Endless darkness. Biting cold. Suffocating silence.
Space stretches infinitely in all directions, stars glimmering faintly in the distance, distant planets watching in solemn stillness.
A girl floats alone—unconscious, or barely clinging to life—drifting silently through the void.
In the far distance, shimmering streaks of blue and gold twist through the emptiness. A rail pulses to life. A soft hum follows. Then—like thunder rolling through the cosmos—a burst of starlight tears across the fabric of space.
A big train surges into view, riding a luminous track of light.
Inside the train, a small creature resembling a fluffy bunny peers out the observation window. "Huh? Is that... a person, pom?"
A girl with pink hair stumbles over, pressing her face to the glass. "Wait, really!? Someone's floating out there?!"
A man in green and white robes narrows his eyes, scanning the readings on a nearby console. "Life signs detected. Barely stable."
The tall woman at the helm, red hair flowing behind her, watches quietly as the figure grows nearer. "We're close to Herta's Space Station," she says calmly. "Let's bring them aboard."
"Yes!" the others reply in unison, moving quickly as the train slows to a halt beside the drifting figure.
The girl with red hair turns toward the pink-haired girl standing beside the small, bunny-like creature. "March, once preparations are complete, I want you and Dan Heng to bring that person aboard the train."
The pink-haired girl, March, gave a sharp nod, her expression bright with determination. "Got it, Himeko! Dan Heng and I will handle it!" The man in green and white robes—Dan Heng—nodded coolly in response. Without another word, the two headed out from the front of the train, making their way toward one of the side compartments.
The sliding doors opened with a soft hiss, revealing a man with brown hair and black-rimmed glasses. He stepped into the control room, his expression calm as ever. Adjusting his glasses, his gaze shifted to the projection hovering in front of Himeko. "Still analyzing the rescue target?" he asked.
Himeko nodded silently, her eyes fixed on the image of the floating figure. "She's alive. Barely. But no suit, no protective gear. Not even a life support device." Her arms crossed tightly as a small crease formed between her brows. "It's unnatural."
The man in glasses stepped closer, studying the data feed with a thoughtful hum. "There's no trace of spatial distortion. No Aeon energy." He narrowed his eyes. "No signs of artificial shielding either. It's as if she simply exists in space… untouched." He paused for a moment. "There's no measurable strength. No life signature that explains her survival. And yet… her body remains intact. As if space itself decided not to harm her."
Himeko glanced over at him. "Welt, what do you think?"
"She may have been stabilized by something unknown—an anomaly, or perhaps a residual effect from dimensional displacement." He hesitated, then added, "Or… she could be connected to the request we received from Herta's station. A Stellaron alert. Multiple irregularities."
"Coincidence?" Himeko asked.
Welt gave a faint smile. "In our line of work? Hardly." Welt thought more about it, but couldn't find any solid connection between the drifting figure and the sudden request for help from Herta Space Station. Aside from the timing, there was nothing concrete.
But it was too perfect. Too clean. A coincidence…? No, not likely. The timing of it all was far too suspicious.
Himeko noticed the look in his eyes. "We'll observe her for a while," she said calmly. "And see if anything's wrong."
Welt gave a slow nod, adjusting his glasses, his eyes still fixed on the feed showing the unconscious figure being retrieved and brought aboard.
—
March 7th and Dan Heng drifted closer to the girl suspended in space. She floated weightlessly, completely exposed to the void—no helmet, no suit, no life support. And yet… she lived.
The girl looked to be in her early thirties. She seemed almost peaceful, as if merely asleep. Her long black hair flowed behind her like ink spilled across the stars. Her skin was pale, but healthy and smooth—untouched by vacuum burns or exposure. Only her clothes told another story: worn-out rags torn in multiple places, without even a pair of shoes. Like she'd been wandering for ages… or abandoned.
However, on one of her wrists was a jade bracelet, carved with delicate spirals and clovers, ancient runes etched between the curves.
March's eyes widened. "Whoa... she's really pretty," she whispered, nudging Dan Heng with her elbow.
