"What?"
Asta blinked, confusion dancing in her beautiful eyes. "You're leaving the station..."
Memories surfaced of an ordinary morning when Anming had declared with sunlit confidence: "Director, I'm going to pave stardust." Even then, she'd sensed this young man wasn't meant to be tethered by credits. The starlight in his eyes belonged to distant galaxies.
Though reluctant, Asta straightened his employee badge. "The station will always be your home. Just... keep updating your novel. Herta's wrath knows no bounds."
"Since you'll be busy Trailblazing..." Her smile turned mischievous. "Twenty credits per word now."
Anming choked on air. I should've slapped myself ten seconds ago. This angelic heiress deserved eternal loyalty! Were it not for Firefly, he'd gladly codex-scribe for her till entropy's end.
"March... it hurts."
"I know. My heart hurts more."
March 7th pinched Stelle's arm, resisting the urge to frostbolt Anming's skull. Did this guy save the universe in a past life? While she'd awakened in ice and nearly died thrice, he waltzed into the Express with a magic sword and rich girl's favor!
"You're really leaving?" Herta's puppet approached, analytical gaze scanning Anming. "Anomalous neural patterns detected. Stay for dissection."
"Little Tower, mind your tone with an official Trailblazer."
"Oh?" Herta sneered. "Does blondie over there know you're freeloading?"
Anming sweatdropped. Unlike Stelle the Stellaron vessel, he lacked cosmic credentials. The Express had zero obligation to adopt him.
"Plan to serenade the navigator with 'Tracks Through My Tears' while laying rail lines?"
"You're insufferable!"
Herta smirked, clearly enjoying herself. "Update your drafts, or I'll drag you back for mandatory literary dissection."
"Since when are you reasonable?"
"First official vote!" March declared, shooting Anming a you'll-never-pass glare. "Should we accept this... this..."
Dan Heng raised his hand. "I pledged to return Nightless's wielder to Luofu."
"Traitor!" March whirled toward Stelle. "You're with me, right?"
Stelle gazed starward, twirling hair. "Paving starlines is kinda cool..."
"Two against one!" March deflated before extending a hand. "Welcome to the Astral Express! We're family now~"
"Should I recite something?" Anming cleared his throat. "Towards stars and abyss—wait, wrong franchise."
"May this journey reach the cosmos' edge!"
Welt's cane thumped approval. "Well said."
"Mr. Yang! Fashionably late as usual~" March stage-whispered to Anming: "Where'd you steal that line?"
"Top 10 Trailblazer Quotations." Anming patted her head with Succubus March 7th manuscripts. "Be gentle, senior."
"You ADMIT it!" March kidney-punched him as Stelle snickered.
"Anming, Stelle," Himeko smiled before the Express. "Welcome aboard."
As cheers erupted, Stelle tugged Anming's sleeve. "When I was KO'd... did you meet my mom?"
"You want to find her?"
"Obviously!"
Anming nodded. Meeting Kafka meant reuniting with Firefly. "Then we're comrades sharing..."
Stelle gasped. "You want to DATE MY MOM?!"
Anming: "???"
March facepalmed. With these clowns aboard, the Express's sanity quota was officially bankrupt.