"Hey, I'm not complaining! My heart's fully devoted to [Trailblaze]! Not a single word of grievance! One surprise after another—this travel rhythm suits me just fine!"
Himeko smiled indulgently. "Looks like little March has already taken a liking to the Nameless lifestyle. That's wonderful."
"It seems… Adrian hasn't quite adjusted yet. But for now, everyone can follow his lead and head back to your rooms to rest, or take a break here in this car, maybe have a coffee or something. We're all friends here, so make yourselves at home."
At the mention of coffee, Stelle and March 7th perked up instantly.
"Oh… by the way, did you see those two from the Church again?" Himeko asked.
"Nope. Pontiff Blake and Saintess Freesna vanished without a trace."
Hearing March 7th's response, Himeko lowered her head slightly, a hint of disappointment on her face.
March 7th tilted her head curiously. "Himeko, why the sad expression?"
"It's nothing. It's just rare to meet two friends who were interested in my coffee. I was planning to send them some."
March 7th: ???
Did she hear that right? Blake and Freesna were interested in Himeko's coffee?
Well, the universe is vast and full of wonders. At the very least, one sip of Himeko's coffee was indeed invigorating—perfect for people pulling all-nighters.
"I underestimated them."
In Stelle's mind, Blake and Freesna's images grew even grander.
"Stelle… about the final battle with the [Great Guardian] and the situation with the [Stellaron Core], I bet you've got plenty of questions lingering, right?"
"While you all were away, Mr. Welt and I made some observations and came to some conclusions. If you need some clarity, feel free to talk it over with us."
Himeko took the initiative to engage Stelle, and March 7th and Dan Heng tactfully returned to their rooms.
Seeing March 7th dash toward the party car, Dan Heng couldn't help but feel puzzled.
"Teacher Adrian still owes us a weapon upgrade!"
March 7th hadn't forgotten about it. "Both you and Stelle got buffs from Teacher Adrian. How come it's never my turn for something this good?"
After seeing March 7th and Dan Heng off, Himeko explained to Stelle:
"The train travels along the Path of [Trailblaze], passing through wondrous worlds, encountering vibrant lives, and witnessing beautiful stories."
"The cosmos is vast and boundless… Crossing the starry seas and brushing past each other is already a miraculous twist of fate. If we get the chance to exchange a few words, get to know one another, or even travel together… that wondrous probability can perhaps only be explained by [Destiny]."
"Thank you for choosing to be our companion, Stelle. I hope I can help resolve the questions that have sprouted during your journey."
"Then I want to talk about Adrian."
Himeko: …
"That… might be a bit tricky for me. You'd be better off finding him on the second floor of the party car. I can, however, talk about Jarilo-VI. As they say, those involved are often the most unclear… Maybe I can help you find answers from an outsider's perspective."
Stelle pondered for a moment, then pulled out her Flame Lance in front of Himeko. When it came to Jarilo-VI, what intrigued her most was this lance imbued with the power of [Preservation].
"The gaze of [Preservation]… it fell upon me back then."
Stelle recalled the resounding boom she heard in the Path's interstice.
"You want to talk about the Aeon of [Preservation]? THEY are an aloof Aeon. Unless you can maintain the kind of extraordinary zeal the Interastral Peace Corporation has, it's hard to receive THEIR power."
"With an intense conviction in [Preservation], Belobog's city-builders persisted for centuries. But as the Rift's corruption deepened, even their fragile faith began to crack."
"That Great Guardian, Cocolia… she likely abandoned walking the Path of [Preservation] entirely. In contrast, you showed an unwavering will of [Preservation] in that battle…"
Stelle interrupted Himeko, somewhat sheepishly pulling out a sandglass necklace and a mask. "Actually… it wasn't just one."
Himeko: ???
Stelle recounted everything in detail, and Himeko's expression visibly shifted from understanding to shock.
"You're saying… three Aeons cast THEIR gazes upon you at the same time?!"
"Seems like it. But I don't know how to use the powers of [Elation] or [Eternity] yet. They're basically just trinkets for now."
"Hmm…" Himeko mused. "From the results, it seems Qlipoth and the others responded to your intense wishes. Your ability to wield the Great Guardian's weapon and control that giant construct was probably thanks to THEIR glance, right?"
"Speaking of that, it's strange. The Creation Engine is a native construct of Jarilo-VI, so why did its directive system include an option for [Eternity]?"
"That, we don't know. If Pontiff Blake were still here… maybe he could've told you why."
Stelle began recounting to Himeko the moments from her battle with Cocolia:
"Based on my analysis, that Great Guardian was likely corrupted by the [Stellaron Core]'s mental influence early on. All the tragedies that followed stemmed from that."
"Even the most detestable have their pitiable sides. But the fact remains that Jarilo-VI nearly fell to ruin at her hands, and that's undeniable."
Mentioning the Stellaron Core, Stelle placed the sandglass necklace in Himeko's hand. "Guess what's inside this?"
"It's the Stellaron Core, isn't it?"
Himeko smiled. Destroying a Stellaron Core is nearly impossible—even Herta hadn't found a way to completely break its structure, only managing to suppress its energy overflow under specific conditions.
Who would've thought the sandglass from [Eternity]… was a vessel capable of containing a Stellaron Core? It's thought-provoking.
…
Meanwhile, in the Party Car.
"Welcome to the Party Car, dear Nameless. Would you like a drink, some food, or shall we kick off [Party Time]?"
The [Shut Up] robot at the bar was polishing a glass, asking for Adrian and March 7th's input.
"Hmm… do you have any milk tea here?" Adrian swirled his glass, his tone serious.
"My apologies, Mr. Adrian. This establishment does not offer any milk tea-related beverages. But… I can tell you my best [Milk Tea Joke]?"
"Hey… Teacher Adrian, don't listen to bad jokes." March 7th didn't get it. He could make his own milk tea, so why ask this drink-mixing robot to do it?
"Passenger March 7th, you've hit the nail on the head. I've been pondering this question… As a robot, does the model determine the function, or does the function determine the model?"
"The answer is clearly the latter. A drink-mixing robot shouldn't be bound by its model." [Shut Up]'s words turned oddly inspirational.
"So, I'm going to tell a milk tea joke to ease the awkward atmosphere."
"Mr. Adrian and Miss March 7th, have you ever considered this question? Why are milk tea shop owners always so calm?"
"Because they've got 'chill'—haha… Explanation: 'Chill' here is a pun on the 'ice' customers add to their milk tea. Oh~ Truly chuckle-worthy."