Welt, noticing Sylvia's gaze, adjusted his glasses and turned to look at her.
"Something you'd like to advise?"
Sylvia nodded, addressing Welt:
"There is a small matter where I'd like to ask the Astral Express for help. I've heard the Express possesses a method to seal and contain Stellarons—is that correct?"
In Sylvia's memory, it was always the Express crew who sealed the Stellarons.
But thinking more carefully, she couldn't recall any scene in the game actually showing the crew sealing one.
Moreover, as she pondered further, she couldn't even remember where the Xianzhou's Stellaron ended up after being fed to the Ambrosial Arbor.
Was it sealed away along with the Arbor?
"That is indeed the case, Miss Sylvia. Should you have need, once the Stellaron's location is confirmed, you may contact the Express at any time."
Welt assumed Sylvia was inquiring about the Xianzhou's Stellaron.
Yet, who could have guessed that Sylvia would reach into her pocket, rummage around for a moment, and pull out an exquisite card.
Welt could clearly see the pattern on the card's surface—a Stellaron perpetually rotating.
So lifelike, it seemed like the real thing.
Sylvia had produced the storage card containing a Stellaron.
As for this Stellaron, in the beginning, it had genuinely helped her through the difficult early period when her strength was insufficient.
But now, with the more convenient power of the Heliobus at her disposal, this Stellaron had become somewhat burdensome.
Sylvia lacked Stelle's ability to simply swallow it whole.
Without the suppression of the storage card, the raw power of the Stellaron was uncomfortable for her to use.
Originally, Sylvia had considered giving this Stellaron to Dan Shu for her work.
But then Dan Shu fell out of Phantylia's trust.
So the Stellaron never got handed over.
Now, with the Astral Express right here, it was the perfect opportunity to toss the Stellaron to them for sealing.
The freed-up storage card could then be tested to see if it could collect the severed-root Ambrosial Arbor.
If that thing could be collected, it would nicely fill the gap in Sylvia's healing and support capabilities.
The Xianzhou loathed the Ambrosial Arbor, a relic of Abundance, like a plague.
If Sylvia took it away, it would be akin to dismantling a time bomb for the Luofu. Jing Yuan might even have to give her half his General's seat.
"It's like this: I have a Stellaron here, and I may need to trouble the Astral Express to help seal it."
"…"
Welt stared at the card in Sylvia's hand.
He strained his senses but couldn't detect the slightest trace of Stellaron energy from it.
Setting aside Sylvia's personality—she probably wasn't bored enough to play such a prank on him.
'Then your method of sealing Stellarons is far more advanced than ours on the Astral Express. Why would you need my help to seal it?'
Seeing Welt remain silent, his expression inscrutable as he stared at her, Sylvia knew her actions seemed rather abstract. So she explained:
"This card was something I obtained by chance. There's only one, and it can only seal a single item. If I don't deal with this Stellaron, next time I encounter one, I won't have the means to handle it."
"Eh—let me see? There's really a Stellaron in there? Is it true?"
March 7th, her eyes wide, leaned over Sylvia's shoulder to peer at the card in her hand.
Stelle also touched her own chest, looking over curiously.
Welt, meanwhile, nodded and adjusted his glasses.
"I see… Understood. Then, Miss Sylvia, please come with me. Let's talk on the Express."
For Welt, whether Sylvia's story was true or not didn't really matter—sealing one more Stellaron was just another task.
And thus, Sylvia had the privilege of witnessing the Express crew's Stellaron-sealing technique firsthand.
One could only say this train was truly a bit miraculous.
'No wonder it could smash straight through a wall built by Preservation.'
During the process, Sylvia did see Dan Heng, but he merely stared at her with an indescribable expression for a while.
He said nothing.
Seeing this, Sylvia didn't initiate conversation either. After all, she wasn't a Vidyadhara—just a walker of the Path of The Aeon of Permanence.
After Welt and Himeko worked together to seal the Stellaron, Sylvia looked at the storage card, now blank again, nodded in satisfaction, and tucked it into her robe.
Then, in high spirits, she led the Express crew away from Cloudford.
Though they hadn't met there, at the Sky-Faring Commission, Tingyun still encountered the Express crew.
But without the shared experience at Cloudford, they were merely acquaintances who exchanged nods.
After introducing Welt to the Sky-Faring Commission's Helm Master, Sylvia bid them farewell first.
After all, she had to make a trip to the Seat of Divine Foresight.
As for Tingyun, she informed Sylvia of Huohuo's whereabouts.
She said that after returning to Starskiff Haven, Huohuo, seeing the situation had stabilized, took her leave and went home to rest.
"…What a pity. It seems today's meal won't happen after all."
Tingyun's tail drooped as she sighed in front of Sylvia.
All foreign trade fell under the Sky-Faring Commission's jurisdiction.
With such a major incident at Cloudford, Tingyun truly couldn't get away anytime soon.
Just finished with the busy period a few days ago, and now another heap of troublesome affairs had piled up.
Even for someone as adept as Tingyun, it was a bit exhausting.
"If not today, then tomorrow. There's always time for a meal."
Perhaps from getting used to petting Huohuo, Sylvia felt an urge to reach out and give Tingyun's ears a couple of strokes.
But remembering they were still at the Sky-Faring Commission, she held back.
"If it really doesn't work, find some time to come to the Sky-Faring Commission, and I'll let you treat me to a working meal."
Tingyun's gaze fell on Sylvia's hand, perhaps sensing what she had just wanted to do.
Her face flushed slightly, and with a snap, she opened her folding fan, hiding half her face behind it.
"Then, as the benefactor suggests, we shall postpone it. For the next few days, this humble one will likely remain at the Sky-Faring Commission. The benefactor may come anytime, just give a word in advance."
"Alright, I'll take my leave then."
Sylvia blinked at Tingyun, then waved to the idle March 7th and Stelle before leaving the Sky-Faring Commission alone.
She headed for the Seat of Divine Foresight—
--+--
Compared to last time, the atmosphere at the Seat of Divine Foresight today was considerably more tense. The usually ever-present Yanqing and Qingzu were not at Jing Yuan's side.
And Jing Yuan himself had shed his usual languid demeanor, actually attending to official business at his desk.
The moment Jing Yuan saw Sylvia arrive, he promptly spread the documents in his hand across the table and rose happily to greet her.
"Young Friend Sylvia, you've finally come—"
"…"
Sylvia stared at Jing Yuan with a peculiar expression, feeling he wasn't so much welcoming her as he was rejoicing at escaping work.
"It seems my timing is poor, disturbing the General's work. Perhaps I should return later?"
"No need, no need. Since you're already here, Young Friend Sylvia, how could I let you make the trip in vain?"
Jing Yuan hastily beckoned Sylvia closer, eager to chat a while longer.
Otherwise, if she turned and left, he'd be stuck alone again, buried in work.
"Isn't this about gathering diverse opinions? I wanted to ask your perspective on today's events, Young Friend Sylvia."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.