---
Klein's workload was shockingly immense.
Besides all the experimental logs, meeting notes, and data statistical analyses—all officially under her name—there were also countless miscellaneous chores and inexplicable problems that somehow ended up on her desk. With the way tasks were being distributed, it was obvious the work could never be finished.
That included, but was not limited to, fixing the part Nuwa had broken (again), and also…
Right now, standing before her was Dr. Mobius, whose white lab coat had a big burnt hole in it.
Mobius, proud and pouty as ever, assigned Klein her newest "task."
"That meeting's not important. Klein, come patch me up~"
Mobius raised both hands to show the gaping burn mark on her clothes, leaned close, tugged at Klein's sleeve, and spoke with a hint of grievance in her tone.
She looked nothing like the so-called "demonic scientist" from rumors.
Instead, she was smiling sweetly, full of expectation, staring at Klein.
Klein, too, could only wear the helpless expression of someone who couldn't say no to her. She sighed softly and replied with doting indulgence,
"All right. I know."
"Ah! I want the snake pattern!"
Mobius instantly lit up, a look of complete success flashing across her face.
Klein could only follow the doctor's lead. As Mobius had requested, she went to patch the hole in the coat. Hm… snake pattern—she knew exactly what kind of snakes Mobius preferred.
Even after finishing her official work, she still had to spend her precious off-time painstakingly embroidering it.
Meanwhile, two other girls nearby had been quietly observing all this. Compared to Klein, they seemed to be living much more realistic lives.
They chattered together:
"How can the doctor bully such an honest person like this?"
"You can't just dump all the work on Klein-senpai just because she's easy to talk to!"
But Nuwa raised a good point—it was Klein-senpai herself who voluntarily took over the extra work. No one had forced her.
"No way! What kind of sane person works overtime? Do you work overtime?"
Nuwa stared with wide eyes, clearly in disbelief.
"I don't,"
Fuxi replied with utter confidence, shaking her head.
----
Those words stabbed right into Su Lu's heart.
Wasn't she a sane person, too?
No, wait—her overtime wasn't voluntary. It was forced on her. That's totally different!
Definitely doesn't count as voluntarily working overtime!
She calmed herself down and tried to reason it out in her heart.
After all, working at the company didn't mean she was always on overtime. There were occasional breaks… just very fragmented. There were no complete days off where she could fully relax.
She really enjoyed spending downtime with Susana, chatting about everything and anything.
"So, why did you take this job in the first place, Susana?"
"Because it's fun! And meaningful, too!"
Susana blinked, scratched the back of her head, and giggled foolishly.
"Meaningful… I guess you're right. Maybe it's about saving the world through games or something."
Su Lu smiled faintly, her thoughts drifting a little.
Why had she come here again?
Was it because of Schicksal's generous benefits?
Or a dream?
It certainly wasn't because she wanted to contribute to a warm and sunny uplifting company culture, right?
"Actually, nowadays there are more reasons. Some of my friends even keep asking me what's going to happen next in the story—like when will it move forward, etc…"
Susana said this shyly, clearly embarrassed.
After all, was she accidentally leaking company secrets?
Every time a new story update was in the works, the company was very secretive about it.
But when they did release a script update, it was the whole thing all at once. They weren't stingy with the rewards either. During major decision points in the story, players could randomly receive crystal rewards right on-screen. No pattern at all. One wrong tap and it was gone.
It forced players to carefully read the entire story before clicking anything—many had suffered for that.
Even though Susana wasn't in charge of writing the story…
Still, designing a game like this didn't seem quite right, did it?
Not that she was really criticizing. After all, it was a top-level decision from higher-ups.
"Hey, if you weren't working this job—what do you think your life would be like instead?"
Su Lu took a sip of tea and suddenly asked, watching the dazed Susana.
She was genuinely curious—what did a Valkyrie's daily life look like?
She wished she could hear from a real, average Valkyrie. After all, everyone working at Schicksal dreamed of the Valkyrie benefits.
Even a normal, low-tier Valkyrie had it better than most jobs.
Though not as good as her current situation…
She admitted she had a bit of envy in her heart.
But deep down, she still appreciated her boss for giving her the chance.
