Sylvia couldn't help but roll her eyes at this woman.
Such a good-looking girl—how did she end up like this?
Didn't Elio's script give Kafka a heads-up about this?
Just then, Stelle's phone chimed with a notification.
Sitting on the floor, she glanced at it and grinned.
"March says Dan Heng saw your tail and couldn't keep his usual stoic face—he made a really funny expression. Too bad she didn't snap a picture."
Sylvia couldn't help but chuckle too, wondering just what Dan Heng must be feeling right now.
But clearly, that tight-lipped guy wouldn't spill anything just because March prodded him—heck, she probably couldn't even get past his door.
Sylvia would just have to wait until they reached the Luofu to see for herself.
Meanwhile, Herta didn't keep Sylvia waiting long. She seemed to have reached some preliminary conclusions.
"Sylvia, I brought in a few collaborators to run an initial check on the Simulated Universe. We can confirm that an… unknown entity added those extra elements to the program—but that's all they added."
When Herta mentioned 'unknown entity,' her expression turned deeply complicated.
But she quickly regained her composure, looking up at Sylvia.
"So, at the very least, we can preliminarily conclude that the changes to your body aren't a direct result of Aha's intervention. In other words, it's unrelated to the power of the Path of Elation."
Although Herta seemed to have more to say, Sylvia already grasped her meaning.
Aha had tampered with the Simulated Universe, but only by adding some extra code for amusement—not by using the power of Elation to alter Sylvia's body.
This meant that whatever caused the changes in Sylvia was either something inherent to her own body or something related to Permanence.
Or perhaps, it was simply the power of the Path of Permanence itself.
"We can't draw definitive conclusions yet, but we have enough for some initial judgments. Further experimentation will be needed. Speaking of which, my collaborators are quite interested in you. If there's a chance, I could introduce you."
Herta carried on talking to herself, while Sylvia began to feel a little uneasy.
Herta's collaborators—weren't those the other geniuses?
Screwllum was fine, but Ruan Mei, that biology fanatic? Sylvia wasn't about to let herself become that woman's research subject.
Who knew what kind of bizarre clones she might cook up.
Still, it wasn't the time to argue. Sylvia just nodded, offering no opinion.
And Herta, wholly absorbed in her research, didn't bother observing Sylvia's shift in demeanor. After a few simple instructions, she took her leave.
After that, Herta seemed to plunge headlong into her studies. The Simulated Universe bug needed fixing, and Sylvia's changes and the Path of Permanence required investigation too. It looked like she wouldn't have time for Sylvia for the next few days.
So, after letting Asta know, Sylvia returned to her quarters.
Not long after she got back, Acheron returned home too, at Sylvia's strong insistence.
But the moment she stepped out of the portal, Acheron circled behind Sylvia and lifted the hem of her skirt with one hand.
Sylvia's pale legs and her adorable undergarments were laid bare before Acheron's eyes.
"Mei?! Who just gets home and immediately lifts someone's skirt? Are you a pervert?"
Sylvia didn't even need to use her hands. With a flick of her tail, she smacked Acheron's hand away from the skirt.
Then her tail was promptly caught in Acheron's grasp.
Of course, such a nimble tail had sensation.
But it wasn't unnervingly sensitive—just the ordinary feeling of being touched.
The fine scales covering it didn't seem to affect the texture at all.
"What did Herta say?"
"No conclusion yet. But Herta's looking into it, and she seems pretty enthusiastic."
"Should we go ask around on the Luofu?"
Acheron brought up the trip to the Luofu herself. She knew Sylvia planned to go back soon anyway, so heading over a bit early shouldn't be a problem.
"Hmm… I'd like to, but looking like this might stir up trouble with the Vidyadhara."
Judging from the in-game lore, most Vidyadhara were reasonable, but those Dragon Elders were another story.
Who knew how they'd react upon seeing Sylvia's draconic features.
It wasn't that she feared them—it's just that if Sylvia ended up having to cut them down, it'd probably cause headaches for Jing Yuan.
"Can't you retract them?"
Acheron tilted her head slightly, looking at Sylvia with a hint of confusion.
"I've heard a little about this. For the Vidyadhara, the dragon form isn't something they must maintain constantly—they can retract it. Many just choose to keep it visible as a point of pride."
"…Don't treat me like a real Vidyadhara! I'm a normal person!"
Sylvia couldn't resist a retort, but then she paused to consider.
"Still, you're right. Let me give it a try."
Dan Heng could freely grow or retract his horns, though Bailu couldn't. But Sylvia wasn't even a Vidyadhara—she had no idea where these horns and tail had come from.
So, right in front of Acheron, Sylvia lay sideways on the sofa, closed her eyes, and began to focus, trying to sense the power of Permanence carefully.
Recently, she'd been walking further down the Path of Permanence. Between the Light Cone and today's Simulated Universe experience, her power of Permanence had surged dramatically.
She hadn't noticed it before, but now, focusing intently, she could clearly feel herself growing stronger.
The power of Permanence flowed throughout her body, seemingly centered around her tail and horns, acting like an energy core.
Sylvia attempted to gradually draw that power inward.
But today's surge had been too great, making it difficult to rein in all at once.
To an observer—to Acheron—the horns on Sylvia's head visibly shrank a little, and her tail shortened a bit.
Just as Acheron thought that would solve the problem, Sylvia opened her eyes, her face full of frustration.
"No good. The power grew too much today—it's a bit hard to control."
"Is that so? But it looks effective. Your horns and tail got smaller. Hmm, very cute."
Acheron couldn't resist. She sat down beside Sylvia and reached out to pinch the horn that resembled mutton-fat jade.
Her fingertips rubbed against its base, carefully feeling the peculiar organ.
"…Can't you talk without using your hands?"
"It's fascinating. Let me touch it a bit more."
Acheron frankly admitted her curiosity, her hands already wandering down to Sylvia's hips, seeking out the base of her tail.
"…"
A blush spread across Sylvia's cheeks. But sensing Acheron's hands weren't roaming further, she didn't resist, only shooting Acheron a glare that held no real menace.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.