"Passenger Lumina, could something be wrong with Passenger Stelle?"
In the observation car of the Astral Express, everyone looked at Stelle, still fast asleep, their brows furrowing with concern.
"Hmm... she's fine. It's just that her body is taking some time to adapt to the Memetic Substance's retrograde compatibility. She'll wake up soon."
"Phew... that's a relief. We should probably assign Stelle some training related to the Memetic Substance."
Fortunately, the Astral Express had the Cosmos's foremost Physician aboard. After a thorough examination from top to bottom, left to right, and inside out, she smiled reassuringly and delivered the words that put everyone at ease.
Hearing this, everyone present breathed a collective sigh of relief. Himeko even cracked a joke to lighten the somewhat tense atmosphere.
"Well, now that we've arrived at the Reverie Hotel and Stelle's checkup came back clear, I should be going."
Lumina gazed out the window at the colossal Reverie Hotel, which resembled an entire planet. She nodded to Himeko, Welt, and the others, preparing to leave ahead of March 7th and Little Swarm.
Hmm... As for why she didn't tell March 7th and Little Swarm, it's because they wouldn't understand her reasons. They'd just ask:
"Huh? Sister Lumina, you're not coming with us?"
March 7th scratched her head, completely baffled by Lumina's behavior.
Lumina smiled slightly as she explained, "If you don't want to be swarmed by crowds like monkeys in a zoo the moment you enter Penacony, and then be poked and pointed at incessantly, you're welcome to join me at the hotel instead."
Well, what can I say? I just happen to be the most adorable, beautiful, kind, gentle, influential, popular, wealthy, and universally supreme beautiful girl in the Cosmos!
"Huh? What kind of explanation is that?" March 7th grew even more confused, utterly unable to grasp the logic of her "Sister Lumina's" peculiar mind.
Ahem~
Lumina chuckled softly, opting not to elaborate further. After all, March 7th wouldn't understand anyway.
"Alright, March," Himeko said, smiling knowingly. "Miss Lumina is right. Let's regroup in the Penacony Dream."
"Mm, see you in Penacony," Lumina nodded, glanced at the still-sleeping Stelle, and departed.
-
"So vast..." Lumina murmured as she stepped out of the Astral Express and into The Reverie Hotel. The grand lobby stretched endlessly before her, yet was surprisingly sparsely populated.
This was by far the largest hotel she had ever seen. Hmm... But why are there so few people?
"L... Lady Lumina!"
Just as Lumina pondered this, a voice filled with shock, delight, and nervousness rang out beside her.
Turning toward the sound, she saw a young woman from the Iris Family standing before her. Her bearing was elegant and dignified, her features delicate and lovely. In her gaze, Lumina detected not only the shock, delight, and nervousness evident in her voice, but also adoration, longing, and... were those tiny hearts hidden deep within her eyes?
Hmm... The other emotions are normal, but what's with these little hearts?
Lumina felt a wave of incomprehension, but she maintained a gentle smile. "Excuse me, are you here to receive me?"
"L... Lady Lumina... Lady Lumina, it's an honor to meet you. I'm the Entertainer from the Iris Family responsible for welcoming our esteemed guests to Penacony."
For some reason, as the Iris Family Entertainer spoke, her breathing grew noticeably heavier.
Ignoring her gaze, Lumina nodded slightly and smiled. "Then I'll trouble you, Miss Entertainer, to take me to the front desk to check in."
"Y-yes... of course!" The Iris Family Entertainer, whose carefully concealed hearts had previously lingered deep within her eyes, now openly displayed them, filling her entire gaze.
Lumina paid no mind to this behavior. It's just human nature, perfectly normal, she thought with a faint smile, following the Iris Family Entertainer toward the front desk.
"That... that can't be Lady Lumina, can it?!"
"Haaah... haaah..."
As they walked toward The Reverie Hotel's front desk, most of the people they passed gazed at her from afar with expressions of worship and admiration.
A smaller group, however, seemed lost in their own thoughts, their faces flushed, their breathing heavy, their eyes sparkling with hearts as they stared at her...
Lumina couldn't quite comment on these gazes... After all, it's just human nature, perfectly normal, perfectly normal.
Hm? Wait, why is that Intellitron also sporting heart eyes???