Bang—smack!—
A small-scale brawl broke out inside the base.
Imaginary energy, magic, and sorcery flew everywhere. If not for the sturdy shields, the entire building would have been flattened.
Five minutes later.
"Stop!—"
"If we keep fighting, this is going to turn into a Khorne championship tournament, hey!"
Gudako shouted loudly, and the three of them stopped at the same time.
In terms of pure strength, Gudako, piloting a Gundam, was clearly superior.
However, what Setsuna had them control was the Path of Elation, not selecting a Destruction Emanator or a Khorne champion.
Even if she really knocked the other two down and went to find Setsuna, she would probably end up locked in solitary confinement.
"Did you forget what the Commander said? Only the most joyful person can control his Path."
Sparkle adjusted her hair.
"So, we should decide the winner through Elation."
"Mm."
Gudako and Stelle both deeply agreed with this civilized approach.
"Do you have any suggestions?"
"Hoo—"
Sparkle looked at the two of them, a sly smile on her face.
"Of course, we compete to see who is more joyful!"
"Let's see who can direct a more exciting script and create more joy on the stage."
"Only the one who reaches the pinnacle of Elation deserves to control its Path."
"Oh, that makes sense."
Gudako thought for a moment.
"So we just need to find some big fun, right? Is there any standard?"
"...Wait, huh?"
The three of them instantly figured it out.
The most valuable approach was naturally to mess with the Aeon of Elation.
"That's right!"
"Whoever can trick the Commander is the true embodiment of Elation!"
The little girl waved her finger.
"Mm... that works!"
Stelle and Gudako quickly reached a consensus with Sparkle.
Messing with the Commander sounded a bit rebellious, but it was an extremely difficult task.
Even Aha hadn't succeeded.
Whoever managed it would undoubtedly prove they had surpassed Aha and were the true master of Elation.
"We'll compete using the philosophy of the Masked Fools. The winner controls the Path of Elation, and the other two become her Emanators~"
"Agreed."
Clap!—
The three of them solemnly signed an agreement on the holographic interface.
"Will we get beaten by the Commander if we're discovered? What if he exiles me like Aha?"
The little gray-haired girl trembled.
"Just don't go too overboard. In my experience, you'll just get some physical discipline. Remember to train your body well."
Gudako replied.
"Pfft—"
Sparkle felt like she had found a massive source of fun.
This competition was fun. Watching Gudako and Stelle perform was also fun. The whole thing combined was super fun.
She laughed so hard her stomach hurt, nearly rolling on the ground in excitement.
"Then, you—no, we—let's do our best?"
...
"Hmm..."
As a newly joined member of the Starsea Empire.
Sparkle decided to first understand the Starsea Empire, especially Setsuna.
Her failure during their first meeting could be attributed to insufficient information. She hadn't had any chance to come into contact with him before.
Now, she had enough information to analyze him.
"Hmm... Commander, what kind of person are you? And what do you like? ..."
She carefully observed everyone in the base.
Trying to analyze them, imitate them, and pick the most suitable role to play.
A Masked Fool's performance required the right role. She couldn't just prank the Commander using her own identity.
Sparkle possessed the ability of a thousand roles in one. Most roles came to her effortlessly, and she could imitate them perfectly.
However, the various "monsters" in the Starsea Empire gave her a headache.
"Let me see... shipgirls? They can casually transform into starships and humans?! ...No, that's way too hard!"
"Angeloids? ...Aren't those mechanical lifeforms?!"
"Tohru? Uh, she doesn't look easy to mess with..."
"Hmm, maybe I should just find some normal people..."
Before long, she found a few suitable targets.
...
"Commander, um, thank you very much for taking care of me."
"I wanted to... thank you again."
Inside the base.
Setsuna looked somewhat surprised at the silver-haired girl in front of him.
After being cured of Entropy Loss Syndrome, Firefly seemed much livelier, no longer carrying that faint melancholy from before.
"How does it feel to live as Firefly instead of SAM?"
He beckoned, and Firefly obediently walked over.
"Mm."
"It felt a little unfamiliar at first. I spent too long inside the medical pod."
Firefly answered softly.
"But now I can use my own body to feel sunlight, the breeze, and the earth. At night, I don't have to return to the pod to sleep anymore."
"For the first time, I feel like I'm truly alive. Thank you, Commander."
The girl's blue-purple eyes shimmered, sincere and genuine.
Setsuna had essentially given her a second life, changing the fate that was originally destined for destruction.
"That's good."
