AN: Helloooooo everyone, I'm back for this week's 2nd update.
Now, Noah's Arc continues. And now those crumbs that I scatter before can finally flourish!
Ahahaha, to think this part can finally be revealed... it was a journey.
So please leave your comments on what you think about it so far.
And the most important part, I hope you all will enjoy this!
===================================
Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
Double-decker buses roared past, taxis and cars honking over one another. Street performers played violins near the corner while office workers hurried by with takeaway coffees in hand.
"Woooaaaa…" March 7th spun in place, eyes wide as she took in the city around them.
"Okay, I love this already. It feels like one of those movies where something magical is hiding right under everyone's noses."
She stepped toward an unsuspecting red telephone booth and tapped lightly on the glass.
"Do you think this is secretly a portal?"
"It's a phone booth," Dan Heng replied, voice as flat as ever.
"Or that's what they want you to think." March flashed a grin before strolling off like she'd just uncovered a grand conspiracy.
Caelus' expression twitched. His eyes lingered on the booth a second longer than necessary before he leaned closer to Dan Heng and lowered his voice.
"There she goes again… the Prophet March."
Dan Heng winced faintly, glancing once more at the booth.
"…Now I can't completely rule that out."
A group of tourists brushed past them, speaking rapidly in French. A delivery cyclist nearly bumped Caelus's shoulder as he rang his bell.
"Ahh—!" Caelus sidestepped just in time. "Everyone sure is in a hurry."
"Compared to Belobog, yes," Dan Heng replied calmly. "But they move with more efficiency."
March lowered her camera at that, giving him a suspicious look.
"…Are you analyzing their traffic flow right now?"
"Yes." Dan Heng gave a simple nod. "For documentation purposes."
March stared at him for a second.
"We just got here."
Caelus nudged him lightly with his elbow. "Relax, bro. We're supposed to enjoy this, remember?"
Dan Heng's gaze drifted over the storefronts again, the crowd density, the spacing of streets, the rhythm of movement, committing it all to memory.
"I am."
March rolled her eyes, then pointed toward a nearby street vendor arranging fresh pastries on a tray. "Can we try that?"
Caelus was already halfway there. "Field research time!"
"You just want food," Dan Heng said without missing a beat.
"That too~."
They continued down the street, slowly blending into the moving crowd. To anyone passing by, they were nothing more than foreign students exploring London for the first time.
Himeko watched the energetic trio with a warm smile.
"How is it, Noah? Do you feel anything?"
Welt asked from beside her. When Himeko turned, she saw Noah scratching the back of his head, brows slightly furrowed.
"…Honestly? Aside from the Force telling me to come to this country and walk around, there's nothing much," he admitted with a small sigh.
"I see…" Welt nodded thoughtfully, his eyes went back to the passing crowd.
Hayate tilted her head as she walked alongside them, taking in the scenery.
"Just walk around, huh…" she murmured. "That's… very vague."
Reinforce, hidden under Sirin's long hair, peeked out carefully.
"Maybe the Force is telling Noah-san to go sightseeing~?" she suggested innocently. "Or maybe it's guiding us somewhere mysterious!"
Sirin adjusted her hair at once, shielding Rein from wandering eyes.
"As long as it leads us to Dodomo, I won't complain," she muttered. "I'd rather finish this chase sooner than later."
Noah glanced at her with a wry smile. "…So it's officially 'Dodomo' now, huh?"
Himeko chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"At least the name is cuter than Doordoormo?"
Noah stared at her in disbelief. "Not even you, Miss Himeko?"
She simply answered with a playful wink, and he sighed in defeat. Welt, Hayate, and Reinforce couldn't help but laugh softly at his expense.
The crew continued walking with the flow of pedestrians, passing bookstores, small cafés, and souvenir shops.
March was busy snapping pictures of absolutely everything, dragging Caelus along with her while Dan Heng stayed close, making sure the two wouldn't accidentally wander into traffic.
