[A steady and mature former Sovereign of Anti-Entropy. He inherited the name of "Welt" and has saved the world from the brink of extinction on numerous occasions.]
Looking at the character details for Welt in the game, Himeko couldn't help but let a smile play across her lips.
She turned to the man beside her and teased, "Welt, it seems you're hiding quite a few stories, aren't you?"
"A 'Sovereign'? Repeatedly saving the world... You've never mentioned such a fantastical past to me."
Welt's expression turned a bit awkward. On one hand, having his past suddenly exposed made him feel quite out of place. On the other, a deep sense of suspicion toward the game was beginning to take root.
He had never spoken of these experiences to anyone not even to his closest friends on the train. And yet, the developer of this game seemed intimately familiar with his history!
In this vast universe, there was only one person he could think of who possessed such a profound understanding of both him and the Express crew.
That blonde man who had left the train early!
If it's him, he might actually have the ability to create a game like this...
But then Welt shook his head. Something didn't feel right. It was a purely instinctive realization. To put it simply: the vibe was all wrong. If that man had developed a game, it wouldn't look anything like this!
"Then, who else could it be...?"
"Forget it. Let's keep pushing the plot for now and see what else this game reveals."
With that thought, Welt decided to change the subject. He couldn't have Himeko keeping her focus on him forever.
"In the previous scene, Stelle was glanced at by Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction, during that critical moment, right?" he asked.
"Yes, based on the performance, that seems to be the case," Himeko replied. "It aligns perfectly with our previous speculations. That child has many unique qualities."
"Indeed," Himeko added, giving her phone a little shake. "I'm currently at the point where I have to choose from her perspective whether or not to board the train."
She smiled. "I'm curious. If she hadn't chosen to board the Express and had stayed on the station instead, what would the ending have been?"
"Reality can't be changed, but in this game, perhaps we have the chance to see an alternate destination."
Welt found himself intrigued as well.
After obtaining permission from Herta and Asta, Himeko successfully had Stelle remain behind on the station.
"Goodbye, Miss Himeko."
At that moment, the screen showed Himeko herself, Welt, Dan Heng, and March 7th preparing to board the train. They waved goodbye to the Trailblazer as they departed.
A line of subtitles appeared:
[After careful consideration, you decide to decline Himeko's invitation. The whistle blares, and the Astral Express is about to set sail. Friends you met by chance wave their farewells. Parting is as sudden and firm as the encounter itself.]
"It actually triggered an ending like this?"
Both Himeko and Welt were stunned. But the scenes that followed caught them completely off guard!
[After the Astral Express departs, the Space Station begins reconstruction in full swing. You start researching the Stellaron with Herta. Soon, however, Herta loses interest in both you and the Stellaron. Under Asta's arrangement, you become a researcher on the Space Station.]
[On the Herta Space Station, you live out a peaceful life. The Astral Express returns a few times, and then, there is no more news. From travelers passing through the station, you hear of the world-shaking end that befell the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters. Sometimes, you can't help but wonder if their future would have been different if you had stepped onto that train.]
[But that no longer has anything to do with you.]
Himeko and Welt looked at each other, both seeing the shock and bewilderment in the other's eyes.
Who would have thought that they could achieve such an unprecedented ending? The journey had truly reached its conclusion right then and there. With just a few lines, the development team had perfectly captured a sense of melancholy and the weight of the passing years.
If life could be restarted...
The two fell into a deep silence. Living out a quiet, ordinary life on the space station... was that perhaps a better choice? Even for them, facing such a conclusion left their hearts heavy and unsettled.
A world-shaking end for the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters...?
What exactly would happen in the future?
As they stared out at the starry sky through the window, lost in thought, the closing credits began to roll!
[Lead Role: Stelle]
[Starring: Dan Heng as Dan Heng]
[???: as March 7th]
[Himeko: as Himeko]
[Joachim Nokianvirtanen: as Welt Yang]
Seeing those lines, Himeko's jaw dropped. Welt felt a cold shiver run down his spine!
Stelle and Dan Heng were fine. Himeko playing Himeko was fine. But beside March 7th's name, three question marks stood in place of her true identity!
Did this mean the March 7th they knew wasn't actually "March 7th"? The thought was terrifying!
And when Welt saw the name listed for himself, it felt both intimately familiar and strangely foreign. That was his birth name. It was only after he inherited the title of Welt and the Herrscher Core that he took his mother's surname and became Welt Yang the new Herrscher of Reason!
This was a secret he buried in the deepest reaches of his heart! How could a game developer possibly know this?
Welt was breaking into a cold sweat. In a hoarse voice, he spoke to his equally stunned companion. "Himeko... I think we need to investigate this developer."
"The information he possesses is... a bit too much!"
Himeko nodded solemnly. "You're right. I'll start the investigation immediately."
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