"Saria, I'm here to help you~"
Mobius strolled leisurely toward the black snake–Ifrit.
"Get lost! I don't have time to deal with you!"
Saria snapped, trying to drive Mobius away.
She had no idea why she was approaching, but to her, Mobius walking toward Ifrit was nothing less than suicide.
She instantly threw a punch at the black snake–Ifrit, attempting to draw her attention away from Mobius. But the attack missed.
Saria wasn't sure if this Mobius was her real body. If it was, she knew she couldn't possibly protect her.
"Saria actually cares about me? How touching~ Even though you still suspect that I, your poor consultant, have deceived you, you're still trying to protect me. I'm so moved~"
Mobius placed her right hand dramatically on her chest, striking an exaggerated pose of mock gratitude.
"(Columbian curse)" Saria couldn't hold back, cursing under her breath.
Even after so many years, Mobius could still effortlessly ignite her fury.
This lunatic must be using a clone body again! Otherwise, how could she act so recklessly in front of danger?
"Enough teasing, Saria. At the very least, I'm a well-versed immortal. Don't go thinking of me as some feeble researcher with no strength to even truss a chicken."
Mobius raised her right hand and placed it gently against Ifrit's forehead.
The black snake–Ifrit had already withdrawn from her flame-bound form.
In her mind, more than a dozen black serpents had vanished, leaving only one, which merged into the Diablo fragment.
By merging with it, the serpent could disguise itself as the residual will of the fragment.
The rest slithered back through Mobius's hand, disappearing into her monocle.
Of course, none of this could be perceived by ordinary eyes.
Even though Ifrit obediently stilled, the lingering heat still seared Mobius's right hand. Yet she kept a serene smile upon her face.
Good thing I temporarily disabled this body's pain receptors.
Ifrit collapsed face-first to the ground.
Mobius, with her left hand, draped her white coat over her charred, exposed body.
"Suppressing the Diablo's remnant consciousness—now that's something I'm rather skilled at."
She turned back toward Saria, smiling as she spoke.
"Hurry and get Ifrit to another lab. She's in no condition right now and needs treatment."
Saria stared at Mobius in silence.
She felt that she had never once seen through this enigmatic immortal—never truly understood what she was thinking.
Without a word, she gathered Ifrit into her arms.
Suddenly, a car rolled up in front of her, the window sliding down.
Inside sat another Mobius, wearing the same insufferable smirk.
"Come on, get in. This way's faster."
Carrying the unconscious Ifrit, Saria climbed inside.
The Mobius with the burned hand settled into the passenger seat.
"I heard you had a falling out with the Chief Supervisor?"
"…That's none of your concern."
"Fair enough. Then let me change the subject… What do you plan to do next?"
"Leave Rhine Lab."
"Why?"
"Rhine Lab has already gone astray. I intend to correct its course, but if I stay within, there'll be no saving it."
"…Or perhaps, has it ever occurred to you that Rhine Lab has always been on its own path—one you've only just begun to glimpse?"
"Perhaps… But tell me, why did you bring along that injured clone? Don't you usually discard them after a single use?"
"I'm not that wasteful. It's just a matter of technical limitations. And besides, the injured one is actually the real Mobius~ Do you really think I could have subdued the Diablo's will so easily without showing up in person?"
"…Thank you."
"Haha, fooled you! Both of them are clones! I brought this one along just to trick you~"
"…You really are insufferably childish."
---
One day later.
"It seems your teacher still values the bond between master and pupil~"
Outside a truck, Mobius spoke as she looked toward the interior, where Silence sat unharmed.
The truck's cargo compartment carried a life-support pod, within which Ifrit rested.
"…"
Silence cast a complicated look at Mobius.
She realized she could no longer understand this erratic woman.
She had pointed her toward a place where Ifrit could be treated—Rhodes Island.
"For me, that place is worse than Rhine Lab. But for you, it's far better."
That was the strange remark she had left her with.
And somehow, she had even prepared everything for their departure.
Yet this was the same woman who had once supported the Diablo project from the very beginning.
Just as Joyce said… perhaps she really has gone mad.
And as soon as Joyce, seated in the passenger seat, spotted Mobius, she immediately switched into sleep mode.
"Sigh~ Who would've thought Rhine Lab would lose yet another group of talented juniors? Looks like I'll have to request higher benefits from the Director-General. After all, only by treating employees sincerely can we win their loyalty~"
"…Where's Saria?"
"Saria has her own matters to attend to. You'd better leave quickly, before Columbia's Ministry of Defense catches wind of this."
"…Goodbye."
"You should've said 'never see you again' instead, hahaha!"
---
"I've already taken care of everything, Saria. But… you still refuse to stay at Rhine Lab, don't you?"
"Will you put an end to those illegal experiments?"
"…So it seems you really are determined to leave."
"…"
"The doors of Rhine Lab will always remain open to you."
"There's no need… Farewell, Kristen."
"…Farewell, Saria."
---
Inside a gym in Columbia.
"Hey~ Saria, I heard you kicked the Director-General out?"
"…Leave me be, Mobius."
"Eh, if I stay quiet just because you told me to, wouldn't that make me look bad? And put down those gloves! I didn't come here to be your punching bag!"
"Then shut your mouth."
"Boohoo~ How cruel, threatening your former colleague like this! …Though I guess I shouldn't call myself a former colleague. Kristen still kept you in the position of Head of Security, after all~"
"…"
"Sigh~ You short-lifers and your complicated emotions… truly fascinating."
"…Mobius, you don't have any real friends, do you?"
"How could that be? My friends are scattered across all of Terra, you know~"
"I meant the kind of close friends who understand you."
"Of course I have those."
"…"
Staring at Mobius, still wearing that same careless, mocking smile, Saria suddenly found herself feeling a hint of pity.
If she really had such a close friend, why would she use the excuse of being a "long-lifer" as a reason she couldn't understand the bond between her and Kristen?
True friendship doesn't distinguish between short-lifers and long-lifers.
"…Mobius."
"Hmm?"
"Come with me to the amusement park later. I need to clear my head."