"Herta..."
"Why are you so far away? I'm not going to eat you."
Okhema. In the room. On the bed.
After both had finished bathing, the two finally lay down on the same bed, just as they had wished.
But...
Because the bed was enormous, even though they shared it, the distance between them made it seem as if they were sleeping separately.
The bed was four meters long and three meters wide—large enough to comfortably fit seven or eight people.
So, when it was time to sleep, Lumina had plopped down right in the middle of the bed and gestured for Herta to join her.
But the clever Madam Herta had played a little trick.
She lay down at the very edge of the bed, so close that a single turn would send her tumbling to the floor.
Though they were on the same bed, their bodies were separated by about a meter of space.
Lying there, they couldn't even catch each other's scent.
How could this possibly count as sleeping together?
Well...
Alright, they could smell each other's scent.
They just had to bury their heads under the covers to do it.
The scent was actually quite strong. With the blanket trapping the fragrance, inhaling it felt as if Herta were right beside her.
But Lumina, as the esteemed Holy Maiden, would never do something so undignified.
Even though she desperately wanted to...
She had to maintain her composure in front of Herta.
So, she looked at Herta perched on the edge of the bed and gestured impatiently for her to come closer.
"Beg me. If you beg me, I'll come over," Herta teased, adopting a playful tone, clearly trying to toy with Lumina.
She was signaling that Lumina had to plead for her to move.
But was that really what she wanted?
"I'm begging you, my dearest Madam Herta. Please come over."
"I can't sleep without you by my side."
When Lumina actually uttered those pleading words, Herta's stunning face froze in shock.
She seemed completely unprepared for Lumina to say such a thing.
After snapping back to reality, Herta became flustered and fidgety.
"You... you're really something else."
"S-since... since you've begged me so earnestly, the great Madam Herta isn't... isn't unable to agree."
Herta felt a sudden urge to retreat.
But she had already laid down the challenge. If she backed down now, wouldn't that mean she was scared of Lumina?
So, Herta couldn't retreat.
But... while she couldn't retreat, she didn't quite dare to advance either.
Herta had to admit it: she was being a bit of a wimp.
If she had a mindset like Ruan Mei's, she'd probably already be doing... unspeakable things with Lumina by now.
But "if" was ultimately just an "if"—a mere fantasy.
In reality, there was no "if."
So, Herta had to move forward. She had to overcome the "wimpiness" in her heart and advance.
At the very least...
She couldn't let Lumina look down on her!
With this thought, Herta steeled herself as if making a momentous decision.
Scoot your butt, move your body. Scoot your butt again, move your body again. Herta began to inch her way from the edge of the bed toward Lumina in the center.
Herta was moving. Herta had conquered the cowardice in her heart and was taking action.
Except...
Her movements were incredibly, incredibly, incredibly slow.
If Lumina weren't someone extraordinary, she wouldn't have even noticed Herta's position changing at all.
"Are you a snail or something?" Lumina drawled, lying on her side on the bed. She watched Herta's slow, wriggling advance toward her, her gaze dropping in mild exasperation.
At this rate, Lumina thought, I wonder if she'll even reach me by tomorrow morning.
Hmm... speaking of which.
Does Okhema even have a concept of 'night'?
After silently roasting Herta's performance, Lumina glanced out the window. The sky outside was still bathed in the same perpetual dawn as when she'd first arrived.
She then looked at the clock on the wall.
The hand pointed to XI—eleven o'clock.
Whether it was morning or evening, Lumina couldn't tell. The clock only had the Roman numerals I through XII, with no indication of AM or PM.
So, Lumina extended her Perception to gauge the state of life in Okhema. She found that about half the population was at home, while the other half was at work.
Hmm... looks like Okhema operates on a shift-work system?
Lumina hadn't delved deep enough to know for sure.
Besides, none of that was the point.
The point was Herta, right here in front of her.
"Sigh..."
Lumina sighed, watching Herta continue her slow crawl despite her teasing. She couldn't help but feel resigned to Herta's behavior.
It's just sharing a bed. Why is she acting like she's marching into battle?
Lumina just couldn't understand it.
We're just lying on the same bed. It's not like we're going to do anything.
And we're still fully clothed. No one's taking anything off.
What's there to be so shy about?
Lumina was utterly baffled.
If we were naked in the same bed, then I'd get it.
Because even I'd be super shy in that situation...
But right now? What the hell is she blushing for?
Lumina silently roasted Herta again.
Finally losing patience, she scooted forward, wrapped a strong arm around Herta's soft body, and pulled her into an embrace. Then, she carried her back to the center of the bed.
"!"
Ignoring Herta's frozen form, Lumina continued her maneuver. To prevent Herta from escaping to the edge again, she decided to place her on the inside.
So, with a swift roll, Lumina pinned Herta beneath her.
"!"
"L-Lumina, wh-what are you... what are you doing?!"
Startled by Lumina's sudden move, Herta had to admit she was flustered.
But for some reason, despite Lumina's actions, Herta felt no desire to resist...
Maybe... I'm sick?
The thought flickered through Herta's mind for only a few seconds, a brief moment of confusion and struggle.
Then, she let it go, having reached a conclusion.
Herta closed her eyes, her stiff body instantly relaxing. She melted onto the bed like a soft puddle of clay.
"L-Lumina..."
"B-Be gentle... I... I've never... done this with anyone before."
Herta whispered the words, eyes shut, face flushed crimson.
"?"
A giant question mark slowly materialized above Lumina's head.
What's going on in Little Herta's mind now?
Without the ability to read minds, Lumina was genuinely curious about Herta's thoughts.
What could she possibly be thinking to say something so utterly bizarre?
