The story hasn't even begun yet.
So, the Asta that Bai Luan met was still an undeveloped version.
Looking at the slightly naive Asta in front of him, Bai Luan began to ponder how to cultivate her into a qualified Station Master.
Asta didn't bring many things this time: some essential living supplies, and Peppy and Arlan.
Of course, her core equipment was that credit card, which was practically impossible to max out.
These two people and one dog, being new arrivals, would probably need some time to get used to life here.
Bai Luan immediately noticed that these two deviated from his memories.
They… they…
They didn't even have their signature weapons yet!
How could he tolerate this!?
Not one bit!
He'd make them immediately.
Even if their 'mastery' wasn't maxed out, their appearance should be.
Bai Luan briefly considered the arrangements for the two of them, then showed a kind smile to the nervous newcomers.
"Don't be nervous, just relax. I'll take you on a tour of the Space Station. You'll be living here from now on."
Arlan hadn't let his guard down yet. He stood beside Asta, his eyes scanning the surroundings, filled with the unease of entering a new environment, faithfully performing his duties as a bodyguard.
If he wasn't holding Peppy with one hand and pulling a suitcase with the other, he would have appeared even more imposing.
Asta, on the other hand, was polite, responding courteously to Bai Luan's words, and then continued to remain nervous.
Although she had been personally requested by Ms. Herta, she knew very well that it was merely an afterthought for Ms. Herta.
She hadn't expected the current Station Master to personally come to greet her.
Before arriving, Asta had done thorough research.
In her eyes, the person before her was a legendary figure, a great individual capable of closely following Ms. Herta.
The important thing wasn't that he was a great individual; Asta had seen plenty of great individuals.
The important thing was being able to closely follow Ms. Herta! That was truly remarkable!
If possible, she wanted to achieve that too!
Precisely because the person opposite her embodied something she aspired to, Asta unconsciously felt a bit nervous.
Arlan's tension stemmed from unease in a new environment, not directed at Bai Luan. This was easy to fix; just give him some weapons.
But Asta's situation was a bit more difficult…
"I already said, don't be so nervous. I'm not like those annoying, low-EQ old fogeys in your family. Do I look very old?"
"No, not old. Rather, you look too young. You don't look much older than me."
"It's not just how I look; in reality, I'm not much older than you. Don't believe those rumors about me being hundreds of years old; they're all fake, full of exaggeration."
Asta, with a hint of curiosity, asked:
"Then, is the story about sealing the Stellarons and disappearing also false?"
"Oh, those are actually true."
"Huh?"
Why was the most fabricated-sounding part true?
"They say I'm hundreds of years old, but that's just because I was trapped in a temporal anomaly. Hundreds of years passed outside, but I only felt a few minutes pass."
Bai Luan, quite seriously, debunked the myth:
"Theoretically speaking, I am a twenty-something-year-old from over nine hundred years ago."
Although his expression was serious and his tone earnest, the combination of his "twenty-something-year-old from over nine hundred years ago" statement created a strange sense of absurdity.
It was like he was talking nonsense with a straight face.
Asta couldn't help but let out a giggle.
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
She immediately covered her mouth, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"It's just… it's just that those two sentences together, it feels…"
Bai Luan waved his hand dismissively and said:
"It's fine, I'd laugh too. Just relax."
At Herta Space Station, Bai Luan was the best tour guide; no one knew the Space Station better than him.
Bai Luan took Asta and Arlan on a tour of the Space Station, interspersing it with little stories about the Space Station.
The stories he told were varied, sometimes about the difficulties of constructing facilities, other times mercilessly ridiculing the high-blood-pressure operations of the 'old noobs' of that era.
Those old noobs never dreamed that, nine hundred years later, their embarrassing past would be brought up by their own Station Master as a negative example!
One could only say that the 'haters' had an incredibly long-lasting combat ability! Still hating!
Through these little stories, Asta gradually gained a general understanding of the entire Herta Space Station, learning the names of various sections, the functions of different facilities, and the various departments.
In this process, she also gradually relaxed.
Her attention gradually shifted from Bai Luan's identity to the Herta Space Station itself.
The myriad of strange curios, the ubiquitous discussions about science, the breathtaking starry sky visible with a turn of the head, the magical Inspiration Shrooms riding UFOs.
Asta had only been at the Space Station for less than a day, yet her fondness for it far surpassed that for her own home.
It wasn't her home, yet it didn't make her feel out of place.
She was clearly traveling far from home, yet she felt like she was returning home.
Asta involuntarily walked to the giant observation window, the cool touch of the glass against her fingertips.
Outside, the eternal swirling galaxy.
The starry sky she had gazed at countless times; now, she was within it.
It's truly wonderful.
She would live here from now on.
A feeling called freedom germinated and grew in her heart.
Those unpleasant memories, bound by family rules, cold stares, and meaningless social interactions, surged like a tide, only to be fiercely thrown away by her!
You! Can't control me anymore!
May the rest of my life have little to do with you, may we all be well, and may we not disturb each other.
"The starry sky is beautiful, isn't it?"
Bai Luan's voice came from behind, bringing Asta back to reality. Asta looked back and saw that Bai Luan, like her, was admiring the vast starry sky.
"If you search patiently, there will always be one that belongs to you."
Asta's body trembled almost imperceptibly. An indescribable warm current, accompanied by a slight bittersweetness, instantly broke through her emotional defenses.
Those people at home always asked.
What's so great about the starry sky, what's so great about stars, they're not worth much money.
But, liking something doesn't require a reason.
The first time she looked up and gazed at the starry sky of the world, Asta knew—she would be captivated by this mysterious starry sky for her entire life.
She wanted to have a star that belonged to her.
It had to be one that had never been discovered by anyone else.
Playfully hiding itself in the starry sky for years, avoiding the gaze of other astronomers, just to—meet her on an unarranged night.
This was Asta's dream.
But no one around Asta had ever understood her dream, the romance of the starry expanse she pursued.
They would only link everything to credits, cast a cold glance, and then tell her:
"What's so good about it? It's not worth much money, is it?"
Unexpectedly, after leaving home, she actually met someone who could understand her dream.
"Thank you, Station Master. I will work hard to find that star that belongs to me, as long as I stay on this Space Station…"
Asta looked towards the starry sky, reaching out as if to touch the twinkling starlight.
"I will definitely find it."
Arlan stood beside Asta, a smile appearing on his face.
The Young Lady hadn't smiled like this in a long time.
It had been a very, very long time since he had seen the Young Lady smile so purely, so relaxed.
"Herta Space Station should be a place like this, a place for everyone to research and pursue their ideals. As the Station Master…"
Bai Luan smiled and formally said to the two newcomers:
"Asta, Arlan, Peppy… welcome. You are officially members of the Herta Space Station."
"Woof!"
Peppy in Arlan's arms barked, looking at Bai Luan, as if asking:
"Do I get a share too?"
Bai Luan laughed and explained:
"I'm a master of impartiality; I treat everyone equally."