"Ha... ha... ha..."
"Master Yanqing... Master Yunli... Sister Lumina, I..."
In the rear garden of the Palace of Astrum on the Xianzhou Luofu, March 7th gasped for breath, countless beads of sweat trickling down her forehead and cheeks, tracing rivulets across her fair skin before dripping onto the lush green grass.
The damp, sticky sensation against her back made her somewhat uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the high-quality fabric of the clothes Yunli had gifted her prevented the sweat from soaking through to her inner layers.
"Little March, you're exhausted, but you still managed to persevere," Lumina remarked, seizing the opportunity.
Unbothered by March 7th's sweat-soaked state, Lumina leaned closer, pulling the girl into her embrace and supporting her weight.
"Sister Lumina... I'm dirty..." March 7th was startled by her Sister Lumina's sudden actions.
Normally, being suddenly embraced or supported by Sister Lumina would have filled March 7th with joy.
But this was different. Right now, March 7th was drenched in sweat.
Leaving aside whether she was actually dirty, the sweat carried a foul odor. March 7th feared that her beloved Sister Lumina might find her repulsive because of it.
March 7th tried to push Lumina away or use her strength to break free.
But after a grueling demon training session, she was utterly drained, barely able to stand properly, let alone push Lumina away.
"You're not dirty at all, March," Lumina chuckled softly, tightening her grip on March 7th's arm and pulling her even closer. "No matter how you look, even if you're covered in mud, I'll never find you repulsive!"
Lumina inhaled deeply, savoring the rich, youthful fragrance emanating from March 7th.
Hmm... nothing remotely "stinky" or "dirty" about this.
Fragrant and soft, Lumina found herself quite fond of it (scratch that).
It wasn't that Lumina was some kind of pervert; the truth was, even covered in sweat, March 7th was genuinely clean.
Or rather, March 7th's sweat itself carried a sweet, enticing scent that lingered in the air like a tempting perfume.
Again, this wasn't about Lumina being a pervert—it was simply the reality, and she was merely stating a fact.
Moreover...
A beautiful girl is beautiful! No matter how she transforms, she remains beautiful!
Lumina had always believed in this truth, and had even verified it on herself (scratch that).
This was both a fundamental truth and a fact Lumina longed to share with March 7th.
However, expressing such a sentiment would likely brand her as a complete pervert.
Therefore, Lumina ultimately decided against revealing this thought to March 7th.
"Sister Lumina..." Hearing Sister Lumina's words, March 7th immediately felt a warmth bloom in her heart.
After all, Sister Lumina's words were undoubtedly meant to comfort me.
After all, even in my current state, how could Sister Lumina ever look down on me?
The only reason she's saying this is to protect my pride, right?
As March 7th pondered this, she almost moved herself to tears.
"Sister Lumina, thank you!"
"You're the best!"
Snapping out of her reverie, March 7th gave Lumina a heartfelt thank you, her face earnest and sincere.
Despite her gratitude, March 7th refrained from giving Lumina a big hug at such close range.
After all... March 7th felt she couldn't defile Sister Lumina's sacred and pure body with her own filthy and disheveled form.
Lumina: ?
"Hmm?"
Though she didn't understand why March 7th was thanking her, Lumina naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity now that the thanks had been offered.
Lumina's arm, which had been supporting March 7th, tightened around her, and with a gentle tug, she pulled March 7th into her embrace.
Pressing her head close to March 7th's ear, Lumina whispered, "No need to thank me~"
"With our relationship, why would you say thank you?"
Have you ever seen a daughter thank her own beloved mother? Lumina thought to herself, though she didn't voice the words aloud.
"Mmm-hmm!" March 7th murmured, her eyes closing in contentment as she inhaled the familiar scent of Sister Lumina. The warmth radiating from Lumina's embrace seemed to infuse her with renewed strength, banishing the exhaustion that had made standing difficult just moments before.
With Sister Lumina by my side, it's like having the strength of a hundred people!
"Lumina and March 7th are so close," Yunli remarked from the side, watching the two embrace with her hands on her hips. A hint of envy flickered in her eyes, though it was unclear whether she envied March 7th, Lumina, or the bond between them.
"Hmm... does something feel a little off here?" Yanqing glanced at Lumina and March 7th embracing, then at Yunli standing with her hands on her hips, her eyes filled with envy. He scratched his head, a nagging sense that something was amiss.
"What's off about it?" Yunli asked, looking at him quizzically.
"I don't know, it just feels... a little strange?" Yanqing couldn't quite put his finger on what was bothering him.
"Easy! You're just mistaken," Yunli declared, adopting a detective-like expression as she solved the mystery perplexing Yanqing.
"Hmm, you're probably right. I must be mistaken," Yanqing nodded, convinced by Yunli's logic. He quickly dismissed the thought.
He stood quietly, watching the pair before him, waiting for them to separate so he could share his summary of the day's events.