In the end, with Sirin's spatial abilities guiding them, the Astral Express crew's journey across Izumo proceeded exceptionally smoothly and efficiently, as the need for travel time had been completely eliminated.
At several key locations throughout Izumo, Himeko naturally did not forget to install Space Anchors.
"What is this thing?"
Sirin, who had never seen anything like a Space Anchor before, could not help but ask Himeko as she curiously examined the floating, glowing blue crystal suspended in midair. It emitted a faint azure radiance, and delicate streams of energy flowed across its surface from time to time.
"It's called a Space Anchor, a teleportation device used specifically by Trailblazers," Himeko explained patiently with a smile. "It allows for long-distance teleportation, similar to what you can do."
Yes, Space Anchors were tools invented by Akivili THEMSELF, and those not recognized by the Astral Express could not use them.
"Hmm, it's okay, I guess..." Sirin said unimpressively before proudly hugging the Sentinel in her embrace even more tightly. "Compared to Sky, it's still lacking."
Even though she did not actually know which one was better or stronger, confidence was what mattered to her.
"Well, being able to control the power of space at will is already very impressive."
Himeko smiled and nodded, praising Sirin without hesitation.
Finding the praise highly pleasing, Sirin unconsciously smiled, the slight arrogance on her face softening noticeably as Himeko suddenly became much more agreeable to the eye.
Welt, who stood to the side and remained silent from beginning to end, watched the two converse and felt a strong sense of dissonance.
Sirin, Kiana, Himeko, and the authority over space—all the elements were present.
If only the Herrscher of the Void back then could have resolved things with Earth's Himeko peacefully like this, she would not have died.
In the end, the thought lingered in his mind for a moment before quietly fading away.
Soon, under the guidance of the guardians, the Astral Express crew quickly recorded Izumo's planetary data and transmitted it to the Astral Express's data bank, while Dan Heng, who remained aboard the Astral Express, was responsible for organizing and cataloging all of it.
Thanks to Sirin's spatial abilities, a task that would normally have taken several days was completed in a remarkably short amount of time.
As a result, the remaining free time could be spent properly enjoying Izumo's local culture and scenery.
===
As night fell, Lucian's hillside house was brightly lit.
Warm golden light spilled from every window, illuminating the surrounding hillside and dispelling the darkness of the night.
In the vast courtyard, a long dining table was filled with various delicacies, their rich aromas drifting through the air. Every dish was a specialty of Izumo, alongside the signature dishes prepared by several of Stelle's 'godmothers,' creating a dazzling and mouthwatering feast.
Steam rose from freshly prepared dishes, while colorful ingredients and carefully arranged presentations made the entire table look particularly inviting.
Everyone sat around the long table, and the atmosphere was lively.
Among them, Senti and Kyuusyou were the most active, chattering nonstop as they enthusiastically introduced interesting stories about Izumo.
March and Stelle listened with great interest, occasionally letting out exclamations of amazement and surprise.
Himeko dined elegantly, occasionally speaking softly with Kiana and Bianka, who were seated on her left and right.
Acheron sat quietly and composedly next to Lucian, naturally serving him food like a dutiful wife. Every movement she made appeared calm and natural, as though she had already performed such actions countless times before.
Welt kept his head lowered as much as possible and focused on dealing with the food on his plate, trying to block out certain overly intimate scenes around him.
For example, Kiana feeding Lucian pieces of fruit without the slightest restraint.
Or Senti secretly and playfully kicking Lucian under the table whenever no one seemed to be paying attention.
Or Himiko boldly raising her glass to clink it against Lucian's, her smile carrying a hint of playful amusement.
Sirin entertained herself with her little spatial tricks, instantly swapping the salt shaker and sugar jar in front of Stelle.
As a result, Stelle confidently sprinkled what she thought was sugar into her coffee and took a large sip, only for her expression to immediately twist in the very next second.
"Pffft—!"
A burst of laughter instantly erupted around the table, causing the already lively atmosphere to become even more animated.
"..."
Welt fell silent and looked slightly dazed.
Listening to the laughter, the conversations, and the constant sounds of teasing and banter around him, he felt that the atmosphere at this moment was truly wonderful, especially because it gave him the illusion of having returned to Earth.
For a brief moment, it almost felt as though all the tragedies and battles of the past were far away.
It was, honestly, truly nice.
===
Early the next morning, as warm sunlight bathed the land and the gentle morning breeze swept through the land carrying the fresh scent of grass and earth, the Astral Express crew gathered at the entrance of the house to prepare their farewells.
"Hey, Lucian, you're really not coming with us?"
March felt somewhat reluctant to part with this powerful ally and worried that he would not team up with them anymore.
"Once you figure out your next destination, just tell me the coordinates, and I'll be there instantly," Lucian said with a slight smile. "Till then, I'm just gonna hang back and spend some time with my wives."
He glanced behind him at the group of 'hungry wives' standing by the door or smiling at him, the meaning being completely obvious.
Needless to say, there was still a pack of wolves and tigers that had not been satisfied, so he definitely would not be leaving today.
March, unfortunately, was too innocent to understand the implications and simply thought that he was a truly family-oriented man.
"Alright, once we decide on the destination, we'll contact you," Himeko said with a smile and a nod. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of Stelle."
As a mature woman, Himeko, despite lacking practical experience, had read extensively and understood a great deal. As such, she immediately caught the hidden meaning in Lucian's words and also understood the desire reflected in the eyes of those wives.
