AN: IT'S WEDNESDAY!!! IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AGAIN!!! YAY!!
Hello everyone it's me the author of this book back for this week chapter update!!
This chapter is the epilogue for Volume 2.... finally reach this mile stone.
Just to tell you there will 2 more chapters before Volume 3, so it will be only next Wednesday the official start of Volume 3.
But before that I humbly ask all of you readers to please leave a comment and review about how is this book is going so far.
You can please leave a rating as well!!
I would like to read and know what you think about the story and world I have build.
with that all out, please enjoy reading this chapter! Probably one of the longest I ever write.
PS. Thank you to Joldered, SparkleEyeMole and Kosekiro for the power stones!
==== Chapter Start ====
The morning after the party, Yuragi-sou felt different. The atmosphere felt still, like the kind that comes at the end of something cherished, when meetings turn into farewells. In Hajime, Alice, and Anisphia's room, most of their belongings were already packed. Only a few minor things remained, tokens they chose to leave behind. They knew departure was close, yet none of them moved in a hurry.
Alice carefully folded the futons, she picked up the small trinket she got during their first nights at the inn. Anisphia checked through the drawers, her movements look mechanical, her thoughts elsewhere. Hajime stands near the sliding door, eyes moving around the room as memories of their stay surfaced.
"This feels strange," Anisphia finally said, her voice low. "Why does leaving here feel harder than when I left my world behind?"
Alice let out a soft sigh. "Even though it's only been two months, this place has already become part of us."
"Yeah," Hajime agreed, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It wasn't just the place… but also the people."
Then, a soft knock came at the door.
Chitose peeked in with a warm, familiar smile. "Everything alright? Need a hand with anything?"
Alice turned and gave a small bow. "Thank you, Chitose-san. We're just about done here."
Chitose didn't press, her eyes gentle. "Everyone's already gathered outside. Just thought you should know."
Anisphia met her gaze, then nodded with a small smile. "We'll be right there."
The moment felt muffled after she spoke, though the three are still together. Sighing Hajime picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, glancing around the room one last time before turning to Alice and Anisphia with a wistful smile.
"Let's go."
Alice gave a small nod. "Right."
Anisphia chuckled softly. "If we wait any longer, they'll think we got lost."
With that, Chitose led them through the hallways of Yuragi-sou like she had when they first arrived. The path felt longer than usual, almost as if the building itself knew they were leaving. When they stepped out into the open courtyard, the morning light bathed it warmly. At the center, the Space Anchor shone.
Around the courtyard, everyone had gathered. The tenants, Yuuna, Sagiri, Nonko, and Yaya, standing alongside the guests from last night's party at the Express. They didn't cheer, they didn't cry. Instead, one by one, they stepped forward to share something simple, personal, and sincere.
Yuuna hugged each of them, her eyes teared up as she whispered farewell. "Hajime-san, everyone… thank you again for giving me the chance to live a normal life once more."
Hajime smiled gently, patting her head. "As long as you live happily, that's the best 'thank you' we could ever receive."
Blushing, Yuuna tiptoed up to press a quick kiss against his cheek, leaving Hajime frozen, Alice and Anisphia wide-eyed. With a squeak she hid behind Nonko, face completely red.
Nonko chuckled, clearly entertained, before handing Anisphia a small bottle. "For your next campfire. And don't forget to tell wild stories about us."
Anisphia blinked, then grinned as she tucked it away. "Count on it. I'll make sure they think you were twice as rowdy."
Yaya quietly slipped into Alice's arms, giving her a soft hug before placing a handmade charm into her hand. "For protection. Just in case."
Alice's smile warmed as she curled her fingers around it. "Thank you, Yaya. I'll treasure it."
Chitose, standing to the side, offered nothing but a warm smile.
Anisphia, Alice, and Hajime stepped toward her, bowing their heads. "You've been the heart of this place. Thank you, Chitose-san."
Chitose only nodded, her voice calm but filled with warmth. "Take care of each other. And see you soon. Don't make me wait too long."
Anisphia smiled. "We'll make sure of it."
The others—Serafall, Azazel, and even Michael—stepped forward in turn to give their farewells on behalf of the leaders of the Three Factions.
Serafall pulled Alice into a tight hug, waving with her free hand. "You better visit again! I want all the juicy updates on your next cosmic romantic drama!"
Anisphia laughed, patting her on the back. "I'll be sure to bring enough drama for you to enjoy, Serafall-san."
Azazel patted Hajime on the back with a grin. "Don't blow up anything unless it's worth the trouble. And if you do, send me the data."
