The sun was beginning to set beyond the frozen peaks of Jarillo-VI. The last rays of the day painted the scaffolding of the Creation Engine in amber as the workers made their way down the slopes to rest.
In front of them, Bronya exhaled with a mix of gratitude and exhaustion.
"You've done more than I asked. The least I can offer you." She said, addressing the Astral Express crew with a smile. "Is a room at the Grand Goethe Hotel. Consider it a token of my thanks."
For a moment, Aleph thought he saw a glowing halo above Bronya's head.
[Master, resist the urge to be stupid.]
"Marry me."
[…And once again, completely ignored. Idiot.]
The silence that followed was as sharp as a snowstorm.
Bronya gasped, stepping back with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.
"W-What...? M-Marry Bronya?!"
Himeko blinked, caught off guard.
"Well... that was straightforward." Her voice carried a mix of amusement and resignation. She glanced down at her empty cup and sighed. "…And here I am, almost thirty and still single…"
Somehow, her expression darkened considerably.
"I need stronger coffee… or maybe a drink." She muttered.
March stood frozen, mouth agape, unable to form any words.
Dan Heng merely raised an eyebrow, looked at Aleph with a neutral expression, and said.
"Congratulations." Then calmly adjusted his jacket like nothing had happened.
Cocolia frowned, her face as expressionless and cold as ever. Her hand slowly drifted toward a rifle resting against the wall.
"There's no need to take it that seriously." Pela chimed in, quickly intercepting her hand with a cold sweat forming on her brow.
Meanwhile, Stelle had already crossed the distance in three long strides, grabbing Aleph by the ear with a look of pure frustration.
"What's wrong with you?! You trying to get shot or buried alive?! Don't say that kind of nonsense in front of her!" She scolded, tightening her grip. Somehow, she had this strange feeling like something similar had happened before.
"Ow, ow, ow! Let go! It was a joke!"
"Well, it wasn't funny! Idiot!"
At that moment, Seele strolled over, stretching casually. She paused, looking at the scene with a puzzled expression.
"What happened here? Why does Bronya look like a boiled lobster?"
Dan Heng, without lifting his eyes from his phone, calmly replied.
"Aleph proposed to Bronya. Stelle's educating him."
Seele narrowed her eyes, torn between laughing and being concerned. She looked at Bronya, who was now mumbling, her face burning red.
"M-Marry Bronya…?"
"B-But we haven't even gone out yet…"
"Isn't this way too fast…?"
"Awawa…"
Seele sighed and placed a hand on her forehead.
"I see…" She murmured, turning her gaze toward Stelle, who was still scolding Aleph. "Then I think I need to have a little talk with Aleph about the irresponsible use of words that affect the delicate hearts of silly, sheltered young maidens."
Aleph, still caught in Stelle's grip, went pale.
"Wait, wait! No need to be so dramatic! It was just a harmless line!"
"Oh, relax. I'm not going to kill you." Seele said with a smile. A smile that reassured no one.
Aleph trembled as he had terrifying flashbacks of the time he accidentally soaked Mei and her freshly finished homework while playing with Mike.
"I'm just going to make sure you learn…"
Dan Heng, still not looking up, commented:
"You brought this on yourself, Aleph."
*************
Aleph took off his jacket and let it fall onto the chair.
He walked over to the mirror and pulled off his shirt. He stood there for a while, staring at his reflection with a complicated expression.
Golden cracks spread across his chest—their reach had grown. He traced one of them with a finger.
How could something radiate both heat and cold at the same time… and feel so cold it burned?
The pain that came with them had also grown far more intense than before.
"Burroughs…" He muttered, not taking his eyes off the mirror. "You can't contain it anymore, can you?"
[I am, Master. But this is the most restrained form I can manage. The phenomenon continues to progress.]
Aleph let out a slow breath.
He couldn't help but frown with concern.
How much time did he have left?
Minutes? Hours? Days?
A small, startled gasp came from the closet—but Aleph, too deep in thought, didn't notice it at all.
Inside, Stelle was holding her breath with a hand over her mouth.
As usual, she'd hidden in Aleph's closet to spy on him, hoping to catch a glimpse of what he might be hiding. But this… this was worse than anything she'd expected.
