As the two "Stelles" dragged their leaden legs into the elevator to the fourth underground level, a sliver of hope remained in their hearts.
The cafeteria, surely, would be a place where one could catch their breath, a place to quietly replenish their energy, right?
As the dining area for the base staff, it should be efficient and restrained, unlike the living area, which was rife with soul-crushing social demands.
The two made a wish in their hearts.
Unfortunately, they would not grant each other's wishes.
The moment the elevator doors opened on the fourth underground level, that sliver of hope in their hearts evaporated with a sizzle, like a dewdrop under the sun.
People.
There were people everywhere.
Shu hated people.
The spacious cafeteria hall was brightly lit, filled with the rich aroma of various foods mixed together.
But Shu couldn't smell these aromas. He only felt that the cacophony of voices was assaulting his sanity.
In front of the seemingly endless food service windows, winding queues snaked like several giant pythons, slowly slithering forward.
The communal seats were almost entirely occupied. The sounds of conversation, the clatter of cutlery, and the playful shouts of children temporarily liberated from school life merged into a clamorous ocean.
Many of them were still wearing the aprons or work clothes of the specialty shops in the living area. It was clear that a large portion of the workers and customers from the entire living area had flocked here.
It was only now that Shu suddenly realized the scale of the more than ten thousand people he, Bianka, and the others had rescued from the City of Sighs.
Even with all those who had joined the Fire Moth being transferred to Sapphire City by Otto, there were still several thousand people left at the base.
And they all shared one cafeteria.
The two "Stelles" stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, staring at the despairingly long lines, and simultaneously felt a strong wave of dizziness and an urge to turn and leave.
It was like hearing the class bell ring just as you reached the classroom door, or suddenly realizing you had missed the first call for assembly during an outdoor activity. Shu's urge to turn and walk away had never been stronger.
It was nothing else, just the unwillingness to bear that fleeting moment of being the "center of attention."
Yes, even for just a moment, Shu didn't want to endure it...
But their growling stomachs and the deeper, hollowed-out fatigue firmly nailed their feet to the ground.
Exchanging a glance, the two let their shoulders slump in misery and, with hearts full of rebellious spirit, silently joined the end of the queue closest to the entrance.
Good news: not a single person looked at them because of their arrival!
Another day of scaring himself.
After the false alarm, the time spent queuing seemed dull and long.
The two tried to shrink into the line, minimizing their presence, their eyes staring blankly at the backs of the people in front of them, trying to empty their minds.
However, the noisy conversations around them relentlessly drilled into their ears.
At first, it was just idle chatter about daily trifles, work complaints, and family matters.
For these irrelevant conversations, Shu once again activated his "in one ear, out the other" mode.
But soon, a more excited and penetrating wave of discussion came from another line and the nearby seating areas, quickly attracting more and more people to join in.
"...If you ask me, the most popular star of the fourth [Fire-Chaser Star] is definitely Lord Shu! No suspense!"
"That's for sure! But I heard that for this [Fire-Chaser Star], they're going to give Lord Shu a separate award!"
"What?! Doesn't that mean... everyone has a chance to win first place?!"
"Lord Kiana's popularity has been soaring recently! As expected of Lord Shu's teammate. Her popularity was just average before because she wasn't at the base!"
"The popularity that Senior Kallen has accumulated at the base isn't something just anyone can surpass! As a Kaslana, Senior Kallen is still more reliable, right?"
"Lord Durandal! The strongest Valkyrie!"
"Why is everyone using their real names, but you guys are using code names?"
Shu? Kiana? Kallen? Durandal?
The two "Stelles," who were in a state of daze, instinctively pricked up their ears, focusing their attention on the excited discussions.
At first, Shu, who had only caught the keywords, still had a bit of vigilance on his face.
But the more they listened, the more their expressions turned from wary to bewildered, and then from bewildered to an indescribably twisted expression.
Old man, subway, smartphone.jpg.
What these people were talking about was not at all what they were worried about, but rather... the fervent admiration and gossip of fans for their idols.
"Lord Shu is of course strong! But don't you think he's been too low-key recently? The 'mystery' is there, but there's too little content! The fan works are almost out of material!"
"Exactly! The last time he made a public appearance was before the [Fire-Chaser Journey]! He hasn't shown his face in public since he got back!"
"I have inside information! I heard that Lord Shu is actually a super gentle and considerate person in private. He's helping the logistics department repair equipment and delivering special medicine to the new recruits who get injured in training!"
"Really? I'm more inclined to believe he's a battle maniac, definitely training like crazy in private, developing new moves!"
"You're all wrong! My second uncle's neighbor's third aunt's son is a cleaner at the command center, and he said that Lord Shu is actually a hidden otaku, his room is full of Homu figures!"
"Pfft—! No way! Lord Shu is so handsome and so strong, he must be into classical music and philosophical works!"
The two "Stelles": "..."
The muscles on their faces were twitching uncontrollably.
Delivering medicine?
He had indeed been given medicine by someone.
Homu figures?
Uh... his current residence did indeed have a lot of Homu figures...
Classical music?
What the hell was all this?!
And the flood of discussion didn't stop there.
"Lord Kiana is the best! A vibrant little sun! I feel like the world brightens up every time she appears!"
"Lord Mei! I heard her cooking is so delicious it can make Honkai Beasts betray their own kind! And... I could ship her and Lord Kiana's interactions for a hundred years~"
"The three-no loli super genius is the true path! Praise Lord Bronya!"
"Lord Fu Hua! So immortal wind, daoist bones,'[a term describing a refined, transcendent bearing]! She's so freaking cool! Even as a girl, I feel like I'm falling in love with her!"
"Senior Kallen! The most reliable senior! No matter what difficulties we encounter, as long as Senior Kallen appears, they will be solved!"
"Doesn't anyone else think Big Sis Himeko is really beautiful? A beauty with a mecha, oh my god! What kind of divine combination is this!"
...
What were these people talking about?
Did he really survive yesterday's duel? Otherwise, why did this place seem so... otherworldly?