Even though she did not dare think any further, her mind automatically conjured up an image of one man and thirteen women indulging in complete debauchery, causing her face to flush bright red.
"Ahem, well, we'll set off first," Himeko coughed and said with a slightly awkward smile. "Contact us in the group chat if anything comes up."
"Bye, godfather! Bye, godmothers! I'll miss you!"
Stelle, holding a pile of gifts she had received the previous night, waved happily.
Amid a chorus of farewells, the four were soon teleported back to the Astral Express, which was docked just outside Izumo's atmosphere, by Lucian.
Right after sending off the Astral Express crew, he turned around, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face as he looked at the thirteen pairs of eyes before him—some expectant, some shy, some bold, and some gentle.
For a brief moment, although nobody spoke, the atmosphere around them subtly shifted.
"Alright, the guests have all been sent off," Lucian said, spreading his arms wide as his gaze swept over the women. "Now it's just us, husband and wives. Today... let's play a little game—something exciting. What do you say?"
"An exciting game? What are we playing?!"
Kiana immediately raised her hand and asked excitedly.
"A game...?" Senti muttered while blinking her eyes before suddenly bouncing up. "I've got a new video game!"
"How exciting can it be?"
Sirin snorted with her arms crossed, acting uninterested, yet the faint sparkle in her eyes betrayed her anticipation.
In response, Lucian only spoke two words.
"Adult poker."
As soon as those words fell, the atmosphere instantly became somewhat subtle.
Sirin and the others silently looked at each other as faint, barely noticeable blushes rose on their faces, their expressions remaining calm even as a subtle change gradually appeared in their eyes.
"Well, the rules are simple..." Lucian said, holding up his index finger. "Whoever loses has to take off one piece of clothing. You in?"
"..."
Unfortunately, the only answer to his question was silence.
However, that silence did not last long, as a few moments later, Sirin's voice rang out in complaint.
"Boring. Only taking something off after losing? Too slow."
Even though she complained like that, her body honestly moved toward the house, heading straight for the living room to retrieve a deck of cards.
Seeing that, the others—even the shyest Ana, whose face was now completely flushed—silently followed Sirin inside.
Some helped prepare the table.
Some gathered chairs.
Others quietly brought drinks and snacks.
No one verbally agreed, yet no one chose to leave either.
Soon enough, the atmosphere inside the house grew increasingly ambiguous as preparations quietly continued.
And before long, a fierce poker match was about to begin.
===
Early the next morning, throughout the various rooms of the residence, clothes of all kinds with very little fabric and pale, jade-like bodies were scattered everywhere.
On the sofa...
On the coffee table...
On the floor...
On the bed...
In the bathtub...
Needless to say, the aftermath of the previous night's chaos could be seen throughout the entire residence.
Only Lucian remained awake, sitting alone amid the quiet residence, while his thirteen wives slept soundly around him, their breathing rising and falling evenly as they lay completely exhausted from the fierce battle that had continued until dawn after last night's adult poker.
===
Meanwhile, as the Astral Express traveled steadily through the endless cosmos as usual, inside the Parlor Car, Welt leaned back in an armchair with a cup of hot coffee in hand. Thin wisps of steam drifted upward from the surface of the dark liquid, yet he had not taken a single sip.
Anyone who looked closely at his face would have noticed that his gaze was unfocused and his expression tinged with melancholy.
Why?
Because the coffee had been made by Himeko.
Faced with the warm smile on Himeko's face earlier, he hadn't dared to refuse. As a result, he could only accept the cup of coffee and hold it in his hands, not daring to drink it while pretending that nothing was wrong.
"Hahh..."
Welt let out a deep sigh and rubbed his aching temples, pretending that he was still lost in sorrow and immersed in endless melancholy.
Of course, part of that melancholy was genuine.
Dan Heng, who was sitting opposite Welt, noticed his melancholic state and, for once, spoke first.
"Still thinking about him and those familiar women?"
Yesterday, after Welt and the others returned and told Dan Heng about their experience in Izumo, as well as Welt's emotional fluctuations throughout the journey, Dan Heng naturally guessed, upon seeing his current state, that it was because of those women.
"No—ah, yes."
Welt instinctively denied it before quickly correcting himself.
At the same time, he discreetly glanced at Himeko, who was drinking coffee in a nearby armchair, and only relaxed slightly after confirming that she hadn't noticed anything unusual.
"You have no idea..." Welt said with a sigh. "I don't even know how I'm supposed to face those people from my world when I return... When I see them, I..."
Just like that, his voice gradually trailed off.
Honestly, setting Himeko's coffee aside, just thinking about the possibility was enough to give him a headache.
Dan Heng pondered silently for a moment before speaking in a calm, flat tone.
"Try to take it easy. At least... Mr. Yang's beloved doesn't have a variant and hasn't been taken by him, right?"
It was an objective fact, but it was precisely because it was an objective fact that Welt's hand suddenly trembled, nearly causing the coffee in the cup to spill out.
"You... When you put it like that... I'm even more worried now!"
Welt's expression instantly became even more complicated.
Even though it wasn't actually happening, merely imagining a variant of Tesla acting lovey-dovey with Lucian made him unable to help but feel a chill run down his spine.
In the end, the more he thought about it, the more hopeless the whole situation seemed.
Welt could only stare blankly at the coffee in his hand, feeling that his future in this world was bleak, with not a single ray of light in sight.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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