I'm fighting Kal'tsit? Really?

There was no attack, no hidden killing intent, and not even the residual fluctuations of Originium Arts in the air—everything was too calm and ordinary, as if he had been the only person here all along.

But he knew very well that this was not the case.

At least that unnatural sense of "presence" is still lurking in this space.

In his past experiences, even the most obscure Sarkaz magic had a source to sever. Even when he used Cloth's power, he only tended to directly contact the Originium itself. But this situation was the first time he had ever seen anything like it in his life.

Because he could sense something was wrong, but he couldn't feel the presence of the Originium.

Just like normal wind and rain, and plants opening their bodies to embrace the sunlight, this kind of existence seems to belong more to the realm of nature.

really interesting.

……

Meanwhile, while someone was taking a shower, Muirseth sneaked into Saria's bedroom and was seriously thinking about something.

When did Saria suddenly develop such a broad and muscular physique?

Silver hair, that's for sure. It's a bit short, but maybe it was because of a trip to Mansfield that it was styled like this, so it's understandable. As for the skin, although it's not very clear because of the steam, it feels about the same as before, or even better in color, so it's fine too.

But it was this physique and muscles... how to put it, it reminded her of those movies Yara made in Lancawood that someone showed at a party before, and even the actors there couldn't compare to these sculpted muscles.

The little sprite, who considered herself Rhine Lab's most popular sprite, began to ponder the proposal that Nasti had previously told her about.

In this state, Saria seems truly capable of taking on the responsibility of the tunnel boring machine.

The timing is a bit awkward.

On the wall, almost imperceptible water stains were quietly gathering, spreading along the tile pattern, and seeping into the humidity of the air.

As the water continued to gather, the originally transparent liquid gradually took on a faint hue, with wisps of silvery light floating within. The water droplets began to attract and intertwine with each other, their flowing paths outlining a blurry shape.

First the ankles, then the calves, and then the waist.

At the moment the waters converged, Muirsey, dressed in Rhine Lab's uniform, appeared in this space, like a sculpture meticulously crafted by a sculptor, depicting the curves of every line with precision.

"Echo."

She gently landed from the air, tested the feel of her feet on the ground, and after confirming that her five senses had returned to normal, she breathed a long sigh of relief and prepared to pretend to have crawled out of the water dispenser in the bedroom.

After confirming that everything was correct, she nodded confidently, then turned and prepared to walk towards the door.

Then she saw Pegasus watching from the sidelines, wearing a towel.

"It's awesome."

Gerald had somehow appeared in the bedroom and quietly watched the entire transformation of the beautiful girl, and couldn't help but applaud her actions.

...?

Muirses paused for a moment, his silver pupils contracting slightly, like a creature sensing the approach of a predator. The air seemed to freeze, the silence so profound one could almost hear the echo of a water droplet falling.

Then--

"Eee ...

The elf suddenly bristled.

She felt as if she'd been electrocuted; her head nearly jumped to the ceiling, her hands instinctively clutching herself, her body stiffening and shrinking back, almost turning back into water to escape. In that brief instant, her reaction speed even exceeded the limits recorded in most experimental data.

"You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, when did you get here?!"

Muirsey's voice rose eight octaves, the clothes he had created from the mimicry clattered and rattled, the little gadgets on them kept bumping against each other, and he almost backed up against the wall, trying to find a safe corner in the room to hide in.

But she forgot that this was Seria's bedroom, with only a bed and a few things for working, nothing else except a wardrobe and a bedside table. Where was there a place for her to hide?

Muirsey's gaze wandered around, searching in vain, until finally he could only fix his eyes on the silver-haired Pegasus standing at the door.

The guy was just wrapped in a towel, his whole body still damp from a shower, but even she could see something was off... He didn't move at all, and his aura was unreasonable; even just standing there, he was like a walking wall.

Then, under her intense hostility and gaze, the "wall" spoke.

"That's really amazing. Although the clone is very fragile, there's absolutely no way to cut it off."

Gerald even repeated himself earnestly, saying with a sincere expression, "Please forgive my rudeness, but you are indeed one of the most remarkable people I have ever met. I hope you won't mind my behavior just now. We can sit down and talk."

He could now understand how Saria felt when she saw him use Originium Arts without a staff.

Because a similar situation is now unfolding before his eyes.

He was certain that this was an effect that no Originium Arts could achieve, not even the Royal Court's sorcery. Their sorcery did not specifically include the shaping of water; it was more about the interpretation of concepts and a more extreme form of violence... The Stonewing Demon might be an exception, but he had never actually encountered one.