Hajime smirked. "Only if you promise to actually improve on it, old man."
Michael offered a small smile and bowed his head respectfully. "May your path be bright, and your choices remain true. Don't worry about this world, we'll hold the line here."
Alice bowed politely in return. "We're counting on you. Thank you for everything, Michael-san."
Rias and her peerage approached next.
Rias stepped forward first, smiling at Hajime. "Thank you for everything you've done. For the world, and for the people in it. We won't forget it."
Akeno bowed with her usual grace, though her voice carried a teasing warmth. "May your path stay as strong as your resolve. Just… don't be too reckless."
Kiba gave a calm nod. "You're the kind of strength people can actually believe in. That matters."
Xenovia and Koneko waved cheerfully, with Koneko adding under her breath, "Don't eat all the snacks without us." Asia then stepped forward and gently hugged Alice, whispering soft words of parting prayers.
Vali crossed his arms, standing beside Kuroka, Bikou, Le Fay, and Arthur. "You're still a pain to keep up with," Vali muttered.
Hajime raised an eyebrow. "Says the guy who picked a fight last night."
Vali smirked faintly. "Exactly. Worth it."
Kuroka flicked her tail lazily. "Nyaa~ Don't forget, next time we'll make it a real party."
Bikou laughed. "Yeah, and maybe we'll actually win a round."
Le Fay gave a shy wave. "Please take care until we meet again." Arthur simply adjusted his glasses, murmuring, "Until next time."
Griselda, Irina, Vasco and Dulio stepped forward next.
"Thank you for letting us witness something new. It gave us a new perspective," Griselda said, and the others nodded in agreement.
Then came the Slash/Dog Team. Tobio clasped Hajime's hand firmly. "Although we've joined the Trailblazers, we still have duties here. Until we finish them, we'll have to remain."
"We'll all be waiting," Hajime replied with a nod.
Natsume winked, Shigune and Sae offered warm smiles, while Kouki gave a solemn nod of respect.
Tsubaki and the rest of the Sitri peerage stepped forward next.
Tsubaki stared straight, meeting Hajime's gaze. "You showed us a future different from what we expected. A brighter one… maybe even better."
She bowed lightly. "So… Thank you. From all of us."
Momo added with a teasing smile, "Don't forget us when you're out there making history, alright?"
Saji scratched his head, grinning awkwardly. "We'll be cheering from here."
Then finally, standing slightly apart, were Sona, Lavinia, and Sagiri along with Belfast, Ram, and Rem.
Sona stepped forward, a silver Express ticket carefully tucked at the end of her sleeve. "We may not go with you now… but thanks to this, we'll never be too far."
Sagiri touched her own ticket with resolve. "As promised, we will surely come and join you soon in your journey."
Lavinia beamed, her tone lighthearted. "So don't forget to set extra seats next time, okay? We might just crash dinner uninvited!"
Belfast, Ram, and Rem lowered their heads respectfully. "We will surely come for our duty soon."
Alice laughed gently, Hajime shook his head with a small grin, and Anisphia let out an amused chuckle.
"We'll see you then," the three said together, their voices overlapping.
With the final goodbyes spoken, they stepped into the open space beside the Anchor.
Alice let her gaze sweep over the crowd, her voice soft. "Feels like leaving home all over again."
Hajime gave a firm nod, eyes steady. "We'll come back. That's a promise."
Anisphia nudged them both with a faint smile. "This isn't forever. Just a short stop until the next chapter."
The three shared one last look at everyone gathered. Some waved, some smiled through tears. Yuuna even called out, "Yuuragi-sou will always be open for you all!" which earned a ripple of laughter through the group.
The light of Trailblaze rose around them, swallowing their figures. In the blink of an eye, they were gone—leaving one story behind, ready to open the next among the stars.
—--
The trio reappeared at the Launch Point of the Astral Express. Inside the room waiting for them were Euphyllia, Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis.
Euphyllia stepped forward with a gentle smile. "Welcome back. Noah-sama and the rest are all waiting for you."
Ingvild smiled at them, her voice soft. "I trust everything went smoothly?"
Ophis looked up from the plate of cookies she was holding. "I saved snacks."
Villhaze bowed with practiced grace. "Welcome back, Your Majesty, Lady Alice, Lady Anis."
Anisphia laughed, running past Hajime to wrap Ophis in a quick hug. "Perfect timing. I was starting to miss your oddly timed treats."
Hajime smiled as he watched Ophis hug Anisphia back. "Good to be home."
