Stelle had read plenty of web novels and played numerous games, so while Clara's appearance was somewhat unexpected, upon closer reflection, she realized that someone like her wasn't difficult to communicate with.
Why would a child in her early teens train to be so strong? Why would she put on such a fierce expression? And why, in the end, would she turn to a robot as her family?
It all boiled down to one thing: she was too lonely, too starved for love.
In this world, there were only two types of people. One type, having been drenched by rain, would tear apart someone else's umbrella. The other, because they had been soaked themselves, would hold an umbrella over others.
Clara was a textbook example of the latter.
So Stelle was certain that Clara was all bark and no bite. As long as she approached her with a good attitude, sincerity, and a touch of humility, Clara would respond in kind.
Sure enough, after hearing Stelle's words, Clara curiously sized her up, put down her wrench, and leaped in front of her. "You?"
Stelle tactfully dropped to one knee. "Big Sis, that's right, it's me."
"From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were a dependable, responsible leader—one who could definitely keep your little brothers safe!"
Clara nodded with satisfaction. "Well said. Alright, from now on, you're with me. What's your name again?"
"Stelle."
"Hm, that's a pretty good name. I'll remember it."
Stelle grinned and subtly flashed a peace sign to March 7th and Dan Heng nearby.
"Boss, you're so impressive, so how come you're locked up in here?" Stelle pressed while the iron was hot. "Why don't you lead us to break out and take down those Vagrants!"
To her surprise, Clara shook her head. "No can do."
"My number one subordinate, Svarog, is under their control. If I don't stay here, that metal blockhead's head will get blown sky-high."
Stelle: …
What a reversal!
If this version of Honkai: Star Rail were turned into a real game, Clara's ultimate ability would be quite thought-provoking.
—Command executed: Leave Svarog!
Clara pouted. "This subordinate of mine might look big and tough, but he's actually a softie. His only use is controlling some drone soldiers. That thug just got lucky exploiting that."
"…So, Root was able to take over the Underworld because of that humanoid robot out there called Svarog?" March 7th asked.
"Ru… what?" Clara asked, puzzled.
"The guy who locked you up, Boss," Stelle explained.
"Oh, him? You're saying he took over the Underworld? That spineless shrimp?" Clara scoffed. "No way. Even if Svarog is my subordinate, with that guy's character, there's no way he could control the entire Underworld."
"But the fact is, he did," March 7th emphasized.
"Then someone's helping him," Clara said casually, crossing her arms. "I've seen plenty of people like him in the Underworld—lazy dreamers who think big but are weak at their core, no matter how much power they get."
Stelle suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, because they had faced a similar predicament in the Overworld.
It was as if an invisible hand was secretly supporting the forces in both the Overworld and the Underworld.
This had already deviated far too much from the original storyline, leaving even Stelle, the "prophet," at a loss.
But one thing was certain: it all had to be related to the Stellaron.
Stelle asked, "Clara, you've been in the Underworld for so long—have you ever noticed anything strange?"
"Of course," Clara replied. "Last year, a Rift appeared out of nowhere in Rivet Town, and a ton of monsters poured out. It caused a huge mess. Later, the Overworld sent people to help, and they completely wiped out those monsters."
"Completely wiped out?" Dan Heng suddenly interjected. "Are you sure they were completely eradicated? No Rift monsters have appeared since then?"
"Of course. That's common knowledge, isn't it?"
The three members of the Astral Express exchanged glances. The disappearance of the Rift… didn't that mean the source of its appearance—
The Stellaron had already been taken away and dealt with by the Overworld?
Stelle recalled the cheerful conversation she'd had with Gepard a few days ago, and a chill ran down her spine. Damn, does someone in that position really have that many tricks up their sleeve?!
Mainly because, in the game, Gepard had left such a strong impression on Stelle as an upright, meticulous person, so much so that when Stelle saw his face, she instinctively assumed Gepard was just and honorable, never considering that he might be following Cocolia's script!
If that were true, then the so-called "Great Guardian assassination" incident was highly suspicious.
"So, to resolve this, we first need to find out who's backing Root, lift the restrictions on Svarog, liberate the Underworld, and then return to the Overworld with evidence to clear our names and confront Gepard face-to-face…" Stelle said, a bit frustrated.
"You're planning to get out?" Clara asked.
"Yeah, but after the previous jailbreak incident, those Vagrants will probably tighten their control over us, right? Escaping through the ventilation ducts is impossible now, and a frontal assault would be tough with their numbers. If they bring out heavy weapons, it's hard to avoid casualties…"
Clara waved her hand dismissively. "I've got a way."
She leisurely walked to the cell door and shouted, "Iron Fatty!"
Thud, thud, thud—
A series of footsteps echoed from outside the cell. Moments later, the "Grizzly" mech-soldier that had once beaten Stelle senseless stood obediently at the door, like Clara's most loyal subordinate.
Stelle's eyes widened. "Isn't that Root's lackey? Boss, how can you just order it around?"
"Huh? His lackey? I personally assembled and repaired this Iron Fatty. Why would it listen to him?" Clara tapped the Grizzly's large belly. "This is my subordinate."
Stelle froze. "Boss, aren't your only subordinates Svarog… and me?"
Clara tilted her head. "I said Svarog is my number one subordinate, but did I ever say you were number two?"
…
Overworld
At this moment, Serval was feeling overwhelmed. Ever since Welt entered that interrogation room, he hadn't said a single word.
It was as if everything inside was completely cut off from the outside world, leaving her in the dark.
After calming down, Serval began to notice some clues. Although both the doctor and the minister had told her that Gepard had been assassinated, she still hadn't had any close contact with her brother.
It felt like someone was deliberately keeping her at a distance.
She couldn't get any information now, and when she tried to discuss the matter with Cocolia, she was told that Cocolia was on a secret mission and temporarily unavailable.
So, for now, the only thing Serval could do was help Welt navigate the Arbitration Council.
Inside the Interrogation Room
A massive "black hole" several meters wide hovered in the air, its gravitational pull affecting the two people present. If an outsider were to witness this, they would be shocked to see Welt confronting the "deceased" Great Guardian, both of them frozen in place, as if someone had pressed the pause button.