Setsuna gently patted her head and smoothed her hair.
"Although SAM is pretty cool, you look better like this."
"Mm..."
Firefly blushed and lowered her head.
An innocent girl like her was dozens of levels below Setsuna.
"Mm... thank you, Commander. If there's anything you need me to do, please feel free to assign it."
"I can handle missions like the ones I did as a Stellaron Hunter before, or escort the Astral Express if needed."
"You've taken such good care of me, I really..."
"No need for now."
Setsuna smiled.
"For fighting tasks, we have a space fleet. The Astral Express also has enough combat power."
"Oh, if you want to go out and take a look, you can go with Kafka and Silver Wolf. The Astral Express is heading to Jarilo-VI in a few days."
"Mm... I'd like to stay here a bit longer."
Firefly thought for a moment, twisting the hem of her clothes shyly.
"...Commander, if you have time, I'd like to go for a walk with you on the Xianzhou. Mm, I'll cover the expenses!"
"Or if you want to go to Penacony or somewhere else, that's fine too. I... I want to thank you!"
"Oh."
Facing Firefly's invitation, Setsuna had no reason to refuse.
He glanced at his schedule.
"Sure. Tomorrow."
"Mm!"
Firefly nodded, clearly in a much better mood.
On the way back, she contacted Silver Wolf and Kafka.
"Do you know any good restaurants on the Xianzhou? And what does the Commander usually like to eat? ..."
"???"
Silver Wolf was full of question marks.
"Firefly, what are you trying to do?!"
"Oh..."
On a nearby rooftop, Sparkle sat at the edge, swinging her legs as she watched the expectant Firefly.
"Wow, so this firefly girl is actually a Stellaron Hunter?"
"A frail, sickly beauty developing unclear feelings toward the Commander who cured her... what a touching and classic setup."
"Looks like the Commander also quite likes that firefly girl? ...Then what is he planning to do... hmm?"
"Ha!"
Sparkle suddenly came up with a brilliant prank idea.
She jumped down in a flash, giggling as her figure vanished.
"Perfect, count me in~"
...
Early the next morning.
When Setsuna walked out of the administrative center, Firefly was already waiting at the edge of the Delve.
She was still wearing her gradient blue-green short dress, paired with a black jacket and over-the-knee socks, gentle and adorable.
"Commander!"
Firefly jogged over.
"I've never been to the Xianzhou before. It's so big... even bigger than Penacony!"
"The Xianzhou itself is like a gigantic starship, and inside it there are so many small worlds. You even need to take ships just to move around inside..."
Having only recently regained her freedom, Firefly was full of curiosity about everything.
"Where do you want to go?"
Setsuna asked with a smile.
"Hmm... I asked Silver Wolf, and she said people on the Xianzhou usually go to Starskiff Haven and the Exalting Sanctum. The food there is very unique. If there's time, I also want to visit the Alchemy Commission..."
"Also, I heard that Day and Night Avenue is the busiest place in the Starskiff hub, and the night view there is beautiful..."
She counted on her fingers while planning the itinerary, then suddenly shook her head.
"Ah, wait, that's not right. I was supposed to thank you, but it sounds like I'm asking you to accompany me instead. You must be very busy, Commander. I shouldn't take up too much of your time..."
"It's fine."
Setsuna reached out and patted Firefly's head.
"I still have time to go on a date with you."
"Eh?"
"A... date? ..."
Firefly blushed at his casual teasing, lowering her head as she softly agreed.
Whoosh—
The Starskiff departed from the Delve and soon arrived near Starskiff Haven.
Shops lined both sides of the street, and the noise of tourists and merchants rose and fell in waves. The countless strange and novel items dazzled Firefly.
"This is wonderful."
Firefly spoke sincerely.
Immersed in the lively atmosphere of everyday life, she could truly feel that she was "alive."
Unlike when she had been in the medical pod, where everything in the outside world felt distant and irrelevant.
"Here."
Setsuna casually bought some snacks and handed them to Firefly. She accepted them happily, savoring each bite with care.
These were all things she had never seen in Penacony.
Before she knew it, her arm had slipped around Setsuna's.
When she looked up and saw that he didn't mind or reject her, Firefly edged even closer.
"Sacrosanct!"
The Cloud Knights of the 593rd unit snapped to attention when they saw Setsuna and greeted him.
Setsuna waved his hand, signaling them to carry on as usual.
"Commander, you've taken such good care of me. I'd like to give you a gift."
As they walked, Firefly suddenly spoke.
