A few days later, on the Luofu Xianzhou, at the Alchemy Commission.
"Waaah... Miss March 7th..."
"March 7th... Ah, March 7th... My beloved March 7th..."
A petite dragon-like High Elder, Bailu, and a gray-haired girl, Stelle, were softly mourning before a blue camera.
The sorrowful atmosphere surrounding them caused passersby—citizens and Cloud Knights alike—to pause briefly, their faces etched with pity and regret. Yet none approached; after shaking their heads and sighing quietly, they resumed their tasks.
Bailu and Stelle, however, continued to weep silently.
"Hmm... Stelle, what's going on?"
"Does it seem like... you're holding some kind of memorial for March?"
Suddenly, a voice as melodious as music drifted into their ears, instantly dispelling much of their grief.
They paused their mourning and looked up.
Before them appeared a celestial maiden in a pristine white gown, embodying purity and beauty as if she were the embodiment of all the world's loveliness.
Seeing her beloved Sister Lumina, a flicker of light ignited in Stelle's eyes, her grief vanishing in an instant.
But just as quickly, the sorrow resurfaced, as Stelle performed a masterclass in rapid emotional shifts before Lumina's eyes.
Wiping away her tears, Stelle spoke in a mournful tone, her voice thick with sorrow: "Yes, Sister Lumina... March 7th... she just left so suddenly..."
"I really... I really still had so much I wanted to tell her... How could this happen so suddenly?"
"So... is life truly such a fragile thing?" Stelle tilted her head back to gaze at the sky above the Alchemy Commission, letting out a long, involuntary sigh.
She resembled an elderly man, weathered by life's trials, who had finally grasped the ultimate secret at the end of his days.
"Uh..." Lumina stammered, at a loss for words. Stelle's melodramatic display left her speechless.
After all, Stelle was currently in a frenzied state. No matter what anyone said, she likely wouldn't pay any attention.
Waaah! Miss March! My Miss March!" Seeing the sudden silence, Bailu, the little Dragon High Elder beside Stelle, pressed her hands to her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She kept muttering March 7th's name, mourning for her.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!"
"I step away for just a moment, and you've already planned everything out?"
A voice suddenly cut through the air, interrupting Stelle and Bailu's wailing.
Turning to look, they saw March 7th, who was supposed to be dead, standing before them with a completely exasperated expression.
March 7th: Who said I was going to die?! I'm perfectly fine!
"Hey, Stelle, can't you play a slightly less morbid game with the Healer Lady?"
March 7th wasn't stupid. Knowing Stelle's "personality" all too well, she immediately pinned the blame for this "bright idea" on her.
"!"
Seeing March 7th alive and well before her, Stelle, still stuck in her "Oscar-winning" performance, widened her eyes dramatically: one-third surprise, one-third shock, one-third fear, and one-tenth curiosity...
"Save me! Save me! Save me!"
"The dead have risen! The dead have risen! The dead have risen!"
Her pupils shrank abruptly, and Stelle began shouting wildly, behaving like a complete lunatic.
"Rise my ass!"
"Getting too into the act, huh? You really think I'm dead, you idiot?" March 7th snapped, hands on her hips. If not for the others present, she would have already drawn her sword and whacked Stelle a few times.
"Ha ha ha..." Seeing that March 7th wasn't playing along, Stelle's expression briefly soured. But she quickly recovered, scratching the back of her head and giving a sheepish grin.
"Sister Lumina, what brings you here?" March 7th shot Stelle an exasperated glare before turning her attention to her beloved Sister Lumina. Her cute little face instantly lit up with a joyful, contented smile.
The contrast between March 7th's treatment of Stelle and Lumina couldn't be starker—one was treated like dirt, the other like a celestial being.
Of course, this disparity was partly due to Stelle's morbid game of cursing herself as already dead.
"March, what are you saying? When haven't I come to visit you all?" Lumina chuckled helplessly at March 7th's words.
