AN: And here we are again for the 2nd round of updates!
This chapter will serve as a breather chapter and will show an update on the progress of the other team.
Sorry if you guys are expecting more action, but as I said before, this arc is troublesome, yes, but a great arc as well.
It has a lot of world-building required, but once those are set, then the future foundation of Noah's group will be fixed.
Anyways, I'll leave this chapter for you all.
Enjoy~.
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Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
Noah Alden, the mighty Captain of the Astral Express and Hyperion, was currently slumped over the table.
He had finally been defeated by an enemy he never expected, yet somehow one that still managed to fall straight into his lap.
Family inheritance.
After spending three full days cataloguing, arranging, verifying, and sorting the Peverell inheritance, he had finally escaped paperwork hell. The moment they returned to the rented apartment in Uminari City, the first thing he did was drop his head onto the table.
"…Have I told everyone how much I hate bureaucracy?" he murmured.
"You did," March replied. "About a hundred times by now."
"Good," Noah said. "Because I truly hate bureaucracy."
Caelus, sitting nearby with his arms crossed, gave him a solemn nod. "You fought bravely."
Noah didn't lift his head. "...I lost."
"You survived," Caelus corrected. "That counts."
"No. Surviving means the enemy is not gone." Noah's voice became even flatter against the table. "And bureaucracy always comes back."
Welt adjusted his glasses, clearly trying not to smile. "That is, unfortunately, a very astute observation."
Dan Heng stood near the window, reviewing a few copied documents Ragnok had allowed them to bring back. "The Peverell inheritance is extensive. I would not be surprised if there are still undiscovered sections."
Noah slowly turned his head just enough to stare at him with one eye.
"Uncle Dan Heng..."
"...Yes?"
"Please don't curse me with facts."
March patted Noah's head with exaggerated sympathy. "There, there. Our poor Heir Peverell has suffered greatly."
"Granny, please don't call me that."
"Would 'Bureaucracy Prince' be better?"
"How is that even better?"
Caelus leaned closer. "Administrative Sovereign?"
"...Gramps, why?"
Sirin, seated beside Noah, reached over and gently brushed a few loose strands of hair away from his forehead. "You look terrible."
"My dear Sii..."
"You also look like you lost a battle against a filing cabinet." Then she delivered the blow.
"...That is because I did?"
Hayate covered her mouth, shoulders trembling as she tried not to laugh, while Reinforce Zwei sat on Noah's shoulder and patted his cheek with tiny hands.
"Noah-san, you did your best."
"Rein! You really are an angel!" Noah's eyes grew a little wet, touched by Reinforce's care.
Himeko entered from the small kitchen area carrying fresh coffee, her smile far too serene for someone who had watched him suffer through three days of goblin-administered inheritance procedures.
"To be fair," she said, placing a cup near him, "you handled yourself quite well."
"Miss Himeko." Noah lifted his head just enough to look at her.
"Yes?"
"If I ever say the words 'inheritance management' again, please hit me with the train."
"That… seems excessive, don't you think?"
"It would be mercy."
"Noah!" March gasped.
"Well… I understand his feelings, though." Caelus nodded thoughtfully.
"You're not supposed to agree!"
"Ugghhh…" Noah groaned and dropped his head back onto the table. "This is exactly why I sent Team Reason to handle the factions eyeing the Astral Express that required negotiations."
Welt gave him a tired but amused look. "So you admit delegation is useful."
"I admit bureaucracy is evil."
"...That is not the same conclusion."
"It is the only conclusion I respect."
"Hmm, well, Team Reason is indeed our own crew's diplomatic front," Sirin added. "With Alice, Sona, Euphyllia, and, surprisingly, Anis—when she decides to be princess-like—they can negotiate with people like the IPC."
"Yeah… especially since I'm sure Diamond will send the Ten Stonehearts to us," Noah confirmed.
That raised brows from everyone in the room.
March blinked. "Wait, the Ten Stonehearts? As in… those Ten Stonehearts?"
