Chapter 56: Fortunately, I Was One Step Ahead
Following March 7th's loud urging, Leon reached over and mercifully killed the power to the blaring station speakers.
"That's more like it!" March 7th nodded in absolute satisfaction, crossing her arms.
Nestled snugly against her chest, the frosty little Cat Cake known as Ice Pop let out a soft, agreeable "Awu," as if seconding her opinion.
"Let's board the train, everyone." Himeko offered a graceful smile. Her elegant fingertips lightly stroked the back of the Cat Cake resting in her arms. The creature sported a sophisticated color scheme that perfectly matched the navigator's attire, and it constantly emitted the rich, comforting aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans. The little fellow blinked its round eyes, curiously sizing up the sprawling metallic architecture of the space station.
"Let's go, let's go!" March 7th skipped forward, grabbing Stelle by the wrist and forcibly interrupting the intense, hushed argument currently taking place between the female Trailblazer and Caelus.
"The two Cat Cakes sitting on your heads look exactly the same! I seriously don't know how you two can even tell them apart," March 7th complained, her exasperation clear.
Perched atop Stelle and Caelus's heads were two identical Trash Cakes. The creatures resembled miniature, squishy garbage cans. They stared blankly at each other across the short distance, their little tails wagging gently in perfect, hypnotic synchronization.
There truly did not seem to be a single microscopic difference between them.
Interrupted by the pink-haired archer, Stelle and Caelus finally stopped their bickering.
"No, they are fundamentally different. Can't you see?" Stelle argued her point, pointing a finger upward. "My Trash Cake's hair is at least two millimeters longer. It has a more refined aura."
"Yeah, right," Caelus countered, nodding firmly. "My Trash Cake's hair is shorter, which makes it more aerodynamic. Plus, its body is clearly stronger. Look at that muscular squish."
"Ha. I can't see it at all." March 7th stared at them, her mouth slightly agape, completely devoid of words. Such a tiny, imaginary difference was literally impossible for the human eye to perceive!
"That's just because your eyesight is bad," Stelle said, giving March 7th a look of deep pity.
Beside her, Caelus crossed his arms and mirrored the exact same pitying expression. "Truly, your eyesight is terrible."
March 7th rolled her eyes so hard they nearly stuck to the ceiling, finally giving up and turning her boots toward the Astral Express.
A few paces away, Welt Yang pushed up his glasses with a practiced motion. Tucked securely in the crook of his arm was a Cat Cake boasting a steady, mature color scheme and wearing a pair of miniature spectacles. Mimicking the seasoned Trailblazer, the little creature raised a tiny paw and pushed up its own frame.
Whoever designed that little thing was an absolute genius. It was undeniably cute.
Dan Heng did not speak. He simply adjusted his grip, shifting the blue-gray Cat Cake in his arms so it could lie more comfortably against his chest. Sensing the gentle adjustment, the little fellow seemed to relax its guard entirely, affectionately nudging Dan Heng's chin with its soft head.
Standing on the platform, Asta held her own pink-colored Cat Cake, its surface shimmering like a dreamy, starlit nebula. She waved vigorously, a bright smile on her face. "Goodbye, everyone! Come visit the station often!"
"Farewell, everyone," the Herta Puppet chimed in. She held her own 'Little Herta' Cat Cake, her tone remaining as flat and mechanical as ever. "Goodbye. Also, remember to come back for Simulated Universe testing when you have free time."
"Will do," Leon replied casually.
Walking at the very end of the line, Leon paused just as the train doors prepared to slide shut. He turned his head and tossed a playful, knowing wink toward Ruan Mei.
Ruan Mei offered a slight, elegant nod in return. The corners of her lips curled upward into an almost imperceptible, yet genuinely warm arc. The fluffy little companion resting in her palm let out a soft purr, submissively nuzzling her slender finger.
With a heavy hiss of pressurized air, the Astral Express slowly started its engines, pulling away from the Herta Space Station's main platform.
"What about you? Do you want to rest at the Space Station for a couple of days before leaving?" The Herta Puppet tilted her head, looking up at Ruan Mei.
"No need. I have already obtained exactly what I wanted. It is time for me to go back." Ruan Mei shook her head, her faint smile lingering.
"Alright then. See you next time."
Inside the Parlor Car, the atmosphere was lively. The entire crew gathered by the large viewing windows, waving goodbye to the figures of the Herta Puppet, Ruan Mei, Asta, and Arlan shrinking in the distance.
Stelle and Caelus pressed their faces flat against the reinforced glass, each still balancing a Trash Cake on their head. They waved their arms with aggressive enthusiasm toward the receding platform. Sensing the melancholic mood of parting, the two little trash-themed fellows let out soft, clear "Awu" sounds, their tails drooping slightly.
As the train continued to accelerate into the cosmos, Herta Space Station soon vanished from sight, swallowed by the vast sea of stars.
"Dear passengers, what exactly are these things on you...?"
The moment Pom-Pom waddled into the Parlor Car to welcome everyone back, the Conductor's large, expressive eyes locked onto the squishy creatures occupying everyone's arms and heads.
"These are Cat Cakes! Does the Conductor want one too?"
Before March 7th or anyone else could explain, Leon stepped forward, a teasing grin already plastered across his face. He did not even wait for an answer. With a casual snap of his fingers, a faint shimmer of energy materialized in the air. Instantly, a brand-new Cat Cake dropped into existence right in front of Pom-Pom. It possessed long, floppy ears and a color scheme perfectly identical to the Conductor's uniform.
Far away, a sudden thought crossed Ruan Mei's mind: 'Wait, did he even need my biological research to make these?'Leon's internal amusement flared:'Wasn't that just to give you a sense of participation?'
