Walking at the very back, Stelle's steps were slightly unsteady.
I have to meet Uncle Yang, and I can't let him find out about Jiang Liang's existence...
Why does this feel like a plot straight out of one of those weird web novels I read online?
Novels she had read on the Express flooded Stelle's mind.
She had no memories, and while she possessed some common sense, it wasn't much. So, she had specifically asked March 7th what to do in situations like this.
March 7th's reply was, "When I lost my memories, I lacked common sense too, but reading more books helped! Here, here, let me recommend some literary works to you!"
Though called "literary works," they were actually just popular web novels March 7th found interesting. Naturally, there were all sorts of genres, but March 7th had unique tastes: she didn't care much about the process, as long as the ending was a big, happy reunion.
One of those novels had a situation similar to her current one: the female lead brought home a newly met "pretty boy," not only hiding him from her adoptive parents but also using the living expenses they gave her to support him.
Heh, and guess what happened in the end?
The adoptive parents met the pretty boy and discovered he was actually the person who had tried to ruin their company years ago! He had used interstellar plastic surgery to make himself look younger, all to seduce the female lead. The adoptive parents fainted from anger, and when they woke up, they found the pretty boy had already flash-married their daughter.
Although the details were different, Stelle still felt her situation bore some resemblance to that novel's plot, making her feel a bit worried.
Thinking of this, Stelle couldn't help but worry again.
"Hey, hey! Are you really okay? Maybe we should head back to the Astral Express right now?"
March 7th nudged Stelle with her elbow. During the short ten-minute walk back to Belobog, she had seen Stelle sighing, shaking her head, spacing out, muttering to herself, and occasionally glancing at the empty space beside her more than once.
She was just short of reciting some melancholic poetry about life's eternal regrets.
Could her mind really have snapped?
Although they were supposed to greet Bronya before leaving, if Stelle really wasn't well, taking her back to the Express first was also an option.
"I'm... I'm fine, it's just..."
Stelle didn't know how to explain. As she hesitated, her pleading gaze suddenly met Jiang Liang's, who was watching the show from the sidelines.
Jiang Liang...?
No way, does this need proxying too?
You've never even told a lie as a child? Oh, right, you were only born three days ago. Never mind then.
As long as the proxy target didn't strongly resist, he could still take control.
But this time, he refused.
Children can't always rely on their parents. He could handle the big things, but she had to rely on herself for the small stuff.
Seeing Jiang Liang shake his head, refusing to take over, Stelle could only close her eyes tightly. When she opened them again, her expression was solemn. She placed both hands on March 7th's shoulders.
"Listen to me... I might have... invoked a higher power."
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
March 7th and Jiang Liang exclaimed "Huh?" simultaneously. March 7th's was a rising tone of questioning, while Jiang Liang's was a falling tone filled with "I knew it" resignation.
Now, even Dan Heng turned his head, ears pricked.
"While you were caught in that difficult battle, my consciousness was suddenly pulled into another space, where I saw a mysterious person with their back turned to me."
"Could it be... I know! After meeting the mysterious person, the power hidden in your past awakened!"
March 7th gasped, momentarily speechless.
Back on the Express, she had mentioned offhand that their amnesiac group might have hidden special powers. She never expected it to be true!
Could she possibly have some special power to make things she says come true?
Last time at the space station, she had just casually said something, and a bunch of Husks suddenly popped out.
Stelle nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking rice.
Although I don't know how you came up with that conclusion, yes, that's exactly it. Jiang Liang also nodded forcefully.
The moment he heard "invoked a higher power," Jiang Liang knew what Stelle was going to say.
She planned to use the experience of being pulled into the Guardian Will's space to cover things up.
"Will you be able to use that power again in the future? Or was it just a one-time thing?" Dan Heng interjected from the side.
Perhaps because the fight with Cocolia had lasted so long, he had been resting and recuperating along the way, not saying much.
March 7th cast a sympathetic look. "If you can use it again, then you're in luck! Herta will definitely want to examine you again and then re-evaluate your combat capabilities."
This time, it was Jiang Liang's turn to shoot Stelle a pleading look.Herta? Unlike Welt and Himeko, that name didn't sound familiar at all.The 'Heita' he knew had a 'Da' in front of it and was the 'Da Heita' from literature... Xiangzi's Tigress...
[TN: Jiang Liang is misremembering/confusing Herta's name with a character named 'Heita' (Blackie) from the famous Chinese novel 'Rickshaw Boy' by Lao She, specifically the fierce character Huniu (Tigress).]
"Probably... I can only use it once in a short period, and it consumes a lot of stamina and energy."
"No wonder you look completely drained."
Hearing this, March 7th reversed the gesture, placing her hands on Stelle's shoulders.
"Decision made! We'll go see Bronya later. Right now, we're taking you back to the Express first!"
----
"Little March and the others have finished up. They should be on their way back now."
Himeko put away her phone, her expression relaxing.
As the navigator of the Express, she naturally cared about the safety of the Nameless.
Although this was Stelle, March, and Dan Heng's first mission together, and the inability to contact them due to the Stellaron interference had caused some worry, the outcome was good.
Nearby, a knee-high, lop-eared rabbit who had been mopping the floor heard Himeko's words and put down its mop.
"Then I'll go prepare dinner, Pom! After spending two days in that icy place, they must be missing the food on the Express! Passenger March 7th's favorite Lava Chocolate Cake and orange juice!"
Saying this, it shoved the mop into a bucket, swished it up and down a couple of times, hummed a little tune, and dragged the bucket towards the Express door.
Once the lop-eared rabbit left, Himeko turned her gaze towards a chestnut-haired man nearby who was intently staring at his phone. "Welt? Why do you look... not very reassured?"
When the Astral Express could jump again, the trio had sent their first message. Although Welt looked a bit tense then, he was generally relaxed.
It wasn't until just now, when the trio sent their second, brief report message, that Welt sat bolt upright. He steepled his fingers under his nose, remaining frozen in that posture like a statue.
"No... I just feel like something isn't quite right."
Hearing Himeko's voice, Welt snapped back to reality, but his gaze couldn't help drifting back to his phone.
In the group chat, March 7th had just sent the second message, which included a photo.
The photo was blurry, clearly taken in a hurry.
In the foreground, a white-haired figure raised a molten-gold greatsword, swinging it towards the sky.
He zoomed in on the blurry greatsword with his fingers, his brow deeply furrowed.
This... looks somewhat familiar.
----
TN: Posted several chapters in a day, now I will post a daily chapter.