"Hey, chicken-wing girl."
"Do you think people living in dreams can truly escape suffering and find genuine happiness?"
Robin: ...
Hearing this, Robin remained silent, offering no response.
"Hehehe, I've already finished everything I needed to do. Now all that's left is to watch the fireworks."
"So don't worry, I won't cause any trouble."
Watching Robin's silence and Sunday's quiet observation, Sparkle felt a flicker of amusement. She winked at them, signaling reassurance—she'd already accomplished everything she needed to do, so there was no need to fear any further mischief.
With that, Sparkle turned to leave. After all, she had an Annoying Saintess lurking behind her—if not now, when should she make her escape?
"Oh, right."
Just as Sparkle was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something. She pulled two pink buttons from her bag and handed one to Robin and the other to Sunday.
"Lastly... um, the first and second gifts are for you both!" Sparkle had meant to say the last two gifts, but thanks to the influence of that Annoying Saint, the final two gifts meant for the pair became the first and second instead...
Not that it mattered much. The buttons weren't the important part anyway—the bombs were.
Even if all the buttons were gone, it wouldn't matter as long as the bombs remained. Hmm, surely that Annoying Saint wouldn't be that insane, right?
Sparkle thought to herself, then decided to stop thinking about it altogether.
Let the Annoying Saint do whatever she wants. Miss Sparkle has already done everything she needs to do. At worst, I'll just leave and spare her the trouble. Time to get out of Penacony.
With this thought, a joyful smile returned to Sparkle's face, and her gaze fell once more on Sunday and Robin, the chicken-winged siblings.
After watching them accept the buttons, Miss Sparkle crossed her arms and said, "If, in the end, the Charmony Festival still tragically commences..."
"Make sure to use it at the performance! There'll be a huge surprise! Don't lose it along the way, okay~?"
"Bang~~~! It'll be super exciting!"
As she said this, Sparkle mimed an explosion with her hands, startling the two.
After covering her mouth to stifle a giggle, she hurried away.
What's wrong with that Annoying Saint? She hasn't said a word this whole time, just standing there quietly with that pointy-hatted person... It's kinda creepy.
Before leaving, Sparkle glanced back at the pair, but she couldn't detect anything amiss.
Even without detecting anything unusual, she didn't bother to investigate further. Like she always said, that Annoying Saint can do whatever she wants. The best thing she can do is keep her mouth shut and stand there quietly.
And now... since her business in Penacony was finished, it was time to start toying with the Annoying Saint...
Daring to trick Miss Sparkle? No matter who you are, you'll pay the price!
Sparkle thought to herself, her mind churning with plans to disgust and torment Lumina.
...
Watching Sparkle's retreating figure, Robin lowered her gaze slightly, lost in thought.
"Robin..." Sunday said softly, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I'm fine, Brother," Robin replied instantly, shaking her head to reassure him. "The Masked Fools are masters of deception. I won't let a few words stir up wild thoughts."
"Mm, nothing the Masked Fools say can be trusted," Sunday nodded.
"Sister Lumina," Robin called out gently, turning her attention to Lumina, who had been standing motionless and silent for some time.
...
"Sister Lumina! Sister Lumina!" Puzzled by the lack of response, Robin raised her voice, thinking Lumina might not have heard her earlier. When Lumina remained unresponsive, standing perfectly still like a statue, Robin grew increasingly puzzled.
"..."
Lumina remained unresponsive, as still as a statue.
"Sister Lumina! Sister Lumina! Sister Lumina!!!" Seeing this, Robin grew frantic, fearing something had happened to her beloved Sister Lumina. She immediately took a step forward, intending to check on her.
"Hm? Cough, cough. I'm fine, I'm fine."
Before Robin could approach, however, a sudden and dramatic change swept over Lumina and Madam Herta, who had been standing silently in place.
Madam Herta's face still held a faint smile, a hint of disdain lingering between her brows. Lumina, on the other hand, had a slight flush on her cheeks and a trace of fluster in her voice.
It was as if, just moments ago, Lumina and Madam Herta hadn't been standing quietly at all, but rather engaging in some secret, unspeakable act...
"Sister Lumina, are you... alright?" Robin glanced at Herta, a strange unease stirring within her.
But she didn't dwell on it, rushing forward to inquire about her sister Lumina's well-being.
"I'm fine, I'm fine! I just thought of something amusing," Lumina said, her thick-skinned complexion quickly losing its blush under Robin's puzzled, bewildered, and worried gaze. She smiled faintly, reassuring the girl that nothing was wrong—she'd simply remembered something amusing.
What kind of "funny" thing makes someone blush like that...? Robin muttered to herself.
And it wasn't just the blush. Madam Herta carried an air of amusement and disdain, just like those Masked Fools... as if Sister Lumina and Madam Herta had been doing something unspeakable, indescribable, right here, in front of Robin and her brother...
Robin's mind raced with such thoughts.
Unfortunately, her strict upbringing stifled her suspicions, preventing her from immediately guessing the answer.
"Why are you blushing over a "lollipop"? This little bird clearly misunderstands something," Herta elbowed Lumina, watching Robin's downcast, silent contemplation, and muttered dryly.
"Wasn't it just because I got a little too excited seeing Little Herta's new form?" Recalling Little Herta's appearance just now, a faint blush gradually spread across Lumina's fair cheeks.
But the blush vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared, as if it had never been there at all.
Observing Lumina's shifting expressions from start to finish, Herta's face suddenly transformed into this: (⌓‿⌓)
"Little Lumina, you're such a pervert," Herta remarked, cutting straight to the core of Lumina's nature.
"How does that make me a pervert? I was simply curious about Little Herta's new form, nothing more!" Lumina retorted.
"I didn't realize curiosity about someone's new form could make your face turn inexplicably red," Herta scoffed, her smile unchanged (⌓‿⌓).
She leaned in until their faces were mere millimeters apart, a smirk playing on her lips. "Could it be, Little Lumina... you wouldn't be fantasizing about some... unspeakable things involving me in your mind, would you?"
"No. Absolutely not. You're imagining things," Lumina replied firmly, her face remaining cool and her breathing steady despite the warmth radiating from Herta's proximity.
"Oh~ is that so?" Herta drawled, her tone dripping with meaning as she stretched out the word.
"Yes, don't overthink it."
"Mm-hmm, I'm not thinking anything~"
"That's great! I'm not thinking anything either."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Alright, alright~"