"Hi hi, this is the Technical Department, the place you'll be dealing with frequently from now on. That Great Magician also serves as a consultant here... Hmm, looks like she's not here today. She's probably off tinkering with those weird mechanical treasures of hers."
Elysia led the group through the corridors of the Fire Moth building, heading all the way down...
"Um... Miss Elysia, have we been walking down this whole time? This is supposed to be a building, isn't it?"
Bronya noticed something was off. Why did you dig such a deep bunker and then build that tall building on top of it???
"Oh, my~ What a perceptive little thing you are! While the buildings on the surface are also part of Fire Moth, they are the areas open to the public. There are even many civilians working inside..."
"Um, you can just understand it as the building above actually serving the functions of a city government and civic center, while this underground portion is the true base belonging to Fire Moth's soldiers and technical personnel~"
"After all, research on the Honkai is very dangerous. It would be a sin if an accident happened on the surface~"
"So that's how it is. Bronya understands..."
Thinking about the various research facilities Schicksal and Anti-Entropy had established deep under the sea, in the sky, on snowfields, and in deserts, Bronya quickly accepted Elysia's explanation.
"Mm-hmm, then let's continue our tour~ Next is the Scientific Research Department. Don't confuse it with the Technical Department, okay? The Technical Department adjusts and optimizes existing technology, while the Scientific Research Department is where we explore unknown frontiers."
"This is where the Great Magician officially works. But, you'd better not come here if you have nothing to do—"
"There's a child-eating old witch with long green hair here, and she'll eat you little kittens one by one~"
Elysia the tour guide flailed her arms and legs, trying to scare Bronya and Seele, but it seemed the pink elf's natural appearance was not suited for scaring people.
Aside from the short-haired Seele, who was already timid and shrunk her neck in fear, the remaining three all wore expressionless faces... until a certain figure popped out from behind the pink elf, and their expressions gradually turned to horror—
"Hahaha, did I scare you~ I told you I have a talent for scaring people—"
Seeing their frightened faces, Elysia smiled triumphantly. She completely failed to notice what kind of creature had popped up behind her.
"...Um, Miss Pink Elf, there's something green and black crawling behind you on the floor!"
Bronie watched with an expression of having seen a ghost as the "unidentified creature" squirmed and drew closer behind the pink-haired girl.
"Eh? Something green and black... crawling on the floor?"
"Are you talking about a caterpillar? I didn't know you were afraid of bugs~ Hmm, hmm, hmm, taking note, taking note—"
Before even understanding what Bronie and the others were trying to say, Elysia had even pulled out a notebook and was busily scribbling something on it, seemingly preparing for future pranks.
"No... what Bronie meant to say is... Miss Elysia, the one behind you seems to be that green-haired, child-eating old witch you were just talking about..."
Gulping hard, Bronie watched tremblingly as that "old witch" gradually rose from her writhing position on the floor to a standing one.
"Elysia, you're badmouthing me outside again—!"
"Oh my, it's Mobius... No, no~ How could a beautiful, shy girl like me, as lovely as a flower, badmouth anyone behind their back—"
"But I heard everything—"
"Oh~ Really? Elysia only tells the truth, you know. So, Mobius, can you explain why everyone is too scared to go into your lab?"
"..."
The green-haired beauty with serpentine eyes paused for a moment.
"Kalpas did it."
Mobius nodded with absolute certainty.
"Then why was Hua in a daze for several days the last time she came out of your lab?"
"Kalpas did that too—!"
"Uh... Then why does Griseo always call you 'Auntie'?"
"Kalpas did it—"
"So... the time before last when you and Kalpas made a huge mess in the lab, and it even ended with a child version of you coming out...?"
Elysia wore an expression that said, "You know what I mean," and Mobius seemed to have fallen into a pattern of answering—
"It was all Kalpas... No, wait, Elysia, you've gotten fat!!!"
Suddenly snapping back to her senses, Mobius furiously launched a verbal attack on the self-proclaimed flower-like shy beauty, and she landed a critical hit—
[ You've gotten fat! ]
"Eh, eh, eh? Where am I fat— Mobius, you'd better explain yourself."
"Everywhere—!"
-
"So this is the legendary child-eating old witch with green hair... Bronie feels like this scene is just elementary school kids arguing."
"Seconded." *3
Having had enough of the antics, Mobius and Elysia finally ceased their verbal sparring, seemingly realizing that further debate was futile.
"Hmph, I still have little guests to escort on a tour. I'll save the rest of our discussion for next time—"
"Little guests?"
A look of intense interest crossed Mobius's face—the expression of someone who had just found a new test subject, a fresh guinea pig, and a new sucker—as she scanned the group of four standing behind Elysia.
"Fire Moth Survival Guide: Never trust a single word Mobius says; if something happens, it was probably Kalpas's doing; if both are present, immediately summon Mr. Kevin, Miss Elysia, or Miss Aponia—"
Bronie quickly recited the survival guide the Miss Pink Elf had taught her, then looked at Mobius.
"Not listening! Not listening! Old ladyy is preaching again!"
"...??? Call me Big Sister Mobius!"
"Auntie!"
Seemingly drawing strength from Elysia backing her up, Bronie held her own and shot back without flinching.
"E-ly-si-a—!!!"
After a moment of frantic thought, the choked-up Mobius redirected her ire toward the pink-haired girl beside her...
"Did you teach them that!!!"
"Oh my~ Mobius—look at how young these children are, they're all about Griseo's age."
"What's wrong with calling you Auntie Mobius?"
Miss Pink Elf wore an utterly matter-of-fact expression.
"You...!"
"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you now~ I still have to guide the children, after all~"
"Come on, children, let's keep moving—"
"Yes, Big Sister Elysia!"
The group swiftly slipped away, leaving behind a furious Mobius, her cheeks puffed out in indignation...
"Pfft—"
And then she was deflated by a blue-haired girl passing by....
"Auntie Mobius? Have you seen Big Sister Elysia...?"
"I told you not to call me... Ah, it's Little Griseo. Elysia went to the training room in the back."