Aponia stood silently in the moonlit room. The starlight fell in two parts: one bathing her in radiance, the other shrouding her in shadows—a reflection of her current inner turmoil.
"You see, you're angry again. The Mobius before entering here would never be so agitated over something like this. What are you opposing? What are you resisting? What are you running away from?"
Bang!
Mobius instinctively wanted to lash out with her "serpent tail," but in this world, she was no fusion warrior, nor did she possess Honkai energy. Frustrated, she grabbed a thick leather-bound book from the table and hurled it at Aponia.
But Aponia, possessing her own powers, deflected the book effortlessly before it could touch her, sending it harmlessly to the side.
Clasping her hands in a prayer-like gesture, Aponia spoke softly, "Mobius, there's no need to be shy or resistant. I will do my best to help you—"
"Get out!" Mobius roared in frustration.
Aponia cast a calm glance at her, leaving behind only the words, "I'll be back," before her figure gradually disappeared from the room, leaving Mobius alone, stewing in her anger.
"Such a presumptuous person. How could you possibly understand me?!"
Mobius didn't end up running away from home.
Where isn't research just research? Running outside means having to find a new place to live, deal with food, clothing, and other logistics. It's such a hassle. That would cut down my time for thinking. Purely from an efficiency standpoint, wasting time on something so meaningless isn't worth it.
So, staying here is a reasonable choice.
Besides, Mobius had grown accustomed to being cared for by Ye Feng.
Not that she needed him, of course—just that it wasn't necessary to leave. Yes.
After all, a smart person should know how to maximize the resources around them.
There was only one thing Mobius found slightly unsettling—just slightly. Every Sunday, Ye Feng would come home later than usual.
But she didn't dwell too much on this minor anomaly.
Time passed. Spring gave way to autumn.
During this period, Aponia didn't reappear, which made Mobius feel much more at ease.
By now, Mobius had lost interest in pondering Aponia's cryptic words—they were meaningless. I'll find my own purpose; I don't need someone else telling me what to do.
One day, Ye Feng was strolling through the church gardens with Aponia. The saintly yet bewitching nun tilted her fair chin upward, her dazed eyes gazing softly at Ye Feng.
"Ye Feng, please release Mobius from her hypnosis."
Feeling the moment was right, Aponia made her request.
Ye Feng reached out to stroke the nun's silky hair, his hand gliding smoothly through her soft locks.
"Hypnosis?" Ye Feng blinked innocently. "Aponia, do you think I'm someone who resorts to such methods?"
"…"
Aponia's expression plainly read, Aren't I living proof of that?
Ye Feng chuckled, "I've never tried hypnosis before. My first time, of course, would be for someone I truly care about."
"So..."
"That's right," Ye Feng said, "Everything Mobius is showing right now is her truest self. All I did was plant a tiny seed of information in her mind at the start to help her understand this world."
"Maybe, deep inside, she already had the spirit of a 'little girl.' Like how Mobius adamantly rejected the pink dress Elysia gave her. Did she truly despise it? Or was it just for show? Who knows, she might've secretly put it on in her lab and admired herself in the mirror."
Aponia fell silent.
Mobius's unusual behavior in this world—wasn't a result of hypnosis?
Though Aponia had once told Mobius that revealing her "true self" wasn't a bad thing, she had assumed it was something triggered by hypnosis.
Aponia sighed.
"Ye Feng, you truly excel at understanding the weak points of the human heart."
"Understanding weak points? Like this?"
"Ahh~ Please, gently... I still have more to discuss with you..."
The nun whimpered softly and leaned into Ye Feng's chest.
Whatever the case, Mobius found herself enjoying this rare warmth and tranquility.
Even if it's just a dream, as long as I can stay in it before waking, that's good enough. After all these years fighting against Honkai, exhausting myself in the pursuit of infinity, can't I indulge for once?
After returning home from an outing, Mobius collapsed at the entranceway.
"I'm tired. Take these off for me," she said, propping herself up with her arms on the wooden floor. She raised her dainty feet slightly, signaling for Ye Feng to remove her silver-threaded high-heeled boots.
In the past, whenever Ye Feng offered to help her take off her shoes, Mobius would look at him with disdain.
Now, it had become a habit.
Ye Feng gently took her slender feet in his hands, untying the silver ribbons around her ankles. Her perfect, delicate feet were freed, their snow-white skin so translucent that faint blue veins were barely visible beneath the surface. Her rounded toes stretched forward comfortably.
"I want noodles today," Mobius said in a cool tone, tinged with a hint of coquettishness. She lay down, resting her head on her arms, and slowly closed her eyes.
"If you fall asleep here, you'll catch a cold. Especially with your frail constitution. I don't like the smell of disinfectant in hospitals," Ye Feng said, sitting down to change into his indoor slippers.
"Mmm~ I don't want to, just let me nap a bit longer," Mobius murmured softly.
"Ah~!" Ye Feng lay down beside her, staring at her exquisitely beautiful side profile. From every angle, she seemed flawless.
Her closed eyes and gentle breathing made her look like a sleeping princess straight out of a fairy tale.
"Mobius, I need to tell you something."
"...Hmm?"
"I'm getting married."
"!!!"
Mobius's eyes shot open, her slit pupils locking onto Ye Feng with an intense gaze.
"The bride is the nun from the Maple Forest Church—Aponia."
"?"
Mobius's mind went blank.
"Wha... why so sudden?"
"It's not sudden. I've been visiting her every Sunday. Didn't you notice?"
"Huh?"
Mobius knew Ye Feng went to the church every Sunday but didn't realize it was to meet Aponia.
She had been hiding there all along!
Recalling Aponia's parting words about returning, Mobius realized she had completely forgotten about it.
And now, after months of silence, she shows up like this? To become my mother?
"Mobius."
Ye Feng's face was close to hers, so near they could feel each other's breaths.
He looked at her seriously. "Do you approve?"
"Why ask me? This has nothing to do with me!" Mobius snapped, turning her head away in frustration.
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