Honkai, I who just want to retire but people want to split me apart Chapters1-5 (Patreon)

Honkai, I who just want to retire but people want to split me apart. CH1-5

Chapter 1: Hyperion Café in Nagazora City

Nagazora City.

A gloomy-looking girl, head slightly bowed, walked alone into a café.

The café's sign displayed an English word: Hyperion.

The girl's name was Raiden Mei, a second-year high school student. She was once a highly admired young lady, known as the "Thunder Queen." Wherever she went, she was surrounded by countless people who fawned over her. But now, those who once flocked around her had all turned against her overnight.

This was because, half a month ago, her father was suddenly accused of economic fraud and was imprisoned.

A father is a child's world, and for Raiden Mei, it was no different. Now, her world had collapsed.

Today was the last day of November, a long-awaited weekend. Though she had lost her former admirers, compared to the endless slander at school, a lonely weekend had become Raiden Mei's only respite.

"Welcome, may I ask if you are alone?"

A gentle and warm voice rang in her ears. Raiden Mei looked up, her gloomy expression slightly softening as she nodded silently.

Although her mood was far from pleasant, her upbringing and recent unreasonable experiences had taught her to naturally hide her feelings in front of others.

Showing weakness to those who were already hostile would only invite endless malice. With her father gone, Raiden Mei had no one left to rely on but herself.

But as she composed herself and refocused her attention, her pupils couldn't help but reflect a hint of amazement.

What a beautiful maid.

The maid's long ash-gold hair shimmered elegantly under the dim lights. Her wine-red eyes were as captivating as precious gems. As a former young lady of ME Corporation, Raiden Mei had seen many servants like maids and butlers, but she had never seen anyone who embodied both "nobility" and "humility" so perfectly as this maid did.

"Please follow me."

The maid with the ash-gold hair led Raiden Mei to a two-person table with impeccable manners, her voice gentle and soothing.

"Before ten o'clock, we can only serve drinks like tea and coffee. Of course, if you wish to dine, we can also provide meals, though it might take some time to prepare. May I ask what you would like?"

"No, I'm not hungry. I'll have a vanilla latte, with sugar." Raiden Mei shook her head. "Also, I want to stay here for a while. Is it okay to reserve this table?"

"Well, if you wish, we can certainly accommodate that," the maid hesitated for a moment before glancing at the adjacent table. "However, the table next to you has already been reserved by another customer. It might get noisy around lunchtime. Would you like to choose another table?"

"No, it's fine. I'll stay here." Raiden Mei shook her head and sat down.

"Very well, I'll prepare your vanilla latte. If you need anything else, please press the service bell on the table." The maid nodded and turned, walking gracefully toward the bar.

The café wasn't particularly spacious, but its atmosphere was pleasant. The dim ceiling lights, combined with the daylight outside, created a stark contrast of light and shadow. The red brick walls and all-wood décor made it feel like stepping out of the modern world.

With nothing else to do, Raiden Mei opened the menu placed on the table. Despite the perfect service and environment, the prices were surprisingly affordable—even she could afford it now, despite her isolation.

Is this café new?

Feeling relaxed for the first time in a while, Raiden Mei curiously looked toward the bar.

Behind the bar, she could hear faint voices. Though she couldn't make out the words, she could tell the maid was talking to someone behind the counter.

A waiter and an unseen chef... or maybe a barista?

Are there only two people working in this café?

At that moment, the maid, who had been talking to someone at the bar, straightened up and elegantly placed a steaming latte in front of Raiden Mei.

"Your vanilla latte, please enjoy."

Suddenly, the wooden door of the café opened.

"I'm back, Rita."

The person who walked in was a young man with short red hair, dressed in a white military uniform and wearing a cap with the word "Fleet" on it.

The young man's face looked very young, but his eyes were mature. Following him were two silver-haired women who looked remarkably alike—they might have been sisters, or perhaps mother and daughter. The older one had a calm, confident smile, while the younger one looked particularly displeased.

All three carried large bags as they entered the café with a familiar air.

