AN: Here it is, the 3rd and last update for this week!
This will be the starting point where Noah and everyone will get the introduction to the trouble they sent themselves into.
Ahahaha! So this will expand the current lore and maybe reveal most of my plans here, and my favorite, where everyone finally came to know Noah's family.
I just hope I landed this just fine.
Anyways, please drop your comments and let me know how it is so far!
Enjoy and see you next week!
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Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
Gringotts—the wizarding bank run by goblins, a proud magical race known for their mastery of metalwork, contracts, and ancient magic tied to ownership and inheritance. For centuries, it had stood as the safest vault in magical Britain. It was said that if something was stored in Gringotts, not even dragons could breach it.
Rather… They used dragons to guard the said vaults.
Judging by the faint pressure in the air, that didn't sound like an exaggeration.
"…Ah! One more thing," Pandora added quickly, lowering her voice just before they reached the steps. "Please don't smile at the goblins with your teeth showing. They'll take it as aggression… or an insult."
March immediately raised her hand and covered her mouth.
"Okay~."
Caelus pressed his lips into an exaggerated straight line, earning a brief glance from Dan Heng before he gave a nod of his own. The others followed suit without much trouble.
As cosmic travelers, they were already used to strange customs across different civilizations. Compared to shape-shifting elders, sentient planets, and dragon monarchs, etiquette about teeth felt almost… simple.
With the Greengrasses leading the way, the crew stepped into Gringotts.
The interior opened wide before them. A high vaulted ceiling stretched far above, supported by white marble pillars lined with silver. Crystal chandeliers hung overhead, their light spilling across polished floors so smooth they almost mirrored every step.
Rows upon rows of tall desks filled the grand hall, each occupied by goblins sitting on high stools. Sharp eyes followed quills that scratched rapidly across parchment, the sound from it forming a constant rhythm throughout the space.
Chains of keys hung from belts. Ledgers were stacked in a very organized way. Enchanted scales weighed coins with a metallic click.
Reinforce floated upward, eyes scanning everything at once.
"…So many contract bindings," she whispered, tilting her head. "And the penalties are… strict."
Welt's eyes sharpened as he took in the structure of the hall, while Himeko's eyes traced the chandeliers before observing the rows of goblins at their stations.
"…This doesn't feel like just a bank," she murmured.
Dan Heng's attention turned. He noticed several goblins glance briefly at Noah before returning to their ledgers.
"Let's speak later," he said quietly. "Too many eyes."
Elizabeth didn't slow her pace.
"Please follow me," she said, leading them away from the main tellers and toward a row of enclosed cabins along the side of the hall.
Noah and the others exchanged brief looks before following without question.
When Elizabeth reached one of the cabins, she stopped and knocked twice. An aged voice answered from inside, rough but firm.
"Enter."
She opened the door and stepped in.
Inside, a single goblin sat behind a polished darkwood desk. His skin was lined with age, his long ears angled sharply backward. Thin spectacles rested on the bridge of his hooked nose as his eyes went toward them.
Elizabeth nods her head in greeting.
"May the blood of your enemies flow as much as your gold, Manager Gornak."
The goblin's thin lips curled slightly.
"Ahh… if it isn't Lady Greengrass," Gornak replied, a faint smirk forming as his voice carried a smooth edge despite his age. "May your vaults grow heavier and your enemies lighter."
His eyes moved past her, settling on the others behind her, lingering on each of them just a moment longer than courtesy allowed.
The red-haired woman — serene, confident, carrying herself like someone used to command.
The bespectacled man beside her — restrained, analytical. His eyes did not wander like a tourist's. He was measuring the hall as much as it measured him.
The young man with gray hair — raw potential. Unrefined, but dense. Like an unsheathed blade not yet tempered.
The dark-haired one — silent and watchful. The kind that speaks little and notices everything.
The pink-haired girl — curious, bright, emotionally transparent. Dangerous in ways most would overlook.
The brown-haired girl — magical talent deep and vast. Controlled, disciplined. Definitely not trained here.
The violet-haired girl — possessive, protective. The air around her carried traces of power that did not belong to this world.
The small magical entity — not a spirit, not a familiar, nor a fae. A being… foreign to this world.
