Inside the Parlor Car of the Astral Express, a warmth that transcends time flows quietly. Mikhail, the first Nameless who had been away from the star trails for hundreds of years, has finally returned to the place where he poured his heart and soul into.
Here, an old friend awaits him.
"... Passengers on March 7th always seem to bring back strange and unusual things. Once, they even brought back a strange object called a ' Rating Gun,' which only earned Pom-Pom one point."
In the Parlor Car, Pom-Pom was reminiscing about the past to this special returning traveler, her ears twitching slightly with her tone of voice.
Pom-Pom paused, then moved closer to Misha:
"Also, be careful of Himeko's coffee; it's the most horrible drink Pom-Pom has ever seen—but never tell her that to her face."
Misha smiled gently. "Even worse than the tea in my hometown of Glahom?"
Pom-Pom seemed to recall some unpleasant experience and shuddered, "Pam, a hundred times worse than this!"
"Pfft~ Hahaha~" Misha couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes filled with nostalgia and a hint of Curiosity, "I really want to try a bite."
As soon as she finished speaking, Pom-Pom handed Misha a ready-made cup of coffee.
"Thanks to passenger Ye Yan..." Pom-Pom's tone was a mix of relief and helplessness, "Now, even if passenger Himeko's coffee is left out for an entire Amber Era, it will never taste different!"
"So, do you really want to try it?"
Misha nodded with a smile, accepted the legendary "drink" without hesitation, and downed it in one gulp. He savored it for a moment before slowly saying:
"Hmm... indeed... it has a unique flavor."
Pom-Pom's attention quickly shifted to the new Nameless's 'complaint,' "And another thing, the Star Passenger always drags the March 7th Passenger into their antics, and now, even the Dan Heng Passenger, whom Pom-Pom favors the most, is almost being corrupted."
Misha listened quietly, a gentle smile on her face, as if she could see the figures of those energetic new generation of Nameless.
"Hey, you passengers are all the same, especially that guy who blew the train in two..."
Pom-Pom sighed heavily, his hairy face screaming "Being Conductor isn't easy," and not long ago he'd even been robbed by a Galaxy Ranger.
"Passenger Mikhail, you're spacing out again. What are you thinking about?"
"It's nothing," Misha shook her head gently. "Hearing Pom-Pom talk about how many people like me have boarded the train over the years is... wonderful."
" Nameless come and go; some find their home, while others continue their journey, like the silver rails forever moving forward... This is the Astral Express. I believe the Conductor's future will not be lonely."
Pom-Pom straightened her small chest, her tone solemn and warm:
"Passengers, Mikhail, remember, whether you leave or not, the Astral Express is the Nameless' eternal home. Pom-Pom... will always be here, welcome back!"
"Then it's a promise, Conductor. The next time we stop at Penacony, please sound the horn for me, for Lazarina, for Tiernan... please sound the horn for us. If they can hear us, they will definitely come back with me to see you."
Pom-Pom nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling as if with starlight. "Then, it's a deal, Pam!"
In the spacious, cold corridor of the [ The Radiant Feldspar ], Topaz and Jade walked side by side. The invisible smoke of their confrontation with Old Oti in the mid-cabin lounge still seemed to linger between them.
"... That Old Oti is really tough to deal with." Topaz rubbed his temples. "I never expected that at Penacony's most critical moment, he would actually take the risky step of going public."
"Indeed, he has great courage." Jade's fingertips gracefully adjusted the angle of his hat brim, the shadow perfectly partially obscuring his deep eyes, her voice as steady as still water, "It is precisely because of this courage that he has become the Oti Ivorfat he is today."
"But the scales of victory haven't tipped in either direction yet." Jade's voice lowered, her gaze beneath the brim sharp as a blade. "No matter how loud the shout, the sound itself has no weight. Topaz, what happened to that phone call you made?"
"Yes, they agreed. However, they won't be able to arrive for a while."
"That's perfect. The [ Sweet Dew ] should be served after the [Poison] anyway."
Topaz glanced sideways at Jade, understanding dawning on him. "It seems the [apple exchange] will be omitted this time."
"Well, what can you do when the other party is such a greedy businessman? A mediocre apple won't solve the problem—ah, it seems I've inadvertently hurt myself with that statement."
"I'm suddenly Curiosity, Topaz: In your opinion, is Penacony a high-quality asset?" Jade suddenly changed the subject and asked.
"With its excellent credit, high profitability, and promising future, even after this calamity, it remains a top-tier asset in the galaxy—that's beyond question."
"Yes, obviously. But what I'm asking is, with your taste, doesn't this project seem a bit 'boring'?"
Topaz gave a short laugh, his candor bordering on blunt:
"Ha, indeed. If it weren't for the Aventurine pulling me into this, I would never have come here."
"But you trust him completely. You're willing to entrust him with a gamble Cornerstone's as precious as life itself to us."
"Aren't you the same, Ms. Jade?" Topaz met Jade's gaze. "If we hadn't followed suit, your [ Jade Stone ] wouldn't have been able to enter the market so smoothly, capturing the desires flowing in your dreams and gaining leverage in negotiations..."
Topaz's tone then turned firm:
"For that, I'm certainly willing to sacrifice [ Topaz Stone ] to cover for you... What a grand scheme!"
"No one can stop that child from doing what he's determined to do—not even fate. At least he's alive now, and that's the best outcome."
A rare hint of wistfulness crept into Jade's voice.
"It seems... we've strayed a bit from the topic, Lady Jade." Topaz steered the conversation back on track. "Shouldn't we discuss our next strategy? Especially... that Intellitron who calls himself ' Lycurgus '?"
"Indeed, things will become complicated once people associated with [ Eternity ] get involved," Jade said gravely.
Topaz nodded thoughtfully. "For some reason, that ' Lycurgus ' gives me... a very mixed feeling."
"It is true that one walks the Path of [ Eternity ], but its core is permeated with the lingering shadow of [ Erudition ], permeated with the coldness of [ Equilibrium ]... and even faintly carries a trace of the madness of [ Elation ]."
Topaz frowned slightly; the composition of this ' Lycurgus ' was far too complex.
"This feeling precisely confirms that ' Lycurgus ' is no ordinary deacon of the [ Church of Eternity ]."
"True ' Eternity ' travelers are extremely rare in the world, and their significance is far more complex than it appears." Jade stopped, her gaze from beneath her hat brim falling on Topaz.
"Things aren't as simple as we think. I'll go in alone later. You go and greet our distinguished guests. Wait for my message before we act."