Chapter 79

At the same time, the sight of him puffing out his cheeks and biting into vegetables reminded people of a hungry rabbit munching on wild vegetables. A voice suddenly rang in the hearts of Asta and Herta: Bai Jun's cuteness score was 100 points.

However, the two of them soon noticed that, in a place where Bai Jun was busy eating and had no time to pay attention, food was dripping down, staining the corners of his mouth and about to fall onto his clothes.

This is a great opportunity to study (and care for) Mr. Bai Jun. Bai Jun!

Herta and Asta stared at each other, sparks flying between them.

"Asta, don't you still have a ton of maintenance work on the space station that you haven't finished? Hurry up and go. The space station can do without us, but it can't function without you as its stationmaster."

"Ahem, Ms. Herta, you jest. Everyone on the space station is gathered here thanks to your talent. Compared to me, your presence is surely the greatest encouragement to the crew members who have gone through nightmares, isn't it? Besides, the space station doesn't need any repairs at all; I can simply buy a new one!"

"Then, in my capacity as the true master of the space station, I order you to leave now. I have something to discuss with Bai Jun."

Please allow me to refuse!

Asta and Herta left Bai Jun aside and started a fight that was typical of women. However, while they weren't paying attention, another figure calmly moved in.

"Are you alright? Eat slowly, don't choke."

The gray-haired girl, who had been silently lying by the bedside, pressed herself against him without any malice or worry. She sat next to Bai Jun, supporting herself with her left side, and then gently wiped his mouth with her fingers, revealing a lovely smile like an intimate couple.

Suddenly stopping in their tracks, Asta and Herta, who had been beaten to it, stared intently at the scene, their gazes blazing with fury that could ignite even the gray-haired girl.

That jerk! Looks like I'll have to add her to my list of dangerous individuals from now on...

The gray-haired girl, noticing something amiss, blinked her amber eyes, then casually picked up an orange and offered it to Bai Jun's lips.

Just as Asta and the Herta reached an agreement, preparing to unite and throw the gray-haired girl out first, a soft sound came from the doorway again. A cute pink head nervously peeked out and timidly asked:

"Moshi Moshi? Is Mr. Bai Jun here...?"

"Don't block the doorway, you idiot March 7th, hurry up and go inside."

"Oh no! Don't, don't push me!"

With a cute exclamation, March 7th stumbled in, kicking a food bag on the floor. Losing her balance, she collided with Asta in turn bumped into Herta. Herta tried to dodge, but the doll's physical abilities couldn't keep up, and it ended up bumping into the gray-haired girl by the bed.

The gray-haired girl let out a mock "ah" and slipped into Bai Jun's arms amidst the chaos.

Like a domino effect, the whole room descended into chaos.

"Sorry to bother you..."

Dan Heng silently observed the tragic scene inside the room, then quietly took a step back.

Chapter 106 Some Coffee Shops Lack Professional Ethics (4k5)

"I am very sorry, truly very sorry. Please allow me to apologize for my rudeness on March 7th."

"Sister Himeko, no, Your Honor! The culprit is Dan Heng! You must investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Upon arriving and witnessing the tragedy in the room, Himeko ignored March 7th's strange cries and arrested him on the spot.

As for Dan Heng, who was quietly trying to slip away through the door to avoid the dispute, he had just stepped out when the next second his collar was hooked by the smiling Welt with his cane. The two senior members of the Astral Express Crew each grabbed a junior member and bowed sincerely to apologize to the others.

"I have no objection."

"I have a problem with that! You Little Grey Hair, stay away from Mr. Bai Jun, he hasn't finished eating yet!"

Before the gray-haired girl could finish speaking, Asta grabbed her clothes forcefully, trying to drag her away from Bai Jun's arms. However, this had the opposite effect, causing the gray-haired girl to cling even tighter to Bai Jun.

Asta's cheeks flushed even more, whether from shame, anger, or resentment, she gripped the gray-haired girl's clothes even tighter.

These two girls are both so slender, they don't look like they have any strength at all, but for some reason they are incredibly strong at this time, and their endurance is a pleasant surprise.

