"Are you leaving Penacony?"
After leaving her room at The Reverie Hotel, Lumina headed straight for the lobby exit, as if intending to leave Penacony altogether.
"Yes, Penacony is too scary, and the Asdana Star System is even more terrifying! I want to go home and find my mommy," Lumina replied, her expression calm, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her tone was both languid and earnest, making it impossible to discern her true intentions.
But Madam Herta was no ordinary person. Already on high alert, she wouldn't be fooled by Lumina's schemes.
After a moment's contemplation, Herta realized Lumina was lying through her teeth.
Still, Herta played along.
"Then come to me. If you're sincere, I wouldn't mind being your mommy."
With that, Herta spread her arms wide, displaying her embrace and signaling that if Lumina was truly afraid, she could treat her as a mother, rush into her warm embrace, and dispel her fears.
"Oh, I never expected this~" Lumina said, not even glancing at Herta. She continued walking at a steady pace, covering her mouth with a hand and feigning surprise. "So, Madam Herta, even at your age, you've started yearning for a daughter?"
"Tell you what," she continued, "if you're really that desperate, just ask me nicely, and I'll introduce you to a few potential daughters. How about that?"
"Are you offering to introduce yourself? If it's you, I'd consider it."
"Pfft... Even after escaping Penacony's Sweet Dream, Madam Herta is still dreaming?" Lumina couldn't help but burst out laughing on the spot, urging Herta to stop daydreaming.
Me become Herta's daughter? It should be the other way around—Herta becoming my daughter!
"Because I'm no longer dreaming. I mean it sincerely," Herta replied earnestly, her expression flawless, leaving Lumina completely unable to discern her true intentions.
Well, if I can't read her, I can't read her. It doesn't matter. No matter what Herta thinks, I'll never become her daughter.
Still the same—you can be my daughter, but only if you become mine!
"Hmph~"
Lumina thought to herself, humming softly without acknowledging Herta's earlier words.
"I'm serious," Herta insisted.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it."
"I really mean it. Think about it."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll think about it."
Faced with Herta's earnest plea, Lumina didn't even spare her a glance, her tone dripping with perfunctory dismissiveness.
Seeing this, Herta gave up trying to reason with her. In Lumina's current mood, she knew she wouldn't listen anyway.
How can I get Lumina to willingly become my [temporary] daughter?
Walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Lumina, Herta's gaze remained fixed ahead, but her mind churned with scheming thoughts.
Hmm... When will Little Herta start asking me for head pats like March 7th and the others?
While Herta pondered her own schemes, Lumina's thoughts were equally preoccupied.
And so, each harboring their own ulterior motives, they strolled out of The Reverie Hotel, step by step, into the daylight, their destination uncertain...
-
"Is that... the Astral Express?"
"That's right! It's the Astral Express. I plan to warp out of the Asdana Star System using it. What do you think? Not a bad plan, right~?"
After leaving The Reverie Hotel, Lumina stopped walking almost immediately.
Seeing this, Herta also halted, following Lumina's gaze. A somewhat familiar train came into view.
What's Lumina doing here? Is she really planning to leave the Asdana Star System?
Herta eyed Lumina suspiciously. Using the Astral Express's warp drive would indeed be much faster, but surely that wasn't Lumina's true motive?
As for Lumina's words, Herta naturally didn't believe a single word.
Penacony, one of Lumina's massive "farms," still housed March 7th and the others. Facing a crisis that was at least Emanator-level, Herta refused to believe that Lumina, that bleeding heart, would simply stroll away.
"Come on~ Let's go beg the Astral Express Conductor to take us far away from Penacony, away from The Reverie Hotel, and out of the Asdana Star System."
Ignoring Herta's distrustful expression, Lumina chuckled softly and strode directly into the wide-open doorway of the Astral Express.
"You'd better get down on your knees and beg," Herta said dryly, arms crossed, before slowly following.
For some reason, all the Astral Express's cabin doors were wide open, as if a group of people had forced their way onto the Train before Lumina and Herta's arrival.
The pair moved unimpeded through the Train, quickly reaching the Observation Car.
"Huh? Why is everyone here?" Lumina asked, feigning surprise as she stepped into the Observation Car and saw Acheron, Black Swan, Boothill, and the others gathered inside.
"Hm? Miss Lumina, and... Madam Herta?" Dan Heng murmured, a flicker of confusion crossing his brow as the two women appeared before him in the Observation Car.
Acheron had been exiled from Penacony due to her identity as a Self-Annihilator. So, why had Miss Lumina left Penacony?
And what was Madam Herta doing here...?
Judging by the current situation, Penacony now harbored at least three Emanators—and that was just the ones they knew about...
"Sister Lumina!!!" The blue-haired young girl, boredly swinging her legs on the train's sofa, saw a flash of white-green appear before her. An overwhelming joy surged through her, and she shouted happily, interrupting Dan Heng's inner thoughts. With a great leap, she threw herself into Lumina's arms.
Seeing this, Lumina smiled and naturally caught the blue-haired girl, Little Swarm, into her embrace.
Because Little Swarm had joined the Astral Express only after it left the Reverie Hotel, her information wasn't recorded in the hotel suite's guest registry, which listed only four guests.
While she could have infiltrated the hotel using her Main Body, getting discovered would have been disastrous. Forced by these circumstances, Little Swarm had no choice but to remain on the train with Dan Heng.
Cradling Little Swarm, Lumina gently stroked her soft hair, watching her close her eyes and beam with contentment. A deep sense of fulfillment washed over Lumina.
Even though Little Herta refuses to be my daughter, Little Swarm—this naive, innocent princess—is much different!
Heh heh heh~
Lumina thought to herself, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.