Chapter 199: A Motherless Child is Like a Weed
The party car.
The ever-growing family, full of love, gathered together.
Himeko, as usual, was forging her path in coffee-making. Welt, with hands folded over his cane, sat calmly on the sofa, waiting.
Little Sushang had already returned to the Honkai Impact 3rd world; Silver Wing was controlling the body now.
Bronya was fiddling with an interesting little toy from Sister Asta's gifts, while listening to the cheerful, bouncy March 7th concocting her 42nd fantastical pre-amnesia backstory based on her and Seele's experiences on Earth, intending to use it during their next Trailblaze.
Caelus and Stelle were snatching snacks from the gifts, not forgetting to occasionally complain about March 7th's fabricated stories or offer setting suggestions.
Dan Heng was so quiet he hardly seemed like a young person. He sat in his seat, holding his phone, sliding his finger across the screen, browsing comments under the popular science article published yesterday.
"Ahem, dear passengers! Quiet down, the Warp Jump Route Meeting officially begins!"
The Conductor trotted over with short steps, cleared his throat, and stood next to Himeko, hands on hips.
"Before the meeting, Pom-Pom would like to thank everyone again for successfully resolving the issues at the Jarilo-VI Outpost, allowing the Express to continue its journey on the Star Rail!"
"Oh, it's the achievement of all six of us!"
March 7th proudly accepted the Conductor's praise.
She, the Magic-Powered Warrior Little March, was absolutely crushing it!
"Mhm."
Pom-Pom nodded contentedly, then adjusted the large Conductor's hat on its head:
"Next, this Conductor will announce the name of the next destination—"
Just then, a faint but clear electronic hum abruptly sounded, and a holographic projection unfolded.
It was a graceful figure holding an umbrella.
A black, cape-style shawl coat adorned with spider patterns perfectly accentuated the beauty's sharp demeanor, while a white high-neck shirt, fastened with a butterfly brooch, tightly hugged her full bust.
Black skinny pants and purple long stockings, connected by crisscrossing straps, paired with a single high-heeled boot, sculpted her flowing S-curve into the most captivating weapon.
"Long time no see, everyone on the Astral Express."
Her violet eyes seemed to lack pupils, and the purple-haired beauty's lips always held a smile, like a lazy feline feigning sleep before a hunt.
"Myao~!"
Startled, Pom-Pom let out a squeak and hid behind Himeko, tremblingly peeking out its small head to observe the sudden intruder.
"It's you." Himeko's tone rarely revealed such clear distaste.
The other Astral Express crew members' expressions also changed.
"Ah, the timing is perfect, everyone is here—or so it seems."
Kafka elegantly curved her lips, scanning the crowd with their varied expressions.
Welt, pushing up his glasses; Himeko, with a look of disdain; March 7th, confused and fearful; Seele, completely bewildered… When Kafka's gaze moved to the "patient" she cared most about, her expression showed a tiny hint of astonishment.
The second Kafka appeared, after their initial shock, Stelle and Caelus's gazes locked.
Relying on their shared essence as one person, their telepathic understanding allowed them to communicate with a glance. Stelle's eyes darted across Kafka's prominent chest, her expression changing rapidly.
After reaching some consensus, Stelle and Caelus, under Kafka's gaze and the bewildered stares of everyone else, hugged each other and burst into loud, sorrowful wails, crying out with wronged and pitiful tones:
"Kafkaaa~!"
"Mommy! How could you give birth but not raise us~ ah! (DOD)a"
"You just dumped us at that Space Station and never even gave us a drop of milk! (*A)/"
Crying with snot and tears, Stelle gazed longingly at the ample curves of Kafka's chest.
The dangerous aura brought by the sudden appearance of the Stellaron Hunter instantly collapsed amidst Stelle and Caelus's cries.
Welt was silent.
Little Seele was bewildered.
March 7th looked at Stelle and Caelus with a "Are you two even sane?" expression.
Dan Heng shook his head and sighed.
These two troublemakers were acting crazy again.
Kafka's smile at the corner of her lips also crumbled.
"I've never felt a day of motherly love~~"
"Luckily, there's good mommy Himeko, beautiful and kind-hearted, who brought us onto the Express and gave us a home~~"
"Good mommy…"
As Himeko looked utterly dumbfounded, Stelle and Caelus each hugged her fair, tender thighs that were not covered by her gown's hem, like twins firmly choosing the stepmother over the biological mother in a custody dispute, accusing their birth mother.
Himeko was happy to be praised as beautiful and kind-hearted, but the "good mommy" title left her completely at a loss for how to react.
"You two…"
Even Kafka was utterly speechless in front of such abstract-level players.
The shock she felt was no less than hearing Silver Wolf narrate the process of the Simulated Universe test, which involved drawing a comic to summon an Aeon, or the weak sense of awe from Yaoshi bestowing blessings upon The Hunt.
Kafka quickly recalled Caelus's trick at Herta Space Station, where he convinced Stelle that she was his and Kafka's daughter. Stelle couldn't possibly be taking that seriously, could she?
"I truly, desperately lack motherly love, so, mommy, can you let me experience it?"
As she spoke, the Stellaron Spirit's mournful and yearning expression suddenly changed, and she lunged at Kafka like a child seeking maternal nourishment.
The result, of course, was that she passed right through the taut fullness, and inertia caused Stelle's head to have an intimate encounter with a flowerpot behind Kafka.
One of the Stellaron Spirit's greatest racial characteristics is their hard head!
A mere porcelain flowerpot, how could it be a match for her?
CRACK!
"Ah, my meticulously cared-for potted plant!"
