"Belobog of the eternal winter, the [Perpetual Motion] workshop, and the Emanator of [Eternity]..."
Ye Yan stood in front of the workshop. How could this not count as a kind of eternity? Even if this planet's primary faith was Preservation.
But... the foundations of its faith in [Preservation] were gradually weakening, and the Guardian at its head had already taken half a step toward [Destruction].
"The power of Preservation is dwindling by the day. If we hadn't come, who knows how much longer this planet could have held out?"
March 7th came up beside Ye Yan, copied his pose, and likewise looked up in thought.
"Dan Heng and Stelle have already gone to the Goethe Hotel to check us in. Thanks to the Supreme Guardian, we get to stay in the most luxurious rooms! I heard there's afternoon tea, too. I can't wait..."
"If you ask me, Miss March 7th deserves all the credit for our VIP treatment."
A lively, adorable beauty like March 7th would be popular in any world, the sort who could chat with anyone.
Well, if there was anyone she hated most right now, it was probably just Sampo, who had ditched them and run off.
"Right! Dan Heng and Stelle kept talking in circles and trading cryptic remarks instead of speaking properly. Stelle even opened with something like, 'Madam, do you acknowledge that the Aeon of Permanence's beauty is unrivaled in all the world?'" March 7th mimicked Stelle's tone.
"In my opinion, Stelle is already a qualified Eternity Walker, spreading the word of Eternity and praising it at all times. It would be such a shame for someone like her not to join the church."
"Don't even think about stealing Stelle away from us. She'll always be a member of the Express!"
March 7th rested her hands lightly on her hips, her eyes bright with a smile as she chatted and laughed with Ye Yan.
"How much longer are you two going to stay outside? Come on in and have a chat with your big sister."
The workshop's door swung open, and a woman dressed in rock-and-roll style called out to Ye Yan and March 7th.
"Ah, Serval's calling us. Let's go in!"
March 7th urged him on. They had only met Serval a few minutes ago, and she was the owner of this workshop.
They had split into two groups. March 7th wanted to explore a little more before returning to the hotel, so Dan Heng had left first with Stelle, leaving Ye Yan to keep her company.
Rather than keeping her company, it was more like keeping an eye on her. March 7th might well start taking pictures in front of a sealed-off Fragmentum area.
"Oh, I've heard all about you from a certain Silvermane Guard... Our honored guests who came through the wind and snow! What would you like to drink? I've got energy drinks and berry soda here. Freshly ground coffee might take a little while..."
"You're too kind, Ms. Serval. I must thank Captain Gepard for the recommendation. I never expected Belobog to have such an impressive establishment."
"Ha, impressive? That's the first time anyone's described my workshop that way. My little brother told you about it?"
Sipping his milk tea, Ye Yan continued their earlier topic. "I can feel the heartbeat of these gears. Strong and resonant, every beat tells me of the [Perpetual Motion] workshop's past..."
With that, Ye Yan closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his heart, leaving March 7th beside him dumbfounded.
Now that's a true veteran actor!
"You've really got a way with words, young man. You're so much fun to talk to!"
"Wait... Captain Gepard is your little brother?"
March 7th had only just caught on. So Gepard had been promoting his sister's shop to outsiders, then.
"Yes, my full name is Serval Landau. Just call me Serval. No need for the surname."
"The Landau family is full of talent! The big sister runs a repair shop, and the little brother's an officer. Not bad, Ms. Serval!" March 7th turned into a little reporter, curious about this family's story.
"Haha, everyone in the Landau family has their own convictions. My main occupation is playing rock music. Work is just my hobby."
"What a distinctive answer! To tell you the truth, I'm really looking forward to an outdoor performance."
"You want to hear mechanical rock? Then you're even more welcome here! The workshop's doors will always be open to you. Let's heat up this city together with [Mechanical Fever]!"
"[Mechanical Fever] is the band I formed," Serval added, worried March 7th hadn't understood.
"Let's stay in a band for life!"
In the Goethe Hotel lobby, Stelle browsed the afternoon tea menu the server had handed her, unable to decide which set to choose.
"Hmm... butterfly berry tart? Is this stuff really any good?"
"How about we order one and try it?" Stelle asked Dan Heng for his opinion.
"No problem, provided we have enough Shields to pay for it."
Dan Heng had no particular preference. Stelle laughed awkwardly. The Supreme Guardian didn't seem to have given them any currency, so they were currently penniless.
"If we don't have money, I'll just have to go rummage through trash cans!" Having made up her mind, Stelle pulled out a mimic trash can lid as big as the table.
"Are you serious?"
Hygiene aside, would anyone in the Administrative District really be bored enough to throw Shields into a trash can?
Stelle nodded. "This weapon can detect nearby trash cans. Finding them couldn't be easier!"
"Hmm... have you considered that we might be able to exchange Credits for Shields?"
The Data Bank recorded that, back when Jarilo-VI still enjoyed a climate like spring all year round, not only the Architects but other factions, including the Interastral Peace Corporation, had visited.
They simply didn't yet know the exchange rate between Credits and Shields.
"No! You're completely wrong, Dan Heng! You told me yourself that Trailblaze means exploring the unknown more thoroughly! Nothing can stop my trailblazing spirit!" Stelle declared righteously.
So what if she had hundreds of millions of Credits? She absolutely refused to exchange them for Shields!
"With every bowl of porridge and every meal, we should remember how hard they were to come by. The same goes for money. Only what you earn yourself has meaning!"
Stelle had already thought it through. She couldn't live solely off the eight hundred million Credits Ye Yan had given her. Now that she was on a new planet, she had to earn money through her own abilities!
"That's no reason to go rummaging through trash cans." Dan Heng shook his head. "Let's talk about something important first. Back at Kliperburg... did you notice that Supreme Guardian?"
"Hmm... maybe I said something wrong. After I delivered Ye Yan's last words for him, the Supreme Guardian's eyes grew noticeably complicated. Could the Aeon of [Eternity] have visited this planet?" Stelle began guessing blindly.
"Impossible."
Dan Heng rejected the idea. "If They had been here, Jarilo-VI would definitely have informants from the church."
"Those fanatical followers of the Aeon of [Eternity]-why do you think High Prelate Blake was aboard the same spaceship as me?"
"According to rumors, the end of that route... was precisely where the Aeon of [Eternity] ascended."
"Whoa, that's huge! Will the Express go there someday, too?" Stelle was already getting excited. The site of a trash can's ascension... no, an Aeon's ascension. So cool!
"Unfortunately, I'll have to disappoint you. After everything that happened afterward, it's not hard to see that the History Fictionologists actually made it up."
Dan Heng doused Stelle's fantasies with a bucket of cold water.
"Seriously? Those History Fictionologists really deserve to die! I get why Ye Yan hates the [Enigmata] faction now."
"I'm starting to feel a little sorry for that High Prelate."
Dan Heng put himself in his shoes. If he were a High Prelate of the church and uncovered information about the planet where the Aeon of [Eternity] had ascended, he would investigate even if he wasn't sure whether it was true.
If it turned out to be false, he would simply accept that he'd willingly let himself be deceived, and at most curse the History Fictionologists a few times.
Then a few months passed, and he only wanted to listen to the morning news, only to find someone bad-mouthing his Aeon. Who could stand that?
After catching the person spreading the rumors, he even discovered they were among the History Fictionologists who had deceived him back then. Well, now he could settle both old and new scores together.
When it came to seeking revenge, [Eternity] was no less formidable than [The Hunt]...