As Lucian looked toward the three Nameless, his gaze lingered on their faces for a moment, especially Himeko and March, before a very faint curve formed at the corner of his lips.
If one observed him more carefully, there was a trace of familiarity hidden within that calm gaze, as though he had recognized something that no one else present could possibly understand.
He then casually raised a hand and gently waved toward the three standing behind the group of female researchers, the gesture natural and relaxed, no different from an ordinary greeting exchanged between acquaintances.
However, that seemingly harmless action stirred up a hornet's nest.
In that instant, the female researchers who had been desperately suppressing their excitement, ready to charge forward at any moment, completely lost control the moment they saw him waving in their direction.
For a brief second, the entire area fell into stunned silence, and then...
"Ah! He's waving!"
"Is he calling me? Right? Right?!!!"
"He must've noticed me!"
"I'm going!"
No one knew who shouted first, but the group of female researchers who had merely been watching from a distance a moment ago suddenly surged forward like a flood bursting through a dam!
With a rush, seven or eight bold female researchers immediately took the lead, followed by an entire wave of others behind them.
All of their faces were flushed with excitement, and their eyes sparkled as they screamed and cheered while rushing toward Lucian like a crazed horde of zombies.
"Wait for me!"
"Look at me, my prince!"
"I got here first!"
Suddenly, the orderly railway platform instantly descended into chaos.
People were bumping into each other, calling out over one another, and desperately trying to move closer. Anyone unaware of the situation would have thought some interstellar superstar had suddenly appeared on-site.
For a moment, the scene looked exactly like a group of fanatic fans chasing after their idol.
Seeing the scene, Himeko and the others were left speechless.
"What's... going on...?"
March questioned bewilderedly as she stared at the absurd scene unfolding before her eyes. Her mouth hung slightly open as she watched the crowd of women practically throwing themselves toward Lucian.
Himeko, equally stunned, was unable to answer.
Even someone as composed and knowledgeable as her found it difficult to understand what she was seeing.
Welt merely adjusted his glasses and shook his head without saying anything.
Let alone them—even Lucian himself, as he looked at the sudden wave of women rushing toward him, seemed momentarily taken aback, and even the corner of his eye twitched slightly.
Clearly, even he had not expected the reaction to be this... intense.
Right after the crowd of female researchers stopped in front of him, surrounding him from every direction, a trace of helplessness appeared on Lucian's face.
He lowered his raised hand and looked at them, all talking over one another as they tried to start a conversation with him. Questions, greetings, invitations, and excited confessions all blended into an incomprehensible mess.
Faced with the overwhelming enthusiasm, he could only let out a soft sigh.
"Ladies..."
Lucian gave a slight smile, his tone gentle and patient.
Despite the chaos surrounding him, there was not the slightest hint of irritation in his expression.
It was only natural.
They were women who liked him and held no ill intentions toward him, so as a gentleman, he ought to calm them down in a polite manner. More importantly, he simply could not bring himself to put on airs or become angry in front of people who sincerely admired and adored him.
Meanwhile, the moment his voice rang out, the noisy crowd gradually fell silent as countless pairs of eyes focused on him at once.
"I'm sorry. I already made plans with friends today."
Lucian's voice remained mild as he continued, yet it carried a polite refusal that left no room for argument.
Immediately afterward, his gaze swept past the group of female researchers and landed on Himeko and the others.
"As you can see, they're the Astral Express crew."
Upon hearing that, the enthusiasm of the female researchers was instantly extinguished by more than half, and the disappointment on their faces was practically visible.
Seeing his gentle yet clearly uninterested gaze, they also realized that they had been a little too impulsive.
"O-Okay!"
"Next time!"
"Well, g-go ahead!"
"We won't disturb you!"
Although disappointed, none of them tried to force the issue.
Fortunately, these female researchers were still quite sensible.
Right after saying all that, they nodded one after another and reluctantly stepped back, glancing over their shoulders as they pulled each other away step by step. Several of them even looked as though they wanted to cry from regret.