Amidst Pom-Pom's desperate cry, Stelle's little head shattered the flowerpot. As she straightened up, soil poured down, leaving only the pothos plant still on Stelle's head, its roots wrapped around a few strands of her red hair like a hair tie.
"Waaah, I'm so pitiful! Is it so hard to experience motherly love? A motherless child is like a weed~"
Kafka's lips twitched uncontrollably.
If one were to vividly describe Kafka's current mental state, it would roughly be as follows:
What kind of place is this Astral Express? It's truly detrimental to people!
My darling Stelle was originally so cute, but after moving around with you all, she's completely broken and become this kind of lunatic. It's absolutely outrageous!"
You've truly ruined my darling!
Digging through trash cans was barely tolerable, since for some unknown reason, Stelle and Caelus could block out the dirt and stains on the garbage. But now, seeing Stelle crying and fussing, demanding mother's milk…
Her inherently flawed mind prevented Kafka from knowing fear, yet she wasn't lacking in other emotions.
Although she had previously told Stelle to maintain her free will and reach the ending Elio and she desired, was this will perhaps a bit too free?
Kafka fell into the deepest level of silence.
She had an impulse to immediately close the holographic projection and leave the Astral Express, but it was fleeting.
"[Listen to me], be a good girl, okay?"
Kafka, holding her umbrella, knelt before Stelle, her crystal-clear violet-red eyes emitting a gentle glow, her voice like a soothing waltz, its tone as mellow as water.
However…
You know what, you really know what!
Recalling Stelle's behavior in front of her during past missions, and then looking at the "darling" in front of her who now treated her as a mother, Kafka felt a mixture of surprise, delight, and…
Should she call it funny? Or comforting?
Good, good!
Stelle almost instantly succumbed to Kafka's gentle smile.
"Kafka, I finally see you."
However, having dealt with one grey-haired troublemaker, there was still another: Caelus stepped forward a few paces.
"There's something I absolutely must tell you."
"Oh, what is it?"
Kafka paused, her face still holding a soft smile. She stood up, holding her umbrella, her pale purple eyes meeting Caelus's.
After completing the mission at Herta Space Station, Kafka had asked Elio about Caelus.
Elio's answer confirmed Silver Wolf's statement: Elio could not see Caelus's future.
Or rather, Caelus's future was Stelle's future; in Elio's eyes, which could see overlaid destinies, the two were "one person."
At this point, Kafka had completely accepted the premise that Stelle had split into the two individuals, Stelle and Caelus.
Her attitude towards Caelus was no different from her attitude towards Stelle, but…
Caelus looked at her with the eyes of a child abandoned by their mother, conveying the meaning of "Am I superfluous?", which made Kafka feel especially nuanced, and a tiny bit of apology or guilt?
But that ineffable emotion quickly turned entirely into a question mark.
With a serious and solemn expression, Caelus spread his arms in an embracing gesture, and declared in a grand, passionate tone:
"Actually, compared to my 'wife', I've always seen you as a mother, Kafka. You are the kind of woman who could be my mother!"
Kafka's lips, which she had barely managed to keep straight before, clearly twitched this time.
What's with this "wife" thing now?
"Haven't I heard that before…?"
Stelle and Caelus's string of outrageous antics was simply too much, causing Little March to freeze up. Now, she finally reacted.
She remembered Caelus saying something similar the first time he met Himeko.
Is any beautiful, gentle elder sister the kind of woman who can be your mother?
The atmosphere once again became strange under Caelus's declaration. After a long moment, Himeko shook her head resignedly, interrupting the plot from devolving into a 5200-episode galactic melodrama.
"Stellaron Hunter, Kafka."
Even though it was their first interaction, Himeko recognized her identity at a glance. On the company's wanted posters, every Stellaron Hunter's bounty was an astronomical figure.
"I don't recall sending a tour invitation to a Stellaron Hunter."
"I apologize for the intrusion, but I believe you will understand after hearing my request."
Kafka barely managed to hold back her annoyance at Stelle and Caelus, who were still awkwardly leaning closer. Finally, someone was following a normal script.
"A request?"
"Indeed, I wish to ask you—to change your destination."
Kafka turned and looked back: "Everyone, have you heard of the Luofu?"
"The Luofu, wasn't that where we tested the Simulated Universe before?"
Hearing this, Stelle blinked, her raised hand stopping at Kafka's chest. Unfortunately, the holographic projection had no tactile quality.
"Simulated Universe?"
Welt looked at Stelle with some confusion.
Dan Heng, meanwhile, furrowed his brow, observing Kafka.
Kafka's lips parted slightly:
"That Xianzhou vessel is now very close to you, reachable by two Warp Jumps. The crucial point is, forty-five system hours ago, a Stellaron… erupted on the Luofu."
"An undeserved calamity, wouldn't you say?"
"Just say what you mean, no need for riddles, Kafka." Himeko's expression was serious.
Kafka chuckled softly: "…Very well, then I will tell you directly about the future Elio has observed: if you do not proceed to the Luofu, the Stellaron will ultimately corrupt the entire Xianzhou vessel, and approximately half of the residents on that ship will perish."
"Brave Trailblazers, kind-hearted Nameless, I presume you won't stand idly by."
"The message has been delivered to you, the coordinates are here. Everything is up to your own decision."
Kafka snapped her fingers, and a star-point representing the coordinates flew towards Himeko.
What's with this "wife" thing again?
"Although our goals are entirely different, the orbits of the stars will eventually converge. Farewell."
While she could still maintain her composure, Kafka quickly finished her part in this scene according to Elio's script.
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