Starting with Firefly, Speedrunning Through Worlds — Part 46

"Firefly."

"Um... maybe we should just forget it..."

Hearing Kurama Neon call her, Firefly looked a little socially anxious.

She never felt this way while inside Sam, but now that she was simply Firefly, having to appear before so many people was still a bit too much for her.

"How could that be? Don't be afraid! Firefly, you're obviously so cute."

Kurama Neon gave Firefly no chance to refuse and pulled her directly in front of the camera.

The instant Firefly appeared on the livestream, the scrolling comments abruptly dropped by more than half. Of course, it was not because everyone had been frightened, but because they had been stunned by her beauty.

The Firefly before them seemed like someone who had lightly stepped out of an exquisite manga, carrying a dreamlike air about her.

Her eyes were bright, as though they held stars and oceans within them, glittering with captivating light. Her long eyelashes added an extra touch of cuteness to those luminous eyes.

Her skin was as white as snow, so delicate that her pores were nearly invisible.

A faint blush colored her cheeks, making her features even more vivid and adorable. Her petite nose and cherry lips came together to form a flawless face.

Both her appearance and temperament were enough to enchant anyone. In short, her arrival seemed to bring a touch of dreamlike color to the real world.

"Um, hello, everyone. I... I'm Firefly. I'm... I'm an ordinary girl who likes going on adventures everywhere."

Facing the camera, Firefly placed one hand over her chest and awkwardly greeted everyone and introduced herself.

[!!!]

[Ahhh, she's so cute! I love her so much!]

[Kawaii!]

[Cute, wanna bang.]

[First meeting, cute, marriage!]

[Huh! Isn't that my wife? Honey, why are you with Neon?]

[Wake up, she's obviously my wife!]

[Firefly, I like going on adventures too!!]

[Everyone, I seriously like this one!]

[So how do you pursue a girl like Firefly?]

When Firefly had first appeared, the comments had paused and thinned out considerably. But once everyone came back to their senses, they instantly erupted.

The number of comments multiplied several times over, and the livestream channel lagged terribly.

Every single one was expressing their affection for Firefly!

How could anyone dislike a two-dimensional beauty like her, as though she had stepped straight out of a manga? In real life, they might have been too embarrassed to say it, feeling unworthy of her!

But online, they had no qualms about expressing what they truly thought.

"Huh?"

Noticing some of the comments, Firefly did not know what to say at all.

Kurama Neon noticed the situation and immediately moved the camera away from Firefly.

"Everyone's way too enthusiastic! You've scared Firefly!"

"I know everyone likes Firefly. There'll be plenty of chances later—today, Firefly and I will be livestreaming together for everyone."

As she spoke, Kurama Neon led Firefly and Herta toward their destination. There was still some time before the fashion show began, but they could enter early.

Without the camera on her, Firefly finally let out a sigh of relief.

The three beautiful girls strolled along the busy streets.

While Kurama Neon chatted animatedly with her fans, Firefly curiously looked around at her surroundings.

Shibuya was filled with shopping centers, department stores, restaurants, and cafés everywhere, with a great many young people out shopping as well.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Kurama Neon brought them to an entrance that was clearly not the main gate. This was probably where the fashion show was being held.

They did not even need tickets and entered directly through the back entrance.

The runway show had not begun yet, and Kurama Neon took her streaming equipment to a good spot near the front.

"Are livestreams allowed here?"

Looking around, Firefly curiously asked Kurama Neon.

She had not seen anyone else livestreaming.

"Originally, they weren't, but then the people here said it was okay."

Kurama Neon did not think much of it and answered directly.

"..."

It was because of Kurama Neon's status, right?

Firefly roughly guessed what was going on.

It seemed the Kurama Family already knew she was here. She just didn't know when they planned to come and take her away.

"Who cares about that? The fashion show's about to start."

"Firefly, you can take a look too. If there are any styles you like, we can have them custom-made."

Noticing the changes in the venue, Kurama Neon hurriedly said.

In the president's office of the Kurama Group, Kurama Kosei watched his daughter's livestream. Beside him was a screenshot captured after Firefly had appeared on camera.

Tapping his fingers thoughtfully, he looked toward the man in sunglasses standing before him and asked, "Is this girl the one living with Neon?"

"It should be her."

The man immediately lowered his head and replied.

"..."

"Have you found any detailed information on her?"

Though he claimed not to care about this daughter, and even believed that Kurama Neon was merely Akari's replacement—

A bargaining chip to further the Kurama Conglomerate, to marry into another conglomerate, the government, or even the people of the future—

He still found himself involuntarily keeping track of everything about Kurama Neon, worrying about her safety.

Part of the love he held for his biological daughter, Kurama Akari, had unknowingly transferred to Kurama Neon.

That was why he had actually been paying close attention to Kurama Neon's recent changes.

"My deepest apologies. We haven't been able to find any information about her. It's as if she doesn't exist at all, as though she suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

The man in glasses hurriedly lowered his head in panic and apologized to Kurama Kosei, but there truly was no information whatsoever on the girl named Firefly.

Even the Kurama Conglomerate, which directly and indirectly influenced all of Japan, could not uncover the slightest trace of her.

It was far too strange!

"..."

They couldn't find anything?

Unlike his subordinate, Kurama Kosei's expression remained unchanged.

He knew very well that there were many people in this world whom even the Kurama Conglomerate could not investigate or oppose, especially after coming into contact with Desire Grand Prix Operations.

Even the Tokyo government could only silently accept it, not daring to voice any objection.

So was this girl named Firefly one of those people from the future too?

Kurama Kosei stared at Firefly in the screenshot, lost in thought.

"Leave it at that for now."

If she was connected to those people from the future, then it was not something they could handle.

Still, judging by his daughter's interactions with Firefly, the two seemed to have a good relationship. That might not necessarily be a bad thing.

If Firefly truly intended to threaten Kurama Neon, things would not look like this.

"Yes."

Upon hearing Kurama Kosei's words, the man in glasses prepared to leave.

But Kurama Kosei called him back and continued, "What is Madam doing?"

"Reporting to the president, Madam has already sent people to bring the eldest young lady back."

"..."

Kurama Kosei was not surprised by that answer. After that kidnapping incident, his wife had become exceptionally strict in keeping watch over their daughter.

And there was nothing he could do about it!

Nor was he in any position to persuade her otherwise...

Because he, too, had always been consumed by guilt and unbearable grief over his daughter's death.

Watching the livestream, Kurama Kosei thought for a moment before saying, "Interfere for now. Let them stay a little longer."

With Firefly there to help, the people his wife had sent would definitely not be able to bring Neon back. They might even cause his daughter to end the livestream early.

Compared to that, he could learn more about Kurama Neon and Firefly through the livestream.

As for making his wife give up on bringing Kurama Neon back—

There were reasons he simply could not speak of.

"Yes."