Even so, they managed to suppress their startled hearts with reason, maintaining a composed demeanor. Holding back their urge to point it out for now, they deferred the pleasure of addressing it until later, careful not to stir unnecessary trouble in the moment.
However, upon calming down and reassessing her demeanor, it began to seem like this version of Alpina wasn’t so bad after all. True, it felt strange and leaned toward unsettling, but Scuderia and Kiki vaguely recalled that this wasn’t entirely unprecedented.
That said, it wasn’t the sort of cheerful, heartwarming behavior she casually showed to just anyone. Rather, it was a hidden side of her that she had only ever revealed to one person—Zirnia. It was likely an expression of her intrinsic nature, which she had otherwise kept tightly suppressed through sheer willpower.