"Sorry, sorry, I just thought of something fun just now."
Realizing her thoughts were a bit too presumptuous, Lumina smiled sheepishly and withdrew the emotion that had arisen in her heart.
This allowed Castorice and Polyxia to silently breathe a sigh of relief.
Both Castorice and Polyxia had been subjected to this kind of gaze before, after all, they were super beautiful girls, and being looked at by outsiders with such a gaze was considered quite normal.
And their choice when facing this kind of gaze had always been the same, which was to ignore it and not pay attention.
After all, the eyes were on other people, and besides, Castorice and Polyxia were both the gentle type, so besides turning a blind eye, they had no other way.
They couldn't just go up and give him a hard punch or go up and scold him harshly, could they?
What if that actually gave him a thrill?
So, facing this kind of gaze, the best way was to choose to turn a blind eye.
But facing Lumina, neither Castorice nor Polyxia could completely manage the choice of turning a blind eye.
Under Lumina's intensely aggressive gaze, Castorice and Polyxia's bodies gradually grew hot, and the parts of their brains used for thinking also gradually went blank.
In this state, even a simple math problem like 1+1=2, which they could normally solve in a second, now took both of them several minutes to complete...
To say this state was extremely terrible would be no exaggeration.
What's more... what's more, besides their bodies feeling hot and their minds going blank, there were some other problems.
For example, their bodies also had a slight... tingling sensation, and at the same time, their hands and feet began to become somewhat active, as if they wanted to do something, as if they were waiting for something.
This made Castorice and Polyxia feel extremely uncomfortable.
If Sister Lumina continued to look at them, neither Castorice nor Polyxia could imagine what would happen in the next second.
It would probably be... they would just directly shed their armor from the heat, then throw themselves into Sister Lumina's embrace, using her "ice-cold" body to relieve the heat in their own bodies.
"N-no, it's nothing, Sister Lumina." Thinking about this point, the blush on Castorice and Polyxia's faces grew even deeper.
They first gave a simple gesture, then took deep breaths over and over, adjusting their emotions, before speaking softly to explain, "Lumina has helped both me and Polyxia a lot lately."
"Polyxia and I were thinking we wanted to give something, or help with something, as a thank-you gift."
"After all... after all..." Castorice's face reddened again, her eyes glancing slightly to the side, looking in a diagonal direction, as she whispered softly, "After all, we can't just let Sister Lumina keep giving, while we stay back here silently enjoying your gifts, Sister Lumina."
Of course, there was another reason.
One-sided giving can never last for long.
If you want something to last, you must give "back and forth."
She helped you with a matter, so you should help her complete a matter in return.
If Castorice wanted to maintain an "intimate" state with Sister Lumina, if she wanted to be her good friend and best girlfriend forever, she had to give of herself.
Otherwise... otherwise Castorice would never be able to forgive herself.
"Hmm..." Hearing this, Lumina first pretended to think for a moment.
Under the nervous gazes of Castorice and Polyxia, Lumina thought for a full several minutes.
"Sigh... since you both put it that way."
After a moment, Lumina's expression relaxed, and she sighed quietly.
"I just so happen to have something I need little sister Castorice and little sister Polyxia's help with."
"Please tell us, Sister Lumina." Hearing this, a hint of happiness and joy emerged on Castorice and Polyxia's faces, but it didn't last long.
All these expressions were then replaced by seriousness.
"Hmm... this matter is a bit difficult to explain." A little difficulty showed on Lumina's fair and delicate little face.
"How about..." Lumina paused, drawing out the last syllable.
This stirred the emotions in Castorice and Polyxia's hearts.
"When it's time to sleep tonight, come to my room, and I'll tell you the details?"
"Tonight?" Hearing this, Castorice and Polyxia were both stunned.
They didn't quite understand why this matter had to be discussed at night, in Sister Lumina's room.
Besides... in Okhema, there didn't seem to be such a concept as night, did there?
But no matter what, whether Okhema had a concept of night or not, and no matter why this matter had to be discussed in Sister Lumina's room, Castorice and Polyxia trusted Lumina unconditionally.