So that's why he didn't want anyone to know.
...What the hell had this idiot done this time to be standing so close to death?
Was he suicidal?
Maybe a masochist?
She clenched her teeth as her mind replayed the image of Aleph fighting Blade—and the state he was in afterward.
For a moment, she debated how many good hits with her bat it would take to knock some sense into his thick head.
...
A soft knock at the window broke the silence in the room.
Aleph walked over, and upon opening it, Nappea slipped in gracefully, brushing dust off her wings.
"Busy night, Master?" Her smile was gentle, but her eyes scanned every inch of the cracks on his skin with worry. "I came to bring you the situation report."
Aleph nodded with approval.
"What did you find out?"
Nappea gave a crisp salute, her expression serious as she began her report.
"Jack and Oni tracked down several of the stolen museum pieces. They've recovered most of them and are keeping them secure. You can return them in the morning." She paused. "We also intercepted a call on a suspect's phone. We used his number to set up a meeting with someone called Mr. Coldfeet. It'll be held in a room in this very hotel."
Aleph nodded, crossing his arms in approval.
"Well done. Even better than I expected."
Nappea lowered her gaze, hesitating slightly, unsure if she should bring something up.
"Your condition…"
"Don't worry. Just because there's no solution yet doesn't mean there won't be one later."
She didn't reply.
She just stood there, watching him, as if she wanted to say something more—but couldn't find the words.
Inside the closet, Stelle clenched her fists.
She was now completely certain she was going to knock a few of Aleph's teeth out for being a total idiot.
...
The next morning.
March was finishing her second croissant when she noticed something odd.
"Hey, Aleph… do you know why Stelle's staring at you like that?" She asked with genuine curiosity.
Aleph, mid-pour with his cup of coffee, looked up at Stelle, who hadn't said a single word since they sat down.
Her eyes were locked on him, watching with an intense look—it felt almost like prey being hunted by a predator.
Almost.
"No idea." He said with a shrug.
Dan Heng looked at him calmly.
"You going to the museum today?"
"Yeah." Aleph replied, downing his coffee in one gulp. "I've got a few things my demons recovered to return. Plus, I promised the curator I'd help out."
Aleph tensed as Seele walked in. He still remembered the sheer tenacity with which she'd chased him down before.
"Any leads on the thief?" Seele asked, sitting next to him.
Well, she seemed much calmer now.
Aleph shrugged.
"I'll have answers soon enough."
*************
Aleph walked through the hallways of the Grand Goethe Hotel after dropping off the recovered artifacts at the museum.
In his pocket, he carried Nappea's note—the one with the knock pattern he had to follow so that "Mr. Coldfeet" would recognize him as his supposed associate.
Standing in front of the door, Aleph raised his hand and knocked in the specified rhythm. A brief silence followed, then he heard the soft click of a lock being undone.
Stelle, who had insisted on coming along, stepped in behind him as the door creaked open.
Both stood there in silence for a moment, surprised by the person on the other side.
"…Sampo?" Aleph asked, eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Sampo froze in place, visibly calculating how far the window was and whether he could make a clean escape.
"Friends! What a… pleasant surprise." His tone did absolutely nothing to help his case.
The smile on his face was twitchy at best, and cold sweat trickled down his temple.
Stelle pointed at him immediately.
"Gotcha! You're under arrest, slippery criminal! I'll hand you over myself!"
Aleph brought a hand to his forehead. This was exactly why Stelle and detective movies were a… curious mix.
"Now hold on, hold on—no need to jump to such extreme measures." Sampo said, raising both hands. "We can work this out like civilized friends. How about a little… token of goodwill in exchange for your silence?"
He pulled a rather full pouch from inside his jacket and offered a nervous smile.
"I don't need your bribe." Stelle growled, crossing her arms. "I'm calling Pela."
Aleph, who had been quietly observing the whole time, stepped forward.
"Stelle, I think I just saw March running off with your bat out the window."
Stelle's eyes went wide. Panic hit immediately, and she bolted toward the nearest window.
"I told her Jonathan was off-limits!"
Aleph shot Sampo a look and subtly nodded toward the door as he unlatched the lock just a bit.
