"Well now, if it isn't the illustrious Miss Eden?"
Witnessing such a scandalous display of romantic rivalry unfolding right before her eyes, Himeko found she couldn't keep her cool.
Unlike Elysia, Himeko wasn't the type to stand idly by for the sake of the "bigger picture" or the "future of humanity" while the person she cared for was being flirted with.
She wasn't about to watch someone move in on her territory without making a peep.
Dark clouds seemed to hang over Himeko's face. She was well aware of the terrifying amount of influence a world-class idol like Eden commanded.
She even knew that the economic revival of the Australian branch was largely thanks to Eden, the wealthy socialite, insisting on hosting her world tour right there in Australia.
"To specifically bring (my little!!) Seele to the very gates of the Fire Moth base just to pull such a (despicable!) stunt... I have to wonder, Miss Eden, do you have any respect for our organization at all?"
Despite the potential fallout, Himeko—the commanding officer of Fire Moth's Australian branch—stepped forward.
Her opening salvo was dripping with sarcasm, a skill likely honed from countless phone arguments with entitled corporate executives.
As someone known for her fiery temper and a reputation forged through raw power, Himeko wasn't afraid of anyone. She'd openly offended the Logistics Director who controlled her base's lifeblood; why would she flinch now?
At that moment, Eden, who had been quite enjoying the embrace of her "bride-to-be," felt her mood sour at Himeko's sudden interruption.
Pausing her affection for Lunelle, she slowly turned a rather unfriendly gaze toward Himeko—a woman whose curves and charm were, frankly, a match for her own.
Eden quickly identified the intruder. With just one look, she realized this frustrated beauty fit the intelligence reports of the "Iron Lady" leading the Australian branch to a tee.
Furthermore, as Eden mentally compared Himeko to the "Seele-sensei" preference profile her professional team had analyzed, she made a troubling realization.
Even without trying to cater to Seele's tastes like Eden had today, Himeko naturally possessed almost every trait Seele theoretically adored: a more "generous" figure than even her own, black tights, and that aura of a mature, enchanting older sister.
'Oh no, is this Himeko, the head of the Australian branch? Looking at that face... don't tell me she's another one of the beauties my little Seele has accidentally charmed?'
A sharp sense of crisis flared within Eden.
Seeing how Himeko recognized her but still maintained such a disrespectful attitude, Eden realized that this fully "ripened," alluring woman was going to be a formidable romantic rival.
Even so, Eden knew it would be foolish to pick a direct fight with a "local powerhouse" like Himeko. If the intel was correct, this woman was the only iron-blooded commander in Fire Moth who had climbed to her position purely through combat merit.
More concerning were the rumors of her brutal temperament.
The most famous story involved Himeko attending a high-level gala and, in front of all the elites, publicly thrashing a superior she didn't get along with.
Eden felt a twinge of worry. If she pushed too hard, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility for Himeko to settle things with a sidearm right then and there.
Granted, the reports of Himeko's "brutality" were likely exaggerated by Fire Moth high-ups to smear her image, but Eden couldn't be 100% sure the rumors were false.
However, one look at the adorable Seele in her arms—and a quick thought about the various traps and arrangements she'd already set up in Australia—allowed Eden's panic to subside into calm confidence.
"Oh? Fiery red hair, a... (well-developed) figure... Ah, yes! You must be the renowned Commander Himeko, the leader of the Fire Moth Australian branch who is already thirty years of age, correct?"
Eden knew perfectly well that Himeko was twenty-eight. Hearing the sarcasm, she decided to fight dirty by "rounding up" Himeko's age.
Thanks to her world-class acting skills, her tone remained perfectly respectful, as if she were addressing a venerable elder who had achieved great things.
For Himeko, who considered herself in the prime of her womanly charm, this "heartfelt respect" sounded exactly like a blatant jab at her age.
Himeko's expression darkened visibly. Eden had gone straight for her biggest insecurity.
Himeko wanted nothing more than to slap that "smiling tiger" across the face, but she held back. Eden was essentially a living saint to the people of the Australian branch, a major benefactor whose funding kept them afloat.
No matter how hot her temper, Himeko couldn't lash out without a valid reason if she wanted to protect her branch's future.
Instead, she gritted her teeth and fired back by pointing out Eden's obvious, suspicious designs on Lunelle.
"Heh... To be recognized by the great Eden is truly an honor. However, I find myself curious."
"You only arrived in Australia today, yet instead of rehearsing for your concert, you seem to have plenty of time to 'encourage' Elysia to whisk my Seele away to an amusement park for the entire day. For such a busy person, you certainly have a lot of 'leisure time' on your hands!"
"Oh? I didn't realize you were so interested in my itinerary, Commander Himeko."
Being called out on her schemes caused even the poised Eden to look a bit unnatural for a split second. She had arrived with "wicked" intentions, using every connection possible to get close to the Lunelle she had longed for.
Himeko felt she had the upper hand, but she didn't realize that Eden's feelings for Lunelle were deep enough to be considered a "successful conquest" by any metric.
Meanwhile, Himeko herself hadn't reached that level yet—for a reason.
"But even if my schedule is packed, does the Commander think there is something 'wrong' with how I spent my day?"
After a brief moment of fluster, Eden's voice became righteous again. She stood her ground, turning the question back on Himeko with total confidence.
It was hard to tell if this was just her masterful acting or if she simply refused to back down when it came to Lunelle.
'Wait, her intentions are this obvious and she's acting like there's no problem?!'
Himeko was speechless at the sheer shamelessness. If a world-class idol could be this thick-skinned, what else was there to say?
"Hmph! I didn't expect the famous Miss Eden to lie through her teeth. I wonder what your management team would think if they knew about your behavior today?"
Since this involved her Lunelle, Himeko pushed back, using Eden's status as an idol against her. It was a classic move: a subtle threat to keep her distance, or else.
Miss Eden? You wouldn't want your "inappropriate" interest in Lunelle to be made public, would you?
Himeko felt she had finally cornered the star with this leverage. But then...
"Heh..."
Eden didn't look cornered at all. She let out a cold chuckle that made Himeko's victory feel very premature.
"You have a funny way of looking at things, Commander. Do you really think someone like me, who has fought to be where I am, cares about meaningless gossip? Besides, if the concert preparations were to face an... 'accident' at this critical stage... I don't think you'd want to see that happen, would you?"
Eden didn't give a damn about the threat. She flipped the script immediately.
As she said, she wasn't some talentless "influencer" who relied only on a pretty face.
If it were just about looks, there were plenty of others—Pardofelis, Vill-V, Aponia, Sakura, Elysia, Himeko, Mei, or even little Griseo—who were just as stunning.
Yet, Eden remained the sole representative of the era's greatest art and stardom. She had reached the top through absolute talent. She had dealt with countless "scandal" rumors throughout her career despite never having a boyfriend. If Himeko leaked anything, the internet would barely blink.
More importantly: did Himeko really have the guts to sabotage their relationship right now?
"Tch..."
Watching Eden's supreme confidence, Himeko began to cool down.
As much as it frustrated her, she knew Eden was right.
As the head of the branch, she had to acknowledge that the quality of life for her soldiers and the local civilians had skyrocketed solely because of Eden's investment. If Eden got upset and pulled her funding...
If Himeko were alone, she wouldn't care. But when her decisions affected the livelihoods of thousands, Eden had effectively found her Achilles' heel.
--+--
T/N: I have a 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.