Leon: "Hold it, Gepard's back."
March 7th looked around.
"I don't see him."
Leon stayed silent.
He had wind-manipulating abilities, so sensing movement through the flow of natural air was reasonable, right?
Sure, it was warm here with no chilling breeze.
But warm air was still air.
About half a minute later, Gepard indeed appeared in their view.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Lady Cocolia can see you now. Follow me."
The game transitioned into another cutscene.
Gepard led the way through a spacious, pristine corridor, with the Express crew following behind.
Soon, they encountered a silver-gray-haired girl approaching.
"Lady Bronya."
Gepard stopped, noticing her expression seemed somewhat somber.
Bronya nodded with little enthusiasm, her gaze lingering briefly on the three from the Express.
"Who are these people?"
"Interstellar merchants from beyond, seeking to establish trade relations with Belobog."
At that, Bronya's eyes flickered subtly.
"I see. I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won't delay your meeting with the Supreme Guardian."
Without giving the Express crew a chance to speak, Bronya hurried off, her figure vanishing around a corner.
March 7th: "Why does it feel like she doesn't really like us?"
Gepard shook his head.
"It's probably not that. Lady Bronya was in a rush—perhaps she just received an urgent order."
Stelle: "I was about to say hi, but she left without looking back. Awkward."
Gepard: "My apologies. It might be an urgent situation… The Supreme Guardian's office is just ahead. Let's go."
At this point in the plot, Ah Xian grew thoughtful.
Bronya's glance earlier had been suspicious, full of doubt.
"The writers wouldn't throw in this encounter for no reason. Bronya's plot might play out differently later."
Holding a sliver of anticipation, Ah Xian clicked to advance to the next scene.
Finally, they met Cocolia.
Though she knew Cocolia's true nature, a qualified closed beta streamer wouldn't spoil it for the audience.
Gepard: "Lady Cocolia, I've brought the three offworld merchants to meet you."
Cocolia: "Thank you, Gepard. You may leave now."
After Gepard closed the door behind him, she spoke again.
"Visitors from beyond, welcome to Belobog. I am Cocolia Rand. Please, come this way."
Cocolia gestured, inviting the three to sit at a tea table set for guests.
"Gepard mentioned you deal in clothing and beverages, correct?"
① "Nameless-brand outfits—Hakimi wore them and gave a thumbs-up!"
② "Nameless-brand milk tea—the cups could line up twice around Belobog!"
③ "Correct. Our clothing and beverages are galaxy-famous products."
Players on the Leon route almost never picked option three.
Cocolia: "Pardon, but what's a Hakimi? Some kind of trade term?"
March 7th let out a nervous laugh, shooting Stelle a look to stop her from talking nonsense.
"What she means is… our brand clothing is so popular that even pets love wearing it."
Leon played along with March 7th, pulling out proper samples and placing them on the table.
"These are our Nameless-brand goods. Please take a look. As newcomers, consider these fine brews a welcoming gift—hope you'll accept them."
Cocolia nodded lightly, seeming to harbor no suspicions.
She reached for a lady's dress, running her fingers over it.
"The fabric feels excellent. How do you Nameless plan to cooperate?"
Leon held up two fingers: "We have two proposals…"
At this point, the game camera pulled back, and though the characters kept speaking, no sound came through except the BGM.
It seemed the writers didn't want to dwell on the details of the business proposals.
The scene skipped most of the process with a distant shot.
Ten seconds later, Leon's voice gradually came back.
"That's the gist of it. What do you think?"
Cocolia: "It sounds decent, but to be blunt, the 30-70 profit split lacks sincerity."
Leon's smile didn't waver, his aura unshaken, every bit the profit-driven merchant.
"We handle restocking and transport. Your side only needs to set up retail points. This split is fair."
Cocolia: "No room for negotiation?"
Leon: "Of course there is. We came with sincerity, and if your side reciprocates, everything's negotiable."
Cocolia considered for a moment, then smiled.
"It's getting late, and you must be tired from your long journey.
I'll arrange for you to stay at the most comfortable hotel in the city. Rest well.
Tomorrow at noon, someone will come to invite you, and we can discuss the partnership further. How does that sound?"
Stelle: "We'd like to look around first."
Cocolia: "You're honored guests of Belobog—feel free. I have official duties to attend to, so I won't see you out."
The Express crew got up to leave.
The camera lingered on Cocolia's profile.
She stared at the elegantly packaged liquor on the table, picked up a bottle, opened it, and sniffed lightly.
Tilting the bottle, she poured a small glass, took a sip, and nodded slightly.
The taste was rich, far superior to Belobog's local brews.
If sold in the market, it would surely fly off the shelves.
But Belobog's current situation…
At that moment, an incomprehensible murmur suddenly arose.
Cocolia fell silent for a moment.
"You say they have other motives? …No need to rush. I'll have someone keep an eye on them."
[Huh? Someone else is there?]
[Leon's acting is practically flawless—how did she see through it?]
This scene at the end of the meeting left many players puzzled.
Before they could discuss further, the scene shifted to the Express crew leaving Qlipoth Fort.
Leon, walking at the back, suddenly paused.
From this angle, players could see him tilt his head slightly to the side.
The camera zoomed to his face, catching the meaningful arc at the corner of his mouth.
"What's with Leon's smile, guys?"
"Is he already onto Cocolia's suspicions, or is he pleased that his deception worked?"
[Could he have heard what Cocolia said afterward?]
[Super hearing?]
[In a way, super hearing makes sense.]
[Yeah, Leon sensed Gepard's return early, so his perception must be sharp.]
[Definitely a buried hint. If the smile meant nothing, they wouldn't bother with that shot.]
March 7th: "So, what do you think—does Cocolia know about the Stellaron?"
Stelle: "I know—"
March 7th: "Spill it then—"
Stelle: "—just kidding."
March 7th: "Take a punch from this girl!"
Leon said softly: "Let's wander around and gather some local intel."
March 7th: "Awesome! Where to first? How about that plaza up ahead?"