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Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Is it acting up again?

"Heh, March, Dan Heng, good work out there." The red-haired woman carried herself with an air of elegance and warmth.

"Hehe, those grunts were nothing to us!" March 7th puffed out her chest, a stark contrast to the harried state she'd been in while surrounded earlier.

"Hi..." Gazing at the red-haired figure, Stelle felt a strange sense of familiarity. She furrowed her brow, searching her memory, before blurting out, "Auntie Himeko!"

The unexpected address left everyone present stunned, including Himeko and March 7th.

"Hey! Watch your mouth!" March 7th snapped, raising her arm to give Stelle an elbow nudge.

Himeko chuckled, shaking her head, a hint of resignation in her voice. "Am I really that old already? Getting called 'Auntie'..."

"Not at all!" March 7th dashed to Himeko's side, grabbing her arm. "Himeko, you're super young! You look just like my big sister!"

"This one hit her head and seems to have lost her memory. Earlier, she even claimed she was a one-year-old baby." Maybe being called 'Auntie' by a one-year-old is acceptable?

"Oh? Amnesia?"

"Mhm!" March nodded emphatically, like a chick pecking rice, then suddenly caught herself. "Wait a second, didn't you say you have amnesia? How do you know Himeko?"

This was the same question on Himeko and Dan Heng's minds. Both turned their attention to the blank-faced Stelle.

"I... I don't know either." Stelle put a hand to her forehead. "The moment I saw her, the name just popped into my head."

The mental excavation wasn't yielding results. Unable to recall anything, Stelle nudged the "stinky younger brother" beside her with her elbow. "Hey, do you know?"

"First, my name isn't 'Hey,' it's Dad." Facing Stelle's question, Caelus raised an index finger, perfectly composed.

"Second, I never let any misdeed go unnoticed."

"Third, Himeko is a woman worthy of being my mother!" Spreading his arms wide as if for an embrace, Caelus proclaimed this with grand, dramatic flair.

"Huh?" This was a thoroughly bewildered, jaw-dropped March 7th.

"..." This was Dan Heng.

"..." This was a stunned Himeko.

A single sentence rendered the entire Astral Express crew silent.

Caelus, this self-proclaimed expert on human nature, looked at the clearly stunned group and shook his head. This crew isn't up to par!

"Bah! 'Dad,' my foot!" Stelle grabbed the back of Caelus's head with one hand while twisting his other arm behind his back.

So much for gentlemen settling things with words! As a Stellaron host just developing her humanity, Stelle was no match for Caelus in a verbal spar. Relying on her superior combat strength, she was gradually getting used to settling things with him... physically.

"How dare you transfer your affections! Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of Mama Kafka, you unfilial brat! Take this!" Stelle didn't dare twist too hard—if Caelus hurt, she hurt too. Frustrated, she resorted to vigorously ruffling Caelus's soft, wolf-grey hair until it was a complete mess.

"Hey, is that really how you use 'transfer your affections'?" March 7th couldn't resist commenting, her expression priceless enough to be turned into a sticker.

"Ah..." Watching the two grey-haired youths roughhousing, Himeko couldn't suppress a smile. "They certainly are interesting young people. March, aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Oh, right!" Snapping out of her 'straight man' role, March cleared her throat twice and began cheerfully, "This is Stelle. She has amnesia, doesn't remember how she ended up on the space station. She's pretty skilled, but..."

Glancing at the two still tussling, March leaned close to Himeko's ear, cupped her hand around her mouth, and whispered conspiratorially, "I think she might be a little... uh... mentally unstable."

After quickly delivering that assessment, March leaned back. "Ahem, and this is Caelus. He's got amnesia too, like Stelle. Not much of a fighter, and also..."

Caelus started scratching his chest, armpits, and sides again.

Stelle, already mentally prepared for this and growing accustomed to it, wasn't fazed. Giving him a taste of his own medicine, she started scratching her own ticklish spots.

And so, the scene instantly turned bizarre. The two grey-haired individuals sat on the floor, scratching themselves, bursting into uncontrollable laughter, all while squirming like caterpillars.

"His mental issues are even worse than Stelle's," March stated flatly this time, no whispering, her eyes glazed over as if looking at dead fish, her voice utterly devoid of energy.

"...I can see that," Himeko replied after a moment's silence, her expression unreadable.

"They're twins," Dan Heng interjected, sensing Himeko's unspoken question. "They share a peculiar connection—they experience each other's physical sensations."

"Hm?" A spark of keen interest flashed in Himeko's eyes. It was obvious the two were related, but twins sharing physical sensations? That was something even she had never encountered before. The universe truly is full of wonders, she thought.

"Stelle... Caelus..." Himeko murmured the names, a thoughtful, interested expression on her face.

