A month had passed, and Chara had learned a lot.
She recognized more words now, able to read most of the signs and menus on the train, and occasionally even read the notes the Nameless posted on the bulletin board.
Although her handwriting was still ugly, Isee said at least people could recognize it, which was more than twice as good as a month ago!
Every morning, she went to the Parlor Car to find Isee to learn words.
In the afternoon, she occasionally went to find Dolly to play the violin.
Although it was still a long way from sounding good, Dolly said she was progressing very fast.
Flowey still spent most of his time sleeping.
It had to be said that the soil in the flower pot was indeed much more comfortable than the dirt in the wild, or so he said.
Chara would sometimes carry him, along with the flower pot, to the Parlor Car to sunbathe.
Although the sunlight on the train came from a simulation system, Flowey said the effect was about the same.
The people on the train slowly got used to her.
She would greet some of the Nameless, and they would respond.
Some would even slip her some snacks.
Those snacks were of all kinds, some sweet and some salty.
Some she thought were delicious, while others she didn’t want to take a second bite of after the first, and she would secretly feed the bad ones to Flowey.
The days passed more peacefully than any time before.
One afternoon, she was sitting by the window looking at the stars outside when a thought suddenly popped into her mind.
She wanted to go see what it was like under those stars.
She wanted to walk in those places, and like Dolly said, experience some things she had never seen before.
So she went to find Akivili.
There weren’t many people in the Parlor Car.
Akivili was standing in front of the star map, his finger gently tracing a certain star rail.
Chara walked over and stood beside him, looking up at the massive star map.
It was covered with dense dots, lines, and markers.
She couldn’t really understand it, but she thought it looked very nice.
“Akivili.”
He lowered his head to look at her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I want to Trailblaze and go take a look.”
“Trailblaze?”
“Yeah!”
“You’re still too young.”
“But I can learn.
I can start learning first, and really go when I’m older.
I just…
want to follow and go down to take a look.”
But Akivili continued, “You will encounter many things on the path of Trailblaze.
Some you can handle, and some you can’t.
When you’re a bit older, I will let you go down.”
Chara looked down at her toes.
Her height really hadn’t grown much, about the same as a month ago.
Standing next to those Nameless, she still only reached their waists. New chapters come out on g.com first.
She also knew she was indeed too small.
She was still a bit disappointed.
“I understand.”
Then she turned around and left.
● The Aeon’s words made you feel a bit disappointed, but you are still filled with DETERMINATION.
She couldn’t sleep that night.
She tossed and turned seven or eight times in bed, the blanket in a mess.
The red heart floated beside her, glowing faintly and rotating quietly.
She simply sat up, threw off the blanket, and stepped onto the floor barefoot.
The red heart floated beside her, going out the door with her and walking slowly along the corridor.
There was no clear destination; she just wanted to walk around randomly.
When passing a carriage, she heard some voices.
They came from behind a closed door.
A bit of light seeped through the door crack, and someone was talking inside.
But in this quiet night, even through a door, she could still vaguely hear some fragments.
Chara stopped and stood next to the door.
She didn’t mean to eavesdrop…
but she couldn’t help it!
The voices just drilled into her ears on their own.
“…So when I first got on, this is what I was thinking.
Following the Aeon is safer than wandering around outside blindly.
Look at those drifting on the rails.
How many of them just disappear as they walk?”
“I had pretty much the same thought.
Akivili is the only Aeon who takes mortals.
If I don’t get on his train, whose can I get on?
I can’t reach the threshold of those big organizations, and small groups have no security.
This train is the best choice.”
“You’re both right, but to be honest, I got on just to hitch a ride on the train’s star rail.
How many developed worlds does this route pass through?
Just stopping at any one of them, you can get a lot of resources.”
“You’re quite honest.”
“What’s wrong with being honest?
Everyone thinks this way.
Who would really get on for that so-called Trailblaze spirit?
That’s just said for others to hear.”
“Don’t say that.
There are still people on the train who truly believe in that.
Those old batch of Nameless, they really take Trailblaze seriously.”
“That’s because they’re old.
Just get on, follow the Aeon, it’s safe and convenient, and you can even bask in the glory.
Isn’t that more practical than anything?”
“You’re really frank.”
“What’s wrong with being frank?
I estimate more than half the people on the train think this way.
You think everyone came for Trailblaze?
Bullshit!
I guess most people just came for the Aeon, hitching a ride for protection and a convenient identity.
As for Trailblazing, whoever wants to do it can do it.
Anyway, I’m not doing it.”
“It doesn’t matter.
As long as you’re on the train, you can say you’re a Nameless when you go out.
When you return to your home planet, just flash this identity, and who wouldn’t give you some face?”
Chara stood outside the door.
She was in no mood to continue listening.
She turned around and walked slowly back along the corridor.
She walked back to her room, pushed the door open, went in, and closed it.
She climbed onto the bed, sat leaning against the headboard, and pulled the blanket over to cover her legs.
The red heart floated beside her knees, rotating quietly.
The halo reflected on her pajamas, casting rings of light patterns on the fabric.
She remembered the words Isee had told her: “Trailblaze is moving forward, walking into the unknown, and never looking back.” She also remembered the Nameless who greeted her in the corridor.
Some smiled and slipped her snacks, some lowered their heads to pat her hair and told her to grow up well, and some stood by the window pointing out a sparkling star in the distance.
It turned out that the reasons they boarded this train weren’t what she thought they were.
At least, not entirely for that reason.
She couldn’t clearly describe what she was feeling…
Because what those people said didn’t sound wrong.
Following the Aeon was indeed safe and convenient, and you could even hitch a ride for resources.
These were all truths.
Anyone in their shoes would make the same choice.
She still felt that something was wrong…
but she couldn’t say what was wrong.
It was just an indescribable sense of loss.
Like a piece of candy melting in your mouth, you thought it was sweet??
Only to chew to the end and find out the inside was freaking bitter??
She pulled her legs up, curling her whole body into a ball, and closed her eyes leaning against the headboard.
Moonlight and starlight shone in from outside the window, forming a few light-colored shadows on the floor.
The light and shadows fell at her feet, moving bit by bit.
She fell asleep.
The red heart was still glowing, floating beside her knees, like a small lantern, guarding someone dreaming about what things were fake.
After a long time, when it dawned, Flowey poked his head out of the flower pot and saw Chara curled up at the head of the bed, asleep.
● Some things might not be exactly as you thought.
This fills you with DETERMINATION.