Conductor Pom-Pom's words sounded very angry and serious, but within them, we could indeed hear a strong sense of concern.
The Astral Express is a big family, and Conductor Pom-Pom cares equally for every Nameless.
Many years ago, Himeko, who was still an ordinary girl at the time, single-handedly repaired the Astral Express, allowing the train to set sail once more and resume its Trailblaze Journey.
It was precisely because she repaired the train that Pom-Pom could awaken from endless slumber; it could be said that Pom-Pom and Himeko's encounter was fate, destined by heaven.
Pom-Pom, awakened from deep sleep, could no longer see those familiar faces, and it was precisely because of this that this Conductor greatly cherished the people before him.
So when seeing Himeko hungover, this Conductor became so angry.
"No next time!"
Little Pom-Pom left in a huff, turning to head to the train's parlor to handle today's train parking matters.
After Little Pom-Pom left, Himeko turned her head and said to little March.
"Little March, you go ahead and get busy; don't worry about me. I'll be fine resting alone for a bit."
"Ah? Himeko, are you okay? You look a bit..."
Hearing Himeko's words, March 7th was somewhat hesitant, because from the current situation, Himeko's state seemed not very good.
"I'm fine; you go ahead and get busy." Himeko smiled and shook her head, indicating that her body had no issues.
"I want to be alone for a while; is that okay?"
"This..."
March 7th was somewhat hesitant, but after seeing Himeko's gentle yet resolute gaze, our Miss Intertwined Fate ultimately nodded.
'Click—!'
The lounge door slowly closed, emitting a click of the door shutting.
After March 7th left, the gentleness and smile on Himeko's face immediately vanished, replaced by a furrowed brow.
"There's something wrong with last night's wine... Was it Asta who did it?"
Thinking this, Himeko's brows furrowed deeper, but soon she shook her head, negating this speculation.
No other reason; Asta had no motive to do so, and with the other's personality, she wouldn't do such a thing. So excluding this space station stationmaster, the most possible culprit would be...
"It seems the space station's internals aren't very harmonious either..."
Himeko muttered to herself, her golden eyes revealing a grave color.
While our Miss Himeko was conducting logical reasoning, in a research lab at the Herta Space Station...
"Ha~"
An Xianzhou ancient-style beauty stretched her soft waist, involuntarily yawning, lifting her head to look at the clock on the wall, the woman rubbing her somewhat sore eyes.
When her eyes opened, the ice-blue pupils that originally held hazy sleepiness flashed with a trace of clarity.
"Already 78 hours without rest? Indeed, time passes so quickly."
This person was Ruan Mei. Three days ago, in Herta's monitoring blind spot, she exchanged some 'insignificant' cost to her for a certain Aeon's blood.
After obtaining the other's blood, our Miss Ruan Mei acted like a scumbag girlfriend, kicking the other away with one foot, then locking herself alone in the lab to research the precious sample in hand.
And this research lasted over 70 hours, but... what surprised our Miss Ruan Mei was that in these three-plus days, no matter what methods she used, she couldn't research anything special about this blood.
"No matter how observed, this blood seems no different from ordinary people's. Could it be... the blood sample she gave me was fake?"
Thinking here, our Miss Ruan Mei suddenly realized. Thinking this way seemed right; the other was merely that Aeon's Emanator, not the Aeon themselves, so how could they possibly have Aeon-level blood?
Thinking here, our Miss Ruan Mei involuntarily puffed up her little cheeks.
This was just an unconscious action, but it appeared unexpectedly beautiful, though this expression seemed somewhat at odds with her ice queen persona.
"Even if you don't have Aeon blood, giving me your blood would have been fine; why deceive me?"
Ruan Mei, who had not experienced much societal beatings, felt disdain for deceivers like Yun Fan.
But in fact...
Actually, Yun Fan had not deceived Ruan Mei; what he gave the other was truly genuine Aeon blood.
The reason our Miss Ruan Mei couldn't research anything from it, even feeling it no different from ordinary blood, was purely due to her insufficient status.
Compared to Pathstriders and Aeon Emanators, Aeons as a species exist in an even higher dimension.
In a strict sense, rule-level beings like Aeons do not have things like blood. The blood Yun Fan handed to Ruan Mei was actually the manifestation of Aeon laws, and Ruan Mei, unable to comprehend these laws, naturally treated it as ordinary blood.
Of course, Ruan Mei was unaware of these issues, so she purely regarded it as being deceived by that Causality Emanator.
Thinking to this point, Ruan Mei helplessly shook her head, then reached her hand toward her back.
"Hm? Where are the experimental tools I asked Herta for? Haven't they been delivered yet?"
Seeing nothing behind her, Ruan Mei was slightly puzzled, then took out her phone and sent a message to our Lady Herta.
[Ruan Mei: Herta, where are the experimental tools I wanted? Herta: Hello, I'm not available right now. For matters, please contact Asta (auto-reply) Ruan Mei: Herta, are you there? Herta: Hello, I'm not available right now. For matters, please contact Asta (auto-reply) Ruan Mei: Herta... Herta: Hello, I'm not available right now. For matters, please contact Asta (auto-reply)]
Looking at that series of auto-replies on the phone screen, knowing she probably couldn't reach Herta, Ruan Mei helplessly sighed.
Then, Ruan Mei slightly tidied her somewhat disheveled hair and left the lab, heading toward Asta's office.
— — — —
"Wu wu wu... My head hurts so much; what happened to me? Why is it like this..."
At the same moment, in Asta's room...
The beautiful pink-haired girl slowly opened her eyes, feeling the waves of stabbing pain from her mind, the girl only feeling her spirit slightly dazed.
"This is me... Eh? Why is the Trailblazer on my bed?"
Looking at Stelle sister sleeping soundly beside her, and her own arm hugging the other's arm, our Miss Asta was slightly dumbfounded.
"I-I yesterday... I yesterday shouldn't have done anything with Miss Stelle, right?"