[Mission complete. Rewards have been issued.]
[Please check your backpack. Heavy Bunny 19C is a qualified laser cannon.]
Something had broken.
Hoshino watched Mayer. After a series of inscrutable changes in expression, Mayer suddenly went pale as ash. Something in her eyes had abruptly gone out, and it would not be rekindled for quite some time.
Her confidence, pride, and assorted engineering certificates...
All burned to ashes.
An unrealistic hope suddenly flared up in Mayer's heart. This world had never lacked races that looked young but were actually incredibly ancient. For instance, no one knew exactly how long Miss Cuora had lived.
What if?
"Can you tell me your age?"
"Fourteen."
Crack.
The hope she had picked up was smashed against the ground again, shattering into fragments like broken glass.
"I'm sorry."
Hoshino suddenly began to apologize. Though she still wore a sullen expression, the sincerity in her voice was clear.
Why was she apologizing?
Mayer was a little confused when the shrine maiden appeared atop the steps ahead and gracefully approached her. Crisp footsteps echoed by her ears. There was also a faint apology in the shrine maiden's gaze, but when she looked at Bronya, it became thirty percent sternness, thirty percent doting affection, and forty percent helpless amusement.
"I'm so sorry. My little one has caused you trouble."
Yae Sakura took the initiative to apologize.
"What should you do when apologizing?"
She even patted the little girl on the back. Hoshino looked up at her but did not move, making her reluctance perfectly clear.
"Come pet my head."
She finally spoke, delivering those three precious words.
Mayer walked over in a daze. Seeing Hoshino close her eyes, even someone as slow as her sensed that something was off. Looking at her like this, Mayer suddenly frowned, then had