Welt's expression turned thoughtful. "That is a reasonable assumption. Diamond leads the Strategic Investment Department, and the Ten Stonehearts operate directly under him." He adjusted his glasses. "They are not ordinary IPC executives."
Noah slowly lifted his head from the table, his expression dead inside.
"Exactly. Which means if they come, it won't be with a friendly gift basket."
"After Topaz? Yeah… I'm guessing it'll be a contract packet thick enough to qualify as a blunt weapon." Caelus leaned back in his chair.
"Don't say that. The paperwork we already did defeated Noah once today." March's eyes widened in horror.
Noah, at the side, scoffed weakly. "Once? Granny March sure is merciful today."
"Then Team Reason must prepare for the IPC's ultimate weapon." Caelus nodded solemnly.
"…Debt collection?" March swallowed.
Caelus shook his head. "Terms and conditions."
Noah groaned into the table. "…I hate how plausible that sounds."
Sirin, listening from the side, crossed her arms with a look of complete confidence. "But if anyone from the IPC tries to claim even a single screw from the Express, I will turn their contract department into modern art."
"You won't," Noah, Himeko, and Welt said at the same time.
Sirin puffed her cheeks like a balloon. "You didn't even let me explain!"
"That is precisely why we stopped you early," Welt replied.
Hayate gave a small, awkward smile. "I understand the feeling, Sirin-chan, but maybe we shouldn't start with threats of artistic destruction."
Reinforce Zwei nodded solemnly on Noah's shoulder. "Yes. Talking first, then property damage later."
"Rein…" Hayate said weakly.
Noah raised a finger without fully lifting his head. "See? Even Rein understands the escalation procedure."
Himeko placed a cup of coffee in front of him with a soft smile. "Then perhaps you should also understand that not every negotiation can be pushed onto Team Reason."
Noah looked up at her, wearing the expression of a man betrayed by caffeine before he had even taken a sip.
"Miss Himeko, with all due respect, Team Reason has Alice Louise Gododdin, Anisphia Wynn Palettia, Euphyllia Magenta, Sona Sitri, Sagiri Ameno, Lavinia Reni, and Ingvild Leviathan. That is a full diplomatic disaster-response unit wearing adorable smiles."
March tilted her head. "Did you just describe Hajime's wives as a disaster-response unit?"
"They are," Noah said without hesitation. "Alice can talk a king into questioning his life choices. Sona can bury an entire corporation under forms until their shareholders cry. Anis can smile like a princess while inventing something illegal in three countries. Euphyllia makes people want to behave through sheer elegance alone. Sagiri hears one lie, and suddenly the entire room feels guilty. Lavinia is polite enough to terrify diplomats. And Ingvild only has to sing before everyone forgets why they were fighting."
Caelus nodded gravely. "That does sound like a complete set."
"It is," Noah said. "That is exactly why I sent them."
Welt's mouth curved faintly. "And yet, here you are."
Noah lowered his forehead back onto the table.
"Please don't remind me of that again."
—---------
Taijuu Village, Other World, Chronicle Universe…
"Achoo!!!" Nagumo Hajime sneezed. "Huh? That's weird. Is someone talking about me?"
He looked around, tilted his head in confusion, then shrugged it off.
Right now, Team Reason was in Taijuu Village, the village of Hiraku Machio, a former Japanese man who had been reincarnated in this world.
And today, the village was holding a harvest festival.
For once, there were no collapsing worlds, no political monsters hiding behind smiles, no monsters large enough to make Hajime pull out a new weapon before breakfast, and no divine artifact screaming at common sense from three different directions.
There was only food. Lots of food.
Tables had been set across the open village square, each one packed with bread, roasted vegetables, fruits, meat skewers, soups, fresh cheese, pies, and other dishes prepared by the villagers. The scent alone was powerful enough to make even Hajime pause for a moment.
Children ran between stalls with wooden toys in hand. Beastmen laughed loudly near a cooking fire. Elves arranged flowers around the festival space. Dwarves had already gathered near the barrels, and judging by their proud expressions, they considered that area the true heart of the festival.
A short distance away, Mitsuha had already vanished into the crowd. That alone was enough to set off Hajime's crisis instincts.
