Chapter 112: Stelle: I'm Not the Youngest
The air in the observation car crackled with tension. Locked onto by two distinctly hostile gazes, Sunday simply maintained his gentle and proper smile. His eyes remained calm and unruffled, as if the shimmering ice bow and the heavy lance weren't aimed squarely at his heart.
"Cough." Dan Heng raised a hand to his forehead, letting out a clear, weary sigh. He knew this was going to happen…
Himeko, meanwhile, held her coffee cup with a faint smile playing on her lips, content to enjoy the show.
Welt coughed pointedly, his gaze sweeping from behind his glasses to land on the overreacting duo. "Stelle, March, don't be so tense," he said, his voice laced with helplessness. "This is the Astral Express, not one of Penacony's dreamscapes."
Welt's reminder snapped March 7th back to reality. She suddenly registered the foolish thing she had just done—drawing her bow on a guest, on the Astral Express, right in front of Mr. Welt and Himeko.
Her face flushed a brilliant crimson. She hastily dispelled the crystalline weapon, which dissolved into glittering motes of light, while simultaneously grabbing Stelle's arm. Her friend was still gripping her lance in a threatening stance.
"Stelle! Put it away! Are you dense?!" March whispered urgently. "Who would dare to start a fight on the Express? Mr. Welt and Himeko are right here!"
Only then did the realization dawn on Stelle. She awkwardly retracted her lance, scratching the back of her head. "Uh… force of habit, you know? It's a conditioned reflex whenever a key plot NPC shows up…"
March 7th rolled her eyes, utterly speechless. She turned to Welt, her expression shifting to one of pure curiosity. "Mr. Welt, what… what's going on?" Her gaze couldn't help but drift back toward Sunday, questioning.
Welt pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. His eyes swept over everyone before finally resting on their guest. "Allow me to introduce you all," he began calmly. "This is Mr. Sunday. He has expressed a wish to temporarily board the Astral Express and travel with us for a time."
"Boarding?!" Stelle and March 7th exclaimed in unison, their faces masks of disbelief.
Sunday took a single step forward and offered a slight bow, his posture elegant and his expression sincere. "Yes. After the turmoil in Penacony, I came to deeply realize the narrowness and prejudice of my past perceptions. 'Order' should not be a cage, solidified and unyielding."
He lifted his head, his golden eyes gleaming with an unmatched desire for truth. "I long to step out from the confines of the Family and, as an ordinary traveler, personally experience the journey of the Trailblaze. I wish to feel the rhythm of different worlds and witness the resilience of life firsthand."
"I want to learn the true meaning of the 'Trailblaze' spirit, to understand the path the Nameless pursue, and to find a feasible future for my own 'Eden.' This is the purpose of my journey."
Welt then added, "After discussing it with Himeko, we believe that accepting a fellow traveler who is willing to reflect and seek change aligns with the philosophy of the Astral Express. Of course…"
He looked directly at Stelle, his tone becoming serious. "The final decision rests with every passenger on this train—especially you, Stelle. Are you willing to accept Mr. Sunday as a temporary companion?"
Every gaze in the room converged on her.
Stelle planted one hand on her hip and brought the other to her chin in a classic pose of deep contemplation.
"Hmm…" She pondered for a dramatic moment before finally nodding, a hearty, open smile spreading across her face.
"Alright! Welcome aboard, Sunday!" she declared, extending a hand in a gesture of acceptance.
Sunday looked at her outstretched hand, a flicker of warmth and gratitude in his eyes. He solemnly took it, his grip firm. "I will remember this, Ms. Stelle. Thank you for your trust."
"That's great!" March 7th chirped, happy that the tense atmosphere had dissolved.
Stelle withdrew her hand, but then a thought suddenly struck her. Her eyes lit up, and she placed both hands on her hips, puffing out her chest triumphantly. "Hehe, that means from now on, I'm not the youngest member of the crew anymore!"
Her moment of triumph, however, lasted less than three seconds. March 7th's ruthless and precise retort came from beside her, instantly shattering her beautiful fantasy.
"Wake up, Stelle! Mr. Sunday is only boarding 'temporarily'! Do you understand what a 'temporary passenger' is? The second he finds his path to 'Eden,' or maybe even at the very next stop, he might get off!"
March patted Stelle's shoulder with an expression that screamed, 'You're still too young.' "Your status as the baby of the group is unshakable!"
Stelle: "…"
The smile on her face froze solid. She shot a resentful glare at March, mumbling, "Who… Who says?! Once you're on the Express, you're family! A temporary passenger is still a passenger! I, A-Stelle, am now a glorious—senior!"
She puffed out her chest again, trying to reclaim a shred of dignity, but her forced bravado only made her seem more childish in everyone's eyes.
Welt helplessly adjusted his glasses again, while Himeko elegantly sipped her coffee, the smile never leaving her lips.
Sunday watched Stelle's antics, a gentle amusement flashing in his golden eyes. This 'senior's' personality was indeed just as she had shown in Penacony—a mix of innocent stubbornness and vibrant vitality.
Stelle, however, was quick to adjust her mindset. Or rather, she was quick to find a new thing to brag about.
She cleared her throat, strode over to Sunday, and tried to put on the air of a seasoned administrator, patting him on the shoulder.
"Ahem. Sunday, since you're on board, you're now a new member of our Astral Express family!"
"As your senior," she continued grandly, "I have to tell you, besides the great cause of trailblazing, I also shoulder an even more important mission—managing a dimensional chat group! It's full of elites from all sorts of different worlds!"
She instinctively tried to summon the chat group's holographic screen, but then remembered others couldn't see it. Adapting on the fly, she whipped out her phone to show it off instead.
"As long as you, the new rookie, perform well and work hard, I, A-Stelle, might just consider pulling you into this magical chat group in the future! This is a huge opportunity, you know!"
Sunday looked at Stelle's sparkling eyes, which were practically screaming 'Praise me, I'm amazing!' He recalled her various unexpected and clownish antics back in Penacony and immediately understood.
This was simply Stelle's unique way of expressing her acceptance and encouragement, albeit wrapped in a layer of childish showing-off.
He bowed slightly, a cooperative smile gracing his features as his tone became perfectly sincere. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Stelle. It is already my greatest honor to be able to board the Astral Express. If I am fortunate enough to one day witness that cross-dimensional miracle, I will certainly redouble my efforts to live up to your expectations, Senior."
He skillfully caught the bait she'd thrown and returned it with a compliment.
This little exchange, with its talk of 'senior' and 'rookie' and Sunday's perfect cooperation, sent a wave of pure joy through Stelle. It was like chugging a large glass of iced SoulGlad on a sweltering summer day.
She nodded in deep satisfaction, pacing a few steps through the observation car with her hands clasped behind her back. She could feel the invisible weight of seniority on her shoulders grow just a little heavier.
Hmm, so this is the burden of growth? It doesn't feel bad at all.
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