As the red-haired man stepped into the café, Raiden Mei clearly saw the two similar-looking women exchange a glance, their eyes flashing with electricity.

A strange tension filled the air.

"Oh, we already have a customer."

It was as if the red-haired man had just noticed Raiden Mei's presence. He glanced at the expressionless girl and muttered to himself, checking his watch and saying softly:

"Oops, it's already this late... Luna, Kongming, let's get to work. We can't keep the customers waiting."

"Hmph." The younger silver-haired girl put down her bags and pulled out a feather fan from her bosom, waving it gently. "You still remember we have to serve other customers? Then why did you waste time listening to that guy's sweet talk and chasing those stupid yellow dolls?"

The older silver-haired woman laughed softly, "Oh my, but I remember you were clinging to that not-at-all-cute yellow doll, refusing to let go no matter what."

The younger girl bristled, "Nonsense! I just didn't want his efforts to go to waste, so I reluctantly accepted it!"

The older woman's expression changed. She leaned close to the young man's ear and whispered, "She says she doesn't like that kind of doll. If she doesn't like it, why not give it to me? I quite like Homu dolls."

"You—!"

"Ahem!"

Suddenly, the maid with ash-gold hair cleared her throat heavily. Though she still wore a smile, a dark aura emanated from her. Her voice remained gentle and warm, but she exuded an undeniable authority: "Miss Kongming, Miss Luna, Captain, the café is now open for business. I'm sure you don't want everyone's efforts to go to waste."

"..."

"..."

The two similar-looking, but very different in temperament and stature, silver-haired women fell silent, awkwardly muttering apologies to the imposing maid.

Raiden Mei took a sip of her vanilla latte. For some reason, the coffee tasted exceptionally good.

Chapter 2: Hyperion Café in Belobog

Jarilo-VI, outside the atmosphere.

The gilded Astral Express silently hovered in the near-Earth orbit of this icy planet.

Welt Yang.

An experienced and mature middle-aged man, a veteran of the Express crew. Although he had rekindled the passion buried deep within him since stepping into the universe, he still retained the steadiness and maturity of a former organization leader.

Until—

—he looked through the window of the Astral Express and saw this planet with its distinct central parting.

"Your coffee is overflowing."

Accompanied by a graceful and mature voice, Welt Yang snapped out of his daze as he stared at the planet outside.

"Ahem, my apologies."

A flash of dark light, and the dark brown coffee that had spilled on his hand silently disappeared into the void under his expert control.

He placed the coffee cup back on the round table in front of him, and with trembling fingers, he adjusted the black-framed glasses half-perched on his nose.

"Speaking of which, that child's power really surprised me."

An elegant woman with long, fiery red hair lowered her gaze and took a sip of the steaming coffee, a trace of mixed melancholy and relief flashing in her eyes.

"I thought we might have to use the satellite weapons pre-deployed in orbit against that huge thing, but unexpectedly, she managed to handle it herself. The young are truly impressive."

"Hmm? Ah... indeed."

Welt Yang's expression grew complex, words caught in his throat.

"Truly... the young are remarkable..."

Jarilo-VI, Everwinter Ridge.

With the help of many, the Trailblazer, who had taken up the Path of Preservation, wielded a flame spear that knew no retreat, inherited the legacy of the city builder, and shattered the enemy once known as the Great Guardian, now bewitched by the Stellaron.

—Yes.

That was how it was supposed to be.

"Shamash—"

A commanding female voice ordered her greatsword with imposing authority.

Gigantic flames wantonly engulfed the sky, mixed with wind, snow, and icy dust.

"—Roar!!"

As the retina-searing light gradually faded, everyone present, or even those not present but still focused on the scene, fell into a similar state of bewildered stupor.

"Ah...?"

After a long daze, the girl holding the bow finally uttered in disbelief.

"What is that...?"

"No idea."

A calm voice, tinged with a hint of joy as if discovering a new toy, responded to the girl's subconscious question.

"But it's indeed quite useful."

