"What should I do?"
After breakfast, Zeroy began assisting Patchouli with her research.
Patchouli put on her glasses, her eyes gleaming with reason, her tone calm and confident.
"That's a gauntlet-type Longinus, right? Just wear it on your hand and leave the rest to me."
"Alright."
Zeroy nodded, sliding the crimson gauntlet onto her right hand.
The surface shimmered faintly with an unusual glow, radiating a heavy pressure, as if a slumbering dragon might awaken at any moment.
Patchouli stepped forward, her grimoire opening on its own, glowing with a faint blue light.
Her fingertips danced, and five or six magic circles of varying size and color appeared, slowly revolving around Zeroy's gauntlet.
Scarlet, gold, azure—each pulsed with the distinct rhythm of the Seven Luminaries Magic, emanating mystery and precision.
Patchouli's expression was absorbed, her violet hair shining like silk in the morning light.
She whispered incantations, sometimes brushing her slender fingers over the gauntlet's engravings, each touch sending ripples of magical energy.
Her movements were gentle yet exact, like deconstructing an ancient work of art, her eyes filled with the pursuit of unknown power.
Zeroy watched quietly, emerald eyes glinting strangely.
The scene of Patchouli manipulating magic circles gave her déjà vu—
If Patchouli were a doctor at an operating table, and those floating circles were streams of data on a virtual screen, it would look like something out of science fiction.
Magic and technology had converged in this moment.
Patchouli's research naturally stirred Ddraig, sealed within the gauntlet.
Upon realizing Patchouli was analyzing the Longinus, Ddraig grew interested.
Now and then, it answered some of her questions—though only those it could.
Although the gauntlet's power came from Ddraig, it didn't actually know much about the artifact itself.
Far from being a mentor, it soon fell silent as Patchouli dug deeper, too many questions met only with "I don't know," until finally it went quiet again.
"All done."
The process lasted only about twenty minutes.
"Put the Longinus away."
"Got it."
This was just a simple grasp of its concept, not full research.
And Patchouli still had other matters to handle, so it ended quickly.
Yet not entirely.
After Zeroy dispelled the gauntlet, Patchouli sat down beside her.
"Wait. Let me see your hand."
"Uh… oh, okay."
Zeroy obediently offered her hand.
"I want to see if the Longinus left any traces on you, or caused subtle changes."
"Alright."
"…."
Patchouli began kneading Zeroy's right hand intently.
In truth, the research was over. What she was doing now had another purpose.
She hadn't lied—she really was checking what she said. However, she already knew the result. She was simply confirming it again.
And once she confirmed the gauntlet had left no negative effect—at least none detectable for now—
Patchouli shifted to her real goal.
Her slender forefinger glowed faintly pink as she gently touched Zeroy's pale wrist.
Then slowly, softly, she slid upward.
Past the forearm—
"Patchi… mmm… that tickles…"
Up to the shoulder—
"Here too?"
Then across her slender, delicate neck—
"So ticklish… Patchi…"
Before Zeroy could clamp her neck around the intrusive hand, Patchouli withdrew.
Then she took Zeroy's other hand.
"Why check this one too?"
Zeroy was puzzled, yet thought nothing of it. She never imagined Patchouli would harm her or hide anything important.
Patchouli merely answered, "It's for the magic."
"…."
Magic circles flickered in the air, runes rippling like water.
At some point, the distance between them shrank, research shifting into a subtle intimacy.
It looked almost like the witch was half-embracing Zeroy as her hands roamed.
Patchouli's long violet hair draped down, strands brushing Zeroy's shoulders with fleeting touches.
Her research was no longer confined to Zeroy's hands. Her slender fingers slid along Zeroy's arm and body, magical energy leaving warm trails across her skin.
Her motions seemed professional, her eyes studious—yet hidden deep inside was something else.
When their fingers intertwined, the excuse was "to check mana flow," yet her fingertip drew small circles in Zeroy's palm, making her shiver.
"I need to examine how your mana circulates through the body."
Her voice was calm, steady. Still, her hand slipped to Zeroy's waist, feeling the warmth there through the fabric.
Her breathing was soft, steady. Her violet eyes focused, yet in their depths glimmered something more.
Under the witch's touch, Zeroy's body tensed, emerald eyes wide in confusion, her cheeks tinged faintly pink like roses at dawn, both shy and enticing.
Her breath grew quicker, golden hair trembling, catching the light of the magic circles like flowing streams of gold.
"This feels… strange…"
Zeroy whispered, voice trembling slightly, eyes lowering, nervously avoiding Patchouli's gaze.
After all, she knew nothing of Patchouli's world, Gensokyo.
To her, Patchouli was straight.
The reason was simple—normal meant straight. Everyone was assumed straight.
Checking the body was checking the body. Nothing strange about it. The strange part was her.
Her own feelings were what made it feel strange, made her react.
She didn't mind confessing her orientation to Patchouli.
In fact, she had long intended to.
Confess, and then pursue yuri.
It was just that she always forgot, being too busy, or felt the timing wasn't right, and put it off.
...
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