Light. Star. Bed.
The ceiling slowly came into focus.
"So it still wasn't a dream"
Ena raised a hand and examined it.
"Three days as a woman now..."
She reached into her pocket and pulled something out.
"Nameless ticket..."
Her gaze lingered on the golden ticket.
Eventually, her hand lowered.
"Alright, Ede-"
She stopped.
Silence followed.
A moment later, she stood and walked to the mirror.
A woman in the mirror looked back at her.
"Right... a woman..."
Her eyes drifted to the wardrobe beside the bed.
"Alright Ena. Time to start the day"
In the Parlor Car, Ena looked down at Pom-Pom.
"Passenger Ena, do you need something?"
"Conductor, how long do Stellaron missions usually take?"
"Ahh, about that..." He nodded. "That depends, Pom"
Ena blinked.
"I mean, on average, how long does it take to seal a Stellaron"
"Ah, I see..."
Pom-Pom puffed out his chest.
"Stellarons are dangerous, so sealing them can take days... sometimes even weeks"
His little hands moved as he spoke.
"But there is no need to worry! March 7th, Welt Yang, and Dan Heng are all very capable!"
Ena considered his words quietly.
"I see..."
She nodded lightly.
"Thank you for answering me, Conductor"
"No problem, Pom!"
Pom-Pom then waddled away.
Ena watched him go before turning her attention back to the planet outside.
The planet continued its quiet rotation.
Two days passed.
Ena stood in the kitchen before a stove, watching a broth simmer.
"Hmm..."
She glanced between the recipe and the pot.
"Just add a ginger and boil for three minutes"
She added three pieces of ginger.
Soon, the kitchen was filled with a rich, savory aroma.
Ena closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Smells wonderful"
Her eyes opened and drifted down to the broth.
"This should be delicious"
She dipped in a ladle and took a sip.
Her pupils immediately widened.
"Shh. Ahh"
Her face scrunched up.
She stared at the broth and inhaled again.
The broth's aroma flooded her nose and filled her lungs completely.
The vegetables looked perfect. The broth looked perfect. Everything looked perfect.
Ena turned off the stove and left the kitchen.
The broth sat quietly in the kitchen.
A short while later, she collapsed into a chair in the Parlor Car.
"How is that even possible... Why does it taste so bad..."
Ena tapped her finger against her lap over and over.
Silence settled over the room.
Eventually, her gaze drifted toward the planet outside.
Her hand gradually fell still.
"Five days now..."
Her thoughts returned to the morning they left.
"Ena, we're going down to the planet now!"
March 7th flashed her a bright smile.
Ena nodded.
"Be careful out there..."
"Don't worry!" March 7th planted her hands on her hips.
"This is just another Stellaron mission"
She gave a thumbs-up. "You're looking at a pro!"
Ena looked at March 7th's thumbs-up for a moment before shifting her attention to Welt Yang.
Noticing her gaze, Welt Yang looked at the cane in his hand.
Then he looked back at Ena.
"Don't worry, Miss Ena. We've handled situations like this many times before"
"Exactly!" March 7th spread her arms wide.
"This is basically a monthly raid for us!"
Then she immediately pointed at Dan Heng.
"And we've got our resident matcha dragon!"
Dan Heng sighed.
"March. Stop calling me that..."
March 7th grinned.
"What?"
She puffed out her cheeks and held her fists beside her face.
"Does little dwagon not like his nickname?"
Dan Heng gave her a long look before rubbing his forehead.
March 7th immediately snickered.
Dan Heng rolled his eyes.
Ena quietly watched the two of them.
Their voices gradually faded from her mind.
A comet came into focus beyond the glass, gliding quietly through the darkness of space.
Ena watched it pass.
"The Astral Express has successfully sealed many Stellarons"
Himeko sat beside her.
Together, they watched the planet.
"How are things going down there?" Ena asked quietly.
Himeko checked her phone.
"I still haven't received any messages..."
She looked back at Ena and smiled calmly.
"Don't worry. If anything unexpected happens, Mr. Welt can bring them back safely"
Ena's fingers curled slightly in her lap.
"I see..."
No one spoke.
Himeko leaned back in her chair.
"The broth has too much ginger"
Ena immediately froze.
"Ehm... I'll use less next time..." She scratched her cheek lightly.
Himeko chuckled softly before standing.
She offered her hand.
"How about I show you what the correct amount of ginger looks like?"
Ena stared at it for a moment before taking it.
"Fine, let's see this legendary correct amount of ginger"
Both of them laughed as they headed for the kitchen.
Outside, the planet rotated silently in space.
snap
Ena stirred a pot of broth quietly.
snap
Himeko pointed at a vegetable while Ena scribbled notes beside her.
snap
Himeko took a sip of broth from the pot.
Thump
Back in her bedroom, Ena closed the album resting on her lap.
She set it beside her on the bed.
Then she drew in a slow breath.
A gentle floral fragrance lingered in the air, fresh like the beginning of a morning.
A delicate hand rose into her view.
"...A week and five days... as a woman"
She kneaded the mattress absentmindedly.
Firm, yet soft.
Her eyes wandered around the room.
The room was painted white. Golden stars dotted the walls, and a blue planet occupied the center of the ceiling.