At that moment, Susana's eyes twitched slightly. She blurted out her answer without thinking:
"I'd probably have to go back and inherit the family business… spend every day negotiating with strangers, playing politics, sitting through boring meetings… drinking afternoon tea alone…"
"..."
Su Lu slowly lifted her eyes again, blankly staring at Susana for a long moment before rubbing her brow.
She felt that the question she just asked had been a bit… intrusive.
She hadn't expected that Susana's family was actually that wealthy.
Then why on earth was she even working here?!
....
Golden courtyard.
"Those two again… they're still giving Klein more trouble?!"
"They're just support staff in the lab, and yet they leave everything for Klein to clean up afterward? Seriously unbelievable, right, Klein?"
Mobius's face was a little sour as she spoke, completely ignoring the fact that she herself was the one who always dumped the most tasks on Klein.
She tugged Klein's hand, and when she lowered her head to look at her, her expression instantly turned into a gentle smile—fluidly switching moods as if it were second nature. Griseo blinked in surprise at the seamless change.
The little painter bowed her head, pondered for a long while, and came to a conclusion:
Mobius-nana had mastered the art of two-faced acting.
"...Doctor, from what I remember, Fuxi and Nuwa actually help out with a lot of things. There's no need to be so harsh with them."
Klein shook her head and replied calmly.
"Hmph. Those two street punks—if only they worked as hard as my Klein."
Mobius snorted in annoyance.
----
Back in the screen, in a lab room—
Klein was tidying up a stack of documents on the table while Mobius silently stared at her experiment notes, deep in thought, wondering where exactly the mistake had occurred.
It was a fairly peaceful scene.
But once Klein noticed the instant noodles on the table… it would no longer stay that way.
She began scolding Mobius for not taking care of her health and for eating junk food again… even though the cafeteria food could just be reheated and eaten.
Unlike others who feared Mobius, only Klein would worry about her physical well-being.
Mobius would simply sit back in her chair, eyes closed, peacefully listening to Klein's gentle nagging. The way her eyes followed Klein's busy figure held an unexpected warmth.
"So, Doctor, the afternoon meeting is about to start."
"Ugh, I really don't want to go,"
Mobius pouted childishly, rejecting the idea like a spoiled kid.
"But this is the Fire Moth quarterly research review that you're chairing, Doctor. If the lab skips it, funding will be cut."
Klein tried her best to coax her, patiently negotiating.
"Aii, that does sound troublesome. Well then…"
Mobius blinked several times. A novel idea popped into her mind. As her eyes landed on Klein, she slowly made up her mind.
With a sly smile forming at the corners of her lips, she stepped closer, handed over her ID card, and called out sweetly:
"Klein~"
Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she waved goodbye.
"Alright then, go attend the meeting, Mobius."
She purposely emphasized the last four words, her meaning painfully obvious.
Klein froze for a moment, then quickly realized what Mobius was suggesting.
But... they didn't look that similar, right? It's not like others would mistake her for the Doctor, right?
"...Doctor, please show some respect for everyone's eyesight and intelligence."
She sighed helplessly.
This was exactly what Mobius was like. Was she really going to start sending Klein to sit in for her meetings now?
"Hehe~"
Mobius chuckled, completely unbothered by Klein's rejection.
She always had her ways of getting Klein to agree...
Of course, her methods for dealing with Klein were different from how she treated anyone else.
Klein... was special.
Mobius stepped forward, interlocking her fingers with Klein's. She leaned in slightly, their already-close proximity closing even further—until her ample chest rested against Klein's abdomen.
Klein could immediately sense that something was off with the Doctor today. Her face flushed red...
Had she been drinking?
No way—Mobius never got shy.
The sensation from her arms—cool and smooth like jade—felt incredibly comforting. It reminded her of the cold-blooded warmth of a snake, or the feel of some rare precious stone. It was... oddly hard to let go.
(A/C: image 😳)
Looking into Mobius's dreamy eyes, Klein once again felt that something about her today was very wrong.
"I'm telling you, Klein… you know those meetings are never any fun."
"Everyone looks at me like I'm some monster. They talk behind my back, calling me a demon."
