Bai Tang: Waaaah

"Bai Tang, your ability covers that wide an area?"

March 7th was stunned.

Serval had just mentioned a miracle that had occurred during the war. Soldiers who had been gravely wounded and on the verge of death had their injuries healed in an instant. Thanks to that power to bring them back from the brink of death, they had managed to push the front line forward several meters.

Everyone knew who the power came from. They all turned to look at Bai Tang, whose gaze wandered away.

"It's all right."

It had only covered the combat zone, that was all.

"This isn't Abundance."

She had used it relatively little at first on the Herta Space Station, and this ability was also very similar to Abundance. With Abundance present inside Bai Tang as well, he hadn't realized it at first.

Now that she had used it extensively, Dan Heng quickly noticed that the energy didn't come from Abundance, but from the unknown Path that suppressed the energy of every other Path inside Bai Tang.

He didn't know which Path this energy, which had almost never appeared in others, came from. Probably only Bai Tang herself knew.

Not every Path's energy could be identified. Take the Stellaron Hunters, for example. Who could have guessed they came from Finality? Even their wanted notices didn't say which Path they belonged to.

Another example was Amphoreus, a place where three Paths converged in a fight to the death. At first, they had only known one or two of them, and they couldn't have guessed the last one no matter what.

As for the Paths inside Bai Tang, Dan Heng was familiar with The Hunt and Abundance, so he recognized them at a glance. Preservation and Destruction were obvious and easy to identify too, and Elation was also very active. Apart from the one suppressing all the others, the remaining Paths were hidden inside, making them hard to identify.

And the one suppressing them all was far too rare—or rather, too few possessed it—for him to recognize.

Cocolia was steeped in that same aura now, but it was only being used to maintain her vital signs. She couldn't draw on that energy; if she did, she would die. And since she couldn't draw on it, there was no way to identify it.

If Herta saw the energy inside Bai Tang, she would definitely be interested.

Bai Tang looked away. Bai Tang didn't know anything.

Although she could draw on all the energy inside her, there was only one she could use freely and recklessly in large quantities. Only that one.

"So you were the one who helped us. Thank you so much. How about I treat you to a rock show when we get back?"

Serval was a warm, outgoing big-sister type. Once she learned that Bai Tang had helped them in the end, she couldn't stop smiling and even wanted to play rock music for her.

"No, thanks. I want to go back to the train."

She had already bought her souvenirs! She had to deliver them as soon as possible!

"Haha, then come see me when you have time. I'll save you a ticket."

Serval didn't insist, giving them both a graceful way out with her tactful words.

Bai Tang wasn't in the mood to explore Belobog. She just wanted to see Himeko and the Conductor and tell them she had come home safe.

Home...

Home safe and sound...

Returning to her warm home, with no purpose at all...

"Then head back first. Tell Himeko and Welt we'll be back later, and don't forget Pom-Pom."

"Himeko, Pom-Pom, I'm back."

The moment Bai Tang stepped aboard the train, she called out as she always did. She put the gifts on the table and chattered on, "Dan Heng and March said they'll be back later. Himeko, Aha is really, really annoying. He threw me into the IPC. Aventurine was very nice to me there. He sent me back."

"I'm just glad you made it back safe."

Himeko sipped her coffee, listening attentively to Bai Tang and smiling as she reassured her.

Stelle had already reported what had happened, so Himeko knew Aha had taken Bai Tang away. But Bai Tang had sent a message promptly, and knowing she was safe, Himeko had been fairly relaxed.

Still, without seeing her in person, she had worried at least a little. Only now that Bai Tang was back could she relax completely.

Himeko didn't ask what had happened. It didn't matter. If Bai Tang wanted to talk about it, they were naturally willing to listen. If she didn't, that was fine too.

Who aboard the train didn't have a few little secrets?

"Passenger Bai Tang, I'm so glad you're all right..."

A rain cloud had appeared above Pom-Pom's head.

The train had finally started to liven up, with more and more people joining. But when the well-behaved Nameless Bai Tang was taken away by the worst Nameless, Pom-Pom had truly panicked, yet couldn't help in the slightest.

Thanks to the stereotype, Aha was a temperamental Aeon who loved nothing more than watching things unfold for amusement. Who knew what might happen?

Bai Tang, however, understood that although it was called seeking amusement, Elation was actually a Path where everyone ended up happy together—but you shouldn't ask what happened along the way.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Conductor."

Bai Tang crouched down, her voice gentle.

Just then, five familiar characters appeared above Himeko's head.

[Touch to check in]

She suddenly understood something.

But...

She would let nature take its course.

"Himeko."

"Hmm? What is it?"

Bai Tang stepped forward and hugged Himeko tightly, burying her head against Himeko's chest. Her ears drooped too, making her look as though she had suffered a grievance.

Himeko rested one hand on her back and placed the other on her head, gently stroking her.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here. Don't cry."

Himeko didn't know what had happened, but she comforted her softly all the same.

One drop, then another, tears fell without warning. Bai Tang went rigid, not even daring to raise a hand to wipe them away. She bit her lower lip hard and held her breath, trying to force down the surge of anguish, but her eyes only grew hotter, and her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

Some feelings, it turned out, couldn't be hidden even from herself. The harder she tried to conceal them, the more completely they overwhelmed her.

Why? Why did she have to go through all that?!

Himeko was still so gentle.

After an unknown amount of time, March 7th and Dan Heng returned. Seeing Bai Tang like that, neither dared go over and interrupt, leaving Himeko to comfort her.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?"

Seeing that Bai Tang was feeling much better, Himeko asked jokingly, though with a hint of seriousness.

"Okay."

Bottoms up, to show how close we are... Huh? It's sweet. Tastes pretty good. Himeko's coffee isn't as terrifying as the game said.

"Hiss—"

That was March 7th, who had seen Bai Tang drink Himeko's coffee.

"Is it really good?"

That was the curious Stelle. Seeing Bai Tang put down her cup with one mouthful left inside, she promptly tipped it down her throat.

Smack.

That was the Stellaron spirit, sprawled on the floor and unable to get up, and Bai Tang, utterly bewildered as she treated her.

"Her sense of taste must be broken."

March 7th looked at Bai Tang, who was bouncing around as though she had just drunk some sweetened water, and at Stelle, who had taken an ultimate attack to the face without getting hurt but was now down for the count.

"No."

Bai Tang had an idea why things were like this, but it really wasn't a problem. At most, when she ate, it made bad-tasting food taste good.