Sampo grinned, immediately catching on, and slipped out into the hallway with a quick wave at Aleph.
[Why did you let him go?] Burroughs asked with genuine curiosity.
"Because back when I woke up in the Underworld, he was one of the few people who helped me. Just like Natasha. In the end, he's still a friend—and if I can lend him a hand, then of course I will."
[That doesn't make him any less of a thief.]
"He was also a very generous source of high-reward challenges. A lot of the gear I got thanks to him is still useful even now."
[So it's gratitude and convenience, huh?]
"Exactly. It's the least I can do for him."
Aleph pulled out his phone and typed out a quick message to Pela:
[Aleph: "Mr. Coldfeet escaped. Seems he was using a room at the Goethe Hotel as a decoy to throw us off. I can give more details later."]
[Pela: ...]
[Pela: *Angry Pom-Pom sticker*]
[Pela: Understood.]
He slipped the phone back into his pocket just as Stelle returned, frowning.
"I couldn't find her. Are you sure you saw March with my bat?"
"I thought I did." Aleph said, shrugging. "Maybe it was someone else."
Stelle blinked and glanced around.
"…And Sampo?"
"I got distracted texting Pela. When I looked up again, he was gone."
Stelle clenched her teeth.
"I'm going to find him. And when I do, I'm gonna shove that bribe where the sun don't shine."
Aleph broke into a cold sweat as he internally offered Sampo his most heartfelt condolences.
.....
Aleph stood up to leave, but Stelle stepped in front of the door. She wasn't about to waste the chance to get answers—now that they were alone.
"Is it true?"
Her voice didn't waver. Not even a little.
But her eyes didn't lie.
Aleph didn't answer. He was still too thrown off.
Stelle took a step forward and shoved him hard in the chest, pushing him back until he dropped onto the edge of the bed.
"Are you going to die?"
Aleph took a deep breath.
It took him a second to swallow that question.
"…Yeah."
He didn't try to dress it up. There was no point. If she already knew, the least he could do was give her a proper explanation.
"Why?" Stelle asked, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and lifting him up. "What kind of stupid thing did you do this time?"
Even before Aleph could say a word, Stelle tore open his shirt, exposing the golden cracks running through his chest.
Aleph sighed and scratched the back of his neck.
"I got lucky… too lucky. Containing one Stellaron is already a miracle. Holding two? That's suicide." He lowered his gaze. "My body's giving out—like a rope pulled too tight. Sooner or later, it's going to snap."
"You don't sound too worried." She said, letting go of him.
"Why should I be? These things happen. I overestimated what I could handle in my greed, and now I'm paying the price. It's only natural. Panicking won't help."
"You seriously…"
Stelle clenched her fists. Aleph closed his eyes, bracing for the hit.
But the punch never came.
Instead, he felt arms wrap around him. Tightly. Too tightly.
As if Stelle was trying to hold him together by force alone.
"Idiot." She muttered. And she didn't let go.
Aleph froze, unsure whether to hug her back or ask her to calm down.
In the end, he did neither. He just sat there, still, letting her have her moment.
After all, the way she was feeling—it was entirely his fault.
**********
Somewhere in her memory, Stelle returned to that day.
Caelus sat across from her, face neutral, while she twirled her new bat proudly.
"See? Even Kafka agreed it made more sense to teach me how to use a bat than a sword! She said it gave me style!"
Caelus gave a faint smile. But he did smile.
"I'm happy for you."
"Don't be happy. You're supposed to be jealous." Stelle protested, puffing out her cheeks.
Caelus raised an eyebrow, then forced a deadpan voice.
"I am… devastated. Clearly, Jonathan is superior to my Lucielle."
Stelle burst out laughing. She couldn't help it.
"That was awful."
Caelus shrugged, unfazed.
"I tried."
There was a pause. Then Caelus took the bat from her hands and gently ruffled her hair.
"Are you ready?"
Those words wiped the smile from her face.
"It won't be long before they seal our memories. After this final mission with Kafka, we'll be heading to Herta Space Station to prepare for our integration into the Astral Express, just like Elio said."
Stelle turned her face away.
"I don't want to."
Caelus looked at her, puzzled.
"Why not?"
"I don't want to forget everything. I don't want to forget White Snake, or Kafka, or Silver Wolf… or you."
