Star Rail: Single Draw Acheron at the Start Chapter 5

"That's right, the Express has many carriages. Before, one carriage was enough for each of us. Now that you've joined, we can open up the second residential carriage."

March 7th said with a smile. Besides the engine, the Express had a viewing carriage at the front, which was also where the crew usually gathered to chat. The carriages behind it were all residential ones. However, March 7th knew these were reserved spots for future companions. If they added carriages only after finding companions, it would seem rather stingy.

As the door to the viewing carriage opened, March 7th walked in first and then stood inside, inviting Caelus and Acheron.

"Welcome to the Trailblaze's Express. I'm sure life here won't disappoint you."

March 7th said, extending her hand. Caelus reached out and took her soft palm. Acheron followed behind him, and Caelus took her hand with his other one, pulling her into the Express. Dan Heng brought up the rear, walking last.

Upon entering the carriage, Caelus felt as if he had stepped into a house. The floor beneath his feet was a spotless, smooth surface. Before him were several large glass panels forming a viewing deck. Inside the carriage, there were two long, curved sofas that could comfortably seat over a dozen people. There were also some single seats and tables, perfect for sitting alone and watching the cosmic scenery.

"Welcome to the Star Rail Express, pa."

A voice that was neither male nor female suddenly spoke. This startled Caelus. He looked to his left and right, but no one was speaking. Yet, the voice sounded very close.

"Who's talking? I'm telling you, stop playing spooky tricks. I don't believe in the supernatural; I believe in science."

Caelus said sternly. He didn't believe he'd be haunted by a ghost the moment he boarded. Before he could be scared by a ghost, he decided to scare the ghost first.

"Your very existence is quite unscientific, you know. Look down."

March 7th chimed in with a timely retort, then pointed below Caelus. Caelus looked down and saw a strange creature standing before him, about fifty centimeters tall, resembling a plush toy. It wore a Station Master's hat on its head, looking rather odd.

"How rude, pa. How can you mistake me for a ghost, pa?"

Station Master Pom-Pom said, looking at Caelus with its watery eyes. It resembled a grey long-eared rabbit, its ears almost touching the ground. It maintained a safe distance.

"Take a closer look, you're quite handsome. You must be happy sleeping with it."

Caelus bent down and patted Pom-Pom's head. Although his behavior was a bit rude, as the Station Master, it forgave the new passenger's actions.

"You are the new crew members from now on. Here are your room cards, pa."

Pom-Pom produced two black cards from the brim of its hat. The numbers on them read five and six, indicating their room numbers. Each carriage of the Express was quite spacious, yet only had four rooms, providing ample personal space. Caelus and Acheron would have to go to the second residential carriage to find their rooms.

"Thank you, little rabbit."

Caelus patted Pom-Pom's head again and handed the room card for number six to Acheron. Acheron took it and tucked it into her sleeve, which seemed to be a pocket dimension where anything could be stored. This made Caelus want to play with her sleeve.

"Station Master, may I ask if this Express can travel to Penacony? Acheron wants to go there."

After getting acquainted with Pom-Pom, Caelus spoke seriously. He had not forgotten Acheron's destination. Although he really wanted to travel with her, Caelus was not a selfish person and wanted to help Acheron.

Upon hearing this, Acheron glanced at Caelus. This was something she should have brought up herself, but due to her poor communication skills, she hadn't interjected. She readily accepted Caelus speaking on her behalf.

"Of course, pa. We can go anywhere the Express has been."

Pom-Pom said proudly, hands on its hips. It remembered all the places the Express had visited, so just mentioning a name was enough for it to know where it was. Once the coordinates were set, it could warp there, which was quite impressive.

"Yo..."

Just as Caelus was about to hug Pom-Pom and give it a good rub, Himeko had already walked over. He abandoned the idea of rubbing and looked at the woman who resembled a mother.

"Warping can get us there quickly. I heard Penacony is a territory of the Harmony Family, and this is the family's first public invitation to other factions."

