Chapter 42: From Shock to Acceptance – Is There More to Sampo?
"In the Far North, I bore witness to the fierce battle between the previous Great Guardian and an indescribable force. In her final moments, she revealed her deepest regret..."
"...It was the blockade that had divided the Upper and Underworld for over a decade. As time passed, she came to realize the devastating consequences of her choice... Though burdened with guilt, there was no turning back."
"Thus, as she lay dying, she entrusted us with a request... When the Stellaron's influence fades, she hopes Belobog could be reunited once more. She wished for the people of both realms to embrace dawn together."
Inside the train, everyone gathered around Little Gui's live stream.
At first, when they realized they were seeing scenes from the future, reactions ranged from solemn to stunned, even skeptical. But as the story unfolded, their initial tension eased.
After all, this was just a game—it wasn't about to transform into some monster and swallow them whole.
With repeated exposure, March 7th grew somewhat desensitized, casually grabbing a plate of fruits and pastries. She plopped onto the sofa, engrossed in Bronya's speech. Stelle joined her, indulging in the snacks alongside March 7th.
Since they couldn't change anything about the game, they might as well lean into it and enjoy the ride!
And surprisingly—watching themselves from a third-person perspective turned out to be quite entertaining!
The duo decided: Once they had the chance, they'd catch up on every missed moment of the storyline without skipping a beat!
In the square before Qlipoth Fort, amidst the gathered crowd, Bronya's speech neared its conclusion.
"I firmly believe that through our collective efforts, our world—the one Trailblazers call Jarilo-VI—will surely return to the stars' embrace once more."
"However, until we achieve this goal, please allow me, humbly, to guide us forward..."
"As Bronya Rand, the nineteenth Protector of Belobog, I hereby swear—"
Amidst the cheers and jubilation of the crowd, her address ended flawlessly.
March 7th and Stelle spontaneously burst into applause.
"You have to admit, Bronya nailed that speech!"
"Yes, and she even mentioned us! Our struggles on Jarilo-VI weren't in vain!"
"I've made up my mind—I'm determined to summon both Seele and Bronya for my team!"
"Let's hope my budget holds up..."
As they chatted and watched, the next sequence took on a lighthearted tone, focusing mainly on March 7th taking photos and wandering around town.
Soon enough, March announced she was tired and wanted to head back to the Gode Hotel for a good night's rest.
Seeing the hotel appear on screen made Stelle's cheeks flush slightly.
She silently prayed the developers wouldn't throw in any unexpected twists here again.
If this kept up, her carefully crafted image as the cool and suave Galactic Baseballer would be utterly shattered—turning her into just another meme character!
The moment she selected the option "Go to Bed," the screen suddenly went dark.
A line of small text appeared:
[The Creation Engine, Cocolia, the illusory cosmic realm, and Preservation's gaze—scenes from that climactic battle flashed intermittently, piecing together fragmented memories akin to grainy film.]
[The final frame froze at the instant before the Stellaron dissipated with Cocolia. In that fleeting moment, it seemed as though an unfamiliar voice whispered close to your ear... but then faded away...]
[Attempting to rewind to the previous memory, you found the filmstrip in your hand abruptly cut off, leaving a clean edge without a trace.]
"Then, once again, you hear the woman's voice..."
"At the end of your journey, all the riddles troubling you will be unraveled."
The live stream fell silent for several seconds.
Then came Little Gui Zi's startled exclamation.
"That… That sounds like Kafka's voice!"
March 7th nudged Stelle, her expression brimming with curiosity and intrigue.
"Hey, spill it—what exactly is your relationship with Kafka?"
Stelle opened her mouth but had no answer herself. Tentatively, she suggested, "Mother?"
"Pfft…" March 7th suddenly sprayed soda from her mouth.
"You're calling Kafka 'Mom'?"
"No, not really..."
"How about 'K-Mom'?"
"Don't say it! Actually, that nickname kind of fits her."
"In that case, I'm your big sister, and Himeko would be your adoptive mother..."
Seeing March 7th veering further off-topic, Himeko gently cleared her throat, signaling there was no need to continue.
At that moment, another image appeared on the screen—completely unexpected by everyone!
It was someone who should have already exited the story—a character seemingly responsible for comic relief yet pivotal at crucial moments.
It was Sampo!
Facing an old-fashioned television set, he appeared to be talking to himself:
"—Yes, it truly was a close call back then! But thanks to my quick thinking, hey, I realized there's no need for me to play the protagonist role, right? Being The Masked Jester suits us just fine."
"Turns out, this Astral Express crew is even more entertaining than I thought! You're enjoying it too? Really? Ha ha ha, what a masterpiece indeed."
"...No, no, I'm not ready to leave here yet. What about Epsilon? What fun can one find in such a decadent place? 'The greater the joy that elevates human dignity, the higher its value'—now that's interesting!"
"All right, cheers. Give my regards to the folks at the tavern, and don't forget to tell them—to stay tuned for Old Sambor's next act! Now, it's time for my curtain call."
With his conversation seemingly concluded, Sampo departed with a smile.
March 7th watched, utterly dumbfounded, before snapping back to reality.
"Quick! Open the chat to see what others are saying!"
Just like March 7th and her friends, the barrage of comments expressed complete shock at the unexpected turn of events.
"???"
"What is Sampo doing?!"
"At the end of the story, even old Sampo gets a role?"
"He's not from this planet?"
"I'm genuinely shocked! I never expected Sampo to have another hidden identity!"
"This guy is definitely more than meets the eye!"
"I had a feeling something was off about him earlier; some main storyline options hinted at it too!"
"Could he be affiliated with the company?"
"Is Sampo somehow connected to the Stellaron Hunters?"
Amidst the flurry of speculations about Sampo's identity,
Sampo suddenly reappeared on the screen, despite having left earlier.
He bowed slightly toward the viewers.
"This story is dedicated to you, dear audience—did it bring you even a hint of pleasure?"
"If you say no, ah, Sampo would be truly heartbroken."