Alice glanced at the four who were waiting for them and allowed herself a soft smile. "Home sweet home."
They made their way through the familiar corridors of the Express. Each hallway filled with memories of past journeys and shared laughter. Without realizing it, their lips curved into smiles and their steps quickened. The longing to reach the lounge, to reunite with the friends and family who had walked beside them through every situation, pulled them forward.
Then they finally arrived at the lounge. The moment the door slid open, the warm aroma of freshly brewed tea greeted them. Inside, Noah sat casually with a cup in hand, his side as always occupied by Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine. The four were comfortably gathered around the table, which was covered with an assortment of delicate treats.
Patricia Ericson poured tea with her usual grace, while Illia and Lainie moved between serving with practiced ease and familiarity.
At the sight of the returning trio, Elysia perked up with a smile. "Well, well~ look who finally came back."
Kiana turned and waved at them. "Took you long enough. We saved your favorite seats, just in case."
Lumine looked up from her tea and nodded. "Come take your seats before Kii and Ellie finish all the freshly made snacks."
"Hey!" Kiana and Elysia chorused back at Lumine.
Noah raised his cup in a silent toast, his smile relaxed. "Welcome home."
Anisphia grinned, winking at Alice and Hajime as she stepped toward the table. "See? They really did wait for us."
Alice gave a wry smile, muttering softly, "Feels like we never left." She followed Anisphia into her seat.
Hajime shook his head, a small grin tugging at his lips as he trailed behind them. Meeting Noah's gaze, he returned the smile. They were finally back home.
—--
As everyone settled into their seats, Noah set his cup down with a smile. "First things first, congratulations," he said warmly. "You've officially completed your first Trailblaze expedition. Your First Steps."
Lumine gave them a proud nod. "It must have been bumpy, but you all came back safely. And that's what matters the most."
Elysia rest her chin on her hand, eyes twinkling. "More fashionable, I must say. First Steps really bring out the glow in everyone."
Kiana snorted. "You mean the dirt and exhaustion?"
Before Kiana could reach for another treat, Sirin suddenly materialized, snatching the madeleine from her hand. "Don't compare them to you, Sis. Mmm… this is good!"
"Ahh!! My madeleine! How could you do this, Sister!!" Kiana slumped onto the table dramatically, drawing laughter from everyone around.
Noah chuckled, shaking his head. "Kidding aside, thanks to your efforts, you three brought back a significant amount of Trailblaze energy, enough for us to upgrade the facilities of the Express."
He gestured toward Euphyllia's group and Patricia. "The greatest upgrade is this: silver Boarding Pass holders can now travel to and from the Express once per day, regardless of distance, as long as we've installed a Space Anchor in that world."
Hajime, Alice, and Anisphia exchanged smiles with Euphyllia and the others, who returned the gesture with gratitude.
"And now that very same Anchor we installed is more than just a teleportation point. It now serves as a communication relay on those worlds," Noah addey
Alice's eyes widened. "You're saying we can actually… talk to anyone back in those worlds?"
"Exactly." Noah nodded. "Full real-time communication, even across worlds. Euphyllia, Illia, Lainie, Patricia—no matter where you are, you'll still be able to speak with us as if we were in the same room."
Noah looked at the three with a proud grin. "We can even connect to local networks and even those in those worlds can connect to ours through the Anchors now."
A moment of awe passed before Elysia suddenly sprang to her feet with a loud clap of her hands. "Alright! Alright! Enough of the tech talk! With everyone here, there's something very important we need to do!"
Everyone turned toward her warily. Hajime narrowed his eyes. "Elysia… what are you plotting this time?"
"My, how cold!" she pouted dramatically, before flashing a dazzling smile and gesturing toward Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis. "With Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis-chan now officially on board, it's time for our crew's traditional rite of passage!"
Ingvild tilted her head in confusion. "W-What rite?" she asked nervously.
Villhaze blinked rapidly before stiffening, her hands clasped tightly on her apron. "R-Rite of passage?" she muttered under her breath.
Ophis turned slowly, still munching her snacks, and deadpanned, "Does it involve cookies?"
The rest of the crew—Noah, Lumine, Kiana, Sirin, Hajime, Alice, and Anisphia—let out a collective groan, clearly too familiar with this routine.
"Come on now! No escaping it!" Elysia grinned mischievously, pointing at the three. "The ceremony begins now!"