And then his attention went to Noah. For a brief second, his body stiffens, and his eyes widen. He could feel the Ancient Magic around the boy. It was playful and protective towards him.
'This human…' Garnok narrowed his eyes.
Noah simply blinked and tilted his head slightly, meeting the stare without tension… and found it more curious than threatening.
"Manager Garnok, we would like to request a lineage test for Mr. Noah," Elizabeth said, gesturing toward him.
Garnok raised a brow. "A lineage test… for this human boy?"
"Yes," she replied directly.
"Hmm." Garnok tapped his chin once, then nodded. "Understood. I'll prepare the tools."
He rose from his seat and moved to a nearby cabinet, looking for the required tools for the test.
"Lineage test, Lady Greengrass? For what?" Noah asked with a frown.
Elizabeth turned to him. "First, we need the bank to recognize you as the legitimate heir of your family. That will allow you to access your family's assets legally."
She let out a small, assuring smile before continuing.
"It also gives you a proper foundation when you use the influence and authority tied to your name."
"I see…" Noah nodded slowly, understanding the reason.
At the back, March tilted her head, a little lost.
"Sorry, but… is Noah's family really that influential in your world?"
Pandora exchanged a quick look with her mother before answering.
"You could say that," she said carefully. "Sir Noah's family isn't just old. They're… among the oldest."
Elizabeth gave a small nod. "In magical Britain, the family where a person came from matters. Some names carry wealth. Some carry influence."
Her eyes returned to Noah.
"And that name… carries history. The kind where our entire society was built on."
March blinked. "History like…?"
"Like being written into the oldest genealogical records we have," Pandora replied. "Long before most of today's ancient houses even existed."
Elizabeth chimmed in. "They weren't just powerful spellcasters. They were thinkers… pioneers who pushed magical development forward."
Pandora gave a nod. "Before standardized wand-casting became common, magic was really volatile and unrefined. Many early magical communities relied on instinct and raw power to use it."
"And the Peverells changed that," Elizabeth continued. "They were among the first to define how magic could be controlled, shaped, stored… and used safely."
Welt's brows lifted slightly. "So they built the system that you used to make your 'magic' work."
"Yes," Elizabeth said. "What we use today comes from that groundwork."
"Even now," Pandora added, "some enchantments on ancient artifacts still follow the structures they developed."
"So their influence became part of the foundation," Dan Heng concluded.
"Precisely," Elizabeth replied. "They did not rule society. They shaped the rules that allowed society to function."
Himeko's eyes widened as she understood what Elizabeth said.
"So they were the ones who built it…"
Elizabeth gave a small nod. "Magical society as we know it stands on what they left behind. Others gained power through politics or wealth… but the Peverells became part of how magic itself functions."
Caelus glanced at Noah.
"So basically… old money?"
Pandora let out a soft laugh. "In many ways… yes."
Gornak returned with a quill and a thick sheet of parchment, setting them neatly on the desk before offering the quill to Noah.
"Come, human. Write your name," he said. "The magic will handle the rest."
"That's… it?" Noah blinked, clearly expecting more.
Gornak gave a short snort, lips curling.
"Were you hoping for chanting? Fireworks? A grand display?" he said dryly. "We are bankers, not performers."
Noah scratched the back of his neck, a little sheepish. "Yeah… I guess I was expecting something more involved."
The goblin let out a low chuckle.
"That quill," he tapped it lightly against the desk, "will use your blood as ink when you write."
He grins at him.
"The parchment will read both your magic and your blood, then traces your lineage back—generation by generation—until it reaches the origin of your line."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Noah.
"Gringotts does not rely on assumptions. We deal in proof."
Noah took a deep exhale, then glanced at Hayate, Sirin, the crew… and finally the Greengrasses.
"…Here goes nothing."
He took the quill. The moment his fingers touched it, a sharp prick went through his hand. Noah resisted the urge to flinch and began writing his full name.
'Noah Alden.'
The ink came out in deep crimson, unmistakably his own blood.
Once he finished, he set the quill down and shot it a brief glare, as if personally offended by it.
Hayate was already at his side.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"I'm... fine," Noah said, even as she took his hand and cast a small healing spell over it.
The sting faded almost instantly.
He gave her a small, grateful smile.
Then the parchment reacted. The letters lit up, pulsing faintly. Thin lines began to spread from his name, branching outward like roots taking hold.
