A second Astral Express…
It actually exists?!
Asta felt like she had to be hallucinating—or was it some kind of illusion?
But no. She could sense it clearly: both trains carried the unmistakable aura of the Path of Trailblaze. There was no doubt—they were genuine.
Could it be… that this uninvited guest named Yevenko had been telling the truth?
A faint glimmer stirred in Asta's light blue eyes as she kept her gaze locked on the door of the second Astral Express, waiting for its passengers to disembark and confirm her theory.
And then, a moment later—
A girl stepped off the train. Short, rosy-pink hair framed her delicate face, and her rainbow-hued eyes sparkled like gems. She wore a simple white blouse that clung slightly to her curves, topped with a playful pink-and-blue jacket and a short navy skirt.
She strode forward lightly, camera in hand, her bright eyes flicking curiously around.
"Back at the space station again. Still the same as always—nothing much ever changes."
"But at least I'll finally get to rest for once."
A soft, contented smile played on March 7th's lips.
Each trailblazing expedition filled her with wonder and excitement—but also danger. The Herta Space Station, though, was her safe haven. No crises here. Just rest, recovery, and time to let the accumulated exhaustion fade away.
She walked forward a few more steps—then stopped.
There, a young man with a cat on his shoulders was in some kind of standoff with Asta.
March 7th was just about to head over to see what was happening when her eyes flicked past them—
—and landed on the other Astral Express parked nearby.
She froze, wide-eyed.
Behind her, a woman with long, flame-red hair approached at a calm pace. Her figure, full and elegant, was accentuated by a white evening gown that hugged her curves in all the right places. Draped over her shoulders was a brown-black leather coat—blending beauty with command, her aura striking and unique.
Himeko saw March 7th pause and gently touched her shoulder. With a soft voice and a faint smile, she asked:
"Why'd you stop, March?"
Then her own gaze followed March 7th's.
"Hm? Looks like we're not the only ones visiting the station this time."
"…Wait. Is that—?"
She too saw the second Astral Express. Her brows furrowed as she raised a hand to her lips, clearly thinking something through.
Moments later, she turned to the chestnut-haired middle-aged man and the dark-haired young man beside her.
"Welt, Dan Heng. Ask Pom-Pom to come out. I need to confirm something."
Welt and Dan Heng both gave small nods.
Himeko turned back to March 7th and patted her shoulder.
"Let's go take a look. We've seen stranger things on the trailblazing path. Stay calm."
March 7th pressed her lips together and kept her gaze on the other Astral Express.
"…This is definitely a first."
Still, she followed right behind Himeko as they walked over.
Seeing Himeko and the others disembark from the second Astral Express, Yevenko let out a breath of relief.
"That should prove I'm telling the truth, right, Station Master Asta? You can probably tell just by looking—I'm an ordinary guy, couldn't hurt a fly. How could I possibly steal the Astral Express from Miss Himeko and the rest?"
"This is my Astral Express."
Hearing that, a trace of apology crossed Asta's face.
"Mr. Yevenko, it seems we misunderstood you."
But then her expression shifted, and her tone became more formal.
"Even so, you entered the space station without permission."
"According to protocol, we still have to question you. If it's confirmed you pose no threat, we'll still need you to leave the premises."
"Arlan, please escort Mr. Yevenko to the interrogation room."
Yevenko stiffened.
So much for being a guest.
But if he wanted to grow stronger, he had to keep exploring—to gather more Star Rail Tickets and Special Passes. Right now, the space station was the only place he could explore.
If they locked him in an interrogation room, how was he supposed to explore anything?
In this situation, the aggressive move would be to cause a distraction—maybe trigger chaos using [Tom's Fencing Rapier] or [Tuffy's Little Firecracker]—then break free and explore as much as he could before fleeing back to the Astral Express.
If the Stellaron Hunters and the Antimatter Legion can do it, why can't I?
Wait—Stellaron Hunters… Antimatter Legion… and the current timeline…
Maybe it's worth making a gamble.
By the time he returned to his senses, he realized two guards were already dragging him away, one on each arm.
Tom, seeing Yevenko being hauled off, rushed over and clung tightly to his left leg, holding on for dear life.
But it only got him dragged along too—his paws scraping deep grooves into the floor with every inch they moved.
Arlan's eyelid twitched.
That was high-grade, reinforced flooring—not something a mere cat should've been able to damage like this.
Clearly, this cat was not normal.
Just then, Yevenko called out:
"Wait—Herta!"
"I want to see Herta!"
"I have information to report. The Antimatter Legion will attack Herta Space Station soon!"
His sudden shout made Asta's heart skip a beat. She immediately spoke up:
"Arlan—hold on."
At that moment, Himeko and March 7th arrived as well. Hearing what Yevenko said, March 7th pouted.
"Antimatter Legion again?"
"Why does that name have to follow me even here? Don't tell me my vacation's ruined…"
"But wow—up close, this thing really is an Astral Express."
"From the design to the scale, it's an exact replica. I can't believe there are two of them in the world."
Her wide, sparkling eyes were full of wonder. She reached out and touched Yevenko's Astral Express.
"Don't tell me it's like those novels I used to read—where artifacts come in male and female versions. Ours is the 'female' Express, and his is the 'male' one?"
Hearing that, Yevenko pressed his lips together and said, with utmost seriousness:
"Miss March 7th… please don't assume the Astral Express's gender."