『 After hearing Micah's words, Welt nodded. Then, he raised his glass with his companions.
[ To Micah, and to all the residents of Dreamflux Reef. My respects to you, watchers of the long dream— ]
[ —To the years of endurance, to every sorrowful night, and to the dawn that will eventually arrive. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Nahida: "Watchers of the long dream… what a fitting title."
Nahida: "To still remain awake within a dream must not be easy at all, right?"
Qingque: "Most people who go to the dream world would definitely have their minds filled with wishes they couldn't fulfill in reality."
Qingque: "Yet the residents of Dreamflux Reef simply live here, treating this place as their home."
Qingque: "They never even thought about anything else."
Stelle: "So compared to the people in the beautiful dream world outside, they are all very awake."
Stelle: "I hope they can continue to stay awake like this in the future."
....
『 After bidding farewell to Micah, everyone came before the sleeping Mikhail in unison.
[ In the end, we wound up right back here. ]
[ This Trailblaze journey began with Stelle's encounter with a doorman. After winding all over the place, it has returned to its original starting point. ]
[ Just like the hands of a clock spinning round and round, the beginning and end of each day will always fall on the advancing twelve o'clock. ]
[ There shouldn't be much more to say. This entire story started because of you, so naturally, it should end with you. ]
[ And then, let us turn to the next page. ]
Himeko looked at Mikhail, who was sleeping peacefully in his chair, her tone filled with deep emotion. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "No wonder when we were paying our respects in front of the gravestones earlier, we only mourned our two predecessors, Tiernan and Razalina."
March 7th: "It turns out we were saving it to mourn Predecessor Mikhail in front of him…"
Gallagher: "Haha, this old guy is still sleeping so soundly."
Gallagher: "He didn't even get up to see you off."
Stelle: "Ahem… though, to be honest… if Predecessor Mikhail suddenly sat up, that would actually be pretty creepy."
Stelle: "Sigh, winding back to the starting point, everything has found its proper conclusion."
Stelle: "After saying goodbye to Predecessor Mikhail, we should also begin our next journey."
Stelle: "But seriously, can the next journey actually be something relaxing and pleasant?"
March 7th: "I agree!"
March 7th: "Every single journey is so thrilling and dangerous. Even though we aren't ordinary people and can mostly pull through and turn danger into safety…"
March 7th: "But this is still really bad for the heart and mind!!"
Hanabi: "Little gray-hair, from the sound of it, are you scared?"
Stelle: "It's not being scared, just slightly tired."
Stelle: "I need a breather."
Lumine: "Indeed, even on a Trailblaze journey, there are times when one gets tired."
Lumine: "Stopping your steps appropriately to take a rest and sort out your thoughts, I think that's very necessary."
March 7th: "That makes sense, but our Express crew gets dragged into invisible whirlpools every single time."
March 7th: "Just like this time, I really thought we were just going on a simple vacation!"
March 7th: "But who knew it would end up being way more thrilling than when we were on the Luofu!"
Himeko: "But we also gained a lot, didn't we?"
Welt Yang: "Haha, looking at our gains, though this Trailblaze journey of ours was perilous, the ending can be considered a happy one."
Furina de Fontaine: "So, I wonder what the Express crew's next Trailblaze will be like?"
Furina de Fontaine: "It can't possibly be this thrilling and dangerous again, right?"
Silver Wolf: "Forgot what I said?"
Silver Wolf: "The Astral Express only plays in high-tier lobbies."
Silver Wolf: "If it's not a thrilling and dangerous scene, they won't even go!"
Stelle: "Damn, Silver Wolf, did you read the script again?"
Stelle: "Quick, tell us, what will we encounter at our next stop after Penacony?"
Stelle: "Don't tell me we have to fight even more Emanators this time?!"
Stelle: "If that's really the case, I'm going to start looking into buying a joint burial plot right now."
Hotaru: "It's fine. With your strength, you can definitely overcome any danger!"
Hotaru: "Have faith in yourselves, you are the best Nameless!"
March 7th: "Ehehe, the best Nameless…"
March 7th: "Being praised like that by Miss Hotaru suddenly makes me feel so much more confident!"
Stelle: "Hotaru -chan is right!"
Stelle: "We are the strongest new generation of Nameless!"
Stelle: "I don't care about whatever Emanator. Anyone who dares mess with our Express crew will get beaten to the ground!"
Boothill: "Hilarious. But seriously, that Sunday fellow really did get beaten to the ground by you guys."
