Yuki's gaze swept across the universe with unabashed confidence, coming to rest on a particular region.
In that region floated a vast expanse of ice, its coverage immense—roughly half the size of a planet. Adrift in the cosmos, it resembled a colossal, silent vessel.
This was no ordinary ice. A peculiar energy flowed across its surface, and beyond its crystalline transparency, a subtle gradient of pinkish-blue luminescence shimmered within. Hidden in an inconspicuous part of this great frozen mass lay something truly extraordinary.
Through the translucent ice, one could clearly make out the form of a naked girl sealed within. A layer of unusual energy shrouded the ice's surface, obscuring her from the perception of ordinary beings. But such concealment could not hide her from Yuki's eyes.
The girl had short pink hair and delicate, refined features. Her arms were wrapped around herself in a curled, protective posture, lying silently within the ice like a frozen sleeping beauty—or perhaps a princess awaiting the arrival of her prince.
Clearly, this frozen girl was the chat group's new member.
And Yuki knew exactly who she was.
She was March 7th, a companion of the player's protagonist in the original story, a member of the Astral Express crew. March was a quirky, lively girl who delighted in all the things a girl her age should. But she was also an amnesiac, with no memory of her own past.
In the original storyline, it was Himeko of the Express crew who discovered this frozen girl. They brought March 7th aboard the train, and since then, she had traveled across the universe with the Express on its trailblazing journeys. She firmly believed that as long as she stayed with the train, one day she would take a photo that captured a fragment of her forgotten past.
Undoubtedly, in the game, March 7th served as a sort of mascot, a key figure in the story's unfolding.
Now, seeing the frozen March 7th before him, Yuki also gained insight into her past. This brought to mind the many theories people on Earth once had about her origins. While they varied, most connected her to Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance.
And now, seeing the truth firsthand, he confirmed it. Her origin was indeed tied to Fuli.
"Interesting," Yuki murmured, withdrawing his gaze. A faint smile touched his lips as he stroked his chin.
Lilis, who had been sitting beside him, not daring to disturb his concentration, noticed his contemplative expression and couldn't suppress her curiosity.
"How is this group member doing?" she asked, her face a mix of puzzlement and intrigue.
Turning to her, Yuki nodded slightly. "She's fine. As her name suggests, she's in a sealed state." He gave a brief explanation to Lilis, then opened the chat group to update the others.
Hearing this, everyone was considerably relieved.
[Seitenshi]: So she really is sealed! But being frozen in outer space... that's just weird, isn't it?
[Saeko Busujima]: It is a bit strange. Can she even survive in a vacuum?
[Akane Nishino]: I mean, if she's already sealed in space, surviving in a vacuum probably isn't the biggest issue here.
[Galacta]: If that ice can seal someone and still keep them alive, it must be something far from ordinary.
[Athena]: That's logical. The ice must be an extraordinary object.
[Marika]: This suggests the newcomer's world is far from simple either.
[Yuki]: It's manageable. Also, on a related note—on the macro scale of the multiverse, this newcomer's world is actually located within the same overarching world as Ei's.
[Dongfang Huaizhu]: Oh?! What a coincidence! So she's also on Ei's Teyvat?
[Artemis]: No, not exactly. Relative to the greater multiverse, it's the same World but from a micro perspective, she's outside of Teyvat itself.
[Galacta]: Basically, Ei and the newcomer are in two different boxes inside the same larger box.
[Dongfang Huaizhu]: Ah, I see! I wasn't really familiar with that concept, but Miss Galacta's explanation makes it much clearer. Thanks! (Heart)
[Galacta]: No problem.
[Raiden Ei]: That said... Yuki, how do you know she and I are within the same greater world? (Curious)
In Inazuma, Teyvat, within Yae Miko's private hot spring, Raiden Ei was soaking in the comfortably warm water. She lifted handfuls of it over her shoulders as she glanced at the chat group, sending her query.
[Galacta]: He saw her, obviously. He can just glance across the entire multiverse, lock onto the newcomer's world, and conveniently spot you along the way.
Galacta answered plainly for Yuki. As the second-strongest in the group after Yuki himself, she fully understood the extent of his power.
The moment those words appeared, Raiden Ei's body stiffened. A faint blush crept onto her face.
If Yuki had seen her—and he must have, just moments ago—and given that she was currently soaking in a hot spring... that meant he had seen her body, didn't it?
Even as a warrior, generally indifferent to matters of romance, she couldn't suppress a wave of shyness at this realization. Her heart began to beat faster, thumping steadily against her chest. Her skin, normally pale as fine jade, was now tinged with a delicate pink.
It was then that Yae Miko slowly entered the hot spring, coming to sit beside her.
"My, my, Ei, are you feeling alright?" Yae's voice was tinged with playful surprise. "We haven't been in here that long, yet your face is already so flushed?"
Yae's question snapped Ei out of her thoughts. She reached up and touched her own cheek—it was indeed warm. She quickly rose from the water.
"I... I'm done here," she murmured, hastily stepping out of the spring, leaving a bewildered Yae Miko behind.
Back in the chat group, Yuki waited. He half-expected Ei to say something about what happened.
But five minutes passed, and she remained silent. He couldn't help but breathe a small sigh of relief. Honestly, he had been a bit worried she might announce the fact that he'd inadvertently seen her entire figure right there in the group chat—that would have been incredibly awkward.
Thankfully, that hadn't happened. Not that it meant Ei had simply brushed it off—Yuki was well aware of that.
I'll properly address this with her when we meet face-to-face, Yuki resolved silently. With that thought, he shifted his focus back to March 7th.
The group chat was still abuzz with discussion about her. After some conversation, everyone seemed to agree that leaving her sealed in the cosmos was not the right call.
Yuki shared the sentiment.
[Yuki]: Alright. I'll head over and break the seal. I can also explain the chat group situation to her in person.
[Akane Nishino]: Sounds like the right call!
[Saeko Busujima]: Agreed.
[Seitenshi]: Agreed +1.
[Galacta]: Definitely. Regardless of the reason she was sealed there, we should set her free.
With everyone in agreement, Yuki turned his attention to Lilis for some final advice.
After eradicating the goblins and certain gods from her world, both Yuki and Lilis had earned a significant amount of points. He urged her to use those points to strengthen herself. Still, he wasn't entirely comfortable leaving it at that. Although the goblins were gone, other threats—such as the Demon King—still remained in her world.
So, before leaving the Goblin Slayer world, Yuki gifted Lilis a set of Infinity Gem necklaces, granting her unmatched power. She was now invincible within her own world.
.
.
.
.
Vote Powerstones