"It's not about whether it's useful or not!!" The girl gripping the bow's handle furiously grabbed her pink hair, her expression gradually breaking down, "It's gone! The huge robot and that woman Cocolia! They're just gone!!"

"Yes, very impressive, right?"

The pink-haired girl pulled out a paper fan from somewhere and mercilessly smacked it on the back of another gray-haired girl's head, the crisp sound of paper meeting scalp ringing out: "Impressive my foot! You overdid it! Didn't you see Bronya and Seele trembling over there?!!"

"…Calm down, March." The black-haired boy sighed. Although the power displayed by his companion just now left him in a state of astonishment, as the guy who is the "brain" of the group," with sufficient insight, he didn't lose his rationality like his other companion. "In any case, it's good that the problem is solved."

"Y-Yes..." Seele, who had been ready for a big fight but ended up doing nothing, swallowed hard, barely managing to calm her emotions, but her gaze uncontrollably drifted towards the Trailblazer—more precisely, towards the greatsword in the Trailblazer's hand. "In any case, it's good that the problem is solved."

"By the way," suddenly recalling something, she turned her gaze towards another girl, staring at the cloudless blue sky in a daze, "Bronya, are you... alright?"

"..." Bronya, snapping out of her trance at the mention of her name, gave a bitter smile, her tone complex and melancholy, "How to say this... compared to the shock of suddenly learning so many things and the sorrow of losing my mother, the simplicity of the problem's resolution makes it feel surreal."

"…I understand how you feel." Seele remained silent for a moment, then nodded, redirecting her gaze towards the Trailblazer. Her tone was no longer flamboyant but carried an indescribable sense of trepidation.

"It's unimaginable that just a simple swing could completely incinerate a robot as big as a mountain... and that woman, Cocolia, without leaving a trace. It's absurd. What is that sword, exactly? Are all these extraterrestrial visitors that extraordinary?"

"That's a rather embarrassing misunderstanding..." Cold sweat appeared on March 7th's forehead. "Anyway, since the opponents are gone, let's... head back, shall we?"

—Hyperion Café.

Raiden Mei sat idly at the table, daydreaming.

Perhaps it was the human nature of enjoying a good drama, despite still having some lingering gloomy thoughts in her heart, for some reason, when she heard the commotion from the kitchen, the oppressive feeling she had been carrying eased a bit in the process of observing the drama.

From the perspective of an onlooker, through a few lines of dialogue drifting from the kitchen, she roughly pieced together the identities of the café's staff and their relationships.

The manager, Yufan—the red-haired youth surrounded by other staff, an Easterner, appeared to be around her age. For some reason, he always wore a military hat with the word "Fleet" on it and seemed tired of dealing with the complex relationships with several women.

The maid-cum-waitress, Rita—a rose with thorns, the first staff member who greeted her. Although she seemed approachable, exuding a gentle and elegant aura, she could also display an undeniable authority that even the manager couldn't oppose, especially in professional matters.

The barista, who had yet to appear before her, spoke with a slightly milky tone but with the demeanor of a worldly person—Bronie.

And finally, the two chefs, or rather, chef assistants, referred to as "Luna Kindred" and "Kongming"—Raiden Mei wasn't sure of the relationship between these two girls yet, but it was evident that the tall and short silver-haired girls were always competing with each other, openly or covertly, and they didn't hide their affection for the manager either.

Honestly, if not for the fact that one of the similarly-looking women was older than her, combined with the café's impeccable environment that didn't resemble a human trafficking den, Raiden Mei might have already called the police.

After all, judging by appearances alone, the girl called "Kongming" didn't seem old enough to be a romantic interest.

Although young people in the Far East have a penchant for romantic freedom, even romantic freedom must adhere to the basic law.

And Raiden Mei, without a doubt, was a law-abiding student—a fact that only exacerbated her suffering after her father's imprisonment.

Chapter 3: And Thus, Fates That Should Not Have Intertwined Did

Thinking of her father, who was still in prison, Raiden Mei's mood grew gloomy again.

"Excuse me, dear customer, may I interrupt you for a moment?"

At that moment, a clear voice sounded in her ear.

