[Wake up~ Wake up~]
A mixed chorus of voices echoed in Stelle's ears, as if she were dreaming.
"Ugh…"
Opening her eyes, Stelle found herself in the main control cabin.
This scene felt oddly familiar—had it happened once or twice before?
"This is… the space station?"
"Yo, you're awake."
Adrian's voice reached her ears. Stelle turned, her foggy brain instantly sharpening.
The Adrian before her was clearly that muscular trash can!
"What's up?" The trash can looked at her. "Something on my face?"
Stelle blinked, doubting her eyes.
Standing in front of her was clearly Adrian himself.
"Good to know you're fine. The Legion's threat is gone. You can relax," he said.
Hearing this, Stelle let out a long breath, then puffed out her chest, hands on hips.
"Even a mighty Doomsday Beast was no match for—"
"Uh…"
If she remembered right, the last thing Stelle saw before passing out was Adrian facing the Doomsday Beast alone.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
"Heh, just sleep-talk. Don't mind me."
The Stellaron Core was so flustered she used polite speech.
"Rest up. I won't bother you. Oh, let's exchange contacts—makes it easier to stay in touch."
"Sure, sure."
Stelle and Adrian added each other's contact info, and she even sent him an emoji.
"Come on, let's find Himeko."
Stelle stared at Adrian curiously. "What happened to the Doomsday Beast?"
"It met its doomsday."
Adrian showed her a dark matter engine, now dull and inactive.
Stelle recognized it. During the fight, the beast shot lasers from its head and beams from the chest engine.
"Can I assume you took it down solo?" she asked.
"Play some games when you have time. Look up a skill called 'Execute.' You guys whittled the Doomsday Beast's health to the brink, giving me the chance to finish it off."
"I get it—you brought a game skill into reality!" Stelle marveled at her own cleverness.
"I mean… we only beat the Doomsday Beast because you all kept fighting. Without you, I'd have struggled alone."
"And you, my friend, you're the real hero! Risking your life to block that beam, holding the beast's attention."
Adrian's barrage of praise left Stelle bashful.
"Heh, didn't know I was that awesome in your eyes!"
Seeing Stelle's goofy grin, Adrian couldn't help but smile too.
Laughter is contagious—especially when Stelle was already pretty cute.
"Don't worry. If we run into Voidrangers again, I'll protect everyone!"
"That's the spirit!" Adrian encouraged her. Keep it up, and Qlipoth might take notice.
Along the way, Stelle asked Adrian tons of questions, and he explained the basics of Paths and Aeons.
"By the way, have you ever seen a muscular iron trash can?"
"You're asking the right guy. Guess what? That's the true form of the Aeon of [Eternity]!"
Stelle was floored.
"You're saying the Aeon of [Eternity]… is a trash can?" Her face was a sea of question marks.
She recalled the trash can in her memory, standing right next to Kafka.
And when she took the Doomsday Beast's beam, she saw IT give the Aeon of [Destruction] a double-handed slap.
"Exactly. Aeons come in all shapes. [Erudition]'s a pile of scrap, [Voracity]'s an ancient beast, and [Eternity]'s a trash can! Look at that—perfect trio of Aeons!"
Stelle gasped. "Wait, aren't you a Pathstrider of [Eternity]? Is it okay to trash-talk your boss like that?"
"I'm just stating facts. The [Elation] faction has Mourning Actors too. Sometimes, you don't just praise—you gotta throw shade."
Stelle nodded, half-understanding. "I see. That's how you draw an Aeon's gaze!"
"Not bad! But that only works for [Elation]. Try it now—say Aha's got no face, just a crowd-pleasing clown."
"Come on, repeat after me: Aha's got no face!"
"Aha's got no face!"
"That's the spirit!" As a reward, Adrian handed Stelle a freshly chilled Immortal's Delight Tea.
Seeing the taro bubble tea, Stelle remembered—Adrian ran a tea shop.
"Don't doubt me. I've been gazed at by two Aeons!" she said proudly, chin up.
"So?"