Himeko naturally joined the conversation, her gaze falling on Acheron with a probing look. She spoke in a way that Caelus completely didn't understand.

"I can provide an invitation."

Acheron said confidently. She knew what Himeko meant. Without an invitation, she would be an undocumented person and would be arrested and exiled. Helping her sneak in would also be a crime.

Chapter 14 Isn't This a Coincidence?

"Then there's no problem. Our Trailblaze journey doesn't have a specific destination. It's all the same wherever we go first. And coincidentally..."

Himeko's smile was still gentle. She paused for dramatic effect as she spoke, drawing out her words before revealing the rest.

"Before you joined, the Harmony Family also sent us an invitation, and the Star Rail Express has some connection with Penacony."

Himeko's words greatly surprised Caelus. He had only tried to ask the Express for help transporting someone, but he never expected they had the same destination. The shadow of an Aeon seemed to be behind this so-called family, sending out invitations to various parties even before Caelus was born. The Star Rail Express also seemed to be a well-known entity, hence their invitation.

"A'Quan, did you hear that? What a coincidence."

Caelus showed a surprised expression after hearing Himeko's words. Penacony was coincidentally also the destination the Star Rail Express was heading to. If not for this, traveling ten thousand light-years on foot with just him and Acheron would likely take them until they were old and dead.

"Mm."

A rare smile appeared on Acheron's face. She disliked troubling others, but if they were going together along the way, this free ride would be quite comfortable.

"Thousands of years ago, Penacony was a prison. It was the Trailblaze who connected it with the Thorn Nebula. The Star Rail Express once arrived here, and a group of Nameless from the Express chose to stay in Penacony. For us now, it's like returning to a familiar place to trace the footsteps of our ancestors, which is also an adventure."

Himeko spoke of stories originating from the Star Rail Express. Caelus understood that the train beneath his feet was an antique, but he didn't understand anything else. He then exchanged glances with Acheron beside him, asking if she understood.

Acheron tilted her head, and the streak of white hair at the side of her face swayed slightly, making her look charming. Caelus was almost smitten, but as the saying goes, don't eat grass near your own den, and don't pressure fellow swordsmen. He decided to look at Asta in the distance instead.

"Are we changing course to Penacony? Think about me, your Station Master, pa. Modifying warp coordinates takes time. You're so willful, pa."

Upon hearing they wanted to change coordinates, Pom-Pom couldn't help but complain a few times on the spot. March 7th went up to sweet-talk the Station Master, which mostly involved hugging it and nuzzling it.

"Then I'll go with what you say. Warp coordinates modified to the Penacony system."

After being "tormented" by March 7th, Pom-Pom had come to terms with it. It waved goodbye to the passengers and headed to the front of the Express to adjust the coordinates. This was something only it could do; others could only watch if they wanted to help.

Caelus felt surrounded by a kind family. Although they had become companions upon their first meeting, they were willing to change their destination for him. While Penacony was indeed a place they were going to, it seemed they hadn't planned to go so soon. His invitation had likely expedited their journey. He would have to remember this kindness.

After Pom-Pom left, a man with brown hair and long bangs walked up to Caelus. He offered a polite smile, displaying the kind expression characteristic of elders.

"Himeko has told me about you. Welcome to the Star Rail Express, new passengers. I am Welt Yang."

Welt naturally welcomed Caelus and Acheron, then offered his right hand. The glasses on his nose reflected Caelus and Acheron, making him look like a wise man who relied on his intellect.

"Got it, I'll call you Uncle Yang from now on."

Caelus, being very familiar, shook hands with Welt. Welt simply smiled, not minding the seemingly old-fashioned address. His gaze fell upon Acheron, and for a moment, he seemed captivated.

"I'll feel awkward if you stare at me like that."

Acheron spoke, her lips parting slightly. Welt immediately averted his gaze, adjusted his glasses, and seemed to bury his thoughts deep within.

"My apologies, Miss Acheron. Welcome to the Star Rail Express."

