Eternal Meteor stepped out of the bookstore in high spirits, a neatly wrapped gift box swinging from her hand.
"You really are a genius," X drawled in her head. "Buying her a present with her money, then giving it to her."
"So what?" Meteor sniffed. "Sure, the money's hers—but my sincerity is priceless!"
And it was true. When she'd frozen at the register with not a coin to her name, her "brilliant little brain" had spun once—and she'd simply recited Rudolf's card number.
Her happiness didn't last long.
"I finally found you!!!"
Tokai Teio—face white with panic—charged in and threw her arms around Meteor like she was terrified she'd vanish again.
"Whoa—what the hell is happening???"
"Meteor—are you okay?!"
"I was," Meteor wheezed, "but if you don't let go, I'm about to not be."
Teio jerked back instantly, cheeks flushing as she noticed the stares from passersby. Ignoring Meteor's teasing, she fumbled out her phone and started reporting Meteor's location to the president.
Barely a moment after the call ended, two sets of urgent footsteps hammered closer—followed by voices layered with worry.
"You're not hurt, are you?!"
"Nothing else happened to you, right?!"
Maruzensky and Symboli Rudolf arrived at the same time, both visibly exhaling in relief the instant they confirmed Meteor was standing there, alive and intact.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Meteor said quickly, waving both hands. "What could possibly be wrong with me?"
Under the weight of their concern, something warm pooled in her chest—soft, unfamiliar, and almost embarrassing.
"About what happened earlier…" Rudolf began.
"I have something to say too," Meteor blurted at the same time.
They both stopped—and locked eyes.
Meteor already knew what Rudolf was trying to say. So she made her move first: right in front of Rudolf, she reached out and patted Teio's head, as if casually claiming the conversational high ground.
"Here, President. This is my apology gift. I'll listen next time—I swear."
"Apology?" Teio echoed, blinking.
"Yeah. I wasn't very obedient," Meteor said smoothly, still petting Teio's hair like it was the most normal thing in the world. "I didn't listen when the president told me to eat. So I trained and—oops—fell down. Then I got scolded pretty hard in the hospital room."
As she spoke, she shoved the gift box into Rudolf's arms.
Rudolf opened her mouth—clearly about to correct the narrative—only for Meteor to lift the hand that was petting Teio and discreetly flash two fingers at her, a silent please.
Teio, completely taken in, brightened.
"Meteor, you're already super well-behaved!"
And right on cue, Maruzensky joined in—by gently rubbing Meteor's horse ears with a practiced, indulgent touch.
"However," Maruzensky said sweetly, "now you're coming with me to the hospital."
Meteor was mid-grin, convinced she'd slipped through the cracks—
when Maruzensky's hand, still stroking her, suddenly pinched her ear hard.
"Ow—hey! I'm fine! Let—go—of—me!"
"Be good," Maruzensky said, still smiling. "We're going. Now."
There was no debate to be had.
Rudolf took one of Meteor's hands. Maruzensky took the other.
Together, they dragged her toward the hospital like two professionals escorting an escaped patient back to the ward.
Even in the crowded mall, people instinctively made way, giving the trio a wide berth.
Teio was left standing there alone, watching them disappear into the flow of pedestrians.
"…What about me?" she asked blankly.
By the time the full checkup finally ended, it was already night.
Maruzensky and Meteor walked out of the hospital side by side.
Partway through the examination, once it became clear Meteor wasn't in immediate danger, Rudolf had left first—because Air Groove was stuck handling the mountain of student-council paperwork alone, and if you added an unhelpful "representative" on top of that, Air Groove was going to snap by tomorrow morning.
"I told you I'm fine," Meteor grumbled, shaking her head and patting her thigh with dramatic indignation—smack, smack, smack. "This was just burning money for no reason!"
Every time they finished one test and went to pay, Meteor would stare at the string of zeros and feel genuine pain in her soul.
Even though it wasn't her money.
It still felt like torture.
Maruzensky leaned down and lightly pinched Meteor's cheek.
"Then you have to tell the truth more often, little Meteor. Especially after how hard you worked just now to defend Rudolf in front of Teio."
"That's called repaying kindness," Meteor said, chin raised. "And I care about myself plenty."
Maruzensky's expression didn't change—but her gaze sharpened.
"Enough to get that seriously injured… just for training?"
Meteor's confidence instantly evaporated.
"Ah… so you know," she said, forcing an awkward laugh. "Ha… ha…"
Maruzensky cupped Meteor's face in both hands and gently but firmly turned her back, making her look straight into those sky-colored eyes.
There was fear there—real, lingering fear—barely masked.
"Maybe I don't know what you went through," Maruzensky said softly. "But I want you to value yourself more. Please—please—please don't do anything stupid."
She held Meteor's gaze.
"Promise me. Okay?"
Meteor didn't answer right away.
Instead, she opened her arms and hugged Maruzensky—who was still crouched in front of her—tight, quiet, and wordless.
They stayed like that for a long time.
Only then did Meteor lean close to Maruzensky's ear and whisper, almost too softly to hear:
"Okay. I won't do anything stupid."
The rest of what she felt—what she didn't say—she buried deep in her heart.
She let go quickly, snapping back into her usual sunny self, plastering on a bright grin so big it nearly erased the moment.
But in the moonlight, the faint flush at her cheeks betrayed her.
Meteor waited until Maruzensky stood, then grabbed her hand and started swinging it back and forth enthusiastically.
With her free hand, she jabbed a finger straight ahead like a fleet commander announcing the next objective.
"Next destination—Central Tracen! Move out!"
Maruzensky couldn't help it. She laughed.
Under the moonlight, the two of them walked hand in hand toward Tracen Academy.
Meanwhile, Rudolf arrived at the student council room with the gift tucked under her arm, quietly relieved she'd packed away Meteor's file before leaving—and doubly relieved that Meteor's body was fine.
In a slightly better mood, she pushed the door open.
And immediately, her face went dark again.
Narita Brian was sprawled on the sofa with a blade of grass hanging from her mouth, asleep like she owned the place.
The class representative was using the student council's television to play Mario Kart.
And Air Groove—having fully given up on life—sat at the desk with dead eyes, still writing as if her hand would fall off before her duty would.
Rudolf understood at once:
She wasn't going to bed early tonight.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 80)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 80)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 74)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter20)
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