Ena walked to the wardrobe beside the bed and changed her clothes.
The outfit was predominantly white. Stars decorated the back, while a blue planet sat near her right shoulder on the front. A white skirt fell to her knees.
She stopped before a mirror.
'Soft. Cute. Delicate...'
The familiar face looked back at her.
She took a breath and quietly stepped out of the bedroom.
"Alright Ena. Time to start the day!"
In the kitchen, Ena added three slices of ginger to a pot of broth.
A rich, savory aroma gradually spread through the room.
After a brief moment of consideration, she dipped a ladle into the broth and took a sip.
Her eyes closed.
"...Perfect..."
A wide grin spread across her face.
The ladle lowered.
She opened her eyes and made her way toward the window.
The planet hung beyond the glass.
"A week since the ginger incident..."
Her hand came to rest against the glass.
"Now I can finally make this broth delicious consistently..."
Silence settled over the kitchen, broken only by the rich aroma of the broth.
"This broth is delicious! And it has so many buffs!"
Ena froze.
"This has to be a rare consumable!"
A sweet voice echoed behind her.
A second later, a long sigh followed.
Slowly, Ena turned toward the voices.
"Yo, Ena~ Look who's back~"
March 7th greeted her with a peace sign. Beside her, Dan Heng stood with his arms crossed.
Ena blinked.
"Uhm... when and how did you get back to the train?"
March 7th immediately wagged a finger.
"Chi chi chi. The stealth skills of a veteran trailblazer should never be underestimated"
She nudged Dan Heng with her elbow.
"Right, Matcha Dragon?"
"March..." Dan Heng said flatly.
March 7th glared at him.
Dan Heng caught it and smirked faintly.
Then he looked back at Ena.
"We only arrived recently. And Miss Himeko asked us to be... a little stealthy"
March 7th shot him one final look before rolling her eyes and grabbing the pot.
"This rare consumable deserves a proper feast!"
She marched out of the kitchen with the pot. Dan Heng followed behind her.
Ena's hand rose slightly.
"Everybody is waiting for you in the Parlor Car, Miss Ena"
Dan Heng looked back at her over his shoulder.
Ena's hand slowly lowered.
"...I..."
Dan Heng smiled reassuringly.
Ena remained silent.
From outside the kitchen, March 7th shouted.
"Come on, Ena! We're waiting!"
Ena stood there for a moment.
Then she smiled and stepped forward.
In the Parlor Car, March 7th was pointing finger guns into the air.
"Then BAM! My arrow hit the monster like a boulder hitting a crab!"
She blew on her finger.
"Then I said..."
Her face turned solemn.
"Son, ain't no monster surviving on my watch"
She made an L with her hand, tucked it under her chin, and smirked.
"Then everybody went wild and started cheering with admiration at me!"
She flicked her hair.
"I'm just that cool"
Everyone in the Parlor Car applauded enthusiastically.
Ena clapped with a soft smile.
Suddenly, March 7th pointed at Dan Heng.
"Matcha Dragon! Your turn!"
Dan Heng nodded and rose from his seat.
"When we crossed the desert, March tripped over her own sho-"
"AHH! WAIT!"
March 7th immediately shoved a vegetable into his mouth.
Dan Heng calmly ate it.
March 7th glared at him.
"I see..."
Dan Heng nodded.
"March was also terrified when a monster suddenly appeared in front of-"
"Ahh!"
March 7th clamped her hands over her ears.
"I can't hear you! Nuh uh! No sound!"
Dan Heng smirked and sat down.
"Tch"
March 7th shot him a look before returning to her seat.
Pom-Pom nodded gravely.
"Good Story, Pom!"
Welt Yang adjusted his glasses.
"I have several stories involving March and desert"
Himeko smiled over her coffee.
"And I know a few involving monsters"
March 7th looked around the room in disbelief.
"All of you! Stop teasing me!"
She puffed out her cheeks and looked away.
Soft laughter spread through the Parlor Car.
Ena quietly watched them.
"Alright! How about I tell everyone an embarrassing story about Dan Heng!"
March 7th continued talking.
Her voice gradually faded into the background.
click
Back in her bedroom, Ena leaned against the closed door.
Her eyes settled on the planet painted on the ceiling.
Its reflection lingered in her gaze.
For a long moment, she simply stood there.
Then she crossed the room and stopped before the mirror.
A familiar face greeted her.
Her hand slipped into her pocket.
The Nameless ticket rested on her palm.
"System... can I start the simulation..."
(You may begin at any time, Host)
Ena stared at the ticket.
"...Start now..."
(Random simulation event drawing in progress. Simulation event 'Taste of a Hundred Herbs' has been selected. Drawing initial skills for you)
The ticket's reflection lingered in her eyes.
For a brief moment, her thoughts felt slightly more aligned.
TBC
...
...
...
Hey Hey Reader, Nilvan here.
The promised Chapter 3 has arrived!
Special thanks to Vito_Anggara_RK for helping make this chapter possible.
He was one of the early readers who told me what a shit fest the original Chapter 1 was before the rewrite.
Vito, if you're reading this, I hope you're doing well.
That's all for now. Have a good night.
(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