Although she didn’t agree with the so-called ideals of the Sigma Heroes, since they wanted to shoot some footage, the Dream Witch had no reason to stop them.
The “Dragonfly” drone was inside the cabin.
“No good, the camera on the mechanical arm is broken too.”
Lucia and the older woman in the newsboy cap, the mechanic, were trying to use the exterior repair arm to fix the external sensors and camera.
However, it was a futile effort. The solar storm would paralyze and burn up any exposed electronic equipment. The mechanical arm reaching outside the vehicle failed after only a short time.
The Sigma Hero’s mechanic suggested,
“Since it’s like this outside, why don’t we change our approach and try reinforcing the interior of the car to delay its destruction?”
“Reinforce? Wait, I might have an idea…”
Lucia turned and lunged for the luggage compartment door.
Meanwhile, Fran·Livka and BB-0027 were using quantum communications to contact the people at the resort station, requesting aid as soon as possible.
“We’re terribly sorry. The lunar vehicles at Moonsea Resort are even worse than yours. Until this solar storm subsides, we have no way to rescue you.”
“How far are we from you?” Fran asked.
“Less than a kilometer. Once we can see your position visually, we’ll head out.”
“Huh? Less than a kilometer? And you still can’t get to us?”
“We’ll move out once the peak of this solar storm passes…”
Obviously, bickering was getting nowhere for now.
Compared to all these fruitless efforts, Clara simply sat back in her seat and closed her eyes to rest. There was no need to worry about food and water on the vehicle, and they definitely wouldn’t run out before the cabin got damaged…
“Wait, and hold on to hope.”
Clara muttered the famous words, then added, “And even if hope never comes, at worst I’ll just report to Divine Abyss.”
Come to think of it… if I die, will Nyx resurrect with my data?
Clara suddenly wondered, but Nyx gave no answer.
But the Divine Abyss probably doesn’t take in AIs, right?
After all, AIs don’t have the concept of a soul, so they probably won’t be recorded. Even in death, they wouldn’t enter that system…
The luxury compartment’s seats were not only soft and comfortable, but could also recline to serve as beds. With the windows now darkened, the cabin was dim; as soon as Clara leaned back, she felt her eyelids grow heavy.
It was a crisis, sure, but she could still fall asleep if tired.
After being a weirdo for so many years, what kind of crisis hadn’t she seen?
She wasn’t afraid of dying herself—she was more worried about Lucia and Fran… and Nyx.
“Miss Clara?”
Noticing Clara was getting drowsy, Sista, sitting beside her, handed her a cup of iced coffee.
Condensation had formed on the surface of the disposable paper cup, and it pressed coolly against the back of Clara’s hand.
“Wah?!”
Half-awake, she jolted from the cold, took the cup, and shot Sista a reproachful look, asking, “What is it? Is someone here to save us?”
Sitting across from her, the Azure Cavalier was reading a book on a small tablet’s holographic projection. Without looking up, he said, “Miss Clara, while it’s true we’re waiting, it’s still best not to fall asleep now so you can respond immediately to any emergencies.”
That made sense. Clara just nodded.
“Uh, yeah.”
Then she looked awkwardly at the coffee in her hands.
Giving me coffee while I’m still wearing my gas mask… Sista must want to see my real face. Not that I’d mind him seeing it, but the Azure Cavalier is sitting right across from me. He’s seen the Divine Power—I can’t just take my mask off in front of him.
Still, it’s not impossible to drink.
Nyx, give me a hand…
She slightly lifted the bottom of her gas mask, slipped a straw underneath, and sipped the coffee, but after just a mouthful, Clara almost spat it back out.
“Cough, cough! So bitter!”
It was iced Americano—extremely bitter.
She used to be able to drink coffee, but maybe her girlish, sensitive taste buds just couldn’t handle such a strong punch now.
So she opened her mouth, squeezed her eyes shut, stuck out her tongue, and under the mask made “Uugh! Uugh!” noises.
“Sorry, Miss Clara, would you like some milk and sugar?”
“Mmm, yes please.”
Taking Clara’s paper cup, Sista got up and walked to the coffee machine in the corner of the compartment.
But before adding the milk and sugar, he also took a small sip of the coffee himself—immediately he put his mask back on…
The Mask of Pain, 0.
“…So terrible.”
Sista had never drunk coffee before.
He simply couldn’t understand how anyone could find such a bitter drink enjoyable.
“Fourth…”
….
A faint voice sounded from behind.
As a senior—and as an elder brother—Verdant Echo appeared behind him without Sista being startled in the slightest.
Verdant Echo brushed his side-swept bangs with flair and pointed to his own eyes.
“I saw everything, you know?”
“Hm?”
Sista tilted his head slightly, confused.
Verdant Echo continued, “Using the excuse of adding milk for Clara-chan, you took her cup, then turned around and secretly drank from the same cup. Fourth, you’re expressing your feelings just like those little boys in elementary school who secretly blow into girls’ recorders~”
Sista looked genuinely surprised.
“Third Brother, have you been to elementary school?”
“Of course not… Wait, that’s not the point, is it?!”
Sista’s cluelessness made Verdant Echo’s teasing feel like a punch into cotton—he just couldn’t get the reaction he wanted, and finally had to sigh and rub his forehead.
“I’m asking: do you like Clara-chan?”
“I think I do.” Sista nodded.
“You ‘think’ you do? How can you use such a vague word for ‘like’… So what kind of ‘like’ is it?”
Verdant Echo, taking advantage of his height, pressed a hand on Sista’s head again.
“But this is also a chance. As your big brother, let me give you a test. The test period will be during the upcoming week’s collaboration~”
“Eh?”
Seeing Sista about to dump the sugar straight into the iced coffee, Verdant Echo hurriedly stopped him.
“Wait, don’t add it like that.”
Verdant Echo warmed the milk, dissolved the sugar in it, and only then poured it into Clara’s iced coffee.
“Listen up, Fourth.”
But he didn’t hand the coffee back to Sista right away.
“Your assignment is… In this week, use your own charm to win over Clara-chan~”
“…Win her over? You mean attack Miss Clara?”
“I mean to woo her, flirt with her… No, how do you not even understand that?” Verdant Echo scratched his head and muttered, “Well, I suppose, given you’re only…” Then, regaining his patience, explained, “See, I often go out and meet those female fans offline, right? You need to learn from me in this respect~ To be a popular hero, you not only need to be charming enough to make women swoon, but you have to truly win their hearts…”
And since Clara-chan already has a good impression of you, it shouldn’t be that difficult. So in the next week, try to make her fall for you completely!”
“…You mean make Clara like me too?”
“Not just ‘like’—make her fall madly in love! ‘Love’~!”
Handing the now not-so-iced coffee with warm milk to Sista, Verdant Echo patted his shoulder and gave him a big encouraging thumbs-up.
“Of course! Your fans can’t find out, or Clara-chan will be in trouble.”
“So, you get what I mean now, right?”
Rolls eyes.