"I asked around the Xianzhou, and everyone said there's a shop here with a complete selection, fair prices, and a very kind owner."
"It's just that the business is so good that everything needs to be reserved in advance."
"Mm."
Seeing Firefly so excited, Setsuna couldn't help but smile.
He didn't particularly need any Xianzhou specialty. Still, it was the girl's heartfelt gesture.
Following Firefly through the winding paths of Day and Night Avenue, they eventually arrived at a shop tucked away on a side street.
She waved inside.
"Miss shopkeeper, is the item I reserved two days ago ready?"
"Mm, coming~"
A crisp and gentle voice came from inside the shop.
Then, a foxian girl dressed in dark Xianzhou attire, holding a folding fan, stepped out.
"Oh, you're the customer from the other day?"
"Don't worry, don't worry. The item you requested has already been prepared..."
Tingyun greeted Firefly, but when her gaze met Setsuna's, she froze.
"Eh? My dear husband?"
"...?"
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Tingyun looked at Setsuna, then at Firefly, who was clinging to his arm with unmistakable girlfriend vibes, and stood there stunned.
She felt as if she had just been cuckolded.
Although Setsuna had many girls around him, bringing one along while she was minding the shop somehow felt like a blatant display right in front of her.
"Weren't you handling official business at the garrison?"
"I took some time off today to look around."
Setsuna cleared his throat.
"Miss shopkeeper, what did you just call the Commander?"
Firefly asked, completely confused.
"Husband, of course!"
Tingyun flicked her ears, closed her folding fan, and lightly poked Setsuna's chest, pouting slightly.
"My dear husband, bringing another girl here—are you trying to tell me you've found new love?"
"Eh—eh—eh—eh—eh?!"
Firefly's face instantly turned red.
She had only just begun to harbor a bit of affection for Setsuna, and now she had run straight into the official wife.
"W-What is going on?"
"You... you and the Commander are...?!"
"This little one is Tingyun, an Amicassador of the Sky-Faring Commission. It's exactly what you're thinking."
Tingyun sized Firefly up. Since Firefly had only recently arrived and spent most of her time at the garrison, the two had barely met.
"Hmm... two days ago, when I was tending the shop, she said she wanted to pick out a gift for someone important and asked me for suggestions."
"I asked whether it was for an elder, subordinate, stranger, or client... and well..."
As she spoke, Tingyun instructed a staff member to bring over an exquisite little box and presented it to Setsuna.
Inside was a pair of jade communicators.
They were exquisitely crafted with fine materials, and more importantly, they were clearly a couple's set.
One was engraved with a winged girl symbolizing Firefly, and the other bore a simple figure representing Setsuna.
"She said she wanted to give it to someone very important to her."
Tingyun smiled meaningfully.
"I was wondering which lucky fellow such a beautiful girl had taken a liking to. Who would've thought it was my husband?"
"Hmm... should I praise your good taste, or scold my husband a little?"
She looked at Firefly with a teasing gaze.
"Wah—"
Publicly exposed, Firefly covered her face and tried to run.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know! I really didn't know!!!"
She had originally wanted to surprise Setsuna with a gift as a token of gratitude.
Instead, she had run straight into the official wife—what a disaster.
"It's fine. It's a great gift. Thank you."
Setsuna pulled Firefly back and naturally wrapped an arm around her, accepting the jade communicators.
"Eh?"
Blushing furiously, Firefly glanced at Tingyun.
The foxian girl showed no anger as she had imagined. Instead, she unfolded her fan with a smile, observing her with a hint of curiosity.
"Don't worry. I'm not unreasonable like in those dramas, nor would I dare expect to monopolize all of the Sacrosanct's affection."
"However, Miss Firefly is indeed quite impressive. If you have time someday, do come to the Exalting Sanctum and chat with me."
"I've lived on the Xianzhou Luofu for a long time, and I do find myself a bit envious of the Stellaron Hunters' carefree lifestyle."
With just a few words, the awkward atmosphere eased considerably.
"Eh... I thought..."
Firefly felt that openly taking someone else's husband and not getting into a fight already showed Tingyun's remarkable composure.
"Mm... should I say I'm used to it, or that I was mentally prepared..."
Tingyun thought for a moment. She had been aboard the Eternal Snowfall before.
With so many shipgirls and girls at the garrison, it was impossible for anyone to monopolize the Commander.
"My dear husband, since Miss Firefly invited you today, you must make sure to spend some proper time with me another day."
She smiled slyly at Setsuna.
