Mr. Yang hadn't expected to be hit with such unsettling news the moment he got back.
Himeko, it turned out, was nothing if not decisive. The first thing she did upon returning was inform everyone that she had invited Noldrei to join them.
March 7th didn't feel strongly one way or the other. In her eyes, Noldrei was simply the person who had stepped in and resolved the Xianzhou's crisis.
But for Dan Heng and Mr. Yang, it was a different story entirely. To them, he was an incredibly dangerous and unpredictable individual.
Aside from mentioning the two benefits Noldrei offered, Stelle had made a point of asking him if he could abide by the rules of the Astral Express.
Noldrei's response had been straightforward. After a brief rundown of the train's rules, he stated that he could accept them.
The rules of the Astral Express were already quite lenient—not even as strict as the ones Noldrei had set for the Emperor of Earth.
Himeko explained to the group, "Besides offering us some perks, he agreed to follow the rules of the Astral Express. I think he's a pretty reasonable person, and he doesn't seem like the type to cause trouble on purpose."
"The people of the Xianzhou didn't even arrest him, so I don't think he can be a bad person."
'Is this really a question of whether they arrested him or not? Isn't it just that they couldn't find any conclusive evidence?'
Dan Heng thought Himeko was being far too simplistic. A being who could make even General Jing Yuan that tense—to the point where he was willing to offer gifts just to see him off…
Honestly, Dan Heng couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this hesitant.
Not even when he transformed into the High Elder had he been this uncertain.
Mr. Yang's expression shifted several times. He had already given up on the idea of inviting Noldrei aboard. He never imagined Stelle would act first and report later, much less that Noldrei would actually agree.
Didn't that make his initial hesitation seem completely pointless?
"Since you've already invited him, and he's willing to abide by the train's rules… I'm still a little uneasy."
Mr. Yang was deeply wary of Kevin. Noldrei, this enhanced version of Kevin who had triumphed over the Honkai, was bound to be an even more formidable version.
'He has Kevin's face, and he's clearly a Kevin who's specced into intelligence. He's a powerhouse capable of even bringing Elysia back.'
I mean, even the Xianzhou couldn't get any dirt on the guy.
Given the situation on the train, with its rules full of loopholes, who knew what kind of tricks he could pull?
Dan Heng and Mr. Yang exchanged a look. For a moment, neither was sure how to handle this mess.
Stelle looked at the only two men on the train, unable to guess what they were truly thinking.
Truthfully, her decision was mainly based on her trust in Kafka, who, to be fair, had never really lied to her.
March 7th thought for a moment and said, "If he said all that, can we trust him? I still feel a little… unsure. It's not that I'm worried he'll do something bad, it's more… um, how are we supposed to handle our relationship with him? And doesn't he have two companions?"
At the mention of his companions, Stelle seemed to remember something. "He told me that his two companions will be staying on the Xianzhou for now to help Fu Xuan with the aftermath at the Alchemy Commission. He said he'll come back to pick them up once they find a trail of the Stellaron Hunters or locate his own train."
"He also thought that having his companions stay behind on the Xianzhou might make us feel more at ease."
March 7th stared blankly for a second before saying in disbelief, "That makes it even less reassuring! Isn't that like leaving his own companions behind as hostages for the Xianzhou?"
When Mr. Yang had spoken with Noldrei, he hadn't known that Elysia would be staying on the Xianzhou.
Hearing Stelle's words, however, he felt a wave of relief. It was obvious that Elysia trusted Noldrei completely and didn't see herself as a hostage at all. This meant she had complete faith in Noldrei's arrangements.
"Well, that's a huge relief. I can accept him joining us."
A weight seemed to lift from Mr. Yang's shoulders. If he had known Noldrei was going to arrange things this way, he wouldn't have had to hesitate at all.
"Huh? Why the sudden change of heart?" March 7th was astonished by Mr. Yang's abrupt turnaround.
Dan Heng hadn't expected Mr. Yang to change his mind either.
After a moment's thought, he chimed in, "If that's what Mr. Yang thinks, then I can also accept him joining us. We really are short on capable and intelligent people on the train. Trying to look after March and Stelle, I can't quite manage to herd the two of them on my own. With one more person, we might actually have more flexibility in our operations."
Seeing Stelle's resolve, Dan Heng decided not to press his own concerns any further.
When Stelle saw their change in attitude, a bright smile instantly lit up her face.
March 7th, however, still felt a bit uneasy. She thought that abandoning one's companions couldn't possibly be a good thing.
Seeing March still fixated on this point, Mr. Yang explained, "You're missing the point, March. Elysia has immense trust in Noldrei. And since he's allowing Elysia to stay on the Xianzhou, it means he is absolutely certain to return. By making such a choice, he's signaling that he will need the power of our Express. You actually have less to worry about now; he has no reason to act against the train."
March 7th really hadn't thought of it that way. After hearing Mr. Yang's explanation, she finally understood that this wasn't about abandoning companions at all.
To think that a personnel arrangement could be used to build trust. It was clear that Noldrei had complete faith in his people and a sharp understanding of Mr. Yang.
March 7th asked, still puzzled, "Miss Elysia is so nice, why leave her on the Xianzhou? I'd much rather have her join us on the train."
Mr. Yang clarified, "You've got the cause and effect mixed up, March. If Elysia were alone, she'd surely choose to come with us. But she would never abandon Noldrei and Mobius. This just goes to show how important a companion Noldrei is to her. That's why she's willing to carry out his request."
March 7th gasped. "Don't tell me Miss Elysia is being PUA'd by that Noldrei guy? I'm getting some serious 'scumbag' vibes from him…"
[T/N: PUA, or "Pick-Up Artist," is internet slang often used more broadly to refer to emotional manipulation.]
Mr. Yang couldn't explain too much. In truth, many leaders had a hint of that "scumbag" quality when dealing with subordinates or partners—using them and then casting them aside.
'Little March is still too innocent to understand the dark ways of adults.'
Stelle's take was much simpler. She declared that she had already seen through the whole secret.
"March, you just don't get it, do you? If you ask me, Noldrei isn't doing this for himself. He's doing it to handle that Master Diviner on the Xianzhou."
"Think about it! By leaving two important companions behind, he's sending a message to the Master Diviner that he will definitely be back. He's not being a scumbag now, he's being a scumbag for the future!"
March 7th was utterly stunned, never imagining that such a profound calculation was at play.
Mr. Yang and Dan Heng exchanged a look. They both had a strong feeling that March and Stelle had completely misunderstood something.