"..."
"What's wrong?" Herta asked, noticing Lumina's sudden silence.
Strange, Herta thought. I've deleted all the embarrassing content. Why is Lumina still wearing that shocked, speechless expression?
Could she have seen some particularly shocking messages in the group chat?
Well, that makes sense. Even I blush reading some of those comments. Lumina must be even more embarrassed.
But since she hasn't jumped up in outrage, I guess the comments were still within a relatively "normal" range.
"So, what do you think? Interesting, right? The group's atmosphere isn't always like this," Herta said, crossing her arms with a smirk.
After all, in that group chat, periods of "relative normality" were rare. Lumina's chance encounter with such a moment was a kind of good luck in itself.
"Sigh..."
"Just see for yourself," Lumina replied, handing the phone back to Herta with a long sigh.
"Why the exhausted look?" Herta asked, taking the phone. Her gaze immediately fell to the screen.
You have been removed from the group chat.
Time: One minute ago
Herta: ?
"What happened? What did you do?" Seeing this, Herta frowned, her first thought being that Lumina must have done something.
"I didn't do anything! I just opened the group chat and got kicked out immediately," Lumina protested, spreading her hands with an innocent expression.
"That's strange..." Herta muttered, puzzled. "The timing... it happened right after I handed you the phone the second time."
"To time it so precisely, it must have been someone present, and high-ranking within the Interastral Peace Corporation."
"The Ten Stonehearts? What reason would they have to do this?"
"Don't overthink it. It wasn't them." Hearing Herta's muttering, Lumina cut off her speculation. "I already asked Diamond to notify the company departments, and the same thing happened."
"Then it must be a system intrusion, right?"
If even Diamond, a candidate for the IPC's board of directors, couldn't resolve the issue, Herta could only think of one explanation.
"Who could possibly breach the IPC's systems? Who could infiltrate while the corporation is operating at full capacity?"
"Even if there were some unknown master hacker, they'd have no reason to do this, let alone constantly monitor my every move."
Lumina said, utterly bewildered, "My own fan group—why can't I get in?"
"Since you're thinking this way, don't you already have your answer?"
"But... this is just too absurd! There's no reason for Them to do this."
"I don't find it absurd. As for a reason... hmm, I think there is one." Hearing this, Herta once again recalled the outrageous, hilarious, and utterly absurd remarks she had witnessed when she first joined the group, and nodded silently.
It was now crystal clear: the group leader was undoubtedly The Aeon of Elation. Given the fanatical fervor and wildly entertaining comments from the group's members, it wasn't impossible for them to have drawn THEM in.
Lumina couldn't bring herself to believe it because she hadn't witnessed the sheer madness within the group.
But Herta had seen it all, so she wasn't surprised in the slightest.
Well, actually, there was a slight surprise.
After all, wouldn't letting Lumina in create even more chaos and amusement?
But since Aha hadn't done so, They must have Their own peculiar reasons.
Shaking her head, Herta dismissed the matter. She didn't know what Their motives were, and frankly, she didn't care to find out.
"Don't overthink it. It's definitely Aha's doing," Herta said, putting away her phone and yawning, seemingly unconcerned.
I thought it was a big deal, but it's just Aha. No problem then.
"Don't you know something about this?" Lumina asked, perplexed by being targeted by an Aeon for no apparent reason.
"All you need to know is that Aha has reasons for staying in the group and acting as both Group Owner and President," Herta stated firmly, offering no further explanation.
"Alright," Lumina replied, deciding not to dwell on it.
Whatever had happened, it had been going on for quite some time, and Aha hadn't bothered her in the meantime.
Let Him do as He pleases. If it makes Him happy, so be it.
Having put the matter aside, Lumina's gaze shifted to Robin, who was presiding over the opening ceremony of the Charmony Festival.
Having been engrossed in her conversation with Herta, Lumina had missed what Robin had said earlier.
But since the supposed Sparkle's Tune hadn't played yet, the ceremony likely hadn't concluded.
"That little bird has the makings of a leader," Herta remarked, nodding approvingly at Robin, who was still speaking on stage.
"Hmm? Why? Is it because she has a particularly commanding presence?"
"Ah, not exactly. I just get the same vibe from her as those Interastral Peace Corporation executives—endless, pointless chatter," Herta said bluntly, placing Robin squarely in the same category as those corporate leaders.
"Well, what else could she do? Since the venue was changed at the last minute, she had to explain the situation to everyone," Lumina countered, shaking her head slightly to express her disagreement with Herta's assessment.
Lumina knew those IPC executives well and vehemently disagreed with Herta's comparison. How dare they be placed on the same level as Robin?
Those executives droned on about lofty theories, empty promises, and their own self-aggrandizing life stories—that's the real nonsense. Robin's voice was so sweet, and she was simply explaining the sudden change of venue in detail. What's wrong with that?
If Sunday were on stage instead, would you still disagree with me? Lumina's mental scheming was immediately obvious to Herta, who rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation.
"You're overthinking it. Whether it's Robin, Sunday, or even Monday and Tuesday, I treat them all the same."
Lumina's words were sincere. Compared to the leaders of the Interastral Peace Corporation, she would always side against them, whether it was Sunday or Robin.
Out of curiosity, Lumina had once accepted an invitation to a conference on "Protecting Life and Safeguarding the Cosmos." The result? That idiot leader droned on for a full System hour, spouting nothing but impassioned drivel. Not a single useful word. Lumina couldn't help but marvel at how anyone could conjure so much utter nonsense.
What part of his body does he even use to think? she wondered.
If it weren't for the 360-degree live broadcast cameras plastered in her face, she would have punched him.
"Now, I propose a toast from everyone!"
"To Harmony! To the future of Penacony and the Galaxy!"
"Cheers!"
Robin's toast proposal instantly brought the atmosphere to its peak.
"Hm? That aura... is that The Masked Fool?" Herta yawned, thinking the tedious opening ceremony of the Charmony Festival was finally about to end, when she suddenly spotted a red goldfish materializing.
De de de de de de de de de de de de de de de (Sparkle's Tune)
Immediately following this came a wave of slightly demonic and intoxicating music.