Stelle successfully joined the Astral Express. After Herta took her to try the Simulated Universe once, she became hooked, unable to tear herself away from playing Akivili.
Meanwhile, in the Simulated Universe:
"Why hasn't the Simulated Universe updated the image of the Aeon of Eternity yet? Why is there just a rainbow-colored number eight? Where's the trash can?" Stelle asked Herta.
"That's ∞, not eight! Why would I replace the Aeon of Eternity with a trash can?"
Herta genuinely feared that people from the Church of Eternity would come knocking. They couldn't tolerate the slightest slight against their Aeon.
She could handle ordinary Pathstriders of Eternity, but if an Emanator showed up, she wouldn't stand a chance.
That damned gap between Emanators.
The church wasn't very strong in combat. Most of its members were ordinary believers with no fighting ability whatsoever. According to Herta's investigation into the forces of Eternity:
Over several Amber Eras, Eternity had fewer than a hundred Pathstriders, and its Emanators hadn't even reached double digits.
The church was even more pitiful, with only three Pathstriders and two Emanators.
But the church had so many believers, and the power of their faith was tremendously strong.
Whenever they wished, they could summon Ye Yan to them, anytime, anywhere.
Who knew what Ye Yan had taught them? Every Emanator could tear through space and teleport regardless of distance.
"Aw... Without the trash can, it just doesn't feel right."
"What? You want a muscular trash can cuddling and hugging you in the Simulated Universe?"
"Wow, that would be so cool!" Herta fell silent.
Even in the Simulated Universe, Eternity and Elation were on very good terms with the Trailblaze.
Especially Aha of Elation, who went over to give Stelle a great big hug every time they met.
Herta said, "When you meet the simulated Aeons, remember to cozy up to them. Except those two."
Simulated Aha and simulated Ye Yan knew everything, yet said nothing.
At a certain Aeon's insistence, Eternity's blessings were the easiest and most brainless to use. They encompassed blessings from most Paths, and there was also a particularly special Curio that let you skip straight to the final area once you obtained it.
Unfortunately, Herta hadn't finished that part yet, so there were flaws. One misstep during the jump would leave Stelle stunned by an electric shock, which hurt far more than having her belly button yanked with a hook when logging out of the Simulated Universe.
The Data Bank had successfully updated its information on the Aeon of Eternity. Taking what that presiding cleric had said earlier into account, Dan Heng provisionally classified the Aeon as "the Lord of Eternity, with a thousand faces, myriad forms, and an ever-changing appearance," unable to determine anything further.
He was a little confused. That presiding cleric had said the Aeon of Eternity could rival Idrila the Beauty, while Ye Yan said the Aeon was a trash can.
He couldn't tell. He really couldn't tell!
Herta also asked Ye Yan why she had suddenly lost her connection to her puppet that day.
Unsurprisingly, Aha had done it again.
"Boo-hoo, old friend, look how well Aha treats you. Even though you stabbed my butt with Lan's light arrow, Aha didn't hold it against you. I even made a point of having that pink-haired girl transfer a billion Credits to you."
"You owe me at least a kowtow!" The Fool's Mask kept pestering Ye Yan. "That novel was just so moving. Boo-hoo... Aha cried every time I read it, and my tear ducts went into overdrive while I was writing it."
"Ow, ow! When are you going to make that light arrow stop? That thing's still stabbing my butt! I've already given you compensation."
The mask let out a string of miserable cries.
"The eternal Hunt. What did you expect?" Ye Yan snorted. "Besides, do you think I'm short of money?"
What a joke. The hot springs developed by the church made plenty of profit every day, and more importantly, Ye Yan hardly spent any money.
"Hmph! Fine, don't stop it! Aha's no pushover either!"
The mask turned from blue to red and vanished in front of Ye Yan, cursing all the while.
Before Stelle officially boarded, they also held an event:
"Ow... That hurts! I haven't eaten anything high-calorie lately, so how did I get stuck in the ventilation duct?"
Astral Express, parlor car.
March 7th rubbed her scraped waist. Feeling six pairs of eyes turn toward her at once, she hurriedly explained, "I... I just heard a noise in the ventilation duct and thought something strange was hiding in there, so I wanted to climb up and have a look. Then... I got stuck..."
"So did you find the 'something strange'?"
"I did. It was Stelle and Peppy, who were also stuck inside!"
"Ha, Peppy and I formed a one-person, one-dog exploration team. I sent Peppy into the ventilation duct to scout ahead, then followed. An accident happened, bringing our very first expedition to a failed conclusion."
Stelle offered a reasonable explanation.
"I understand." Ye Yan nodded. "She's a promising candidate for the Trailblaze, with all that enthusiasm for exploration."
"So you were the one behind it!" March 7th delivered a beautiful girl's heavy punch to Ye Yan.
"Come on, Miss March. I only mentioned in passing that there was a noise in the ventilation duct. I couldn't hold back Stelle's urge to explore, and she ended up getting stuck inside."
Seeing Ye Yan's sincere expression, March 7th actually felt sorry for him.
"Huh? So that's what happened... Then I blamed you unfairly."
"March..."
Dan Heng started to speak, then stopped and finally shook his head.
"All right, today's a happy occasion, so let's skip the lectures. We've gathered everyone here because the Conductor has an announcement."
"Ahem! Letting Passenger Stelle and Passenger Ye Yan live without a place of their own on the Express was a failure of my duties as Conductor, pom!"