The voice was gentle and pure, a remarkably clean boyish tone, and the manner of speaking was quite proper. Therefore, even though her thoughts were suddenly interrupted, Raiden Mei did not feel the least bit offended.

Of course, being interrupted while recalling unpleasant memories was, in itself, a good thing for Raiden Mei.

She lifted her eyes, her pupils suppressing various emotions, silently looking at the smiling manager with a slight nod, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

"It's almost lunchtime. If you don't mind, would you like to try a new dish we just developed?" the manager, whose face was full of humility, said with a smile. "Of course, since it's a new product and hasn't been tested in the market, we can't guarantee it will suit everyone's taste. If you could give us your personal feedback after trying it, today's bill will be on the house."

Free of charge for tasting a new dish?

Raiden Mei widened her eyes slightly, feeling a bit incredulous.

Does this café really want to make money?

Raiden Mei was not lacking in money.

Before Raiden Ryoma's imprisonment, she was the heiress of ME Corp and naturally wouldn't lack money. Even after her father's imprisonment, the remaining family wealth was still considerable.

Although she couldn't spend as lavishly as before, she could still comfortably get through her remaining school years.

Moreover, with her good upbringing, Raiden Mei had never been a spendthrift. So, after hearing the manager's proposal, she only hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Honestly, this café had left a very good impression on her: a clean and comfortable environment, an eye-pleasing décor, well-mannered staff and manager, and a skilled barista.

Raiden Mei licked her lips, savoring the aftertaste of the coffee, a glimmer of expectation in her eyes.

With such delicious coffee, the café's food shouldn't be bad, right? Raiden Mei thought.

—And then, she regretted it.

"…"

A few minutes later, Raiden Mei, holding a fork and spoon, stared with a twitching face at the dish placed before her, unsure if it could even be called food, her voice dry and full of rejection:

"Um… this is…?"

"Our café's new specialty, prepared by our chef Luna. It features the finest crab claws and crab roe—no, crab blue? Paired with the wings of a natural floater, and shrimp from the Tonatiuh, all meticulously crafted," the manager said with a smile full of pride and confidence.

"How does it look? Quite appetizing, right?"

His demeanor made Raiden Mei inexplicably feel as if the problem was on her side.

No, no, this café and its manager must have some major issues, Raiden Mei thought.

Out of polite kindness, Raiden Mei chose the second option between "throwing this dubious dish at the manager's face" and "politely refusing this unnamable thing":

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not very good with seafood, so…"

A rather subtle way of putting it.

At least, Raiden Mei believed she was giving him enough face with this response.

"Is that so?" The manager showed a hint of regret, sighed, and in front of Raiden Mei, picked up an unused fork from across the table. Under her wildly twitching gaze, he nonchalantly skewered a soft—supposedly floater wing—and said quietly, "I think the taste is just fine…"

Then he put the still squirming thing into his mouth, chewed for a while, and swallowed it with a nod:

"Hmm, the cooking is much better this time."

"…"

Raiden Mei's eyes widened in shock at what she had just witnessed.

Is this really edible?

Is this a joke? Am I the one with the problem?

Humans are a species adept at thinking.

By relying on this ability, humans have ascended to the top of the food chain.

But it is also this ability that inflates human curiosity to the extreme.

Specifically, when a person encounters a fact that contradicts their knowledge yet is undeniable, they doubt their previous understanding and develop a curiosity that can easily endanger them.

Curiosity.

Maybe the problem really is me?

This dish that doesn't look like food is indeed the café's new specialty?

"…"

Once curiosity arises, it becomes difficult to suppress.

"Although I'm not very good with seafood…"

Gulp, Raiden Mei swallowed, her trembling hand moving the fork towards the bowl of eerie "seafood."

"If it's just one bite…"

Then, predictably, Raiden Mei lost consciousness.

—At the same time.

Belobog, Administrative District.

Led by March 7th, the Trailblazers opened the café's door.

