[My host, the Astral Express has arrived at the Space Station, and the main quest is about to begin. Are you aware?]
"What's the rush?" Lumina drawled, slowly rising from the sofa with a lazy stretch. Her tone was utterly nonchalant.
"I wonder if the protagonist of this world will be Stelle or Caelus?"
Of course, Lumina much preferred a sweet young girl to a dashing young man.
"Then let's give things a little nudge..." Lumina hummed softly, stood up, and pushed open the door. A pleasant melody seemed to drift from her lips, the kind of song that could soothe the soul.
The moment her foot crossed the threshold, a menacing aura suddenly materialized overhead. Several small Voidrangers materialized above and lunged at her.
The singing stopped, and Lumina looked up at the Voidrangers before her, her gentle smile unwavering.
"Ambushing isn't a very nice habit, you know," she said.
Devoid of emotion, the Voidrangers paid no heed to Lumina's beauty and launched their attack. An aura of Destruction surged around them as they prepared to tear her to shreds.
But the moment they touched her, their bodies withered as if drained of life, collapsing to the floor and crumbling into dust, vanishing forever within the space station.
"I'm just a physician, you know," Lumina said. "I don't have any self-defense skills. You're really giving me a headache with this."
"Mmhmm~♪♪♪"
Surveying the pristine corridor, devoid of any trace of battle, Lumina resumed her humming and walked toward the Master Control Zone.
-
Master Control Zone
"Compared to before, the entire space station is much quieter now," Lumina remarked.
As she walked through the corridors, the once bustling space station now felt eerily tranquil. She hadn't encountered a single person along the way, though she had dealt with several Voidrangers with practiced ease.
"This would be the perfect setting for a rule-based horror scenario," Lumina mused, glancing around. "I should try creating one sometime."
With her abilities, conjuring such a scenario wouldn't be difficult. However, clearing the space station and securing cooperation from its inhabitants seemed highly impractical.
Sighing inwardly, Lumina decided to shelve the idea for now, resolving to revisit it if the opportunity arose.
Within the Master Control Zone, a pink-haired young girl stood out at the central command console. Her face was etched with fatigue and anxiety, yet her expression remained composed, suggesting she still had the situation under control.
Unnoticed, Lumina quietly approached the girl from behind and gently tapped her shoulder.
A wisp of green energy flowed from Lumina's hand into Asta's body, instantly relieving her fatigue and anxiety.
"Sister Lumina?!"
Feeling a gentle hand on her back soothing away her exhaustion and worry, Asta turned to see Lumina's heart-healing smile.
"Asta, what's wrong? You seem very anxious," Lumina asked softly.
Hearing those words, Asta felt an unprecedented sense of calm and security. Without hesitation, she poured out her worries:
"Arlan, the head of Security at Herta Space Station, was ordered to evacuate the civilians. He was supposed to send me a message confirming their safety once he was finished."
"But he hasn't sent me a single message yet, and I'm afraid he might be..."
"Don't worry, Asta. Leave this to me," Lumina said with a reassuring smile, taking charge of the situation.
"Hmm... Then I'll trouble you, Sister Lumina," Asta agreed after a moment's hesitation.
With Arlan's life at stake, she couldn't possibly refuse.
But... Sister Lumina was just a physician. If she were to encounter danger because of this, Asta would never forgive herself.
Asta's mind raced with worry, completely overlooking the fact that Lumina could traverse the cosmos in her physical form and survive for several Amber Eras. How could she possibly lack combat abilities?
Lumina: I'm just a frail, pitiful little physician, overflowing with holy light. What combat skills could I possibly possess?
If I met a Goblin, even a Holy Maiden would fall from grace right then and there.
"Miss Asta, we've arrived."
Just as Lumina was about to leave, an elegant female voice called out.
Both Lumina and Asta turned their attention toward the newcomers.
Before them stood three figures: a man and two women.
One was a red-haired woman exuding grace and intelligence, while the other was a pink-haired young girl radiating vivacity and charm. Both were exceptionally beautiful.
[What about the man?]
Why bother introducing him?
[...]
The third figure was a black-haired man, exuding cold handsomeness. He looked like a stoic young Azure Dragon in human form.
[Oh, the hypocrisy!]
Lumina ignored the foolish System and calmly observed the three newcomers.
Compared to Lumina, Asta's expression was far more animated.
"Everyone from the Astral Express!" Asta announced. "Welcome to the Space Station... though given the current circumstances, it's hardly an ideal time..."
"Asta, you can leave this to us," the red-haired woman said, placing a hand on her chest and offering Asta a reassuring smile.
"Yes, I've always had complete faith in the Astral Express crew."
"Ehhh? Who's that beautiful lady?!" The pink-haired girl suddenly noticed Lumina, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Just as she was about to rush forward for a closer look, the stern, dragon-like young man abruptly grabbed her arm.
The red-haired leader's eyes widened slightly as she recognized Lumina. Her tone softened considerably, now tinged with respect.
"Miss Lumina, my name is Himeko. I'm the navigator of the Astral Express."
"This is March 7th, and that's Dan Heng. They're both passengers on the Astral Express."
"If March's words offended you, we're willing to make amends," Himeko said.
The respect on Himeko's face wasn't solely due to Lumina's status, but rather because of Lumina's selfless contributions over several Amber Eras—contributions that more than warranted Himeko's respectful address.
"Lumina... Lumina!" March 7th exclaimed, her face filled with shock upon learning Lumina's name. She had never imagined the beautiful woman before her held such a prominent position.
After a moment of stunned silence, March 7th's expression shifted to fear, as if she worried Lumina might take offense at her earlier remark.
Observing their reactions, Lumina smiled wryly. "Do you really think I'm someone who'd hold such a thing against you?"
"Rather than an insult, I took it as a compliment."
Lumina's gaze softened as she turned to March 7th, her smile warm and gentle. "Little March, may I call you that?"
"Being praised by such a lovely girl makes me very happy."
"And you're quite adorable yourself."
Lumina tilted her head and smiled, a smile that would forever be etched in March 7th's heart.
[ Holy player! ] the System couldn't help but exclaim as it witnessed the scene.
"What's a 'player'?" Lumina snapped, her smile vanishing. "I'm merely trying to provide a warm haven for all the girls."