"What's wrong? You suddenly fell asleep earlier. Himeko said it was due to the influence of memoria, which is normal… Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
As Stelle was still reeling, March 7th's gentle voice sounded in her ear. The latter sat beside her, full of concern: "Did you have a nightmare?"
"March, I…" Stelle's eyes glistened with tears. "I'm not clean anymore…"
March 7th: ???
What did that mean? Could it be that in her nightmare just now, she was…?!
Was it with her?
Stelle pounded the couch, sobbing: "I'm not clean anymore, I'm not clean anymore!! My eyes aren't clean anymore, what the hell was that thing… Waaah—"
After calming down for a while, Stelle recounted the contents of her nightmare to March 7th. When she described how she fell into the arms of a purple-clad beauty only to look up and see a fiery demon's head, March 7th couldn't help but grimace in disgust.
She could imagine how… bizarre that scene must have been.
"Ahem… So, when you're out on your own in the future, be very careful of girls from unknown origins, got it?" March 7th lectured earnestly.
"Mmm—I'll remember."
Hearing this, March 7th nodded in satisfaction: "Good. The train has arrived at the Asdana system. Get ready, we're about to check into the Reverie Hotel."
Stelle quickly stood up: "I'll go pack my luggage."
"No need, I already packed for you."
"Huh?"
…
One system hour later.
—"Welcome, Nameless of the Astral Express, to Penacony. The Family welcomes the arrival of our esteemed guests!"
As the group entered the hotel's doors, the doormen on both sides, as if prepared in advance, bowed in unison and loudly offered their congratulations. The grand scene drew the attention and murmurs of guests resting in the lobby:
"Hey, look, who are these people? The hotel's giving them such a formal welcome?"
"Didn't you hear just now? They're the Nameless of the Astral Express."
"Huh? How come I've never heard of them?"
"Duh, they're called the Nameless. How would you know?"
"Then how do you know?"
"…Are you picking a fight on purpose?"
"…"
"My goodness… the Reverie Hotel's hospitality is really something else…" Listening to the surrounding chatter, Stelle said awkwardly in a low voice.
Himeko smiled slightly: "This is within my expectations. After all, according to Pom-Pom, though Mr. Mikhail, a shareholder of the Reverie Hotel and a Nameless, stepped off the train, he has always been a Trailblazer who stayed true to his ideals."
"It's not surprising that he arranged such a grand welcome for us."
"Come on, let's go check in."
The group arrived at the lobby of the Reverie Hotel. The scene was largely the same as in Stelle's dream, but perhaps because this was reality, there were no scattered memoria floating about.
There were indeed subtle differences between the dream and reality, like… golden statues, door handles, reliefs, washbasins, bathrooms…
"This is the Reverie Hotel? It really lives up to its reputation for grandeur and luxury," Welt said, surveying the opulent surroundings with a sigh.
Stelle's lips twitched, feeling the air itself was thick with the scent of money. This place… truly was a capitalist's paradise.
Such a tacky color scheme, yet it somehow felt… so high-class.
Shush: "Question…"
Everyone: "Shush."
Creak—
At that moment, the hotel doors suddenly opened. Led by a blond, black-clad Aventurine, a large group of people in company uniforms swaggered in, exuding an imposing aura.
—"Welcome, representatives of the Interastral Peace Corporation, to Penacony. The Family welcomes the arrival of our esteemed guests!"
A unified chorus of greetings rang out as the doormen on both sides of the entrance bowed again, just as they had for the Express crew.
Naturally, the arrival of the company's group sparked another wave of murmurs:
"Why are the company people here? Team-building?"
"Hah, with the company's bloodsucking nature, you think they'd spend money to let you team-build in Penacony? One day's room fee here is worth a week's salary for a company employee!"
"Then what are they here for? Wait, they're not here to negotiate a partnership, are they?"
"I'd say it's more like exchanging management experience, discussing how to squeeze employees to the absolute limit… The universe's two biggest capitalists holding a joint seminar… Tsk tsk tsk, I feel a bit sorry for their employees."
"…"
The company group headed straight for the VIP check-in lane, but to their surprise, this lane, a symbol of status, was already occupied by another group.
"Boss, this lane's taken. Should I contact the hotel to open another VIP lane?" a company employee asked, sidling up to Aventurine with a fawning expression.
His face was familiar—none other than Skott, who had recently crossed paths with Welt and Dan Heng.
Aventurine kept his head down, not even bothering to move his eyes at Skott's words. In a listless voice, he said, "Whatever. Do what you want, whatever…"
Skott: "Alright, alright, I'll find the simplest, most effective solution for you."
Since returning from Belobog, Skott had not only been demoted two levels but was also forced to come to Penacony for unpaid overtime. Fortunately, the company would cover the room fees this time, allowing him to enjoy the Reverie Hotel's treatment.
But Skott knew exactly what he wanted: promotion, promotion, PROMOTION!!
He had to seize this opportunity to shine, even if his new boss always seemed utterly lifeless and indifferent.
—"Yo? What a coincidence! Skott, you're here too?"
Skott looked up to see a strikingly familiar gray-haired girl in the group checking in ahead, staring at him with a wary expression: "You're not secretly crushing on me, are you? Following me all the way to Penacony?"
Skott: ??!
No way, how did he run into this walking disaster again?
From past experience, running into this gray-haired girl never led to anything good!
"Y-Y-You, what are you saying?!" Skott sputtered, furious. "You're slandering me! I'll sue you for defamation! Do the Nameless think they can just bully people?!"
March 7th gave him a displeased look. "Hm?"
Skott: !!
Skott quickly hid behind Aventurine: "Boss, these people are too barbaric. A couple of words, and they're ready to throw hands again. I've been bullied by them multiple times before, and this time they even want to… want to 'commit a crime against the boss.' They're disrespecting you, disrespecting our company!"
Aventurine: "Whatever. Bully you, disrespect the company, doesn't matter… Sigh…"