Jarilo-VI, Everwinter Hill
"Aw~ Nothing to envy—rode a wave of luck, that's all~ And it's no cushy gig, y'know? Still gotta hop between star systems, pushed along by the workload."
"Take out the [business] part, and your job sounds a lot like the Express crew's!"
Stelle had never set foot in the Interastral Peace Corporation—couldn't chime in at all.
Even the mighty Galactic Baseballer had her blind spots. As a [Trailblaze] Nameless, her worldview still felt kinda narrow...
"Jarilo-VI linking up with the Corporation this quick, even kicking off talks... Fast work—not surprised, coming from Bronya!"
"Haha~ The collab's details might not be what you're picturing... But yeah, the latter bit's spot-on. That [Supreme Guardian] runs the city like a pro—main reason I'm here's to meet her."
Topaz suddenly clocked something. "Ah, Miss March—you said you're rushing to Belobog's festival, right?"
"Sorry for holding you up with my colleague." She offered an apologetic bow.
"No worries." March 7th waved it off politely. "We're in no rush. Without all that piled-up snow, it's harder to get lost anyway—temps are way milder too."
March 7th recalled their first arrival on Jarilo-VI. Even with [Trailblaze]'s blessings, the chill had been brutal.
"Anyway, you not heading into the city with us?"
"Thanks for the concern—we're good! First time on this planet for me and my colleague; wanna soak in some of those [iconic] old buildings first."
"If fate's kind, maybe we'll cross paths at the festival." Topaz pulled out her phone as she spoke. "Here—my contact info."
"I don't check messages much during work hours, but off the clock, let's chat loads~"
At that, March 7th narrowed her eyes, shoulders quaking with laughter: "Whoa, snagged a Corporation exec's digits without even trying..."
"Got an eighty billion Credit project? I'm in!"
"Pfft—you say that, and who buys it?" March 7th rolled her eyes. Stelle's funds weren't flush enough for eighty billion Credit splurges yet.
"Hahaha~" Topaz cracked up. "You two are great—kinda jealous of that easy rapport~ We'll head out first then. See ya!"
Topaz left without a backward glance, employee in tow.
"Two crews spanning the galaxy, just bumping into each other like this... Stelle, fate's one wild thing."
"Speaking of [fate], got a cold joke—wanna hear?"
Stelle tried her hand at it fresh—never thought [Shut Up]'s dad joke would come in handy here, but March 7th politely passed.
"Come on—city-bound for real this time!"
...
"What a din! Where the heck did you drag me to—is this the Jarilo-VI I remember?"
Silver Wolf ditched her shades. The Administrative District's glow-up was so drastic, she almost didn't recognize it.
Just days ago, Adrian had made a principle-bending call: Bringing her back to Jarilo-VI's soil.
End goal was slacking anyway—different spot for slacking made no diff.
"Wait—why's this hitting me with mega déjà vu? What was it? Hiss..."
Silver Wolf's frame jolted, pupils contracting sharp as a thought-struck lightning bolt cracked her mind.
"This this this... This ain't the Church's aesthetic?!"
Seeing Silver Wolf's belated freak-out, too stunned for words, Adrian figured this girl cared about the Church more than even HE did.
Yeah, she still couldn't forget the Eternity Church.
The Administrative District's biggest shift: That new statue beside the [Everwinter Monument], looming in the vast plaza's heart—nameless, silent, dubbed simply [Eternity] by the locals.
It didn't lean on solemn poise or rigid stasis; its mystery lay in ceaseless flux and flow.
The frame, forged from Church-supplied meteorite iron, melted and stretched, swelled and shrank like liquid—soundless.
"Pity—I figured it'd be a soap-topped sculpture." Silver Wolf sighed with a touch of regret.
Yeah, she still couldn't forget the Church's soap.
Sensing the thick festival vibes in the Administrative District, Adrian even spotted an acquaintance from a few run-ins: Gepard.
"Mr. Adrian? And Miss Silver Wolf?"
Gepard blanked for seconds at the surprise guests, then snapped to: "Ahem... Welcome back to Belobog."
"The Supreme Guardian mentioned mysterious guests for Dawnfest... Didn't realize she meant the Express crew."
Silver Wolf's brows furrowed. The Guard Captain had auto-binned her with the [Astral Express]? Fair enough—Gepard probably had no clue about the [Stellaron Hunters].
"Hope your trip here's been smooth. My failing not to send Iron Cavalry escorts..."
"No need to apologize—we're just passing through. No need for all that formality."
Gepard nodded, cautioning: "Understood. Hope you enjoy the festive mood... But stay vigilant. Pickpockets love crowds like this—keep your valuables secure."
"Speaking of... How're the upgraded weapons treating the Guards? If they're clunky, just say—we'll tweak 'em free as after-service."
"Ah, you've been too kind, Mr. Adrian. Your mods are flawless!"
Only hitch: Blake's holy flash had scrubbed Jarilo-VI clean of monsters—not a scrap left. These weapons rarely saw action.
"When'd that stone carving go up?"
From afar, the [Eternity] sculpture's base alone stayed solid.
That deep-rooted pedestal, ancient as if fused into the planet's primal crust fissures, gleamed with a dark inky sheen. While the massive form atop twisted and morphed, it stood eternal—unyielding.
"Mm... Third day after you all left, a red-haired youth showed up in Belobog. Called himself the [Eternity Church]'s top architect, here to aid the Administrative District's rebuild."
"The Church has that gig? Never heard of it."
Silver Wolf shot Adrian a side-eye—she suspected Blake outsourced it.
"Actually, it's the Knights' Captain." Adrian clarified. "Wild, right? A martial Knights order, yet pros at building too."
Hard to fathom—this was fresh work from recent days. Outsiders might mistake it for native Jarilo-VI architecture. The Eternity Church was too all-rounded.
With that tech, passing up the [Builders] was a shame.