginary Space.
He... must be very lonely right now...
Just wait. The organization promised me. As soon as this job is done, they'll find a way to help me bring you back to our side.
---o---
Meanwhile, in a certain bachelor apartment in Nagazora City, Fu Li, who was combing Snakey's hair as she sat in his lap, suddenly sneezed.
"Achoo!"
"Hey! You idiot Boss! You messed up my hair!"
"Yes, yes, I know. My fault, my fault."
After fixing the strands of Snakey's hair he had disheveled, Fu Li rubbed his nose, feeling a bit strange.
"Weird. Logically speaking, a MANTIS shouldn't be able to catch a cold."
Hearing Fu Li's muttering, Snakey snorted coldly and said in a flat tone, "Maybe someone is thinking about you."
"Don't be ridiculous. There's no scientific basis for that."
"But there is something called metaphysics, and that stuff isn't scientific at all."
Looking at her newly arranged hairstyle, Snakey shifted her position and reluctantly hopped off Fu Li's lap.
While tidying her clothes, she complained.
"It's just like with the gacha pulls before. You got the signature weapon and full stigmata set in a single 10-pull, fully gearing her instantly, while I had to hit hard pity at 200 pulls to do the same."
"Well, well, that's really just a matter of luck."
Seeing Snakey's disgruntled face, Fu Li waved his hands helplessly. What could he say? Was it his fault he was too lucky?
"Forget it. This is for you."
Snakey had little interest in pay-to-win games. She casually picked up a watch from the table and handed it to Fu Li.
"What's this?"
Fu Li took the watch, curious.
Out of his trust for Snakey, Fu Li had given her a great deal of authority. As a result, besides occasionally checking on the tasks he assigned her, he rarely meddled in the laboratory's affairs.
As for where the lab's funding came from, it was, of course, directly transferred from the untraceable accounts of certain corrupt officials.
"A portable Honkai Energy detector, developed specifically for Mei."
Snakey explained as she answered, "According to my research, the Herrschers of this era are different from those of our generation."
"And this detector was developed specifically for Mei. If the counter on it reaches one thousand, she will likely enter her awakened state."
"Remember, even if a newborn Herrscher is weak, you must not be careless. Boss, you are the most important person to me, understand?"
Seeing Snakey's solemn warning, Fu Li nodded and reached out to pat her head.
"I know, you little adult."
"Hmph, you're the little one."
Feeling the affectionate touch on her head, Mobius, who was hiding inside Snakey's body, snorted coldly, grumbling to herself.
Back then, Fu Li was the one who used to get his head patted. Now that I've made a puppet of myself, I've become the one being patted.
Whatever... I'll let him be smug for a while. Once he's ripe for the picking, I'll pay back today's humiliation a hundredfold.
And at that time, I can finally settle the score for him flirting with so many other girls right in front of me.
Watching the completely oblivious Fu Li, Snakey lowered her head, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.