In Herta Space Station, the Railway Platform within the Supply Zone was undoubtedly the best place to admire the cosmic galaxy.
Within the eternal and profound sea of stars, the massive space station slowly drifted through the galaxy, usually presenting a breathtaking sight of several small planets revolving in harmonious orbits beyond the transparent observation windows.
Unfortunately, those planets were already gone, having been affected a few days ago by the Path energy unleashed by Nous and reduced to nothing more than scattered molecules.
As a result, the magnificent celestial bodies that had once decorated the surrounding starfield had completely vanished, leaving behind only an endless expanse of darkness and the distant stars that still glittered quietly across the cosmos.
At the Railway Platform, Lucian sat alone at a small round table, a cup of hot coffee placed before him as faint wisps of steam slowly curled upward into the air.
He leaned back against a single-seat sofa in a languid posture, his slightly tousled black hair stirring faintly in the circulating airflow as he quietly took in the view beyond the glass.
One had to admit that the refined contours of his side profile, beautiful to the point of seeming unreal, were impossible to ignore, especially since his features appeared as though they had been carefully sculpted by a god, possessing a flawless balance that naturally drew the eye.
As he gazed into the galaxy, his eyes were calm and unfocused, as though he were spacing out, yet also as though he were quietly appreciating the scenery before him.
Because the place he occupied was not particularly secluded, many space station staff members passed back and forth nearby. Yet strangely, with him at the center, a vacuum-like zone with a radius of five meters had unknowingly formed around him. No one dared to approach, as though an invisible wall separated him from everyone else.
However, outside that 'invisible wall,' things were exceptionally lively.
A group of female researchers dressed in white lab uniforms had gathered near the benches in the nearby rest area.
Pretending to chat.
Pretending to look at their light screens.
Pretending to organize documents.
Some even pretended to review research reports that they had clearly been staring at for several minutes without turning a single page.
Yet their gazes were drawn as if by magnets, drifting toward the handsome figure seated by the round table in perfect unison before quickly looking away again and feigning nonchalance.
Still, if one observed more carefully, their cheeks were faintly flushed as they exchanged excited yet restrained glances with one another—their shoulders occasionally trembled with suppressed excitement as they lowered their voices and whispered nonstop.
"Oh my god... he's seriously so handsome..."
"Does a man that good-looking really exist? He's so unreal, like a painting..."
"I heard he's Madam Herta's friend, and apparently, a really impressive one at that."
"I really want to go ask for his contact info... but I don't dare..."
"Same... What if he's Madam Herta's crush? We'd be done for..."
"Yeah, I don't wanna lose my job. Just looking from afar is enough."
"Mhm, y'know, his vibe is kinda special... lazy, but also feels... really strong, and really gentle..."
"Yes, yes—that's exactly it!"
"Ahh, I can't~"
Lucian had long since grown accustomed to the gazes and whispers surrounding him, so he simply continued looking at the distant stars, completely ignoring everything happening around him.
To him, the endless expanse of space beyond the observation window was far more worthy of attention than the curious looks of strangers.
Just then, he let out a small yawn, the corners of his eyes faintly moistening from the reflexive action.
At that very moment, the light of a distant star happened to fall upon him, passing through the transparent glass and outlining his figure with a faint, dreamlike halo, while its soft radiance illuminated his already striking features and cast a subtle glow around his body.
As a result, he appeared even more ethereal than before, like a figure who had stepped out of a beautiful dream rather than someone who truly belonged in reality.
Seeing the scene, the female researchers felt as though they were about to have nosebleeds, but just then...
*WOOOOOOO—!*
A long, drawn-out whistle suddenly sounded as it approached from afar, followed by a unique spatial ripple of warp energy spreading outward through the surrounding space.
Elegant in design, somewhat old-fashioned yet brimming with advanced technology, the Astral Express glided in like a massive celestial whale cutting through the galaxy and steadily entered the railway, docking at the Railway Platform.
Lucian's attention was immediately drawn to it as he turned his head to look.
"Well, talk about perfect timing..."
Just as he had planned yesterday, today he had intended to look for the Astral Express by having Herta establish contact with the Astral Express crew after having his coffee, but who would have thought they would actually arrive on their own without him needing to do anything?
Needless to say, the timing couldn't have been more convenient.
With a hiss of released pressure, one of the car doors of the Astral Express slowly opened, and the first to step down was a tall, graceful red-haired woman, Himeko, who wore her usual well-tailored white toga gown dress, with a black coat casually draped over her shoulders.
Her red hair blazed like flames beneath the space station's lights.
Her features were refined and exquisitely beautiful.
Her temperament was gentle yet capable, carrying the calm confidence of someone accustomed to handling any situation.
