"Herta really holds nothing back..."
After leaving Herta's Office, Lumina couldn't help but sigh, recalling Herta's earlier "spin attack."
Though it hadn't harmed her in the slightest... The puppet's strength was limited. Not only couldn't it hurt Lumina, but even if Lumina stood still and let the puppet spin her continuously until Herta's main body became dizzy, Lumina wouldn't feel a single twinge of pain.
Herta, of course, knew this. After a few spins to vent her frustration, she "fiercely" kicked Lumina out of the Office.
"Hmm, let's go find Asta then."
Not dwelling on it further, since Herta was being so ungrateful, Lumina decided to go play with Asta instead.
Lumina scanned the Master Control Zone before finally spotting Asta's figure at the main console.
"Asta."
Her eyes glinting mischievously, Lumina slowed her pace and crept silently behind Asta at the console.
Lumina gently placed her palm on Asta's head, her voice softening as she spoke softly into Asta's ear, "Sister Lumina!"
Lumina had expected this sudden gesture to momentarily blank Asta's mind... but she underestimated Asta's resilience and mental fortitude, which proved far stronger than she had imagined.
Faced with this unexpected touch, Asta's face instantly lit up with joy and surprise.
Watching Asta's reaction, Lumina let out a silent sigh of admiration.
What Lumina didn't realize was that it wasn't Asta's resilience or mental strength that mattered. It was simply the sound of her beloved Sister Lumina's voice and the gentle touch of her hand on her head, filling Asta with an unprecedented sense of peace.
"Asta, am I disturbing you?" Lumina asked, withdrawing her hand and glancing around the relatively quiet space station.
"No, no, anything involving Sister Lumina is important! There's no such thing as 'bothering' me," Asta said, waving her hands dismissively.
"Hmm, Asta, I've come to say goodbye. I'm leaving the Space Station." Lumina hummed softly, cutting straight to the point.
Indeed, in every way, Asta is far more agreeable than Herta...
"Ah... Oh, okay..." Asta's initial cheerfulness vanished instantly.
"Sister Lumina, let me see you off..." Asta said, her voice subdued, forcing a weak smile.
"Asta, don't be sad. I have collaborations with Herta, so I'll be back soon," Lumina reassured her, extending her hand again to gently stroke Asta's pink hair. "Besides, even if we can't meet in person, we can still video call! ♪"
"Hmm... you're right," Asta murmured, her sadness melting away at Lumina's gentle reassurance.
Video calls had advanced to the point where, apart from physical touch, they were practically the same as face-to-face conversations.
Sensing Asta's negative emotions fading, Lumina felt relieved.
Lumina had initially considered inviting Asta to her hometown, but remembering her role as the acting head of the Space Station, she reluctantly abandoned the idea.
After all, Herta rarely intervened in operational matters, leaving Asta to manage the sprawling facility single-handedly. She couldn't simply abandon her duties.
If Lumina extended the invitation only for Asta to be unable to accept, it would likely only deepen her sadness.
So, for Asta's mental and emotional well-being, Lumina ultimately decided to keep her thoughts to herself~ o(* ̄▽ ̄*)ブ
That said, Herta's exploitation of her subordinates was truly outrageous!
I, Lumina, will definitely teach her a lesson on Asta's behalf!