"Why does it feel like Lumina knows something...?"
Watching Lumina and Herta leave, Little Bear replayed their earlier conversation in his mind. He was now almost certain that Topaz and Screwllum's claims had been false.
If their statements were lies, could it mean everything else was fake too? The others, their victory, even the world around him—all fabricated?
Lost in thought, Little Bear opened his inventory and searched for the small note Lumina had given him earlier.
[Lumina's Note]
[ Quest Item ]
[ The note carries no discernible power, appearing to be just a normal piece of paper. ]
[ The game's description said there was no "Use" button, so I guess I can only read it during Warp. ]
[Could it be that we never actually won?]
[Damn it! If even Lumina and Herta are saying this, something's definitely wrong.]
[Did we even need Lumina and Herta to tell us? Just the fact that the Interastral Peace Corporation is suddenly advocating for "peace" makes it obvious everything happening now is fake, right?]
[The Interastral Peace Corporation advocating for "peace"? (Facepalm)]
[Whoever came up with this theory, step forward! I have a question for you!]
"Everyone's speaking in riddles now," Little Bear muttered. "And Acheron, the greatest riddle-spinner of them all, is still nowhere to be found. How did even her name get forgotten?"
Faced with this perplexing situation, Little Bear realized further contemplation would be a waste of time. Without another word, he steered his character toward the golden quest marker, continuing the story.
-
"Hmph, after all that talk, you still ended up playing the nice guy," Herta scoffed, bumping Lumina with her shoulder as they left The Reverie Hotel. She gazed at the docking area swarming with IPC fleet ships and hummed derisively.
"Just an insurance policy," Lumina retorted, mimicking Herta's bump and nudging her back. "Normally, with Acheron, Black Swan, and Robin's combined efforts, they'd definitely be able to awaken everyone."
"But my conversation with Sunday earlier might alter the outcome slightly. That's why I needed a backup plan, just in case."
Even if the Astral Express Crew were truly trapped in Ena's Dream and couldn't awaken, Lumina had the power to shatter the dream and pull them out. However, that kind of dramatic rescue would make for a clumsy narrative.
Besides, the time it would take to extract everyone from Ena's Dream would be far better spent getting to know a few more beautiful girls. There was absolutely no reason to waste her time here.
That's why Lumina didn't want to interfere and chose to let them develop on their own.
"So, what exactly did you say to her earlier?" Herta asked, her curiosity piqued. As someone rooted in the Domain of Harmony yet still adhering to the principles of Order, what could Lumina have said to influence the subsequent series of events?
"The philosophy of Harmony is to aid the weak with strength, while the philosophy of Order is to force the weak into compliance..."
"During our first meeting, he asked me which approach was better: to support the weak with strength or to compel them into submission."
Lumina had nothing to hide from Herta.
"So, what was your answer?"
"Hmm... let me think." Lumina lowered her head in contemplation for a moment, then glanced around to ensure they were alone. Placing one hand on her hip and raising the other skyward, she declared in a booming voice:
"I said!"
"Compared to 'aiding the weak with strength' or 'compelling the weak into submission,' I much prefer 'bullying the weak with strength'!"
Lumina's dramatic flair and commanding presence gave her the air of a sovereign ruling over the world.
Herta: ...
Click! Click! Click!
Herta remained silent, relentlessly snapping photos.
"Ahem, Little Herta, are you captivated by my dashing presence?" Hearing the constant clicks of cameras around her, Lumina felt no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, she struck several poses, striking what she considered to be a particularly handsome pose, allowing Little Herta to photograph her from every angle, 360° without a blind spot.
Click! Click! Click!
Herta remained silent, still relentlessly snapping photos.
Seeing this, Lumina assumed Little Herta had become her little fangirl, and she proudly lifted her head.
After a moment, the clicking stopped. Herta glanced at the thousands of photos on her phone and nodded with satisfaction.
Then, looking at Little Lumina before her, the corners of her mouth curled upward. First, she saved all the photos to the Clouds, then leaned closer and held the phone screen in front of Lumina's face.
"Now, Little Lumina, you wouldn't want these photos circulating throughout the Cosmos, would you?" Herta said.