Caelus sighed softly but didn't say anything at first.
Then, he simply wrapped her in a hug.
"We'll get it all back. Someday."
His voice was low, but steady.
"It doesn't matter if we forget. We'll still be together. We'll know."
She hugged him back. She didn't want the moment to end.
"You say that, but what you really don't want to forget is Sam, huh?"
Caelus gave her a dry, ironic smile.
"…What are you talking about? Sam and I are just friends."
Even while hugging him, she shot him a deadpan look.
"Since when do you propose marriage to your friends?"
Caelus scratched his neck awkwardly.
"…It was just a little joke."
Stelle did her best impression of Kafka's deadpan tone and look from the time she'd caught Caelus in the act.
"You're the worst."
She nearly burst out laughing when he visibly flinched.
That very night, Caelus disappeared without a trace.
Not even Elio knew what had happened.
**********
Back in the present, Stelle was still holding Aleph tightly.
"It's okay. Nothing's going to happen to me." He said, gently running a hand over her head.
Liar.
Stupid liar.
********
Aleph was walking toward the entrance of the Museum, where Dan Heng and March were already waiting. Beside him, Stelle was quietly clinging to his sleeve. Both looked a little worn out. She, in particular, seemed far more vulnerable than usual—almost clingy.
March narrowed her eyes.
Her gaze flicked from Aleph to Stelle, then back again. Something wasn't adding up. She tilted her head, furrowed her brows, and—unfortunately—her brain dredged up that dark chapter of her life when lack of experience led her to dive into internet corners no minor should ever have set foot in.
Hotel bed. Tired faces. Intense clinging. Shift in dynamics.
March's mouth dropped open.
A theory hit her like a runaway train.
They crossed the line!
Stelle is a woman now!
A full-grown woman!
A certified adult!
March shook her head immediately.
"No, no, no, no, no…" She muttered, shaking her head. "I'm probably overthinking. They're not like that. Right? …Right? They're just tired. Aleph's a gentleman. Not a predator. Right…?"
By the time she managed to pull herself out of her mental spiral, Aleph, Dan Heng, and Stelle had already gone inside. She blinked, stunned.
"Hey! Wait up!"
She ran after them, still tangled in her overactive imagination.
********
Inside the lobby, as the group gathered again, March fired off the question she'd been holding in for a while.
"Where were you two?"
Aleph answered calmly.
"We were tracking Mr. Cold Feet. We followed him to the Goethe Hotel, but in the end he got away. He just used the room as a decoy."
Eris, the receptionist, appeared from behind the counter and gave Aleph a friendly smile.
"Oh! Aleph! It's great to see you again."
Without saying a word, Stelle frowned slightly—and clung even tighter to his arm.
March observed. Her eyes sparkled.
"Suspicious behavior detected! Stelle is defending her territory!"
This was almost worthy of an investigation from Super Spy March 7th herself.
Dan Heng looked at Aleph, then at Stelle.
"If the suspect had already escaped, why did it take you so long to get here?"
Aleph averted his gaze and scratched his cheek.
Stelle just stared at him in silence.
That was all March needed for her wild theories to spin out of control.
When did this happen? Since when do they have that kind of relationship?
Are they going to have a baby—or more than one?
Will they call me Auntie March? Will it be a girl? Will her name be something super cheesy like Lunalea??
As she spiraled into full-on delusion, Aleph, Stelle, and Dan Heng were already helping the museum director, Eris, and a few volunteers reorganize the recovered artifacts.
************
Once the work was done, the director gathered everyone in front of a section of the museum that remained closed to the public.
"This part was sealed off because we wanted it to be a surprise—but I think it's only fair that you see it now. Eris, Pela, if you'd please."
Eris nodded, walked with them to the door, removed the lock, and opened it.
The group stepped inside.
The first thing they saw was a golden-lettered sign.
"The Heroes of Belobog: The Astral Express Trailblazers?" Dan Heng read aloud.
There was a replica of Stelle's bat next to her spear. Farther in, Dan Heng's spear. And even a bow that looked almost identical to March's.
In the back, a projector displayed static images of Aleph, Stelle, Dan Heng, and March.