"Every time our lab's results are too outstanding, they glare at us with envy—like their eyes could pierce right through me…"
"You see? They don't want to see me, and I don't want to see them. But how could they expose you, huh? Dr. Mo. Bi. Us~"
Mobius spoke playfully, her eyes filled with nothing but Klein's reflection.
That composed look tinged with shyness, that helpless expression mixed with tenderness…
So adorable!!
...
On the other side of the lab, the "background characters" Fuxi and Nuwa were watching the two caught in their own world. Without a word, they both ducked behind the equipment.
"Hey, what are they doing? Should we stop them?"
"No idea… but if we go out now, we'll definitely get silenced."
Fuxi replied coolly.
No doubt about it—those two were dangerously absorbed in each other.
----
Meanwhile, back in Fu Hua's room
"Why is it that whenever something unlucky happens, it's always the two of us?"
Nuwa grumbled.
"It feels like we're just here to be the background support for those two."
"You haven't realized yet?"
Fuxi replied as she placed a heavy hand on her younger sister's shoulder and said gravely,
"In this lab, we've always been at the bottom of the hierarchy."
"Ah... well, I mean, I did graduate from a prestigious university with honors... but still, if the lab only has four staff and two of them are at the bottom, I guess that's kind of reasonable."
Fuxi sighed and then returned to her usual cheerful self.
"Tsk tsk, now I really want to see everyone's reaction when Klein pretends to be Mobius at the meeting! I bet no one will dare to speak up! Just thinking about it is hilarious!"
The little Herrscher of Sentience said, full of excitement.
She loved the idea.
That awkward moment when someone clearly realizes something but still can't say it out loud... it gave serious villain energy.
As expected of Mobius.
"Right, old timer?"
She nudged the quiet one meditating beside her, who was playing the game with a very serious expression. Boring!
"Little Senti speaks the truth,"
Fu Hua said calmly, choosing her words carefully.
---
After Klein returned from the meeting, she found Dr. Mobius asleep on the desk, deeply lost in a beautiful dream.
Klein glanced at her sleeping posture and gently covered her with a white coat, keeping her warm.
She simply thought sleeping here couldn't be very comfortable for the doctor...
Just then, Nuwa and Fuxu arrived. They were about to greet her loudly when Klein quickly stopped them and gestured that the doctor was resting.
Nuwa held a cup of bubble tea, gesturing that it was a gift of goodwill.
Ah... oops. Was she late for her punishment?
The moment Klein laid eyes on the bubble tea, a sparkle appeared in her gaze. She immediately took it with both hands and started sipping joyfully.
It was obvious—Klein loved bubble tea.
However, what she said next made Nuwa sweat a little.
"Perfect! With this, I can keep working a bit longer…"
She looked at the drink and spoke her thoughts aloud.
Nuwa and Fuxi instinctively took a step back and exchanged awkward glances before resuming the conversation.
"By the way... Klein-senpai, why did you choose to stay in Mobius's lab?"
"You're always drowning in endless tasks, and the research often seems meaningless…"
Fuxi couldn't help but start this topic. It had always been a mystery to her.
If she and Nuwa were here because of external pressure and never truly took things seriously,
Then what about Klein?
Wherever she went, she never seemed to have any problems.
Meanwhile, on the couch beside them, the seemingly sleeping Mobius cracked one eye open.
She also wanted to hear Klein's answer to this question.
If it were anyone else, she wouldn't care.
But this was Klein—not just anyone.
"But outside, Fire Moth is criticized as the root of all evil, a bunch of lunatics... Are we really doing the right thing?"
Fuxi continued. She genuinely couldn't understand her senior—Klein.
"...They're not wrong," Klein said after a moment of thought.
"Fire Moth has indeed done many terrible things."
"But in this kind of apocalypse, when there are still people fighting with unwavering resolve, still moving forward... to me, that's enough to give me hope."
"Only by working constantly can I understand what it means to survive... and only then can I overcome my fear."
"But the Doctor is different. She sees much further and deeper than me. I... I can't even imagine what kind of world she sees."
"But we still can't understand it!" Nuwa insisted.
"The Doctor doesn't need understanding. She only wants answers."
Klein's voice was calm—showing the mindset of someone who used work to numb herself.
She followed the fire, though she could never become the fire herself.
