NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Jarilo-VI
-[Ahem, hello, hello! Attention all passengers. Attention all passengers]
From the loudspeakers of the Astral Express, Pom-Pom's voice was heard loudly all around.
-[The Express is about to make a jump. We ask everyone to assemble in the lobby. I repeat. The Express is about to make a jump. We ask everyone to assemble in the lobby.]
At that moment, the only missing member, Stelle, arrived. After seeing her being scolded by Pom-Pom, Stelle walked in this direction.
-Phew~
After taking a hot bath and wiping off the coffee I accidentally spit on her, Stelle jumped onto the couch and laid her body on top of mine. I didn't push her away, I simply stroked her head and she purred just like a cute kitten.
Seeing her act so comfortable with me made March feel weird.
-Stelle, I don't think getting attached to Nadie is a good idea. He's already married, you know? Trying anything would make you a home-wrecking cat!
-Raccoon, you mean?
--Raccoon?
Neither March nor Stelle understood what I meant by that. I don't blame them, we haven't reached Belobog yet, so Stelle hasn't awakened her love for garbage cans yet.
-By the way, what about Dan Heng, are we going to start the jump without waiting for him to come?
-Pom-Pom said not to worry about Dan Heng, she said he never comes anyway.
Now that I remember, it's true, Dan Heng is practically a neet as long as we are on the Express.
If I'm not mistaken, it's in this scene, moments before making the jump that March 7 tells us of her reason for being on the Astral Express; due to her amnesia, she doesn't remember her past and so she travels the universe, searching for her home planet where she can call "home".
In a way, I sympathize with her as I was in a similar situation myself until a few years ago. But, now, I already have my own family; so I'm not interested in returning to my universe.
Unlike the game, March did not talk to us about her past since in these 2 days we spent together on the Astral Express she already opened up a lot to us.
-[Return to your seats, please!]
Pom-Pom's last warning was obviously in reference to March. That girl, no matter how many times she is warned, keeps trying to cross the jump standing still.
-I won't fall, I won't fall this time.
Ignoring March's mutterings, Stelle and I sit comfortably on the couch, leaning against each other.
-[The train is about to jump. Get ready!]
Honestly, I find it strange that neither Himeko nor Welt have lectured March. Or maybe they already did but nothing worked...?
-[5... 4... 3... 2... 1!]
Thus, our first jump on the Astral Express went off without a hitch.
For me, this is not a new experience due to my previous adventures and relationship with Herta; but, for Stelle, this is her first jump.
We got up from the sofa and walked to the window, where we could see Jarilo-VI.
-After so many millennia... Is this what Jarilo-VI has become?
Himeko looked at the planet with regret.
-Huh? Is that snowy planet our destination?
-Yes... this trailblazer expedition won't be easy.
While Himeko and March were chatting, Pom-Pom arrived at some point to warn us of some bad news.
-Anomaly in the space reading! The stability of the star rails is down to 12%! Variation in the calendar: the 7-day shutdown is delayed indefinitely!
In other words.
-We already have the results of the preliminary tests. The origin of the anomaly is the Stellaron, as usual.
Welt's arrival clarified the problem that interrupted our trip.
-This time I want to leave the trailblazer expedition in the hands of Stelle, Nadie, March 7 and Dan Heng. The objective is very clear: to find the Stelaron that brought misfortune to this world and caused the spatial distortions, and bring it to the train. We will take care of the rest.
Just like the game, Himeko entrusted us with this expedition. We have no choice but to go down and solve the problem ourselves.
Soon after, Dan Heng came to the main carriage and here we all gathered.
-Well, now that the trailblazer team is complete! Jarilo-VI, let's get going!
The lively March 7 set out to lead the way, nobody objected.
...
..
.
-Jarilo-VI... Here we are.
-It's like a gigantic snowball!
-It's like a gigantic snowball!
-It's like a gigantic snowball!
-Hey, don't copy me!
Stelle and I ignore March's complaints and run into the snow to make a little angel.
-Yey~!
-I haven't seen snow in a long time! How nostalgic!
Dan Heng just remained silent, March tried to restrain his urge to join but in the end succumbed to temptation.
