This was Robin's first time befriending a Masked Fool.
So far, the girl seemed easy enough to get along with, despite the eccentric, mocking lilt that never quite left her voice.
As Sparkle wielded a massive drill, maniacally carving through swarms of insectoid limbs and the hardened carapaces encrusting the train's hull, Robin found her gaze drifting toward Sylvia, who stood nearby on high alert.
The rhythmic, deafening roar of the drill filled the air, yet Robin's eyes, as they rested on Sylvia, were soft enough to melt.
She had originally stepped out today just to clear her head and find a change of pace. But after spending so much time together recently, Sylvia's place in Robin's heart had grown significantly.
In her eyes, Sylvia had become someone she could truly lean on.
Had she been alone, Robin would never have dreamt of wandering away from Penacony.
Yet, with Sylvia by her side, a strange surge of courage had taken hold of her. Having experienced it firsthand now, she found the thrill of the danger surprisingly liberating.
It wasn't about duty or expectations; it was purely about the joy of an unknown adventure. For the first time, Robin realized how much she actually enjoyed this kind of journey.
Or perhaps... it was simply because Sylvia was there?
The thought struck her: if it were possible, she wanted to stay by Sylvia's side forever, exploring the far reaches of the cosmos.
Together, they could leave their footprints across the stars.
But I'm probably not qualified for that yet, Robin thought, stealing another glance at Sylvia's profile.
She was handsome, powerful, and remarkably kind. Robin couldn't help but feel her own performance during today's escapade had been lackluster.
Though neither Sylvia nor their new acquaintance, Sparkle, seemed to mind, Robin still felt a nagging sense of awkwardness. It was exactly why she had volunteered to take over the drill and help clean the train.
Whistle~
A sharp whistle pierced the air. When Robin turned, she met Sparkle's teasing, mischievous eyes.
"My, my! Who would've thought our big superstar's heart would start fluttering like this? Hehe... now that is front-page news."
"Miss Sparkle, please don't make such jokes," Robin replied, her face flushing a faint pink as she quickly tried to dismiss the comment.
She wouldn't deny that she harbored a certain level of affection for Sylvia.
Today's heart-pounding adventure had even sparked some wild fantasies—momentary impulses of retiring as a star to become a galactic adventurer by Sylvia's side.
But that didn't mean her "heart was fluttering" in the way Sparkle implied. Those were two entirely different things.
"Heehee~"
Sparkle tilted her head playfully and called out past Robin's shoulder: "Hey, Sylvia! Did you hear what she said?"
"Wh—?!"
Sparkle's act was so convincing that Robin jumped, spinning around in a panic.
She realized too late that Sylvia was still standing in her original spot, having never even approached. However, Robin's sudden, jerky movement caught Sylvia's attention, drawing her over.
"What's wrong? Do you need to head back to the ship for a rest? We can leave the cleaning to the professionals later anyway."
Sylvia couldn't care less about Sparkle's antics. Since Sparkle was technically part of the Astral Express crew now, one damaged train wasn't going to change much.
They could fix it slowly; there was no rush.
"No, I'm fine, it's just..."
Robin glanced at Sparkle, whose every facial muscle seemed to twitch with the desire to cause trouble. To avoid further misunderstandings, Robin decided it was better to just speak the truth herself.
"I was just talking with Miss Sparkle about you. I was thinking... a life of traveling and adventuring with you, like we did today, seems quite wonderful. No worrying about my kin, no burdens of responsibility."
"Oh... really? You actually like this kind of life?"
Sylvia stared at her blankly, surprised by her sincerity.
While Robin wasn't exactly a "sit-still" kind of superstar—often flying off to war-torn planets—the leap to "hardcore adventurer" felt like a stretch.
Besides, knowing Sunday, if Robin actually became a high-risk adventurer, he'd probably lose his mind.
Robin hadn't thought much of her own words at first, but under Sylvia's intense, unfiltered gaze, she began to feel self-conscious.
A rosy hue crept across her cheeks. Because of Sparkle's earlier teasing, Robin started wondering: Was I too blunt?
She thought back to the phrase "with you" that she had emphasized. Did Sylvia interpret it that way...?
If it's Sylvia... it's not like I'd say no, but it's so soon! If she asks me right now, how am I supposed to answer? Wait, my face is burning... she can see everything!
The more Robin thought, the redder she turned. She was too embarrassed to turn away now, fearing it would only make her look guiltier.
The small wings behind her ears crept forward shyly, shielding most of her face and leaving only her eyes visible to peek at Sylvia's reaction.
Beside them, Sparkle leaned against the drill, looking from Sylvia to Robin and back again.
After just a few seconds, she began to snicker. She never expected to see such a classic, cliché romantic trope play out in this day and age. It was so "textbook" that it was genuinely hilarious.
Sylvia watched as Robin's face grew increasingly crimson for no apparent reason.
Even though Robin was hiding behind her wings, Sylvia didn't mistake it for illness; those eyes were far too bright and alert for that.
But... what is this? Did I stare too long while I was spacing out and make her shy? No way... Robin shouldn't be that easy to fluster.
Confused, Sylvia decided not to ask directly. She awkwardly cleared her throat, averted her eyes, and tried to steer the conversation back.
"Well... if that's what you want, we can always give it a try when the timing is right."
—!!!
Sylvia's intention was purely about the "adventuring" part—offering to take Robin along to experience it whenever she was free.
Sylvia wasn't the type to boss people around; if Robin wanted to see the world, she was happy to help.
But to Robin's ears, that clipped response sounded like an acceptance of a very different kind of invitation.
In an instant, even the tips of Robin's ears turned beet red. Her little wings snapped shut over her eyes, blocking out Sylvia entirely. A strange, muffled sound escaped her throat, born of sheer panic.
Robin didn't need a mirror to know her face was glowing. Since when was Sylvia such a smooth talker?
She didn't necessarily mean she was head-over-heels in love yet, but her fondness for Sylvia was undeniably high. This sudden "move" sent her mind spiraling into some rather... unwholesome fantasies.
If they were alone, it might have been manageable, but with Sparkle giggling right next to them, the embarrassment was overwhelming.
"???"
Sylvia stood there, completely baffled.
What did she even do? Why was Robin reacting like that?
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.