"…Where is Mitsuha?"
Shu Nagumo, standing nearby with a skewer in hand, blinked and looked around. "Huh? She was just here a second ago."
Sumire narrowed her eyes with a mother's frightening accuracy. "She went toward the market stalls."
Hajime's face went blank. "Of course she did."
Alice covered her mouth, failing to hide her laugh. "She really is your sister."
"Don't say that like I'm responsible for her merchant instincts."
"But you are her older brother," Alice replied sweetly.
"Yes. A brother, not our parents."
Before Hajime could go after her, Mitsuha reappeared from between two stalls with twinkling eyes and a small basket already tucked under one arm.
"Onii-chan..."
"Denied."
"I haven't said anything yet!"
"You had that face."
"...What face?"
"The face that says you already calculated profit margins, transport routes, and target market."
Mitsuha gasped dramatically. "Onii-chan, how could you accuse your cute little sister of something like that?!"
Sona, who had been observing the goods displayed nearby, adjusted her glasses. "Because you were muttering 'premium harvest brand' under your breath."
Mitsuha flinched for half a second before smiling brighter.
"That was a private business prayer."
"Sona," Hajime said.
"I'll draft basic fair-trade restrictions for Mitsuha-san."
"Good."
"Onii-chan! Sona-nee! I didn't even propose anything yet!" Mitsuha complained.
"I know. But knowing you… It would become troublesome, so no."
"That's discrimination against entrepreneurship!"
"From my experience, it's called survival."
Shu watched the exchange for a few seconds before laughing. "She really did become reliable in a strange way, huh?"
Sumire smiled gently, though there was a tiny warning hidden inside it. "Reliable, yes. Dangerous with money, also yes."
Mitsuha placed a hand on her chest. "Mom, your daughter is wounded."
"You are holding trade samples."
"That is unrelated."
"It is very related," Sona said flatly.
The exchange drew laughter from several nearby villagers. Even Hajime's mouth twitched slightly.
Nearby, Anisphia was crouched in front of a farming tool display, eyes shining like a child who had found a forbidden treasure chest.
Euphyllia stood behind her, both hands resting gently on Anis's shoulders.
"Anis-sama," Euphyllia said softly.
"I'm only looking."
"You said that before touching the last farming tool."
"That tool wanted to be touched."
"Then why did it explode?"
"…It was expressing itself."
"Anis-sama."
Anisphia slowly lowered her hand from the farming tool, wearing the face of someone surrendering under protest.
Shu leaned toward Hajime and whispered, "Wow, Euphy-chan really knows how to handle Anis-chan."
"Yes, and I'm eternally grateful for it," Hajime answered.
Shu blinked and looked at him. "And now, you married into this."
Hajime looked at his father.
Shu smiled proudly. "Good taste."
"That is something I agree with." Hajime grinned despite himself.
Sumire, with Illia Coral and Rem, had already gone to speak with some of the village women near the food preparation area. Within minutes, they were helping arrange dishes as if they had lived there for years. Somehow, despite being a guest, they naturally slipped into the rhythm of the kitchen, smiling, thanking people, and even Sumire gently calling Shu whenever he tried to sneak a second serving before dinner properly began.
"Dear~," Sumire called without looking at him.
Shu flinched with the skewer halfway to his mouth.
Hajime stared. Alice blinked.
"Mother power." Mitsuha nodded solemnly.
"Impressive range." Sona adjusted her glasses.
For a while, they allowed themselves to simply enjoy the festival.
Anisphia was eventually permitted to examine some of the tools under Euphyllia's supervision, which meant she was allowed to look, ask questions, and absolutely not modify anything. Lavinia found herself surrounded by children fascinated by her soft, snowy presence. Sagiri helped with food preparation after one of the village women handed her an apron without warning. Sona ended up in a serious discussion with Fraurem Chrome, one of Hiraku's wives and the head of the village's civil officials, though the faint smile on her face suggested she was enjoying it more than she would admit.
Mitsuha, meanwhile, had somehow acquired samples of three different village products despite Sona watching her the entire time.
