"Alright, everyone, we've explored the Stargazer Navalia thoroughly, and we've even seen the Skysplitter."
"It's time for me to bid you a brief farewell."
Shortly after asking Yunli about her dream and answering Lumina's question about whether children in Yaoqing suffer, Jiaoqiu made no further delays and prepared to depart.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you leaving so soon?!" March 7th exclaimed, jolted out of her thoughts about how to answer Jiaoqiu's question about her own dream. She quickly called out to stop him.
Abandoning any pretense of girlish "shyness," she bluntly stated her real purpose: "You haven't even asked me if I have a dream yet! I've been training really hard too, you know!"
"Heh heh heh, Miss March, unlike you young ones, I'm still an adult with duties to fulfill," Jiaoqiu chuckled, his eyes narrowing into slits that made it impossible for ordinary people to discern his true thoughts.
"The tasks entrusted to me by the General can't be completed automatically."
"To prevent the very thing all adults dread from happening, I'd better hurry and finish these assignments."
Jiaoqiu sighed helplessly, his expression revealing the weary wisdom only adults possess.
"If you need to complete the General's mission, why are you touring the Skysplitter with us?" Yunli asked, waving her hand faintly, clearly unable to grasp what was in this "adult" Jiaoqiu's mind.
"Hahaha, it's all about balancing work and leisure," Jiaoqiu chuckled. "Even without supervision, as long as I finish the mission by the last second before the deadline, that's all that matters."
"Who cares about the process? As long as the mission gets done, no one's going to nitpick the details."
"We're all adults here, we understand each other's struggles. No one will dwell on slacking off during the process."
"Well... that actually makes a lot of sense," March 7th murmured, tapping her finger against her cheek, finding Jiaoqiu's words surprisingly reasonable. She turned her gaze to Sister Lumina, her curiosity piqued. "Sister Lumina, are you like that too?"
Hearing this, and seeing March 7th's slightly expectant expression, Lumina held up two fingers. "First," she declared, "I turned eighteen today. I haven't even experienced the adult world yet, so I can't answer that question."
(Spy-ok old lady)
After saying this, Lumina lowered one finger and continued, "Secondly, please don't generalize Jiaoqiu's personal behavior to the entire group."
With that, Lumina withdrew her fingers.
"Lady Lumina is right," Jiaoqiu nodded in agreement. "This is merely a personal habit of mine and doesn't represent all adults."
"Oh, right, Brother Yanqing," Jiaoqiu turned, taking a step to leave before suddenly remembering something. He turned back and asked Yanqing, "Do many people usually come here to wander around like this?"
Jiaoqiu didn't state it explicitly, but the implication was clear.
"Actually, this place isn't usually allowed to be entered casually," Yanqing scratched his head and answered honestly, completely missing Jiaoqiu's implied meaning. "But since you're all guests, I brought you here to take a look."
"I see... I understand," Jiaoqiu nodded, saying nothing more.
This was ultimately the Luofu's internal matter. After offering a brief warning, Jiaoqiu felt it inappropriate to interfere further.
"Then, I shall take my leave now."
Leaving those words behind, Jiaoqiu waved his hand, his figure gradually vanishing before the group's eyes.
"Ugh... Seriously? I spent ages thinking about my dream, and then he just asked Yunli and left! So annoying!"
Only after Jiaoqiu's figure had completely disappeared did March 7th finally voice her complaint.
"Well then, March, what is your dream?" Lumina asked, gently ruffling March 7th's hair.
Lumina knew that March 7th had been like a student about to be called on by the teacher, racking her brain to come up with the perfect answer, even practicing her posture for delivering it.
But Jiaoqiu only asked Yunli and then left, leaving March 7th visibly crestfallen.
To lift March 7th's spirits, Lumina posed the question herself.
"Hehe, my dream—is to become a legendary hero! Righting wrongs and upholding justice!" Hearing Sister Lumina's gentle and understanding voice, March 7th instantly perked up from her slight dejection.
Feeling the warmth on her head, March 7th declared her dream loudly, passionately, and with unwavering conviction.
"Ah, just as I thought."
March 7th's loud, passionate, and unwavering declaration didn't elicit any reaction from Yanqing or Yunli.
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the unspoken "I knew it" in each other's eyes.
It seemed they had guessed March 7th's answer from the very beginning, even before she had uttered a single word.
Clap, clap, clap!
As Yanqing and Yunli stood speechless, a series of applause erupted.
Snapping out of their daze, they turned to see a blue-haired young girl clapping enthusiastically, her gaze fixed on March 7th with pure admiration and envy.
"March 7th! March 7th! March 7th!"
Little Swarm, now acting like a crazed fan, chanted March 7th's name repeatedly.
"Uh..." Seeing Little Swarm's fervor, March 7th's passionate and resolute expression vanished instantly, replaced by a stammering, bewildered look.
Feeling the hand still stroking her head, March 7th glanced at her beloved Sister Lumina before turning her gaze to Little Swarm.
"Little Swarm," she asked, "who taught you to do that?"
Though she posed the question, March 7th already knew the answer.
"My boss taught me," Little Swarm replied truthfully.
"..."
As expected...
Upon hearing the word "Boss," March 7th and Lumina immediately knew who it was, while Yanqing and Yunli remained somewhat bewildered.
That wretched Stelle is at it again, deceiving and corrupting others!
One day, she'll face divine retribution!