"Let me show you what top-tier luck looks like—the luck of the Galactic Baseballer!"
Stelle rolled her wrist in front of the shelves, then twisted her neck, adopting a stance that made it look like she was about to do something epic.
Then, like a general inspecting her troops, she clasped her hands behind her back and strode in circles around the trash cans with her chin held high.
March 7th watched her losing it and felt her face burn with secondhand embarrassment.
Before, at least, it was only Stelle losing her own dignity. Now she was dragging down the reputation of The Nameless too!
Can you please not act like there's no one else around?! Yanqing and Master Yunli are right there watching!
"If there were a whole row of Lordly Trashcans here, that would make the scene even grander."
Sylvester rubbed his chin thoughtfully, pretending to ponder how to make a trash can inspection look more official.
"What—wait, you too?"
March 7th spun around, looking at Sylvester in disbelief.
Was Shopkeeper Sylvester not supposed to be a normal person? He was the one who helped Dan Heng resolve his inner turmoil! He's the manager of the Curio Trash Can Shop! How could he—
Hm? Curio Trash Can Shop?
March 7th suddenly understood and smacked her forehead.
She should've realized it sooner. Those two were kindred spirits from the start!
Who else but someone like him would stuff curios into trash cans for sale—and then have the can vanish after it's opened? Clearly, he just thought the packaging looked cool!
She slumped into a chair, feeling weary.
Good thing Sylvester wasn't one of The Nameless, or she'd really be mortified.
"Hey! A fellow connoisseur!"
Stelle turned and shot Sylvester a knowing look.
Sylvester caught the signal instantly. Both of them reached out simultaneously. "Thumbs up! Haha!"
They burst into hearty laughter, perfectly in sync.
March 7th's gaze was filled with helpless resignation.
So this is the secret behind Sylvester being able to cure Dan Heng's mental knots?
To heal one lunatic… you just need another lunatic?
Dan Heng, I think I finally understand how you felt taking Stelle to Belobog.
Before, having just Stelle around wasn't that bad. But now, without Dan Heng to balance things out, March 7th's presence was completely overshadowed by the combined madness of Stelle and Sylvester. Only now did she truly realize what kind of powerless despair it was to coexist with such bizarre people.
Am I even living in the same world as them?
She stared at the line of trash cans, then back at Stelle and Sylvester, deeply puzzled.
Why can't I bring myself to like trash cans?
Could it be that I'm the strange one—and they're the normal ones?
In a quiet corner where no one noticed, March 7th's eyes began to gleam with a faint trace of wisdom.
After laughing for a while, Stelle straightened her back again.
She raised her voice dramatically in front of the shelves. "Trash cans, show me your loyalty!"
March 7th remained silent, while Yanqing and Yunli forced their expressions to stay neutral.
Nothing new. They'd seen this before.
Stelle reached up and took down the topmost can from the middle row.
She placed a single hand on its lid, her expression solemn and grave—like a knight kneeling to receive a medal of honor.
"Warrior, show me your worth!"
March 7th's cheeks twitched slightly.
I can't take this anymore!
Stelle flung open the lid, then, standing tall like a hero at the peak of her legend, raised both arms high and shouted, "Rise!"
The trash can responded with nothing but pure irony—no green, no blue, not even purple light.
A burst of black smoke shot into the air with a loud poof!
It smacked Stelle squarely in the face.
Still frozen in her pose, Stelle blinked in stunned silence.
For a moment, even she felt the sting of awkwardness.
But she quickly remembered her golden rule: As long as I'm not embarrassed, the embarrassment belongs to everyone else.
Keeping her proud posture, she declared, "A momentary setback cannot shake the will of a king!"
Stelle swallowed hard, though. She knew that Aventurine once opened a black can—and it turned him into a total unlucky magnet on the spot.
If the same thing happened to her…
Wouldn't that mean she'd never become the Queen of Trash Cans?!
No!!!
Though she was screaming in despair inside, on the outside she kept her composure—and her madness.
She lifted her noble chin toward Sylvester and asked, "O Lord of Trash Cans from the depths of the starry sea, tell me—what did my knight just unleash?"
"Hmm…"
Sylvester glanced around at the others. After a short pause, he decided to ignore their judgment—or his own shame.
He pressed his palms together like a priest guiding a devout believer and proclaimed in a booming voice, "O Uncrowned Queen of Trash Cans! The proud knight has brought you the most dreadful curse in existence—yet it may also be the most generous blessing in the galaxy. The outcome depends entirely upon your will."
"Shopkeeper Sylvester! Black cans aren't something to joke about—explain it properly!"
March 7th shouted. She might not approve of Stelle's antics, but she didn't want her to get hurt either.
Yanqing and Yunli were just as uneasy.
They had never encountered a black can before—only heard the rumors.
And even if Sylvester once dispelled the Resentment of the Hapless Ones, who could say that wasn't just luck?
This was not the time for jokes.
Seeing their anxious faces, Sylvester calmly took a sip of tea and returned to his usual demeanor.
"What I said was no exaggeration. This thing would be enough to break most people's minds. But for Stelle—it might actually be a treasure."
"Have you heard of the Cornucopia?"
"Of course," Yanqing nodded. "An ancient legend of the Xianzhou. A curio said to infinitely replicate whatever is placed inside it, symbolizing boundless wealth. But no one has ever truly seen it."
Yunli asked curiously, "Then what does that have to do with a black curio?"
After all, something like that hardly sounded like a curse.
"Because the curse Stelle just received," Sylvester said coolly, "is basically the reverse of the Cornucopia."
"Now, anything Stelle touches—any bag, chest, or can—must have all its contents taken out within three minutes, or everything inside will turn into trash."
"Really? You're not kidding me?"
Stelle asked urgently, but her face showed no fear—only excitement.
This way, she could mass-produce trash!
That's amazing!
"That's terrifying!"
March 7th cried out, horrified. She'd never dare let Stelle near her room now.
If Stelle so much as brushed against something, all the souvenirs she'd gathered from her Trailblaze journeys would be ruined!
Yanqing and Yunli fell silent.
This curse… indeed matched Sylvester's words.
For ordinary people, it would be a catastrophe—who could stand watching their possessions turn to garbage at their own touch?
They'd become an outcast, avoided by everyone—especially delivery services.
That was physical social death.
But for Stelle? She might actually enjoy it.
Stelle pondered for a moment, then asked, "Shopkeeper Sylvester, what if I put a person inside a sack and touch it—what would happen then?"
"...Huh?!"
March 7th, Yanqing, and Yunli all stared at Stelle with horrified eyes, as if they were gazing upon some unknown, malevolent god.
Please stop whatever you're thinking!