"Sigh..."
After letting out a long sigh, March 7th sat there with her shoulders slumped.
She had clearly made a detailed sightseeing plan for today, intending to properly enjoy the Planet of Festivities once Kohane's situation was settled.
But who could have expected her plan to fall apart before it had even begun?
"How did things end up like this?"
And the two people responsible for that were currently buying things as if nothing had happened.
From their backs alone, probably no one would have been able to tell that the woman and the little girl shopping there were Robin and Kohane—the very pair who had thrown all of Penacony Paperfold University College into a strange, inexplicable state.
After dashing out of the classroom, the two of them had dragged March 7th to a secluded corner and quickly changed into disguises.
Once they were done, even March 7th could barely recognize them.
That was why the two of them could now shop in the middle of the chaos at Paperfold University as though nothing had happened.
March 7th could not help admiring their nerve.
But at this particular moment, she was more heartbroken over her rapidly vanishing vacation.
Every time she thought about it, that feeling surged up from the bottom of her heart.
Until...
"Smile a little. Why the long face?"
Robin had Kohane give March 7th a share of the snacks they had just bought.
March 7th accepted it and looked down, only to find that it seemed to be fruit flesh as translucent as crystal.
Just from its appearance, anyone could tell how precious it was.
At the very least, March 7th had never seen such clear, jewel-like fruit before.
"Miss Robin, this is way too generous!"
No matter how she looked at it, this did not seem like cheap fruit.
"It's fine, it's fine. It actually isn't that expensive. After all, the raw ingredient comes from that strange-looking tree over there."
Robin pointed toward the oddly shaped, crooked tree nearby, especially the branches above that were laden with fruit.
"This tree's fruiting period is measured in months, and it only ended not long ago, so the flesh isn't too expensive right now."
After saying that, Robin also pointed to the nearby stall selling fruit.
"The school sells fruit from the tree as well, and the money goes toward supporting students from poorer star systems, so you don't need to think too much about it."
After hearing Robin's explanation, March 7th finally relaxed.
Still, when she tasted the fruit flesh, she could not help being surprised.
The moment it entered her mouth, a fresh fragrance bloomed, as if a cool breeze had blown toward her.
It made her think of running beneath the sunset. That was her lost—
Pah, pah, pah! This young lady hasn't reached that age yet!
March 7th hurriedly adjusted her mindset, making herself look a little more normal.
No matter what, she was beside her idol right now. She could not embarrass herself!
Robin did not comment on March 7th's behavior. She simply tasted the food in her mouth while looking at the fruit tree before them.
Originally, she had wanted to bring Sora here to experience the things she had once experienced in the past.
But she had not expected the world to be so unpredictable. No one knew whether tomorrow or an accident would arrive first.
And at this very moment, it was obvious that the accident had arrived first.
Robin's gaze fell on Kohane.
She watched the girl sitting on the bench, her little legs swinging back and forth, and watched the small smile on her face as she tasted the fruit.
Before Robin realized it, the smile on the girl's face seemed to spread to her own.
For someone like her, who had never had any romantic experience, the sudden appearance of someone claiming to be her daughter should have been utterly absurd.
Yet at this moment, Robin felt only calm.
When Kohane finished eating, Robin handed her a handkerchief at just the right time, letting her wipe the stains from her mouth.
"Thank you, Mama."
At the girl's words of thanks, Robin felt as though her heart was about to melt.
Those words also drew March 7th's attention.
Her eyes brimmed with intense curiosity and gossip.
She desperately wanted to know who Robin had had this little girl with.
After all, Robin had been her idol before this, and also a singer she paid very close attention to.
Robin had always kept strict control over herself, so there had almost never been any private scandals about her.
And now the biggest scandal of all was happening right beside March 7th. How could she possibly pretend not to see it?
Just as March 7th was sinking into the thought of Would it be too rude if I asked?, Robin took the initiative to speak.
"I don't think I know your name yet."
March 7th's interest shot up at once.
Robin, however, said it as though it were something insignificant, calmly folding the handkerchief Kohane had used to wipe her mouth.
She was certain this child was her daughter, but there were still things she was very curious about.
For example, the child's name, and... her father.
Kohane thought back for a moment, then realized, "I guess I really haven't said it yet. I almost forgot!"
She hopped down from the bench and said to Robin with great solemnity, "My name is Kohane. That's my only name, so Mama had better not forget it~"
She smiled sweetly, two small dimples appearing on her face.
After hearing her name, the weight in Robin's heart finally settled.
