"Wow, just what happened here? The buildings are all covered in ice and snow..."
March 7th looked at the scene before her, her mouth slightly agape, clearly taken aback.
"How long would it have to snow to pile up this deep..."
"Clearly, a very... very long time..." Dan Heng said, his tone remarkably flat.
Though his voice was even, anyone listening carefully could hear the unmistakable trace of sorrow hidden within his words.
Neither Stelle nor March 7th seemed to notice anything, but Welt, who had caught the melancholy in Dan Heng's statement, merely glanced at him briefly without comment.
The Astral Express never pries into anyone's past. Until Dan Heng chooses to speak of it himself, Welt has no intention of interfering...
"Huh?" March 7th let out a puzzled sound, as if she'd spotted something.
"Hey, did you guys see that? Something seems to be moving over there?"
Hearing this, everyone followed March 7th's gaze.
But they only found a snowdrift, nothing else.
"It's just an ordinary pile of snow. Perhaps you mis-saw?" Dan Heng glanced over and then looked away.
"Even if you don't trust me, you don't have to distrust me that much," March 7th retorted, putting her hands on her hips in a bit of a huff and shooting Dan Heng a look before marching towards the snowdrift. "Whether it's just a normal snowdrift or not, we'll know once we get a closer look."
...
In front of the snowdrift
The Astral Express crew: ...
The snowdrift: ...
And so, everyone and the snowdrift stared at each other.
After a while, March 7th, hands still on her hips, said with exasperation:
"Hey, aren't you going to come out? You're shivering from the cold."
"..."
Seeing the person inside the snowdrift still refusing to emerge, Dan Heng stepped forward, spear in hand.
"Hmph, March, step aside."
He then raised his spear and thrust it right into the snowdrift.
"Yowch!"
The next second, the snowdrift exploded, and a man leapt out from within.
Clutching his backside, he glared furiously at Dan Heng.
"Seriously, buddy."
"Did me burrowing in the snow get in the way of you eating it or something? Was it really necessary to stab my butt with that spear?"
"Hmm... I suppose I was a bit impatient." Looking at the man's pained expression, Dan Heng thought for a moment and offered an apology.
After all, getting a spear stuck in your rear... you couldn't call it pleasant. 'Uniquely stimulating' might be more accurate.
"Hello, I'm March 7th, she's... mmmph—"
March 7th started to introduce everyone but was promptly muffled by Stelle's hand over her mouth.
Dan Heng: ...
Watching March 7th almost blurt out their identities, Dan Heng sighed helplessly and rubbed his forehead.
We just said to be careful, and the next moment you're ready to announce who we are.
Is this your idea of caution? Truly, remarkably cautious.
"Hmm..." The man put on an act of observing them, then asked with feigned curiosity, "You folks aren't Silvermane Guards, are you?"
"Silvermane Guards?" Dan Heng muttered the name.
"Ah, so you're not Silvermane Guards! That makes things easier." The man, having confirmed their status from Dan Heng's reaction, rubbed his hands together. "Sampo Koski, pleased to meet you."
Sampo flashed a smile at the group.
"Meeting like this is fate. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anything. As a warm-hearted, upstanding citizen, I, Sampo, will answer them all for you."
Welt: ...
Welt hadn't spoken the entire time. Deep in his eyes was a trace of wariness as he observed Sampo.
From the moment they appeared on this snowfield, Welt had been sensing their surroundings with his spiritual perception and hadn't detected anything unusual.
But now, this person named Sampo had appeared before them without a trace, utterly without warning, and with far too much coincidence.
It was hard for Welt not to be suspicious.
However, he let none of this show on his face. Since he'd determined this Sampo might have ulterior motives, it was all the more reason to proceed with caution.
"Why are you—"
"Hey, look, look! There are two more people over there!"
Just as Dan Heng was about to ask Sampo why he was here, March 7th suddenly spotted something and hurriedly cut him off.
Dan Heng: ...
Hearing March 7th, everyone followed her line of sight.
They saw a black-haired girl and a white-haired girl standing there. The white-haired girl had her hand over her stomach, seemingly in the middle of doing something.
"Come on, let's go ask them."
Compared to burly men, March 7th much preferred being around fragrant, soft, lovely girls.
"Let's go..." Watching March 7th's bubbly demeanor, Welt shook his head and sighed in resignation.
He then turned his gaze towards the two girls.
'Another presence I didn't sense...'
Welt thought to himself. If it was a coincidence once, the odds of it being a coincidence twice were now incredibly slim...
He didn't know if it was due to something about them personally, or something else...
But from any angle, it seemed what Miss Sparkle had said was true.
On Jarilo-VI, unknown dangers lurked.
...
"Wow, it's an adorable little girl, and another... uh."
As March 7th approached, she saw the cute Clara, and... Firefly, who seemed to be vomiting a rainbow.
"Um... is she okay? Do you need help?"
Seeing Firefly's state, March 7th quickly walked over and gently patted her on the back.
"Oh, her? She's fine, just feeling a little dizzy... from, well... the snow, I guess."
Clara tapped a finger on her lips in thought, casually making up a symptom.
Firefly: ?...
"Dizzy... from snow?" Hearing this, March 7th's big eyes instantly filled with confusion. "There's such a thing?"
"Well, it's a big world, full of wonders~" Clara shrugged and smiled.
"Hmm, I guess you're right."
March 7th thought for a moment and decided Clara's words made sense.
"Alright then, I have a question for you all." Clara's gaze swept briefly over Stelle, Dan Heng, and Welt, then settled on Sampo. "Why are you hanging out with a wanted criminal?"
…
I have completed the author to TL pipeline, 2 chapters per day. Advanced chapters available on patreon.
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Give power stones please I survive solely off of number go up.