Let's set aside for a moment the unfortunate experience Silver Wolf went through in Sylvia's room.
Anyway, after Silver Wolf returned the next day, Firefly sent a message to check in.
She mentioned that Silver Wolf's eyes were red, and she had this expression like she'd been… well, you know.
And whenever Sylvia's name came up, Silver Wolf made this really hard-to-describe face—something between anger and embarrassment, but to Firefly, it seemed more coy than actually mad.
This struck Firefly as pretty strange.
She knew that when Silver Wolf wasn't at home and didn't have a mission, she was probably off hanging out with Sylvia.
So she specifically asked Sylvia what happened.
Sylvia, of course, couldn't really explain in detail.
Just remembering that proud, tough Silver Wolf—teary-eyed, buried in her arms, sniffling and whimpering—made Sylvia find her adorable, and also left her feeling a bit embarrassed.
She'd spent a long time comforting her last night, after all.
Honestly, Silver Wolf being all weepy yet stubborn was just unbearably cute.
And later, when she tried to turn the tables, baring her teeth with those red-rimmed eyes—that was also incredibly endearing.
Unfortunately, Silver Wolf was a top-tier hacker.
Which means any photos or recordings Sylvia might have taken wouldn't stand a chance of surviving if Silver Wolf didn't allow it.
That part was a real shame.
But Punklorde tech is just that unreasonable, and Sylvia was left feeling pretty helpless about it.
Maybe someday, if she ever gets to meet Screwllum, she can ask him to help build some kind of protective tool—at least something to stop Silver Wolf from tampering with her photos.
Though, saying it out loud sounds a bit odd.
A natural beauty like Tingyun looking delicate and vulnerable is one thing—that's charming in its own way.
But when it's someone like Silver Wolf, a kid who usually acts all cool and fearless, seeing her show that kind of side… well, it hits different. It really gets your heart racing.
To be honest, before yesterday, Sylvia never imagined she had this kind of preference.
Originally, she just wanted to get a little payback.
But in the end…the thought "Silver Wolf is so cute" pretty much took over Sylvia's mind.
Of course, there's no way she could say any of this to a third person.
Otherwise, Silver Wolf might actually charge over and blow them both up.
So Sylvia simply told Firefly that she and Silver Wolf had another fight last night.
Firefly didn't press further, just reminded Sylvia not to tease Silver Wolf too much—apparently, Silver Wolf often talks about wanting to hang out with her in private.
Reading Firefly's message and recalling how Silver Wolf looked last night, Sylvia's cheeks flushed, and she couldn't help feeling a little more guilty.
She made up her mind: next time she sees Silver Wolf, she'll have to think of a way to make it up to the kid.
As for the doodles on Sylvia herself, using Heliobus powers made covering them up easy, so that wasn't a big deal.
--+--
Things on the Xianzhou had settled down for now, and Sylvia likely wouldn't be needed there again anytime soon.
So after resting for a couple of days, Sylvia returned to the Reverie Hotel in Penacony and, within the dreamscape, paid a visit to Miss Robin.
"Sylvia, you're back?"
They met in a luxurious theater.
The moment she saw Sylvia, Robin flashed a stunning smile, beautiful enough to light up the room.
As a collaborator, Robin knew Sylvia had been on the Xianzhou these past few days, though she hadn't paid attention to the specifics.
Of course, this secret was Robin's alone—she hadn't even told Sunday.
Seeing Robin, Sylvia smiled as well.
As the Galaxy's Songstress, just the sight of Robin's smile brought Sylvia a sense of peace.
"Did anything happen these past few days?"
"Nothing at all… Preparations for the Charmony Festival are going smoothly too."
Robin wore a troubled expression.
While smooth progress was good, knowing that Penacony had underlying issues made this calm approach toward the festival date feel somewhat unsettling.
"What about that security officer?"
"That officer… He's been diligently doing his job, but…"
Robin recalled her observations over the last few days.
As a popular star, she couldn't exactly lurk around Gallagher to watch him constantly.
But from what she could gather, Gallagher hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.
The only suspicious thing was…
"Yesterday, I caught a glimpse of that officer seeming to contact someone—not sure who."
"Oh? How so?"
Sylvia's interest piqued, and Robin detailed yesterday's discovery.
While passing an unnoticed corner, Robin happened to run into Gallagher.
He appeared to be talking to someone, and Robin—just curious—went to take a look.
But there was only Gallagher there, and he didn't look like he was working—no communication device in hand.
"…Honestly, I feel like I might be overthinking it, but something just felt off in a subtle way."
Robin's tone wasn't very confident; she did think Gallagher was suspicious.
After looking into it, she still couldn't figure out exactly who had assigned this security officer.
Everyone she asked seemed to have a contact person, but digging deeper never revealed who actually appointed him.
That alone was suspicious enough.
But yesterday's incident left Robin wondering if she was being too paranoid.
"I don't know why, but when I saw Gallagher yesterday, I felt a sudden chill—but it vanished instantly, like an illusion."
"…No, that's not something to dismiss as just an illusion. Be careful from now on, and try not to be alone with Gallagher."
Sylvia was growing more convinced that something was off about Gallagher.
She didn't yet know how serious it might be, but it was best for Robin to stay cautious.
As a celebrity, Robin had learned a move or two, but her combat skills were only slightly better than an ordinary person's.
She still relied on Path energy to hold her own.
Against someone skilled in fighting, she'd be at a disadvantage.
"I understand. I'll be more careful going forward."
Robin nodded, then added with concern, "My brother said something similar to me. He seems to have noticed something but doesn't plan to tell me."
"Well… I get it. That head of the family gives off strong 'overprotective older brother' vibes."
Though Sylvia remained wary of Sunday, his doting-brother nature was pretty obvious.
That guy clearly had a slightly excessive desire to protect Robin.
Of course, without more interaction, Sylvia couldn't make a definitive judgment.
"…"
Robin smiled helplessly. She knew her brother's personality all too well—and why Sunday was that way.
"What do you plan to do, Sylvia?"
"I'll start by making contact with Gallagher. Since we already know something's off, it's better to approach him openly."
--+--
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.