She couldn't see the light, but if others ahead of her could—then that was enough.
"But the Doctor always gives me weird, headache-inducing tasks..."
Klein changed the topic and rubbed her temple in frustration.
"She likes small animals, but all animals are terrified of her! She tells me to feed cats, feed dogs, feed rabbits—and she wants to watch while I do it…"
"Her alcohol tolerance is terrible, but she can't avoid parties with investors. Every time she drinks, she sings and dances and wants to play rock-paper-scissors with me..."
"Sing and dance...? Dr. Mobius...?"
Fuxi whispered in disbelief.
Was this really the same Mobius—the terrifying "demon doctor"?
Why... did it sound kind of cute?
At first, both Fuxi and Nuwa had been curious. But now, cold sweat was running down their backs.
They weren't sure if they should keep listening anymore.
Knowing too many of someone's secrets… often didn't end well.
"Right! And she also likes to tie animal shapes with functions on coordinate graphs. She makes me buy bubble wrap so she can sit on the couch and pop it all day long..."
Klein kept rambling.
Clearly, no one else ever dared talk to her about these things.
The Doctor always loved watching her make that helpless, flustered face.
It was truly exhausting.
By now, Fuxu had pulled Nuwa back.
She had a strong feeling that if they stayed any longer, they wouldn't live to see tomorrow.
And her instincts… were very accurate.
Because Mobius had indeed been eavesdropping the whole time—with ears perked.
-----
In the Golden courtyard.
A group of outstanding women were gathered.
Aside from Rin who was outside taking a walk, the others were all present.
A conversation just moments ago had stirred some confusion.
They all turned to look at Mobius, who was lounging on the couch, half-holding Klein.
Their gazes held some surprise.
Even Elysia seemed to know that Mobius's wardrobe contained more than just green outfits—a little-known secret.
"Is this what they call a social-death scene? Snake-sis, wow, no please, I won't survive tonight!"
Little Pardo covered her eyes with one hand—but her fingers left a wide gap, and her ears perked up.
She didn't want to miss any of this juicy gossip.
Snake-sis's tastes were… a little strange.
But her attitude toward Klein made people think even more.
Was this the miracle brought by the only known 'Interpreter'?
"Hehe~ If you want, you don't even have to survive until nightfall, little Pardo."
Mobius chuckled darkly. Her words sent chills down Pardo's spine.
No way… was she going to poison her at dinner?!
A flurry of thoughts crossed her mind—am I next??
"Wait! Snake-sis, the cat food— I turned in the cans! Can you spare me this time?!"
She quickly offered the canned food with both hands, nearly crying.
"...Stop bringing that up."
Mobius replied coldly.
"Huh?" Pardo froze.
"Mobius said… she doesn't need your contribution. Don't bring it up in front of her again. It's fine, little Pardo."
Elysia explained gently, smiling as she looked at Mobius with mischief in her eyes.
That sweet smile looked like it was asking for a slap.
But since she technically hadn't said anything wrong, Mobius couldn't do anything—she could only snort and ruffle Klein's fluffy hair.
Mobius might've gotten smaller, but compared to the in-game Klein, this Klein had also changed a lot.
So the two were still evenly matched.
Meanwhile, Pardo had a new realization.
If feeding cats was one of Snake-sis's preferences, then wasn't giving her Can actually dangerous?
Kevin was a known food-hoarder, but now it seemed Snake-sis was one too.
How many people were hoarding canned food anyway?
And how did people get fatter the more they dieted?!
She wasn't Cat, okay!?
-----
"It was just a dream…"
Mobius opened her eyes on the desk, gazing blankly at the ceiling.
Her small face was lost in memories and filled with longing for something beautiful.
Her messy curls fell across her face.
No one cared to tidy them.
The messy documents on the desk—no one would help organize.
And on her back, no one gently covered her with a coat.
As if everything from before... had only been a dream.
And now, even her body had changed—clearly post-surgery.
"I don't even remember anymore. Has my body degenerated to the point where even my memories are blurry?"
"How many chances do I have left...?"
She muttered quietly.
A name lingered at the back of her throat,
One that had been buried under secrets ever since that Honkai—
Klein.
So many secrets…
And none truly erased.