Bronya and Seele appeared too.
March walked closer, frowning.
"Did they take pictures of us in secret?"
Pela, who had been guiding them, let out a slightly awkward laugh and cleared her throat with some embarrassment.
"Look at that replica, huh? The detail is amazing, right?" She said, pointing to a corner.
March didn't stop eyeing her suspiciously but let it slide as she turned her attention to the impressively detailed replica of her bow.
While everyone admired the exhibit, Aleph, lost in thought, drifted away without realizing it.
***********
He ended up in a side room—quieter—where several portraits hung on the walls.
There was Bronya, standing in front of two paintings.
In one, Cocolia stood beside a much younger Bronya.
In the other, an older Bronya in her uniform, wearing a calm expression.
The background was snowy, but flowers bloomed at her feet.
She noticed Aleph's presence soon enough, but didn't look at him right away.
It took her a few seconds before she turned her gaze and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"W-what a pleasant coincidence. Bronya wasn't expecting to find Aleph here." She said, voice soft.
Aleph gave her a slightly awkward smile.
"Neither was I. But seeing you is always a good surprise."
Bronya turned a bit more toward him, still a little nervous.
"Bronya was going to have some tea. Would Aleph… like to join her?"
He nodded calmly.
Bronya's shoulders lowered slightly in relief, and she nodded to herself as she began to walk.
"Bronya knows a quiet place, but… today, Bronya wants to share it."
She smiled gently as she motioned for Aleph to follow.
Both of them ignored the annoyed look from a certain girl who was secretly watching them from behind.
**************
Aleph blinked in curiosity when he realized Bronya had taken him to a cave just outside of Belobog.
"This is your secret place?" He asked curiously.
"Surprised?" Bronya replied. "I can have my moments too, you know."
Inside, there was a thick rug, nice-looking furniture, heating, and a generator humming quietly in the background. On a shelf, a small pot of flowers rested peacefully.
The contrast left Aleph momentarily frozen.
Bronya looked at him and let out a soft laugh.
"Your face says it all."
"I wasn't expecting this."
"I built it little by little over the years. I used to come here whenever I needed to disconnect from everything else."
Aleph walked up to the generator.
"Is that geomarrow? I thought there wasn't much of it left."
"In the Underworld, yes. But outside Belobog, new veins have been discovered. Now that the ice is melting, more areas are accessible. Lady Cocolia and Serval are organizing a new extraction front. It's one of our current projects."
Aleph smiled.
"Wow, you've made incredible progress in just a few months."
"Hmph." Bronya scoffed playfully with mock arrogance. "You shouldn't look down on Belobog just because you've seen more advanced civilizations elsewhere. If you underestimate us, you'll be the one making a mistake." She said, crossing her arms and lifting her chin to complete the image she wanted to project.
"Well, who would've thought—you can joke around."
Bronya pouted.
"And why exactly wouldn't I be able to?" She suddenly blinked, remembering something. "I'll go make the tea. Be right back."
Aleph nodded, taking the moment to examine the space more calmly.
He sat down next to the table as he waited.
[Master, I believe I've developed a clear hypothesis that could help improve your condition.]
Aleph raised an eyebrow with interest as Burroughs spoke.
"Enlighten me."
[I've been thinking. And I came to this conclusion.] A flurry of graphs projected holographically in front of him. [If your body was going to start failing, why didn't it happen right after you absorbed your second Stellaron—or even a few days later? Here, check the first graph.]
Looking at it, Aleph noticed that the greatest benefit he'd gained had been a substantial—but still manageable—boost in energy. And with his unusually high vitality, he'd been able to suppress it completely, keeping it from affecting his daily life or manifesting as the golden cracks now visible on his body.
[Now look at the second one—this starts from your recent arrival on Jarilo-VI.]
That's where the changes became clear. His energy levels had started to rise at a rate that overwhelmed even his monstrous vitality.
"What triggered this?" He couldn't help but ask himself.
[The answer is actually quite simple,] Burroughs replied.
Aleph immediately smacked his forehead.
What else could it have been?
How long had the Stellaron on the Luofu been active? And how long had the one on Jarilo-VI been active?
The one on the Luofu hadn't affected him because it hadn't released energy or spread strongly enough to settle the way the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI had—one that had been embedded there for centuries.
