Did Jiang Yao... have a crush on Himeko?

"Do you really want a cup?"

A spark lit up Himeko's beautiful eyes.

She had only come to ask Jiang Yao for advice on making coffee.

As she saw it, Jiang Yao could turn the simplest, plainest ingredients into something astonishingly delicious.

And he was an all-rounder, too.

Surely making coffee would be a breeze for him?

As long as Jiang Yao was willing to teach her, her coffee would someday earn widespread praise aboard the Express!

But she hadn't expected this.

An unexpected bonus?

Jiang Yao had actually volunteered to taste her coffee?

Since you're being so eager!

Then I'll gladly take you up on that~

"Of course. It would be my honor."

"Besides, how could I improve your coffee without trying it first?"

Jiang Yao wore a faint smile.

Remember that smile.

"...Seriously?"

"Huh?"

"..."

As Jiang Yao finished speaking,

the Astral Express Crew reacted in different ways.

March 7th and Stelle parted their lips slightly, looking as though they wanted to dissuade him but didn't dare.

They hesitated. They really hesitated.

Above all, they didn't want to see Jiang Yao suffer.

But they didn't want to hurt Himeko's feelings, either.

Their reactions just now had already upset her.

Still, they couldn't keep rubbing salt in the wound, could they?

Welt and Dan Heng also looked as though they had something to say, but held back.

Their attitudes more or less said—there was no saving someone determined to walk to his doom.

Uh, no, that sounded a little too extreme.

But that was roughly the idea.

Couldn't you tell how terrifying Himeko's coffee was from our reactions just now?

We're your companions!

And even we were making such inappropriate faces.

Are you blind or something?

"All right. Just a moment."

Himeko gave him a charming smile.

Then she glanced around at everyone present and said, "Are you staying because you'd like a cup, too?"

"..."

There were no surprises.

In the blink of an eye, only Himeko and Jiang Yao remained in the dining car.

Himeko's lips curled into a smile.

Go on, go on.

Hurry along~

Once you're gone,

won't I be able to ask Jiang Yao how to make better coffee?

Next time, I'll redeem myself!

"Whew... Jiang Yao, do you really intend to have a cup?"

Himeko looked at Jiang Yao.

She checked once more.

Deep down, she understood how other people judged her coffee.

The Dark Lord.

Yes, the legendary Aeon of [Nihility].

Himeko just couldn't understand it. Her coffee had a distinctive flavor and perked people right up.

How had it ended up in the same league as the Dark Lord?

Granted, it was both bitter and spicy.

But it perked people right up!

Himeko didn't know whether it would suit Jiang Yao's tastes.

But judging by the feedback so far,

no one could stand it except her.

Not even Pom-Pom, the Conductor.

"Why not?"

Jiang Yao licked his lips. "Please hurry, if you can. I'm getting a little impatient."

Jiang Yao really wasn't lying.

He genuinely wanted to try Himeko's coffee.

He had always been intensely curious about unfamiliar foods and drinks.

"All right~"

Himeko smiled faintly and nodded at Jiang Yao.

Then she began making coffee with graceful, practiced movements.

Pom-Pom.

The Conductor of the Astral Express.

Pom-Pom was very happy today.

Another member of the Nameless had joined the Express.

And apparently, his cooking was delicious.

Nothing more to it—just something to look forward to.

After finishing a meeting with Himeko and Welt,

Pom-Pom decided to meet this new member of the Nameless.

Barring any surprises,

the new Nameless should be in the dining car.

Pom-Pom pattered toward the dining car.

Then,

a painfully familiar smell drifted over.

Almost instinctively, Pom-Pom's body gave a slight shudder.

Coffee!

Himeko's coffee!

Pom-Pom's scalp tingled, as though some terrifying experience lay in the past.

"It'll be ready soon."

Himeko's smiling voice came from inside the dining car.

Pom-Pom's unpleasant memories instantly came flooding back.

Welt?

Or Stelle?

Or perhaps Dan Heng?

Surely not March 7th?

It couldn't possibly be our new companion, could it?

Pom-Pom simply couldn't imagine who aboard the Express, apart from the newcomer, would dare drink Himeko's coffee.

Hiding that small body outside the doorway, with only one ear and one eye peeking out, Pom-Pom watched the new Nameless named Jiang Yao wait with a smile as Himeko made coffee.

At once, Pom-Pom felt sorry for him.

A perfectly good Nameless.

Please don't let Himeko torment him into leaving the Express!

"No rush. I've always had plenty of patience when it comes to food."

"Hehe, that's good. What a nostalgic aroma. It's a shame they have no taste."

"Generally speaking, it certainly doesn't smell pleasant, but I've been watching you make it. I'm sure the flavor won't disappoint me."

"Really?"

"Of course~"

"I hope so. Then please make sure you finish it~ My coffee has a very layered flavor!"

"I will! I'll definitely finish it! I asked you to make it, so I have to drink it all!"

Jiang Yao and Himeko's conversation reached Pom-Pom's ears clearly.

Pom-Pom could hardly believe what was being said.

The sympathy from before instantly turned to horror.

Passenger Jiang Yao had actually asked to drink Himeko's coffee?

And judging by his expression, he could hardly wait.

Had nobody told him about the Express's taboos?

This was bad, very bad!

From outside, Pom-Pom stared at Himeko's back and the anticipation on Jiang Yao's face.

Pom-Pom nearly fell apart.

"No, no, I have to think of something."

Pom-Pom quietly, ever so quietly, backed away.

Time to find Welt! Stelle! March 7th! Dan Heng!

Hurry and talk some sense into that boy!

On the verge of breaking down, Pom-Pom soon reached the parlor car.

There were the passengers, surrounded by a rather strange atmosphere.

"Something's happened, pom!"

"Why didn't any of you tell Passenger Jiang Yao that Himeko's coffee isn't safe to drink, pom?"

Pom-Pom spoke anxiously.

"Uh..."

"Mm..."

Their reactions made Pom-Pom understand at once.

"You already knew, pom?"

Stelle nodded. "He asked Himeko for coffee himself. We couldn't exactly stop him."

March 7th sighed. "We clearly warned him, but he seems determined to drink it."

Welt adjusted his glasses. "Let's hope he'll be all right."

Dan Heng remained silent.

"That's impossible, pom!"

"Did Passenger Himeko's skills improve while you were out, pom?"

Pom-Pom offered another guess.

Otherwise, it was impossible to understand why anyone would rush to try something so bizarre even after being warned.

"Absolutely not!"

"Himeko and Uncle Yang were too busy sneaking food behind our backs! When would she have had time to improve?"

March 7th immediately rejected the idea.

Welt lowered his head.

He and Himeko had indeed been in the wrong about that.

"Could Passenger Jiang Yao's nose have stopped working, pom?"

"I could smell that bitterness from outside the dining car just now, pom."

Pom-Pom now suspected that Jiang Yao's nose might not be working.

"Impossible!"

March 7th rejected that idea, too.

"His cooking smells amazing! If he couldn't even smell anything, how could he cook so well?"

"Could he be a masochist, pom? He even looked like he was enjoying himself, pom."

Pom-Pom still couldn't believe it.

Why would anyone willingly drink Himeko's coffee?

"Gasp!"

Suddenly.

Stelle sucked in a sharp breath.

She clenched her right fist and smacked it into her left palm.

"What do you guys think?"

"Could Jiang Yao... have a crush on Himeko?"