Since finding and healing Jiaoqiu in the Exalting Sanctum a few days ago and sending him to the Alchemy Commission, everyone in their group except Lumina and Little Swarm had taken up residence there.
Though none of their injuries were serious, it was best to rest in the Alchemy Commission. After all, why sit or stand when you could lie down?
Given the state of the Skysplitter at the time, if March 7th and the others hadn't stayed in the Alchemy Commission, they might have been forced into temporary labor on the Xianzhou.
Hmm... While that possibility wasn't very likely, it couldn't be completely dismissed.
"Hehe, Sister Lumina, I was just teasing!" March 7th scratched her head sheepishly.
"Of course I know. That's why I'm not scolding you," Lumina replied, reaching out to pat March 7th's head.
After a moment, Lumina withdrew her hand and turned her gaze to the little dragon High Elder beside Stelle, feigning confusion. "March, Stelle, who's this?"
She hadn't seen Bailu on her previous visits and wasn't about to miss this opportunity now that she finally had her in sight.
"Her name is Bailu," March 7th quickly interjected after Lumina finished speaking, anxious that Stelle might start acting up and say something nonsensical. "She's a Dragon Maiden of the Vidhyadhara."
"Ah, so you're the Healer Lady I've heard so much about!" Lumina exclaimed, feigning surprise. "I've long heard of the Vidhyadhara's Dragon Maiden, a legendary physician whose remedies cure all ailments. Now that I've met you in person, I see the rumors are indeed true."
Even when addressing a child, Lumina couldn't resist the classic "meeting and exchanging empty flattery" routine.
"Uh..." Bailu felt distinctly awkward at Lumina's praise.
It wasn't that Lumina's words were problematic, but rather that they felt... strange coming from Lumina's mouth.
Despite having never met Lumina before, this inexplicable unease welled up within Bailu.
Puzzled, Bailu found herself at a loss for words.
Lumina turned her gaze to Stelle and March 7th, as if silently pleading for help.
"Sister Lumina, please don't say such things!" March 7th blurted out.
"Anyone with half an eye could see you're no ordinary person, Sister Bailu."
"Speaking like that will just get her into trouble!" March 7th interjected hastily, sensing Bailu's gaze. Knowing Stelle might blurt out something absurd first, March 7th quickly stepped in to defuse the situation and give Sister Lumina a gentle scolding.
March 7th refused to believe Lumina couldn't discern Bailu's true strength and medical skills. She suspected Lumina's words were just something she'd picked up from Stelle.
Damn it! Why does Sister Lumina always have to copy you?!
Damn you, Stelle!
With that thought, March 7th once again shifted the blame onto Stelle.
Stelle: ?
Completely bewildered by this sudden accusation, Stelle scratched her head, utterly confused and bemused.
"Hmm... sorry, I've gotten a bit used to speaking this way," Lumina said, though she'd only meant to tease Bailu.
Her original plan had been to shower Bailu with praise and admiration, then observe and document her utterly shocked expression when her true identity was eventually revealed.
March 7th's words dissuaded Lumina from pursuing her initial plan.
Regaining her composure, Lumina extended her hand, gesturing for Bailu to shake it.
"Miss Bailu, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lumina."
"Of course, you can call me 'Sister Lumina,' just like March 7th and Stelle do."
Lumina's expression was sincere, her words comforting, and her smile radiated genuine warmth.
Under this threefold charm, Bailu naturally grasped her hand without hesitation or reservation.
"Then I'll call you 'Sister Lumina' too, just like Miss March 7th and the others," Bailu agreed readily, calling out, "Sister Lumina!"
Upon hearing Bailu call her "Sister Lumina," Lumina's expression visibly brightened with delight.
"Sister Lumina, Stelle and I are going to check on Master Yunli and Master Yanqing. Would you like to come along?" Seeing how smoothly Lumina and Bailu had gotten acquainted, March 7th nodded happily before asking.
"Let's go together. It's a good opportunity for me to check on Yunli and Yanqing's injuries as well."
