“Little March, Dan Heng, you’ve both worked hard.”
Himeko discreetly brought her exchange with Xu Zixuan to a close and turned her gentle gaze toward March 7th and Dan Heng.
Getting too entangled with a Masked Fool would only result in becoming their entertainment.
Even if Xu Zixuan denied it repeatedly, that mask slipping out of his pocket made it truly difficult to believe him.
That being the case, keeping some distance was perhaps the wisest choice.
Xu Zixuan: “…”
He sighed helplessly.
Why was telling the truth so difficult?
Where was the most basic trust between people?
Xu Zixuan hung his head in dejection and let out a fake sob.
“Ah…
Himeko, if only you had come sooner!”
“I’m absolutely worn out this time…”
March 7th’s shoulders drooped as she let out a feeble, exhausted sigh.
This was the first time she had ever felt so thoroughly drained in spirit.
She was supposed to be the one always brimming with boundless energy!
“Now you finally know what it feels like to have an unreliable teammate on the squad, huh?” Xu Zixuan couldn’t resist chiming in.
“You still have the nerve to say that?!” March 7th shot him an annoyed glare.
“Just who exactly is it that’s so unreliable!”
“Ehe!” Xu Zixuan grinned, playing dumb.
“What’s with that ‘ehe’?!
Why does that sound so punchable?!” March 7th was utterly speechless.
Forget it.
She wasn’t going to bicker with this Fool.
She’d definitely just become his entertainment again, hadn’t she?
Looking back on it, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got!
Himeko was still the best.
Himeko, cuddles~
“That last wave of the Antimatter Legion was absolutely swarming like locusts!”
“I use a bow, you know.
Clearing the field was exhausting!”
March 7th threw herself into Himeko’s arms and clung to her, complaining in a soft, whining voice.
That soft voice, laced with a hint of petulance, was exceptionally adorable.
“Even if I had come earlier, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been much help.”
Himeko covered her lips in a light laugh, her manner still graceful.
“My orbital cannon can clear a wide swath, but if Herta came back and saw the space station in this state, she’d definitely settle accounts with us.”
“Hello to you both.
We meet for the first time.
I’m Himeko, the navigator of the Astral Express.” After exchanging pleasantries with March 7th, Himeko cast her gentle gaze toward Stelle and Caelus.
“Along the way, Little March didn’t cause you any trouble, did she?” Himeko looked at the lively March 7th and asked with a smile.
“Hmm—you’d better think very carefully before you answer~” March 7th immediately put on a playfully menacing expression.
“A wonderfully spirited young lady.” Stelle answered with a grin.
“That’s right, that’s right.
Her mouth never stopped once the entire way.” Caelus also nodded in agreement.
“But that’s exactly March 7th’s charm,” Xu Zixuan sighed with heartfelt admiration.
“Who wouldn’t love such a lively and adorable girl?”
“Hehe, I’m still young, after all.
Gotta be full of youthful vigor and charge straight ahead!”
“And—don’t think just because you praised me a couple of times, I’ll be happy!”
March 7th scratched her head.
Though her mouth said that, she couldn’t hide the smile blooming on her face.
Oh well.
Since you put it that way…
I suppose I can reluctantly forgive you!
The corner of Dan Heng’s mouth twitched slightly, a faint smile also present on his face.
“Young people really do hit it off so easily.
It seems you’ve all gotten quite familiar with each other.”
“Come on.
Asta is still waiting for you.
She’s been worried sick.”
Himeko smiled and called everyone to head together to the Master Control Zone.
Soon, they met Asta, who was in the middle of directing operations.
She wore a uniform distinct from that of ordinary staff members.
An elegant skirt paired with black-and-gold thigh rings.
Her design-conscious little heels were both graceful and practical.
Beneath the uniform, a girlish petticoat and cute little leather shoes faintly revealed a delicate, playful charm she couldn’t quite hide.
“Station Lead Asta—we’re back!” March 7th waved, full of her usual pep.
“Phew…
you’ve all returned safely.
That’s all that matters…” Asta turned around and saw March 7th.
She was just about to mention that Arlan had already reported on the situation in the Storage Zone—
Xu Zixuan suddenly stepped forward, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace Asta.
“Rich lady~ hungry~ food~ wuwu…”
Xu Zixuan blinked his eyes, deliberately drawling out his syllables, and approached Asta with open arms, putting on the most pitiful act imaginable.
“Huh?!” Asta was so startled by his sudden advance that she stumbled back half a step, a blush rising to her cheeks.
Flustered and at a loss, her hands nervously clutched at her skirt.
Himeko: “…” (Facepalm)
Dan Heng: “…” (Looked away)
Stelle and Caelus’s eyes lit up.
Caelus whipped out that ever-present notebook at lightning speed and scribbled furiously: Social Technique: Appropriate displays of vulnerability and onomatopoeic words can effectively close the distance.
“Hey, Xu Zixuan, stop going crazy!
You’re scaring Asta!”
“Can’t you just talk like a normal person?!” March 7th hurriedly blocked Xu Zixuan.
“Can’t help it,” Xu Zixuan instantly switched personas and stated with utter seriousness, “Charming words, I may not know how to speak.
But a charming person…
is speaking right now.”
Himeko: “…”
Thank goodness Xu Zixuan hadn’t used this mode when conversing with her earlier, or else she likely would have struggled to maintain her elegance.
Stelle and Caelus seemed to have discovered a door to an entirely new world, absorbing this “knowledge” with ravenous thirst.
Take notes.
Take notes on everything!
Kafka: Oh no!
The two kids are about to pick up his nonsense!
“Is this gentleman a member of your Express crew…?” Asta forced an awkward smile and probed cautiously.
Originally, she had felt that the space station had some shortcomings in its security and had envied how every member of the Astral Express Crew was so highly capable…
Now, it seemed perhaps psychological evaluations during staff onboarding were equally important.
“He’s not with our Express.
We found him right here on your Herta Space Station.” March 7th hurriedly disavowed any connection.
“Ha?!
On our Herta Space Station?!” Asta looked as if she’d been struck by lightning.
From now on, pre-employment screening absolutely must be intensified!
Absolutely!
“Wuwuwu, Station Lead Asta, you’re disgusted by me…” Xu Zixuan immediately put on a heartbroken expression.
“Ah, you…”
“Actually, I’m not disgusted by you at all…”
Looking at that utterly devastated expression on Xu Zixuan’s handsome face, and recalling that phrase “rich lady, hungry” from moments ago, Asta’s cheeks couldn’t help but flush with a faint rosiness.
Her voice softened considerably.
“Asta, be careful he doesn’t trick you.
He loves teasing people like this for fun.”
“I’m telling you, he’s very likely a Masked Fool.” March 7th quickly grabbed Asta’s hand to share intelligence, terrified that Asta would be led astray by him.
“Huh?” Asta froze.
“There’s a Masked Fool on Herta Space Station?”
“Alright, alright.
I’ve told you, I’m really not a Masked Fool.” Xu Zixuan once again made a solemn declaration.
“But I’m indeed not a staff member of the space station either.
I was teleported here by Aha.”
“Ha?!
Teleported here by Aha?!”
A thin sheen of sweat beaded on Asta’s forehead.
Her voice carried a fluster of disbelief.