This type of ability, similar to his wind control ability and belonging to the manipulation of nature, with commonalities yet significant differences, truly intrigued him.

Gerald nodded involuntarily, then looked around at his surroundings and at the "clothes" he was wearing, and couldn't help but sigh.

I should have waited for Saria to return; at least we shouldn't have had this kind of academic exchange with her.

Muirses, who was being stared at by Pegasus with a strange gaze: "..."

This wall-like figure is praising her... Is she having some kind of nightmare right now?

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain her composure, which was on the verge of collapse: "May I ask who you are?"

“Saria’s friend, just like you.” Gerald pointed outside. “Those plants have been watered, so I think one of her friends visits from time to time to take care of them. It seems like we’ve run into her today. Saria just went out to buy some things, and I think she should be back soon.”

The few words eased the awkward atmosphere slightly, and Muirsey quickly used some water to check the safety settings at the entrance.

The result did put her at ease; at least the lock on the door was intact, so the other party probably didn't force their way into the room.

Besides, there's really no need to come here. Saria doesn't work from home, and this isn't a safe house.

……Wait a moment?

"Are you and Saria really just friends?"

The elf's expression became particularly complicated, and he began to scrutinize the Pegasus in front of him with a very serious attitude.

“In my opinion, she’s not the type to mind having a friend bring her into her home to shower, especially considering the less-than-ideal environment we were in before.” Gerald noticed that the woman in front of him seemed to be thinking about something strange and couldn’t help but remind her, “You might be overthinking it.”

"What did she buy?"

"Some necessities."

Muirsey's gaze swept over Gerald again, lingering for a moment on his muscular physique and still damp, silvery-white hair, before her eyes gradually turned dangerous.

“…Something’s not right, something’s really not right.” She murmured, as if talking to herself, or perhaps scrutinizing the Pegasus before her. “When has Saria ever been so considerate of anyone?”

She frowned, her eyes filled with doubt and subtle confusion. It's worth noting that Saria had always presented herself as a lone wolf; while her social circle wasn't narrow, it certainly wasn't particularly enthusiastic or proactive.

Whether it's her colleagues at Rhine Life or her few circle of friends, there are very few people she would take the initiative to take care of, or even personally go out to buy clothes for.

Muirsey's mind raced, and she even began to consider various possibilities—

Possibility 1: This man is a very, very important partner of Saria, and they share common goals and beliefs.

However, this claim has a major flaw: Saria never brings her business partners home, and she herself never works from home. Even important figures are only accommodated at Rhine Lab, not... her own bathroom. Moreover, Saria is no longer with Rhine Lab.

Possibility 2: He is a distant relative of Seria.

That's not right either. She knew a little about Saria's family background, and there were practically no "relatives" she would treat like this. Besides, in that case, there was no need for the other party to use the term "friend" to brush her off.

Possibility three... is also one that she currently feels is quite likely.

Saria finally got it.

If you insist on saying it's impossible, Muirseth thinks that although Saria appears to be decisive and efficient, she might actually behave like this once she meets someone she respects.

After all, everyone changes over time, and it's normal to encounter some special people. And this Kuranta in front of us looks very strong; even Saria might not be able to defeat her.

But isn't this change a bit too fast?

The thought of a Vaiva child possibly calling her "Aunt Muirsey" brought a touch of melancholy to the elf's face.

Just as Muirsay was immersed in his reasoning and shock, the door clicked open.

Immediately following was the sound of steady footsteps.

The two people in the room fell silent instantly. Muirsey snapped back to reality and almost reflexively stood up straight, crossed her arms, and looked like she hadn't thought of anything.

Gerald simply turned his head slightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the doorway.

Soon, Saria walked into the only open room carrying a bag.

She had only planned to return to deliver the items to Gerald as soon as possible, and then discuss the next steps with him after calming down.

But as soon as she stepped into the room, she sensed an eerie tension in the air.

Her gaze swept between Gerald and Muirsay, lingering for a moment on the towel barely wrapped around Gerald's waist, before turning to the elf with a strange expression and a frantic twitching at the corner of his mouth, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

"Why are you in my house, Muirsey?"

"?"

Muirsey glanced blankly at his close friend of several years, then at Gerald, who had taken the bag and taken out clothes, and looked like he had known him for no more than six months.

"So, am I the one who's superfluous now?"

Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Elf Girl with Many Thoughts (4K5)

There is actually a round table in Seria's house.

