Stelle pressed her lips together as she looked at Nero's face.
A warm, sun-soaked feeling unique to this sunshine-flavored boy instantly wrapped around her.
She couldn't refuse.
She absolutely couldn't refuse.
She couldn't refuse even a little.
"Of course, we can go find Asta together."
Her mind heated up, her mouth opened, and Stelle agreed.
"Yay!"
Nero's mood soared.
Although acting cute was shameful, what mattered was that it worked.
Seeing that Stelle agreed to go with him, Nero immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her downstairs, taking her with him to look for Asta.
It was still that familiar spot in the main control section. The two found Asta there.
Asta usually handled command work in this place. Since Herta Space Station was busy with post-war reconstruction at the moment, the girl was also quite busy.
"Asta!" Nero called.
When Asta heard Nero's voice and turned her head, seeing that it was Nero and Stelle, she immediately understood what this was about.
"Asta, did Herta send you the notice?" Nero asked.
"Yes. Lady Herta told me that once you pay off the remaining three hundred million credits, you can leave." Asta nodded. Looking at the two before her, the smile in her eyes was deeply hidden. "So, you're coming to me now because you've prepared the credits?"
Hearing Asta say this, Nero's little face collapsed.
"When I arrived at the space station, even my flying sword got burned to ash. Credit points... I don't have a single cent!"
"Oh, so that means you're the one who's going to help him pay?" Asta teased as she looked toward Stelle.
Stelle's expression changed. She took a small step back, looking awkward with a hint of panic, waving her hands.
"I don't have money either..."
"You two have no money and still came to talk to me about this?" Asta curled her lips, pretending to be slightly annoyed.
"Well, didn't Herta give the authority to you? Be flexible, okay? Let me go?"
Asta looked at the boy before her and raised her chin. "Trying to freeload, huh? Where in the world is there such a good deal?"
"I'm not freeloading, but I really have no money. If this continues, the only result is that I'll be stuck in the space station for my whole life. Let me go, okay? When I get home I'll send you some fine Xianzhou tea and Mr. Xiyan's newest storytelling recordings!"
"Besides, I definitely need to ask the Express to send me back, and who knows, we might even go under different starry skies. I can take photos for you, how about that?"
Nero glanced at the small astronomical telescope hanging at Asta's waist, which already looked expensive, and said with a grin.
When Stelle heard Nero say he would ask the Express to send him back, she turned to look at him, then lowered her eyes and began thinking.
Whether to stay in the space station or join the Astral Express, she needed to make a choice.
Everyone here was very kind, but the atmosphere of the space station simply wasn't for her.
Stelle thought of all she had seen in the space station, the dark circles under the staff's eyes, their tired expressions, their rough faces.
If she kept staying here, maybe she would eventually become like this too.
Compared with adventuring together with everyone, the monotonous work in the space station held no appeal at all.
The girl's golden eyes shimmered slightly. After looking once more at the white-haired boy beside her, Stelle made her decision.
Asta, meanwhile, let out a breath after hearing Nero's words and giggled. "It's not that I can't consider it."
Asta actually had no intention of making things difficult for Nero, she just wanted to tease him a little.
Just as Nero had guessed from the start, in Asta's view, whether it was the staff's lives or the oddities and research data in the station, their value far exceeded the damage Nero had caused.
However...
Asta blinked mischievously at Nero and Stelle.
"I can let you leave. After all, you two saved the space station. The staff, research data, and those oddities are what's truly valuable. But..."
"But?"
Nero and Stelle looked at Asta in confusion.
"The space station is currently busy rebuilding, and we're short on manpower. Also, because of the Antimatter Legion's invasion, many oddities were scattered throughout the station, either due to their destruction or because the staff used them. They're being recalled now."
Asta explained to the two, "But some oddities have self-awareness, and staff can't handle them. This has caused trouble in the recovery process."
"Right now, on the second floor of the Storage Zone, there's an oddity numbered #1145, The Fright Maze. The staff can't do anything about it. Arlan is still recovering, and other security staff have been injured or developed signs of mental instability while trying to recover it.
"In other words, there's basically no one in the space station who can step up and deal with this thing. You two are so strong, how about helping us recover the Fright Maze? After that, Little Nero can leave. And of course, if you want to come visit the space station again in the future, that's no problem!"
"No problem, leave this kind of thing to us!"
Nero clapped his little hands, guaranteeing that he would deal with the Fright Maze cleanly and thoroughly.
Stelle also pulled out her baseball bat, showing that this kind of thing was her specialty. She even said right in front of Asta and Nero, "No worries. With me, the Galactic Bat Hero, it'll be foolproof!"
———
[Reality]
[Siberian Duck's Livestream Room]
After accepting the mission, Siberian Duck controlled Stelle and headed to the main control section to find Nero.
Then she received the information that Asta was a rich lady.
Finally, when she saw Nero pulling Stelle's hand, hoping Stelle could help him.
Two reply options popped up.
[No problem, I'll help you!]
[(How could I ever refuse this...)]
Siberian Duck stared at the screen for a moment, then said, "Holy crap, guys, this is a little insanely cute. I seriously can't refuse this."
The chat barrage instantly went wild.
[I Use Pantene: I can't refuse it either!]
[Caster: Who the hell could refuse this?]
[Dan-Heart Eternal: My old heart was hit by an arrow.]
[I'm Really Rushing: I'm reporting this, he's hacking!]
[Pom-Pom: He looks like he knows he's cute.]
[HSAAU: Acting cute is shameful, but effective.]
[Bite Those Two Ice Creams: Family, I'm healed! Completely refreshed!]
[Mortal Shuttle: I'm healed too, kksk!]
[Getting Bald: Babies, I'm inspired again!]
[DIISMNI: Artist, hurry and draw it!]
"Guys, this is too good. I have to screenshot it, this is going to be my wallpaper from now on!"
As Siberian Duck said this, she was already moving. Very skillfully, she took a screenshot of the scene and immediately changed it to her computer wallpaper.
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