"Friends? I don't need friends... As for my name, feel free to find out on your own," Mobius spoke calmly, retracting her gaze after hearing Muelsyse's request.
Without any further words, she turned and walked away without a second thought.
After all, she despised people like Muelsyse—those with long ears and an "annoying" personality.
Instead of wasting time here, it was better to quickly buy her "non-essentials" and return to her laboratory.
To be honest, Mobius felt quite unlucky today. On top of her experiments not going well, she had encountered two irritating people in succession.
"Hmm..."
Listening to Mobius's cold words and watching her gradually disappear into the distance, Muelsyse blinked softly.
Though she felt a twinge of regret, she remained silent in the end.
However, Muelsyse was genuinely curious. She wondered how Mobius managed to keep her surroundings so immaculately clean—so clean that not a speck of Originium dust or particles could be seen.
If it was due to some kind of technology, then... this could be groundbreaking news!
Even if not for herself, Muelsyse believed that this technology could have applications in many fields and could make a significant impact. To exaggerate a bit, it might even help in the fight against Oripathy.
Of course, Muelsyse wasn't interested in stealing Mobius's "results." She was just curious and wanted to understand what was going on.
After all, she hadn't seen any relevant papers or research published in the academic community thus far.
"Hmm? That direction... isn't it..."
Snapping out of her thoughts, Muelsyse looked in the direction where Mobius had last been seen and was slightly taken aback.
A trace of surprise flashed in her beautiful eyes.
To confirm her suspicion, the elf set off in the direction Mobius had disappeared.
---
"..."
As Mobius walked, she finally realized what Muelsyse's "interest" in her stemmed from.
But simply realizing it only made her more annoyed...
Mobius didn't believe that Muelsyse would give up contacting her so easily.
Perhaps that elf would really go back, research her information, and then show up at her office to harass her—just like a certain pink-haired girl...
"Tsk... I really shouldn't have left the lab today."
Thinking of this possibility, Mobius, who was already in a foul mood due to "bad luck," brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and snorted unhappily.
To be honest, she really didn't want to have any contact with troublesome individuals like Muelsyse. In her view, these kinds of interactions would only add to her troubles.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen such a "low-profile" way to enter Rhine Lab.
But who would have thought that in just one day, Mobius would encounter two troublesome people?
It seems that all this "bad luck" began with that failed experiment...
"Huh..."
Exhaling a breath of frustration, Mobius rubbed her slightly aching forehead. After suppressing her irritation, she focused all her attention on the road ahead and quickened her pace.
To avoid any more "unlucky" encounters with troublesome people, she felt it was best to wrap things up quickly.
...
As Mobius picked up her pace, the candy store she was heading to soon appeared in front of her.
"Welcome to our store, miss! What kind of candy are you looking for? I can help you with recommendations."
As Mobius entered, the store's staff greeted her warmly and politely.
"I'm looking to buy some small..."
Mobius didn't reject the staff's enthusiasm. Not wanting to waste time, she quickly stated her needs, but she paused midway through her sentence.
Then, with a dark expression, she looked in a particular direction...
In the direction Mobius was staring, there stood a water elf with a guilty look, trying to go unnoticed.
"Heh~ So, Director Muelsyse, would you care to explain why you're following a mere researcher like me?"
Mobius first signaled the waiter to leave, then turned to Muelsyse with a fake smile.
"Oh, how could it be called 'following' if we just happened to be going the same way? I'm also a regular at this candy store!"
Hearing Mobius's words and sensing her anger, Muelsyse's strong survival instincts kicked in, prompting her to quickly explain.
For some reason, Muelsyse felt that the "smiling" Mobius was far more terrifying than her friend Saria when angry.
So, if she didn't defuse the situation now, when would she?
"Haha... So, what kind of candy are you looking for? I know a lot about them! Let me help you choose!"
After her explanation, Muelsyse noticed that Mobius was still smiling, and almost without hesitation, she quickly shifted the subject and strode deeper into the store.
It was a joke. Given the current atmosphere, Muelsyse felt that if she continued the previous conversation or stayed in place, Mobius might actually lash out!
Once inside, Muelsyse grabbed a small basket without saying a word and swiftly began picking out candies, all while explaining to Mobius.
"Let's see... Although I don't know who you're buying for, you absolutely must try John's Mother's Orange Storm. Her strawberry flavor is also a classic!"
"..."
Watching Muelsyse's rapid and determined actions, Mobius's delicate face took on an indescribable expression. She then slowly reached up and covered her face in exasperation.
After a moment, Mobius lowered her hand, squinted her gradient snake-like pupils at the elf still busily selecting candies, and without a second thought, turned around and left the candy store.
In a sense, Mobius felt she truly couldn't handle Muelsyse. She was even more eccentric than Elysia.
As for the candy... she wasn't buying it anymore.