When she heard that name, she understood.
Before this, although she had always had one candidate in mind for the child's father, she had still not dared to be certain.
After all, the child was already this old. No one knew how many years in the future she had come back from.
And no one could say what might happen over those years.
Not to mention, time travel itself was honestly beyond anyone's expectations. Even the people from the Intelligentsia Guild would probably be confused for quite a while if they ran into something like this.
That was why there had always been a weight hanging over her heart.
But now, that weight had finally settled.
Once the weight in her heart was gone, Robin was finally able to look carefully and seriously at the girl before her.
Apart from the traits that resembled her so closely, she also discovered certain traces of someone else.
Especially the corners of Kohane's brows, which gave her a somewhat spirited look. Robin could not help reaching out to brush them lightly.
The more she touched them, the more she sighed inwardly. How ugly. They did not resemble her at all.
But she... liked exactly this sort of thing!
March 7th watched from the side, completely unable to understand what wordless riddle this mother and daughter were playing. Right now, she was simply an exceedingly quiet bystander here for the gossip!
After resting there for a short while, they prepared to leave Paperfold University as well.
Because of what had happened with Robin earlier, the atmosphere across the whole university had clearly changed.
In any case, this place was no longer suitable for them to stay in.
So Robin took Kohane and March 7th away.
"Let's go to the hotel suite where I'm staying for now. The atmosphere here isn't suitable for us to remain."
Robin could clearly sense the gazes of the university students, as well as some paparazzi with less than innocent intentions.
If they continued staying here, other problems might arise.
Kohane naturally did not refuse, and March 7th hurriedly followed the two of them.
Because she had discovered that what happened in the classroom had already spread. Everyone knew that when Robin left, aside from that little girl, she had also taken away a pink-haired girl.
So they concluded that March 7th was someone in the know, and added her to their search list as well.
Faced with this completely undeserved disaster, March 7th naturally wanted to cry but had no tears.
What "someone in the know"? She was just a Nameless who had been innocently dragged into this!
But things had already reached this point, and besides, she had long heard how annoying those paparazzi could be.
So following Robin somewhere safe was the safest choice.
It would spare her from getting lost inside Paperfold University later and ending up blocked by those paparazzi.
I wonder if Mr. Yang and the others are worried about how this young lady is doing right now?
March 7th felt that her friends from the train would be worried about her safety.
What she did not know was that at this very moment, the Astral Express crew, excluding her, was already about to return to the Astral Express.
But after thinking of this, an extremely curious idea suddenly popped into her mind.
"Kohane, can I ask you something?"
"March-neechan, you can just ask whatever you want."
Kohane's attitude toward March 7th was the same as always.
"It's, um..."
March 7th was a little embarrassed. "I just wanted to ask if you have siblings or anything like that."
Hearing this, Robin's steps slowly came to a stop as well.
Her gaze, just like Kohane's, fell on March 7th.
Seeming to sense both their eyes on her, March 7th immediately grew flustered.
"Uh, I mean, before this you were wandering outside all by yourself, so..."
The reason March 7th asked about this was actually very simple. This seemed to be her first time observing a parent and child from such close range.
The members of the Express had basically never hidden her origins from her.
Before she met the Express crew, she had been sealed in a piece of Six-Phased Ice in the universe.
The day she was discovered had become her birthday.
Dan Heng had never talked about his parents either. His origins were apparently somewhat connected to the Xianzhou.
As for Welt and Himeko, that went without saying. Neither of them discussed such matters.
But curiosity had never once disappeared from March 7th's mind.
Before this, she had always wondered what it would be like if she had family too.
Now that she had the chance, of course she wanted to resolve some of the doubts in her heart.
"Well..."
Kohane looked a little conflicted. "I can promise it won't affect me, but some things are secret."
"So I'm sorry, March-neechan. I can't answer you."
Kohane apologized to March 7th again.
March 7th had helped her so much, and Daddy often said that when someone helped you, you had to do your best to repay them.
But unfortunately, this was not something she could say lightly.
It would be bad if it affected anything.
"Ahahaha, I knew it would be like that."
March 7th scratched her head and laughed twice, dispelling the awkward atmosphere.
Seeing the scene before her, Robin could not help revealing a faint smile.
"All right, all right. Let's leave this topic here."
She stepped in to end the topic, letting March 7th and Kohane talk about something else instead.
For example, [Clockie and His Friends — Special Crossover Collection, Episode 2: The Noble Swan Who Brings the Harvest].
Kohane seemed to like this episode very much, and Robin still remembered the series as well.