"Otherwise, this little one would be at a loss."
"Mm."
Setsuna leaned in and kissed her.
"Mm..."
By the time they left Starskiff Haven, Firefly's face was still flushed red.
Her thoughts were in disarray. The date had already run into an unexpected situation right from the start.
Fortunately, Tingyun seemed easygoing and hadn't held it against her.
"Commander... aside from Miss Tingyun, do you have other girlfriends? ..."
Firefly gathered her courage and asked.
"Mm."
"And... who else?"
"There are too many to count right now. Do you want me to give you a list?"
Setsuna chuckled.
"Ah..."
Firefly puffed her cheeks. Instinctively, she felt he was joking, yet it didn't quite sound like one.
"B-But with so many people, how do you..."
"Everyone has asked me a similar question. Come to the Eternal Snowfall or the Theater of Domination once, and you'll understand."
Setsuna pinched her cheek.
"Mm!"
After strolling around the Exalting Sanctum and watching Guinaifen and Sushang perform acts like smashing stones on their chests, eating noodles upside down, brushing their teeth while whistling, and catching bullets with their bare hands...
Firefly checked the time.
"Ah, Commander, it's time for dinner."
"I made a reservation at a restaurant nearby. I heard the food there is quite good."
"Mm."
The Starskiff wove through the air and arrived at the bustling district of the Exalting Sanctum.
In front of a magnificent, golden hotel, crowds of people bustled about.
"So many people! Wait a moment, I'll go ask."
Firefly jumped off the Starskiff and squeezed into the crowd to queue.
"..."
Setsuna had originally wanted to say that with a single word from him, he could clear out the entire restaurant and reserve it exclusively.
But seeing how serious Firefly was, he figured waiting a bit longer was fine.
"Sorry, excuse me!"
The girl weaved through the crowd, glancing at the luxurious meal sets and carefully comparing them with her budget.
She knew Setsuna was very wealthy, but it would only be meaningful if she treated him herself.
"Oh, you'd like to reserve a two-person scenic seat. The cost is..."
"Please wait a moment..."
Because of the large crowd, it took Firefly some time to secure a good spot.
She hurried back excitedly, ready to call Setsuna over.
"Commander, I—"
Suddenly.
Buzz...
She felt a brief dizziness. When she looked up, the Starskiff Setsuna had been on was gone.
"Commander?"
Whoosh—
A pink-haired angel landed beside her.
Firefly recognized her—Ikaros, one of the Angeloids who constantly stayed by Setsuna's side.
"Miss Firefly, Master has an urgent task to handle and is currently heading to Pier Point. He asked me to send you back. My apologies."
Ikaros spoke in a calm, emotionless voice.
"Ah?!"
"Pier Point?!"
Firefly clenched the ticket in her hand.
"Commander? What happened? Do you need my help?!"
"No. Master can handle it. Please return to the garrison for now. Would you like me to arrange an Angeloid to escort you?"
Ikaros replied.
Beep—
Just as Firefly tried to open her holographic interface to contact Setsuna, Ikaros stopped her.
"Please do not disturb Master while he is working."
"Mm..."
Firefly lowered her head, unwilling.
She had finally gotten a chance to ask Setsuna out and spend some time alone with him.
She had even been planning what to do after dinner—perhaps enjoy the scenery together or even take a trip through space.
But things didn't go as she wished.
There was nothing she could complain about. After all, it was normal for the Commander of the Starsea Empire to be busy and encounter sudden situations.
She bit her lip, her expression so aggrieved it looked like she might cry.
In the end, she shook her head.
"Alright... please take good care of the Commander. I... I'll head back first."
Under Ikaros' guidance, Firefly boarded a Starskiff somewhat dejectedly and flew back toward the garrison.
"Heh..."
After the light of the Starskiff disappeared into the distant night sky.
Ikaros tilted her head and let out a soft laugh.
Her form suddenly changed.
A petite girl wearing a short red kimono, with twin tails, stood there.
"Sorry about that, little firefly girl."
Sparkle waved in Firefly's direction from afar.
Putting on her mask, she began transforming again.
She reshaped herself into a silver-haired girl wearing a gradient blue-green short dress.
Her appearance and aura were identical to Firefly's, even her tone and voice perfectly replicated.
At the same time, Sparkle suppressed all her power, ensuring not a single trace of Elation's imaginary energy leaked out.
"Mm, perfect this time."
"Firefly" adjusted her hair and smiled sweetly.
"The Commander's remaining time... belongs to me now~"