Behind them, Noah walked casually with his hands in his pockets. Sirin hooked her arm around his right, resting her head against him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hayate did the same on his left, smiling faintly as she matched their pace.
Welt walked a short distance away, observing London's streets. The old brick buildings, the rushing crowd, and the busy shoppers in the storefronts stirred a sense of nostalgia for his own home world.
Himeko walked beside him, her eyes bright with open curiosity. She studied the passing faces, the architecture, and every small cultural detail that made this place, called London, unique.
As the afternoon sun hung high above London, and just as the crew began thinking about lunch, Reinforce suddenly peeked out from Sirin's hair.
"Rein! Careful, you might get seen by normal people!" Sirin whispered sharply, lifting a hand to shield her.
"…I'm detecting a faint magical signature," Reinforce said, her usual childlike expression switching into that of a TSAB officer.
The moment they heard her, Hayate and Noah instantly sharpened their senses, reaching out to find the same trace. The others subtly adjusted their positions, closing in around the three without drawing attention. Welt, Himeko, Dan Heng, Caelus, March, and Sirin scanned the street with casual movements, their eyes searching for anything out of place.
Within seconds, despite Noah's advantage of both his magical lineage and his connection to the Force, Hayate located the source at the same moment he did, a testament to her magical talent.
"There…" Noah frowned slightly. "It's faint, but it's definitely there."
"I can sense concealment and awareness-redirection spells over it," Hayate added.
Sirin's eyes narrowed. "Where?"
Reinforce leaned forward, peeking past Sirin's shoulder.
"…Ahead. Near that old building with the dark windows."
"…Got it."
They moved.
Dan Heng, Welt, and Caelus stepped to the front as if nothing was wrong. Noah and Sirin followed a step behind them, while March and Himeko positioned themselves casually on either side of Hayate.
To any passerby, they were just another group of tourists strolling down the street.
But from those who had trained eyes, their steps and coordination definitely did not belong to ordinary civilians.
After only a few paces… someone called out to them.
"Ahh! Finally, we found you!"
A young girl hurried toward them, an older woman and a boy slightly younger than her following close behind.
She slowed only when she reached their circle, clearly having rushed to catch up.
"Sister, I told you not to run that fast—" the boy muttered between breaths as he stepped beside her. "You nearly made us look desperate."
The girl shot him a quick glare. "Cyrus, this is important!"
"It's always important," he grumbled, though he immediately straightened his posture, trying to regain some dignity.
The woman stepped forward, then she remained graceful despite the faint quickness in her breathing. Her dress was elegant but understated. It was refined without drawing unnecessary attention.
"My apologies," she said gently, offering a small smile. "My daughter has a habit of acting before she remembers decorum."
"Mooom!!!!!" the girl flushed in embarrassment.
The older woman gave her a single look. That was enough for the girl to clear her throat, straighten her back, and make herself properly presentable.
"Please, excuse me," she continued more formally. "Greetings, Heir Peverell. I hope your journey here was pleasant."
But the moment she addressed Noah as 'Heir Peverell', his eyes went wide.
The atmosphere around changed instantly.
His posture straightened, every trace of casualness gone. What replaced it was sharp alertness and unmistakable suspicion directed at the girl standing before him.
Without a word, Noah cast an isolation and muting spell. The surrounding pedestrians subtly altered their paths, conversations bending away from the group as if guided by something. No one would hear them. No one would notice them.
"—?!" The boy's eyes widened at the effortless display of magic.
Even the older woman couldn't conceal her surprise. "…To cast two different spells simultaneously… without a wand or incantation. As expected of a descendant of the renowned Peverell family."
Noah's expression hardened. "Where did you learn that?"
The pressure in his voice was enough to make even the Express crew tense up. Sirin, Hayate, and Reinforce all felt it, that rare, heavy edge he rarely used.
"Peverell?" March blinked in confusion. "Isn't Noah's surname Alden? Why is she calling him that?"
