As they continued forward, the path was inexplicably cut off, forcing the group to solve a series of puzzles.
An unknown amount of time passed. After they completed the puzzles and offered the Remnant Fire to the Butterfly of Divine Consciousness, the severed path reappeared.
"Heh... You all truly passed the trial."
Calypso, who had been absent for some time, reappeared at this sight, crossing her arms and chuckling softly.
"The Titan's sorrowful murmur..."
Just as the path materialized and Calypso's words faded, a Titan's mournful whisper echoed in everyone's ears.
"Ah..."
Upon hearing this voice, Calypso's expression changed instantly.
"I shall return shortly."
Her faint smile vanished, replaced by a deep sorrow and gravity.
After saying this, Calypso's figure did not disappear from their sight.
Clearly, she was speaking to the owner of this Titan's murmur.
"The Titan's sorrowful murmur..."
"Of course, we made a pact long ago..." After a pause, Calypso continued, "But now, it is my turn to sacrifice myself."
"The Titan's sorrowful murmur..."
"Hmm... Little Herta, can you understand what they're saying?" Lumina was powerful, but she lacked any special abilities.
Language barriers were usually solved using the Synesthesia Beacon.
But this Titanian language seemed beyond the Synesthesia Beacon's recognition range.
Even with the Synesthesia Beacon, Lumina still couldn't understand what they were saying.
"You can't understand?" Hearing this, Herta raised an eyebrow, asking with unexpected surprise.
"No, I can't." This wasn't something worth hiding, so Lumina nodded lightly and confirmed.
"Hmph." After receiving this answer, Herta snorted softly and gave no reply.
"So, what exactly are they saying?" Seeing Herta had no intention of elaborating, Lumina pressed.
Just from the tone of Calypso and this Titan, Lumina could guess that something had definitely happened between them.
But since she couldn't understand this "encrypted text," Lumina had no idea what the specific content was, which she found incredibly frustrating.
Frustrating as it was, if something was regrettable, one should strive to change it, to salvage it.
So Lumina chose to ask Herta.
Even if she was likely to be mercilessly mocked by Herta, in the face of juicy gossip, all mockery seemed rather insignificant.
Besides, it wasn't the first time Herta had mocked her.
She'd been mocked openly several times; the number of times Herta had mocked her internally was surely countless.
"What they're saying..." Hearing this, Herta unexpectedly refrained from mockery. After pondering for a moment under Lumina's gaze...
She turned to Lumina, her expression serious.
"Actually, I don't know either."
The next second, Herta's serious expression vanished, replaced by a wave of amusement.
Herta shrugged, indicating she didn't know.
Lumina: ?
A giant question mark appeared above Lumina's head.
Fine, fine. I was wondering why you weren't mocking me. Turns out you don't know either and were just messing with me...
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You don't have a crush on me, do you?"
Herta snorted, secretly pleased with herself for successfully teasing Lumina.
Then she sighed, her face full of helplessness. "What can I do? I don't understand Titanian either."
"If even you don't know, how could I possibly know?"
Lumina: ...
Honestly, Herta acting like this was just begging for a beating, begging to be taught a lesson.
It made Lumina want to properly... discipline her.
So infuriating!
When did Herta become just like Sparkle?
No, I must find the time to teach her a proper lesson, to make her understand that Sister Lumina's authority is not to be trifled with!
"What? Do you want to teach me a lesson?"
Although Lumina showed no emotion on the surface, Herta saw right through her in an instant.
Herta didn't seem to mind at all.
First, she scanned their surroundings and the people nearby, then raised her hand to create a small soundproof barrier before leaning right up against Lumina, their bodies touching.
"If you want to teach me a lesson, if you want to teach me a lesson in certain... unspeakable ways."
"I'll cooperate obediently, you know."
Herta extended a finger and traced circles on Lumina's shoulder, like a little pixie tempting Lumina to do some... unspeakable "pleasurable things" to her.
Then, once Lumina was lost in it, Herta would completely drain her... no, completely have her in her grasp.
"Really? Little Herta, I'll remember those words."
"Since you want it so badly... then rest assured, I will definitely fulfill this wish of yours!"
Despite Herta's gesture, which could tempt anyone, Lumina's expression remained unusually calm.
After hearing Herta's words, Lumina hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind. She placed both hands on Herta's shoulders, pinning down the finger that had been tracing circles on her.
She spoke these words to Herta with a completely serious expression.
"Uh..." After hearing Lumina's words, Herta froze for a brief moment.
Then, she instantly snapped back to reality and, to prevent Lumina from misunderstanding, quickly added, "Don't get the wrong idea. When I said I'd cooperate, I meant cooperating with you on... that matter."
Herta held nothing back, saying that kind of thing directly to Lumina's face.
"..."
This time, it was Lumina's turn to be stunned.
She knew Herta had changed, but she never imagined Herta would change this much...
Is that something you can just say out loud? Is that something you can just say directly to my face?
This... isn't quite right, is it?
Lumina, who had been full of dominant energy and mentally preparing to properly tease... Herta, felt the fire in her heart instantly extinguish when Herta uttered those words.
"Ahem..." After calming down, Lumina cleared her throat.
She took a few steps back, putting some distance between herself and Herta.
After composing her thoughts, Lumina spoke in a solemn, lecturing tone, like an old grandfather educating his granddaughter, "Little Herta, you shouldn't always be thinking about these things."
"We are all outstanding youths of the new cosmic era, destined to make significant contributions to the Cosmos. How could we possibly waste time on such filthy, such corrupt matters?"
