Several hours after Lucian left the room, March finally woke up.
From her own 'big sister,' Evernight, she learned the entire story.
According to Evernight, she had been struck on the head by a meteorite, lost all of her memories, and had been saved by Lucian together with her big sister. Afterward, she had remained aboard the Astral Express, become a Trailblazer, and would gradually recover her lost memories by following the Path of Remembrance.
As the explanation came to an end, the somewhat airheaded March stared blankly at Evernight's face, which looked exactly like her own. In the end, combined with her big sister's commanding, composed, and trustworthy demeanor, she ultimately accepted the explanation surprisingly easily, without questioning it too much.
Himeko, on the other hand, felt slightly numb when she discovered that there were now twin sisters aboard the Astral Express.
A pair of sisters.
Twin lotuses blooming from the same stem.
Somehow, Himeko instinctively felt that they were a threat.
Fortunately, March's cheerful innocence and straightforward personality quickly won Himeko over. Before long, she even personally designed several sets of clothes for the twin sisters, carefully tailoring each outfit to suit their vastly different temperaments while treating them with the same warmth and care she showed every member of the Astral Express.
As a result, the Astral Express quietly gained two more beautiful female passengers.
Needless to say, the current situation, where women vastly outnumbered men aboard the train, was entirely Lucian's doing.
Just like that, as the days passed peacefully aboard the Astral Express, Evernight gradually settled into life with its crew.
Ever since Lucian had separated her from March through an incomprehensible method and granted her an independent physical body, the mysterious girl had developed a strong interest in him.
Naturally, even Evernight herself could not clearly explain how much of that interest stemmed from admiration, how much came from curiosity, and how much arose from other emotions she had yet to identify.
At this moment, she only knew that whenever she found herself near Lucian, an unfamiliar sense of calm and comfort would naturally settle over her heart.
Regardless, she obediently accepted the responsibility of handling the cleaning duties for Lucian's room. Every day, she would summon her memosprite, Evey, and groups of jellyfish-like creatures would quietly drift throughout the room, meticulously cleaning every corner with remarkable efficiency.
As for Evernight herself, she never actually picked up a broom or wiped down a table.
Instead, she spent the majority of her free time seeking out Lucian.
Whether he was reading a book at the bar counter, quietly drinking tea, organizing documents, or simply gazing out the window at the endless sea of stars, she would somehow appear nearby before long, calmly take a seat beside him, and naturally strike up a conversation with him, as though it had already become part of her daily routine.
As for what they discussed, it ranged across countless subjects.
Sometimes they talked about the customs and cultures of distant star systems.
Sometimes they exchanged stories about the ruins of forgotten civilizations.
Occasionally, Evernight would subtly bring up fragmented information regarding Remembrance or strange secrets hidden within the cosmos's unimaginably long history.
Most of the time, Lucian simply listened quietly, but every now and then, he would casually offer a few words of insight that often left Evernight deep in thought for hours afterward, enabling her to discover entirely new perspectives or naturally guiding their conversations toward even more profound topics.
As time passed, the amount of time the two of them spent together gradually increased without either of them consciously realizing it.
Naturally, the unique atmosphere surrounding the two of them gradually attracted Himeko's attention.
Evernight possessed a face that was nearly identical to March's, yet her temperament was entirely different. Compared to March's bright innocence, Evernight carried a mature, dangerous beauty that felt considerably more aggressive, elegant, and captivating.
At first, Himeko paid little attention to it, considering Lucian had simply helped another homeless and helpless girl, which was exactly the kind of person he had always been in her eyes.
However, as the days quietly slipped by, she repeatedly found herself watching Evernight casually approach Lucian, sit beside him without the slightest hesitation, and chat with him for extended periods, as though no one else around them even existed.
Sometimes Himeko would catch them quietly discussing obscure historical records over tea.
Sometimes she would see Evernight silently accompanying Lucian while he admired the vast galaxy beyond the train's windows.
