"Herta... was attacked..."
"!"
"Herta was attacked?!" Upon hearing Lumina's words, Himeko's face immediately filled with shock and disbelief.
After all, the Space Station currently housed three geniuses and Lumina herself... In such circumstances, how could Herta, the Emanator of Erudition, possibly be attacked? It seemed utterly impossible...
Could it be...?
"Could it be the work of The Elation?" Himeko wondered inwardly, unable to conceive of any other explanation.
To openly attack Madam Herta in front of three geniuses and Lumina, Himeko could only imagine the Aeon of The Elation capable of such a thing. Who else would be so audacious... or so bored?
"Miss Himeko, please don't overthink it," Lumina said calmly, suppressing a secret smile. "The target was just one of Herta's puppets—they're everywhere on the Space Station. It's nothing serious."
"Screwllum, Asta, and Stelle have already gone to handle it. I'm sure the matter will be resolved quickly."
"I see," Himeko said, slightly relieved by Lumina's explanation.
Still... attacking Herta's puppet right in front of three geniuses and Lumina herself was an incredibly audacious act.
"Herta's puppet was attacked? Didn't she notice?" Himeko shook her head and asked Lumina.
Although Lumina's tone suggested it was a minor incident, Himeko couldn't help but feel concerned. After all, if the attacker dared to strike Herta's puppet one moment, might they strike at others on the Space Station the next?
"A puppet suddenly lost its connection, so of course she noticed. But she had other pressing matters to attend to, so she didn't bother investigating," Lumina shrugged, offering a wry smile.
"Even if she hadn't been busy, Herta likely wouldn't have cared much. After all, to her, it was just another disposable puppet—hardly worth wasting her precious time on."
"That certainly fits her personality..." Himeko sighed wearily.
This matter wasn't the Astral Express's concern. Since both Lumina and Herta seemed unperturbed, Himeko decided to drop the issue.
As for Stelle, with Screwllum there, nothing should go wrong...
Himeko still remembered Screwllum, a member of the Genius Society and the King of Planet Screwllum. Since Stelle was working with him to solve problems, Himeko felt reassured.
With that thought, Himeko stopped dwelling on the matter.
"Miss Himeko, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Lumina said after noticing Himeko had finished her train of thought.
"Mm? What is it, Miss Lumina? Please speak freely."
"After we resolve the situation at the Space Station, I plan to take Stelle somewhere. I hope to obtain your permission," Lumina stated bluntly, revealing her purpose directly.
"Go where? Go where? I want to go too! Sister Lumina, you can't forget about me!" March 7th interjected, her voice tinged with mild dissatisfaction even before Himeko could respond.
Clutching the hem of Lumina's robe, March 7th gazed up with a slightly aggrieved expression, her beautiful, glass-like eyes shimmering with tears. It seemed as though she would burst into tears on the spot if Lumina refused.
March 7th looked up at Lumina with a pleading expression, as if saying, "Mommy, Mommy, you can't just pay attention to my big sister! You have to take care of me too!"
"Now, now, let's wait for Miss Himeko's answer first," Lumina said with a soft smile, reaching out to gently pat March 7th's head.
Then, as if dismissing a child, Lumina simply waved March 7th away.
"Ugh..." Feeling the warmth on her head, March 7th turned her gaze to Himeko.
I hope Himeko agrees to Sister Lumina's request... After all, kind, beautiful, generous, and full of motherly love (scratch that) Sister Lumina wouldn't hurt us, right?
"Little March..." Sensing March 7th's eager gaze, Himeko sighed helplessly.
Why does it feel like Miss Lumina is trying to steal away both my precious girls?
Himeko shook her head, dismissing the thought. She looked apologetically at Lumina and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Lumina, but the Charmony Festival is just around the corner. After staying at the Space Station for a few more days, we'll be departing for Penacony."
Himeko knew Lumina meant no harm, but time was simply too tight. Even if she wanted to agree, she simply couldn't.
"It won't take up too much time—just two or three days," Lumina explained, sensing Himeko's hesitation.
"That Stelle keeps pestering me day and night, wanting to learn about my past and my homeland... I couldn't resist her any longer, so I've decided to use this brief window to take her there."
"Miss Lumina, your homeland..." Himeko murmured, her expression turning conflicted at the thought.
Lumina's homeland was renowned throughout the cosmos, a vacation paradise rivaling even Penacony, the Land of Dreams... A perfect destination for the Astral Express.
Himeko had long considered adding this place to the Astral Express's itinerary, but various circumstances had always prevented it.
Now, with a personal invitation from Lumina herself—and assurance that the trip would only take a few days, without disrupting their subsequent plans for Penacony—the opportunity seemed too good to pass up.
"Don't worry, Miss Himeko," Lumina assured her. "I'll still make it to Penacony. If anything goes wrong, I can personally bring Stelle there."
Seeing Himeko deep in thought and torn, Lumina smiled reassuringly.
"Hmm, my individual approval isn't enough," Himeko said after a moment's thought, nodding. "I need to consult with Pom-Pom."
As a personal matter, Himeko agreed to Lumina's request. However, as the Astral Express's navigator, she needed to discuss this route change with Conductor Pom-Pom, since it required a collective decision from the entire train.
Well... Stelle and March 7th don't need to be part of this decision. They'd definitely be thrilled to go anyway.
"Thank you, Miss Himeko," Lumina said with a gentle smile and a nod. Himeko returned the gesture and turned to walk back toward the Astral Express.
"Sister Lumina! Sister Lumina! Sister Lumina! I wanna go too! I wanna go too! I wanna go too!!!"
As Himeko's figure disappeared through the hatch, March 7th switched into her "child" mode, her small mouth firing off a rapid stream of words like a machine gun, desperately wanting to visit Sister Lumina's hometown.
"Okay! If Miss Himeko and Mr. Pom-Pom agree to my suggestion, I'll take March 7th with me too."
Looking at March 7th's lively and adorable demeanor, Lumina couldn't find any reason to refuse. She reached out and gently ruffled the girl's hair, her voice warm and soothing.
"Hehehehe." Feeling Lumina's gentle tone and tender touch, March 7th immediately wore an expression of blissful contentment, like a kitten lost in bliss.
"No, no! I need to convince Himeko! I need to convince Pom-Pom!"
"The Charmony Festival is still several days away. I don't want to be stuck on the Train the whole time."
After basking in Sister Lumina's tenderness for a while, March 7th abruptly shook her head, her face serious.
"We won't be stuck on the Train the whole time, silly! Penacony will definitely need some preparations," Lumina smiled, watching March 7th, who remained blissfully unaware of the future's twists and turns.
"Prepare what? It's a vacation spot! Just bring a camera, right?"
Penacony, the Land of Dreams, a resort paradise—what danger could there possibly be? What preparations are needed to simply enjoy oneself?
"Sister Lumina, wait for me! I'll be right back!"
March 7th waved dismissively at Lumina, ignoring her words, and hurried into the Astral Express, determined to convince Himeko and Pom-Pom to agree to Lumina's proposal.
"She's so lively," Lumina murmured, shaking her head with a smile.
Let Penacony's March 7th handle things when we get there, Lumina thought. I'm too lazy to argue.
Watching March 7th's energetic, adorable figure dash away, Lumina shook her head and sighed in amusement.