---o---
(This chapter follows the main story's conclusion, continuing after the finale.)
"No, no, don't be in such a rush, even though we're also in a hurry—" March 7th stopped Ron, who was about to step outside. "The Conductor said there's a short ad-hoc meeting. We'll set off after a few things are emphasized. Look how serious it is, we should wait for the meeting to be over."
Pom-Pom has something to emphasize? What's there to nag about now that we've already arrived?
Ron was a little puzzled, but he quickly understood.
...Alright, thinking about it, forget just giving a few reminders; if it were possible, Pom-Pom probably wouldn't even want to let the Nameless get off the Express.
After all, half a month ago, Ron had successfully incinerated the structure of the Imaginary Tree, allowing the entire sea of stars to begin merging with the endless Sea of Quanta. Everything was about to change, and this was the dawn of the old world stepping into a new one.
Although this concerned the entire cosmos and its transformation wouldn't be apparent in a short time, its starting points—the Herta Space Station and the Jarilo-VI system—were already showing initial signs of change. The other worlds on the branches of the Imaginary Tree were also gradually being permeated…
The change has arrived.
But what form will the endless Imaginary power ultimately shape this sea of stars into?
No one knew… Not even Ron himself was sure.
In that case, Pom-Pom, the yet-to-be-fully-revived [Trailblaze], naturally couldn't be certain which "direction" all of this would ultimately take.
Therefore, going by Pom-Pom's doting love and favor for the Nameless, it would of course be unwilling to let them disembark at a time like this, let alone send them to Penacony—the domain of that Mother of Myriad Stars.
After all, based on the current state of Akivili, the [Trailblaze], perhaps it could still protect the Nameless while they were on the Express. But once they disembarked, let alone entered the territory of Xipe of [The Harmony], it would be completely powerless to intervene if something were to happen…
However, now that Ron was awake, everything had changed—
He couldn't possibly miss out on a long-awaited vacation with the Express crew, and he naturally wouldn't allow the Nameless to fall into the mire of some conspiracy.
Personal protection from the Aeon of [Salvation], a five-star security service—all who've tried it, loved it!
Ron thought to himself, not paying much mind to the crew members who had gathered to listen to Pom-Pom's nagging. Instead, he took out the game cartridge from his pocket and began toying with it with great interest.
This game cartridge, labeled "Life Simulation Game," was a gift from Aha of [The Elation], and it was saturated with the power of "Fate."
Although the sea of stars was now gradually merging with the Sea of Quanta, and the cosmic structure was no longer as simple and fragile as before, Ron could still feel that if he were to activate the power within it, he could branch off a worldline—at the very least, branch off a worldline for the galaxy he was currently in and conduct a "simulation game."
To casually toy with fate, to casually manipulate time—this power, which should have belonged to Terminus, the Finality, had appeared in a gift from Aha of [The Elation]. This also explained the doubt that had long plagued Ron…
He had assumed the power of the "Life Simulation Game" came from Terminus, but now it seemed it came from Aha—
This Aeon, who had once ascended to the apex of the Tree of Existence, was hiding much deeper than imagined. No wonder he dared to stand so brazenly in opposition to [The End]. It turned out the power he possessed was far greater than Ron had ever imagined.
Come to think of it, the reason Ron was able to become [Salvation], to burn the Tree of Existence and defeat [The End] and [The Nihility]—perhaps the vast majority of coincidences or assistance, even the greatest aid from the Life Simulation Game itself, all came from the power of Aha of [The Elation]…
Perhaps, this whole affair was just one of Aha's countless attempts, a scheme targeting [The End] and [The Nihility]?
Ron thoughtfully stroked his chin, feeling that wasn't entirely unlikely.
Although Aha had indeed contributed greatly to all of this, everything Ron did was also an indispensable contribution…
Without Ron, even if Aha had the ability to set the stage, there would have been no one to truly kill off Terminus and IX. Only Ron's actions were the root that transformed all of this into reality.
…But the matter was already over, so what was the point in thinking so much?
A win is a win. Calculating who contributed how much is meaningless… Ron only knew that he had been here, and that because of his actions, this sea of stars had undergone a world-shaking change. That was enough.
Instead of spending time thinking about these things, he might as well think about what to do for fun in Penacony…
---o---
Before he transmigrated, the game Honkai: Star Rail had just been released. At that time, there was almost no information about Penacony; not a single leak could be found—after all, miHoYo probably hadn't even written it down on a draft back then.
Ron's knowledge of Penacony was limited to the few lines in the game describing the "Planet of Festivities," a former IPC penal colony that was now a tourist paradise belonging to "The Family."
Though that was all he knew, Ron still had great expectations for Penacony.
After all… no matter how you put it, this was hailed as the most beautiful Planet of Festivities among the stars. The entire cosmos yearned to visit this tourist mecca. It was the number one sinkhole for riches in the cosmos, its fame even surpassing that of the IPC's giant structural headquarters, Pier Point…
Thinking of this, Ron became a bit impatient.
Just think of the hard days he had in Belobog! Dammit, he took down both Terminus and IX, wasn't it all so he could live a comfortable life? Who could stop him from having fun in Penacony now? Who could possibly stop him?!
As this thought took root in his mind, his gaze toward the grand interstellar hotel outside the window became filled with predatory intent.
He no longer wanted to gnaw on starchy Belobogian red sausages in the cold winter wind… It was high time he enjoyed a life of wanton luxury on a Planet of Festivities like Penacony!
