"Mmm... Delicious!"
"!"
Upon hearing March 7th's words echoing from above, Fallen Lumina reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling up. She hastily snatched back her chips and cola, hiding them behind her back while warily eyeing March 7th, as if fearing the latter would snatch her snacks.
But a moment later, Fallen Lumina seemed to recall something. After a brief internal struggle, she reluctantly handed the Interstellar Cola she had concealed behind her back to March 7th.
One chip, one sip—that had been Fallen Lumina's original instruction.
Since March 7th had only eaten a chip earlier without drinking the cola, Fallen Lumina had no choice but to offer the cola, despite knowing March 7th coveted her snacks.
The sensation felt akin to being forced by a creepy uncle to do things she didn't want to do and shouldn't be doing...
Fallen Lumina seethed with resentment, as if March 7th had committed an unforgivable act against her.
"Um... I didn't mean to steal your chips or cola..." Even the oblivious March 7th could sense Fallen Lumina's true feelings from her expression and actions.
March 7th's lips twitched slightly as she gave a helpless explanation.
"Really?" Fallen Lumina asked.
Hmm...
Perhaps because Fallen Lumina looked so irresistibly adorable at that moment, March 7th felt like she was gazing upon a delectable feast. Saliva flooded her mouth, and she desperately wanted to cling to this pure, adorable Fallen Lumina and make her... her bestie, her dearest friend.
Swallowing hard and pushing aside any further thoughts, March 7th planted her hands on her hips and declared with utmost seriousness, "Of course! How could I ever steal something from you, Sister Lumina?"
"You're the Sister Lumina I respect most! No matter which version of you it is, I'll always hold you in the highest place in my heart!"
March 7th's voice rang with sincerity, her expression radiated earnestness, and her eyes shone with genuine sincerity.
To March 7th, Sister Lumina was like a friend, a bestie, a mother figure. Regardless of which version of Lumina it was—as long as it was genuine—March 7th would never scorn or dislike her!
Hmm...
That included the Sister Lumina with crimson eyes and shimmering black miasma swirling around her...
Though she looked a bit intimidating, March 7th figured that as an emotional avatar of Sister Lumina, she must be quite approachable.
So thought March 7th, completely forgetting Indifferent Lumina's warnings.
"Umm..."
Whether moved by March 7th's words or for some other reason, Fallen Lumina's eyes suddenly welled up as she gazed at March 7th. Then, her expression hardened once more.
Reaching behind her back, she pulled out a bag of potato chips and offered it to March 7th, saying with utmost seriousness, "Eat as much as you want!"
"Uh..." March 7th paused, surprised. But seeing the earnest expression on Fallen Lumina's face, she smiled, plucked out a few whole chips, and, under Fallen Lumina's watchful gaze, crunched them down with a satisfying crackle.
"Drink Interstellar Cola!"
After March 7th finished the chips, Fallen Lumina cradled a bottle of Interstellar Cola in both hands and personally handed it to her.
"Uh... I think I'll pass on the cola," March 7th said after a moment's hesitation, eyeing the crystalline sheen shimmering at the bottle's mouth.
It wasn't that March 7th disliked Fallen Lumina, nor that she refused to drink Interstellar Cola.
Simply put, upon seeing the crystalline shimmer at the bottle's mouth, a thought had flashed through March 7th's mind: Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely must not drink this, or there will be an irreversible consequence!
March 7th herself couldn't explain why this thought had surfaced.
It was just a sip of cola from the bottle's mouth. How could that possibly lead to an irreversible consequence?
Sister Lumina was her best friend, her closest confidante, even like a mother to her. Sharing a sip of cola—what harm could that possibly do?
March 7th didn't understand. She tried to understand, but understanding eluded her...
Nevertheless, the conviction of this thought was so overwhelming that March 7th followed her heart and refused Fallen Lumina's Cola.
"Hmm... Why? Cola is so delicious!"
"A sip of cola after potato chips? So refreshing, so satisfying!"
Rejected, Fallen Lumina was baffled. It was such a pleasurable experience—why would March 7th refuse?
"Cola has too much sugar. I'm worried about gaining weight."
"Okay, next time I'll get you the sugar-free kind."
Though it was just a casual excuse from March 7th, the naturally naive Fallen Lumina clearly didn't suspect a thing.
"..."
In a hidden corner of Irminsul Space, Lumina herself watched everything unfold, her lips pressed tightly together and a blush spreading across her cheeks.
Wait, when have I ever felt like this?
These avatars are manifestations of my every emotion...
So, these emotional avatars aren't just virtual constructs—they're reflections of feelings I've genuinely experienced. Every emotion I've felt since arriving in this cosmos, right up to this moment, has been manifested here.
But! Where did this pitiful, crestfallen avatar come from? I'm absolutely certain I've never felt that way before!
Well, whatever. All sorts of embarrassing avatars are already here, so one more won't make much difference.
As she pondered, Lumina grew indifferent. Whether it existed or not hardly mattered. Since she had already resolved to fully embrace her self-inflicted mortification, even the arrival of a weird Lumina wouldn't change anything.
Wait! weird Lumina...
Suddenly, Lumina herself seemed to remember something and hastily scanned all the Lumina's Emotional Avatars present.
She quickly located the figure, and an anxious expression instantly flooded her exquisitely beautiful face, eclipsing all other emotions.
Lumina's heart lurched with panic. She desperately wanted to eliminate the Avatar, but it was clearly too late...
Wearing a creepy, stalker-like grin, the Avatar had quietly crept up behind March 7th and the others.
"Holy shit!"
"We're doomed!!!!"