"I remember Nightmare Town fell into a food crisis because of Boss Stone."
"At that moment, the noble white swan sang aloud and called down rain and dew, allowing the crops to grow strong and solving the problem."
Kohane spoke about the plot with great excitement.
But she did not notice that Robin, who was smiling beside her, seemed ever so slightly off.
Robin reached out to stroke Kohane's beautiful hair, her gaze gradually growing deep.
A secret?
Wasn't that already proof of one answer?
Sora, where are you right now?
...
"Achoo! Achoo!"
That's strange. Who's talking about me?
Sora rubbed his nose, his heart filled with confusion.
"Are you all right? Should I get you some medicine?"
Seeing Sora like this, Mikhail asked with some concern.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. It's probably some girl I once enchanted thinking of me in her dreams."
Sora flicked his hair back, exuding a strange sort of flair.
Seeing Sora like this, Mikhail relaxed as well, a smile appearing on his face.
"In that case, let's continue discussing what we were talking about."
Hanunue had some bandages wrapped around him. Fortunately, he was a sturdy wolfman, and the wall collapsing on him earlier had only caused him some minor injuries.
But compared to his injuries, he was far more concerned about the ability Sora had just revealed.
"You're saying your ability can accelerate the growth of crops, correct?"
Although he had almost never heard of such an ability before, the universe was vast, and nothing was truly impossible.
If this was real, then could Penacony not get through the IPC's supply blockade?
The cutting off of their supply lines had forced them into a difficult situation.
According to their previous estimates, in a few more months, all of Penacony would fall into a state of resource scarcity.
And that state would be the true test of human nature.
When survival was at stake, who could continue clinging to the wishes they once had?
Not to mention, this place had once been a prison.
So Hanunue, who had witnessed human nature, did not dare to gamble, and could not gamble.
He understood exactly what sort of consequences would unfold then.
His previous plan had been to take a group of people and forcibly break through the IPC blockade, establishing a secret supply route.
That mission would undoubtedly cost many lives.
But now, if they could confirm that Sora truly possessed this ability, they might not need to carry out such a dangerous operation.
Penacony could preserve as much of its fighting strength as possible to face the IPC fleet that would arrive sooner or later.
That was why Hanunue had to confirm this matter again and again.
Sora would not lie either. After all, the commotion from the fruit tree he had caused earlier still had not subsided.
Even now, there were several people waiting under that fruit tree for fruit to fall.
Even if he wanted to dodge the question, there was no way to do it, so it was simpler to admit it outright.
"That's right. It sounds a little unbelievable, but my power really can stimulate the growth of crops."
A faint glow appeared over Sora's hand, and under the light, Hanunue felt the injuries on his body rapidly recovering.
Before long, he found that his waist no longer hurt, his legs no longer cramped, and he could climb five floors in one breath.
"Th-this..."
Hanunue looked his body over, then finally turned his gaze back to Sora.
"After all, you were injured because of us. Sorry."
No matter how one put it, Hanunue had been buried under a wall they had knocked down. Sora helping him recover to full health was no big deal.
But this single act was enough to make Hanunue hold him in complete respect.
"It's nothing."
Hanunue's slightly trembling voice brought a smile to Mikhail's face.
That made Hanunue shoot him a fierce glare.
Do you not understand what the situation is right now?
Whether it was the ability to stimulate the growth of crops or the ability to heal injuries and illnesses, both were things Penacony lacked most right now.
Mikhail answered him with his eyes.
Weren't you the one who said you didn't trust him earlier?
How was I supposed to know something like this back then?
Would you have believed me if I'd told you earlier?
Hanunue's gaze drifted. If not for the fur on his face, perhaps one would have been able to see him blushing.
Before seeing it with his own eyes, he absolutely would not have believed it.
But now that the other party had already displayed this power in front of him, he would place his trust in him.
The exchange between Hanunue and Mikhail lasted only an instant, and they quickly returned to the main topic.
"Although this may be somewhat presumptuous."
It was hard to imagine such a large wolfman looking so awkward, but for the sake of this place's future, Hanunue still had to speak.
"Could we ask you to help Penacony get through this crisis?"
After saying this, even the fur on Hanunue's palms was damp with sweat.
If only he had properly hosted the other party earlier, he would not be feeling this nervous now.
Putting everything else aside, just sending them into The Isolation Chamber had been a very obvious act of distrust.
Especially in a prison, being sent into The Isolation Chamber was basically a show of force.