No one knew how, and Sona looked deeply offended by that fact.
"I looked away for two seconds."
Mitsuha hugged the small basket to her chest. "A true merchant only needs one."
"Mitsuha-san."
"…It's for research."
"You labeled it 'future product line.'"
"…Research has many names."
"Give Sona the basket." Hajime sighed.
"Onii-chan!"
Hajime only deadpanned at her. Mitsuha pouted, but eventually handed it over. Sona accepted the basket with the presence of someone confiscating contraband, while Shu watched the whole thing with a hand on his chin.
"She's got talent."
Sumire smiled. "She does."
Hajime slowly turned toward his parents and gave them the flattest stare he could manage. Both of them looked away at the same time.
"So this is a Nagumo family trait." Alice laughed softly beside him.
"No," Hajime replied. "This is a Mit-chan-specific natural disaster."
"Aww, Onii-chan called me natural." Mitsuha brightened.
"…Are you a businesswoman or a journalist? You're good at selective hearing." Hajime facepalmed.
Before Mitsuha could continue defending her future trade empire, a familiar voice reached them from the side.
"It looks like everyone is enjoying themselves."
Hajime turned and saw Hiraku approaching with a warm smile. He was not alone. Rurushi Ru walked beside him with a gentle, motherly expression, carefully carrying a small child in her arms. Tia followed close to them, smiling proudly as if the entire village's happiness was a personal victory.
The festival had already felt warm before, but with them there, it suddenly felt complete. Hajime's eyes briefly moved toward the child in Ru's arms.
"So the star of the celebration finally came," he said with a small smile.
Ru laughed softly and looked down at the baby. "Yes. This is our son, Alfred."
"Oh my, how adorable." Sumire immediately softened.
Shu leaned closer with the careful curiosity of someone who wanted to look, but also understood that newborns were delicate territory. "Indeed. A child truly is precious."
Mitsuha peeked from behind Sona, her merchant face completely gone for once. "Cute…"
Anisphia also leaned forward, eyes bright. "So tiny…"
Euphyllia smiled as well. "Very cute."
Their reactions earned another soft laugh from Ru as she carefully adjusted Alfred in her arms. "It's alright. Everyone in the village has been curious, too."
"Of course they are. He is Taijuu Village's precious child." Tia crossed her arms proudly.
Ru looked at Hiraku with a teasing smile. "Even my Honeybuns has been worrying over every little thing since he was born."
"Hey, that's not entirely true," Hiraku protested.
Ru and Tia looked at him with gentle eyes.
He looked away and muttered, "…Maybe a little."
Sumire covered her mouth, amused. "A loving father's concern is hardly a flaw."
"Thank you." Hiraku gave her a grateful smile.
"Yeah. I get that feeling." Shu patted his shoulder with a nod.
Hiraku turned his attention back to Hajime and his group, then bowed his head lightly. "Thank you again for coming. I know all of you are busy, so it means a lot that you joined us today."
"Don't worry about it. We needed a place to breathe for a bit." Hajime shook his head.
"And eat," Shu added cheerfully, lifting one of the skewers.
Sumire gave him a look, and Shu slowly lowered the skewer.
Hiraku laughed. "Please eat as much as you like. The village prepared plenty."
Mitsuha's eyes twinkled strangely again, which made Sona glance at her immediately.
"Mitsuha-san."
Mitsuha looked away at once.
Hiraku watched their exchange with a smile that carried both amusement and understanding. "It seems your group is lively as ever."
"That's one way to describe them." Hajime sighed.
"Onii-chan!" Mitsuha said, offended.
Hajime gave her a flat stare, and Mitsuha looked away again.
Ru giggled softly, careful not to wake Alfred. "It's nice. The village has been lively since your first visit, too."
Hajime's expression softened at her words.
The crew had visited this place before, back when the village was still stepping into its larger future. That was when Anisphia had just joined the crew, and Noah and the others were teaching them the ways of the Nameless.