How could Sister Lumina, who was so beautiful, so perfect, and so immaculate, ever harm us?
Even if Sister Lumina wouldn't harm us, why were we thinking so much?
All we needed to do was eat our fill and rest well before nightfall, so we could face Sister Lumina in our most perfect and strongest state.
Then, we would complete the task she assigned to us!
No matter what the task was, Castorice and Polyxia would definitely not fail her trust!
Thinking of this, Castorice and Polyxia's expressions remained as serious as ever: "Don't worry, Sister Lumina, no matter what the task is, you can just leave it to us."
"Alright~" After receiving Castorice and Polyxia's firm and serious response, Lumina couldn't help but let the corners of her lips curve slightly upward.
She looked just like a villain whose plan against the protagonists was about to succeed.
Exactly the same, without a doubt.
If this were an anime or a TV drama, Lumina, showing such a posture, would definitely be a supervillain.
The kind that only dies in the final episode.
Hmm... she might even be the kind that kills off the entire main cast in the final episode.
"Hmph."
Castorice and Polyxia didn't know what Lumina's purpose was in asking them to come to her room at night, but Herta knew.
Without a doubt, she was most likely trying to replicate on Castorice and Polyxia what she had previously done to Castorice and Hyacine.
How could Castorice and Polyxia fail to notice something so obvious and ill-intentioned?
Polyxia could be excused, after all, she wasn't particularly familiar with Lumina.
But what about you, Castorice?
Setting aside whether you're familiar or not, you went through that kind of thing in Lumina's room with Hyacine last time, and you still haven't learned your lesson?
Do you even have a brain?
Do you actually have a brain?
Even if you do have a brain, did Lumina kick it out of you!
Herta's heart was full of complaints about Castorice's behavior this time.
Castorice's current appearance reminded Herta of a quote she had seen online.
With this guy's IQ, I could trick her nine times with a single piece of candy.
And all nine times would be with the exact same piece of candy!
Now, isn't Castorice's appearance exactly like what was described?
Hmm... wait.
Herta suddenly remembered.
Actually, there was another sentence after that quote.
It was: "If you trick someone once, twice, or three times, you're pretty impressive. But tricking them nine times... at this point, you should start wondering who is actually tricking whom."
So...
Herta's gaze sharpened as she looked at Castorice with a hint of interrogation, observing her closely.
Could this guy be... doing this on purpose?
Did she actually guess Lumina's intentions all along, and now she's trying to use this to cuddle up close to her?
Hiss...
If that's really the case...
Herta's expression as she looked at Castorice gradually turned solemn.
This person is terrifyingly formidable!
On the outside, she looks like a well-behaved and charming girl, but in reality, her schemes are incredibly deep.
From the first time she met Lumina until now, she has had Lumina completely wrapped around her finger...
Terrifying, truly terrifying!
Of course, this thought was also based on the premise that this was indeed Castorice's intention.
Perhaps Herta was just overthinking it, and Castorice hadn't given it a second thought at all.
She was just that naive sweetie who would be tricked nine times by Lumina with a single piece of candy.
And what was the reality?
"Little sister Castorice is just a naive sweetie. She couldn't possibly come up with such a complex, perfect scheme."
Madam Herta was extremely intelligent and realized this in just a short while.
Her initial guess had been correct: Castorice was undoubtedly a naive sweetie.
Just a naive sweetie who would be tricked nine times by Lumina with a single piece of candy.
Completely immersed in the wonderful atmosphere created by Lumina, Castorice was clearly unable to realize this.
If she could imagine this, with such a terrifyingly smart little head of hers, Lumina would surely meet a complete failure in her life.
Herta was quite looking forward to Lumina's complete failure.
She had originally thought that if Lumina were to meet a complete failure, it absolutely had to be at her own hands!
Witnessing her fail completely before someone else would only make Herta feel terrible.
But after going through a series of events here in Amphoreus, Herta felt that the person who made Lumina meet a complete failure should not be limited to herself.
Anyone could be the one.
