Noticing Screwllum's gaze, Aha secretly tipped off the Trailblazer.
Aha: That mechanical being knows you're an Emanator of Elation. He's got some skill.
Stelle: How could anyone in the Genius Society lack skill? So what if Screwllum knows? I never intended to hide it anyway. The two of us have nothing to be ashamed of. We're not doing anything shady, so there's nothing to fear!
Aha: Exactly!
How nostalgic.
Aha truly loved the Trailblazer's personality.
Aha raised a hand and wiped at a nonexistent cheek, as though shedding tears.
Every time Aha spoke with the Trailblazer, her every word and action reminded Aha of the past.
Of the past... of when Aha became a Nameless and pioneered alongside Akivili.
Though Aha had disguised themself and slipped aboard the Star Rail as an ordinary person,
Akivili was an Aeon too.
As fellow Aeons, how could Akivili possibly fail to see through another Aeon's disguise?
Akivili was famously kind throughout the galaxy. Akivili saw through the Aeon of Elation's little trick of secretly boarding the train, yet chose not to expose it.
Back then, Akivili thought that, as the Aeon of Trailblaze, Akivili did things that no one else had done.
While Aha did things that no one else could do.
In a sense, the two of them—no, the two gods—had quite a lot in common.
So Akivili tacitly allowed Aha to blaze trails, pretending not to know that the worst Nameless in history was Aha.
Aha had never expected the disguise to fool Akivili, another Aeon, either. But as long as Akivili did not expose Aha, Aha was happy to keep pretending.
The two Aeons traveled across the galaxy with the Nameless, rushing here and there, utterly carefree.
Aha thought that Preservation was an idiot, Destruction was a lunatic, Erudition was a lump of scrap metal, Hunt had no sense of humor, and Voracity only knew how to eat. No Aeon could join in Aha's fun like Trailblaze could. Only by Akivili's side was there true Elation!
The Aeon of Elation rarely drifted off like this. Aha pondered in silence for a long time, thinking back to boarding the train, then slowly recalling how Aha had gotten off it.
And then Aha remembered the incident where the train had been blown up.
Oh... why had that happened again?
Aha remembered.
At the time, Akivili had planned to warp to a new world that no living being had ever reached.
After hearing of it from Pom-Pom, Aha knocked on Akivili's door in the dead of night.
"It's dangerous. You're not allowed to go, Aki."
Akivili sleepily rubbed at Akivili's eyes while opening the door. Seeing that it was Aha, Akivili slowly yawned.
"Dangerous?" The Aeon of Trailblaze smiled.
"If you only blaze trails inside safe, warm greenhouses, what kind of trailblazing is that? A true Nameless should set out for the sea of stars!"
Upon hearing that, Aha clenched both fists, itching to give Aki a beating.
"It's too dangerous. If you insist on going, then I'm getting off the train!"
Aha tried to threaten Akivili by saying Aha would leave the train.
If Aha got off, Akivili would lose Aha—the good friend who was always willing to go wild and make trouble together!
Of course, Aha knew that every Aeon had to walk their own Path.
Aha was not trying to stop Akivili from trailblazing. Aha simply could not understand why, among the countless worlds in the galaxy, Akivili had to choose such a dangerous place?!
But Akivili did not see it that way.
What was safety? What was danger?
Akivili wanted to carve out a sliver of light in the darkness for those who came after.
Because even the known worlds would one day all be explored.
Trailblaze would always have to face endless darkness.
If Akivili, an Aeon, could not light that darkness for future Nameless, then who could?
"Is that so? You're getting off the train?"
But unfortunately, Akivili's will to trailblaze was incomparably strong. After all, Akivili was an Aeon—an Aeon who spent Akivili's life running to fulfill the will of the Path.
How could Akivili possibly retreat because of the dangers ahead?
"Then I'm glad you could accompany me for this past year. Go fill out the disembarkation form with Pom-Pom. If you have time in the future, or if you miss me, you're welcome to come back and visit. The train will always be your home. That's all. Goodbye."