Boothill: "Seriously badass!"
....
『 At this point, Himeko spoke, and everyone raised their glasses together, paying tribute to this legendary Father of Penacony!
[ Mikhail Char Legwork, we raise a toast to you, Watchmaker of the Land of the Dreams, Nameless of the Astral Express... ]
[ ...To Penacony's past, present, future... and the child's unwavering dream unto death. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "Sigh, it's a pity we didn't get to see Misha one last time."
March 7th: "At the beginning, who would have thought that incredibly polite little doorman was actually the Watchmaker in his childhood…"
March 7th: "The Land of Dreams… what a truly wondrous place."
Paimon: "What a spectacular adventure."
Paimon: "Paimon and Lumine have traveled through four nations along our journey."
Paimon: "But we've never encountered a journey as bizarre and fantastical as this one!"
Paimon: "I really want to experience what this kind of journey feels like personally."
Lumine: "Ahem… Paimon, you've probably forgotten the dangers involved."
Lumine: "Ours is called travel, but theirs is called Trailblaze!"
Lumine: "The scale of risk isn't even on the same level."
Lumine: "It's already hard enough for me to fight an Archon right now, let alone fight an Emanator."
Paimon: "It's fine."
Paimon: "You saw it too."
Paimon: "The Express crew isn't fighting alone."
Paimon: "ONE PERSON'S STRENGTH IS LIMITED, BUT A GROUP'S STRENGTH IS INFINITE!!"
Hu Tao: "Oho, Paimon just said something so philosophical."
Hu Tao: "Looks like you've grown a lot!"
Mualani: "Mhm, mhm! I totally agree with Miss Paimon!"
Mualani: "When a group of people gathers together, miracles often happen!"
Mualani: "After watching this livestream, I believe in this idea even more!"
....
『 [ With this, our mission as Nameless is complete… right? ]
The people they needed to say goodbye to had all been bid farewell.
March 7th felt like it was time for the journey here to draw to a close.
[ The Trailblaze can point the way for people, but the fate of a world must ultimately be returned to the people who belong to it. ]
Dan Heng spoke.
[ ... ]
[ …I can't help but feel that Mr. Mikhail must have really wanted to witness this day with his own eyes. ]
March 7th looked at Mikhail, her expression suddenly turning a bit sorrowful.
[ Little March, is something on your mind? ]
Himeko noticed March 7th's melancholy.
[ It's just a strange feeling. ]
[ Even though I had it at the previous stops too, it's exceptionally clear this time. ]
March 7th, said with some hesitation.
[ Why not say it out loud? Perhaps everyone is thinking the same thing? ]
Welt encouraged her.
[ …I can't help but think that whether it's Mr. Mikhail, Mr. Tiernan, or Ms. Razalina, their lives were very long, and they must have experienced so, so many stories… ]
[ They were once young too, stumbling and messing around just like us. ]
[ Companions, rivals, journeys, adventures, all the sad and happy memories… ]
[ Every ordinary day we are used to, they experienced it too. ]
[ But those things… have all passed. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "Waaaah, March, what are you saying? Stop talking, if you say any more, I'm going to cry!"
March 7th: "Eh, the me in the video is just expressing some thoughts, why are you crying?"
Paimon: "Ugh… because what Miss March 7th said is a bit saddening."
Paimon: "If all beautiful journeys and beautiful memories must eventually disappear and become a buried past…"
Paimon: "Then… then that is truly a very regrettable thing!"
Hu Tao: "Aya, look on the bright side."
Hu Tao: "Isn't that just how a person's life is?"
Hu Tao: "Cherishing the present is better than anything else!"
Lumine: "Miss March is seeing the reflection of their own future in those old Nameless."
Lumine: "So she suddenly felt a bit sentimental."
Lumine: "It's understandable."
Lumine: "If it were me, after experiencing so much, I would feel melancholy too."
Acheron: "Seeing this, Stelle, I would like to ask you once more. On your journey so far, you have established unbreakable bonds with many people and many things."
Acheron: "Tell me, do you feel fear at the thought of losing all of this?"
Stelle: "I think… the answer to this question is obvious."
Stelle: "Bonds aren't something that can be easily cut and discarded."
Stelle: "If I weren't afraid, it would mean I didn't care about these bonds at all."
Stelle: "Therefore, saying I'm not afraid at all would definitely be a lie."
