"Victor... you seem a bit different than before."
Enid looked at Victor, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and a hint of imperceptible joy.
"You used to get close to me occasionally, but it was always for pranks. Being natural like today... as if getting close is a matter of course, that's never happened before."
Azem White subconsciously touched his neck, and Serum rubbed against his fingertips submissively.
It dawned on him: "It's the influence of Serum. Different symbiotes have different effects on their hosts. Riot amplifies the host's dominance and destructive desire."
"While Serum... greatly amplifies the host's elegance, and..."
He paused, a rare, almost bashful expression flitting across his face, his voice lowering and softening a bit.
"...and affection."
Serum seemed a bit embarrassed, shrinking back slightly, its voice turning even softer:
"If you don't like it... I can temporarily block this part of the emotional amplification..."
"No."
Enid shook her head immediately, reaching out to firmly grasp Victor's hand with her warm fingers, a bright yet slightly shy smile blooming on her face.
"This is quite nice."
She liked this Victor.
He still possessed his unique, unpredictable, mad charm, but those intimate touches and protective actions were no longer playful jests or pranks.
They stemmed from a warmer, more sincere core. This made her feel secure, and even... gave her some sweet flutters.
Sensing Enid's acceptance, Serum's pearl-white hue seemed to become even more gentle and soft.
It lightly encircled Victor's neck, as if it too were immersed in a sense of contentment and peace.
Victor squeezed Enid's hand back, his fingertips lightly stroking the back of her hand.
Those eyes, usually dancing with madness or playful light, now held a tenderness that even he hadn't noticed.
"Alright~"
He smiled, his expression lacking some of its usual flamboyance and gaining a few degrees of genuine warmth.
"Then... we'll keep it this way."
On the other side, Azem Gray pulled Wednesday by the wrist all the way to Jericho Town, finally stopping before an oak door inlaid with a taxidermied crow.
The sign was carved with: Ulias Emporium.
"dear~"
Azem Gray's voice carried an unquestionable flamboyance bolstered by Riot as he pushed open the heavy door.
The brass bell on the door let out a dull sound like a funeral knell.
"I know your philosophy. Color is the original sin; black and white are eternal. That's why I chose this place."
The light inside the shop was dim, and the air was filled with the scent of old parchment, dried herbs, and a faint hint of preservatives.
All sorts of specimens, skeletons, and antique clothing filled with a dark aura were silently displayed, like a tomb of Gothic art.
Azem Gray led Wednesday to the deepest part of the shop, where a gown stood alone on a mannequin, as if it had been waiting there for centuries.
It was an exquisitely vintage, dark-style formal gown.
Layered black gauze, like solidified night mist, constructed a Gothic cake-style skirt.
The upper body featured intricate and precise pleating, like blooming black roses winding across the chest and neck—both a constraint and an ornament.
A belt inlaid with dark metal emphasized a sharp waistline. The overall style perfectly fused the elegance of death with wild magnificence.
The gown instantly seized all of Wednesday's attention.
Her gaze swept sharply over every detail, and finally, those deep, pool-like eyes turned toward the boy with the flamboyant smile beside her.
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