As long as she was by Lumina's side when she met her complete failure, that would be enough.
Just as Lumina was about to be counter-attacked after her failure, Herta would rush in to stop it and help her withstand the raging waves that would surge from the disaster.
Then, while Lumina was at her lowest point due to the catastrophic failure, Herta would become the woman behind her, silently comforting her and giving her warmth...
And finally, she would capture Lumina's heart in one fell swoop!
"Lumie..."
The four people on the field each had their own thoughts. While Herta was happily indulging in her fantasies, Hyacine naturally had her own ideas.
She looked at Castorice and Polyxia, then at Lumina, her hands clasped in front of her chest, her lips pressed together as if she wanted to say something.
But she had fallen into a state of inner conflict.
Like Castorice and Polyxia, Hyacine had also received a lot of care from Lumina.
And Hyacine couldn't think of any way to "repay" this care.
Now that she heard Lumie actually needed Castorice and Polyxia's help, Hyacine wanted to volunteer and help Lumie just like Castorice and Polyxia.
But... but Lumie hadn't said anything, so Hyacine felt awkward speaking up.
What if this was a task that only Castorice and Polyxia could complete? Wouldn't her volunteering then be incredibly, incredibly awkward?
But if she said nothing and didn't offer to help, just silently enjoying Lumie's care, it made Hyacine feel somewhat uneasy.
After a moment of struggle and thought, Hyacine came up with a compromise.
She didn't need to mention the specific task that Lumie needed Castorice and Polyxia's help with.
After organizing her words, Hyacine spoke softly, asking Lumina: "Um, Lumie, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Huh?" Hearing this, Lumina feigned confusion again, turning to look at Hyacine with a gaze full of bewilderment.
She asked back in confusion: "Why?"
"I... I..." Feeling Lumina's gaze and hearing her confused question, Hyacine's face flushed red. A burning sensation spread through her whole body, making her lower her head, unable to meet Lumina's eyes.
"I, I'm... just like Castorice and the others."
After a long pause, Hyacine gave an answer exactly like Castorice and Polyxia's.
And in fact, it was true. Hyacine wasn't lying.
The reason she said those words was exactly the same as Castorice and Polyxia's.
They all did it so they wouldn't be the only ones silently enjoying Lumina's care.
"Hmm..." Upon receiving this answer, Lumina did not reply immediately.
Instead, she feigned a thoughtful expression and stared at Hyacine for a moment.
"Ugh..."
Only when Hyacine's head had lowered so much it seemed it would bury itself in her chest the next moment, did Lumina finally speak, nodding in agreement: "Mm, alright."
"The more people the better for this matter, of course." A meaningful smile appeared on Lumina's exquisitely beautiful face.
"If Hyie wants to come, then come. Tonight, come to my room with Castorice, Polyxia, and the others."
Lumina's soft, gentle voice reached Hyacine's ears, and the worry and fear on her face completely vanished, replaced by a wave of joy and happiness.
"Mm-hmm, Lumie, I will definitely go! I will definitely seriously complete this task you want to finish!"
Hyacine's voice was impassioned, filled with the same earnestness as Castorice and Polyxia.
Herta: "?"
Watching the scene unfold, Herta's lips began to twitch uncontrollably once again.
Madam Herta had exceptional control over her facial expressions, but even so, she couldn't hold back this time.
Of course, just like before, this expression wasn't directed at Castorice, Polyxia, or Hyacine, but purely at Lumina.
Two beautiful girls aren't enough for you anymore, are they?
Three beautiful girls coming at once... what exactly are you trying to do?
And "the more the better"... could you even handle a dozen of them?
An Emanator of Abundance is amazing for being "Everlasting Spring," isn't she?!
Hmm... alright, if she truly is Everlasting Spring, then that really is quite impressive.
An image involuntarily surfaced in Herta's mind.
An image of Lumina still at her peak after an entire Amber Era.
An Emanator of Abundance, Everlasting Spring.
For someone like Lumina, who falls in love with every beautiful girl she meets, this is truly a bit overpowered...