The scene was truly bizarre. In the deserted ruins of a dimly lit underground factory, a group of ornate metal constructs over three meters tall were intently watching an adorable young girl.
Just the imagery alone was enough to make a poster for a psychological horror film. Of course, the ornate construct mechs would definitely be playing the villains.
It couldn't be helped. The Starrealm Knights in their heraldry mechs were all standing there, completely bewildered. They were professionally trained and wouldn't be surprised by any scene they came across. Many had even prepared themselves to see a Lovecraftian monster whose mere appearance could drain an ordinary person's sanity.
But when expectations and reality were polar opposites, it was easy to be caught off guard.
The sanity-draining monster never appeared. Instead, there was a cute girl in a dress. She looked about fourteen or fifteen, with a pretty, delicate face and a gentle, refined air. At a glance, she seemed like the kind of beautiful young lady who attended a prestigious school, carried a schoolbag, and might even earn the title of school belle.
The rigid, bizarre tableau lasted nearly ten seconds before someone finally reacted. Naturally, it was Shamein.
"Stay alert! She's up to no good!" he ordered his subordinates quietly over the comms.
The knights came to their senses. One of them even said, "Exactly. My grandpa told me that when traveling through the universe, you should be most wary of old men, women, and children traveling alone. This one's both a woman and a child, so there must be something fishy about her!"
His words immediately drew a chorus of agreement. A few female knights objected to the faintly sexist remark, but their voices were weak.
*Has it not occurred to any of you that she might