Pom-Pom held a cup of milk tea and spoke solemnly.
"Why does Stelle look like she's enjoying it, then?"
"Mhm, who would mind sharing a room with a pretty girl?" Stelle narrowed her eyes. Sleeping in March 7th's room these past few days had been incredibly comfortable! She had pillow fights with her every day.
"Ye Yan has been sleeping on the sofa every day. We certainly failed to think things through," Welt added.
"It's fine. Staying in the parlor car lets me protect the Express better, doesn't it? In case a powerful enemy attacks, like the Swarm Emperor or something..."
"Stop talking! Don't let anything like bugs show up on the Express!"
March 7th would rather trade blows with Fragmentum monsters than catch insects hiding in the dark.
"I can tell Miss March hates bugs."
"It's all right, March. Just call me over if you see a bug. I'll beat it up for you!" Stelle whipped out her baseball bat with righteous conviction.
"Very good! Let's deal with Passenger Stelle first. Passenger Himeko, ask our question, pom!"
"I think it would be more appropriate for the Conductor to ask these questions."
"...Ahem... Passenger Stelle, are you willing to join the Astral Express and become one of the Nameless?"
"I thought I already was."
After spending these past few days together, Stelle already considered the Astral Express Crew companions she could entrust with her life.
"How could it be that simple? You haven't passed the trial of Uncle Yang's Eighteen Mecha Formation yet. How can you call yourself a qualified Nameless?"
"As it happens, Little March hasn't taken the trial either. I'll prepare it later, and you can have the first go at Uncle Yang's Eighteen Mecha Formation tomorrow afternoon."
"Ah, then I'm calling in backup!" March 7th cast pleading looks at Dan Heng and Ye Yan.
"Why not try the Dan-Yan Eight Gates Special Forces Formation that Dan Heng and I developed? It's brand-new!"
"Can't you give it a better name?" Dan Heng said jokingly.
"Then the Cold-Faced Black Dragon Eight Gates Special Forces Formation!"
"I... Let's stick with the last one." Dan Heng no longer had the energy to comment.
"Becoming one of the Nameless means that the responsibilities you shoulder from now on will far outweigh the rewards. You will venture into unknown worlds, choose to blaze a trail into the future, and keep a peaceful, friendly heart. Even so, do you still wish to become one of the Nameless?"
"Of course I'm joining the Nameless!"
If she didn't join the Nameless, Stelle figured she would have to spend the rest of her life on Herta Space Station.
"Since she's made her decision, everyone please form a circle and prepare to begin the ceremony for a new member joining the Astral Express, pom!"
"There's a ceremony too? Did you go through it?" Stelle looked at Ye Yan.
"Passenger Ye Yan was already one of the Nameless, so he doesn't need this ceremony, pom!"
"Wow... Your second time aboard!"
Following Pom-Pom's instructions, everyone formed a circle.
"Enough of that. Passenger Stelle, are you ready for the ceremony to become one of the Nameless?"
"I've been ready for ages!"
"Such enthusiasm, pom! Next, please recite the Trailblazers' creed with me."
"Huh?"
Stelle froze, suddenly finding it difficult to speak.
"That's too embarrassing. I won't."
"Wha..." Pom-Pom looked as though struck by lightning, puffing out their cheeks in protest. "What's embarrassing about it? The ceremony is very important, pom!"
"See! I told you everyone would find it embarrassing!" March 7th said.
"Let's remove this part from now on," Dan Heng suggested.
"H-how could you! This is an old Trailblazer tradition. The ways of our forebears mustn't change, pom!" Pom-Pom still tried to resist.
"Yes, let's remove it," Himeko, the navigator, declared.
"I think the creed's pretty good."
Ye Yan shook his head and sighed. Taking an oath really did give things a sense of ceremony. What Akivili had left behind mustn't be changed.
Thinking back to those days, he and Akivili had drawn up the creed together...
"Sorry, Conductor. There are four of them. Looks like the three of us are in the minority." Welt shared Ye Yan's opinion.
"All right. The Conductor can only respect the vote, pom... But in any case! Passenger Stelle, welcome to the Nameless!"
"Then, back to our original topic... Stelle and Ye Yan, as Nameless aboard the Astral Express, you should have rooms of your own."
"That's right! It pains Pom-Pom to have Passenger Ye Yan sleeping on the sofa every day! Now that both passengers will finally have a place of their own, Pom-Pom is so relieved!"
"Once upon a time, I had carriages of my own too. Due to certain accidents, they've now returned to the embrace of the universe."
That bastard Aha. Ye Yan's carriages could have escaped the disaster, but Aha had insisted on blowing up another one at the very end.
"The Express has far fewer carriages now than it used to. The passenger car only has four rooms. Three, strictly speaking. Dan Heng even sleeps in the archives."
"I have no objections," Dan Heng stated. He could sleep on the sofa too.
"Let's buy another carriage! Or I can just share with someone."
"Mm, the sofa's soft and comfortable to sleep on too."
"Even so, the parlor car is also used to receive guests!"
"But no one's going to visit the Express in the middle of the night..." March 7th said into Pom-Pom's ear.
"You have a point, Passenger March 7th. But rules are rules, and the ways of our forebears mustn't change, pom! Unless there's an emergency, the parlor car cannot be used as a bed."
"Ah... Then I'll have to move in with the Express's engine." Ye Yan lowered his head.
"Take this seriously, pom!"