"Peverell is Noah-kun's ancestral line," Hayate explained. "If I remember correctly, the last daughter of the Peverell family married into the first Alden. That union is what elevated the Aldens into the powerhouse they are today."
Sirin's eyes narrowed as she studied Pandora carefully. "And that information should only exist in Noah's home world… or in records kept by the Aldens."
Her tone dropped, colder now.
"Which means it should be accessible only to us and not something outsiders should know."
The crew understood Noah's reaction immediately. Based on what Hayate and Sirin had just revealed, only members of Noah's family or those from his home planet should possess that knowledge… and yet this girl had addressed him with a title she had no way to know. Especially considering Noah came from an entirely different universe.
Their wariness toward the three newcomers rose at once.
Feeling the change in atmosphere, the boy swallowed but forced himself to remain upright. The woman noticed his tension and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Ahaha… Although I expected caution, I didn't anticipate this much tension," the girl said with an awkward laugh, scratching her cheek.
She coughed lightly and gave her cheeks a quick pat, as if cheering herself.
"Ahem! First of all, allow me to introduce myself properly."
She stepped forward with a small smile, seemingly unfazed by the tight air around them.
"My name is Pandora Greengrass, eldest child of Lord Damien and Lady Elizabeth Greengrass."
Despite her young age, she performed a graceful curtsy, perfectly befitting the daughter of a noble house.
"Cyrus Greengrass." The boy stepped forward after her, placing a hand over his chest before offering a polite bow. "Pandora's younger brother. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"As my daughter has said, I am Elizabeth Greengrass." Elizabeth lifted the edge of her dress with grace and inclined her head. "The honor is ours."
The Astral Express crew exchanged glances, slightly taken aback by the old-world courtesy.
Hayate, Sirin, and Rein, however, paid little attention to the formalities. Their focus remained on Noah. He hadn't moved. He hadn't blinked. His attention stayed locked on Pandora.
"…I understand you must have many questions," Pandora continued, her voice fighting the tremble threatening to slip through. "About how we know of you… and why we approached you so directly."
She clasped her hands in front of her, fingers tightening just slightly.
"We did not discover your name by chance. Nor through gossip. Nor speculation."
Elizabeth remained silent, allowing her daughter to continue without interruption.
"It was shown to me."
Around them, ordinary people continued their day, oblivious to the tense feeling within the small circle.
"I'm… a seer," Pandora admitted. "I see fragments. Moments. Glimpses of what is about to happen."
She drew in a deep breath.
"The moment you arrived in this world… I saw a name tied to you."
Her eyes met Noah's without wavering.
"The… Peverell."
For a moment, she hesitated, as shown by how she bit her lips, but she continued speaking.
"This may be too much to ask from strangers… but I'm asking anyway. Please trust us."
A small, earnest smile appeared, fragile but real.
"We are not your enemy. And we do not wish to become one."
She lowered her head, not in submission, but in sincerity.
"We want to stand beside you in this world, Heir Peverell. So please… give me the chance to prove that our intentions are genuine."
Silence stretched between the two groups. Even London's distant chatter felt far away.
After what felt like an eternity, Noah let out a sigh.
"…Fine," he said. "I'll take the risk."
Her relief was immediate. "Thank you. Truly."
The tension in her shoulders finally let go.
"Then please, follow us to Gringotts," she continued. "There, we can speak privately. I'll explain everything… and help you lay the groundwork you'll need to move freely within this side of the world."
She stepped aside, inviting them forward.
Sirin moved closer to Noah, her voice barely above a whisper. "…Are you sure about this?"
Reinforce peeked out from behind her hair, unusually silent.
Noah kept his eyes on Pandora for a few seconds longer before answering.
"…The Force isn't warning me."
Hayate's eyes sharpened immediately at that.
"We can trust her… for now," Noah added.
Hayate and Sirin exchanged a subtle glance. They knew that tone. Noah didn't make decisions like that lightly. If he was stepping forward, it meant he had weighed the risk and accepted it.
