"Where's this music coming from now?"
"Is this some kind of execution BGM? Are we about to fight a major Boss?"
Hearing the sudden, inexplicable music, Herta recalled Lumina's words from Sunday's Battlefield.
"No, it's just an entrance theme. Don't worry about it—just treat it like a game of make-believe."
"An entrance theme? Then why don't I have one? Am I really inferior to that Masked Fool?" Herta couldn't help but compare herself to Sparkle.
"Simple," Lumina replied with a wave of her hand. "Just carry around a portable speaker, set your theme music, and play it when you make your grand entrance."
"Forget it. I'd probably look like a fool," Herta said, quickly rejecting the idea. She couldn't even picture herself making such an entrance.
Still, trying it once or twice for a novelty might be fun. But using it constantly? Even Herta couldn't bring herself to accept that.
"Don't worry, it won't happen," Lumina assured Herta with unwavering confidence, dismissing her concerns.
"With your status, prestige, and striking appearance, Madam Herta, simply making such a gesture in the public eye would ignite a cosmos-wide craze for personal entrance music."
"And you, Madam Herta, would gain countless new fans as a result."
"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Herta muttered, her mind involuntarily conjuring the image before she shook her head vehemently.
The thought of everyone making their entrance with personalized background music, or worse, large groups turning public spaces into chaotic dance floors, made the corner of her mouth twitch involuntarily.
"Whether it's a good thing or not depends on how the Cosmos netizens react," Lumina huffed lightly. She rose, patted Herta's shoulder, and said, "Let's go. There's nothing more for us to do here. Time to pack our bags and leave Penacony."
"Leave Penacony..." Herta blinked, a hint of melancholy flickering across her expression.
"Oh..."
With a quiet "Oh," she silently rose and followed Lumina out of the Charmony Festival opening ceremony venue.
"What's wrong? You look a bit down. Could it be you're going to miss me?" Lumina asked, covering her mouth with a mischievous grin as she sensed the subdued aura emanating from Herta beside her.
Could it be that even Madam Herta, as powerful as she is, has been completely captivated by me?
"You're overthinking it," Herta replied with a slight shake of her head, refusing to admit she was even a little reluctant to part ways with Lumina. "I'm just... thinking about some sad things."
"Oh, I see," Lumina nodded outwardly, refraining from pressing further, but her heart was already overflowing with delight.
As soon as I mentioned leaving Penacony soon, Little Herta fell into a gloomy mood. If she claims my words didn't affect her, I wouldn't believe it for a million credits.
Such a stubborn little tsundere. She's so bad at being obedient!
Lumina had seen through her act long ago, but she refrained from tearing away Herta's thin veil of pride.
A little indulgence for a tsundere now and then is fine.
"How long will that... whatever ceremony on the Xianzhou take?" Herta suddenly asked, her voice cutting through Lumina's smug thoughts.
Snapping out of her reverie, Lumina quickly reviewed the "Script" in her mind. After a quick calculation, she estimated, "About six or seven days. We'll need to arrive on the Luofu a few days before the Wardance Ceremony begins."
"I see..."
"What's this? Am I lucky enough to travel with Madam Herta again?" Lumina leaned closer, closing the distance until she could feel their breaths mingling, and teased.
Herta didn't immediately respond to Lumina's teasing. After a moment of contemplation, she gently shook her head, once again declining Lumina's suggestion.
She had spent considerable time preparing materials, and there were ongoing projects with Amphoreus and the Simulated Universe's new ventures to attend to. She simply didn't have the time to accompany Lumina to the Luofu.
Of course, the main reason was Herta's concern for Lumina—and for the future.
Even Herta found Lumina's current situation deeply perplexing.
Despite possessing power far surpassing that of an Emanator, Lumina showed no signs of discomfort, not even a hint of divinity. Her behavior remained entirely human.
But the future was uncertain. What if, in the future, Lumina ascended to godhood, losing all traces of humanity and becoming purely divine? What would Herta do then?
To prevent such a scenario, Herta needed to prepare thoroughly.
Coincidentally, she had recently gathered all the materials for her audience with Nous, the Erudition. Now was the perfect time to pose her burning question:
What is Divinity?
"Alright," Lumina said, sensing what Herta intended to do next. She offered no further comment.
"Are you leaving Penacony now?" Herta asked.
"Not yet. I'll say goodbye to Acheron and the others first," Lumina replied honestly.
"And conveniently gift them rings too, I suppose?"
Herta's exquisite face fell, replaced by a look of melancholic resentment.
"Acheron has one, Black Swan has one, and you have one too, Herta. Everyone has one."
"It's just a parting gift between friends, nothing more. There's no special meaning behind it."
Sensing Herta's widow-like resentment, Lumina offered a lighthearted explanation.
A single ring given to one person might symbolize love and the belief that they are the one and only.
But if I were to give rings to dozens of people, that kind of interpretation no longer applies.
"Alright, alright, do as you please." Knowing she couldn't change Lumina's nature, Herta said nothing more, sighing in resignation as her expression gradually returned to normal.
After all, Herta knew Lumina genuinely had no romantic intentions; the rings were merely farewell gifts.
As for what others might think... Herta couldn't say for sure, but she was certain their interpretations wouldn't be innocent.
Therefore...
To prevent any unforeseen complications...
A glint sparked in Herta's eyes, as if she had just conceived a brilliant idea.