Stelle: "Just like the quiet Dan Heng, thinking about how the Express crew will eventually have a day of parting, it's hard not to feel anxious."
Black Swan: "Hmm, this is all human nature…"
Black Swan: "It is precisely because of these deep bonds that you can burst forth with the brilliant light of miracles."
Acheron: "Yes, I agree with your words."
Acheron: "No one is truly unfearful of this, because those are not things that can be discarded at will."
Stelle: "Alright, let's not let March's sentimentality fill up the livestream room."
Stelle: "Seriously, our story has only just begun. It's way too early to talk about becoming the past!"
Stelle: "If all else fails, we'll just work harder and recruit more people to become Nameless."
Stelle: "As they say, there is strength in numbers!"
Stelle: "In the past, three Nameless could save the entire world of Penacony."
Stelle: "Now, the five of us Nameless not only saved Penacony again, but also thoroughly beat down an over-the-top Emanator!"
Stelle: "By that logic, if our group of Nameless grows by another twenty or thirty people, wouldn't we be able to beat up the Aeons?"
Silver Wolf: "?"
Silver Wolf: "Stelle, you're a real genius."
Silver Wolf: "You sure know how to extrapolate."
....
『 [ Time takes everything away. Cherish the present. ]
Looking at March 7th, Stelle couldn't help but speak.
[ I know, but what makes it hard for me to let go… is the present. ]
[ Let me make an analogy so it's easier to understand: It's like when you read a book, if the characters always encounter hardships and end up with a regrettable ending, we'll always feel a bit complicated, right? ]
March 7th made an analogy for Stelle.
[ No matter what, it's hard to accept. ]
Stelle agreed with March 7th's words.
[ Because we've seen every little detail of their lives, we think of these people as special. ]
[ So even if it's not realistic, even if there are unreasonable parts, we still hope that when the ending comes, the story can conclude happily. ]
[ But… ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Aventurine: "But reality is reality."
Aventurine: "It will not pity your suffering and grant you a happy ending due to any factor."
Aventurine: "Ultimately, all living beings are equal before fate."
Stelle: "At the end of the day, it's actually because of lingering regrets."
Stelle: "Indeed, the world is full of regrettable stories."
Stelle: "We who have seen these stories will naturally develop many feelings of lingering regret."
Stelle: "Take this Penacony journey, for example. It seems to have concluded happily."
Stelle: "But in reality?"
Stelle: "It's not a truly perfect ending, but a relative one."
Stelle: "Is it because we didn't want it to be truly perfect?"
Stelle: "No, we really wanted the ending to be completely perfect, but we couldn't do it, nor did we have the ability to do so."
Stelle: "So… sometimes, we can only passively let it go and not think about it too much."
Stelle: "Otherwise, the world in our eyes would be filled with regrets everywhere."
Feixiao: "Mhm, you see things very clearly."
Feixiao: "If you ask me, as long as you strive to do your best, that is enough."
Feixiao: "After all, in this world, how can there be a truly perfect ending?"
Jiaoqiu: "There is. It exists in the Order's dream."
Feixiao: "??? Jiaoqiu, don't you think chiming in at this moment is highly inappropriate?"
Jiaoqiu: "There's nothing inappropriate about it. I'm just stating a fact, definitely not to contradict you, General! (giggle.jpg)"
....
『 [ But what if they… and us… Aren't they actually that special? ]
[ When Mr. Mikhail sat in this chair, waiting day after day for the Astral Express to arrive, what was he thinking? ]
[ If, at the end of his life, he could still firmly say that he never regretted anything… ]
[ Then right now, this regret in our hearts… what is it? ]
Looking at Mikhail, March 7th, voiced the confusion that had arisen within her during this journey.
[ I think each of us is searching for the answer to this question. ]
[ The galaxy is vast, life is minuscule, and the steps of the Trailblaze never stop. But on the scale of the universe, an ordinary person can only walk a short distance in their entire life. ]
[ Yet it is precisely such a short path, connected to one another, that can link countless worlds together. ]
[ For everyone who left a sleeper on the silver rail, the universe might not remember them, but we will. ]
[ As long as we still remember, their story is not yet over. ]
[ And what Mr. Mikhail left us is precisely the answer he gave in the face of this question. ]
[ It might not be perfect, but it allowed an old Nameless who had experienced all of life's hardships to smile with relief at the end of his life. ]
[ And its meaning will also be interpreted by us who come after. ] 』
『 ....』