"So hurry up and show me, what interesting thing are you looking for?"
Sparkle kept riding on Sylvia's back, urging her on.
Sylvia just curled her lip and said: "Then first tell me where you've seen Silver Wolf, and what you talked about."
"Oh dear, you found out? Hehehe, how about you guess too then?"
Sparkle didn't seem all that surprised; probably Sylvia's reaction was within her expectations.
But Sylvia clearly wasn't fond of blind guessing.
"I'm not guessing. If you don't want to say it, forget it."
As she spoke, Sylvia released Sparkle's legs, trying to set her down.
"Hey, hey—don't rush, little white-hair. Aren't we just looking for a bit of fun?"
Instead of jumping down as Sylvia wished, Sparkle clung to her like a piece of chewing gum.
Sylvia didn't think Sparkle was all that heavy—she was skinny and small, hardly tipping the scales.
It's just that, for now, Sparkle seemed merely a bit clingy.
But heaven only knew when she might decide to stir up trouble for Sylvia.
From the companion quests with Black Swan and Sparkle in the game, it was clear Sparkle was no saint.
This girl operated purely based on her own amusement.
So rationally speaking, Sylvia figured it was better to keep her distance.
But... how to shake her off?
Sylvia knew her own eloquence couldn't match Sparkle's—as a mischief-maker, her mouth was surely her sharpest tool.
So she had to consider physical methods.
But going all out wasn't wise either; not to mention this was inside a dream where normal means couldn't kill anyone.
Besides, Sparkle's capabilities were a mystery, and Sylvia couldn't guarantee she'd actually caught the real Sparkle.
If not that kind of physical approach...
Sylvia did have another rather... abstract ability that might suit the moment.
Thinking of this, Sylvia glanced around discreetly.
While the Golden Hour represented an endless midnight carnival, it still had rooms set aside for brief rest.
Sylvia casually picked one nearby and, with Sparkle still on her back, ducked inside.
"Oh my, planning to make a move on me? Hehe~"
Still hanging from Sylvia's neck, Sparkle wore a playful grin, clearly unaware of the trouble brewing.
But Sylvia had already raised her hands.
That long-dormant skill—it was time to bring it back into the light.
Its side effects were downright absurd, so after a few initial attempts, Sylvia had rarely used it.
But now, facing a 'bratty girl' like Sparkle, she had no choice but to temporarily lift the seal and revive this technique.
"Sparkle, you can still let go now. Otherwise, I dread to think what'll happen next."
Sylvia's fingers danced with extreme dexterity in mid-air, making Sparkle's eyebrows twitch.
A flicker of instinctive unease crossed Sparkle's mind, but her troublemaker's heart made it impossible to back down now.
For the sake of fun, even if it meant embarrassment or destruction, she'd take it gladly.
So Sparkle laughed right then:
"Hehe, little white-hair, you're just saying that on purpose, aren't you? Now that you've said it, how could I, the great Sparkle, possibly let go!"
Not only did she not release her hold, she even lifted her legs and wrapped them tightly around Sylvia's waist, clinging like an inescapable plaster.
Seeing this, Sylvia inwardly groaned. Her knowledge of Sparkle was limited—after all, Sparkle's character profile hadn't even been released back then.
From the storyline, Sylvia only knew Sparkle was a troublemaker.
Who'd have thought she'd even seek amusement at her own expense...
Good grief, are all Masked Fools like this? Aha truly is a weirdo.
With matters at this point, the arrow was already on the bowstring—she had to release it. Sylvia finally stopped hesitating.
"Fine, fine, if that's how it is, then I won't hold back!"
Steeling her heart, Sylvia's hands descended straight toward Sparkle's legs, still clamped around her waist.
The long-sealed skill [Prohibited-Grade Fur Care Techniques] activated!
"Eek~"
The moment Sylvia's hands made contact, sliding from the calves to the knees, then from the knees to the thighs.
In just a few motions upward.
The limbs that had tightly bound Sylvia suddenly went slack.
Even Sparkle's face slumped onto Sylvia's shoulder, letting out a delicate sound utterly unlike her usual self.
"You... what's the principle behind this? This is good stuff, teach me—eek~!"
Still incorrigible, Sparkle, flushed and panting, tried to weasel the skill out of Sylvia.
Seeing this, Sylvia fully recognized Sparkle's determination to chase amusement, so her hands grew increasingly vigorous!
Directly cutting off Sparkle's attempt to speak.
At the same time, taking advantage of her weakened limbs, Sylvia flipped over and tossed Sparkle into the room's lounge chair.
Then swiftly closed in.
Sylvia activated [Truth-Seeking Sigil] and planned to maintain it throughout, ensuring this girl had nowhere to run except by leaving the dream!
"Kekeke—that was just a warm-up. The real fun is yet to come!"
Right after saying this, Sylvia felt something was a bit off.
But it didn't seem wrong, exactly.
Sparkle's face was flushed, her hands pinned to the chair by Sylvia, unable to move.
She carried a certain air of post-defeat allure.
Hearing Sylvia's words, while shocked by this strange technique, she also anticipated just how far these hands could go.
Fascinating, this skill is utterly fascinating. As a troublemaker, I simply must get my hands on it!
Yet Sylvia had no intention of giving Sparkle a chance to speak.
Hmph, bratty girls deserve to be thoroughly punished!
Thinking this, Sylvia kept Sparkle pinned, going all out!
"Hey, wait, wait... eek~ I'm not... mmm!"
At first, Sparkle, her face crimson, could still kick her legs a bit, trying to struggle.
But soon, in less than ten minutes.
Sparkle lay slumped in the lounge chair as if utterly defeated, presenting a perfect 'defeat CG' image.
"Hmph~ See how powerful it is now!"
Watching Sparkle's discomfited look, Sylvia felt immensely refreshed.
Back when she saw Sparkle's storyline in the game, she'd thought this kid was perfectly suited for a defeat style.
Who'd have thought seeing it in person would be even more fitting than imagined.
That bratty expression transforming into this dazed, fully flushed look.
Truly a sight for sore eyes!
Seeing Sparkle unresponsive, Sylvia gave a satisfied hum and promptly made her escape.
After Sylvia left.
Sparkle's eyes instantly regained their earlier spark. Though her face remained flushed and her body still weak.
A somewhat perverse smile spread across Sparkle's lips:
"Hehehehe~ Little white-hair, to think you were hiding such an interesting ability. Ahaha, I can hardly imagine how delightful it would be to see that noble Memokeeper wearing such an expression!"
With that, Sparkle tried to get up and leave.
But she soon found she still couldn't move.
The slightest muscle effort caused that tingling, numbing sensation to erupt within her, making Sparkle yelp and lose all strength.
"Honestly! After doing something so outrageous to someone, you just run off like that!"
Flushed, Sparkle's smile didn't fade one bit, instead brimming with anticipation for Sylvia.
"Little white-hair, messing with me means you've messed with chewing gum~"
--+--
T/N: 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.