"Hello, manager! We're back… huh…" Just entering the door, the kind-hearted girl blinked her bright eyes and pointed worriedly at the girl with her face in a bowl of soup, "Why is there a girl with her face in a bowl of soup? Hey, are you alright?"

"…"

Naturally, there was no response.

"Ah, she probably found the soup so delicious that she couldn't stop," the young manager said with a gentle smile, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "But is it really that good…?"

"Isn't that something others should be asking you?" March 7th quipped, exasperated. She leaned closer to the girl with her face in the soup, and after confirming the girl's vital signs were perfectly healthy, she set aside her worry and curiosity.

As a Trailblazer who travels the universe, what bizarre habits hadn't she seen?

Just liking to bury one's face in soup—if it didn't bother others, so be it. The optimistic girl praised her own broad-mindedness and understanding.

Chapter 4: Losing Memory and Knowing Things Are Not Contradictory

The encounter between the Trailblazers and this café was quite ordinary. After expending a lot of energy on their journey, they naturally decided to rest at a café that looked very comfortable from the street.

"But seriously, manager, with such a nice environment and great coffee, why are there so few customers?" March 7th asked bluntly after taking a sip of coffee.

"This time, there's at least one girl here. Last time, there wasn't a single customer," Dan Heng remarked, glancing at March 7th without stopping her somewhat impolite questioning.

The Trailblazer, Stelle, remained as silent as always.

"Asking a manager why their business is poor? You really have a way with words." The young manager shook his head helplessly and said ambiguously, "If I knew the answer, this café wouldn't be so deserted."

"Ah, was my question a bit too rude?" March 7th scratched her head. "Sorry, manager. I just think this café deserves more visitors. No offense meant."

"No problem. It's a fact that it's quiet here. A café with more staff than customers is rare anywhere. In fact, if there were such a café, it would have gone bankrupt long ago." The young manager smiled indifferently.

"Aren't you upset about it?" March 7th asked.

"What's there to be upset about? Life is full of disappointments. If you're upset about every little thing, you'd have no room for anything else." The young manager shrugged.

"Uh... but you're running a business. If no one comes, won't it close down?" March 7th asked cautiously.

"No, it won't."

The young manager shook his head.

"Cafés usually close due to lack of funds, but I'm not short of money. Running this place is just a hobby. Whether or not we have customers doesn't really matter to me."

"Oh, I get it! You've achieved financial freedom and are just doing this to pass the time, like Ms. Asta from the Herta Space Station?" March 7th nodded knowingly.

"I don't know Ms. Asta, but..." The young manager smiled subtly. "If she's a space station chief, then we might indeed have something in common."

"What do you mean? Do you have a space station too?" March 7th's eyes sparkled with curiosity. She looked the manager up and down and then realized, "Wait, Belobog doesn't have space stations yet, right? Do you even know what that means?"

"It's a large spacecraft capable of long-term space travel," the manager replied.

"You actually know that!" March 7th exclaimed. "No wonder this place feels so out of place in Belobog. Even your staff uniforms are different from other places. Are you, like us, from outer space?"

He responded with a meaningful smile.

"Got it, got it!" Seeing his expression, March 7th fell silent. Though the spirit of trailblazing calls for bravely uncovering the unknown, it clearly doesn't include prying into others' personal affairs.

"Enough idle chat. Besides coffee, what else would you like?" the manager asked.

"Of course! We're here for a celebration! How about some good food?" March 7th raised her arm. "Any recommendations?"

"Any dietary restrictions?"

The three customers shook their heads in unison.

The manager glanced at the girl with her face still in the soup and thoughtfully said, "How about trying our new Tonatiuh Soup?"

"What's Tonatiuh?" March 7th asked.

"A type of aquatic animal from the Sea of Quanta. Think of it as similar to a lobster."

"The Sea of Quanta? What's that?" March 7th turned to the knowledgeable Dan Heng. "Dan Heng, have you heard of it?"

Dan Heng was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "I've seen the term in the records of the Genius Society. Although I haven't delved into it, if I remember correctly, the Sea of Quanta is not a specific place."

