"Chi chi chi?"
"Sigh..."
No one expected that Levi, who had just declared himself invincible, would be reduced to sighing nonstop because of a dimensional trotter.
"How many times do I have to say it? I really don't like you!"
"Chi chi chi?"
"Sigh… if we really have to compare, I like your boss way more than I like you."
Levi rested his chin on his hand and looked at Numby on the ground. Pointing at Topaz not far away, he spoke without any restraint, "Just look at Topaz, her legs are white and long, just looking at them makes my appetite skyrocket. Look at you with your four short little legs, they're so small I wouldn't even bother throwing them in a stir-fry."
Topaz, "..."
'So my legs are ingredients now, huh?'
"Look again! Topaz's face is round, her features are really well-defined and pretty. Now look at you!"
"Sure, your face is smaller than Topaz's, but your features just aren't as defined."
"With you, you can sum it up in one sentence, no figure, no looks."
"Chi chi chi!"
Topaz couldn't help interrupting. "Don't tell Numby such weird things. I'm starting to seriously doubt whether you can really understand what she's saying."
It felt like this human and this trotter were chatting on completely different frequencies.
Numby was just confused because he was talking to himself, so she tilted her head and kept chirping at him.
Seeing Levi finally shut up, Topaz said to Numby, "Warp is about to start. Come into my arms so you don't fall."
"Chi chi chi?"
Numby glanced at her, then turned and jumped onto Levi, closed her eyes, and started resting.
Looking at how utterly unapologetic this little thing was, the corner of Levi's eye twitched slightly.
Noticing Topaz looking over, Levi helplessly shrugged.
Topaz sighed. At this point, she actually started to believe that Levi really was talking to Numby.
"This ungrateful Numby who forgets her friends once she sees a handsome guy!"
She'd spent so many good things just to get Numby to be close to her.
And now that Numby found a man she liked the look of, she immediately forgot who her owner was.
"Warp starting!"
The tone she used to give the order was clearly irritated.
———
[Jarilo-VI]
The Astral Express was docked here.
Welt was still standing by the window, gazing at the deep starry sky outside, lost in thought.
At the table, Himeko slowly savored the coffee she had brewed herself.
Pom-Pom was holding a broom, cleaning here and there.
Suddenly, Welt seemed to notice something and called Himeko over.
The two of them looked at several ships that had appeared in the starry sky.
Seeing the insignia on them, Himeko spoke up. "Herta Space Station? Why would their ships appear here?"
And they were fully armed.
Her gaze shifted to the weapons mounted on the ships.
Weapons of this level could easily wipe out small civilizations.
"Why would they bring so many weapons here?"
"Don't tell me they're here for us?!" Pom-Pom clutched his head. If weapons like that hit the train, the current Astral Express wouldn't last long at all.
"No need to worry, Conductor. We haven't done anything to provoke Madam Herta. She wouldn't make a move against us."
Mobilizing so many armed forces at once, it was probably an order personally given by Madam Herta of the Genius Society.
[Ding! Incoming communication!]
"Hello, hello? Can you hear me?"
Herta's voice came through the channel, and Welt and Himeko exchanged glances.
They thought it was an order issued by Herta, but it turned out Herta herself had come personally.
At the same time, Herta hadn't expected to run into the Express crew in this star system either.
Looking at the train quietly floating in the starry sky, 'Had they run into trouble?'
Suddenly, the data on the detection instruments changed. Herta frowned deeply as she stared at the readings.
"Fragmentum energy is too high… a Stellaron?!"
No wonder the train had stopped here. If the Fragmentum energy didn't return to normal, the train simply couldn't warp away.
Not only the Astral Express, her own fleet was trapped here as well.
"Damn it! Why didn't the instruments detect this abnormal Fragmentum energy in this star region in advance?!"
———
"Sparkle doesn't know~"
On Belobog, Sparkle covered her mouth and laughed as she looked at the man shivering in the freezing cold.
"I just felt like there'd be something fun to watch here, so I came. As for whether this place turning out like this is my fault… well… Sparkle doesn't know~"
"Achoo!"
Looking at the girl with that malicious smile, Sampo hugged himself and shivered. "Since it wasn't you, then help me out with something. I'll owe you a favor."
"Of course I can~ but I can't let you make me deal with that guy… I'm still young, and there's so much fun waiting for me. Wouldn't it be a shame to die just like that?"
"Don't you think~"
Peeking her head out from behind cover, Sparkle looked at the monsters wandering outside, a trace of wariness in her eyes.
She hadn't expected to run into something this dangerous on this trip.
If she'd known, she wouldn't have landed and watched up close.
Peeping from space would've been fine too.
"So? Have you decided, Mr. Cold Feet?"
Not understanding why Sparkle was calling him by his stage name, Sampo looked at her and said, "Help me treat a few people…"
———
"Madam Herta, I didn't expect you to come here personally."
"I didn't expect there to be something in the universe that would actually require me to come out in person!"
That Mr. Cold Feet was just too disgusting.
If she didn't kill him with her own hands, she wouldn't be able to vent her anger.
Seeing Herta suddenly get worked up, Welt and Himeko exchanged another look.
"Madam Herta, may I ask what your purpose is in coming here?"
Herta let out a deep sigh. "Asta has gone missing…"
For some unknown reason, Herta concealed the fact that her puppet had also gone missing.
"The space station was invaded too. Even Screwllum, he's also a member of the Genius Society. You should've heard of him."
In case the two of them didn't know who Screwllum was, Herta deliberately introduced him, and also mentioned Ruan Mei along the way.
"Screwllum's body has malfunctioned as well. Right now, Ruan Mei is the only one managing the station."
Originally, she had invited the two of them to the space station, planning to enjoy a tea party while discussing the Simulated Universe.
Who knew things would end up like this instead.
This was beyond embarrassing.
As she spoke, Herta clenched her teeth again, her eyes seeming to spit fire. "And all of this is because of that Mr. Cold Feet!"
"Asta went missing?" Welt frowned. This was indeed a major incident for Herta and the entire space station.
No wonder Herta had personally led a search party.
Unfortunately, after accidentally entering this star region, they would probably all be trapped here with the train until March 7th and the others resolved the Stellaron.
"No!"
Herta shook her head and looked out at the planets beyond the window. "This is exactly where I'm supposed to be… the Jarilo system."
Based on the information she had and her genius intuition, Herta concluded that Asta and the Mr. Cold Feet who kidnapped her were somewhere in this stretch of stars.
'You dared to touch my puppet!'
'You dared to touch my people!'
'You dared to touch my space station!'
'Just wait till I twist your head off!'
At the same time, another fleet of ships appeared near the Astral Express.
Looking at those highly distinctive ships, there was no way they couldn't recognize which faction they belonged to.
"I didn't expect people from the company to show up here too."
Welt sighed.
"Numby! Put the person down for me!"