Even when neither of them spoke, the atmosphere between them somehow remained unusually natural and harmonious.
Slowly, a small trace of jealousy began spreading through Himeko's heart like a Stellaron silently corrupting everything in its surroundings.
===
One peaceful afternoon, Himeko stood before an observation window in the Party Car, quietly holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee in her hands. Beyond the glass, the endless sea of stars drifted by in serene silence, casting a faint glow throughout the cabin.
From a distance, she watched Lucian and Evernight sitting close together on a sofa, conversing comfortably as though they were the only people in the car.
Every now and then, Evernight's calm laughter reached her ears, and without even realizing it herself, Himeko's lips gradually tightened into a thin line.
In fact, Evernight, whose perception was extraordinarily sharp, had not only noticed Himeko's subtle glances long ago but had also sensed the faint trace of sourness lingering in the atmosphere whenever she and Lucian spent time together.
Although Himeko always maintained her usual elegant smile, the slightest changes in her expression and body language were impossible to hide from someone as observant as Evernight.
For that reason, on this particular day, Evernight deliberately chose a moment when Himeko was nearby.
"Lucian, are you free tonight? I've got some questions about energy conversion from ancient beast bones that I'd like to ask you about. Mind if I come to your room?"
Leaning slightly closer to Lucian, Evernight spoke at a volume that was neither loud nor soft, but perfectly calculated to reach the ears of a certain red-haired listener without sounding deliberate.
*Crack—*
Before Lucian could answer, a crisp cracking sound suddenly echoed through the air.
Apparently, the coffee spoon in Himeko's hand had been unconsciously bent beneath her tightening grip.
Upon noticing that subtle reaction, a trace of satisfaction quietly flashed across Evernight's eyes.
Rising gracefully to her feet, she casually brushed a few strands of pink hair behind her ear before deliberately swaying her hips as she walked toward the nearby sofa, where Himeko pretended to organize several coffee cups and utensils as though nothing had happened.
Stopping beside her, Evernight leaned close to Himeko's ear and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
"An outstanding male like Lucian... what female wouldn't like him?"
Evernight's crimson eyes slowly swept over Himeko's body, deliberately lingering over certain places before she let out a soft, teasing chuckle.
"It looks like you're still untouched... and yet all you've got is the title of being his lover."
"It seems he's only playing around with you, huh? Heehee..."
A malicious smile slowly bloomed across Evernight's crimson lips as she calmly delivered her final words.
"How pathetic..."
Even though the words were spoken softly, they carried enough force to pierce directly into Himeko's heart.
Right after saying that, Evernight turned around and departed with obvious satisfaction. Her leisurely footsteps carried a hint of elegance as she walked away, looking like a victorious cat returning from battle, never once glancing back at Himeko's gradually paling face.
Meanwhile, Himeko remained seated, the bent spoon still clenched tightly in her hand as her fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.
Every word Evernight had spoken felt like an icy needle stabbing directly into the deepest source of her insecurity.
Only playing around...
A lover in name only...
How pathetic...
Those words echoed over and over inside her mind, refusing to disappear no matter how hard she tried to suppress them.
Combined with the image of Evernight's alluring figure, her confident smile, and the sight of her chatting happily beside Lucian day after day, the pressure building inside Himeko's chest gradually became more and more unbearable.
Her breathing slowly became uneven.
Her nose began to sting.
A layer of moisture quietly gathered in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.
Unable to endure it any longer, Himeko abruptly set down everything she was holding before turning around almost hastily, lowering her head to conceal her expression, and hurrying back toward her room with quickened footsteps, afraid that if she remained here for even one second longer, the composure she had painstakingly maintained would completely fall apart.
===
As bedtime gradually settled over the Astral Express, silence slowly enveloped the train while the endless sea of stars drifted quietly beyond its windows.
Inside her room, Himeko paced back and forth restlessly.