It was meant to let you know who was in charge inside this prison, and who was the newcomer.
But who could have known that the target of that show of force would turn out to be the person he least ought to offend right now?
Hanunue's uneducated brain could only feel deeply despondent at the current situation.
But he could not leave, because Penacony still needed him. So right now, all he could do was hope the other party would be magnanimous.
Sora answered, "Sure."
"Please don't be so quick to refuse. We can purchase it from you at double the market price!"
However, Hanunue had not clearly heard what Sora said, and directly threw out all the conditions he had prepared in his heart.
"We'll pay for the seeds and the land. You won't need to prepare anything, you'll only need to grow the crop—"
"Hanunue, calm down!"
Only when Mikhail forcefully turned Hanunue's face toward him did the wolfman, panting with excitement, calm down.
"Listen to me. He didn't refuse!"
After hearing this, Hanunue still found it a little hard to believe. He turned back to look at Sora across from him.
Only after Sora nodded did he finally sit down somewhat calmly.
It was solved that easily?
It was simply unbelievable.
In his original expectations, it would have been completely normal for someone with such a rare special ability to raise the price on the spot.
Especially now, when resources were already scarce. Even if the other party tripled the price of supplies, he would grit his teeth and accept it.
That was why he had opened by offering to buy the supplies Sora produced at double the price.
Because he had left himself some room for negotiation.
But Hanunue never expected that the margin he left would be completely unused.
"Then, as we said just now, we provide the seeds and land, and then purchase the crops at double the price... How does that sound?"
As Hanunue spoke, he carefully watched Sora's expression.
His appearance could not help making Sora think of a husky sneaking glances at its owner's expression.
They always said huskies were relatives of wolves. Now that he saw it, the reputation was well deserved.
"Sigh..."
The moment Sora sighed, Hanunue's heart went cold.
Did he not agree with this price?
But just as Hanunue was about to raise the price, Sora spoke first.
"I won't take your money. I only need you to do one thing for me."
"Eh?!"
Those words made Hanunue frown again.
If it was about money, that was easy enough to discuss. But if it was about doing something, that was harder to say.
Sure enough, there was no such thing as a free lunch.
But even so, he still needed the other party's help.
"Tell me. As long as it's something I can do, I'll help you accomplish it."
"It's simple."
Sora spoke very casually. "I'll entrust you with repairing our train."
As his words fell, the place sank into a brief silence.
Hanunue dug at his ear in disbelief, as if wondering whether something was wrong with it.
"That's it? Nothing else?"
"That's it. What else did you expect?"
"No, this, this..."
For a moment, Hanunue was actually at a loss for words. Countless things rose to the tip of his tongue.
But he had no idea how to say them. He could only use exaggerated gestures to express the shock in his heart.
Seeing his movements, Sora could not help turning his face aside.
Crap. The more I look, the more he looks like a husky.
Compared to Hanunue, who had lost the function of speech due to excessive shock, Mikhail seemed much calmer.
He looked at Sora's tightly controlled expression and seemed to understand something.
"So that's how it is..."
Mikhail stood solemnly and said to Sora, "I will do everything in my power to repair this train for you."
What purpose could someone who possessed the ability to grow crops and heal others have in traveling through the universe?
Was it not to help people across the universe, just like the Astral Express?
That was why, when the other party could obviously have taken advantage of them, he had chosen repairing the train as his payment.
This was his way of reminding him from the side!
"Your actions move me. Your will shines upon the universe like the sun!"
Having perceived the truth behind it all, Mikhail spoke to Sora with utmost solemnity.
"I promise you, three days... no! Two days. I'll only need two days to restore your train to its original state!"
Sora looked at him blankly, his eyes full of confusion.
What's with you now?
In Mikhail's eyes, however, Sora's expression was doubt. He was doubting whether Mikhail could really repair the train in two days.
Is he looking down on me?
Mikhail stretched his body.
"Don't worry. This is a promise between men!"
I will absolutely give you back a perfectly intact train, good as new!
After saying that, he stormed out of the place with great momentum, dragging along Hanunue, who was still gesturing wildly.
Only Sora was left behind, tilting his head in confusion.
Although he felt like something he did not understand had just happened, the result seemed to be good.
Then that was fine.
What followed was simple. Although Hanunue had briefly lost the ability to speak due to excessive shock at the time, he was not the least bit vague when it came to execution.
He immediately had his subordinates search for fields and crop seeds, and assigned several people under Sora's command.
But very quickly, those people sent Hanunue a communication.
"Hanunue, we don't have enough people!"
