---o---
[Li's Private Chat Group]
Li: @Mobius @Eden @Klein @Kalpas @Elysia
Li: We're planning to take the kids from the sanatorium out today. Does anyone want to come along?
Elysia: Of course~ How could I possibly refuse an invitation from the cute Li♪~
Elysia: As long as you let me touch your horns♪
Mobius: ...…I'll go.
Klein: Doctor, we haven't finished our work.
Mobius: Just come with me, Klein.
Klein: Alright, I suppose I can't say no to you, Doctor…
Mobius: Mmm, Klein and Li are the best.
Eden: Of course, my friend. Also, Dr. Mobius, please act normally.
Kalpas: Not going, fuck off! Got it?
Li: @Mobius, I've finished the Void Hand, Soul Probe. Want me to bring it for you to see?
Mobius: No need. I'm not particularly interested in mechanical creations. Just bring it to my lab later.
Li: OK.
Li: Also, Elysia, I would rather die, die outside, than ever let you touch my horns!!!
Elysia: Oh my, Li is angry again. I won't touch them, alright♪
Kalpas: There are no fights this afternoon, so I'll go too.
Li: Alright, see you all at five this afternoon then.
---o---
Elsewhere, Aponia couldn't help but smile smugly as she read Elysia's messages.
She had already touched Li's horns.
The texture was cool and hard, very pleasant to the touch.
Just as her mind began to wander, a knock sounded on her door.
"Nia-jie, I've already arranged for the tour bus, and I've had people get the amusement park ready. You take the children to Dawn Street first, and I'll go pick up Mobius and the others."
"Okay, I understand."
Hearing Fu Li's message, Aponia put down her phone. She was about to leave but paused.
She remembered that Li seemed to have a habit of changing his entire outfit whenever he went out. His sense of style was on par with even Eden's.
She recalled a black formal dress in her wardrobe, a gift from Eden that she had never worn. Perhaps she would wear that tonight.
After all, her Thread of Romantic Fate was already intertwined with Li's. She couldn't always appear before his friends in a nun's habit, could she?
As for the barrier between a priest and a nun?
She had believed in God for so long, but had God ever shown her a shred of mercy?
A useless god like that was better off not believed in. Why should she abide by the rules of a useless god?
With that, Aponia retrieved the long-dusty black dress from her wardrobe, a smile tinged with a maiden's shyness gracing her lips.
---o---
Meanwhile, Fu Li was already driving the rented bus to pick up Mobius and the others.
Since The Deep End was the farthest away, everyone pitched in to prepare things they might need at the amusement park.
The amusement parks were mostly deserted these days, so Fu Li had chosen to rent one that had recently gone out of business.
Although most of the rides had been abandoned for some time, they could be restored to normal operation once power was supplied.
And with the mechanical genius Vill-V on hand, starting up those amusement park facilities was a piece of cake.
Even so, it was still a defunct amusement park, so the staff had naturally cleared out long ago.
Fu Li couldn't exactly call people over to work for their entertainment, so they would have to handle things like the barbecue themselves.
Just as all the tools were prepared, Aponia finally appeared, having taken great care with her appearance.
The black formal dress made her aura even more mysterious and alluring, instantly capturing the attention of Elysia and the other women the moment she arrived.
Kalpas, as usual, couldn't care less about such things. Seeing Aponia's deliberate effort to dress up, he acted as if he hadn't seen a thing.
"Wow, Aponia~ That dress is gorgeous! Where did you buy it~? I'm so curious♪~" Elysia's eyes lit up, looking as if she absolutely adored it.
Though, she always reacted this way to beautiful girls.
"Um… Eden gave it to me. I've never really worn it…"
Although they had met more than once, Aponia was still not quite used to Elysia's level of enthusiasm.
Seeing this, Eden gently swirled the wine in her glass and offered a compliment:
"It looks wonderful, my friend. When I gave it to you, I felt it would suit you perfectly. It seems my judgment was sound."
"Hmph. Honestly, I really don't see the point of these clothes. I think a lab coat is perfectly fine."
Though Mobius said this, she wasn't wearing a lab coat herself, but rather a set of loose-fitting casual clothes.
Judging by the simple and practical style of the outfit, it was clearly Klein's handiwork.
After the women exchanged greetings, the adults began to help the group of children onto the bus, getting them settled in their seats.
Children of this age are naturally lively, and having been cooped up in The Deep End for so long, they were a bit wild at the prospect of an outing.
But today was a happy day. Even their usually gentle but strict Mama Aponia didn't restrict them, so they were fully prepared to let loose and have fun.
"Nia-jie, your dress is beautiful," Fu Li said, offering a sincere compliment as he looked at Aponia, whose entire demeanor had changed.
"Mm, thank you for the praise, Father."
Although Aponia appeared calm and composed on the surface, if one were to place a hand over her heart, they would easily discover that her heartbeat had quickened a few beats.
But could you blame her? How could one not be flustered when praised by the person they love?
---o---
[Amidst cheerful laughter, you drive towards the amusement park twenty kilometers away.]
[On the way, aside from the relatively quiet space around Mobius, even Kalpas finds himself surrounded by a crowd of chattering children.]
[Seeing Kalpas look like he wanted to explode with rage but didn't dare to actually act on it, afraid he might crush them with a single finger, brought a knowing smile to many faces.]
[Eden, too, was encircled by a group of her little fans, singing lovely classical children's songs at their request.]
[As for Elysia, she was like a magician, conjuring countless cute candies, giving one out for every pat on the head, creating a scene of pure joy.]
[In the past, such noise might have been an annoyance to the adults.]
[But now, when hope is nearly extinguished, this was a precious and almost unrepeatable scene.]
[The children reaped happiness, and the adults, they reaped a sense of peace they hadn't felt for a long time amidst the endless battles and work.]
[At least, for this one day, they were happy.]