But unfortunately, Lumina couldn't know.
Given how well she knew Herta, Lumina was certain that even if she asked, Herta would never tell her.
So, there was no point in wasting her breath.
Without overthinking it, Lumina pushed Herta further into the bed, then rolled off her and lay down beside her.
She turned on her side and pulled Herta into her arms.
"Well then," Lumina murmured.
"Good night, Little Herta."
With that, Lumina hugged Herta tightly and closed her eyes.
"?"
Feeling Lumina's embrace but sensing no further action, Herta was somewhat confused.
After a moment's hesitation, she opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Lumina's face—a sight she could never tire of, no matter how many times she looked at it.
"..."
Herta realized that Lumina's eyes were closed, her breathing steady as she held her. She had clearly drifted off to sleep.
Staring at Lumina's sleeping face, which was as beautiful as a masterpiece painting, Herta recalled her own actions and thoughts just moments ago...
Instantly, the blush on her cheeks deepened at a visible rate, growing hotter and redder.
Finally, when the heat on her face surpassed a certain threshold, Herta lost all sensation in it.
It was as if her face had been burned away by the intense shame welling up inside her.
Seriously... what on earth was I doing just now?
Herta grumbled internally, wishing she could travel back in time and punch her past self...
How could I possibly say something like that?
You're Herta! How could you say something like that?
It would be one thing if no one was around, or if it were just the dolls.
But how could you say that right in front of Lumina?
Doesn't that basically tell Lumina she can do whatever she wants with me?
Doesn't that basically tell Lumina that from now on, she's my older sister?
How could this happen? This is absolutely unacceptable!
Herta screamed silently in her mind. The "remorse" for her actions caused the temperature of her face to drop, and sensation gradually returned.
Her lips parted as if to say something, but finding no words, she closed them again a moment later.
Forget it...
It's not like I just met Lumina today.
Herta sighed silently, realizing she was utterly helpless against Lumina's actions.
Just say it outright?
Wouldn't that be like exposing myself completely?
Herta wasn't that foolish.
...Though she had already been foolish once tonight.
"Good night."
Feeling the warmth radiating from Lumina, Herta's heart gradually calmed.
A moment later, nestled in Lumina's arms, Herta closed her eyes, relaxed her mind, and drifted off to sleep.
"..."
Phew... That scared me to death.
Not long after Herta fell asleep, Lumina, who had been feigning sleep with her eyes tightly shut, suddenly opened them. Gazing at the peacefully sleeping Herta, she let out a silent sigh of relief.
Seriously, this Little Herta... why is she exactly like Little Ruan Mei?
Recalling Herta's earlier words, Lumina's face flushed red.
What's the difference between what Herta just did and what Ruan Mei did back on the Xianzhou? she wondered.
Lumina wasn't an idiot. How could she not understand Herta's blatant words?
It was written all over Herta's face. It would have been rude not to notice, wouldn't it?
Lumina admitted she had zero practical experience.
But Lumina had theoretical knowledge.
Doesn't Herta's behavior just now count as a form of theoretical knowledge?
Fortunately, Herta hadn't noticed that detail at the time.
If Herta had noticed, and then, while I was "asleep," decided to do something...
...Should I resist?
But if I resisted, wouldn't that prove I was only pretending to sleep...?
Forget it.
There were no "what ifs."
In today's confrontation, Madam Herta, I am the victor.
Lumina stopped overthinking and let the matter rest.
She closed her eyes again and sank into a deep sleep.
Lumina now understood Herta's feelings for her.
Compared to Ruan Mei, Herta was serious—not just playing around.
But Lumina couldn't offer an answer, nor could she give a response.
She didn't share those feelings, but she wouldn't tell Herta that, nor would she explicitly reject her.
At least, that was her thinking for now.
This wasn't Lumina being a heartbreaker.
It was about not wanting to hurt Herta.
Cuddling like this is actually quite nice.
As for the future...
Lumina knew this couldn't be kept secret for long.
There's a threshold for how much emotion one can bear. As feelings accumulate over time, they will eventually break through that threshold.
Once that threshold is broken, Herta will unleash all the emotions she's been holding back.
On that day, Lumina will have no choice but to reveal her true feelings to Herta.
And upon hearing them, Herta... who knows what she might do.
But no matter what Herta might do, Lumina wouldn't let her do anything foolish.
So, the day Herta's emotional threshold breaks will surely be a day filled with sorrow and grief...
But that had nothing to do with the Lumina of the present.
Since it's a problem for the future, I'll let my future self handle it.
For now, Lumina just needed to enjoy her happy life as Herta's "best friend"...
-
Knock, knock, knock!
An unknown amount of time had passed.
In Okhema, a land of eternal dawn, it was impossible to tell time by the color of the sky. People could only rely on a twelve-hour clock.
"Hmm? Who's there?" Hearing the sound, Herta groggily opened her eyes in Lumina's embrace.
Looking at Lumina, who was still asleep beside her, Herta gently nudged her. "Lumina, wake up. Someone's here."
They were positioned with Lumina holding Herta in her arms.
Herta couldn't get up unless Lumina let go.
So, she had to wake Lumina first.
"Mmm? What's wrong?" Hearing Herta's voice, Lumina murmured softly like a little lamb.
Though she slowly opened her eyes, they were still hazy with sleep.
"Someone's here. Judging by their aura..."
"Hmm..." Herta focused on the presence she sensed outside the door.
"It's the people we're looking for."
"The people we're looking for?" Hearing this, the still-drowsy Lumina was confused.
"Sister Lumina, is that you? Are you in there?"
But soon, a familiar voice drifted in from outside the door, and Lumina instantly became wide awake.
"Is that Stelle and the others?"