"I can return it to you now, but things will be different on the battlefield."
"Hmph! Keep it. I'll reclaim my sword myself!"
Moments later, Yunli and Yanqing were still bickering.
They squabbled like two kindergarteners locked in a childish feud, their bickering endless unless interrupted by a parent or teacher. It was as if, during these heated exchanges, the very concept of energy conservation ceased to exist in their minds.
"Is this the legendary Wardance Ceremony?" Stelle mused, her earlier embarrassment from the scornful glances now a distant memory, testament to her remarkable thick skin.
As for the bickering pair, Stelle crossed her arms and sighed in exasperation.
"Sister Lumina, who do you think is stronger between them?" Ignoring Stelle's comment, March 7th shifted her gaze from the dueling pair to Lumina's face, her curiosity piqued.
Realizing her direct question might seem tactless, March 7th quickly added, "Don't think I lack social awareness! I'm just genuinely curious."
"Hmm..." Lumina, propping her chin in her hand, glanced at Yunli, then at Yanqing, and fell into deep thought.
After a moment, under March 7th's expectant gaze, she slowly spoke her conclusion:
"I think neither of them is as strong as me."
March 7th: ...
Upon hearing this answer, March 7th's expression visibly stiffened. Wasn't this exactly the kind of flippant response she usually got when asking Stelle a question?
How can Sister Lumina's answer be the same? Is Sister Lumina really turning into Stelle's shape?
No way!
No matter how you look at it, Sister Lumina should be turning into my shape, right?
"Alright, I was just teasing you," Lumina said with a smile, seeing March 7th's frozen expression. "They each have their own strengths and excel in different domains. It's hard to judge them without seeing them in action."
"Oh, I see," March 7th replied, her heart finally easing.
If her beloved Sister Lumina had truly been gradually transforming into Stelle's shape due to that girl's influence, March 7th would have burst into tears.
After all... after all...
"Ahem... Today is my first day at the Alchemy Commission, and bloodshed isn't exactly an auspicious start," Lingsha said, her arms crossed like a teacher intervening in a quarrel as she calmed the increasingly tense pair.
"Alright, if Sister Lingsha doesn't like it, I won't draw my blade here," Yunli said, her previously firm expression softening instantly.
Yanqing's furious scowl also vanished at these words.
These aren't ordinary children after all; they know how to read the room, Lingsha thought.
"Boo, that's not what I meant," Lingsha chuckled. "Since you've already drawn your swords, wouldn't you be tossing and turning all night if you didn't settle this?"
"Coincidentally, Abundance Abominations have been appearing in the Alchemy Commission's Grotto-Heaven. If you want to determine a victor, why not test your skills against them instead of each other?"
Yanqing: ...
Upon hearing Lingsha's proposal to compete by slaying Abundance Abominations, Yanqing's expression shifted subtly, as if he were recalling an unpleasant memory.
"Abundance Abominations? Tsk, how boring," Yunli muttered, unimpressed by Sister Lingsha's suggestion.
Hearing Yunli's words, Yanqing snapped out of his thoughts and said earnestly, "Slaying Abominations is the Cloud Knights' duty. Even without Miss Lingsha's request, Yanqing would have exterminated them all!"
Lumina: ...
The corner of Lumina's mouth twitched involuntarily at Yunli's disdainful tone and Yanqing's earnestness.
Even though I have no reason to take offense, it still stings a little.
But then again... if I were to become their opponent, what expressions would they make?
As she watched Yunli and Yanqing fall back into their bickering, Lumina's green eyes gleamed with mischief, as if a wicked plan had taken root.
Perfect. That's exactly what I'll do.
After a moment's deliberation, Lumina resolved to put her plan into action.
"Come now, follow me," Lingsha said, her voice cutting through the squabble. By the time Lumina had reached her decision, the argument between Yunli and Yanqing had already subsided.
Following Lingsha's lead, they soon arrived at another part of the Alchemy Commission. Sensing the Abundance Abominations nearby, Lingsha addressed Yunli and Yanqing: "Let this one be the judge. We'll see who can slay the most Abominations within the allotted time."
"Sister Lingsha, you haven't changed a bit," Yunli said, her arms crossed, instantly seeing through her sister's scheme. "You can make someone work for free and still sound so righteous about it."
"Hehehe, this is for your own good," Lingsha chuckled, unfazed by Yunli's exposure of her true motives. "Swords and blades have no eyes. If you were to get hurt, it would be disastrous."
Hearing this, Yunli, who knew Lingsha well, narrowed her eyes, as if at a loss for words.
"Cauldron Master's consideration is truly comprehensive," Yanqing thought. Unlike Yunli, he had less experience and genuinely believed Lingsha had their best interests at heart.
While Lingsha did want to prevent the two from turning their blades against each other, her ulterior motive was to use this opportunity to purge the Alchemy Commission of Abundance Abominations.
"Then, let's begin."
Whoosh—
At Lingsha's command, the two vanished like the wind, instantly disappearing from their original positions to swing their swords, relentlessly slaughtering the surrounding Abundance Abominations.
"Um... Sister Lumina, who do you think will win?" March 7th couldn't resist asking Lumina, watching the pair cut down the Abominations as easily as killing chickens.
"Don't learn to speak like Stelle, and don't learn to speak like anyone else, either."
Meanwhile, to prevent her beloved Sister Lumina from picking up any more inappropriate remarks, March 7th added a cautionary note:
Sigh... the child is growing up. Now she's even scolding her mother.
After being scolded by March 7th, Lumina suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and looked at Yunli and Yanqing before her. "It doesn't matter who wins or loses," she said.
"Huh? Why not?" March 7th asked, clearly puzzled by this response.
"Because it's just a competition to see who can kill Abominations faster. It doesn't prove anything."
"Whether Yunli wins or Yanqing wins, they'll both be dissatisfied and demand a rematch."
Lumina waved her hand dismissively.
Simply put, it's human nature—the refusal to admit defeat.
Take her own rivalry with Jing Yuan in chess, for example. She'd never beaten him.
Of course, Lumina refused to accept that and forced him into a "live-action chess match."
Hmm... come to think of it, that might not be about refusing to lose. Maybe she's just being a total jerk...