"Little Herta, promise me you won't think about these things or say such words anymore, okay?"
"No." Faced with Lumina's words, Herta refused without a second thought.
This was her only current method of countering Lumina; how could Herta possibly agree?
Although this method was essentially a "kill a thousand enemies, lose five hundred of your own" situation.
But as long as Herta kept talking and acting this way, she would eventually get used to it.
By then, it would become a "kill a thousand enemies, lose negative one thousand of your own" scenario.
As for why it was negative one thousand?
Because once she became bolder, she could do even bolder things to Lumina.
At that point, if she still couldn't control herself and acted out in any way, big or small, wouldn't that be a net gain for Herta?
Since it was a gain, it must be a good thing.
And since it was a good thing, the self-damage must have reached negative territory.
"Ahem." Receiving Herta's predictable response, Lumina felt a bit of a headache.
This constant avoidance was not the result Lumina wanted.
But Herta was simply too bold, leaving Lumina with no choice but to give her the cold shoulder.
As for cuddling with other beautiful girls in front of her, Lumina wasn't even sure if that would work.
After all, she had gotten so close to Castorice before, and Herta hadn't reacted at all... Oh, wait, it actually did have an effect.
As she thought, Lumina recalled Herta's unusual behavior at the time.
Holding hands with Herta, initiating hand-holding with Herta, Herta initiating hand-holding with her—these were all common occurrences, so Lumina hadn't paid much attention back then.
But thinking back now, Herta's actions were clearly abnormal.
The moment she saw Lumina getting so close to Castorice, she immediately walked up and took Lumina's hand... Lumina reasonably suspected that Herta was declaring her sovereignty!
Pah, what sovereignty.
Herta was using the act of holding hands to soothe her own... sadness and loneliness.
Yes, that must be it.
If so, that proves this method is effective.
I'll keep this up, but this time, I won't let Herta hold my hand.
The goal is to keep her hanging, make her anxious, and ultimately have her willingly fall into my grasp!
"Mhm-hm~"
As Lumina schemed inwardly, a pleased hum escaped her lips.
"..." Although Herta didn't know what was going through Lumina's mind, she was certain it involved some plot to manipulate her.
Herta didn't care.
Unless Lumina slapped her unconscious, Herta's shamelessness would only grow thicker with each attempt. Once her shamelessness reached an unimaginable level... Madam Herta could sound the horn for a counterattack.
Lumina's inability to strike or harm a beautiful girl was her virtue.
But in Herta's eyes, this very virtue would become the ultimate weapon to "defeat" Lumina!
Both had their own little schemes brewing.
As for which scheme would gain the upper hand...
Let's leave that to fate to decide.
-
"Thus, I can reclaim my true form, and you all can bring the Coreflame and Honored Teacher back to Okhema..."
As Lumina and Herta's interaction concluded, the conversation between Castorice's group and Calypso also drew to a close.
"Furthermore, we shall hunt together at the Throne and capture that Black-Robed Swordsman in one fell swoop."
Calypso—no, at this point, she should be called Calypso.
"But... Calypso, aren't you the Titan of Reason?" Trianne asked, puzzled by Calypso's words.
The Titan of Reason... did she truly possess the combat strength to defeat the Black-Robed Swordsman?
"Heh heh." Trianne's question drew a chuckle from Calypso.
She spoke calmly and confidently, "Though I lack the Authority of Strife, I am still a god, after all."
"I only need you all to buy me a little time under that warrior's blade. Once the Coreflame is forged, I can test my edge against him."
There was not a hint of jest in Calypso's words. It seemed that while she took the Black-Robed Swordsman seriously, she did not believe she would lose to him.
"Stalling? Leave it to me. I'm the best at stalling." Hearing Calypso's words, something seemed to cross Stelle's mind. She placed her hands on her hips, a supremely confident smile instantly appearing on her face.
"Mem, amazing, amazing!" Seeing her partner's confident display, Mem naturally offered applause and praise.
"Heh heh, very good." Calypso said nothing more, simply nodding with a smile.
"Now, ascend to my Throne."
"Let the Oath of the Golden Bough become kindling, and let the Coreflame of Reason burn anew..."
As these words faded, Calypso's figure vanished before everyone's eyes.
"I leave it to you, Children of Man. May fortune favor you."
After she disappeared, her final words echoed in their ears.
Though none of this trouble was necessary, there had always been a much faster solution.
Calypso understood this perfectly.
That solution was to seek help from those two... the Little Physician and the Little Researcher.
Calypso didn't know why they favored such self-introductions, but it didn't matter. She simply regarded it as a quirk of their powerful personalities.
From the first time she saw Lumina, Calypso could perceive that if either of them made a move, they could easily resolve the troubles here.
But through their occasional small interactions and the earlier conversations, Calypso had gleaned some insights.
Lumina and Herta... they didn't seem to belong to Amphoreus?
If so, it was understandable why they hadn't intervened.
Fortunately, once the Coreflame was forged, the Black-Robed Swordsman would surely face punishment...
"Hmm... It seems we'll have to confront that Black-Robed Swordsman directly." After Calypso vanished, Lumina gazed at the path leading to the Luminary Throne and spoke softly.
"Yes, a fierce battle seems unavoidable." Castorice nodded, taking a deep breath.
"Everyone, don't worry! Trianne will protect you all!" Trianne's voice rang out, dispelling much of the tension in their hearts.
"Alright then. Trianne can protect Herta and me for a while." Lumina chuckled lightly, glanced at Herta, and continued:
"After all... Herta and I are just a Little Physician and a Little Researcher."
"We have absolutely no combat ability, you know~"