But even though Ron wanted to check into a great big mansion in Penacony right this instant, he still had enough decency not to abandon the crew that had looked after him while he was unconscious. He sat on the sofa and listened to Pom-Pom's nagging.
"All passengers should be aware, Pom! The destination of this trip is the 'Planet of Festivities,' Penacony."
Pom-Pom stood in the center of the crowd, its face stern and its paws on its hips.
"Although this Conductor also knows that everyone has been looking forward to this famous interstellar hotel for a long time, there are three things I must remind you of before we set off."
"First, the Asdana star system where Penacony is located is a region rich in 'Memoria.' Historically, it was one of the 'Great Primal Lochs' where the Memoria Zone leaked. Although several millennia have passed, its Memoria concentration is still higher than average."
"Normally, it shouldn't be a major issue… but everyone's physical condition is different. If you experience dizziness, hallucinations, or memory disorders, you must not take it lightly!"
"Second, Penacony is the domain of [The Harmony]'s Family, and this is the first time The Family has issued a public invitation to other factions. Remember, the Express is attending as an invited guest. The rules that must be followed, must be followed."
March 7th, standing to the side, tapped her little head. "Got it. 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do!' Don't worry, Conductor, we definitely won't bring shame to the Nameless."
Pom-Pom nodded in satisfaction. "And finally, the third point. This is less of a requirement… and more of a personal request from Pom-Pom to all of you."
"If possible—I hope that while you are on vacation, you can spare some time to help ask around for news of several 'Nameless'."
"What Nameless?"
Stelle couldn't help but be taken aback, only to see Himeko smile gently and say:
"Allow me to explain."
"Like most of the worlds the Express has docked at, Penacony was once a stop on the star rail. Several thousand years ago, this place was still a frontier prison of the IPC. It was [The Trailblaze] that connected it to the myriad stars."
"At that time, the Astral Express also visited Penacony—and as journeys have their meetings and partings, according to the Express's records, it seems several passengers chose to stay here, selecting Penacony as their final stop."
Stelle thought for a moment, a slight frown creasing her brow.
"It's been so long. Can we really find them?"
Himeko shook her head. "Don't be so tense. Just think of it as a ritual of returning to an old haunt. After the Express departs, the Stellaron seals off the worlds, and Penacony's ownership has changed hands several times."
"How those old Nameless who stayed here fared, what they experienced, and what traces they left on this world… Exploring the footsteps of our predecessors is an adventure in itself."
"Even if they leave the sea of stars, the [Trailblaze] of a Nameless never ends…" As she spoke, she glanced at Pom-Pom. "That's what the Conductor thinks too, right?"
Pom-Pom nodded with satisfaction, and Himeko continued:
"According to the crew roster, the three passengers who disembarked back then were named Tierno, Lagwalk, and Lazalina. They were once the Express's guard, mechanic, and cartographer. Besides that, there is no other information."
Hearing this, even little March couldn't help but scratch her head, a confused look on her face.
"Just names and occupations? It sounds like they might not even be their real names… Isn't this a complete shot in the dark?"
Himeko nodded and teased, "So just go with the flow. Considering the diversity of the Nameless… we might find their descendants, or even, with a tiny bit of probability—meet the people themselves."
At this point, she brought the not-so-long meeting to a close.
"Alright, let's conclude this trailblazing meeting here. The Express has just completed its docking procedures. The vacation time in Penacony won't be too short. If you're worried, you can take some more time to check your luggage…"
As she spoke, she gave another light laugh.
"Of course, if there's nothing else to prepare, then why don't we… set off?"
"Yay!" At some point, March 7th had already pulled out a bulging suitcase. She grabbed Stelle's little hand and dashed towards the Express door at the speed of a hundred-meter sprint.
"We couldn't wait any longer! The [Planet of Festivities], Penacony, the biggest and most luxurious amusement park in the entire universe, here we come!"
Himeko let out an amused laugh and slowly followed behind them with Welt. Dan Heng calmly watched them go before returning to the archives car to stand guard…
Ron, too, slowly stuffed his hands in his pockets, following behind Himeko and Welt, brimming with excitement to get off the Express and see if this Planet of Festivities was as captivating as the rumors claimed.
But just as Ron walked past Pom-Pom, brushing by its side, a faint voice reached his ear…
"Be careful."
Pom-Pom's voice was very soft, very cautious, so soft that it didn't seem to belong to the Astral Express, but to the domain of [The Trailblaze]…
"The 'direction' of Penacony is changing… You burned the Tree of Existence. You didn't just burn the symbolic shackles of [The End] and [The Nihility]; you also burned away limitation itself."
"I'm just a half-dead mascot. I can't stir up any waves here. I don't know what Xipe wants to do, but I can't possibly stop the children from going to [Trailblaze]."
"Seeing as I didn't hide anything from you before… I'm entrusting the Nameless to you, Pom."
Hearing this, Ron's steps paused for a moment. Then, he disembarked without the slightest hesitation, leaving only his lazy voice to echo in Pom-Pom's ears—
"I'm on vacation on the Planet of Festivities, and I'm mooching off the Express's invitation… Whoever makes a move on the Express's passengers is making a move on my vacation."
"Don't worry. For the sake of my peaceful vacation… no matter what, this journey of ours will be peaceful and comfortable."
"Even if someone doesn't want Penacony to be peaceful… I will make them let it be peaceful."