Despite the groans, the group rose from their seats, forming a loose semicircle around Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis. Ingvild fidgeted under the stares, Villhaze stood stiff as a board, while Ophis remained impassive, blinking at the attention. Off to the side, Euphyllia, Illia, Lainie, and Patricia had already readied a camera to capture everything.
Noah stepped to the center with a gentle smile, clearing his throat. "Ahem. As the representative of the Astral Express crew, Ingvild Leviathan, Villhaze, and Ophis, I ask you three: are you all ready to leave behind your old life to become a Nameless and join us to travel aboard the Astral Express, toward the unknown?"
Ingvild blinked, startled by the formality. "Ah... Y-Yes! I mean, I accept." She pressed a hand against her chest, cheeks slightly red as she added softly, "Please take care of me."
Villhaze's eyes widened for a moment before she straightened herself with practiced poise. "Of course, Lord Noah. Villhaze will stand beside everyone no matter what." A wryly smile slipped through. "Even if it means burning more oil at midnight."
Ophis tilted her head. "Cookies? Snacks?"
"Yes," Noah let out an amused snort as he replied. "We have plenty of it."
"…Okay." Ophis said simply, hugging her plate closer.
A brief silence followed before Noah turned back to the others. "And now, to the crew, do you agree to have Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis join us on our journey?"
"Of course!" Kiana declared loudly with a bright smile.
"No objections here." Sirin waved her hand lazily. "As long as they don't raid my stash."
"Oh, it's going to be a fabulous mess with them! I vote yes!" Elysia beamed, clasping her hands dramatically.
"They're very much welcome," Lumine said with a nod.
"As the ones who brought them aboard, we're all for it," Hajime added firmly.
"Welcome to the crew," Alice said with a small smile.
"You'll get hugs, chaos, tea, and snacks daily," Anisphia chimed in enthusiastically.
"Then it's settled," Noah said with a nod. "By unanimous agreement, welcome aboard, Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis."
With a dramatic flair, Elysia pulled out three Express Capes from who knows where and one by one she placed it over on the shoulders of Ingvild, Villhaze and Ophis. "Tada! Here are your official Astral Express crew capes! Make sure to take care of them, okay?"
Ingvild carefully brushed her fingers over the golden pin of the Express logo at the collar. "This is… surprisingly heartfelt."
Alice murmured from the side, lips curling into a fond smile. "It always is when Elysia leads it."
Ophis stared at the pin, tilting her head. "…Shiny."
Villhaze placed her hands over the cape, her eyes a little wet as if she'd received a treasure. "It's… beautiful."
Noah chuckled, while Hajime let out a short laugh. "Looks like Elysia managed to surprise even you three," he said.
With a graceful twirl, Elysia declared, "From now on, you're not just guests. You're one of us."
Applause and laughter erupted, filling the lounge with warmth. More than welcome, to the three, it felt like home.
—--
After the welcome ceremony, Noah stood and called for the group's attention to plan their next stop.
"Now that Hajime, Alice and Anis, have completed their first solo Trailblaze expedition and with our new members joining, it's time to decide where we'll head next," Noah said. "Lumi and I have been observing three potential worlds."
With a snap of his fingers, the lounge lights dimmed and a holographic star map appeared into view above the table. He tapped three points on the display, each one lighting up with a glowing icon.
"The first world we've labeled with the codename Seirei Gensouki. From our observations, it's a world with magic and spirits. There's also a faint trace of divinity there—likely governed by one or more gods."
"Ugh… gods, again," Hajime muttered, his expression sinking.
"We just survived a world ruled by gods… let's not try our luck with the next one," Alice said with a tired smile.
Anisphia shrugged. "I'm curious about the magic and spirits, sure. But Hajime and a bunch of prideful gods in the same place? That world might not survive. Not every god is as amicable as Lady Amaterasu."
Noah gave a wry smile, then pointed to the second glowing node.
"Next up, codename: Knight & Magic. It's a surprisingly advanced world, centered around magical mechas. They use them to battle magical beasts and defend their nations."
"Ohhh!" Hajime and Anisphia's eyes lit up in unison, clearly intrigued.
Alice sighed, hand on her cheek. "You two are impossible," she muttered, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. The rest of the crew simply chuckled.
Finally, Noah tapped the third node.
"And lastly, codename: Kenja no Mago. It's a fairly peaceful world, filled with magic and swords. It's similar to Anis's home world. Though there are a few irregularities we picked up, which are minor things, nothing major."
"Kenja no Mago? Seriously, Noah?" Hajime gave him a flat look. "That literally means 'Wise Man's Grandchild.' Couldn't you come up with anything better?"