The rest of the crew, particularly Himeko and Welt, simply watched with mild amusement. They were already entirely used to Leon pulling off reality-bending feats for the sake of a joke.
"Hey, hey! Don't just take it upon yourself to decide things! I didn't say I wanted a—pom!"
Pom-Pom protested loudly, waving their stubby arms, but their large eyes were already completely glued to the adorable, floppy-eared Cat Cake.
"Awu-pom~"
The newborn Cat Cake looked up, putting on an incredibly pitiful expression. Its large, round eyes sparkled with expectant tears as it stared directly into Pom-Pom's soul.
"Sigh... I really can't do anything with you-pom. Since it has already been made, I suppose I will reluctantly accept it-pom."
Trying to maintain an air of strict authority, Pom-Pom carefully reached out and, following Stelle and Caelus's example, placed the Cat Cake directly on top of their head. The little fellow immediately let out a joyous "Awu-pom~" and wiggled around until it found the most comfortable spot to squat between the Conductor's ears.
"Hey, hey, what's going on here?!"
A sudden cry of panic broke the wholesome moment. On the other side of the car, March 7th was holding her Ice Pop, looking entirely at a loss.
Just moments prior, she had set Ice Pop down to play with the two Trash Cakes. Who could have predicted that right in the middle of their game, Ice Pop would suddenly let out a sharp "Awu" and blast a wave of absolute zero energy, instantly freezing both Trash Cakes into solid blocks of sparkling ice!
"No! My Trash Cake! What happened to you?! Stay with me! Nooooo!" Stelle dropped to her knees, clutching her head. Her face contorted into a mask of pure agony, acting as if the sky had just shattered.
"Quick, save it! We need emergency rescue! CPR!" Caelus dropped down right next to her, clutching his own head with an identical expression of utter devastation.
"What are you two panicking for? The Trash Cakes are perfectly fine. They will thaw out automatically in a few seconds." Leon rubbed his temples, explaining the situation with a helpless sigh.
Sure enough, a mere five seconds later, the thick ice encasing the two Trash Cakes rapidly melted away into harmless vapor. The two squishy creatures shook themselves off and immediately began hopping around, happily "awu-ing" as if nothing had happened.
"That's great! Trash Cake, you survived!" Stelle and Caelus wiped imaginary tears from their eyes, pulling their respective garbage-cats into tight, emotional embraces.
"This is...?" March 7th blinked, looking down at the frosty creature in her hands.
"That is Ice Pop's innate ability. It can release concentrated cold air to freeze surrounding objects," Leon explained, leaning against a nearby plush chair. "Actually, every single breed of Cat Cake possesses a unique ability. You guys can try them out."
"Is that so?" Himeko murmured thoughtfully. She gracefully lowered her freshly brewed cup of dark, ominous coffee down to her elegant Cat Cake.
"Awu~" Himeko's Cat Cake leaned forward curiously. It stuck out a tiny pink tongue and took a small, experimental sip. Instantly, its eyes sparkled like supernovas, letting out a happy trill to indicate that the bitter sludge was absolutely delicious.
"Wait, so Himeko's Cat Cake is particularly good at drinking coffee?" March 7th asked, tilting her head.
The very second the words left her mouth, she watched in mounting horror as Himeko's Cat Cake hopped over to the espresso machine. Mimicking Himeko's exact, elegant movements, the little creature began operating the dials, grinding the beans, and brewing a fresh pot all by itself.
"Wait! Himeko's Cat Cake can actually brew coffee?! Please don't tell me it tastes exactly like Himeko's!" March 7th shrieked, taking a massive step backward.
"Awu..."
The elegant Cat Cake carefully carried a freshly poured, steaming cup of dark liquid over to March 7th, offering it with both paws.
"Ah, that... I'm fine, really! Thank you, but I just drank water!" March 7th waved her hands frantically, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Awu..." The Cat Cake's ears drooped. Its large eyes immediately welled up with massive, trembling tears.
"Alright, alright! Don't cry, I'll try it..." Seeing the little fellow look so deeply aggrieved, March 7th's heart melted. She simply could not bear to refuse it.
But she wasn't going down alone.
"Stelle! Caelus! Dan Heng! Leon! Uncle Yang! Everyone, come try it!" March 7th shouted, desperately trying to pull the entire crew into the blast radius to share the risk.
"Let me have a taste first."
Himeko smiled warmly. She stepped forward, gently taking the cup from her Cat Cake's paws, and took a slow, elegant sip.
"Hmm... it is very good." She closed her eyes, savoring the complex notes, a look of genuine satisfaction blooming on her face. "The boiling water perfectly brought out the deep aroma of the coffee beans. It is rich, heavy, and smooth. I like it very much."
"Awu~" Himeko's Cat Cake swayed its squishy body from side to side in pure joy.
"Re-really? It's actually good?"
Seeing Himeko's completely normal reaction, the crew let their guard down. Trusting their navigator, they each accepted a freshly brewed cup from the eager little Cat Cake.
"Cheers!"
To celebrate their successful return and their new companions, the Astral Express Crew members raised their cups, holding a small, cheerful clinking ceremony in the center of the Parlor Car.
They all took a sip simultaneously.
Immediately following—
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
A rapid succession of heavy, muffled impacts echoed through the Parlor Car as bodies hit the carpeted floor.
March 7th, Dan Heng, Welt, Stelle, and Caelus collapsed one by one, dropping like flies. The cups slipped from their limp fingers. Everyone's pupils lost all focus, their souls visibly leaving their bodies as their consciousness drifted into the dark abyss.
Standing safely on the other side of the room, holding a simple glass of water, Leon looked down at the pile of unconscious Trailblazers.
He took a slow, refreshing sip.
'Fortunately, I was one step ahead.'
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