At the time, Taijuu Village had already been strange, peaceful, and absurdly powerful in ways that made no sense. Now, returning later and seeing the larger houses, the harvest tables, the growing families, and Hiraku standing there with Ru and their child, Hajime could feel the difference.
This was not just a farm anymore; it was now a home that had kept growing.
"So what's your plan after this?" Hiraku asked Hajime.
"We plan to visit Planet Deviluke next," Hajime replied with a smile.
"Deviluke?" Hiraku repeated, giving a wry smile. "Sounds… unique."
"Ahahaha, I know the feeling," Hajime laughed. "The name might sound a little strange, but the people there are good."
"Is it another world like this one?" Hiraku tilted his head slightly.
"Not exactly," Hajime said, his expression turning a little more thoughtful. "Deviluke is part of the Silver Rails."
That drew Hiraku's attention more fully.
"The Silver Rails…" he repeated. "That's the route your Astral Express uses, right?"
"Yeah." Hajime nodded. "The Silver Rails connect worlds, planets, civilizations, and galaxies that the Nameless can travel through. Some worlds are isolated. Some are unstable. And some already have interstellar civilizations that know how to interact beyond their own planet."
He glanced up at the night sky above Taijuu Village.
"Deviluke belongs to the last one."
Alice placed her cup down gently, taking over with her usual graceful tone. "Planet Deviluke is neutral, but friendly toward the Nameless. They understand the wider galaxy, and more importantly, they understand the value of maintaining good relations."
Hiraku's expression became more serious, though it never lost its warmth. "So it's not just a visit."
"It is a visit," Hajime said. "But it's also preparation. Our next destination is Planarcadia, a planet under heavy IPC influence. Before stepping into a place like that, we need updated information on galactic movements and whatever the IPC might be doing under the surface."
Mitsuha's eyes began to twinkled gain. "Galactic trade pressure…"
"Mit-chan," Hajime and Sona said at the same time.
Mitsuha pouted. "I only repeated the phrase."
"And you keep repeating it like a business proposal," Sona replied.
Hiraku chuckled while Hajime let out a tired sigh.
"Anyway," Hajime continued, "Deviluke is powerful enough to hear things most worlds won't. If anything is moving around Planarcadia, Emperor Gid should know."
Hiraku nodded slowly. "Then I'm glad you came here before that."
Hajime looked at him.
Hiraku glanced around the festival, toward Ru holding Alfred, Tia standing proudly beside her, and the villagers laughing under the lanterns. "If your next stop is going to be that troublesome, then rest properly tonight. Food tastes better before difficult journeys."
Hajime was silent for a moment before his expression softened.
"Yeah," he said. "That's the plan."
Then a song came from the center of the plaza.
Everyone turned.
Ingvild was standing there singing. Her voice carried over the festival as the entire village slowly fell silent. It wasn't a song meant for battle. It wasn't a hymn for victory or sorrow. It was softer than that. Warm and clear, carrying the feeling of a road after rain, of a table with enough seats, of people finding a place where they could breathe.
Ru gently rocked Alfred as she listened, and Tia's expression softened.
Hiraku stood among his family and villagers, looking out over the warm lights with the satisfaction of someone who had once been alone and somehow found himself surrounded by people who chose to stay.
Hajime stood near the edge of the square, watching the lanterns sway in the evening breeze. Alice came to stand beside him.
His shoulders, always carrying invisible weight, seemed to lower just a little. Shu and Sumire stood a short distance away, relaxed under the festive mood. Mitsuha was between them now, the basket of "trade samples" safely confiscated by Sona and out of reach. Shu looked happy, Sumire looked peaceful, and Mitsuha looked like she was already planning a second attempt.
Hajime watched his family from his seat.
After everything—after worlds, gods, and battles that had twisted common sense into scrap metal—they were here, safe, laughing, and close enough for him to reach.
Alice gently leaned against his arm.
"This is truly a great choice," she whispered.
"Hm?"
"Coming here."
Hajime stayed silent for a moment. His eyes moved toward Shu, Sumire, and Mitsuha, then finally to Hiraku's family standing near the heart of the festival.
"…Yeah," he replied. "It was."
The festival continued into the evening.
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