"Woooaaa! Something is happening! Something is happening!!" March leaned in, eyes shining as she tried to get a closer look.
The first to appear was a list of names—fourteen in total—each paired with a small portrait, all connected to Noah by a golden line.
Maria Mikhailovna Kujou. Sylvia Lyyneheym. Kiana Kaslana. Sirin Schariac-Kaslana. Elysia. Lumine. Alice. Citlali. Herta. Gabriel. Theresa Apocalypse. Nanoha Takamachi. Fate Testarossa-Harlaown. Hayate Yagami.
Then two more names formed right beside them.
Touya Alden. Mahiru Alden.
The line extended again.
Haruto Rio Alden. Elena Miharu Alden.
More lines followed—four of them—branching out from Haruto's name.
Celia Claire Alden. Aisha Alden. Satsuki Sumeragi Alden. Liselotte Cretia Alden.
Under each of those names, more appeared, their children tied to Haruto, each one adding another branch to the growing tree of the Alden family.
At this point, the others were still trying to process just how large Noah's family was—especially the number of women tied to both him and his father—but what came next made the entire Express crew stunned.
More specifically, March, Caelus, Dan Heng, and Himeko.
Above Haruto's name, the line stretched upward once more, revealing the previous generation.
And then the names appeared.
Caelus Alden. Hotaru Samuel Alden.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
More branches followed, forming just as before, each one carrying a name and a portrait.
Mitsuki Evernight Alden. Castorice Netherveil Alden. Robin Oak Alden.
"…What?" March's voice came out barely above a whisper as her eyes locked onto Mitsuki's image.
The girl in the portrait looked older, more mature… but there was no mistaking it, that was her own face.
Her fingers curled slightly at her side, like she wasn't sure what to do with them.
The parchment didn't stop. The line extended above Caelus this time.
Karl Augustus Alden.
And beside him… Himeko Leinster Alden.
The name written there was clear and impossible to ignore.
Another branch formed under them, right beside Caelus's name.
Stelle Alden Terravox.
A golden line connected it to another name familiar to the crew.
Dan Heng Terravox.
"…"
He didn't say a word. His eyes remained on the portrait shown on the parchment.
Noah noticed everyone's reaction. Of course he did. But he kept his attention away from them, choosing not to react. Because now wasn't the right time.
"…W-what d-doe—" March's voice broke as she turned toward him, the question already forming.
Until a hand rested gently on her shoulder, Himeko shook her head. Wordlessly telling her, Not now.
March bit her lips for a second… then slowly swallowed the rest of her words.
She glanced at Caelus beside her. He was frowning, eyes fixed on the portraits of the women connected to the man who shared his face… and his name.
Especially that one name, Hotaru.
Something in his chest tightened the moment he saw her.
'Why… why do I feel like this? I've never met her, but… why does it feel like I should know her?'
A small tug at his sleeve pulled him out of it.
Caelus blinked and turned. March was looking at him, worry clear in her eyes.
He let out a small exhale and then gave her a small, apologetic smile. Without thinking, he took her hand and held it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
March's cheeks redden, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she interlaced their hands and gave a small squeeze.
As this happens, the parchment kept expanding as more lines spread outward, branching again and again, filling the space with names—generation after generation of Aldens.
Until it reached the very beginning, the very root of their family.
Hardwin Alden. Iolanthe Peverell.
Peverell.
The moment that name appeared, Garnok jumped to his feet.
His chair scraped sharply against the floor as his eyes widened, locked onto the parchment.
That name…
"Ehh… Mr. Garnok? Are you okay?" Noah asked, caught off guard.
Garnok didn't answer right away.
He stared at Noah, really stared this time. Whatever curiosity he had before was gone.
In its place… disbelief and something close to awe.
"E-excuse me for a moment! I need to call someone!"
The words tumbled out as he hurried out of the cabin, not even waiting for a response.
For a second, silence envelops the room.
Noah and the others could only blink at the door he had just left through.
"Ahh… as expected." Pandora let out a small, wry smile. "They will really react like that."
Cyrus, who hadn't spoken since they arrived at Gringotts, gave a small shrug. "It's the Peverell name. Of course, he'd react like that."