Soon enough, the crowd of female researchers obediently dispersed and cleared a path for Lucian and the Astral Express crew, allowing the chaotic atmosphere to gradually settle down.
"Uhh..."
March looked at the suddenly empty space, then at Lucian, who was calmly walking toward them.
Seeing him approaching, she opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"W-Well... his popularity is way too much..." March whispered before poking Himeko beside her. "Himeko, what do you think? Could this handsome guy be some kinda famous celebrity from some star system? He even said he wanted to meet us—that's a pretty big deal for us!"
Himeko did not respond immediately and instead carefully observed the approaching Lucian. Her amber eyes quietly examined his appearance, bearing, and every subtle movement.
Seeing the calm elegance in his every action, she knew that was absolutely not something an ordinary celebrity could compare to. Whether it was the composure he displayed while facing a crowd or the effortless confidence hidden within his demeanor, everything about him felt unusual.
'It feels like a king... a ruler... or perhaps... a gentle husband?'
As the thought flashed through her mind, Himeko lightly shook her head, and a faint trace of embarrassment even appeared in her eyes.
Honestly, she did not know why such a strange description had suddenly surfaced in her mind.
"Doesn't seem... like it..."
In the end, Himeko replied to March hesitantly, clearly lacking confidence in her own conclusion.
Just then, Lucian finally arrived and stopped in front of the three of them, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far—it was close enough to show friendliness, yet distant enough to remain respectful.
Lucian's gaze swept across the three of them before finally settling on the most lively-looking March.
In that instant, the faint smile at the corner of his lips seemed to deepen ever so slightly, and his eyes carried a warmth that made March subconsciously straighten her posture.
For some reason, being looked at by him made her feel unexpectedly nervous while, at the same time, growing even more curious about who exactly this mysterious man was.
"Welcome to Herta Space Station, Astral Express crew. Shall we chat for a bit?"
Hearing that, March blinked her big eyes for a moment before a bright smile quickly spread across her face.
"Sure!"
March replied energetically and proactively extended her hand toward Lucian without the slightest hesitation.
"My name's March 7th! Right next to me is the Astral Express's navigator, Himeko, and behind me is the all-knowing Mr. Welt Yang!"
Seeing March introduce herself and her two companions so enthusiastically, Lucian naturally reached out and lightly shook her hand—their hands touched only briefly before separating again.
"My name's Lucian—just Lucian. Just call me by my name directly. No need for any formality."
Lucian simply stated his name, then nodded politely toward Himeko and Welt. Every movement he made appeared calm, refined, and effortless, displaying impeccable and flawless manners that seemed deeply ingrained in his very nature.
Himeko returned the gesture with a gentle smile.
Welt, meanwhile, quietly pushed up his glasses.
If one observed him more carefully, behind those glasses, his gaze carried a trace of scrutiny and caution.
As for the reason why, it was mainly because he could not see through the young man standing before him. Although Lucian appeared to be only in his twenties, standing there with a relaxed expression and a faint smile, he somehow gave Welt an inexplicable sense of pressure.
It was truly a strange feeling.
Not hostility.
Not danger.
Yet for some reason, deep within him, there was a faint urge to lower his guard and submit to the other's presence.
'What exactly is this feeling...?'
Welt couldn't help but ponder that question in his mind.
"Lucian, where are you from? Which planet?"
March suddenly asked very bluntly, without beating around the bush in the slightest. Her words carried the innocent frankness unique to a girl who rarely worried about social boundaries.
Himeko immediately realized where the conversation was heading and wanted to stop March.
Unfortunately, she was a step too late and ultimately could only smile helplessly.
Welt, on the other hand, subtly pricked up his ears.
He appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was also extremely curious about this mysterious young man's origins.
Lucian looked into March's eyes, which were filled with pure curiosity and anticipation, then imperceptibly glanced at Welt before calmly speaking a single word.
"Earth."
Lucian's voice was clear, calm, and steady.
