Chapter 104: Getting on the Bus

Some time later, the long-awaited shuttle finally arrived.

It was a uniquely designed floating bus, an asset of Sigma Hero Company. Usually, it served as the mobile base for the Sigma series, and this time, Dream Hero was hitching a ride.

The three of them went downstairs with varying degrees of excitement. Clara only had a backpack, but Lucia and Fran each carried a large rolling suitcase plus a backpack. This made Dammo Ogata, who was there to see them off, unable to resist asking:

“What’s all this?”

“Equipment~”

“Are you planning to be photographers too?”

Fran simply replied, “The filming of the show will of course be handled by your professionals, but I also brought equipment to shoot some promotional videos for Clara and the like.”

Using hidden cameras to shoot promotional videos was quite something.

Dammo Ogata took no issue with it and helped load Lucia’s and Fran’s rolling suitcases into the luggage compartment beneath the shuttle bus before leading the three of them aboard.

Though it looked like a bus, the interior space was more like a lounge. The bright interior decor matched the tech style of the Sigma series. The vehicle was spacious, with seats on both sides that could rotate 360°, so whether looking out the window or facing the center was no problem.

However, the number of seats was fewer than a regular bus, only about a dozen or so, so after four people got on, it felt a bit cramped.

“Wow! This bus can even maintain exoskeleton armor, and the instruments for adjustment are all so advanced. I really want to take it apart and see the structure… but, it must be expensive, right?”

As for Lucia, she looked like she was about to drool.

Only three from Dream Hero were sent, but the Sigma company’s staff weren’t many either.

One photographer, one stylist, one exoskeleton mechanic, and one manager—the same beautiful people seen backstage last time. The gentleman producer S was also not present in person.

“Little miss, are you a mechanic too?”

A blonde mechanic woman with a baseball cap spoke to Lucia. Lucia nodded timidly.

The Sigma mechanic then said, “The mobile storage is also one of our company’s creations. I’m glad you can appreciate its value. But this floating vehicle can’t travel on the moon. Once you get to the lunar bus station, you’ll have to transfer to a special lunar bus.”

“That’s still impressive!”

Lucia immediately sat down next to the mechanic.

She was a friendly big sister type, with a lot of experience, which was reassuring for Lucia, who wanted to learn some technical skills from this opportunity.

Clara also found a seat but was stopped by Dammo Ogata.

“Wait, Miss Clara.”

“Huh?”

“Your seat is over there.”

Ogata pointed to a side where four people from the Sigma series were sitting in a row. There was an empty seat after Pure White Storm.

“On the way to the resort, from now on, recording will begin…”

As Clara sat down, the four beside her waved.

At the fan meeting incident, the Red Scarlet Star and others had also met Clara, so they naturally remembered this brave little girl. They had initially thought of her as strange, but after learning she was a magical girl, they felt even more friendly.

Red Scarlet Star, as the team captain, greeted her openly: “Miss Clara, long time no see. I never thought we’d have a chance like this… I hope we can get along well and have a wonderful week.”

Pure White Storm even reached out to pat Clara’s head, though the gesture felt more like petting a stray street cat. He even seriously praised her:

“Miss Clara, you’re still so cute.”

“Thank you.”

Being called cute didn’t make Clara happy.

As the calm and rational representative of the team, Azure Cavalier pushed up his glasses and reminded her:

“I remember, you’re a hero who needs to keep her identity secret, right? I suggest you transform first so you don’t expose your true face on camera.”

?!

That remark woke Clara up.

Due to data origins, her transformed appearance was very close to Magical Girl Kamui.

And Azure Cavalier had worked with Kamui before. He had even been fooled by someone pretending to be Kamui. With this hero’s profile, if he saw Clara’s face, he could figure it out pretty easily…

Although “Magical Girl Clara’s” battle outfit included a gas mask, she couldn’t wear the gas mask throughout the filming, could she? She couldn’t eat wearing it either?!

Oh no! What should she do?!

Nyx A Dream, save me!

【Just transform, Nyx will figure out a way…】

Eh, really?!

Given Nyx’s usual unreliability, Clara still didn’t fully trust him deep down.

But under the circumstances, she couldn’t refuse.

After all, from the very start, this was part of the variety show.

“So, I’m transforming now?”

This was not only a reminder to the others but also to Nyx.

Clara raised her hand, and a black magical gem appeared on her wrist. Then the gem detached from her bracelet and transformed with a bling-bling effect into the Ink-Dyed Staff.

Next, a splash of black ink burst out and wrapped around Clara. When the ink faded, she had transformed into “Magical Girl Clara.”

However, this time, she was wearing a fully covered black gas mask.

Dammo Ogata asked, “Huh? That was quick! You didn’t have to dance and shout ‘Between black and white!’ this time? Why a full-cover mask?”

“Please spare me the dance and chant!”

Last time Nyx had forced her to do that, and this time she wasn’t going to do something so awkward again.

“As for this mask, just let me keep a bit of mystery for a while, okay?”

“Oh! As a gimmick for the show?”

Ogata nodded, surprisingly accepting it just like that.

Clara herself didn’t know how she looked. Nyx’s “way” wouldn’t be just putting on a full gas mask, would it?

Dissolving the Ink-Dyed Staff, Clara sat back down in her magical girl form.

Then, a palm-sized drone rose smoothly from the photographer’s hand and began agilely flying around.

“This ‘Dragonfly’ is specially designed for indoor filming. It’s very light, fast, and silent, with an excellent TOF system. It’s almost impossible to catch—”

Before Dammo Ogata finished, Clara’s tentacle suddenly shot out from her hair and wrapped around the ‘Dragonfly’ drone.

“Uh? Wow!”

Even the Sigma team looked surprised.

Clara was very skilled at catching fly-sized things.

Back in the countryside, to let her little sister sleep soundly, she often fought off flies and mosquitoes all night long.

A drone this big was nothing compared to flies.