Sirin turned back to Pandora, studying her one last time before letting out a soft huff.
"…Fine. But if this turns into a trap, I'm tearing down their entire family vault."
Cyrus blinked. "…She's joking, right?"
Hayate smiled sweetly. "…Maybe."
Noah stepped forward. "Please. Lead the way."
Pandora nodded, and relief was seen across her face. The Greengrasses guided them toward a modest pub at the side of the street, its worn signboard reading 'Leaky Cauldron.' The doorway that served as the threshold to the hidden magical side of this world.
—----
"...Hachan, was your world… always this magical?" Sirin asked, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.
It was a rare expression on her face. It was an open and unguarded wonder. But no one teased her for it. They were just as stunned.
The moment they stepped through the worn doorway of the Leaky Cauldron and tapped through the hidden brick wall, the world flipped.
The noise of cars and crowded streets from the modern world vanished.
In its place—
A medieval-style village with a long cobblestone road stretched ahead, lined with crooked brick buildings that leaned at impossible angles yet somehow were able to stand. Shop signs hung from ornate brackets, some swaying gently without wind, others glowing faintly with magical enchantments.
Display windows were alive with movement, cauldrons stirring themselves, spellbooks flipping their own pages, robes adjusting on moving mannequins, and owls blinking from behind polished glass.
People passed by in flowing robes of every shade imaginable, deep emerald, midnight blue, shining silver, and many more that one could name.
A group of children ran past them, laughing as they chased a small golden ball that zipped between their fingers.
Further down the alley, bursts of colorful fireworks bloomed above a storefront, forming shapes midair before fading into sparkling dust.
The air carried a faint mix of parchment, potion ingredients, and something sweet baking nearby.
It felt less like a place… and more like stepping into a storybook.
March's mouth slowly fell open.
"…Okay," she murmured. "That's definitely not just a phone booth."
Caelus blinked once, then let out a whistle. "Alright… this is way cooler than I expected."
Dan Heng's eyes jump from one storefront to another. His expression remained flat as ever, but the excitement in his eyes gave him away.
Welt adjusted his glasses slightly, studying the surroundings. Even someone with a background in science couldn't help but appreciate the sight before them.
Himeko's lips curved into a small smirk, her eyes bright with curiosity and a hint of excitement. "…Now this is a welcome surprise."
"…Sorry, Sirin-chan, but… I don't think my homeworld had anything like this," Hayate said softly after a moment, still taking it all in.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley!"
Pandora turned toward them with a bright smile, clearly pleased by their reaction.
"This is the main street of magical Britain," she said, a hint of pride in her voice. "Most students come here before the school year begins."
March immediately perked up. "Students? You mean there's a magic school?"
"Yes!" Pandora replied, unable to hide her excitement. "My brother and I go to Hogwarts for our magical education."
"…Of course, there is a magic school," Caelus muttered with a wry smile. "…because why not."
Reinforce carefully slipped out from Sirin's hair and floated just above her shoulder.
"So many magical traces~!" she whispered in awe. "The buildings, the streets—even the air is full of mana!"
Noah let out a small chuckle. "That's because it is."
With his sensitivity to both the Force and mana, Noah could see it clearly—the flow running through every part of the street. From the stones under their feet to the items displayed in the shops, everything was steeped in it, as if the entire place was breathing with magic.
March went toward a shop window displaying self-writing quills, pressing closer to the glass.
"They're moving by themselves! Himeko, look!"
Himeko stepped beside her, a small smile forming. "Interesting. Maybe we should get a few. They might be useful… or at least make good gifts."
A few steps away, Caelus stood staring at a row of broomsticks suspended neatly in mid-air.
"…Those actually fly, right?"
"Yes," Cyrus answered quickly, his voice carrying a bit of excitement. "They do."
Reinforce floated a little higher, spinning once as her eyes sparkled.
"Amazing! They're putting enchantments over each other~!"
