Selene’s gaze slowly shifted downward, landing on the cup of still-steaming coffee in Welt’s hand.
This time, she looked with extra care.
She saw that on the surface of the dark brown liquid, a few…
eerily colored bubbles of indescribable hue were slowly rising.
This sight was completely different from the coffee she remembered brewing herself.
(This…
doesn’t seem to be…
the pot I brewed?)
An ominous premonition quietly arose.
Selene lifted her head, her eyes carrying a hint of imperceptible inquiry as she looked at Himeko, who was observing Welt with slight concern.
Seemingly sensing Selene’s gaze, Himeko turned her head, met her eyes, and a slightly embarrassed smile appeared on her face:
“Uh, it’s like this.
I saw that the coffee you brewed earlier was almost empty, and I didn’t want to trouble you again, so I thought I’d brew a cup for Welt myself.”
The truth is often hidden in such “understated” explanations.
Selene: “…”
She silently cast her gaze back onto Welt, who was leaning back on the sofa, unconscious.
Beneath her calm exterior, her heart seemed to be flooded with thousands of thoughts, finally turning into a silent sigh:
(Old Yang…
you…
rest in peace!!!)
Jarilo-VI, Underworld, outskirts of the Robot Settlement.
Unlike the “tranquility” of the Astral Express observation car, which carried an absurdly comedic color, the atmosphere here was filled with stalemate and helplessness.
Led by Natasha, the Wildfire members, along with the Astral Express Crew’s Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle, as well as their companion Bronya, were blocked by several automated machines with rugged structures, painted in warning colors, and holding crude weapons, right in front of the only passageway leading to the depths of the settlement.
These machines had clearly received explicit orders and displayed an unyielding stance of obstruction toward all “outsiders” attempting to approach.
Their target—Svarog, that giant robot who might possess key information about the Stellaron—was in the depths of the settlement.
However, at this moment, they couldn’t even see the other party.
This made them hesitant to act, unable to use force against these guarding machines like they would against Fragmentum creations or hooligans.
The situation was momentarily deadlocked.
“What do we do now?” March 7th looked at these stubborn lumps of iron before her and asked the others in a deflated whisper.
Seele frowned, a hint of irritation flashing in her eyes.
She had originally thought that perhaps she could find her sister, Clara, and have her help pass a message or intercede.
But they had been delayed here for a while, and Clara’s figure had not appeared; she was likely already inside.
“Seele…” Bronya looked at the girl beside her, her eyes carrying inquiry and a trace of imperceptible reliance.
Having experienced the shock of the orphanage ruins and traveling together, she had subconsciously developed more trust in Seele, this seemingly sharp “guide.”
“Don’t rush,” Seele took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, her gaze scanning the surrounding environment and the layout of those machines sharply.
“I’m thinking.”
And beside them, Stelle was silently, with an almost “benevolent” gaze, looking back and forth between Seele and Bronya.
(Mm-hmm, looks like I’m doing a great job~)
Stelle gave herself a thumbs-up in her heart.
From the moment they left Natasha’s clinic, all along the way, she had cleverly begun her “great matchmaking undertaking.”
Either she was pulling Bronya aside to ask this and that, or she was crowding next to Seele to “unintentionally” bring up Bronya, or she was creating opportunities to force the two of them to walk side-by-side.
Through her unremitting efforts, the conversations between Seele and Bronya had indeed increased.
Although the content mostly revolved around serious matters like Wildfire, the Fragmentum, and route safety, at least the two of them could now stand together and discuss countermeasures relatively calmly.
(Remarkable results!)
Stelle was very satisfied with her “work achievements” and even couldn’t help but let out a silly “heh” laugh.
“Hehehe.”
“What are you giggling about?” March 7th turned her head in confusion, looking at Stelle, whose mouth was stretched wide to her ears.
“Ahem, nothing.” Stelle quickly composed her expression, coughed twice with a straight face, trying to cover it up.
“I’ve noticed that since you arrived at Jarilo-VI, you’ve been acting weird.” March 7th rubbed her chin, eyeing her up and down with suspicion.
“No, March, you’re wrong.” Stelle shook her head, correcting her with a serious face.
“Huh?” March 7th tilted her head.
“…” March 7th was choked by her overly honest statement and was momentarily speechless.
She had to turn to Dan Heng, who was to the side.
“Dan Heng, do you have any ideas?”
“…
I have nothing to say for now.” Dan Heng withdrew his gaze from Stelle, was silent for two seconds, and then said indifferently.
“Then what do we do now?” March 7th stomped her foot with some anxiety and looked toward Natasha, who was still trying to communicate with the machines ahead but clearly with little effect.
“Doctor Natasha and the others don’t seem to have a good solution either.
Do we really have to just waste time here with these lumps of iron?”
“Lumps of iron…
machines…” Stelle did not participate in their discussion but instead rested her chin in her hand, repeating the words, her eyes unfocused, as if she had fallen into some deep contemplation.
Her brain was running at high speed, connecting the keywords “machines” and “Svarog” together…
Suddenly, her eyes lit up!
“I’ve got it!”
Before the words even faded, without even explaining a word to the companions beside her, she turned around, took a step, and ran off in the direction they had come from!
Her movements were so fast that she only left behind a blur.
“Stelle?!” March 7th was startled by her sudden action and shouted at her retreating back, “Hey!
Where are you going?!”
Stelle’s figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the complex alleyway, leaving only a series of fading footsteps.
“She, she just left like that?” March 7th blinked blankly, looking at Dan Heng, “What is she going to do?”
Dan Heng looked at the direction where Stelle had disappeared and pondered for a moment.
“I don’t know,” Dan Heng said slowly, his tone carrying a hint of speculation he wasn’t entirely sure about himself, “However, looking at her reaction…
maybe she thought of some solution.”
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”