"Sounds complicated. But if aquatic animals live there, it should be similar to other oceans, right?" March 7th hesitated. "Should we try it?"

"You'd better drop that idea."

Dan Heng sighed, as the most practical member of the trio, he didn't believe that strange soup, which could make a person lose consciousness, was edible.

For the sake of their stomachs and lives, he took over the task of ordering. "Manager, could you please serve us some local dishes from Belobog, preferably well-known ones?"

"Belobog's local dishes? Sure..." The manager touched his chin and smacked his lips regretfully. "Then we'll serve Redfish Slices, Grilled Lizard Meat, and Rock-Baked Cave Salamander. Just the three of you?"

March 7th nodded. "Just the three of us. We wanted to invite Bronya and Seele, but they were either busy or had gone back to the lower district... Who knows when we can all have a meal together."

"Bronya and Seele, huh..." The manager smiled to himself, speaking softly. "It seems, no matter where they are, those sisters are always close."

"Oh, there's one more thing." The young manager suddenly seemed to remember something. He walked to the Trailblazer, patted her shoulder, and with a bright smile, asked, "How are the guns I gave you?"

"It's awesome."

There wasn't a millisecond of hesitation.

The Trailblazer's face showed deep satisfaction.

"In terms of feel, they don't quite match my baseball bat yet, but for power and appearance, they get a perfect ten."

"Good, as long as they suit you." The manager's eyes softened with a hint of affection. He reached out and gently stroked the Trailblazer's gray hair, saying with a touch of emotion, "I don't know why, but the moment I saw you, I felt you were perfect for those weapons. Since they're not unique, keep them if you find them useful."

"Really?!" The Trailblazer's eyes widened with excitement, her golden pupils sparkling. "Thanks, Dad... I mean... Captain... I mean, manager!"

March 7th blinked and exchanged confused looks with the equally baffled Dan Heng.

Chapter 5: Don’t Try to Reason with a Baby

Even from the perspective of a fellow Trailblazer, the gray-haired girl known as "Stelle" is an exceptionally unique individual.

Her artificially created body, capable of effortlessly piercing through the antimatter legion's physical defenses, her battle-hardened experience, and her eerily casual habit of striking up conversations with every 'NPC' she meets, like a social terrorist, all set her apart.

Um... we should probably also mention her outbursts of "vulgar remarks (options)" that come without warning and don't match her dignified appearance, and her mysterious obsession with all roadside items (interactive objects), including trash cans.

During their relatively short journey, March 7th and Dan Heng have come to deeply understand Stelle's distinct personality and style, though they still can't fathom why she behaves in such a gallant yet bizarre manner.

Of course, not understanding doesn't mean they can't communicate or get along. In fact, strictly speaking, Stelle's peculiar personality, aside from occasional embarrassment, hasn't negatively impacted their actions. From a companion's perspective, Stelle is indeed trustworthy and easy to get along with, so March 7th and Dan Heng have accepted her quirks.

However, among the unusual traits that make her hard for ordinary people to understand, there is one commonality that all three Trailblazers share:

The loss of their past.

Whether it's Dan Heng, March 7th, or Stelle, they are, in a sense, people who have lost their pasts.

March 7th has no memories of her past. Even if she wanted to talk about it, she couldn't say anything meaningful.

Dan Heng avoids discussing his past about the Vidyadhara clan, keeping it deeply secret.

Stelle, having only recently been born, doesn't know if her "past" even exists.

Ultimately, the reason Stelle boarded the Astral Express, became a Trailblazer, and travels the universe with Himeko and the others in the name of Akivilli is to understand who she really is, in addition to preventing potential crises and disasters caused by the "Stellaron".

Thus, despite the Trailblazers' distinct personalities and styles, they embrace and respect each other's ways during their journey. Yet, when it comes to "having lost their past," they genuinely understand one another, like three injured puppies licking each other's wounds to seek healing while also healing each other.

So, when Stelle acted as if she had known this young manager for a long time, not only did the often Stelletled March 7th, but even the usually calm Dan Heng couldn't help but look bewildered.