At this moment, her thoughts were a complete mess.
Even though Evernight's words had been cruel, part of her could not stop wondering whether there was some truth behind them.
In the end, after pondering the matter seriously for quite a while, she gradually realized that there seemed to be more and more outstanding women surrounding Lucian.
Meanwhile, she herself had remained stuck in place because of her own fears, always waiting.
Waiting for the right opportunity.
Waiting until she could gather enough courage.
Yet before she realized it, time had quietly continued moving forward.
What if Lucian truly was losing patience?
What if Lucian eventually became interested in someone else?
What if, by the time she finally found the courage to confess her feelings, someone else had already taken the place beside Lucian?
As soon as she imagined Lucian being taken away by a woman as powerful, beautiful, and seductive as Evernight, a sharp pain instantly erupted inside Himeko's chest. It felt as though an entire train had crashed straight through her heart, leaving her unable to breathe.
'No... Absolutely not...'
Himeko abruptly stopped pacing as a determined expression appeared in her eyes.
By this point, she had spent long enough hesitating, so tonight, she would get a clear answer.
Even if she was rejected, even if it completely shattered the feelings she had kept hidden for so many years, she still wanted to hear Lucian's answer with her own ears.
After taking several deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart, Himeko finally gathered her courage, opened the door, and stepped out of her room.
Strangely, the quiet corridor seemed unusually long tonight.
Each step she took echoed softly across the metallic floor, while her heartbeat gradually grew louder in her ears.
A few minutes later, Himeko finally arrived outside Lucian's door.
After hesitating for only a brief moment, Himeko gently raised her hand and knocked.
Before long, the door slid open, revealing a surprised-looking Lucian.
As soon as he saw her, Lucian immediately realized that something was wrong.
Himeko stood quietly in the corridor with slightly reddened eyes and an unusually nervous expression.
Even though she was still wearing her familiar long toga dress beneath her elegant coat, the neckline sat rather low, subtly revealing a portion of her fair skin and delicate collarbone. It quietly showcased that the once youthful red-haired girl had long since grown into an elegant, graceful, and mature beauty.
In Lucian's eyes, whether it was her beautiful appearance or her graceful figure, both were exceptional. Especially her pair of long, slender legs, fair, smooth, and seemingly flawless, which were openly displayed before his eyes beneath the hem of her dress.
Seeing the normally calm Himeko standing there with such an unusually nervous expression, Lucian's expression softened slightly.
"Himeko?"
"Lucian..."
Himeko softly called his name before speaking directly, without any preamble.
"Tell me honestly."
As she spoke, she looked directly into his eyes, her golden eyes filled with nervousness, anticipation, and a trace of fear.
"Do you... really like me?"
Right after asking those words, Himeko unconsciously clenched the corner of her coat and bit her lip ever so slightly before gathering the last of her courage to continue.
"I mean... the kind of like that means getting married and having children..."
As soon as those words left her mouth, Himeko felt as though all the strength had drained from her body.
Hearing her sudden question, Lucian was completely caught off guard.
He looked at the nervous Himeko standing before him, her beautiful face tinged with anxiety as she waited uneasily for his response.
In the end, after staring at her silently for a moment, Lucian could not help but let out a quiet chuckle before reaching out and gently ruffling her soft red hair.
"Why are you asking that all of a sudden? Haven't I already made it obvious enough? Did I do something wrong? Why're you suddenly asking me that?"
Himeko stubbornly met his gaze, refusing to look away as she remained silent, seemingly struggling to gather the courage to speak.
Finally, after a few seconds of silence, she spoke up.
"No... It's not your fault... It's mine..."
Lowering her head, Himeko's voice grew quieter and quieter, her obvious embarrassment intertwined with deep unease. Her fingers unconsciously clenched together, betraying the nervousness she could no longer hide.
"I've always been too scared to take the next step... Because I'm afraid..."