Welt repeated the same words, but this time, he didn't shake Acheron's hand, as if something was preventing him from doing so.

"As an elder, I'd like to give you a gift."

As if performing a magic trick, Welt waved his right hand, and two identical mobile phones appeared in his palm, their internal structures also the same.

"These are communication devices exclusive to our train. With them, you can contact your own people anytime. This also means you are now one of us."

Welt explained. Caelus took the phone and felt like he'd struck gold. Although it wasn't a Star Destroyer, anyone who gave him a gift must be a good person. He happily put the phone away and handed the other one to Acheron.

"Thank you, Uncle Yang."

Caelus sincerely thanked Welt and then curiously began to wander around the carriage. All areas were open, except for the engine room. Naturally, Caelus wanted to go to his room.

"Acheron, let's go check out our rooms."

Caelus said, taking Acheron's hand. Before Acheron could object, she was already being pulled towards the back of the carriage. After leaving the observation car, the two entered the first residential carriage. Caelus counted and found there were four rooms, guessing they corresponded to the four passengers he knew.

Room one belonged to Dan Heng, room two to March 7th, room three to Himeko, and room four to Welt. Beyond that was the rear door. Caelus opened the door and entered the rear carriage, with no contact with the outside world. This was only natural, as the Star Rail Express traveled through the universe; it would be quite comical if one accidentally ended up in a vacuum while visiting.

Upon arriving in the new carriage, Caelus used his room card to open the door to room five and began to examine his room. Upon entering, he could immediately see the large glass window at the end. This was likely designed for passengers to admire the scenery of space, but the privacy was a concern. So, Caelus picked up the remote on the bedside table and moved the curtains to cover the window.

Beside the window was a large double bed, covered with white sheets and a quilt. The pristine white gave a sense of comfort. Opposite the bed, in a corner, was a desk. The desk was empty, suitable for reading. The remaining furniture was an ordinary sofa and a coffee table. The entire room was about fifty square meters, more than enough space for one person.

Finally, Caelus approached a conspicuous metal door within the room. Pressing the switch, the door slid open to the side, revealing a bathroom that wasn't large but was definitely sufficient.

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Chapter 15: Eating Soft Rice with a Hard Stance

"This is a nice place, but it's a waste for me to sleep alone in a double bed."

Caelus, very satisfied with his bedroom, walked up to Acheron and looked at her sincerely. Acheron's lips moved, as if she wanted to say something, when Caelus suddenly darted away.

"I'm going to ask Asta for her contact information."

Caelus left that sentence behind and vanished. While the Station Master was still preparing, he couldn't waste any time here.

Acheron fell silent for a moment. She glanced in the direction Caelus had run off and returned to her own room, six, to perform some simple meditation.

Caelus ran all the way to the main control section of the Space Station, only to find a dark-skinned boy and a small white dog beside Asta. The contrast between these two colors immediately drew the attention of both the person and the dog when Caelus appeared.

"Woof woof!"

The white dog seemed interested upon seeing Caelus. It barked a couple of times and then ran to his feet, circling him. Caelus, full of cunning, knew this dog must be Asta's. Getting along with it would be like having an ally. So, he bent down, picked up the dog, and acted like he adored it.

"Peppy, why are you barking at him?"

Asta asked curiously. She initially thought her pet dog disliked Caelus, but seeing it being held and not struggling made her think otherwise.

"Awooo."

Peppy tilted its neck and let out a bark. To those unfamiliar with high technology, animal sounds were just chirps and barks. However, for advanced civilizations, translating animal languages was not difficult.

There was a device called a Synesthesia Beacon. As long as one carried this item, it could translate the other party's intended meaning into a language one could understand, directly comprehending it in one's mind. This was almost standard equipment for advanced civilizations. In this era of space travel, countless people shuttled between stars daily, and alien languages were incredibly diverse. It was impossible to learn them all. Therefore, members of the Genius Society had created this item for seamless communication with any race, a truly epic and convenient invention.

"He means I look friendly and wants to be friends."

