Golden Hour.
By the roadside.
"Yan Huan, what are you looking at?"
March 7th sat on a bench, curious about Yan Huan fiddling with his phone.
Yan Huan tapped his screen and said disdainfully,
"What's going on? I can't get into the livestream. Is Penacony's internet really this bad?"
"No way."
March 7th took out her own phone as well and casually entered a livestream called [Belobog Customs].
"I'm having no problem."
"Did your streamer get banned or something?"
"..."
Yan Huan stared thoughtfully at the black screen on his phone.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"I looked away for a bit, and now I have no idea where Aventurine went."
Nearby, Himeko was speaking with the returned Welt and Acheron.
"You must be Miss Acheron?"
Himeko smiled.
"Hello. I'm Himeko, navigator of the Star Rail Express."
"Hello." Acheron glanced at Himeko, then at Yan Huan and March 7th sitting on the bench.
"You all do not seem surprised by my appearance."
Himeko smiled faintly.
"Since Welt has decided to travel with you, that means he trusts you. We trust his judgment as well."
Acheron nodded.
"Your relationship is truly enviable."
Welt said gravely,
"Miss Acheron is not a dangerous individual, nor does she bear any hostility toward the Star Rail Express. Aventurine's earlier accusation was merely his side of the story."
"Therefore, before we continue our cooperation, he is obligated to provide a reasonable explanation."
Himeko raised her eyes.
"You want to... create a situation where all three parties are present?"
Welt nodded.
"There must be a deeper logic behind Aventurine's actions."
"I suspect that he had noticed Penacony's secret from the very beginning and had been constantly making arrangements to uncover it."
"If so, then the Star Rail Express's role in his plan becomes crucial."
"In