Welt's attention went to a nearby stall. A middle-aged man took out a wand and made a few motions. The large wooden crates, each bigger than a person, shrank down in an instant until they were smaller than Reinforce, and he casually slipped them into his pocket.
Welt's brows drew together. "…How is that possible?" he murmured. "Mass doesn't simply compress without consequence. Where does the displaced volume go…?"
"It's called magic for a reason."
Dan Heng spoke without looking at him, his attention fixed on a nearby bookstore. A stack of books lifted into the air and sorted themselves neatly onto a shelf.
"Even books here know where they should go."
Welt blinked, then exhaled through his nose.
"That does not answer the question… but acceptable."
He observed the surroundings once more and noticed how the adults were constantly on vigilance. Despite how peaceful everything looked from the outside, they were strangely tense. They were looking all over the place as if anticipating something.
"...Hmm," Welt hummed.
Pandora gestured down the street. "Over there is Flourish and Blotts, a bookstore. And further down is Quality Quidditch Supplies, the shop for the magical sports."
March's eyes lit up. "There's sports too?!"
Caelus straightened at once, interest kicking in. "Now we're talking."
"Does Mr. Caelus have an interest in sports, perhaps?"
Cyrus suddenly appeared beside them, making March yelp and quickly hide behind Caelus.
"H-Hey! Don't just appear like that!"
Caelus chuckled, clearly unfazed. "Well… I'd say I'm pretty athletic myself."
Cyrus' eyes immediately lit up.
"Really? Then you'll definitely like Quidditch!" he said, stepping closer, all of his previous nervousness gone. "It's our biggest sport. Everyone watches it."
March peeked out from behind Caelus, still wary.
"…What kind of sport?"
"It's played in the air," Cyrus replied quickly, unable to contain his excitement now. "Seven players on each team, all riding flying brooms."
"Flying brooms?!" March repeated, eyes going wide.
"Yes! And there are three types of balls," Cyrus continued, raising his fingers as he spoke, clearly getting more into it. "The Quaffle is used to score through three hoops. Then there are Bludgers—they fly around and try to knock players off their brooms."
March just stared at him. "They attack you?! That's not a sport, that's a hazard!"
Cyrus blinked, then shrugged like it was completely normal.
"That's why we have Beaters," he said proudly. "They hit the Bludgers away and protect the team."
"And then…" his voice dropped slightly, almost reverent now, "there's the Golden Snitch. It's small, insanely fast, and nearly impossible to catch. But once you do…"
He smiled.
"The game ends."
Caelus's grin slowly widened. "…Now that sounds interesting."
March immediately grabbed his sleeve. "Interesting? Caelus, that sounds dangerous!"
He glanced down at her, still smiling. "We can fly, it's competitive, and it has strategy. Sounds fun to me."
"That is not how you're supposed to respond to danger!" March protested, shaking him by the shoulder.
Cyrus laughed, clearly delighted. "As expected—you really do get it, Mr. Caelus!"
The lively chatter of Diagon Alley followed them as they moved forward—witches haggling over potion ingredients, a group of teens arguing about house points, and an owl flapping its wings impatiently inside a cage. But the further they walked, the more the buildings began to space out.
And then it came into view.
At the very end of the cobblestone street stood a white marble building, its polished surface catching the afternoon sun. Unlike the crooked charm of the surrounding shops, this one stood straight—perfectly symmetrical, and unmistakably imposing.
Broad steps led up to massive bronze doors engraved with intricate runes. Above them, tall columns supported a triangular pediment carved with patterns that hinted at centuries of wealth and power.
Two armored figures stood guard at the entrance. Small in stature… but the presence they carried was sharp, disciplined, just like a warrior.
The group slowed to a stop at the base of the steps as Pandora turned back toward Noah and the others.
"This is our destination… and your starting point," she said with a soft smile. "Gringotts, the wizarding bank."
Her eyes went to Noah for a moment.
"The key to unlock the true importance of the Peverell family's legacy."
======