"Miss Himeko, Mr. Yang, good morning."
Seeing them arrive, Lumina returned their greetings with a polite smile.
"Good morning, Miss Lumina," Welt nodded, casually taking a seat.
Himeko sat beside Lumina. Once they were both settled, Lumina asked with a warm smile, "Miss Himeko, Mr. Yang, have you enjoyed your time in Sumeru City these past few days?"
At this, a faint smile appeared on Welt's reliable face. "Sumeru City truly lives up to its reputation as one of the Cosmos's most renowned cities," he said. "Many of its sights and customs have left a deep impression on me. If it weren't for the approaching Charmony Festival, I would have gladly stayed here for several more days."
Though his words might have sounded perfunctory, Welt genuinely meant them. Sumeru City had left countless lasting impressions on him, far too many to recount in a short time.
"Mm, and what about you, Miss Himeko?" Lumina nodded with a smile, fully aware that Welt wasn't just trying to brush her off.
"For me, it's much the same as Welt," Himeko replied, giving the same answer as Welt. "There are simply too many things I love to list them all."
"I see," Lumina nodded, still smiling. "If you two like, you could..."
Bang!
"Sister Himeko! Have you seen my... um..."
Just as Lumina's cherry-red lips parted slightly, about to speak, the cabin door on the left side of the Train burst open once more.
Unlike Himeko and Welt's measured entrances, this time the door was forcefully flung open in an instant, the loud crash reverberating through the entire carriage, sounding especially jarring.
Without even needing to look, Lumina knew exactly who it was: the ever-busy, inexhaustible embodiment of cuteness and boundless energy, Miss March 7th herself.
Lumina turned her head, confirming her guess.
Yet, seeing March 7th's current appearance, an odd emotion stirred within Lumina's heart.
Wearing adorable pink bear pajamas, with tousled hair and a lingering drowsiness between her brows, she looked as if she had just woken up.
Despite the various debuffs stacked against her, these flaws didn't detract from March 7th's beauty; instead, they added a unique charm that made one yearn to...
...cradle her in their arms, grab a comb, and fiercely untangle her messy hair.
"Lumina? Lumina... Sister Lumina?!"
March 7th quickly spotted Lumina sitting beside Himeko. After a moment of stunned silence, the lingering drowsiness and laziness vanished from her face. A blush crept up her neck, spreading across her cheeks as embarrassment washed over her. She desperately wished she could find a crack to bury her head in.
Her flushed cheeks and awkwardness weren't due to being caught in her pajamas, just out of bed. No, it was because Lumina had witnessed her acting so rash and impetuous...
Will Sister Lumina start to hate me because of this...?
Behind the embarrassment lurked a growing sense of fear, plunging March 7th into a sudden panic.
No way! If Sister Lumina starts hating me, I might as well craft a Six-Phase Ice and bash my head against it! /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~
March 7th pursed her lips, tears welling in her eyes, as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.
?
Lumina watched March 7th freeze in place like a statue, a flicker of confusion crossing her eyes.
Wasn't morning supposed to be the time when the brain is most active and clear? Why is March 7th being so silly so early?
Hmm... Could it be that even at her peak mental state, March 7th still falls within the "idiot" range?
Well, if that's the case, it makes sense.
Realizing this, Lumina had an epiphany. She smiled and waved at March 7th. "Good morning, March! You're so full of spirit so early!"
Even if she's a fool twenty-four hours a day, I'll shower her with boundless affection!
"Umm... Sister Lumina, g-good morning..." Seeing no displeasure or dislike on her beloved Lumina's face, March 7th breathed a sigh of relief.
Phew! Thank goodness Sister Lumina didn't misunderstand anything.
"March, the Warp is about to begin! Go wake up Stelle, get her ready, and hurry back here."
Himeko glanced at the time and instructed March 7th.
"Alright, alright! I'll wake Stelle up and get her ready in record time!" March 7th nodded vigorously, gently closed the cabin door, and hurried back to the passenger car.
"This Passenger March... if the Warp weren't about to start, I'd teach her a proper lesson about being quiet and careful, Pom!"
After March 7th left, Pom-Pom stomped his foot in a mixture of anger and helplessness, expressing his strong disapproval of her boisterous exit.
"Liveliness is a good thing, Conductor," Lumina said. "It's only when March 7th loses her spark that we should consider intervening."
What Lumina cherished most was March 7th's vibrant energy, which radiated from within—it was truly beautiful.
"Hmph, that's true enough, but even the liveliest person shouldn't slam doors like that, Pom!"
"If Passenger March keeps opening doors like that, the cabin door will break down in no time, Pom!"
After a moment's thought, Pom-Pom realized Lumina's words made perfect sense.
But even if it made sense, someone still needed a good scolding.
If she continued to be this "lively," the entire Train might end up in pieces.
"Hehe, the Conductor is right. Given March's behavior earlier, she definitely needs some proper discipline."
Lumina didn't defend March 7th any further, simply chuckled softly in agreement.
"Hmm... How about I take the opportunity to educate March 7th?" Lumina suggested, her eyes twinkling with mock benevolence.
"Hmm... Then I thank you, Passenger Lumina, Pom."
Neither Pom-Pom, Himeko, nor Welt voiced any objection to Lumina's proposal. After all, Lumina had an excellent reputation and would never do anything harmful to March 7th.
"You're welcome," Lumina replied with a polite smile.
But behind that facade, her thoughts had already raced to Penacony.