"I won! March 7th, surrender peacefully!"
The Trailblazer looked at the victory screen, excitedly tossed aside the controller, stood up with her hands on her hips, and let out a villainous laugh at a forty-five-degree angle toward the sky.
"Damn it, I, Zhao Camera, actually underestimated you."
"Hehehe, the undefeated Galaxy Bat Knight is going to eat all your snacks."
Stelle reached her sinful hand toward March 7th's snack cabinet.
"Wait! Spare the chips!" March 7th pounced over and snatched away a bag of chips. "This is my favorite flavor. Let me have one bite first."
Stelle ate a crisp, delicious cookie in one bite, its cloying sweetness melting across her tongue.
At the same time, a layer of gloom settled over her heart.
Little March, I didn't mean to steal your snacks.
It was just that these snacks had to be dealt with before the warp.
Otherwise...
You wouldn't be able to eat them either. They'd all expire!
With half a clear conscience and half forced reasoning, the Trailblazer happily spent an entire afternoon clearing out every last snack that had filled the cabinet with March 7th.
"Well, it's fine if they're all gone."
March 7th lay on the bed hugging a plushie, gazing at the familiar ceiling.
"When we get to Amphoreus, I'll just restock my snack cabinet. We need to switch up the flavors sometimes, after all~"
It would have been better if she had not said that.
Hearing those words, the Trailblazer's expression stiffened.
Her lashes lowered, concealing the emotions in her heart.
She had been holding a plushie in her arms as well.
But she reached out and tossed it aside.
Stelle quickly scooted over and hugged March 7th from behind.
"Huh?"
Lying on her side, March 7th suddenly felt a warm embrace press against her back.
An arm had also somehow slipped around her waist. That hand had just been committing all sorts of crimes by fighting her for her favorite-flavored chips.
"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly snuggle up to me, Stelle? I never knew you were this clingy."
"Nothing."
Since she was facing away from the Trailblazer, March 7th could not see her face.
Stelle's voice sounded flawless. She hid her emotions very well.
"Ever since I got my own room, we haven't slept together. Do you remember when I first boarded the train? You used to let me stay over all the time.
Back then, I fell asleep hugging you like this.
You can't sleep without hugging something. Neither can I."
"You've got some nerve saying that!"
Stelle's words brought back old memories, and March 7th recalled the days when she and the Trailblazer had slept embracing each other.
"The plushie I gave you to hug while sleeping always got kicked away by you. Every morning when I opened my eyes, all I saw was this: 'I'm hugging the plushie, and you're hugging me.'
I was afraid of waking you up, so I didn't even dare get out of bed! I had to lie there until you woke up before I dared move."
"That's exactly what I mean."
Stelle hugged March 7th even tighter, as though desperately trying to feel the girl in her arms. "That's why, after I got my own room, I never slept with you again. I really miss it."
"So, can we take a nap now? Little March, don't move. Just be a plushie in my arms."
"Hey, who wants to be—hahahaha, Stelle, that's cheating! Don't tickle me! Let go!"
Caught completely off guard, March 7th turned out to be ticklish everywhere, and the Trailblazer was even reaching around to tickle her waist.
The pink-haired girl struggled with all her strength, but the difference in their strength was too great. She simply could not match the Trailblazer, and eventually laughed so hard that tears nearly came out, gasping as she begged for mercy.
"O-okay! Galaxy Bat Knight, I'll behave, so please spare me. You can sleep here forever if you want, hahaha, q-quick, let me go..."
The Trailblazer wore a victorious smile and closed her eyes together with the worn-out March 7th.
She was a little tired too. It was not just the person being tickled who got tired.
The person doing the tickling was exhausted as well.
Stelle held March 7th tightly and gradually drifted into sleep.
As everyone knew.
Geniuses worked at extraordinary speeds.
In just half a day, they not only cleared all the bugs in the Simulated Universe.
What was more.
Herta and the others even joined forces with the plaster-headed member of the Intelligentsia Guild known as Dr. Ratio—Professor Veritas Ratio.
Together, they created an entirely new system—the Differential Universe!
They decided to connect the Differential Universe terminal interface to the airship Penacony had given the Trailblazer.
The airship had originally been called the Radiant Feldspar, but after it changed hands, its new owner renamed it Trailblaze's Tail.
It really suited the Trailblazer's style!
Although, based on what these geniuses knew about Stelle, they had thought she would give it some absurd name like "Losing the 50/50 at Soft Pity Is Actually Very Ship."
Stelle: Stereotypes are bad, hey! Am I really that absurd?!
The geniuses huddled together and muttered for a while before finally deciding who would board the train to deliver the good news to the Trailblazer—Professor Ratio.
Although the Trailblazer would probably be willing to install a terminal for testing the Differential Universe on her own turf, Trailblaze's Tail was still her asset. They could not just do it without saying a word. They still needed to board the train and discuss the details with her.
After finishing her own work, Ruan Mei left without even joining their muttering.
Herta and Screwllum were unsurprised by this.
Because Ruan Mei was usually like this.
There had long been an unspoken agreement among geniuses: as long as they did not disturb one another, anyone could do whatever they wanted.
Perhaps Ruan Mei had suddenly been struck by inspiration, or perhaps she was in a hurry to return to her laboratory for experiments.
Or perhaps there were other reasons she could not speak of.
In any case, she left and escaped the fate of boarding the train.
Only Herta, Screwllum, and Professor Ratio remained.
Herta brushed back her hair, calmly took out her phone with the expression of someone ready to slack off and surf the web. "Next is my personal time. I don't have time to go to the Star Rail. If neither of you can go, I can have a puppet do it."
Screwllum rested one hand against his chin, looking contemplative.
"Actually, I would be very willing to visit the train, but unfortunately, I do not have a ticket and cannot board it freely. Conclusion: applying through the Star Rail's procedures may take some time."
Professor Ratio took the documents, arranged them neatly, and calmly looked at the machine and woman before him.
"Then I will go find the Trailblazer. Everyone, goodbye."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dr. Ratio took the Differential Universe testing documents and left Herta's office.
The Star Rail...
A faint, almost imperceptible curve lifted at the corner of Ratio's lips.
It had been a long time since he had boarded the train.
Taking this chance to visit the Trailblazer was perfect, wasn't it?
Before you continue