"Click..."
As the office door opened, Mobius's delicate face, showing a hint of impatience, came into view for Ho'olheyak.
"Really good perseverance~ But hasn't anyone taught you not to disturb others casually, little snake?"
Mobius paused for a moment, then changed the subject. "Or was the last warning too mild? You didn't take my words to heart at all~"
As Mobius's voice fell, a terrifying aura appeared silently, instantly putting immense psychological pressure on Ho'olheyak.
"...How could it be? I have always taken Miss Mobius's words to heart. It's just that the few characteristics you exhibited really made me too curious and eager."
Feeling the oppressive atmosphere, Ho'olheyak calmed the tension in her heart before organizing her words to respond.
To be honest, Ho'olheyak admitted that what she said now had some elements of gambling. "Desire? Is that why you so conspicuously shouted at the door of someone else's office in the afternoon?"
At this point, Mobius's "sarcastic" words were a little disheartening.
There were two reasons Snake chose to open the door this time. The first was her genuine curiosity about the gift brought by Ho'olheyak. The second was her belief that someone being too high-profile would bring trouble to herself. It was necessary to teach a lesson and prevent future occurrences.
You see, let alone the next time. Just the words spoken openly in the cafeteria this morning, combined with now coming to Mobius again in the afternoon, and saying these things at her door... It was enough to attract a lot of attention.
If an ordinary person without ulterior motives heard it, it might only result in gossip. But those with intentions would remember it... So Ho'olheyak's actions were completely contrary to Snake's low profile intentions.
"Uh, I didn't think it through..."
Hearing this, Ho'olheyak was slightly stunned, then said in a low voice with some embarrassment.
After investigating, Ho'olheyak also realized that Mobius had always wanted to maintain a low profile in Rhine Labs... but she had no choice.
Although Mobius might not believe it, meeting her in the cafeteria that morning was just a coincidence. She had gone there for breakfast and business. Talking to Mobius was truly somewhat subconscious...
Ho'olheyak had initially chosen to knock on the door, but when the office owner didn't open it, she couldn't speak.
"Heh~ Forget it, come in. If you keep standing at the door like this, people who don't know will think I did something to you."
With those words, Mobius looked at Ho'olheyak again, then slowly retracted her gaze and turned to walk back into her office.
"..."
Watching Mobius's back, Ho'olheyak swallowed lightly. A long-lost trace of nervousness and even vigilance flickered in her beautiful eyes.
It was as if what was before her wasn't Mobius but the lair of a man-eating monster.
However, just as Ho'olheyak hesitated, Mobius had already returned to her desk and looked at her with a hint of mockery.
"...Excuse me, Miss Mobius."
Originally, Ho'olheyak was still somewhat hesitant, but meeting Mobius's eyes full of teasing and mockery made that hesitation disappear completely.
After saying a polite word, she no longer hesitated, walked into the office, and closed the door behind her.
"Click..."
Accompanied by the sound of the door closing, Ho'olheyak felt a jolt of anxiety, though she did not show it on her face.
However, she knew there was no turning back now and that she could only gamble... gamble that Mobius would not harm her here in the name of maintaining a low profile or for other reasons...
"Heh~ Miss Ho'olheyak, why do you look like I want to eat you?" Looking at Ho'olheyak's appearance, Mobius chuckled as if she found something amusing. "Compared to you, a researcher who doesn't abide by academic ethics and a spy with no standing, I am the weak and powerless one."
"!"
Mobius's light and playful words made Ho'olheyak, who was still standing by the door, subconsciously look at her, her mind in chaos.
Although she suspected Mobius was not a simple existence—if not a god, then at least an ancient being—she did not expect this extremely ancient entity to know so many things.
"Why are you so nervous~ Isn't it Miss Ho'olheyak who took the initiative to find me? Please, sit down. If you keep standing here, people will think I don't know how to entertain guests."
Watching Ho'olheyak, who grew increasingly uneasy because of her words, Mobius's eyes flashed with a trace of joy. She felt much better for a while.
"... Uh."
Ho'olheyak was already in disarray, and being teased by Mobius made her even more nervous and uneasy.
However, as mentioned earlier, Ho'olheyak came here with a gamble, facing this ancient being.
So, despite her unease, she finally approached, placed the gift she had brought on Mobius's desk, and sat in a chair nearby.
Compared to her casual demeanor when alone or with others, Ho'olheyak was more restrained both mentally and physically.
"..."
Mobius, uninterested in Ho'olheyak's psychology, reached out and gently flipped through the documents Ho'olheyak had placed on her desk. She browsed them briefly.
After all, this was one of the reasons she allowed people in, wasn't it?
Although she could have obtained these items herself, someone had offered them willingly. Why waste the opportunity?
"..."
Ho'olheyak, watching Mobius flip through the documents, experienced a quick flash of nervousness in her eyes. She looked like a student waiting for a teacher to review her poorly written homework...
To be honest, she had never been so nervous and well-behaved since becoming self-aware...