"Send more people! I'm already trapped between vegetables and bread!"
Hearing the desperate cries over the communicator, Hanunue was somewhat baffled.
But when he saw that a vast expanse of green had already risen where Sora had gone, he suddenly realized something.
Under the other party's ability, even that fruit tree from before had matured so quickly. Wouldn't these crops grow even faster?
And that was indeed the truth. At first, the people assigned there had been a little confused.
But after seeing the ability Sora displayed, astonishment inevitably spread across their faces.
Sora simply walked through the field, and behind him, a green field instantly unfurled.
One had to know that Asdana had previously been a prison. There had been almost no greenery outside.
Now, this vivid green appearing here was exceptionally striking.
"Is this an illusion?"
"Doesn't seem like it. Do you see any holographic projectors here?"
"Hey, hey, stop staring! Those crops are about to mature!"
And so they immediately changed from spectators here for the show into harvesters.
But they quickly discovered that with only a few of them, they did not seem to have enough hands.
Because the crops were maturing far, far too quickly. Before they had finished pulling the things from one vine, the next cluster had already ripened in piles.
Then the situation reached the verge of going out of control.
Left with no choice, they could only send people over to work!
After learning of this, Hanunue immediately sent another dozen or so people over to support them.
This should ease things a little...
"Hanunue, another group got wiped out! Send more people!"
Hanunue looked at the people who had been launched high into the air by vegetables and swallowed.
He hurriedly dispatched dozens more to help.
Then...
"Wiped out again, send more people!"
"More people!"
"More!"
"Still nowhere near enough, send more!"
Before long, Hanunue was shocked to discover that aside from those rotating shifts keeping watch against the IPC, he had already sent over nearly one-tenth of everyone who was free.
Even if the criminals on Penacony and the people of Asdana combined could not compare to those great civilizations, one-tenth was still no small number.
"With this many people, it should be enough, right?"
Hanunue felt he could finally rest for a bit.
But at that moment, the communicator he had thought would not ring again rang once more.
Hanunue: ...
Fine. Keep sending more!
For some reason, Hanunue seemed to understand one saying.
"Sometimes, having too much of something is also a kind of sorrow."
Still, this finally allowed their scarce supplies to be replenished.
Hanunue let out a long sigh and finally set down the weight in his heart.
...
However, while his side had settled down, Sora's side seemed to have fallen into some sort of sudden incident.
After all, with such a lively matter happening right in front of them, how could the Imagin in the train possibly be absent?
And so, under Kintaros's proposal that "we might as well hold a harvest festival here," they gathered together once more.
Only, what name to use for the festival here made the group start arguing.
"This is our first festival in this universe, so of course it should use my name."
Momo took the lead and proposed [Momotaros Harvest Festival].
"Senpai, since this is the first festival, naturally we should make it something unique. I think mine is quite good."
Urataros had already imagined the scene at this harvest festival, where countless fangirls would surge toward him.
Those fangirls would crowd around him while shouting, "Lord Savior, thank you for letting us eat our fill!"
Just imagining it was exciting!
And at this very moment, one figure stepped forward and brought the dispute to an end.
"For such an important festival, of course it should be hosted by a noble being such as myself."
Sieg stepped out with immense pride.
"You damn chicken wings, what did you say?"
Naturally, Momo was unwilling to let the spotlight be stolen.
"Hmph. In that case, let us settle it with a contest!"
After saying that, he flew straight into the air with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Damn it, senpai, that guy's going to possess Sora!"
Urataros immediately saw through Sieg's plan.
"You bastard! If you've got the guts to talk big, then have the guts to come down and run with us!"
Momo chased and cursed from below, but there were simply too many obstacles in the way, making it hard for him to catch up.
"This is the victory of nobility and elegance!"
Sieg crashed into Sora's body.
Sora's eyes turned white, and his body was draped in garments encircled by white wings.
"My retainers, enjoy this harvest revelry to your hearts' content!"
He flew into the sky, drawing everyone's attention and making Momo curse him for cheating.
Below, however, the people all cheered together for the arrival of the harvest.
In the crowd, Kintaros was scanning the surroundings.
"Hm? Where's Ryu-chan?"
He searched all around but could not find any trace of Ryutaros.
But very quickly, he let it go.
Forget it. That guy isn't little anymore. He knows to come over.
...
Meanwhile, somewhere else, Sunday's consciousness felt that his body was no longer under his control.
Finally, he could not help asking a question.
"What exactly are you?"
"Me? I'm Ryutaros~"