Fortunately, the gray-haired girl's coat was of good quality and didn't tear. This long tug-of-war finally ended with Bai Jun's intervention, and the reason was incredibly simple—

"If you keep rubbing it in, you'll fall asleep!"

Because the gray-haired girl was hugging his chest so tightly that he couldn't swallow his food, Bai Jun, who almost choked to death on the spot, quickly pushed the gray-haired girl away from his chest and gulped down several mouthfuls of water before recovering from the blackout he had just experienced.

Although he didn't dislike the gray-haired girl named Xing, she clearly had a problem with maintaining a certain distance from him.

Seeing that the gray-haired girl had left Bai Jun's arms, Herta breathed a sigh of relief. Ignoring the playful antics of Asta and the gray-haired girl, he turned to Himeko, whose left arm was bandaged in the same color as Himeko white dress, and spoke first to his long-time business partner:

"Why aren't you resting? What are you doing here with a whole bunch of people?"

"Thanks to Mr. Bai Jun's help, the train was able to escape the disaster. And not only the train, Welt, Dan Heng, and Little March also received Mr. Bai Jun's care. We came here specifically to thank him."

"Yes, yes! Mr. Bai Jun is really amazing! And not only is he amazing, he's also very handsome! Especially that line... cough cough."

On March 7th, she immediately echoed Himeko's words, then, mimicking Bai Jun's manner, she used her fair chin to sweep across the sky with an air of disdain, looking down at Dan Heng, who was standing by the sofa at the other end:

"Monsters, I'm sorry for... your unauthorized appearance in my 'world'. That's so cool! I remember only villains in comics say those awesome lines... Hey? Mr. Bai Jun, why are you under the covers? Are you feeling unwell?"

At this point, everyone in the room, whether it was Welt and Dan Heng standing next to March 7th, Himeko and Herta chatting, or Asta and Hoshi making a ruckus on the sofa, all turned their attention to Bai Jun on the bed as March 7th spoke.

"... Actually, that's a side effect of the ability; don't worry about it."

It would have been better if this hadn't been brought up, but once it was, Bai Jun recalled all the cringeworthy things he'd said in "Sun" mode back then. Looking back, he was so ashamed that he wanted to slap himself a few times and travel back in time to loudly question himself whether his brain had been burned dry to say such things.

But this was inevitable; who knows why her personality changed so drastically after unleashing her abilities!

Moreover, this is only with 70% of the "Sun" being unleashed; it's unimaginable what kind of statements would come out of its mouth after the full power is unleashed.

"Indeed, Mr. Bai Jun's speech at the time was very domineering, with an air of 'I am the only one who matters in the world'... If you don't mind, Mr. Bai Jun, would you like to come on the train? I'd like to take some photos of you and the Conductor. I believe it will be very helpful for the animation storyboard."

Welt nodded, a hint of excitement suddenly appearing on his handsome, weathered face.

"Oh, little guy, I didn't expect you to be this kind of person in private. You pretend to be mature on the surface, but are you actually like a teenager inside? It's okay. Actually, I prefer your personality to those old-fashioned people. Ah, of course, I'm referring to the experimental sample."

Herta smiled thoughtfully, then quickly shook his head in rebuttal.

"No, it's alright! Although I don't understand shonen manga or anything like that, I can learn... Ah! How about I hire a few manga artists to draw a manga just for you, Mr. Bai Jun, and then hire the world's top animation studio to make it into an anime, no, a movie, and then release it to Penacony, so the whole universe knows how amazing you are Mr. Bai Jun... But wouldn't that create more competition?"

Asta was lying on top of Xing, sat up and, like a young girl full of youthful energy, imagined all sorts of things for the future. Knowing that Bai Jun was so outstanding, she was also worried that there would be too many competitors. With her hands covering her face, Asta looked like she might say something terrifying at any moment, such as "Ah, let's just grab him and lock him up in the basement for the rest of his life."

Xing was terrified by the pink-haired stationmaster above her, who was covering his face with his hands and blushing so much that he looked like he was about to spontaneously combust.

