Ahem, Dr. Mobius, don't get your tail in a knot~
Watching the snake-like woman before her act as if her tail had been stepped on, Vill-V couldn't help but let out a mischievous chuckle.
Others might not understand 'Snake-san', but she knew her all too well. This was Mobius, after all.
The one who secretly kept a sample of Elysia's genes and then went and cooked up a little Elysia... she was absolutely capable of pulling such a stunt.
And just look at how guilty Mobius appeared right now. She probably couldn't even swear on her own life that she had nothing to do with it.
"I hadn't even said anything yet, why are you so flustered? I never said it was you, did I?"
"It's just that... earlier, there was a wave of Herrscher authority belonging to Elysia detected from outside, and then a miniature version of Elysia just happened to find her way into the Elysian Realm."
"And, what a coincidence, this little Elysia just so happens to wield the power of Corruption... tsk— Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the renowned Dr. Mobius the one who studied the Corruption authority? My, what an incredible coincidence~"
"Don't you dare pin this on me!"
Snake-san stiffened her neck, retorting, "Take a proper look! The Corrosive power she's using originates from this era's Herrscher of Corruption, not my Corrosion Virus!"
"Besides, what if your Void Archives managed to repair the Jizo Mitama in the current civilization? It could simulate the Authority of Corruption too! Maybe you're the one behind this!"
"Oh, give me a break... You know full well what a pathetic joke the Void Archives is. If it could actually transform like that, I'd be burning incense in thanks to the heavens."
Vill-V shook her head helplessly, then suddenly leaned in closer, lowering her voice.
"My dear Mobius, of course I know it couldn't possibly be your doing. But, don't you think there's a chance... it might be the 'you' out there..."
"Impossible! Absolutely not!"
Mobius shook her head frantically. "Vill-V, you know this! I despise Elysia! Just the sight of her makes my blood boil!"
Pfft... "Ahem, my apologies, Mobius. Pay me no mind, pfft..."
Aponia, who had been standing to the side, couldn't hold back any longer. She lightly covered her mouth with her hand as a laugh escaped.
Of course, Snake-san immediately shot a threatening glare her way, though paired with her current flustered and exasperated expression, it came off as rather endearing.
However, while Aponia showed at least a little consideration for Snake-san's dignity, Vill-V held back no punches and burst into hearty laughter.
"Ahahaha! I can't... Mobius, if we could forge a Divine Key from that mouth of yours, we'd probably have defeated the Finality long ago..."
"Oh yes, yes, of course. You despise Elysia. Wonder who it was that moped around for ages after missing out on that green crystal flower..."
Vill-V: ??
Aponia: ?
Snake-san: ?
Ahem, "Alright now, Vill-V, let's stop teasing Mobius."
After laughing for a good while, and seeing Mobius was on the verge of turning from a green snake into a red snake, Aponia finally called an end to the topic, her eyes curved into gentle crescents.
"This child... the Authority of Corruption she wields truly doesn't stem from Mobius's research. Furthermore, if Mobius's original self still existed in the outside world, it's unlikely World Serpent would have remained peaceful for so long."
"As for her origins, I have a theory."
Aponia cleared her throat gently. "What do you think... could it be that she first became this era's Herrscher of Corruption, then somehow stumbled upon the Land of Origin, and within it, received Elysia's legacy?"
"If that were the case, it would explain both her appearance and the source of her abilities. As for the earlier fluctuation of Origin authority... perhaps it was the Elysia from our native world, sending us her greetings."
"After all, in this entire world, aside from us who personally attended that banquet, it's unlikely anyone else would recognize that power."
"Uh..."
Vill-V pondered this seriously for a moment before replying, "That hypothesis of yours... most parts might indeed be possible. But, 'stumbled upon' the Land of Origin... To be honest, I'd sooner believe I could don the Blank Key and annihilate the Finality than believe that."
"I still think it's more likely that the Mobius outside did something..."
"Vill-V! I told you, I hate that Elysia more than anything! I'd never... ahem... create a descendant for her!"
A furious, blushing Snake-san exclaimed, "What if that girl is an alternate version of Elysia? An alternate self who obtained the Core of the Herrscher of Corruption, then somehow stumbled into becoming this so-called 'Herrscher of Human,' and because of the Corrosive nature, formed a connection with the Land of Origin. Isn't that also highly possible?"
"Given Elysia's personality, she'd definitely say something disgustingly sweet like, ['Oh my, so the Herrscher of the new era is my very own alternate self? What a dazzling, flower-like girl, just as I expected! So adorable~ I simply have no resistance against my own charming face, you know?'] and then effortlessly coax this era's version of herself into accepting her blessing and authority... Wait a second, why are you both looking at me like that?!"
Having perfectly mimicked Elysia's expression and mannerisms based on her deep familiarity with her, Snake-san suddenly noticed the strange looks Aponia and Vill-V were giving her.
"Uh... My dear Mobius, you certainly know Elysia well," Vill-V said, her cheek twitching slightly. She then glanced at Aponia. "How about we go back to discussing the possibility that this child might be Mobius's... offspring?"
"Indeed. I also believe this possibility warrants rigorous investigation to disprove..."
"Hey! That's enough from you two!"
The atmosphere in the Deep End instantly grew rather... 'joyful'.
--+--
Of course, Lynelle was completely unaware that three of the Flame-Chasers had been discussing her for quite some time, and she certainly had no idea why she had inexplicably caught Snake-san's attention.
But even if she had known, it probably wouldn't have become her top priority. After all... the situation she currently faced was likely far more 'critical'.
Because she had never, ever imagined that the Flame-Chaser present within Pardofelis's memory space wasn't just Pardofelis alone.
Rewind to about ten minutes earlier...
"Wow, Pardo, this pendant is so pretty! And it looks like it perfectly mirrors the decoration on my head, like a matching left-and-right pair!"
"Pretty sweet, right, Sis Elysia? These two feather-shaped accessories even come in matching black and white colors, like a couple's set."
Pardofelis scratched her head with a somewhat embarrassed smile. "But, I can only manage the appearance. If you want to add any special functions to it, Sis, you'd probably have to do that yourself."
"Oh, by the way, I haven't asked yet. Why did you suddenly start preparing a gift, Sis Elysia? Is it for some guest?"
"Hmm... Actually, I'm not really sure myself."
Elysia smiled gently. "It's just... I sensed a faint, elusive message from that surge of power a while back. So, I thought I'd prepare something, just in case."
"A cute girl's intuition can be very sharp, you know?"
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.