"Come on, come on."
"Hurry up! What are you just standing there for?"
"I'm begging you! As Genius Society #83, the Emanator of Erudition, Madam Herta, you wouldn't resort to such petty cheating, would you?"
Herta: ...
She hadn't expected Lumina to actually lower herself to begging her. Frozen in place, Herta listened as Lumina's voice echoed through the room. She gritted her teeth, realizing she'd been tricked.
This Little Lumina isn't just up to no good—she's planning something big...
Herta hesitated. Knowing Lumina's motives were undoubtedly sinister, should she really walk into this trap?
But Lumina had already spoken her plea aloud. There was no going back now.
Yet if she followed Lumina's suggestion and accepted her lap pillow, she might be inviting a world of torment. By then, she might not even be able to turn over.
Madam Herta felt a sudden surge of irritation, unable to make up her mind.
Trapped in this no-win "trap," Herta knew that retreating and abandoning her so-called "face"—which held no real value anyway—was the best course of action.
Had Herta found herself in this predicament under normal circumstances, she would have undoubtedly chosen this approach.
After all, given her status, what did losing a little face matter? As Genius Society #83 and the Emanator of Erudition, her true prestige lay in her position itself!
But... in front of Lumina, Herta couldn't bring herself to discard even this trivial facade.
"Hmph, Madam Herta always grants requests. I was merely pondering your little chirp just now," Herta thought, scoffing inwardly. She tossed her hair back, strode over to Lumina, and sank onto the sofa. Turning sideways, she casually draped herself across Lumina's lap.
"..."
As Herta's head settled against Lumina's thigh, an indescribable fragrance instantly filled her nostrils, making her catch her breath.
Was it floral? Or something else? Herta couldn't quite place it, but she knew one thing: the scent was intoxicatingly alluring.
After a moment, Herta gradually grew accustomed to the fragrance, and her breathing returned to normal.
But the next instant, she felt a softness beneath her cheek, a softness so palpable it penetrated even through the layer of clothing. Herta's body instantly stiffened.
Herta had been wrong, terribly wrong... She had previously believed that no matter how soft a human thigh might be, it could never surpass the comfort of the finest pillows available today.
Now, however, Herta decided to apologize and correct her earlier statement.
No matter how advanced those top-tier pillows might be, they could never surpass the comfort of a human thigh... no, not just any thigh, but Lumina's thigh.
This was, by far, the softest and most comfortable pillow Herta had ever slept on.
How comfortable? So comfortable you'd want to chop off her leg and use it as a pillow for life...
Of course, that was just a figure of speech, merely an analogy to convey the extraordinary comfort. Herta herself harbored no ulterior motives toward Lumina's thigh beyond wanting to lie on it.
...Well, perhaps she had one other thought: It would be nice to get my hands on it too...
"Feels good, doesn't it~? This is my first time giving a lap pillow, you know." Lumina smiled gently, gazing at Herta, who lay on her thigh with a blissful expression. She stroked Herta's head with a tender hand, her gaze filled with maternal affection, like a mother doting on her child.
"..." Herta remained silent, simply lying on Lumina's lap. Whether she was deliberately ignoring Lumina or was so deeply immersed in the sensation that she hadn't heard her words remained unclear.
"Hey, Little sister Herta," Lumina murmured, continuing to stroke her head, "do you think we're still just sisters now?"
Seeing Herta's lack of response, Lumina continued to gently stroke her head, murmuring softly.
"..." Herta still didn't reply, seemingly both immersed in Lumina's tenderness and too lazy to answer her.
"Since you won't answer, I'll just say it myself," Lumina continued, unperturbed. "I don't think our relationship is just sisterly anymore."
"Because now, I'm your Mother."
A mischievous glint sparkled in Lumina's beautiful eyes as her gaze drifted toward a faint glow—an Image Stone, recording everything.
"Oh..."
Herta lay sprawled across Lumina's lap, answering her question with dismissive indifference.
After all, I played her mother for quite a while earlier. Letting her have a turn now won't hurt. Besides, if I'm her mother for a moment, I'll be her mother forever.
As for that Image Stone... Hmm, whatever. It's so comfortable...
Though lost in this blissful comfort, Herta remained vaguely aware of the Image Stone nearby.
But given the rarity and sheer comfort of the situation, she decided to ignore it.
Just a tiny Image Stone. I'm not some gullible little goose who can be manipulated so easily...
Herta mused to herself, paying no further attention.
"She's found it?" Lumina murmured to herself, though she wasn't particularly surprised. I hadn't made much effort to conceal the Image Stone's presence anyway. It was bound to be discovered sooner or later.
Undeterred, Lumina's hand, which had been stroking Herta's head, gradually drifted toward Herta's cheek...