[March 7th]: [Image.jpg]
[March 7th]: Sister Lumina, we met someone who looks just like you!
Seriously, what are March 7th and the others' brains made of? What are they even for? Any normal person who saw someone who looked so much like their own sister would never just let them go without asking at least a few questions...
Well, at least March 7th thought to take a photo and send it to me... Can't expect too much from them, I guess.
In the garden cottage behind Sumeru City on Apricot Grove, Lumina couldn't help but mutter to herself as she recalled March 7th and the others' actions while she had been controlling Nahida's body.
Two people who look this alike, living on the same planet and in the same city... how could there be absolutely no connection between them? And why did all three of you believe my flimsy excuses so easily?
Sigh...
Lumina sighed helplessly. The thought that Stelle might one day fall under the gaze of Nous, the Erudition, made her feel a pang of frustration.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Instead of immediately initiating recovery, Lumina waited a while before leisurely beginning the process.
Her slender fingers tapped gently on the screen, typing out a few messages in response to March 7th's earlier remarks:
[Lumina: Hmm... The hair does look similar, but the height is way off, and we don't even see a clear face.]
[Lumina: March, are you pulling my leg?]
[March 7th: No way! No way! She really looks just like you, Sister Lumina—like you two were born to the same mother!]
[March 7th: Sister Lumina, do you have a little sister? Or maybe a sister who's been lost for years?]
[March 7th: Nahida looks exactly like you did as a child!]
[March 7th: If I weren't absolutely certain Sister Lumina would never do something so pointless, I'd think this Nahida was just some prank you pulled on us!]
As soon as Lumina's reply went through, March 7th instantly fired off a barrage of messages like a machine gun:
"Oh my Great Ellio..."
Lumina stared at March 7th's messages, a cold sweat breaking out on her back. She barely managed to suppress a curse that nearly burst from her lips.
But she quickly regained her composure, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she gazed at her phone screen, as if trying to see through it to March 7th on the other side.
Faced with this situation, Lumina hesitated. March 7th might seem ditzy, but could she be faking it?
After all, time and again... time and again, March 7th had unwittingly guessed what was on Lumina's mind, leaving her utterly uncertain about what to do.
Once or twice, Lumina could dismiss it as coincidence. But every single time? Could such perfect coincidences truly exist in the Cosmos?
"No, no, no! I have to check this out. Is March 7th genuinely clueless or just pretending?"
Lumina shook her head, abandoning her intention to reply to March 7th's question. She immediately extended her spiritual power across the entirety of Sumeru City, searching for March 7th's location.
Even if it turned out to be her overthinking, Lumina couldn't afford to overlook even the slightest possibility!
If she was wrong, no harm done. But if she wasn't, and March 7th truly knew everything about her... wouldn't that mean she'd been completely manipulated by March 7th from the start?
Being completely manipulated by a beautiful girl? Lumina absolutely refused to let that happen!
Even if there was only the tiniest chance, she had to crush it in the cradle!
Although Sumeru City was vast, Lumina's spiritual power was even greater. In a short time, she located March 7th in a World Suite within the Ancient Wind Hotel.
Since Lumina hadn't responded to March 7th's message immediately, March 7th and her companions had quickly returned to the World Suite after parting with Nahida, completing their meals, washing up, and settling in for the night.
Sensing March 7th's presence in the room, Lumina activated every ounce of power she could muster to ensure March 7th wasn't feigning innocence. After confirming her target was indeed unarmed, she cautiously phased through the wall and entered the room where March 7th was.
Although March 7th's personality was well-established in the game, this was reality, not a game. Lumina couldn't afford to gamble.
What if March 7th suddenly awakened some hidden power, inexplicably traveled back from the future, or mysteriously learned about Lumina's secrets and decided to feign naivety before unleashing a devastating revenge?
Such things, such things— Lumina vowed, I will only allow myself to do them to others, never the other way around!
This was the bottom line!
A burning fighting spirit ignited in Lumina's heart. She vowed to uncover whether March 7th was human or ghost!
"..."
However, as Lumina gazed at March 7th before her, she quickly realized it was just her overactive imagination running wild.
March 7th was currently sprawled on the bed in adorable pink pajamas, cradling her phone. Her dainty, rosy-pink feet swung rhythmically in the air, emitting a faint, sweet fragrance.
She remained in this pose, her eyes glued to the chat interface on her phone screen—the conversation with her dear Sister Lumina. Her face was a mix of confusion and anticipation.
Confusion over why Sister Lumina hadn't replied after so long.
Anticipation that Sister Lumina would respond to her message any minute now.
"Strange... Why hasn't Sister Lumina replied yet? Could something have happened on her end?"
After waiting a while longer with no response, March 7th scratched her head in confusion, inadvertently mussing her soft, silky pink hair.
"No, no, I have to go check on her."
Thinking this, March 7th immediately assumed Sister Lumina was in trouble. Without hesitation, she sprang out of bed, rushed to her wardrobe, and began stripping off her pajamas.
Clearly, she was preparing to change into her usual clothes and search for Sister Lumina in the mountains behind the temple.
"Ugh..."
Perhaps because she was in such a hurry, March 7th shed her pajamas so quickly that Lumina barely had time to react.
A flash of snowy white suddenly appeared before Lumina's eyes, causing her face to flush crimson as she hastily withdrew her spiritual energy.
"Ugh... This March 7th! Doesn't she know to be more careful when she's alone in her room? What if some pervert were spying on her...?"
Lumina muttered to herself, completely unaware that she was scolding herself...
[Tsk tsk tsk, she's still such an innocent little girl.]
Witnessing Lumina's rare display of vulnerability, the System couldn't resist popping up to tease her.
"Shut up," Lumina snapped, hastily suppressing the surge of emotion within her. Once her composure had returned, she issued a cold reprimand.
Lying on the bed, she shook her head to regain her bearings. After calming down, she retrieved her phone and replied to March 7th's question.
[Lumina: Huh? Really? Is she that similar? Could March 7th bring her to meet me?]
[Lumina: Or even just send me a clear photo of her face would do.]
[Lumina: But if it's inconvenient for her, no worries~]
[Lumina: I can't move around freely right now, otherwise I'd go see for myself. I'm so curious if this Nahida really looks as much like you as you say, Little March~]
Ding-dong~~~
Meanwhile, at the Ancient Wind Hotel, March 7th had just stripped off her clothes and was about to dress before heading to the back mountain to find Sister Lumina. When her phone's special notification chime rang, she didn't even bother to put on clothes before scrambling to the bed to grab it.
Seeing the message from Sister Lumina on the screen, March 7th hesitated, uncertain how to respond immediately.
After all, March 7th hadn't exchanged contact information with Nahida, nor did she know her home address. Even if Nahida lived near the House of Daena, finding her would still take a very, very, very long time.
If she spent all her time looking for Nahida, she wouldn't be able to pursue the lead Sister Lumina had mentioned...
Besides, March 7th and Nahida weren't particularly close. What if she ended up annoying her?
That's what March 7th thought, again and again.
Though she didn't understand why, even though Nahida only resembled Sister Lumina, March 7th instinctively placed them in the same position in her heart. She didn't want to offend her, anger her, or make her dislike her.
But soon, March 7th made her decision.
[March 7th: Alright! Sister Lumina, I'll take a clear photo of Nahida's face tomorrow and bring her to see you!]
Compared to a vague, untraceable lead, March 7th felt that Nahida—this potential sister of Sister Lumina—was far more important!