Could it be that what Mobius had said back then, just before they had fainted, had in fact been about this?
At this moment Lumine remembered that line Mobius had spoken — the one she and Miko had heard right before they had blacked out earlier.
Could it be that she had done all that simply to announce that she had once appeared?
Because no matter what one did, there was always a purpose behind it; and so Lumine began to speculate about Mobius's purpose in doing what she had done.
Still, now was clearly not the time to be dwelling on this — she should head off to eat together with Kaito first.
A short while later.
"So — friend Kaito, where exactly did you head off to this afternoon? Back inside, I had actually been thinking of coming over to ask you just who had let that Archon loose. I still hadn't known what was going on at the time, but you weren't there."
After they had arrived at the place where Childe was treating them and each taken their seats, Childe immediately put forth this question.
Surely he couldn't have stumbled across Mobius right at the very moment she was doing that thing?
The instant she heard Childe ask in that way, Lumine immediately thought as much.
It couldn't be helped — the timing was just a little too close.
As for whether or not that was actually the case, she had no way of knowing; it was nothing more than speculation.
And just as she was thinking this, she discovered that Miko was looking over in her direction — clearly Miko had thought of this very same thing too.
It looks like Miko's thought of it as well...
But if it weren't for Kaito and Childe being here...
It feels like she'd be coming out with all sorts of weird things again...
Recalling all the strange remarks Miko had made back when the two of them had been caught hold of by Mobius, Lumine couldn't help thinking just that.
By now she had already worked out a pattern — namely, that Miko more or less only ever came out with those weird remarks in front of her.
Of course, this time Mobius had shown up, and given how unusual the situation had been, saying something at the time could be considered fairly normal — to say nothing of the fact that Mobius had come precisely to bring up that sort of weird business in the first place.
"I went off looking for Mobius — figured she was about to show herself at that point, but as it turned out she still didn't. No telling what kind of scheme she's plotting."
To Childe's question, Kaito very quickly gave this answer.
Of course this was something he had made up on the spot, because at that moment in question he had in fact been busy supplying a certain implement for Mobius's little oral-skill practice session — he'd hardly had the spare attention to bother with Childe.
And naturally, that point absolutely could not be spoken aloud.
"Ah, I see — no wonder I couldn't find you." Nodding, Childe took on an expression of sudden enlightenment.
Then he went on, "So, friend Kaito, you still haven't laid eyes on Mobius? It does feel rather strange, doesn't it? Even though she's already kicked up such a huge commotion, she still hasn't shown herself in person — there couldn't be some scheme at work here that we just haven't picked up on, could there?"
Having said that, Childe took on the look of a man beginning to mull something over.
There certainly is...
And what's more, she's already gone and accomplished what she set out to do...
To what Childe had said, Lumine silently thought as much to herself.
Even so, she still couldn't quite comprehend what was going through Mobius's mind, using her own appearance to do that sort of thing with Kaito.
After all, apart from getting some bodily sensations out of it, everything else belonged to another person — namely, to her.
Wait! Wait a moment—
She — she couldn't possibly be wanting a child, could she?!?
All of a sudden, Lumine thought of this possibility.
Since she herself had always taken proper precautions before, on top of how Mobius looked so small and tiny, she'd never once let her thoughts drift in that direction at all.
But the moment she thought of it now, she realized the puzzling things from before suddenly seemed to be explainable.
Why Mobius had just walked off like that — wasn't that something this would explain?
What should she do?
Should she tell Kaito about it right now?
But Miko...
Sigh...
What a pain...
Turning it over and over in her mind, Lumine still didn't open her mouth.
Forget it...
Once we get back later, they ought to be getting down to it...
I'll just wait a bit longer...
Realizing that bringing it up now wouldn't change anything anyway, Lumine, in the end, decided to leave it until they had gone back.
After all — leaving aside whether Kaito could even find out where Mobius was right at this moment, even if he really did locate her, he probably had no way of guaranteeing one hundred percent that Mobius wouldn't conceive or whatever — unless he just out-and-out killed Mobius outright.
Sigh...
While Lumine was busy mulling over the matter of Mobius, Childe, too, was musing on something to do with her.
By the looks of it, Miss Mobius can't be bothered to pay me any mind...
"So, Childe — have you turned up any findings of your own?" At this point Kaito put the question to Childe.
Of course he was asking a question to which he already knew the answer — whether or not Childe had made any discoveries was something he himself was already perfectly aware of; it was only that Childe himself didn't know that fact.
"On that, no — even though we Fatui have men in every trade and walk of life, we just can't seem to find any... trace... of Mobius." Childe, on the verge of letting the words 'Miss Mobius' slip out, hurriedly caught himself and corrected his form of address.
If he really had let it slip, he would certainly have been found out as being off in some way.
Even though, if pressed, he could perhaps have come up with some explanation for the form of address — he did, after all, often refer to others in such a manner — but addressing Mobius in such a way would obviously have left people with the impression that he had already met her.
"It would appear the Fatui's intelligence isn't quite as good as I had imagined." After listening to the exchange between Kaito and Childe for a while, Miko, too, threw in a little jab.
And what's more, even this jab she had already toned down on Kaito's account — otherwise she certainly would not have stopped at merely this level.
"That's quite normal — after all, Mobius is no ordinary person; she feels as though she's already more formidable than even us Fatui's Harbingers, so yes, it's perfectly normal." To Miko's jab, Childe didn't get angry or anything; on the contrary, he even put forward this bit of explanation.
There was no helping it — the facts simply were what they were, and they brooked no alteration on his part.
"The girls connected to Kaito are all very far from ordinary, and they're all so beautiful besides — truly enviable." Here Miko shifted the conversation right back onto Kaito himself.
Hmm...
Next time, maybe I should just pretend to be an ordinary guy?
Hearing Miko bring this up out of the blue, Kaito likewise found himself pondering whether such an approach might be workable.
But after only a moment's thought, Kaito decided to drop it — putting on an act over and over wasn't really any fun either, after all.
"You, Miko, are very far from ordinary too, and very beautiful besides." After thinking it over, Kaito decided it was probably better to sidestep those girls Miko had brought up entirely and just go straight to complimenting Miko herself.
Oh, right...
I've got to give Lumine some praise too...
Suddenly realizing that Lumine was right there beside him, Kaito hurriedly went on, "And Lumine, too — both of you are very far from ordinary, and very beautiful besides."
Even though he felt his way of putting it had come off a bit forced, he most certainly could not afford to leave Lumine out.
"Indeed — whether Miss Lumine or Miss Miko, both are far from ordinary." Sensing Kaito's awkward predicament, Childe hurriedly stepped in to lend a hand.
In any case, this was a fine opportunity to leave a good impression on someone, and that he most certainly could not pass up.
"Tch — weren't you the one who said you were hungry? Hurry up and eat, then — all the dishes are out."
Knowing perfectly well that she had no way of undoing the love this fellow Kaito had been scattering across half the world before, Miko did not press the topic any further.
In any case, she knew Kaito still loved her — so for now, this would do.
Right...
Everyone is no simple matter, after all...
To what Kaito and Childe had said, Lumine silently thought as much to herself.
____
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