After a moment of stunned silence, March 7th sprang to her feet:

"Wait, wait, wait… Wait! Stelle, manager, you two knew each other before??"

"Hmm?"

The young manager and Stelle both glanced at March 7th, then shook their heads simultaneously, denying in unison: "No, I’ve only known the manager/this Trailblazer for a short time."

March 7th looked at the composed manager, then at Stelle’s indifferent expression, and, unable to find any flaws in their expressions, sat back down sulkily, muttering, "They both say they don’t know each other… then what’s with this weird chemistry?"

"Um, how to put it…"

The young manager looked at Stelle, and Stelle looked at the manager.

The handsome young man and woman into each other’s eyes in a silent atmosphere, the air seemingly growing ambiguous, like Cupid’s arrows had struck both their hearts—

—But not really.

"Miss, have you ever played a series RPG with multiple installments?" The manager’s lips curled up slightly as he turned his gaze back to March 7th.

"Huh?" The sudden topic shift left March 7th, whose brain was not the brightest, momentarily baffled. "A series… RPG?"

"Yes, using this example might make it easier to understand." The manager raised a finger. "RPGs, or role-playing games, usually have a shared world view within a series. Setting aside the iterative gameplay, their differences lie in the stories and characters they depict, right?"

"That’s true… but why bring this up suddenly?" March 7th was full of question marks.

"Nothing much, just that this example might make it clearer to understand the relationship between me and this Trailblazer." The manager shrugged. "Simply put, although we aren’t related by blood, and we aren’t parallel universe counterparts, for some reason, we can be considered different 'playable characters' in the same series."

"Playable characters?" The question marks above March 7th's head multiplied.

Stelle nodded thoughtfully. "I see… my strange trust in the manager isn't because he used some mind-control ability on me, but because of this shared connection."

Dan Heng and March 7th both turned to the young manager, their gazes piercing.

The manager's expression froze.

Feeling the cold and rising anger emanating from the kitchen, the young manager wiped his cold sweat and glared at the unresponsive Stelle.

"Wait, why would you think I hypnotized you? What kind of image do you have of me? I haven’t done anything bad to you, right?"

Stelle blinked and, in a righteous tone as if stating an obvious fact, said, "A red-haired pervert who flirts with girls and is after my body, a typical light novel protagonist."

March 7th and Dan Heng stood up quietly, flanking Stelle on either side.

"Hey, why didn’t you tell us about this?" March 7th leaned into Stelle’s ear, looking a bit anxious and upset. "If I had known, I wouldn’t have brought you to this store."

Dan Heng said nothing, silently standing by Stelle’s side, expressing his stance.

"Hmm? Why?" Stelle tilted her head, looking at March 7th in confusion.

"What do you mean why?! Oh, it’s so frustrating. You’re a cute girl, can’t you have some self-protection awareness?"

"But I don’t dislike the manager. I also like this store. Why can’t we come here?" Stelle’s confusion deepened.

"…" March 7th was momentarily choked by Stelle’s pure words.

Dan Heng closed his eyes, covered his forehead, sighed deeply, and sat back down.

He didn’t want to deal with her nonsense anymore.

The Trailblazers of the Astral Express are obliged to look after each other, but personal feelings are not part of that obligation.

March 7th looked at Dan Heng, then at the increasingly confused Stelle, feeling a surge of helplessness welling up from within.

Seeing the crisis seemingly averted, the young manager twitched his lips. Feeling the growing coldness from the kitchen, he laughed dryly. "I’m glad you can say you don’t dislike me in front of your companions, but, um, could you clarify to my side that we are innocent?"

If not, I’m dead—the manager’s eyes silently conveyed this thought.

Then, under the manager's expectant gaze—

"Why?"

With a tone devoid of malice.

"According to you, aren’t we supposed to be the closest people in the world?"

Stelle spoke the most poisonous words imaginable for a married man.

Uh-oh.

The two presences suddenly behind him made the young manager tremble and turn around.

Seeing the smiling faces of Luna and Kongming, he showed a serene smile.

It’s over.