To everyone else, it sounded like an ordinary answer, but to Welt, the moment he heard the word 'Earth,' his eyes widened reflexively. A sharp glint instantly flashed across his glasses as his gaze locked onto Lucian without hesitation.
He genuinely had not expected to hear such a familiar name here.
After all, in this vast universe filled with countless worlds and civilizations, the chances of encountering another person who claimed to come from Earth were incredibly small.
"Earth? I remember Mr. Yang's hometown is also called Earth..."
March looked back and forth between Lucian and Welt, surprise written all over her face, before deliberately stepping aside with an exaggerated flourish and raising a hand as though presenting a grand stage.
"No way you two are from the same place, right?"
In response to her question, Welt stepped forward and extended his hand.
"From the same place, huh? What a coincidence. I'm from Earth as well."
Welt shook Lucian's hand while carefully studying his expression.
In response, Lucian met Welt's scrutinizing gaze as well, finding the man's reaction rather interesting.
For some reason, he suddenly felt the urge to tease Welt a little.
Even though the two of them were, in reality, not from the same Earth at all, he decided to simply treat it as though they were for the time being.
Fortunately, he possessed more than enough knowledge to convincingly pass himself off as someone from the Earth of Honkai Impact 3rd.
"Wow, this trip is actually kinda worth it! We really helped Mr. Yang find someone from his homeland! It's been so long, but I've never heard Mr. Yang talk about Earth before. I've always been really curious about it."
March exclaimed in amazement, then immediately raised her camera and snapped a photo of the two shaking hands, capturing and preserving the moment.
*Click!*
"My past would be somewhat heavy for you."
Welt replied calmly, shaking his head lightly as a trace of nostalgia flashed across his eyes.
"Besides, I don't wish to recall it, so I rarely mention it."
He truly did not want to remember those painful events from the past.
The endless battles against Honkai.
The sacrifices.
The losses.
The countless burdens he had carried upon his shoulders over the years.
Honkai, Herrschers, Otto, the Cocoon of Finality—they could all go to hell, and he sincerely hoped he would never encounter any of them again.
Right now, he only wanted to quietly draw, assemble mech models, and, most important of all, search for a way home.
It was only natural, because despite every tragedy that had happened, he still missed his friends and family very much.
Tesla.
Joyce.
Einstein.
Kiana.
Even after all these years, those names remained deeply etched into his heart.
"Well, my wives often mention Joachim Nokianvirtanen, saying that you are a savior."
Lucian suddenly revealed Welt's real name, and the effect was immediate as he saw Welt's pupils visibly contract.
At this moment, Welt became even more convinced of one thing—Lucian was truly a fellow Earthling!
Very few people knew that name, after all.
However, before that thought could fully settle in his mind, Welt suddenly noticed something far more important.
"Wait, wives?"
Welt looked at the smiling Lucian and repeated the word with a confused expression.
"Umu, my wives are Kiana, Mei, Theresa, Bianka..."
Lucian answered calmly, casually mentioning the names of his 'Honkai Impact 3rd' wives one after another as though he were discussing the weather.
"???"
For a moment, Welt's mind went completely blank.
He blinked once, then twice, before his right eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.
'Yeah, right. Keep bragging...'
Welt did not believe Lucian's statement at all, not even in the slightest.
Yes, the fact that Lucian knew those names only further proved that he was a fellow Earthling with certain connections, but did this young man not know that Earth practiced monogamy?
Besides, the women Lucian had just named even included his own students and several Herrschers—individuals who were clearly anything but ordinary.
Would extraordinary women like them really be willing to become someone's wife and even willingly share him with other women?
No matter how he looked at it, the very idea itself sounded utterly absurd.
Let alone marrying all of them at once, who could possibly marry even one of them?
One should know that even a single one of them could easily destroy Earth.
Even if those women were standing right here in front of him today, personally holding their marriage certificates and publicly acknowledging Lucian as their husband, he, Welt Yang, would absolutely refuse to believe it.
"Mr. Lucian, please don't joke around. I know all the people you mentioned very well, so I know that they are 'definitely' not your wives."
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
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