Faced with this chaotic scene that was spiraling out of control, Bai Jun suddenly had an urge to roll his eyes and faint on the spot, and secretly vowed that in the future, when using "Sun", he would definitely try his best to maintain a rational state.

"March 7th, you are truly a sinful woman."

Seeing Bai Jun slumped on the pillow as if he had burned out his life, Dan Heng shook his head, sighed, and patted March 7th's shoulder, directly blaming her for the tragedy before him.

"W-what?! I was just telling the truth, how can you say that..."

"Now you're saying nice things, but who was it back then hiding in the back, trembling with fear, constantly muttering that he was a monster?"

Sensing the intense, chaotic atmosphere surrounding Bai Jun, Dan Heng mercilessly exposed March 7th's attempt to explain himself, and took a few steps back as the latter's expression turned completely petrified.

After the chaos subsided slightly, Herta looked up at Himeko again and asked bluntly:

"Alright, Himeko, we've known each other for so many years, let's just say what's on our minds. You know I don't like beating around the bush."

Although Himeko intentionally concealed the truth and used Bai Jun's matter as a pretext, Herta seemed to have keenly seen through the deception.

"Indeed, expressing gratitude to Mr. Bai Jun was the primary reason, but not the only one."

Himeko nodded slightly, her gaze shifting to the gray-haired girl pinned beneath Asta. She said softly, "The train and the 'Stellaron' have had their share of dealings. What you're worried about is exactly what we're seeking. Besides..."

The gray-haired girl seemed to sense that people were talking about her, and subconsciously glanced in their direction, only to meet Himeko's gentle gaze. Himeko's expression wasn't that of someone examining an object, but rather that she genuinely saw Himeko as a source of hope.

"I think that child needs an opportunity to discover what makes her different from others. Everyone tells her she has a 'Stellaron,' but I believe only that child herself can truly understand it... and being told it by someone else—whether it comes from me or you, no matter how believable it may seem—the two are completely different."

"I don't care, I'm not interested in her. Staying here would only mean having to keep an eye on the Stellaron inside her. But as you said, the choice should be given to that child... Hey, I'm talking to you, little girl, come here."

Herta maintained a calm demeanor throughout, but after noticing that Xing's attention was focused on this side, he lost interest in hiding it and beckoned to her with his finger.

Xing had vaguely overheard their conversation, but when she approached, she hesitated, as if unsure how to respond.

"You need to experience enough to know what you've gained and lost because of the 'Stellaron,' and who you truly are... Only by learning how to control this 'Stellaron' can you control your own destiny."

Himeko smiled gently, as if she could see through Hoshi's inner turmoil. Her tone was soft, and under her comfort, Hoshi's inner turmoil and hesitation eased slightly.

"Don't rush to answer me, Xing. You must have things you want to do or people you want to see, right? The train is scheduled to leave the day after tomorrow. You can think it over carefully before then, or you can board the train and take a look. Come find me when you've made your decision."

"I... I understand, I'll think about it carefully."

The gray-haired girl nodded slightly, looking a little confused. Although she thought Himeko's words made a lot of sense, she didn't really grasp the meaning of these empty words. After glancing at Bai Jun with a puzzled look, she responded softly.

"I suggest you get on the train. Your staying would be slightly beneficial for me, but overall it wouldn't help much."

Compared to Herta, Himeko was much more direct in her speech. Rather than offering advice, she was urging Himeko to leave quickly. Moreover, her petite figure stood between Hoshi and Bai Jun, trying to block Himeko's view by standing on tiptoe.

Unfortunately, even on tiptoe, she couldn't reach Xing's shoulder.

The room was simply furnished with a piece of high-quality blue crystal—presumably a decorative item bought from somewhere—a small bottle filled with delicately wrapped candies, a small table and chair, an empty bookshelf with a few shoujo manga and magazines, a half-open wardrobe for storing clothes, and a small basin specifically for holding dogs and wolves.

Himeko suddenly noticed a coffee machine in the corner of the room, with a lot of coffee beans next to it. She was immediately puzzled. She had thought the medical room was a bit remote and the equipment was very basic, but she never expected that there would be a coffee machine here.

