『 After obtaining the first quest item, Stelle began searching for the second objective.
She walked along the street, and then, at a corner, she saw a normal garbage can!
What defines a normal garbage can?
It's a trash can with no legs and no arms!
Thus, Stelle walked up to this obviously out-of-place garbage can with great interest and gave it a fierce kick.
As a result, following a loud bang from the kick, this garbage can actually sprouted arms and legs too!
[ Thank you, beautiful stranger. I am the Trashcan Prince, and my father was assassinated by Tatalov, and I was cursed into becoming a trashcan by dark sorcery. It was you who saved me, liberating me from my imprisonment. ]
[ I shall offer everything I have — my body, my soul, my life, even my trash bags — just to repay your kindness. ]
This Trashcan Prince was ridiculously elegant. In Stelle's eyes, his golden body was somewhat dazzling.
[ You talk just like the Knights of Beauty… ]
Stelle looked at the Trashcan Prince, feeling his image gradually overlapping with a certain familiar figure.
[ There are many cans who compliment my beauty, but I am not familiar with the name of which you just spoke. The only knightly order in this kingdom is the "Knights of Loose Change," each of whom is a noble and respectable can of the highest order.]
The Trash Can Prince explained elegantly.
[ If you want to repay me, then join me in resisting Tatalov. ]
Stelle didn't want to waste any more words with this Trashcan Prince.
[ I am willing. I will light the wolf smoke of rebellion with you and save the kingdom from peril. ]
[ You have gained my trust. I hope you will accept this item along with my heart. I will fight for you, great soul! ]
The Trashcan Prince's tone began to turn impassioned!
Immediately after, he handed the second quest item to Stelle. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "This Trashcan Prince believes in the Beauty?"
Stelle: "Why is a garbage can acting so high-class?"
Argenti: "AH!!! What an elegant and beautiful garbage CAN!!"
Argenti: "O Trashcan Prince, I hereby offer you my regards with the heavy weight of a rose!"
Dehya: "The… heavy weight of a rose??"
Dehya: "That thing isn't very heavy, is it?"
Nilou: "I suppose the rose must have a special meaning for Mr. Argenti?"
Argenti: "This beautiful lady, shining like the stars, you are correct. For the Knights of Beauty, the rose holds extraordinary significance!"
Yanfei: "This gentleman really speaks quite pleasantly."
March 7th: "That's true enough. Those Knights of Beauty, every single one of them speaks beautifully."
Argenti: "Thank you for your praise, my lady."
Argenti: "May your mood today be like a blooming rose—brilliant and beautiful!"
....
『 Stelle began looking for the final garbage can NPC.
But after searching around several times, she couldn't find it.
Subsequently, she discovered an anomaly in a dumpster.
Inside this dumpster, there was a very strange garbage bag.
The mouth of the garbage bag was tightly clamped shut by several fish bones.
Seeing this, Stelle pondered for a moment, then directly removed the fish bones from the bag's opening.
Boom! Immediately following a loud noise, a wisp of green smoke began to rise from the bag, twisting into a ball in the air before slowly transforming into a giant…
Garbage can…
[ Finally — I am free! I am "Garboski," a can of unmatched evil. Tatalov used despicable means to defeat me and sealed me in this deep and cramped trash bag. ]
[ For the first five hundred years of my imprisonment, I swore an oath that if a can came to save me, I would reward them with endless wealth. Then, for the next five hundred years, I swore that if a can saved me, I would reward them with endless trash. ]
[ However, ten thousand years have passed. That's 20 five-hundred-year periods, but no cans came! Therefore, I swore that if a can came to save me, I would reward them with a painless death. ]
[ And now you have come, so you must DIE!! ]
This garbage can had been imprisoned for ten thousand years.
Obviously, its mental state was now very abnormal.
[ You're right, but I'm a human, not a trashcan! ]
Stelle shrugged and said.
[ …You're right. You are not the savior that I expected. And because you haven't betrayed my expectations... I should thank you instead. Go. I won't take your life, but that's the limit of my mercy. ]
Garboski the garbage Can couldn't refute Stelle's words, so he could only tell her to scram.
[ Why not stand with me against Tatalov? ]
Although this can's brain seemed a bit off, she needed the help of this NPC can.
[ Countless years of captivity have whittled flat my edges. My prime is long past, never to return. I only wish to past the rest of my life as a normal trashcan. Farewell, stranger.]
This can was disheartened, indicating he would not come out of retirement.
Then, under Stelle's gaze, the can departed lonely and desolate, leaving behind only a hunched back. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Zhongli: "Time truly makes one old. To think the Evil Can who once commanded the winds and clouds would meet such a bleak end."
Furina: "Ten thousand years of imprisonment is simply too long, long enough to make it numb and unfeeling, having long lost all fighting spirit…"
Furina: "It really is a… heartbreaking story."
Venti: "Looking at its appearance, it must have been a legendary can of its generation when it was young, right? It should have left behind many stories."
Lumine: "Uh… I say, why are you guys evaluating a… garbage can with such righteous conviction??"
March 7th: "This art style is starting to look a bit weird…"
Stelle: "Damn it, this garbage can didn't give me ANYTHING!! What a waste of time and effort saving it! What an ungrateful can!"
....
『 Garboski left, leaving without consequence.
He didn't leave the desired quest item for Stelle either.
So, out of helplessness, she had to continue searching for the target.
Fortunately, the search went smoothly this time.
Soon, Stelle arrived next to three garbage cans arguing endlessly.
[ Serious Can: Outlander, a dispute here awaits your fair judgment. ]
[ Beautiful Can: This is the legendary Golden Trash, a symbol of power and status. Only the most qualified can is fit to possess it! And we all feel that we are that can, hence the endless arguing. ]
[ Wise Can: Thus, we decided to let a bystander with unique insight and a fair attitude judge on our behalf, deciding the ownership of the Golden garbage and putting a period to this long quarrel. ]
[ Serious Can: If you grant the Golden garbage to me, I promise you infinite wealth, enough to fill the largest bucket. ]
[ Wise Can: If you grant the Golden garbage to me, I promise you infinite wisdom, surpassing any overflowing bag of trash. ]
[ Beautiful Can: If you grant the Golden garbage to me, I promise you the most beautiful garbage can in the world—which is me—to stand by your side and face the wind and rain together. ]
The three neurotic garbage cans saw Stelle arrive, pulled her over, and demanded she give a fair and reasonable ruling!
[ Golden Trash?! ]
[ Stop arguing, all of you! ]
[ I am the only person worthy of it! ]
Seeing that this bag of garbage was actually a shining golden legend, Stelle didn't say another word and snatched it into her own arms!
Three garbage cans wanting to covet her Golden Trash? Simply wishful thinking!
[ Wise Can: What?! The conundrum that has stymied us for so long... fixed just like that? ]
[ Beautiful Can: Then who is the most qualified can... No, that no longer mattered. ]
[ Serious Can: This outlander must want us to understand how ridiculous our current dispute is… You have proven yourself with action. This item symbolizes our followership and admiration; we hope you will accept it! ]
The brain circuits of these three cans were different from normal cans.
So, through a strange combination of circumstances, Stelle collected the final quest item and harvested a bag of glittering Golden Trash. 』
『 ....』