At those words, the faint smile on Lucian's face gradually faded, and a slight frown formed between his brows as he gently reached out and lifted Himeko's chin, guiding her to look directly into his eyes.
"Afraid? Afraid of what? Tell me."
Hearing the question, Himeko immediately averted her gaze, unable to maintain eye contact. Her cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of crimson, and after hesitating for several long seconds, she finally forced the words out with tremendous difficulty.
"Y-You... You're too big... I'm scared..."
As soon as those words reached his ears, Lucian instantly froze, his entire body becoming completely motionless as though his mind had briefly stopped functioning.
"..."
Several full seconds passed before Lucian finally understood what Himeko was actually trying to tell him.
At that instant, the expression on his face became extraordinarily complicated.
First came shock, then disbelief, and finally complete helplessness.
Lucian's lips parted slightly, yet not a single word came out.
After traveling across countless planets, defeating powerful Emanators, surviving countless life-and-death battles, and even joking around with Aeons, this was genuinely the first time he had ever heard of a man being rejected simply because his thing was too big.
For a brief moment, Lucian genuinely didn't know whether he should laugh or cry.
'Seriously... since when was being too big a bad thing?'
Lucian complained inwardly, but when he looked at Himeko's embarrassed expression, heard the tremble in her voice, and saw the tears gradually welling up in the corners of her eyes, he found himself completely unable to get angry.
Instead, the frustration that had briefly risen within him quietly faded away, replaced by a mixture of amusement and heartfelt sympathy.
Honestly, seeing Himeko so flustered and vulnerable, he only felt both amused and somewhat heartbroken.
He honestly had never considered that possibility.
Originally, he had assumed Himeko still carried some unresolved emotional burden, or perhaps there was some dream she wished to accomplish before fully accepting him into her heart. He had even prepared himself to patiently wait until she was ready to take that final step, even if it took years.
As it turned out, his 'little brother' had been the reason all along?
Unbelievable.
In fact, let alone Lucian, even Himeko herself felt that her explanation sounded somewhat absurd.
Yet there was undeniably some truth to it.
Lucian was genuinely intimidating in that regard, and after experiencing his thing with her little mouth, Himeko had become truly frightened.
Of course, there had always been another reason as well, one that was far more reasonable and much easier for her to admit than the embarrassing excuse she had just confessed.
Deep down, she had always feared that Lucian might one day leave her. Because of that lingering fear, she had never dared to give herself to him completely. Instead, she had cautiously opened her heart little by little, cherishing every step they took together while hoping to keep him by her side for as long as possible.
In her mind, moving too quickly only meant that the happiness she had found might also disappear just as quickly, so she instinctively held herself back, believing that if she slowed their relationship down, the precious days they shared would last just a little longer.
However, Evernight's appearance had changed everything.
For the first time, Himeko felt a genuine sense of crisis.
Faced with the possibility of losing Lucian, all those lingering concerns and emotional barriers that had restrained her for so long suddenly seemed insignificant. Compared to the fear of watching him walk away, none of them mattered anymore.
All she wanted now was for Lucian to remain by her side.
Only at this moment did she finally realize just how deeply he had become intertwined with her life. Without her ever noticing, he had already become an irreplaceable part of her everyday world, someone whose presence she had long since taken for granted.
No matter how she thought about it, Himeko could no longer imagine what it would be like to lose him.
And once that realization completely struck her, every other concern was pushed aside without hesitation.
Needless to say, that was why she had come here tonight of her own accord.
After finally understanding the true reason, Lucian let out a soft sigh and gently pulled Himeko into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her slender figure with quiet tenderness as the door behind her slowly and silently swung shut.
"In that case... wanna give it a try now? Let's see if we're a good match."
Holding Himeko close, Lucian lowered his head and whispered beside her ear in an intimate voice, his warm breath lightly brushing against her sensitive skin and sending a shiver through her entire body.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones]
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