A faint, barely perceptible smile rested at the corner of her lips like a blooming rose, making her look elegant and charming as she glanced around the platform with a warm gaze, one that nevertheless carried the attentiveness of someone quietly taking in every detail around her.
Jumping down right behind her was an energetic pink-haired young woman—March 7th.
Her shoulder-length pink hair bounced cheerfully with her energetic movements, her favorite blue camera clipped securely to her navy pleated skirt, while a black archery glove covered her right hand.
Her face was round.
Her skin was fair.
Her large eyes, tinted with a gradient of pink and blue, sparkled with curiosity and excitement as they darted around, eagerly taking in the familiar surroundings.
"Whoa! Herta Space Station! Long time no see!"
As she spoke, March's voice was crisp and lively, sounding like that of an overly excited deer frolicking through the snow, carrying enough energy to instantly brighten the atmosphere around her.
"Mr. Yang, where's Dan Heng?"
March turned back to ask the last figure to step down—Welt Yang.
He wore his usual signature glasses, a gray-and-white dress coat with a scarf, and black armor across his chest. In the eyes of the younger generation, his aura was undoubtedly steady and mature, giving him the impression of a responsible uncle whom people could instinctively rely on.
At March's question, Welt pushed his glasses up slightly before speaking.
"Dan Heng said the database has been updated with important information, so he went to check it first and didn't disembark."
As soon as those words fell and the three stepped onto the platform, they noticed something unusual not far away.
Over by the rest area, a considerable number of people had gathered, particularly a group of female researchers—every one of them with shining eyes and slightly flushed faces, sneaking glances in a certain direction from time to time.
"Huh?" March stood on her tiptoes curiously. "What are they even looking at over there? Why are there so many people gathered?"
Himeko followed their line of sight with mild curiosity, while Welt cautiously scanned the surroundings, ensuring there were no security concerns or hidden dangers nearby.
"C'mon, Himeko! Let's go see!"
Already brimming with curiosity, March grabbed Himeko's hand and pulled her toward where the crowd had gathered.
Suddenly dragged along, Himeko smiled helplessly yet indulgently, allowing March to fool around as she pleased.
Welt, on the other hand, calmly followed behind them, positioning himself slightly behind and to the side, quietly maintaining a protective position around the two women.
Soon enough, after weaving through the gathered crowd, March finally saw the focus of everyone's attention.
In an instant, her beautiful pink and blue eyes widened to their limits, while her small mouth fell slightly open as she sucked in a sharp breath.
"Whoa! He's... He's so handsome..."
March cried out, her tone and pitch filled with undisguised amazement as she pointed at Lucian, who was calmly drinking coffee at the round table.
"Himeko! Mr. Yang! Look! He's practically glowing with handsomeness! I swear, in my whole life, I've never seen anyone that good-looking! Is he a celebrity?"
March excitedly shook Himeko's arm, completely forgetting to control the volume of her voice.
As a result, all the female researchers who had been sneaking glances at Lucian heard her words and immediately cast approving looks of 'You get it, girl!' in her direction.
Himeko's gaze was likewise drawn toward Lucian, and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.
Still, hearing March's noisy outburst over such a trivial matter, Himeko couldn't help but giggle before gently patting the back of March's hand.
"March, tone it down a bit and mind your manners. Staring at someone like that isn't very polite, you know."
"Aww... Everyone loves beautiful things! And besides..." March puffed out her cheeks before blinking mischievously and leaning closer to Himeko to whisper, "Have you ever seen someone more handsome than him?"
Hearing that, Himeko paused slightly before letting out a soft giggle and shaking her head with her usual elegance and composure.
"No, I haven't," Himeko replied earnestly, her gaze returning to Lucian, carrying nothing but pure appreciation. "Well, this is my first time too, seeing a man so... good-looking..."
Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper, but Welt, who was standing right beside her, heard her words quite clearly.
Welt pushed up his glasses once more, then glanced at the handsome young man before shifting his gaze toward his two female companions.
In the end, he wisely chose to remain silent.
If this had been during his younger days, he would definitely have said something fair.
At that moment, Lucian slowly turned around, his gaze landing precisely on the trio who had just disembarked from the Astral Express and were now standing behind the group of female researchers.
However, the instant he looked over, the surrounding female researchers collectively held their breath, their hearts beginning to race uncontrollably.
'Is he coming over?'
'Is he looking at me?'
'Is he looking in my direction?'
'Oh my god, I'm so nervous!'
'What should we name our children?'
In an instant, all kinds of wildly delusional thoughts emerged in the minds of every female researcher present.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
[Support me and read next chapters early at: patreon.com/VALRRR]