035 I Quite Like It

After the true nature of "Attachment" was laid bare, the entire Bureau of Governance fell into a brief silence.

Everyone had assumed some idiot Transcender was broke and trying to make a quick buck by selling fake drugs on the black market; instead, it involved the cycle of the Breeding Moon.

The "Mother" consuming the "Child" to nourish a superior "Fetus"—the very concept was chilling.

First the Red Moon, now the Green Moon. Chu Aoqing felt a headache coming on. "Why are these moons getting more troublesome one after another..."

"Would it kill you to be a little more composed?"

"Not at all." Miserya corrected Chu Aoqing. "If I may be blunt, Director Chu, compared to other Overlords, those four moons are already quite well-behaved."

"They exist on the cosmic tapestry merely as moons, as stars."

"At the very least, they have not taken the initiative to strike at our world."

"The ones who are not composed are the people who choose to gaze upon the moon and fall into depravity."

The alchemist from the Clock Tower tapped her own temple. "Reason and contemplation dictate the fate and direction of humanity."

"If someone passes by a tree and tears off a branch to stab another person to death, would you blame the tree instead of the person?"

"You cannot lay all the blame on the moon just because it is too beautiful."

Hearing Miserya's words, Chu Aoqing felt goosebumps rise on her skin.

Those moons... are they beautiful?

Chu Aoqing never felt that way.

The Red Moon that stirs desire, the Purple Moon that sneers in chaos, the Green Moon of the breeding cycle...

As for the silent Blue Moon, it was even more ruthless. It was the one with the least data among the four great moons.

Because everyone who saw the Blue Moon died.

Without exception.

Therefore, the Blue Moon was also known as the exquisite moon that only those on the verge of death were qualified to see.

As for how beautiful it truly was, no one dared to look, and no one dared to ask.

One more glance, and you would explode.

She had no heart to admire such terrifying, twisted, and indescribable existences.

As expected, these alchemists of stellar studies all had their own peculiar strengths.

"I have learned much, Professor Miserya." Chu Aoqing did not want to dwell on this any further and cut straight to the point. "Since we already know the goal, then..."

"Is there a way to find the owner of this scale powder?"

"Yes, of course there is."

Miserya picked up a bag of "Attachment" and shook the pink powder inside. "Since the cycle of breeding has been established, the connection between the 'Mother' and the 'Child' will manifest."

"Director Chu, did you know?"

"The 'Child' will unconsciously lean toward the 'Mother'."

"Even a 'Child' that is about to be preyed upon, one that has never felt any maternal love."

"Investigate the places where those who consumed 'Attachment' tend to linger unconsciously."

"I believe you will find what you are looking for."

...

"You must play Genshin for me!"

In the maid café, Mo Bai stood with his hands on his hips, looking like a total brat as he faced Xie Zijun. "Come on, listen to Brother Bai, put this cosplay outfit on for me."

"No way!"

Xie Zijun crossed her arms over her chest to form an X. "Cosplay is impossible. Even if I, Xie Zijun, starve to death..."

"I'll buy you milk tea this afternoon."

"Okay, I'll wear it!" Xie Zijun snatched the cosplay outfit, instantly refining it. Her change in attitude was instantaneous—truly beyond the limits.

"But Brother Bai, why did you suddenly want me to wear a cosplay outfit?" Xie Zijun looked at the blue-themed costume. "Which character is this from?"

"Oh, it's Kamisato Ayaka."

"What?" Xie Zijun looked blankly. "A flexible dog in the mountains?"

Mo Bai: "?"

"Take this seriously!" Mo Bai said earnestly. "I thought about it all night yesterday and realized our café's theme is too monotonous."

"It's either maids or hosts... ahem, butlers. It's easy to develop aesthetic fatigue."

"If you want to extract gold coins from otaku, you have to find ways to hook them."

"Even a farmer knows to switch to different types of whips to lash their tools."

Mo Bai patted his chest. "Think about it. One day, a customer who plays Genshin comes in, and you walk up in that cosplay outfit and say..."

"What? You play Genshin too?"

"Doesn't that just leave those otaku spellbound, ready to dump their money?"

"That makes so much sense, Brother Bai! But..." Xie Zijun looked puzzled, pointing at Lu Chun and Gu Xiaoxiao, who were eating melon seeds and watching the show.

"Why don't they have to cosplay, and I do?"