"...It's the actual title of that world," Noah sighed, turning away. "Not my idea."
The crew exchanged matching deadpan stares before Elysia leaned over and whispered loudly, "We really need to work on your naming sense, my dear Noah."
"Ahem. Anyway," Noah continued, straightening up. "Each world has something unique—some risks, some opportunities. All worth exploring. So, let's put it to a vote. We go where the crew chooses. Together."
—-
As the crew was deciding on their next destination, something unexpected happened. A comm alert rang from the Hyperion, except no one had activated it. On the screen appeared someone none of them had expected to see: Theresa Apocalypse, Kiana's aunt.
"Theresa-san?" Noah blinked.
"Aunt Teri?!" Kiana shouted.
"No way… Teri-san?!" Elysia gasped.
[Huh?! Noah! Kiana! and Elysia?! How are you three using Hyperion's comms system?!] Theresa exclaimed.
An unexpected reunion between Kiana, Elysia, and Theresa. The rest of the crew gave space to the three who exchanged excited words. But Hajime notices Noah's furrowed expressions.
"Uh… Noah? Captain? Bro? Is there a problem?" Hajime asked.
Noah tilted his head. ".....Not exactly a problem, but…"
"But?"
"....This communication shouldn't even be possible."
"Didn't you say the anchors could relay communications now?" Anisphia chimed in.
"Yeah, but that is the thing. I never installed one on Kiana's home world," Noah replied.
Everyone froze. Even Kiana and Elysia looked back at him, realization dawning.
"Kiana's world was the first world I visited after fixing the Express. I didn't know about space anchors yet even back in Teyvat, none of us did." Noah brows furrowed, clearly confused.
"...We only learned about them when we first met Hii. And that is after we found Hyperion." Lumine added.
"That was when we first saw a space anchor. It re-activated on its own because it felt our Trailblaze energy," Elysia said.
"The first anchor we actually installed was in your world Hajime," Sirin added.
"....Which is why this call shouldn't be happening," Hajime said slowly.
"Maybe it's just a lucky break?" Alice offered with a smile.
Noah wasn't so sure. Something about what Theresa said earlier was bothering him.
"Theresa-san, you said earlier you are in the Hyperion right now?"
[Huh? Why are you asking that?] Theresa blinked, confused by Noah's question.
"Just humor me for a second, Theresa-san. Where exactly are you right now?" Noah asked, keeping his tone.
[Well, like I said I'm inside the Hyperion right now. Today is the first activation run. It's the aerial battleship built by the engineers of Saint Freya Academy which we plan to make as our flagship,] Theresa explained.
Silence.
[.....Did I say something weird?] she asked.
"Auntie… does your Hyperion have an onboard AI that looks like cabbage?" Kiana asked carefully.
[Pfft! Cabbage? Hahahaha! AI-chan will cry if you call like that! ….... Wait….. How do you know that?!]
No answer.
"Theresa-san, is there a way to see or confirm the specs or data on when the Hyperion was made." Noah asks her slowly.
[You guys are asking such weird questions. You can ask the AI-chan for that.] Theresa sighed.
Noah exhaled. "AI-chan."
No response from the usual bubbly AI.
He narrowed his eyes. "AI-chan."
[...Yes, Captain.] The chibi AI-chan appeared, clearly nervous.
[Huh?! Why is she on your end?!] Theresa shouted, clearly rattled.
"AI-chan, shows the original specs of the Hyperion. No edits, no filters. I want the real version," Noah said, his tone firm and unyielding.
[...Roger.] AI-chan mumbled, a mix of crying and resignation in her expression.
The holo-screen lit up in front of Noah. He scanned the details slowly, then let out a long, tired sigh. With both hands to his head, he leaned back in his seat. The rest of the crew, curious at his reaction, leaned in to look.
They froze when they saw the display.
Affiliation: Schicksal Far Eastern Branch, Saint Freya Academy. Build Date: 2006. Activation: December 2013.
[What's with those faces? You're freaking me out!] Theresa exclaimed.
"Theresa-san... Merry Christmas," Noah muttered.
[Haah?! How does that even make sense?!] Theresa blurted, eyes wide in disbelief
Noah turned to Kiana, had her arms crossed and furrowed her brows deep in thought.
"Void Archives, AI-chan, show me the unedited last log before we met."
[Void… Archives…? Did you just say Void Archives?!] Theresa's eyes widened as she repeated the name Noah called out.