Dan Heng remained stoic. The figure before them was unusual—beautiful, yes—but that wasn't what concerned him. He glanced at March. "Focus. We need to get her aboard."
"Roger!" March chirped, flashing a grin as she moved in to assist. With careful coordination, the two of them secured the floating girl and began their return to the giant train.
—
As they stepped into the train, Himeko was already waiting. "Good work, you two. Take her to the infirmary for now," she instructed calmly. They both gave a sharp nod before heading off with the unconscious girl in tow.
Himeko's eyes lingered on the mysterious figure. Her body was flawless, untouched by the void of space—except for the worn clothes, which looked like they belonged to a time far older than theirs. The thought felt ridiculous… but she couldn't quite shake it.
Then her gaze fell on the jade bracelet.
It shimmered faintly—completely unscathed, as if time and space had passed it by.
Himeko narrowed her eyes slightly but said nothing. She turned to the nearby crew members, giving clear directions as they prepared to resume their journey toward Herta's Space Station. Once everything was in motion, she made her way toward the infirmary.
—
Inside the infirmary, March sat beside the unconscious girl, swinging her legs slightly as she waited, while Welt stood on the opposite side of the bed, reviewing the readings on a nearby monitor. "Himeko!" March perked up as the red-haired woman stepped inside.
Himeko offered a warm smile and gently patted March's head. "How is she doing?"
Welt adjusted his glasses, his gaze still fixed on the screen. "Oddly enough… she's stable. She should wake up soon." He paused, brow furrowing. "But I still haven't found a logical explanation for how she survived drifting in open space. No protective equipment. No life support. No abnormal energy signatures. Nothing... except that bracelet."
He turned to Himeko, his tone becoming more serious. "It carries a faint signature—but not from any Aeon we know. It doesn't match the Stellaron patterns tied to Destruction, Preservation, or Harmony. It's… something else." Welt continued, his voice low. "There's no trace of any known Aeon energy. But the bracelet… it bends probability in subtle ways. Too many coincidences, too perfect a moment. It's as if the universe is watching it... or responding to it."
For a moment, silence settled in the room as the implications sank in. Welt glanced again at the girl's sleeping face, eyes narrowing slightly.
Where did she come from? Who is she? And what is that bracelet, really?
While the discovery cleared some suspicion, it opened far more questions. For now, at least, she didn't seem to be a threat.
Himeko listened carefully to every word, each revelation confirming her instincts—and yet challenging her understanding.
Then, without warning, a burst of light erupted from the jade bracelet, flooding the room in brilliant white. March jumped in surprise as Welt instinctively shielded his eyes. Himeko took a step forward, eyes narrowing.
As the light faded, they stared—stunned.
The unconscious girl slowly blinked awake. Her golden eyes shimmered faintly as she sat up. The tattered rags clinging to her shimmered—threads unraveling into radiant motes of light. In their place, a breathtaking ensemble took shape, glimmering with quiet power.
She now wore a long, tailored coat of deep indigo, embroidered with gold spirals that shimmered like starlight. A high collar and chest guard hinted at noble craftsmanship—something worn by a merchant of rare artifacts, or perhaps a wandering dignitary from a lost world.
Over her shoulders draped a half-cape, fastened by a golden pin shaped like a dice. Leather belts crossed her waist, adorned with pouches, scroll tubes, and a short blade—practical tools for both mage and adventurer. Her sleeves were tightly fitted beneath elegant bracers etched with glowing runes, and the hem of her coat flowed like ink through water.
Her armored boots, polished and dark, rose to her knees, their edges inlaid with violet-glass gemstones that pulsed faintly with light—neither Imaginary nor Quantum, but something that felt like both.
It was the attire of a traveler, a swordswoman, and a mage. Yet somehow… it felt as though the clothes had chosen her.
On each of her wrists, the jade bracelet had reappeared—no longer aged or faded, but now glowing subtly, mirroring the strange calm in her golden eyes. Around her neck was a black choker, intricately designed, with a small gem set at its center. Resting just beneath it, a golden necklace glinted faintly under the infirmary lights, strung with beads and colored gemstones, and at its heart, a small ring hung like a pendant—quiet, yet deeply significant.