Akivili was a little angry as well. Akivili had thought Aha understood Akivili best, only for Aha to try to stop Akivili from trailblazing.
No matter what lay ahead, no matter what happened, even if Akivili were to fall,
the Aeon of Trailblaze would never stop moving forward.
That was the meaning of Trailblaze.
So Akivili went along with Aha's words. Since Aha wanted to get off the train, Akivili would not say anything more.
After all, Akivili was determined to keep trailblazing.
No matter the price.
It was not that Aha had overestimated Aha's place in Akivili's heart.
It was that Aha had underestimated Akivili's unwavering faith in Trailblaze.
Aha's chest heaved violently with anger. After saying "Fine, fine, fine" several times, Aha turned and stormed away.
Akivili thought Aha had gone to Pom-Pom to fill out the disembarkation form.
Akivili helplessly shook Akivili's head, shut the door, and prepared to return to the room to rest and gather strength for the upcoming journey of trailblazing.
Aha settled down for several days.
Then, one day while Akivili was out,
Aha went all in and blew up a train car!
Then Aha fled without a trace.
Aha had intended to destroy the entire train. That way, Akivili would not be able to go somewhere dangerous, and Akivili would be safe.
But Aha had not expected the Star Rail's defenses to be so high.
So all the points had been put into defense, huh!
Only one car had actually been destroyed!
That damned Aki had kept something in reserve!
The damage to the train only temporarily delayed Akivili's trailblazing.
Akivili's heart never wavered. Once the train was repaired, Akivili set out again.
The destination was still that new world no one else had ever set foot in.
And then...
And then,
Aha never saw Akivili again.
All past mistakes were lessons.
So Aha would never allow such an incident to happen a second time.
Now, this Trailblazer born from a Stellaron was so adorable—just as adorable as Akivili.
Aha had already lost Akivili. Aha absolutely could not allow the loss of this Emanator of Elation personally chosen by Aha, someone so good at finding fun.
The Star Rail was about to head for an unknown new world. It was still dangerous, and the journey of trailblazing still could not stop.
Aha had experienced that past tragedy once already. This time, Aha was determined to stop it!
Even if Amphoreus was fraught with danger and survival was nearly impossible,
Aha would definitely keep the Trailblazer safe!
Stelle: Aha? Aha?
They had been chatting just fine. How had Aha vanished in the middle of it?
Stelle did not know that Aha had fallen into memories, nor did she know that she had inadvertently stirred up those memories Aha could not help but revisit.
She ignored the suddenly missing Aha and turned to glance at Screwllum beside her.
"Screwllum, what should we choose for the next stage? Is there a problem with the event stages or the boss stages in the Simulated Universe? Do you need me to focus my testing on anything?"
The elegant mechanical being lightly waved a hand and made an inviting gesture toward the Trailblazer.
"It's all right, Trailblazer. You only need to proceed at your usual pace when testing the Simulated Universe."
She had originally thought that, since she would not need to do any work in this Simulated Universe test, she could contribute a little more to these two geniuses.
She had not expected them not to need her at all.
In that case, forget it.
"Then I'll just follow my old testing route. I'm not worrying about you anymore!"
With that, the girl playfully slipped into the next stage.
Screwllum smiled faintly as he watched the Trailblazer enter the event stage. Then he took a long stride and entered the next stage as well.
At the same time,
outside the Simulated Universe, the door to Herta's office was suddenly pushed open.
An elegant woman held a plate of candied Plum Blossom Cake in her hands. It even seemed to be steaming.
Herta picked up a piece of pastry, placed it in her mouth, and gave her verdict after chewing.
"It's not as sweet as before. Tastes awful."
Ruan Mei looked at the pastries on the plate and recalled how, when she had first met the Trailblazer, she had personally wiped a little sugar frosting from the Trailblazer's lips.
A faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips as she softly said,
"The Trailblazer doesn't like things that are too sweet."
Before you continue