Chapter 101: Stellaron (Looking at Jingliu): Blind sister, is this the Seat of Divine Foresight?
"Your expression is a bit strange, Welt."
"...It's nothing," Welt lowered his hand, his grip tightening ever so slightly on the smooth, dark wood of his cane. "I just suddenly feel that some people are in dire need of a proper education."
A flicker of something unreadable crossed his features. It was the distinct feeling of a parent discovering their kids had thrown a universe-shaking party and hadn't even thought to invite him.
From somewhere on the Express, Delta inexplicably shivered, a phantom echo of Rekka's wails ringing in her ears—the kind of cartoonish shriek one might hear before being thoroughly disciplined by a very disappointed elder.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the Xianzhou Luofu, General Jing Yuan was struggling to process the report he had just received from Welt. The information was, to put it mildly, difficult to digest.
'What do you mean, a new youth has joined the Path of Trailblaze?'he thought, massaging his temples.'What do you mean, those two planet-killer war machines parked outside my jurisdiction belong to a passenger on your train?''And what in the name of the Abundance do you mean that the recent Swarm disaster was actually a pet raised by your crew and wouldn't harm anyone?'
What on earth was this man talking about? Just what kind of Trailblaze Path had these people specialized in to be this outrageously ferocious?
"Yes, his name is Rekka," Welt explained, maintaining a calm facade. "He's a... well, a very energetic young man. To be precise, those are defensive robots he manufactured. He tends to lack a sense of security and enjoys making little things for self-defense."
Lacks a sense of security? Jing Yuan stared blankly. What kind of insecurity was this? The kind that could only be soothed by possessing the firepower to obliterate every enemy in the known galaxy?
"Where is he now?" the general asked, deciding to move on before his logic circuits fried.
"He should be on his way here." Welt cleared his throat. Regardless of the chaotic process, the final result was undeniably positive. Jing Yuan was sharp enough to recognize that, objectively speaking, the Luofu had come out of this crisis with a significant net gain.
"In that case, I would like to formally invite them to the Seat of Divine Foresight for a discussion," Jing Yuan said, his tone regaining its usual composure. "They have rendered the Xianzhou a great service. I must thank them in person."
Welt breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "I will pass the message along."
"Rekka, do you have any idea what you did wrong?"
"I'm sorry, Uncle Yang."
"If 'sorry' was enough, what would we need the Cloud Knights for?" Welt glared, his stern expression slightly undermined by a lingering trace of FOMO. "If you have this much fun next time and don't call me, I'll use my Star of Eden to show you what true—"
"Welt," Himeko interjected smoothly, a placid smile on her face. "I believe we should be discussing more practical matters."
Welt coughed, awkwardly looking away. "Ah, um... ahem. In any case, next time you have to let me pilot Alahato for a spin."
Himeko's smile didn't waver. 'No, that wasn't quite the 'practical matter' I had in mind...'
"Uncle Yang's bottom line is surprisingly easy to find..." March 7th whispered under her breath.
"Nothing, nothing!" she yelped, waving her hands frantically as Welt's gaze shifted to her. "I was just saying how magnanimous you are, Uncle Yang! Truly a model elder for us all!"
Welt huffed, turning his attention back to Rekka. "I've already spoken with the General of the Luofu. He's aware of what you've done. While the process was... convoluted, the outcome was good. He has invited you to the Seat of Divine Foresight to thank you personally."
"See?" Rekka grinned at the others. "We had a blast, and they still have to thank us for it."
Stelle, who had been quietly observing, glanced at Silver Wolf. "...Quite the performance."
"Maybe we should ask them for some money," Rekka mused aloud. "We'll just ask for one Credit. Or one Strale. After all, we Trailblazers don't act for rewards, and there's no need to be petty about past misunderstandings. It's just about getting an acknowledgment."
Himeko considered this with surprising seriousness. "That request... is actually quite reasonable."