"Hmm..." March 7th didn't answer immediately, her gaze shifting to Bailu.
"The ward is right over there. You can go yourselves," Bailu said, gesturing toward a nearby door after noticing March 7th's lingering gaze and sensing her unspoken questions. She waved goodbye, adding, "Be sure to visit me again when you have time!"
"Um... I can do that, but next time, please don't play those ghostly make-believe games with Stelle, okay?"
March 7th had no objection to spending time with Bailu.
But that Stelle... who knows what harebrained schemes she'll come up with next time?
"It's not my fault! This Wolf Hunt Operation was so uneventful on my end—I barely got to do anything," Stelle said, planting her hands on her hips with a look of genuine disappointment.
"Hey, hey, hey! You call the Shackling Prison Break Incident and the Borisin Rampage Incident 'uneventful'?" March 7th rolled her eyes.
Even though Stelle's experiences paled in comparison to the Wardance Ceremony, they certainly didn't qualify as "uneventful," right?
"Compared to what you're going through, my side is practically peaceful, right?" Stelle declared, tilting her head back, her face brimming with confidence. "If I were on the arena, one swing of my bat would flatten not just one Hoolay, but ten, a hundred, a thousand—all of them!"
"Heh heh heh," March 7th chuckled softly, her eyes downcast.
"Ah, I remember now!" Just as March 7th was about to dismiss Stelle's boast, she suddenly recalled Master Yanqing's earlier words. She waved her hand dismissively and said coolly, "I remember now. What Master Yanqing said back then was exactly what you're saying now."
"And what happened? Master Yanqing and Master Yunli both ended up being sent to the Alchemy Commission for mandatory 'rest and recuperation'."
"I wonder if your words will lead to the same outcome?"
"Absolutely not! I'm the Galactic Baseballer, after all!" Stelle puffed out her chest, her face still brimming with unshakable confidence.
"Alright, alright, you're right," March 7th replied, seeing Stelle's unshaken resolve. "What else can I say?"
True enough, those who haven't been thoroughly beaten down will never truly learn humility.
Hmm... though, given Stelle's personality...
Even after being brutally beaten, she would undoubtedly pick up her baseball bat and charge in again without hesitation...
-
"Heh, let's see who's here?"
"Ah, it's the universally beloved Stelle and the radiant March, who makes every flower bloom!"
"And... Lady Lumina, with her breathtaking beauty and Saintess-like grace!"
Following Bailu's pointed gaze, the group quickly spotted two figures nearby: Lingsha and Yunli.
Both were familiar faces.
As usual, Lingsha inhaled deeply, savoring the fragrance emanating from Lumina's presence. Her cheeks flushed a delicate crimson.
However, since Lumina and Lingsha were neither too close nor too far apart, the scent remained subtle, and Lingsha's blush was barely noticeable.
"Miss Lingsha, it's good to see you again."
"But let's skip the introductions this time—they're rather awkward."
Lumina naturally felt no embarrassment at Lingsha's elaborate introduction. After all, hearing a beautiful girl describe her with such flattering terms only made her delighted. How could she possibly find it awkward?
"Hehehe, how could it be awkward?"
"Everything I've said is true," Lingsha smiled. "Lady Lumina and Stelle must be here to visit your two Junior Masters, right?"
"Exactly! Are our Masters doing well?" March 7th nodded, her gaze shifting to Yunli beside Lingsha.
"The two Masters are unaware of the situation, but at least one of them knows," Yunli said, waving with a smile. "I'm perfectly fine." She gestured to indicate Yanqing's absence.
"So... we mourned the wrong person just now?" Stelle's face paled instantly. A moment later, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, she blurted out the predictable:
"Hey, can you talk properly?"
"You can curse me all you want, but don't curse my Master, ha!" March 7th rolled her eyes at Stelle.
This girl always says such inappropriate things in serious situations, March 7th thought. If she weren't so surprisingly serious in genuinely serious moments, I'd crack open her skull just to see what's rattling around inside.