Not the other way around.
—
Suddenly, I regained consciousness.
But no matter where I looked, all I could see was a vast, dark, and empty void. I tried calling out, shouting for someone—anyone—but there was no answer. Not even a sound. Even when I tried to move, I felt nothing. No weight, no sensation… only emptiness. I tried to remember what I was doing before this—before I ended up in this place—but nothing came to mind. Only a splitting headache… and one undeniable truth.
I had died.
And yet, somehow… I felt alive. That was when I heard it—a mechanical voice, echoing coldly through the void. "[System connection complete. System Merchandise and System Shop successfully binded.]" I froze in place—if you could even call it that in this weightless nothingness. I wanted to respond, to speak, to ask what was going on… but no voice came out. Only silence.
Frustration built up inside me. I clenched my thoughts together and screamed in my mind:
'What is happening? Where am I? Who… am I? Can't someone explain what's going on?!'
As if answering my silent plea, the voice returned. "[System welcomes user Meiyue to the Multiverse Merchant System. Awakening system user in 3... 2... 1... System user must complete first mission.]" Then, silence again. Just as I was about to question it further, something appeared—floating in the void before me like a status screen lit in pale gold.
[System Mission: Introduce yourself to 5 customers]
[Success: Full Access to System Shop and Merchandise | Failure: -- ]
And just like that... the voice vanished. But I could feel it now—my senses were returning.
She felt it—soft fabric beneath her, the steady warmth of her surroundings, and the faint hum of something mechanical nearby. Her senses were fully returning. The numbness faded, replaced by awareness.
The system had awakened her.
Slowly, Meiyue sat up, her movements cautious, as if unsure whether the world around her was real. She blinked, vision adjusting to a soft, sterile glow above her. Then her golden eyes widened slightly.
She wasn't alone.
A group of strangers stood around her—watching, silent, cautious. They didn't look hostile… but they were clearly startled by her sudden awakening.
—
They all watched as the woman sat up, her golden eyes scanning the room in quiet confusion. She froze abruptly, startled—but not panicked—her gaze now locked on the people surrounding her, wary and cautious.
"Don't worry," Himeko said gently, stepping forward with a warm tone. "We mean you no harm."
Her voice, calm and composed, began to explain what had happened: how she'd been found drifting in space, how the Astral Express had rescued her, and where she was now. As she spoke, Welt silently reviewed the monitor beside the bed, his brow furrowed in concentration. Meanwhile, March 7th couldn't stop admiring the mysterious woman in front of her.
When the woman finally relaxed, lowering her guard, Himeko let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Thank you… for rescuing me," the mysterious girl said, her voice soft but sincere.
Himeko nodded. "It's nothing to worry about. Helping those in need is something we naturally do here on the Astral Express." Seeing the look of confusion still lingering on the girl's face, Himeko was about to introduce herself properly—until the door slid open with a soft hiss.
Dan Heng stepped into the room, calm and composed, followed closely by Pom-Pom, the small plush-like creature with floppy ears and determined eyes.
Welt glanced up from the monitor, noting their arrival with a slight raise of his brow.
With everyone now present, Himeko smiled gently and took a step back. "I'm Himeko," she said. "Navigator of the Astral Express."
March perked up immediately, bouncing over to the girl's side. "Nice to meet you! I'm March 7th, and this is Dan Heng—he's a bit quiet but super reliable—and that cute bunny over there is our conductor!"
Pom-Pom's ears twitched. He stomped one fuzzy foot and puffed up indignantly. "I'm not a bunny, pom! I'm the conductor of this train!" he declared, waving his tiny hands. "Show some respect, pom!"
March giggled. "Oops, sorry! He gets like that sometimes."
"And this," she added with a grin, pointing to Welt, "is Uncle Yang—well, okay, technically he's Welt Yang, the most seasoned and wise member of our crew!"
She clapped her hands together excitedly.
"You're aboard the Astral Express—space train, tons of adventure, cool people! Kinda like a moving home... with way more stars! Sooo… what's your name, mysterious space traveler? Got any cool powers? Can I take your picture later?!"