Why is this medical pod different from the others?

"Because this is Asta's personal room."

"Huh?"

"The space station module was severely damaged, and the medical module was already full. I originally thought of clearing out a room specifically for it, but Asta said she was too busy with work to come back to her room, so she suggested putting Bai Jun in her room. I thought it made sense, so this is how it turned out. Now it seems... tch, a miscalculation."

Herta answered calmly.

Upon learning of this, Himeko looked at Asta, who was chatting with Bai Jun, and asked under the latter's questioning gaze, "Um... if Miss Asta doesn't mind, may I use that coffee machine? Everyone, please continue your conversation, I'll make you a cup of coffee!"

"Huh? Of course, no problem..."

For some reason, Asta always felt that Himeko's eyes were flashing with a strange light.

"By the way, Mr. Bai Jun, I haven't properly thanked you yet. Why don't you try my coffee?"

"No problem."

Bai Jun readily agreed. He was a little thirsty anyway, and a cup of coffee to soothe his throat would be a good choice.

"Great! Now we can chat while we drink coffee! By the way, Mr. Bai Jun, would you prefer it with sugar or plain black coffee?"

"With sugar!"

It seemed like it had been a long time since anyone had wanted her coffee. Himeko happily clasped her hands together, quickly walked to the coffee machine, poured the roasted coffee beans into it, and skillfully began to work.

The aroma of burnt coffee wafted through the air, but to the Astral Express Crew it smelled of death. March 7th's expression suddenly turned horrified, Dan Heng's face turned pale, and even Welt gasped, pretending to have a cold and coughing, stiffly averting his gaze.

The three of them understood each other and moved further away from Himeko. Asta vaguely sensed something was wrong and also took a few steps back with Herta.

"Mr. Bai Jun, please have some. I added three spoonfuls of sugar to my coffee!"

Soon, Himeko's special coffee was served, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly as she looked at Bai Jun with anticipation in her eyes.

However...

What exactly is this unidentified object that resembles neither a bowl nor Turkish coffee?

Bai Jun stared at the black, unidentified liquid in front of him, which was as thick as asphalt and smelled like burning sulfuric acid. His expression gradually became serious. He could vaguely see demonic bubbles churning and howling in the coffee, as if they wanted to drag all living beings into an endless hell.

Glug...

Bai Jun's hand trembled slightly as he held the coffee cup. He kept swallowing, unsure how to take a sip. Faced with Himeko's expectant gaze, he could only force a smile and explain, "It's... a little too hot. Let it cool down a bit before I drink it."

"No problem, Mr. Bai Jun, it doesn't matter when you drink it."

As she spoke, Himeko sat on a chair beside the bed, resting her fair face on her hands, blinking her clear eyes repeatedly, looking somewhat mischievously cute.

In reality, they didn't give Bai Jun a chance to secretly pour it out!

Welt, Dan Heng, and March 7th cast pitying glances at him. Xing, Herta, and Asta hesitated, unable to bear watching Bai Jun drink the coffee. In the end, they simply closed their eyes, clasped their hands together, and prayed in their hearts that he could survive this ordeal.

(Hopefully everyone's alright. jgp)

Just as Bai Jun was inwardly groaning that he was doomed, a series of hurried footsteps came from the doorway like a savior descending upon him.

"I'm back. The purchasing department is running low on food, and even energy supplements are sold out, so I had to buy as much food as I could... Hey? Everyone from the Astral Express Crew, what are you all doing in Miss's room?"

Arlan blankly put down the food he had just bought, and when he looked up, he saw Bai Jun waving frantically at him.

"Arlan, you've worked so hard! Go have some coffee and take a break!"

"Bai Jun... thank you!"

Arlan, who always trusted Bai Jun unconditionally, was moved and didn't notice the pitying looks from the others. He didn't even see the terrible state of the coffee cup. After taking the coffee, he tilted his head back and drank it all down with the air of a hero.

"Damn it!"

Arlan clutched his throat and collapsed.

"Ah, Arlan is dead!?"

"That's inhuman!"