Caelus naturally had a Synesthesia Beacon. It was a factory setting given by his aunt; he was born with it. Therefore, he could easily understand Peppy's meaning.

Asta could also understand what Peppy was thinking. She just gave Caelus a strange look and said nothing more.

"Brother dog, help me win over Asta. If I succeed in the future, we'll share the world."

Caelus whispered to Peppy, holding it and turning his back to Asta. Peppy also had a Synesthesia Beacon. Upon hearing Caelus's words, its eyes immediately sharpened, then gradually turned comical.

"Woof."

Peppy barked, roughly meaning, "Leave it to your brother." This made Caelus a bit puzzled. Dogs' intelligence was generally not as high as humans', but he felt this dog's intelligence was comparable to a normal person's.

"Plan successful."

Caelus made a twisted facial expression, his mouth curling up to his nose, before turning back to look at Asta with a serious expression.

"Are you done? Let's talk about our future."

"What is there to talk about between us?"

Asta said with a smile. She generally didn't interact with strangers, but Caelus's identity was special, and he was someone Herta valued. The little rich girl felt that talking to him might yield some results.

"Of course, there is. Grandma Herta has already agreed to our marriage."

Caelus said, patting his chest. Asta's reaction was indifferent, but the dark-skinned boy beside her looked utterly astonished, his expression suggesting he was questioning his own existence.

"You mean, Ms. Herta is going to marry me off to you?"

Asta's smile remained placid. She had witnessed significant events before, let alone the attack on the Space Station by the Anti-Matter Legion. She was born into such a noble family and had faced great challenges since childhood.

"You don't seem surprised at all?" Caelus asked, confused.

"Mhm. Ms. Herta seems like the type to make such a decision, but not the type to do such a thing. While she's decisive, she wouldn't force others to do what they don't want to do. At the very least, she should have asked me."

Asta explained her lack of surprise. Although Herta was a hands-off manager, she had always treated Asta well, not as a mere tool. Naturally, she wouldn't casually decide her marriage.

"You're so smart. Just as I thought, you're the girl I've set my sights on. Grandma agreed to the future."

Caelus gave Asta a thumbs-up and continued. Logically, his starting point was already far higher than normal people. Others' interactions with Asta were, at most, work-related. But because he had Herta's backing, he could find many excuses to approach Asta. This was all thanks to his grandmother's influence.

"She said that after I win you over, she'll handle your family affairs. Just marry me."

"Eh, you're that confident you can win me over?"

Asta looked at Caelus curiously. She herself didn't know what kind of man she would like. Her mind was filled with work, and she had never thought about dating anyone. Wasn't that incredibly difficult?

"Why else? We're a perfect match, talented and beautiful. Anyone who opposes us being together is a monster."

Caelus nodded with absolute certainty. This made the dark-skinned youth, who had been about to voice his objection, look as if he'd swallowed a fly. Caelus's preemptive strike was quite cunning, effectively silencing any opposition.

"How old are you, and you're already thinking about chasing girls? Who taught you that?"

Asta said with a smile. After learning about Caelus's background, she found this Stellaron child interesting. He was just born, did he even know what liking someone meant? So, rather than calling Caelus a rogue, he was more like an ignorant child.

"Who... My aunt!"

Caelus blinked. It was true, no one had taught him these things. He just wanted to pursue any pretty girl he saw. Pursuing her to the end meant marriage, right? Thinking about it carefully, it must have been Silver Wolf.

"Then your aunt really isn't a good person," Asta quipped.

"That's true. Her wanted posters are so numerous they could wrap around this Space Station."

Asta couldn't be bothered to retort. Two thieves had become Caelus's mother and aunt. If, by some minuscule chance, she actually ended up with Caelus, wouldn't she have to acknowledge two thieves as elders? She absolutely didn't want that.

"Uncle Yang gave me his phone. I want to exchange contact information with you so we can chat on the train too."

Caelus took out his phone. Seeing that he had stated his purpose, Asta knew he had specifically run back from the train. She had to admit, he was quite thoughtful.