Mo Bai wore a mournful expression. "That's because my wallet only allows me to rent one outfit..."

"What?!" Xie Zijun was shocked. "You rented this???"

"You aren't planning to sell it on some platform as 'pre-worn' after I'm done, are you?!"

Now that was truly a girl's own business.

"Holy crap?!" Mo Bai looked excited. "You can do that?! I hadn't even thought of that, hey!"

"As expected of you, little Xie."

Xie Zijun looked terrified. "I was just joking. You aren't actually going to sell it, are you?"

"Of course not." Mo Bai glanced at Li Qianhe, who was napping in the back. "If Sister Li finds out, she'll beat me to a pulp."

"Ha, that's true."

"I'm going to change then, Brother Bai, don't you dare peek."

As Xie Zijun headed into the changing room, Gu Xiaoxiao cracked a sunflower seed and said with a smirk, "Oh my, look at someone going to such lengths just to avoid being a host."

"What host? I'm a proper butler, alright?"

Mo Bai took a sip of water. "And you, take your work seriously. I've received several complaints this month."

"They say you're super perfunctory when reciting lines, and you give customers disgusted looks from time to time. You're not cute at all."

"What?!" Gu Xiaoxiao was so angry her twin tails stood straight up. "Someone actually dared to say I'm not cute? Who was it?!"

"I'm going to drive a steamroller over them tonight and send them to the Warhammer world, damn it!"

Mo Bai couldn't help but retort, "That's why I'm saying, who would actually like a foul-mouthed old hag pretending to be a loli..."

Lu Chun blinked and suddenly said, "Actually, I quite like it."

Mo Bai: "?"

Gu Xiaoxiao: "?"

Holy crap, a lesbian!

Gu Xiaoxiao took several steps back and began to chant at light speed: "I'm sorry Lu Chun, although you're very nice, I really just see you as a normal best friend. I'm really not into girls, you should find someone else, I'm really sorry, I really can't accept this..."

"Oh my, oh my, you've misunderstood, Xiaoxiao." Lu Chun wore a gentle smile and waved her hand. "Actually, I'm fine with anything."

Gu Xiaoxiao: "..."

That wasn't a misunderstanding at all, hey!

"Hmm? What are you guys talking about?"

Having finished changing, Xie Zijun emerged from the back, swaying her skirt. Her fair, straight legs were visible in the flutter of fabric. "How is it, everyone? Does it look good?"

Lu Chun and Gu Xiaoxiao nodded. "It looks great."

"From today on, you're the star of our shop."

But Mo Bai, just looking at Xie Zijun's face, fell into deep thought.

"Hiss..."

Xie Zijun's face was indeed beautiful, but in terms of temperament, wearing this Kamisato Ayaka cosplay, for some reason, there was a sense of...

March 7th being tricked by Stelle into cosplaying Kamisato Ayaka?

That silly look and temperament.

Are you thinking that I'm a total idiot?

As expected, next time I should let Xie Zijun try another character—something not quite so intelligent.

Mo Bai turned his head and looked outside the maid café. In the crowd, there was a faint gaze that had remained glued to him.

Staring at him all afternoon. With so many cute maids to look at, he was only looking at him.

One look and I can tell—he's definitely gay.

Just as well, it was almost break time.

Mo Bai stood up and reached out to the maids. "You lot, give me all your snacks."

"Eh?"

Xie Zijun blinked. "What are you doing, Brother Bai? Collecting candy to lure little lolis?"

"I'm not a loli-con. I really have an urgent matter. I'll buy you new ones this afternoon."

It wasn't that he wasn't.

Soon, Mo Bai had collected a bag full of snacks—konjac jelly, malted milk balls, everything you could imagine.

Most of it belonged to Gu Xiaoxiao, who said viciously while handing them over, "If you don't bring me new ones this afternoon, I'll bite you to death!"

"How old are you, still eating these things? You'll be sorry when you lose your figure."

Mo Bai walked out of the maid café. Behind him came Xie Zijun's voice, "Where are you going, Brother Bai?"

"To handle some business. If I'm not back by the afternoon, tell Sister Li I went to the dental clinic to treat my athlete's foot."

Walking stylishly down the street, Mo Bai fiddled with the malted milk balls in his hand, feeling the gaze from afar following him.

Things that transcend the ordinary must, of course, be resolved outside of the ordinary.

After all, as an excellent butler, one cannot bring matters outside of work into the workplace.