"Wow, wow, wow! A blue Curio!"
March 7th nearly burst into cheers. Planting her hands on her hips, she boasted, "This young lady did her research! Blue Curios are a one-in-ten chance. Just pulling one of these covers the cost of several cans. And I got one in just three pulls—big profit, huge profit!"
Dan Heng nodded slightly, his tone calm. "Indeed, you have good luck. But it's best not to think of this in terms of profit."
Stelle was far more casual. "Meh, average. Compared to the time I scared off an Aeon, this doesn't even come close."
"Boss, boss, what are these things?" March 7th ignored their attitudes entirely, brimming with impatience as she pressed Sylvester for an explanation of her "loot."
Sylvester smiled faintly, not answering directly. Instead, he asked, "Miss March 7th, do you believe that sweat and sunshine bring success?"
"As such a bright and cheerful girl, of course I do!" March 7th answered with radiant confidence.
But then she hesitated. "Uh… wait, what does that have to do with these two Curios?"
Not now. But soon, when you meet Yanqing and Yunli, these two items will prove invaluable.
"Excellent! As expected of a Nameless traversing the sea of stars—you have a true spirit for trailblazing."
Sylvester picked up the Memory Bubble and explained, "This curio is called [Memory Bubble of a Swordsman]. Upon use, it grants the experience of one thousand sword swings. Your body will gain the muscle memory as if you'd performed them yourself."
"Oh! Then that means, if I use this, I can instantly become a beginner-level swordswoman?" March 7th's eyes lit up, recalling the heroic tales of sword-bearing knights she'd read in Xianzhou storybooks.
"Aren't you an archer?" Dan Heng interjected.
"Dan Heng!" March 7th wagged her finger solemnly. "Where there's a will, there's a way! Without dreams, one's no better than a salted fish!"
She struck a pose, fists clenched in motivation. "Master of every weapon, unrivaled under heaven, saving all from disaster—that's super cool!"
"On the Xianzhou, that would violate public security ordinances." Dan Heng's calm reminder cut in. "And that's just stuff from a teahouse's storybooks, isn't it?"
Though exposed, March 7th wasn't discouraged. Instead, she spoke with mock pity, patting Dan Heng's shoulder. "Dan Heng, you're not acting like a young person at all. Youth should be lively and full of energy. Otherwise, you'll grow old fast."
A twitch flickered at the corner of his eye.
Then another hand landed on his opposite shoulder.
He turned to see Stelle, who wore the same expression of pity. "You'll grow old fast."
Both of Dan Heng's eyebrows twitched violently, his forehead veins pulsing like a tightening grid.
"Huuuuuu~!" He let out a long, deep breath to calm himself.
Pressing a hand to his forehead, he muttered helplessly, "That's enough from the both of you."
"Pffft—" Stelle stifled a mischievous laugh, while March 7th grinned triumphantly.
Sylvester clapped in delight. "Exactly! Youth should look like the youth. Miss March 7th, if you find the right master and train diligently, you will become a first-class swordswoman one day."
Whether she became a first-class swordswoman was uncertain. But enduring first-class suffering? That was guaranteed.
He only hoped March 7th would mention this Memory Bubble to Yanqing and Yunli before taking them as masters.
Otherwise…
Imagine someone who had barely touched a sword suddenly wielding the aura of a trained swordswoman.
How would Yanqing and Yunli react? Sylvester dared not imagine.
Such "self-taught geniuses" were the rarest of prodigies. They would surely fight with everything they had for the honor of becoming her master.
And of course, they would devise the most brutal training regime possible…
Sylvester glanced between Dan Heng and March 7th, uncertain which of them deserved more sympathy.
"Hehe, I don't actually have such lofty ambitions." Embarrassed by Sylvester's praise, March 7th rubbed her cheek and giggled.
She had no idea that in just a few days, those one thousand swings of experience would cause her future masters to grossly overestimate her talent. Thus the "Swordmaster March 7th" training plan would veer completely off the balanced path—straight toward if it doesn't kill you, train harder until it does.
"And this one? What is it?"
Still glowing with excitement, March 7th pointed at the exoskeleton, eager to know more.
Sylvester answered unhurriedly. "The [Regulation Exoskeleton]. It has a control panel. You set the motion, repetitions, and other parameters before wearing it. Then it will force you to complete the workout. It's insurance for those lacking self-discipline."
"Sounds fun." March 7th tapped on the frame curiously, but soon shook her head proudly. "But someone as diligent as me would never need such a thing."
Just as she basked in her own pride, Stelle's voice drifted in, quiet but pointed. "And who is it that clutches a plushie every morning and refuses to get out of bed?"
The moment the topic came up, March 7th exploded like a cat with its tail stepped on. "Hey! We agreed never to bring that up! And besides, that's because it's hard to tell day from night in space!"
"Calling ten twenty 'a little past four'—was that also because of day-night confusion?" Dan Heng's cool voice cut in.
"Dan Heng! I didn't expect you to hold grudges too!" March 7th cried out, then muttered defensively, fiddling with her fingers. "I had just woken up, I was groggy, and I read the hour and minute hands backward…"
She coughed. "Anyway! This Trash Can session was a complete success for this lady. Now it's time for the next contestant."
Taking her loot, she strutted back to the seating area, humming a victory fanfare as if walking a red carpet.
Quite the clumsy topic change.
Sylvester, Dan Heng, Stelle, and Qingque all tracked her movements with their eyes as she sat down with her chin up, feigning composure.
Oh no, stop looking at me like that, I can't hold it together!
Seeing her cheeks flush, the others smiled quietly, choosing not to tease further.
Dan Heng stepped forward, turning to Stelle. "Next, allow me."
The Trailblazer agreed easily. "If you pull something good, I get to try it too."
"Of course." Dan Heng nodded, then fixed his gaze on Sylvester. His voice carried cool intelligence. "The person you want me to meet is someone who's connected to me—and someone I already know. But you refuse to tell me, perhaps because you fear I'd run away if I knew the truth."
"That narrows the possibilities considerably."
"But I won't press you to reveal the name. I've already decided to see her myself. However—" his tone sharpened, voicing the doubt that gnawed at him, "what exactly do you mean by a chance at rebirth… or samsara?"
Rebirth. A new life. But what becomes of the old one? Wiped away?
Though he'd learned a bit about Sylvester's shop, he hadn't given it much thought. Yet their earlier conversation stirred a flicker of hope.
A small hope, but unshakable.
Where were the High-Cloud Quintet destined to go?
Could this place give him an answer?