-Let me join you!
-Come, March! Let's see who makes the biggest snowman!
-Yuhoo~! Snowball fight! -Kyaah!
-Kyaah! Why only me?! Stelle, throw snowballs at Nadie too!
5 minutes later, we calmed down. When we finally got tired of playing with the snow, we set out to go back to the Astral Express.
-Phew~ Enough for today, let's go back to the Express.
-I want to take a nap with you, Nadie.
-Just don't get too attached to me.
At this point, I got used to how sticky Stelle is with me. Of course, it's not a new experience since Firefly and Kafka are sometimes worse than that...
-Hey, you two wait up! Did you forget our real goal?!
March despaired when he saw us walking towards the Space Anchor.
Unlike in the game, here in real life, besides needing the Trailblazer Path, the Space Anchor's teleportation only works when we are near another Anchor.
-Our real objective...?
Stelle and I exchanged confused glances.
-Ah, we forgot to take pictures so Himeko, Welt and Pom-Pom can see us! Come on Stelle, let's take a selfie!
-No! The Stelaron! We must seal the Stelaron!
-Now that you mention it...
Damn, how could I have been distracted by the snow? It's all Stelle's fault (lie).
-*Sigh*. If you've had enough fun, we'd better get going before dark.
-As expected from Dan Heng, how responsible.
March praised Dan Heng loudly. Meanwhile, Stelle and I diverted our attention to something else.
-Nadie, look. A giant flower.
-That's a Calyx, you'll get tired of seeing it after a while.
-Why?
-Farming.
-Farming?
I didn't explain any more; sooner or later, Stelle will understand it herself.
-Guys, look!
March's shout catches everyone's attention. In the distance, the appearance of flying monsters from the Fragmentum known as Frostspawn come in our direction.
-This place has not yet been affected by the corrosion, but the Fragmentum monsters are already around here? I'm afraid the Stellaron has a lot of influence in this world.
Having said those words, Dan Heng materializes his spear and prepares to fight, so do 7 March and Stelle.
-Good luck~
I simply cheered for them from a distance. Something of this level, they don't need my help.
In no time, the trio finished off the enemies.
-From now on, we'll have to move forward more carefully. We don't know how far we are from the nearest settlement.
-Don't worry Dan Heng, I'm invincible!
Stelle squeezed his biceps to demonstrate his Herculean strength, unfortunately his arms are so delicate that they seem harmless.
-What worries me is not our strength but endurance. If we fight every enemy we come across, we will get exhausted very quickly.
Dan Heng's explanation was so reasonable that Stelle could not argue anything.
-Guys, that thing over there...
Again, March's comment got everyone's attention; when we looked in the direction she was pointing, there was a large pile of snow. From that same snowdrift, a faint trembling voice is audible.
As we approached the snowdrift, March spoke in a strict voice.
-Hey, get out of there or you'll freeze!
-...
-Holding your breath won't do you any good....
There's obviously someone hiding in there. Since I know the plot of the game, I know who the buffoon is who would hide in such a stupid place like that, so I just kept quiet.
-Leave it to me, March.
Seeing that dialogue was useless, Dan Heng stepped forward.
-When someone buries his head in the sand, or in the snow, in this case... what he needs is a hand.
-Ouch!
Dan Heng thrusts his spear into the pile of snow a person jumps out of there with a sore butt.
-Well, buddy, was it necessary to do that? Getting in the snow is now a crime punishable by a spear jab?
We all kept our mouths shut, creating an awkward silence for the jester.
When our gazes met, the jester known as Sampo, his eyes widened with almost comical surprise. He managed to sense it, my aura as Emanator of Exultation; of course, that was because I allowed him to.
The aura exuded by Emanators is very different from that of normal Pathstriders; of course, that aura is unidentifiable until the power of the Path is used. That is why no one knows of my identity as an Emanator until they are told or I prove it myself.
I gently rest my index finger in front of my lips, making a silent gesture to silence him. Sampo immediately nods his head sharply, implying that he understood my message.
Why do I play this mysterious character? Actually, I just felt a little bored and did this on impulse.
What will this lead me to? Well, no idea, to see what butterfly effects there will be from now on.
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