Without saying anything, the two AI brought up the final log before they met Noah. The data was messy, some lines unreadable but one detail stood out clearly: the year. 2026.
Noah finally put the pieces together—Void Archives showing up on his home world, calling him Captain. Its push toward Kiana's world. Alice in Teyvat casually called him that too. AI-chan being way too familiar with the crew. That strange moment in Natlan, the illusion that Gosoythoth and the Abyss made that showed Nanook who hinted at a future, far too realistic to be ignored. And then… her. The older version of Kiana. It all made sense now.
He sank into his chair, rubbing his temples.
"Does this mean the Hyperion in our dock... and the Void Archives... are from the future?" Alice said, breaking the silence. "..But how.. Is that possible..?"
No one answered her.
"...She sent the two of you, didn't she?" Noah asked.
[Ughhhh,] AI-chan groaned.
[...Yes. She did,] confirmed Void Archives.
[Void Archives!!!] AI-chan shouted in shock.
".....Finality really is something else," Noah said, reaching for Kiana's hand.
"Captain?" she asked, confused.
[Can someone tell me what's going on?!] Theresa called out.
"The Path of Finality," Elysia explained. "Presided by the Aeon Terminus. As per the records in the express data bank, it moves backward through time. Our future is its past. And our past is its future."
"So it's the reverse of Trailblazing?" Anisphia asked, sweat trailing down her face.
Noah turned to Void Archives, remembering the black hair boy and dark purple haired swordswoman in the illusion. "Where are the last two members of the crew?"
[....One is at Miss Kiana's home world.] Void Archives answered.
"And the other one is somewhere along the path we'll be passing through," Noah said, finishing Void Archives' answer. He looked around at the crew. "Sorry, but it looks like we're changing course."
They all nodded in understanding.
"VA, AI-chan, set a course for Kiana's home world. We'll complete the crew."
[Roger, Captain.]
[I'm still lost…] Theresa muttered.
Noah turned to her with a soft smile "Sorry Theresa-san, we will explain once we reach there. Can you please wait until then."
[Fine! But you owe me a Bitter melon juice!]
"I'll make it myself," he said with a small smile.
As the call ended, Noah glanced back at the AIs. "How much has actually changed from the original timeline?"
[Besides the eight of you at the moment,] Void Archives replied, [Many others have joined: Ms. Euphyllia, Ms. Illia, Ms. Lainie, Ms. Patricia, Ms. Sona, Ms. Sagiri, Ms. Lavinia, Ms. Ingvild, Miss Villhaze, Miss Ophis, Miss Belfast, Miss Ram, and Miss Rem are all here with you now. And another team joined the Trailblazers, which wasn't supposed to happen.]
[They weren't part of the original lineup,] AI-chan added. [Ophis-chan was originally an enemy that Hajime-san defeated back then.]
The crew turned to look at the new members—Euphyllia, Illia, Lainie, Patricia, Ingvild, Villhaze, and Ophis, all listening attentively.
Ingvild brushed her hair behind her ear, Villhaze stand silently at her side, and Ophis tilted her head curiously, not entirely sure what the fuss was about. Patricia offered a small smile, while Lainie and Illia exchanged a glance, their expressions caught between uncertainty and understanding. Even Euphyllia, who kept her calm composure, looked faintly surprised.
The realization settled over everyone. It wasn't just about how things had changed, but about how these changes were shaping the path they were all walking together.
[Everyone was always meant to meet,] VA continued, [But not like this. Not as part of the crew. It has always been the ten of you.]
[And even how you all met wasn't supposed to go this smoothly, Captain,] AI-chan added, sounding both amused and slightly baffled.
"So... she has changed things from the start, huh?" Noah murmured, rising to his feet and gently tugging Kiana along with him.
"Everyone… sorry, we'll excuse ourselves for a while."
Without warning, Noah scooped Kiana into a princess carry.
"C-Captain?! Noah?!" Kiana yelped, her face instantly burning red. "Put me down, this is embarrassing!"
In the next instant, the two vanished somewhere within the Express. Most likely Noah's room.
"Oh no… Lu—!" Sirin blinked out of reality mid-sentence, understanding the part of what will come next.
"Will he seriously….?" Lumine blinked, at a loss.
"Ye-yeah.... Knowing him… it will be that," Elysia replied, her cheeks turning pink.
"...So direct," Alice muttered, pressing a hand to her warm face.
"We're not seeing them until tomorrow, huh?" Hajime said dryly.
"Good luck, Kiana," Anisphia sighed, offering a small, amused prayer.
==== Volume 2 End ====