Perhaps she had envisioned her two friends occasionally visiting, or perhaps it was simply a matter of personal aesthetic preference, feeling that this design would harmonize better with the overall layout of the room. But whatever her initial intention, at this moment, this table had become the ideal spot for the three of them to sit together.

This, of course, includes Miss Muirsey, who had just crashed on the spot after receiving the answer "yes".

The little sprite, utterly sunk by Saria's attack, slumped onto the table, its cheek pressed against the smooth wooden surface, lost in a long silence. Liuxing remained motionless, its breathing seemingly slowed, its face etched with the unbearable shock of reality, its eyes staring blankly at the texture of the table, as if it had been formatted.

Meanwhile, Gerald on the other side had already gotten dressed.

Although he had become accustomed to being presented with a new set of clothes every time he visited someone's home, the sense of déjà vu still made him feel somewhat strangely uneasy, especially considering how well the two sets of clothes fit his body.

Saria's criteria for choosing clothes are clearly consistent with her usual style: clean, neat, without unnecessary embellishments, yet with an indescribable sense of sophistication.

He looked down and straightened his cuffs, then stretched his shoulders. The fabric felt even more comfortable against his skin than he had expected.

After quickly straightening his clothes, Gerald looked up and met Muirsay's resentful gaze.

If Muirseth's gaze initially carried a hint of scrutiny, it had now completely transformed into a protective instinct—the kind of wariness one might show when a mother is afraid her child will be kidnapped, to the point where she practically wanted to tuck Saria behind her back and protect her from any touch.

Seria was cooking in the kitchen—she hadn't yet fulfilled the bet she made with Gerald, so she casually bought some ingredients on her way back.

This awkward time could have been used for many things... but perhaps the best option right now is to pay attention to this person on the other side who seems to be at the level of a director at Rhine Life.

After all, she looked like she was about to break.

"You, don't you have anything to explain?" The elf girl pressed her beautiful face against the spotless table, glanced at the Pegasus in front of her, and muttered listlessly, "What kind of friend is she... Humph, a friend needs her to go out and buy clothes, and pick out such a perfect fit?"

“You’re right, but I don’t think a friend would come all the way to her house just to water the plants when she’s not home.” Gerald paused for a moment, his gaze falling on the vibrant greenery in the room, and slowly replied, “Unless there’s something else going on.”

Upon hearing this, Muirsey, who was sitting opposite him, shifted her body slightly from her slumped position on the table and raised her hand.

She was deftly playing with a small droplet of water on her index finger. The droplet hovered on her fingertip, constantly changing shape as she moved her finger.

The elf girl narrowed her yellow eyes slightly, straightened up, and looked at the man opposite her with a half-smile.

"Ten points deducted." She paused, then flicked her wrist, tossing the droplet of water gently upwards. It hovered above her fingertip, spun half a circle, and then landed steadily back in her palm. "Your observation skills are not bad, but this way of dealing with things is too old-fashioned. Besides—"

"It's really annoying for girls to have such a strong urge to dig into secrets and ask questions."

Before she finished speaking, she flicked her wrist, and the water ball at her fingertip flew from her palm toward Gerald, aiming straight for his face.

However, the water sphere's trajectory came to an abrupt halt just before it touched his skin, then vanished into the air like mist, turning into fine water vapor that blended into the surrounding environment.

"……what?"

Muirses suddenly sat up abruptly from her chair, staring at Gerald as if he were some rare and exotic creature. Her gaze fell on the ring on his hand, her brows furrowing deeply.

"what happened?"

Gerald remained calm and composed, as if the exchange had never happened, and his posture remained unchanged.

"You too—!!" As she realized what that scene just now meant, Muirsey's eyes gradually brightened, and her overflowing expectation almost spilled out from the depths of her eyes.

But when she saw Gerald's incredibly flexible ears swaying gently on his head, the light in her eyes dimmed again, and she returned to her previous state of feigning death, lying on the table: "...No, never mind."

She sighed quietly and said listlessly, "Anyway, I already know that Saria seems to trust you, otherwise she wouldn't have brought people to her house."

“That same statement can also be applied to you.” Gerald nodded, quietly looking at the “girl” before him who was most likely one of the founders of Rhine Lab, and then continued:

"I think I know why Saria chose Pete's fruit candy as a birthday gift for a child."

"...She told you this too, besides the plan?"

Muirses paused slightly, then sat up straight, blinking her bright eyes, her tone tinged with surprise: "Not bad, to be able to get that diamond to open up to this extent, as Saria's best friend, I have high hopes for you!"