"Heh heh, Miss Yunli, I've won. Now, can I have my sword back? As for your rusty blade, I have no use for it."
"Hmph! If you want to take this sword from me, come and try."
As time ran out, Yanqing narrowly defeated Yunli by eliminating one more Abundance Abomination.
Just as Lumina had predicted, Yunli was clearly dissatisfied with the result and resorted to cheating, signaling Yanqing that if he wanted the sword, he'd have to take it himself.
A nameless fury had already been simmering in Yanqing's heart, and Yunli's words struck directly at its core.
Without seeking permission from Lumina, Lingsha, or the others, Yanqing and Yunli leaped onto the deserted rooftop of the Alchemy Commission, drew their swords, and clashed.
"Wow, Sister Lumina, you were exactly right! They're really fighting!"
Seeing the pair actually engage in combat after the competition, just as Lumina had predicted, March 7th's eyes lit up with stars, and her admiration for Lumina soared to new heights.
It had risen from ∞ to ∞!
"Sigh, those two..." Lingsha sighed, placing one hand on her hip and the other over her head. She closed her eyes, lowered her head, and refused to watch the scene unfolding before her.
But the sounds of combat ringing in her ears still gave her a headache.
"Thank goodness I brought them to this slightly remote area teeming with Abundance Abominations. Otherwise, the later maintenance would have cost us a fortune."
Yunli and Yanqing were still teenagers, their individual strength not yet formidable, but their destructive potential was considerable.
They had barely been fighting for a while, yet Lingsha had already spotted several craters...
And judging by their effortless movements, they hadn't even begun to exert their full power yet. At this rate, will they level the entire area soon?
Of course, that wasn't her main concern. What Lingsha truly feared was one of them getting injured.
One was the Luofu General's apprentice, the other the granddaughter of General Huaiyan. If anything happened to either of them, the Alchemy Commission's path to prominence would become even more arduous.
I hope they'll be alright, Lingsha thought anxiously.
"Don't worry," Lumina said, as if sensing Lingsha's thoughts. She stepped closer, leaned in, and offered a comforting touch. "Neither of them will get hurt."
"Mmm..." A rich, intoxicating aroma flooded Lingsha's nostrils, causing her body to stiffen involuntarily and her vision to blur slightly.
Her consciousness began to fade, her fingers trembling slightly as she pressed her lips tightly together, as if suppressing something.
No, I can't bear it anymore... Too close, the scent is too strong...
At such close proximity, Lingsha lost control. She quickly pulled back, maintaining a distance of at least a meter from Lumina.
Huff...
As the distance widened, the lingering fragrance in her nose gradually faded, and Lingsha took a deep breath.
Lumina's scent was the most unique and beloved fragrance Lingsha had ever encountered. This scent evoked in her a... well, a slightly peculiar reaction.
It made her irresistibly want to draw closer, to inhale deeply, to press her nose tightly against Lumina's skin, and then...
"Does Miss Lingsha dislike me that much?" Lumina asked, completely unaware of Lingsha's inner turmoil or her own standing in Lingsha's heart. Seeing Lingsha's flushed cheeks, as if she'd been startled, Lumina's lips curled into a mischievous smile. Her playful spirit flared.
Lowering her voice and feigning hurt, she continued, "No, that's not it. It's just..."
Lumina's acting was impeccable, showing no trace of pretense. Lingsha immediately grew flustered, waving her hands frantically as she tried to explain, but she couldn't find the right words.
After all, how could I possibly say, "You smell so intoxicating, I might lose control if I get too close"?
Lingsha pressed her lips together, lowering her head slightly as her mind raced, desperately searching for an explanation that would fully justify her behavior.
"Alright, I was just teasing you," Lumina said. Watching Lingsha's reaction made her fingers itch to tease further. But with so many eyes watching, she couldn't bring herself to act on her impulse and reluctantly held back.
Lumina chuckled awkwardly and waved her hand. "My apologies for getting so close so suddenly and startling you, Miss Lingsha. It was my mistake."
"No, not at all," Lingsha stammered, seemingly even more flustered by Lumina's apology.
But Lingsha wasn't March 7th, nor was she Asta. After a brief moment of distress, she took several deep breaths, quickly regaining her composure and centering herself.
"Lady Lumina, I merely... find it difficult to be close to others."
"Sister Lumina, Miss Lingsha is right," March 7th interjected before Lumina could respond. "If she's uncomfortable with close proximity, then let's respect her boundaries and keep our distance."
Watching Lumina press so closely against Lingsha earlier had stirred a subtle, complicated feeling in March 7th.
But since Lumina had initiated the contact and was discussing serious matters, March 7th had refrained from interfering.
Now, however, Lingsha's words provided the perfect opening for March 7th to speak up.
You're terrible at getting close to people? That's just perfect!
March 7th leaned closer to Lumina, giving Lingsha a small smile.
"Heh heh heh, I wasn't finished yet," Lingsha chuckled, brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek. "This humble one isn't good at getting close to people, but with Lady Lumina, such troubles simply don't exist."
"Then why did you suddenly run off earlier?" March 7th asked, her eyes downcast as she wordlessly exposed Lingsha's lie.
"Heh heh heh, it was just... a bodily reflex." As someone who could become the Luofu's Cauldron Master, Lingsha was no ordinary person. Faced with March 7th's exposure of her lie, she showed no embarrassment or flushing, only a faint smile.
"Oh, so your threshold for triggering bodily reflexes is really low, huh?"
March 7th clearly didn't believe a word of it.
Sister Lumina just leaned in and said a few words. Their bodies didn't even touch, and your body reacted like that? Who would believe that?
It couldn't be...
"Alright, March, don't get hung up on whether Lingsha's words are true or false. Just keep them in mind," Lumina interrupted March 7th's thoughts as she was about to connect Lingsha with some "special personality types" she'd encountered online.
Simultaneously, Lumina's hand, which she had been struggling to suppress, naturally settled on March 7th's head.
As she spoke softly, she gently stroked March 7th's hair.
March 7th, of course, had no objections to this.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm! Sister Lumina is right!" Feeling the warmth on her head, March 7th felt a wave of comfort wash over her.
Too bad it's just a headpat and not a hug... that would have been even better.
After a while, Lumina withdrew her hand and turned her gaze to the battlefield where Yanqing and Yunli were locked in combat.
"The battle's nearly over. Let's head over there now—the timing should be perfect."
Seeing that Yanqing and Yunli's battle had reached a fever pitch, Lumina nodded to Lingsha, March 7th, Dan Heng, and the others.
"Hmm? Going now? Isn't it a bit too risky?" Lingsha asked, her gaze fixed on Yanqing and Yunli, who were about to get serious.
I'm fine, but March 7th and that frail-looking girl might get caught in the crossfire, she thought.
"It'll be fine," Lumina replied, shaking her head dismissively. "They won't really fight."
Lumina had already sensed someone's presence and planned to give her a good scare.
"Let's go," Lumina said, taking the first step toward the battlefield.
March 7th, Dan Heng, and the others, who knew Lumina's strength and trusted her implicitly, followed without hesitation.
Lingsha hesitated only briefly before joining them.
Would an Abundance Emanator lie?