"One more cup!"
Stelle held out her hand. Barely born and already turning into a gremlin.
…
Adrian brought Stelle to Himeko, where a Herta puppet stood nearby.
Target delivered, Adrian bolted. He wasn't sticking around—he'd rather lounge on the Express.
"Do what I told you. She's easy to talk to."
"Odd. My remote connection just dropped. Equipment glitch?" Herta muttered.
"She's here," Himeko said, smiling and waving at Stelle.
"You're awake. I had March and the others stay near the Express to keep an eye out."
"Let me introduce you. This is the true master of the space station, Genius Society #83, Herta."
"Introduce me properly. Why mention the club? I've got tons of achievements—any beat #83!"
"At a young age, she cracked the Lone Wave Algorithm and Sparkle Model Conjecture; in her prime, discovered the Sigma Particle Conversion Method; later, proposed the Herta Sequence, published a paper on rejuvenation, achieved rejuvenation, saved her hometown multiple times, and met Aeons repeatedly…"
"Ugh! Her words are attacking my brain!" Stelle clutched her head, understanding nothing.
"Ha, this kid's got a sense of humor," Herta said, turning to Himeko. "Who taught her?"
"Maybe… she was born funny," Himeko offered.
"Ms. Himeko's got a point. Lady, let me correct you: First, I'm not a kid. Second, my name's Stelle. Third, you're super cute."
Herta's puppet: "Ha, compared to me, you're the kid! How old are you?"
"Don't judge by looks, Herta. That body of yours looks way younger than Stelle," Himeko teased, eyeing the puppet, barely reaching her arm.
"Compared to my childhood self, maybe a seven out of ten," Herta said, pointing at herself. The puppet wasn't quite her real self.
"Huh, this one's not like March 7th, is she? So…"
"Little guy, mind if I study you?" Herta was blunt as ever.
"How much?"
"This kid's got a head for business. I like her," Herta said, growing more intrigued.
"Don't bully her too much," Himeko said, finding their banter amusing.
"I'm interested, so I'll play nice."
"Got it, Stelle? Herta wants you to stay on her station."
"No way!"
Stelle shook her head, recalling Adrian's advice: with a sly one like Herta, do the opposite. If she says west, go east!
"Do you know who you're standing in front of?"
"Listen up, little puppet. I've been gazed at by two Aeons!"
Stelle recounted what she saw drifting in her consciousness to Himeko and Herta.
"You're saying… a trash can beat down Nanook? And that trash can was the Aeon of [Eternity]?"
Herta feigned ignorance, acting curious.
She hadn't expected Adrian to go so far as to dress as a trash can to pique Stelle's interest in [Eternity].
"A trash can? The Aeon of [Eternity] is a trash can?"
Strange knowledge flooded Himeko's mind. If Stelle was telling the truth, the think tank's data on the Aeon of [Eternity] needed an update.
But… could a trash can really be an Aeon?
Himeko was skeptical and about to ask more when Stelle spilled the beans.
"A loyal follower of [Eternity] told me this!"
That settled it. Himeko had no more questions.
Adrian's words about [Eternity] were never false. She trusted no one understood the Aeon of [Eternity] better than him.
So, the Aeon of [Eternity] really was a trash can.
"Hey, little puppet, why're you laughing?"
"Ahem, just thought of something funny."
Herta barely held back her laughter. This Stellaron Core was too much fun.
Looking at Himeko, Herta sensed her worldview crumbling. A trash can as an Aeon, in this day and age?
"Let's move on. Stelle, you have another option. There's an Astral Express on the platform. You can come with us if you want."
"The Express has tangled with Stellarons plenty. What you're worried about, we're seeking answers for. Plus, we can always come back for Herta's research—she's all fired up now."
"Not bad. Keeps things fresh. When I don't need the kid, I don't have to worry," Herta agreed.
"I'm joining the Express," Stelle said without hesitation after a quick comparison.
A mature red-haired navigator big sister versus a petite lolita puppet.
No contest—Stelle preferred the mature big sister.