All the values that had just been worked so hard to increase... gone?
Wouldn't that mean she had been busy for nothing? This Elation system is cheating people?!
Sparkle forced herself to calm down and analyze the reason for the drop in Elation value. Soon, a bold idea emerged in her mind:
Could it be because of the little gray-hair?
Only when she's with the little gray-hair does her Elation value stay guaranteed?
No way?!
With this thought in mind, Sparkle hurriedly chased after the direction Stelle had left in. Fortunately, the group hadn't gone far, and she quickly spotted their figures.
"Little gray-hair, wait a moment!"
"Hm?"
Stelle turned around in confusion, looking at Sparkle who was jogging over, her face full of puzzlement: "Is there something else?"
Sparkle's expression stiffened, then she squeezed out a sweet smile and said: "Little gray-hair~ I don't have anything to do here in Dreamflux Reef, can you take me along to play?"
Stelle: "Hm? (Alert)"
As everyone knows, this Sparkle is the genuine Sparkle. Although for some unknown reason, she's not as unhinged now, Stelle still remains wary of this kind of baseless smile.
The so-called once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of ropes—Stelle knows Lady Sparkle's methods all too well, so she has to be on guard.
"You following me? That might not be a good idea?" Stelle scratched her head. "We're going to discuss serious business now. If you miss me, call me later."
"Wait a second!"
Seeing Stelle turn to leave, Sparkle panicked for a moment and actually reached out to grab the former's arm. She forcefully swallowed a mouthful of saliva, putting on a pitiful look: "We've got this kind of relationship, are you really willing to leave me alone?"
"And you didn't even leave me your phone number."
At this sight, Stelle's face changed drastically: Boothill! Trouble!
One pink and one silver—these two are still right here!
"Hm?!"
Just as Stelle's heart sank, March 7th and Firefly keenly picked up on the implication in Sparkle's words, immediately raising their eyebrows, with killing intent automatically emerging.
March 7th's inner thoughts: Tsk, I was careless. I actually let this inexplicable guy who showed up out of nowhere pick up the slack... Stelle has been getting less and less honest lately. I really need to find time to properly discipline her when we get back.
Firefly's inner thoughts: Another one? ...Hahaha, hahahahahaha! Another one actually came. Stelle~ you can't blame me this time. After all, how can a good baby keep flirting around every day? Hehe, I really need to control you properly.
March 7th & Firefly: As for this woman... secretly find an opportunity to take her out.
Eh?
Stelle's intuition told her something bad was about to happen, but when she turned back, she saw the two of them looking completely unconcerned.
"Eh? What's wrong, Stelle (Stelle)?" The two noticed Stelle's gaze and asked with smiles.
"N-Nothing..."
Stelle looked at Sparkle again, her face full of difficulty: "Lady Sparkle, our relationship actually isn't that good, right? At most, we're just... a bit more acquainted. Now we're going to discuss a contract, you following like this... it's not appropriate."
—"[Elation Value -3]."
As Stelle said this, a voice automatically sounded in Sparkle's ear.
Sparkle widened her eyes: "Little gray-hair, don't leave me alone."
"Sigh."
Stelle sighed, resolutely pushing away Sparkle's hand. It wasn't that she was heartless; she was just saving her own life and Sparkle's.
If March 7th and Firefly were to clash again, with your strength, you probably couldn't even withstand the aftershocks.
Sparkle knelt on the ground in despair, watching Stelle and the others' figures get farther and farther away, while the notification sounds in her brain kept ringing:
"[Elation Value -3, Elation Value -3, Elation Value -3...]"
"[Detected Elation value too low, initiating emergency response plan...]"
In an instant, a surge of [Elation] power flooded into Sparkle's body. Sparkle seemed to see her past smiles, hear her once-mad laughter...
Yes, she, Sparkle, is a Masked Fool! She is the Sparkle director who controls the overall situation.
In the past, she fooled [Trailblaze], deceived [Remembrance], impersonated [Harmony], schemed against [Order]...
How could she fall to this state now?
No, this is wrong. Failure? Setbacks? Hahaha... none of that matters. What's important is that now, she will personally seize back everything that belongs to her!
"...Little gray-hair, you wouldn't have forgotten all the things we did in the room before, right?"
Sparkle stood up, chuckled lowly, and said.
Stelle turned around in horror: ?!
Sisters, you can't just say things like that!
Sparkle covered her face with one hand, laughing: "Let me think... what was the room's exit condition back then? Oh, it seems it was a 'room where you can't leave without XX'-ing,' right?"
Stelle: !!!
She looked in terror at the two beside her. Although their faces were still full of smiles, her intuition told Stelle: Not good, not good, not good!!
Lady Sparkle, what are you doing?!
"Back then, to get out, you said 'there's only one way,' right?" Sparkle approached with light steps, laughing.
Stelle: "Wait, there really was only one way back then, so I could only..."
Halfway through her words, Stelle horrifiedly discovered she couldn't make a sound. She looked at Sparkle, catching a glimpse of triumph and madness in the latter's sly smile.
Clearly, this was one of Sparkle's little tricks.
A familiar feeling welled up in Stelle's heart: Sparkle seems even more unhinged than before!
Even more terrifying, under Sparkle's manipulation, the half-sentence Stelle didn't finish created an even deeper misunderstanding.
Question: Knowing that the two were trapped in a "room where you can't leave without XX"-ing, and Stelle says "only one last method left," what is the result?
March 7th and Firefly already had the answer in their hearts, and this answer was not "die to Dreamflux Reef."
"Stelle, is everything she said true?"
Firefly gently placed her chin on Stelle's right shoulder, her tone light, yet carrying a terrifying killing intent.
Stelle hurriedly explained: "(No) it's!"
When she said the two words "it's not," the sound of "no" was directly erased by someone.
Stelle: ???!!!
What kind of heaven-defying method is this?!
Firefly blinked her eyes, her innocent and cute action appearing so terrifying in Stelle's eyes: "I didn't hear clearly just now, say it again?"
Stelle shouted with almost all her strength: "(No) it's!"
Sparkle put on an extremely aggrieved look: "Little gray-hair~ back then you even told me to obediently brace against the wall and stand properly, have you forgotten that too?"
She was referring to the time Stelle stabbed her with a fire lance, but these words, falling into Firefly and the others' ears, automatically transformed into another meaning.
Stelle was shocked and angry: "Sparkle! Didn't we agree that me stabbing you (to exploit a BUG and escape) was a secret?"
"...Stelle, I didn't expect this to actually be true. It seems my previous methods were indeed too gentle."
March 7th gently placed her chin on Stelle's left shoulder, a scarlet glint flashing in her eyes: "Stelle, when we get back..."
"Don't blame me."