She elaborated, "Considering you were all wanted as terrorists suspected of carrying anti-matter bombs, yet you proceeded to resolve a major crisis for the Xianzhou while still on their wanted list... yes, making a point is a good idea."
Trailblazers didn't care for fame or fortune, nor did they dwell on the messy aftermath of their interventions. It was about the principle.
The former Navigator of the Astral Express, a man named Granholm—the 'Light-Chasing Youth'—had piloted the train to bring hope to one isolated world after another. He had made the name 'Trailblazer' synonymous with galactic heroism through his selfless and generous spirit. The Express enjoyed its sterling reputation because of him.
The predecessors plant the trees so their descendants may enjoy the shade. It was the duty of those descendants not to chop down the very trees that gave them shelter. Building a reputation could take generations of effort; destroying it could take but a single selfish moment.
"Classy," Stelle gave a thumbs-up, her expression deadpan.
"Stylish," March 7th agreed with a nod.
"So, Uncle Yang, if I go see the General, what do I need to do?" Rekka asked.
Welt sighed. "Just try to restrain yourself. I'm afraid if the General tells you to make yourself at home, you'll sit right on his head."
"Am I that clueless? Uncle Yang, you misunderstand me so deeply."
"Remember, think before you speak," Welt instructed, his tone softening. "If you really don't know what to say, just nod, smile, and stay quiet."
"Got it, Uncle Yang." Rekka nodded, his eyes clear and his expression so utterly sincere that one couldn't possibly find fault with it.
"As long as you understand," Welt said, nodding with satisfaction. Although the kid was usually a whirlwind of chaos, he never faltered when it came to major principles. That brief speech about the Trailblazers' reputation was proof enough that he possessed a solid moral compass.
But Welt had likely forgotten that for someone like Rekka, the words "I understand" were a taboo phrase—a signal that he was about to take the core instruction and extrapolate it into something wildly, wickedly creative.
"I haven't seen what the Xianzhou General looks like yet," Stelle scratched her head. "Is he one of those old generals with snow-white hair?"
"Uh..." Welt paused, recalling Jing Yuan. "I suppose that's not wrong?"
White hair, old, a general... yes, all the keywords checked out.
The trio of Rekka, March 7th, and Stelle made their way toward the Seat of Divine Foresight. Silver Wolf had slipped away earlier, claiming she "didn't want to be targeted by the Xianzhou, it would be a hassle." In reality, everyone knew she just found such formal occasions mind-numbingly boring.
"The location should be right around here," Rekka announced.
"This can't be right," March 7th said, looking around skeptically. "Is this really where the General is?"
"It's right, it's right, it should be... no problem!" Stelle declared with unshakeable confidence, while Rekka hesitated, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Spotting a lone figure by the roadside, Stelle strode forward. The woman stood perfectly still, exuding a evident chill, a simple blindfold covering her eyes.
"Excuse me, sister, is this the Seat of Divine Foresight?" Stelle asked politely.
The woman seemed to ponder the question for a moment. "I'm not sure."
"Ah... Sorry about that," Stelle replied, her brow furrowed with concern. "Blind sister, do you need me to help you cross the street?"
For a split second, Rekka couldn't tell if Stelle was a comedic genius or just purely, wonderfully abstract.
"Stelle, come back!" he called out, pulling her back. His eyes, however, remained fixed on the blindfolded woman.
The woman remained silent, merely turning her head in their direction. The atmosphere grew suddenly tense. Even she seemed to be bracing for a confrontation.
Then, Rekka sighed dramatically, a sound filled with deep disappointment in the state of the world. "As a blind person with mobility issues, how can you not even have a white cane? And there isn't even anyone here to help you. The world is truly going to the dogs, and people's hearts aren't what they used to be..."
As he spoke, he unclipped a multi-functional, heavily modified walking cane from his belt—one he had originally prepared for Welt—and held it out with a flourish.
Jingliu was speechless.
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