"So it swallowed the entire Express?" Stelle asked in surprise.
"Yes, that's my deduction." Dan Heng nodded.
"I see." Understanding dawned on Argenti. "That would also explain what Velite and I experienced earlier."
March 7th stared blankly at Argenti. "...What do you mean? Did you discover something else?"
"Did Velite mention it to you? When we first met, he was trapped in a dark, enormous cavern, unable to escape.
"Thinking back, there were indeed sounds of swallowing and squirming coming from the cavern."
"Yes. Your flight path happened to intersect with the Express's Star Rail, so perhaps we encountered the same Giant True Sting. Next, we need to prove that conjecture..."
Just then, a thunderous rumble reached the car, as though the entire star system were trembling, as though it had been placed inside a great drum, and a drumstick had struck the drumhead hard at that very moment!
March 7th jumped in fright. "Ah, aaah! Wh-what was that noise?!"
Dan Heng's expression flickered. "...It seems we no longer need to gather evidence. Let's go discuss a plan with Mr. Welt."
Everyone left the archive room and headed toward the Observation Car. Hardly anyone spoke; all they could hear was the feeble fluttering of the bug in Jiang Yu's hand.
"...It's so quiet... Say something, you guys..." March 7th said.
"Having met you all here, I, Argenti, could die without regrets."
March 7th: "...
"Uh, never mind. Silence is better."
Faint drumlike rumbles kept coming, making Jiang Yu frown.
"Did it eat too much? Is its stomach about to cramp?"
"It might be hungry," Dan Heng said. "Judging by what we've observed around us, this creature is still far from full."
As he spoke, Dan Heng narrowed his eyes and looked out the window.
Beneath the scarlet curtain, the place