That was also the reason the temperature had been rising so quickly.
Had the Stellaron been sealed following standard Anonymous protocol, the Fragmentum wouldn't have receded the way it did, nor would the temperature have risen so fast.
It was so simple and obvious, he felt stupid for not seeing it sooner.
He was simply absorbing the energy that had been dispersed by Jarilo-VI's Stellaron. That overloaded his body—turned him into a container that was already full.
Like a glass of water with too much being poured in—overflow was inevitable.
[All you need to do is periodically release the energy, and you should be fine,] Burroughs said, sounding relieved.
Aleph smiled calmly.
Though his expression soured a bit as he thought about what had happened with Stelle earlier.
If only he'd realized all this sooner.
When Bronya returned, she was carrying two steaming cups and a few desserts to go with them.
She handed him one without saying a word and sat down across from him naturally.
Before long, they were chatting as they ate and drank together.
...
Outside, nestled between some rocks, two figures silently watched the entrance.
March had her eyes wide open and her eyebrows raised.
"No way. That bastard... he stole Stelle's purity and now he's with Bronya? This is just like one of those soap operas Himeko watches sometimes!" She whispered, rubbing her hands together excitedly.
Stelle muttered in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Liar."
March had to lean in to hear her.
"What did you say?"
"Liar."
March's mind went into overdrive.
A single word—one with countless possible meanings depending on the context.
In her head, a full scene had already taken shape: Aleph taking Stelle's purity while promising her eternal love, only to run off with a rich lady, leaving her poor, heartbroken friend behind.
Tears began to well up in March's eyes.
"Don't worry, Stelle! The one and only March 7th will take vengeance in your name against that despicable scoundrel!" She declared dramatically, hugging a very confused Stelle.
...
Time passed without either Aleph or Bronya noticing. At some point, they had ended up sitting together on the same couch. Neither of them mentioned the shift—instead, they stayed focused on each other's stories.
By the time evening fell, they headed out together. Bronya once again covered the entrance with a camouflaged tarp, and with Aleph's help, placed some large rocks to hide it further.
"Thanks for coming." She said.
"Thanks for bringing me." Aleph replied, winking and shooting her a finger gun.
She went quiet for a few seconds, fidgeting with her fingers before speaking again—without looking at him.
"Tomorrow… will you come with me to the Calisol Festival?"
Aleph blinked, surprised, and Bronya immediately realized what she'd said.
"It's not a date! Bronya just wants company! Seele and Miss Cocolia said they'd be busy tomorrow and couldn't come with Bronya, that's all!"
Aleph thought about it for a moment. Aside from a short commitment helping out as a museum guide, he didn't really have much else to do. Stelle and March would probably go off on their own, and most likely Dan Heng would return to the Astral Express.
Welt might go exploring to make up for not being able to disembark the last time the Express arrived at Jarilo-VI. He'd probably want to see the Creation Engine and might even take on a consultant role while he was there.
Himeko might spend some time in the library, sipping coffee while browsing Belobog's books—or maybe even chatting with Serval.
Hmm. No reason not to go with Bronya.
Bronya looked at him, visibly relieved. Then, in a burst of emotion, she gave him a tight hug.
Aleph was a little startled but saw no reason not to return the gesture.
A few seconds later, she seemed to realize what she'd just done. She pulled away abruptly, cheeks burning red.
"Bronya's sorry! Bronya has to go!" Was all she managed to say before she ran off toward Belobog.
Aleph couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
"How adorable." He murmured.
A fake cough caught his attention.
When he turned around, March and Stelle were standing there, arms crossed, giving him a look so intense it could've drilled a hole through the back of his neck.
"...." Aleph couldn't help but swallow hard as a cold drop of sweat slid down his forehead.
Why did it feel like he'd just done something terribly wrong?
*********************************************************
Wooooooo.
Finally made it to chapter 50—there's not much left to wrap up this first part of the arc.
There are about three or four chapters to go.
How's your planning going for version 3.5?
Or are you going to treat it like a skippable patch?
I'm considering whether to pull for Cerydra or Silver Wolf.
But Evernight and No-Elysia are making me second-guess myself.