Beneath the dome of Central Hub City, it was still noon.
But once outside, the world was blanketed in the endless darkness of night, scattered with myriad stars.
After a simple “lunch,” as a prelude to the main event, Clara was dragged into awkward small talk by several members of the Sigma Series on the road.
Then, somehow, the topic turned to her background. Clearly, she had those strange tentacles, yet she was a magical girl. Such contradictory traits appearing on a delicate, pitiable girl naturally piqued everyone’s curiosity. In her panic, Clara simply blurted out a few random lines.
Azure Cavalier, however, drew a conclusion from this.
“So, Miss Clara’s tentacles have nothing to do with her magical girl powers? Did you first undergo the modification surgery, and only then receive the Magic Gem?”
Clara was honestly afraid this icy, bespectacled heartthrob would deduce something. After all, he’d definitely seen the recording of her battle at the Exhibition Center. Judging from her moves and Divine Might, he just might figure out a thing or two…
So she nodded and, with a smile, quickly added, “No, actually, I was born a freak.”
=
Scarlet Star General, who looked like his brain was packed with muscle, was much more forthright. He even praised her sincerely: “I see! A child born of a freak but who wants to be a hero, and was even chosen by the Magic Gem… Miss Clara, you’re really amazing.”
If one parent is a bioengineered freak, their offspring also has a chance of inheriting the paternal or maternal traits, becoming a natural-born freak. But these children usually look much more like ordinary people…
Just like Clara now—except for a few tentacles in her hair, unless you turn off the lights, you’d never guess she’s a squid freak.
There are plenty of cases where freaks fall in love with ordinary people, so examples like this aren’t rare.
Children of freaks do face discrimination, but not all of them join evil organizations. Some, because they’re born with special powers, even break free of the chains of their identity and use those powers to become real heroes.
So Clara’s explanation was actually pretty easy for people to accept…
But this train of thought raised another question.
“Come to think of it, all of you are heroes, but you walk around all day with your real faces exposed. You appear in public without transforming—aren’t you afraid your families will be targeted and attacked in revenge?”
A hero’s true identity is an absolute secret!
Once exposed, their career as a hero is over!
That’s what everyone generally believes.
But the four of the Sigma Series even hold offline fan meetings out of costume, and usually swagger down the street like it’s nothing. At most, they’ll wear a baseball cap or a mask—if an evil organization really meant business, that kind of disguise would be totally useless.
“Because our situation is rather special…”
Emerald Requiem merely gave a wry smile, trying to end the topic vaguely.
“Anyway, even the Fourth Calamity can’t get any dirt on us, so don’t worry about it, Miss Clara~”
“Hm?”
That’s not fair!
Clara had at least revealed her own background, but now these guys wanted to keep secrets? There should at least be mutual respect!
[Respect gained through lies?]
Ignoring Nyx’s increasingly spiritual sarcasm, Clara turned to Pure White Storm.
“What’s really going on? Even Sista doesn’t want to talk about it?”
When Clara called out that name, the other three’s faces clearly changed, just like Producer S’s expression back in Dream Witch’s conference room…
What hidden story was behind that name?
Pure White Storm looked at the opaque lenses of Clara’s mask.
After a pause, she slowly answered, “Because, our backgrounds are rather special…”
“We’re all orphans.”
In the end, it was Azure Cavalier who interrupted Pure White Storm.
“Since we have no parents or relatives, and normally try our best to avoid contact with ordinary people, naturally there’s nothing to be used against us… Is that the kind of background you wanted to hear?”
As Azure Cavalier spoke, Emerald Requiem nodded emphatically beside him.
Huh? They’re all orphans?
Compared to them, Clara and Lucia, though life had always been hard, at least had a complete family.
“…Sorry, I shouldn’t have pressed.”
Realizing she’d accidentally touched their wounds, Clara apologized softly.
So the Sigma Series was a hero team composed of four orphans?
She couldn’t help but look at them with new respect.
Pure White Storm placed a hand on Clara’s head.
“No need to apologize. It’s precisely because of that background that we’re qualified to become heroes, qualified to live like normal people…”
“That’s enough, Number Four! Let’s not dwell on such heavy topics!”
Emerald Requiem, sitting on Pure White Storm’s other side, quickly tried to lighten the mood.
He said,
“Let’s talk about that identity arrangement instead! This week, Miss Clara is supposed to play our little sister, right?”
“That’s the setting,” Clara answered, emphasizing, “Just the set-ting!”
Emerald Requiem completely ignored the subtext in her words, narrowing his eyes in a playful grin.
“Alright, alright, Clara, don’t be so distant~ It’s just for a week, so get along with your big brothers, okay?”
As he spoke, he reached out, attempting to ruffle Clara’s hair just like Pure White Storm had.
Would Clara let this playboy have his way?
She immediately frowned and shrank back, and even though she wore a mask, her posture clearly showed her resistance. But since she was sitting by the window, there was nowhere to retreat.
Of the four, Emerald Requiem was undoubtedly the most frivolous. His single-eyed, sea-green curly bangs flipped outward, matching his playful personality perfectly.
Clara simply couldn’t understand
How could so many women like this kind of bad, rakish playboy?
Pa—
With a crisp snap, Pure White Storm slapped Emerald Requiem’s hand away.
The latter rubbed the back of his hand, asking, “Number Four, are you trying to monopolize our little sister?”
“No, it’s just… Miss Clara doesn’t like that.”
Pure White Storm clearly didn’t know how to respond…
“Then I’ll leave Clara to you, little sis—I won’t fight you for her.”
Emerald Requiem gave up cheerfully enough.
But as compensation, he grabbed Pure White Storm’s head and gave it a thorough ruffle, turning her perfectly straight white short hair into a bird’s nest, making her look just like a certain general store’s boss.
Azure Cavalier glanced out the window at the sky, adjusted his information-scanning glasses, and frowned.
“How much longer till we reach the resort?”
The AI driver for this flight, BB-0027, replied, “Esteemed guests, we will arrive in half an hour.”
“Can you speed up? Are there any other nearby stations we can shelter at?”
“No need to worry.”
BB-0027 answered, “I’ve been monitoring solar storm warnings and am fully aware of all nearby station statuses. At our current speed, we will reach the destination well before the solar storm hits…”
“Whoa! What’s that?”
Lucia’s sudden shout drew everyone’s attention.
On the other side of the car, outside the window, far away on the silvery-white dunes,
A massive red worm was being buried by a tide of silvery-grey dust.
No, that wasn’t dust…
Dust didn’t heave and ripple.
“BB-0027, project my camera’s feed to the TV.”
The photographer lady raised her camera, shooting the massive worm, which was clearly long dead.
The silvery-grey covering the worm was…
Thousands upon thousands of rabbits?!
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Moon rabbits.