"What happened to Mr. Garnok?" Noah asked, glancing back at the Greegrasses
"He's likely informing the higher-ups," Elizabeth answered with a small smile. "...and contacting the account manager of the Potter family."
"Potter family?" Sirin's brow shot up.
"They are, like you, Mr. Noah, the only known descendants of the Peverells," Elizabeth explained. "...though they've never made it public."
March stiffened slightly. "This… won't turn into one of those situations, right? You know, like in the movies… where they fight over inheritance?"
The room suddenly felt cold.
The crew shared a look, their expression twitching for a bit. They couldn't completely dismiss it, after all… this was Prophet March 7th's words.
"Hmph! Let them try." Sirin crossed her arms, chin lifting slightly. "Anyone who even thinks of touching Noah will regret it."
"Ah—no, no, please don't worry!" Pandora quickly waved her hands, a bit flustered. "The Potter family isn't like that. They're actually very laid back… not interested in power at all."
"They prefer a simple life, away from attention," Elizabeth added. "If not for their inheritable seat in the Wizengamot, they wouldn't involve themselves in politics either."
Noah let out a small chuckle, his lips curling into a wry smile.
"...How do I put this?" he muttered. "This Potter family sounds a lot like my own Alden family…"
As Noah said, the Alden family never involved itself in politics despite their influence. After the civil war in Asterisk, they were even offered a noble title by Imperator Cerydra… but Caelus refused it outright.
"It's not our style," he had said back then. "And it's not what our family stands for."
Even so, people still treated them like a semi-noble house—especially after Caelus married Mitsuki, the sole head of the Evernight family, with ties to the Netherveil lineage of Castortice and the Oak family of Robin.
Not that they ever made use of that status. They didn't want any troubleso—-ehem—-involvement in such things.
By contrast, it seemed the Potter family here didn't have that luck. Being recognized as a noble house meant they were tied to politics, whether they liked it or not.
A few moments passed, and the cabin door opened again. Garnok returned this time with two other goblins.
One of them wore robes similar to Garnok's, though slightly less refined. He looked a little out of breath, as if he had rushed here the moment he was called. His sharp eyes scanned across the room… before stopping on Noah.
"…So it's you."
There was no doubt in his gaze. Whatever method goblins used, he had already identified Noah as the Peverell descendant.
The second goblin was larger than both of them, his presence alone enough to affect the atmosphere of the room. His robes were lined with gold, tailored with care, every detail marking him as someone of high standing within Gringotts.
Garnok cleared his throat, regaining control of the room.
"Manager Rulvek," he said, gesturing toward the first goblin, "overseer of the Potter accounts."
Rulvek gave a short, respectful nod.
"May the gold of your enemies flow into your vaults. I am Rulvek, manager of the Potter family accounts," he introduced himself. "I will act as the representative of the current active Peverell descendant… and serve as witness to this confirmation."
Then Garnok straightened, his tone turning more formal as he gestured to the last goblin.
"And this is Director Ragnok—clan leader of goblins in magical Britain… and director of Gringotts."
Ragnok didn't bow or react; his eyes just moved across the room, observing each person for a brief moment before they stayed just slightly longer on Noah.
And then he moved. He walked straight to the desk and picked up the parchment.
His eyes skipped past the names of Haruto, Caelus, Karl, and the rest of the Alden family, who followed. The branches, connections, and generations of names; none of those names held his attention.
Only the one at the very top did.
Hardwin Alden. Iolanthe Peverell.
Silence settled in the room.
Whatever emotions passed through Ragnok's eyes… he kept it buried.
"For thousands of years," he began, his voice carrying a pressure, "this lineage test has been used to determine whether a wizard or witch is truly fit to inherit their family's legacy."
His fingers tapped the parchment once.
"In all that time, no one has ever deceived it. No matter trick. scheme and manipulation of blood or magic they ever devise... not a single one has ever succeeded in doing it."
A faint, restrained smile touched his lips.
"It will always reveal the truth."
His eyes locked onto Noah.
"Do you know why, child?"
Noah blinked at the sudden question, feeling that everyone's attention had gone toward him.
He let out a short hum and met Ragnok's eyes without hesitation.
"…Because this test doesn't only trace the writer's blood," Noah said plainly, like he was speaking something mundane. "It also reads the spiritual bonds a person carries. A body can be altered, memories can be rewritten—both can be tampered with and reshaped without any limit. But the soul is something else entirely."