"See? See?" March exclaimed, clapping her hands together like a gamer discovering an easter egg. "Their names together – Stelle and Caelus – sound like 'Star Rail'! It sounds like they're destined to be with the Express!" She beamed proudly. "I invited them to join us, and they said yes!"

"Oh? That's wonderful. New members for the Express crew," Himeko replied with a warm smile.

"And also..." March bounced over to Seele, placing her hands on her shoulders. "This is Seele~!"

"She also doesn't know how she ended up on the space station; she was suddenly transported here from her home world." March leaned in again. "And get this, Himeko – Seele doesn't know about the Aeons! She's never even heard of them!"

As March chattered on excitedly, Himeko smiled at the seemingly demure, gentle-looking girl with dark blue hair. But when she heard the last part, her smile faltered slightly, replaced by a look of astonishment.

As the navigator of the Astral Express, she immediately understood the profound implications of that statement.

"Oh, right! Himeko, Seele also wants to join the Express to find her way home. That's okay, right?" March relayed the explanation Seele had apparently been coached on.

"Of course, that's no problem at all." With a warm, welcoming smile, Himeko gazed gently at Seele and simply nodded.

After a brief exchange, Himeko turned back to Stelle and Caelus, smiling. "I'll need to confirm your identities with Asta first. But assuming you aren't members of the space station staff, the Astral Express would be happy to welcome you aboard."

"And Seele," Himeko added, "there's another passenger on the Express who is also looking for their way home. You two should have plenty to talk about."

You have no idea, Seele thought.

Then, Himeko turned to March 7th and Dan Heng. "Let's go. Asta must be worried about you."

Led by Himeko, the group proceeded through corridors and halls filled with futuristic technology.

Standing before the main holographic console was a young woman with pink hair. Part of her bangs was swept to the side and held by an elegant golden clip, framing her face and adding a touch of youthful charm. The rest of her hair was tied into a cute ponytail. She wore a futuristic uniform—primarily neat and formal, but accented with bright, lively shades of pink.

Asta was authoritatively and efficiently directing the station's security personnel to repel the Antimatter Legion's assault.

Seeing Himeko, March 7th, and Dan Heng arrive, she visibly relaxed, letting out a soft sigh of relief. "Whew, I'm glad you're back safely."

"Arlan was just here," Asta said, giving a slight, respectful bow. "He told me everything about what happened in the containment section. Thank you all for your help. Once this crisis is over, I promise you'll be generously rewarded."

"We can talk about that later. What's the station's current status?" Himeko bypassed the pleasantries with a smile, her attention fixed on the holographic display as she got straight to the point.

"The situation is barely under control for now. We've repaired the damage to the security systems, but projections indicate the Legion is preparing for another assault—ten waves or more, consecutively..."

"Alright! We're definitely helping with that!" Asta hadn't even finished speaking when an incredibly righteous-sounding shout interrupted her.

Everyone in the main control room froze for a second, turning towards the source of the voice: the grey-haired young man, his face radiating a sense of undeniable duty.

Help? Asta blinked. She appreciated the sentiment, truly. But she hadn't actually asked for help yet, and besides... Looking at the grey-haired young man, Asta asked hesitantly, "And this is...?"

"Station Master Asta, you don't know them? So, that means they really aren't station personnel?" March 7th, excited about potentially recruiting two 'destined' newcomers, quickly explained the situation to the puzzled Asta.

After hearing March's explanation, Asta carefully looked over Stelle, Caelus, and Seele, then shook her head definitively. "No, none of them are part of our station's staff." She knew the name and profile of every single person working on the station.

"The Antimatter Legion possesses complex powers. Perhaps they caused some kind of spatial distortion that inadvertently pulled these innocent people here... I apologize." Asta felt responsible, seeing as they were caught up in the Legion's attack on her station.

"This has nothing to do with you, Miss Asta. You have no reason to apologize," Caelus interjected earnestly. "Time is... life! We must act quickly to rescue the personnel threatened by the Legion! They are the station's most valuable asset!"

His urgency was so intense, anyone who didn't know better might mistake him for the Station Master.

"Those who dare invade Herta's domain shall be struck down by Caelus!" Caelus declared, giving Asta a dramatic fist-and-palm salute before turning with the stride of a legendary hero embarking on a noble quest.

"Stelle! Seele! Let's move out!"

It wasn't until Caelus was practically dragging the other two out of the control room that the bewildered onlookers finally snapped back to reality.

"Is-is he having another one of his episodes?" March stammered, staring blankly for a second before rushing after them. "Hey! Wait up! Don't just run off!"

"..." Dan Heng sighed and followed suit.

Asta and Himeko exchanged a bewildered glance. Then, a look of profound respect filled Asta's eyes. These newcomers were clearly victims themselves, accidentally caught up in the disaster. Yet, upon hearing the station was in danger, they immediately disregarded their own safety to step forward. Such kindness... such selfless, heroic spirit!

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