Rich lady, hungry, food please

I'm doomed, I'm doomed.

Have I caught Dr. Tesla syndrome?

I'm doomed, I'm doomed.

Have I caught Kiana syndrome?

Welt and Himeko were both rather quiet, weighed down by their thoughts.

They were a little dazed, and a little lost.

They couldn't understand why the kids were enjoying the food so much.

Could it really be that delicious?

Welt and Himeko were puzzled.

Especially the latter.

As the navigator of the Astral Express,

Himeko had visited many worlds.

She had also sampled many delicacies.

By her standards,

Herta Space Station had certainly spared no effort on this reception.

A feast like this couldn't possibly taste bad.

For one thing, she had tried the appetizers before leaving.

They had been delicious.

In fact, she remembered them being even tastier than Plump Beetles.

At that thought,

Himeko picked up some more of the food she had tried before leaving.

...Silence.

Silence was the theme of the evening.

Himeko set down her chopsticks.

Average.

Really average.

Not even as good as Plump Beetles.

Nowhere near as delicious as I remember!

But the problem is, it's only been ten minutes or so.

My sense of taste couldn't have changed that quickly, could it?

Could a single plate of Egg Fried Rice have spoiled my palate?

Her inner questions had been answered, but in an instant, she found herself struggling to accept it.

From the looks of things,

her palate... really did seem to have been spoiled by that plate of Egg Fried Rice.

But it was just a plate of Egg Fried Rice!!!

Himeko silently shifted her gaze to Welt.

She discovered that, just like her, Welt had set down his chopsticks.

Clearly, he didn't have much of an appetite either.

Well, this...

"Himeko, Uncle Yang, why aren't you eating?"

At that moment, Stelle couldn't help asking.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"Or is something bothering you?"

At her words, March 7th and Dan Heng also turned their attention to Himeko and Welt.

They had already felt that something was off about Himeko and Welt after they returned.

But they hadn't paid it any mind.

After all, they had only gone to check on the "Drifter."

What could have happened?

Now, though, it seemed things weren't so simple.

Did something happen to the Drifter?

Were Himeko and Welt worried?

But that didn't add up either!

Himeko and Welt had clearly said Jiang Yao was fine.

They had no reason to lie!

Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng never could have imagined it.

The only reason was that this feast, which they found delicious, no longer suited Himeko's and Welt's palates.

Yes, the reason really was that simple, blunt, and unremarkable.

"No, Himeko and I were just thinking about where to go next."

"Since Jiang Yao is now... safe and sound, it's time we continued our journey of Trailblaze."

At the crucial moment, Welt supplied an explanation.

He had originally wanted to say Jiang Yao was normal.

But he simply couldn't get the words out.

Cooking that good, good enough to make every other delicacy seem unappealing—was that normal?

"Oh~ I see."

March 7th accepted that explanation.

"Will he join us on our journey of Trailblaze? Or will he stay at Herta Space Station?"

March 7th asked curiously.

Jiang Yao was a Drifter they had discovered out in the cosmos.

He had most likely been through something terribly tragic.

He probably no longer had a home.

The truth was quite different from what March 7th had said, but in spirit, her words were surprisingly apt.

For Jiang Yao, being constantly shut out by Qlipoth's wall and unable to eat anything good was tragic, wasn't it?

A home?

Anywhere with food was home!

In a sense, March 7th's predictions still had a hundred-percent success rate!

Still, March 7th's words left Himeko and Welt stunned.

More accurately, they were dumbfounded!

That's right!

We're the ones who brought Jiang Yao aboard the Astral Express.

He's a Drifter from the cosmos.

Doesn't that make him a born Trailblazer?

Best of all, we brought him back on our train, so he naturally has a good impression of us!

At that thought,

no, at those two thoughts,

Himeko and Welt immediately grew excited.

What fools!

We were absolute fools just now!

How did we forget to lure Jiang Yao back onto the Astral Express?

Of course, they couldn't really be blamed.

After all, they had thought Jiang Yao needed rest.

But who could have known that Jiang Yao was not only full of energy, but could also make such astonishing food!

Why didn't we realize it then!

It was all because Jiang Yao's cooking was too delicious.

They had been too absorbed in that wonderful Egg Fried Rice.

Honestly, after eating Jiang Yao's cooking,

other delicacies weren't exactly worthless, but they were hard to swallow.

If Jiang Yao joined the Nameless too,

wouldn't that mean we could eat his cooking every day?

Oh my gosh, wouldn't that mean we'd be living in a beautiful dream throughout our journey of Trailblaze?

That would be pure bliss!

We might not even want any of the Nameless to leave the train to go Trailblazing anymore!

They were excited!

So excited!

Himeko and Welt wished they could go find Jiang Yao right that instant and get him to join their glorious journey of Trailblaze!

Well...

They had no idea someone had beaten them to it!

Knock, knock, knock~

A knock sounded at the door.

"Jiang Yao, are you asleep?"

Asta's voice came from outside.

Jiang Yao, who had been sensing a certain Sealed Zone on Herta Space Station while swallowing his saliva, withdrew his senses.

"Not yet."

As he spoke, he opened the door for Asta.

Jiang Yao was a little puzzled.

What was Asta doing here so late at night?

An extra meal?

Not a chance!

"Hehe, sorry to bother you so late."

Asta scratched her head, her face slightly flushed with embarrassment.

"It's all right. Is there something you need, Lead Researcher Asta? You can tell me directly. I don't like beating around the bush."

Jiang Yao kept his smile and his composure.

His words, however, made it clear that he wanted her to get straight to the point.

As far as he was concerned, rather than wasting time thinking about this and that, he would be better off considering life's most important question—

What's for the next meal?

"Ahem, then I'll get straight to it."

Asta didn't dither, though she still looked a little embarrassed.

"Are you one of the Nameless?"

"Could you stay on the space station?"

"I'd like to hire you as our head chef."

"You'd only have to cook two meals a day... no, just one meal a day! And you'd only need to make enough for me and Peppy."

"Your base salary would be 99,999,999 Credits a year!"

"We'll provide the ingredients. Whatever ingredients you want, I can find them!"

"If special circumstances require you to make an extra meal, you'll receive an additional bonus!"

She laid out all the terms in one breath.

A nervous, expectant look appeared on Asta's face.

She was terrified that Jiang Yao would refuse.

And so, those brief one or two seconds

felt like years to Asta.

Jiang Yao: "..."

Jiang Yao sank into thought.

Jiang Yao considered it for two seconds.

Does Asta mean she wants to be my sugar mommy?

No, that's not right.

More accurately, it should be—

Rich lady, hungry, food please?

Yep, that's more like it.

Jiang Yao blinked and said,

"It's not about the Credits."

Huh? Was he going to refuse?!

Nooo!!!

Asta hurriedly waved her hands and said, "Um, I know that with your abilities, this salary definitely won't satisfy you."

"The Credits are a little low, sure. But don't worry, I'll definitely give you a raise! I guarantee your salary will double after a year! And that's not counting bonuses!"

Jiang Yao: "..."

Well, damn.

Already dangling promises in front of me?

Of course, Jiang Yao knew Asta definitely had the money to back it up.

But the problem was, he really didn't care about Credits!

So.

Jiang Yao said earnestly:

"Asta, it really isn't about the Credits. I've never touched Credits. I have no interest in Credits."