Everyone in the room had various reactions.
March's eyes widened while Caelus narrowed his in thought. Welt gave a faint nod, Dan Heng folded his arms as he connected the idea to the Vidyadhara cycle, and Himeko simply observed with full interest.
Pandora, Elizabeth, and Cyrus exchanged a glance, while Sirin, Hayate, and Reinforce listened without interruption.
"A person's soul is what makes them… them," Noah continued, resting a hand over his crest. "It's like a fingerprint—an identity no one else can replicate. That's why, even if countless versions of someone exist across the multiverse. Despite being the same person, there will be only one of them, a truly unique them. One that cannot be mistaken for another."
Ragnok's mouth twitched before a soft laugh escaped him. There was amusement in it… and something close to approval.
"Hah." He set the parchment down with care. "…You truly are descended from the Peverell family."
Noah blinked at the remark.
"Most magicals would never think to answer with the soul," Ragnok said, the corner of his mouth lifting as he looked at Noah. "They mistake inheritance for a right granted by blood alone. They never stop to ask whether their souls are worthy to carry the legacy they boast about—whether they are fit to uphold the power their ancestors cultivated over centuries."
His eyes sharpened.
"That," he continued, "is what once defined a true Pureblood. Not the nonsense these fools parade around today."
Elizabeth and Pandora caught the faint sneer that followed. They didn't need to ask who he was referring to.
The Heir of Slytherin.
That was the title the Dark Lord had claimed—preaching blood purity and lineage superiority, yet never questioning whether his own soul was worthy of the heritage he claimed. Worse still, countless blood supremacists followed him without ever doubting his legitimacy.
Noah simply gave a small shrug.
"Studying the soul has always been the Peverells' forte," he replied, as casually as if he were discussing family traditions. "So it's only natural I know a thing or two."
Ragnok's grin widened, a genuine laugh breaking free this time.
"Ahahaha! You are an interesting human, I'll give you that… Heir Peverell."
He then turned to Rulvek.
"Rulvek, arrange a meeting between Heir Peverell and the Potters at the earliest convenience. It is time for them to welcome the inheritor of the Peverell legacy formally."
"Yes, Director," Rulvek responded at once, then turning toward Noah. "Heir Peverell, may I know your availability so I may coordinate the meeting?"
Noah gave a small, wry smile. "Two days from now. There are still a few matters we need to attend to first."
He glanced briefly at the Greengrasses. Elizabeth nodded once, and Pandora followed. They understood what he meant.
"Understood. I shall inform them immediately," Rulvek replied.
Ragnok clasped his hands behind his back.
"Then the legitimacy of this test is confirmed," he declared. "Gringotts formally acknowledges Noah Alden as the rightful heir of the Peverell lineage."
There was no applause, no grand display.
Only official recognition.
Noah nods his head politely. "Thank you for the confirmation."
A few final formalities followed—copies of the parchment were sealed, witness signatures placed, and the time and location of the Potter meeting finalized. Once everything was concluded, the atmosphere inside the cabin finally relaxed.
Garnok personally escorted them out this time, leading them from the office corridor and back into the vast marble hall of Gringotts.
March finally released the breath she had been holding.
"Okay… that was intense."
"And full of surprises," Caelus added with a dramatic sigh, before glancing at Noah. "Really big surprises...."
Welt let out a faint chuckle. "At least it was productive."
Dan Heng remained silent, his thoughts clearly somewhere else.
Himeko gave Noah a small, approving smile. "You handled that well."
Noah rubbed the back of his neck. "Honestly? I was improvising most of it."
The air outside felt lighter.
Hayate stepped closer. "Are you okay?"
Sirin and Reinforce watched him with quiet concern.
"I'm fine," he said. "Just… processing everything."
After confirming the time and place for the next day's meeting with Pandora and the Greengrasses, the two families parted at the entrance of Diagon Alley.
They moved toward a corner of the alley. The familiar light of Trailblaze enveloped them, and in the next instant, they were back in Uminari City.
The scent of sea breeze and the distant noise of the harbor greeted them like an old friend.
For now, they would rest. Starting tomorrow… this world's troubles would demand their attention.
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