Buzz—
As the Astral Express departed Belobog once more, several additional temporary crew members had joined the train.
Cocolia, Bronya, and Seele sat in the observation car, reading the materials Himeko had given them while quietly taking in their surroundings.
Looking down, Belobog had already transformed into a vibrant blue planet, brimming with life.
"Want some snacks?"
March 7th waved over the Angeloids and had them bring over some refreshments.
"Mm..."
Seele chewed lightly on a pastry, glancing around as if she were dreaming.
Two days ago, she had still been an ordinary person in the Underworld, struggling alongside the miners to make a living.
She had been thinking about how to survive in Belobog's increasingly harsh environment.
And now, just two days later, the interstellar big boss had saved the world, and she had ascended on the spot, becoming a member of the Astral Express.
There was even someone beside her who looked almost identical, quietly observing her the whole time.
"..."
Seele Vollerei felt that this other Seele had a very strong personality, completely different from her own.
Why is this other me so strong?! Even greeting her takes courage...
"Mm... Cocolia, Bronya, Seele, Pela, Natasha..."
Himeko went through the list of names, took a sip of coffee, and nodded.
"All set. Everyone's here."
Aside from several familiar faces from the upper and lower districts, there was also a blonde little girl wearing a cat-eared hat and dressed in snow exploration gear.
"Um... Lady Cocolia, Lady Bronya..."
Lynx Landau had no idea how she had been selected. In her eyes, everyone chosen was someone remarkable.
Yet she, just a small-time adventurer, had somehow been found by the Angeloids and brought aboard the train together with her sister Serval.
As for Gepard, he had to remain in Belobog to inherit the family responsibilities.
Hook was just as confused—she had been directly located and pulled out from the mechanical graveyard in Boulder Town by the Angeloids.
"It was the Commander who chose you. We're merely carrying out Their will."
The gray-haired girl spoke with a serious tone, explaining things to the newcomers.
"Every day, the Commander selects forty-nine girls to attend parties aboard the Eternal Snowfall, sitting together to discuss the Way."
"Those chosen may also receive additional blessings, like becoming an Emanator or even an Aeon..."
"Huh?"
Bronya and Seele were both bewildered.
Back in Belobog, when Setsuna appeared in the form of an Aeon, the impact had been overwhelming—just a gesture had reshaped the entire planet.
In their minds, the Commander of the Starsea Empire was a supreme existence on par with Aeons like Preservation and Erudition, utterly beyond reach.
Yet among the Astral Express crew, there didn't seem to be any particular sense of reverence.
"You'll understand once you've stayed in the Starsea Empire for a while. The Commander is very easygoing—they even tease us often."
Kiana scratched her head.
"Is that so...?"
Laughing and joking with an Aeon was still a bit beyond everyone's comprehension.
But since they had been chosen, they were curious to see that unfamiliar nation for themselves.
Swish—
Himeko opened the star map and selected another distant star system.
"Before we return to the Starsea Empire, there's one small matter we need to take care of."
"We're going to Penacony for a visit."
"Oh?"
The crew leaned in.
The planet of festivities, Penacony, was located in the Asdana star system.
It had originally been a place where the Interastral Peace Corporation exiled criminals to mine memoria, but it was later transformed into an interstellar hotel and became a sprawling metropolis.
Penacony's Reverie Hotel was famous throughout the universe, and those who received invitations were all either wealthy or powerful.
The entire planet belonged to the faction that worshipped the Aeon of Harmony, Xipe, and was ruled by five great families such as Oak, Hound, and Iris.
Each family managed different aspects of Penacony—politics, security, culture, economy, and construction.
Under normal circumstances, dealing with Penacony would have been troublesome.
However, after discussing it, the two Himekos realized that with the Interastral Peace Corporation gone and the timeline altered, things had become much simpler.
Firefly had been called back by Silver Wolf and Kafka. Sparkle had already infiltrated the Starsea Empire. Black Swan had come voluntarily in search of memories.
There weren't many people left in Penacony anymore.
As for the many remaining issues there, they could be handled slowly after taking control of the entire star system.
"Shall we speed things up, then?"
Himeko smiled.
[Warp Engine Ready]
[5, 4, 3, 2, 1...]
Buzz—
A blinding white light flashed across the cosmos as the Astral Express vanished from its position.
...
Asdana Star System, Penacony.
A towering and luxurious hotel stood upon the planet, while countless spacecraft from other star systems traveled through its skies.
Neon lights glowed, crowds bustled everywhere.
Even by interstellar standards, Penacony was exceptionally prosperous.
Bronya, Seele, and the others from Belobog felt like country folk entering a grand city for the first time.
Swish—
In an instant, Sophon performed a detailed scan of the entire planet and projected a holographic map before Himeko.
"Mm... due to timeline changes, the families never held the Charmony Festival."
"Fortunately, the person we're looking for is here."
At this moment, Penacony was simply having an ordinary day.
Since the surrounding star systems had not been affected during the war with the Interastral Peace Corporation, Penacony had suffered minimal impact.
There were just fewer tourists than usual.
At the same time—
Before the heads of the major families, a holographic interface suddenly activated, displaying Sophon's projection.
"This is the Starsea Empire."
"We hereby inform you that we will be taking control of Penacony. All personnel are required to cooperate with the Empire's vanguard forces and the Angeloids."
"All family heads and leaders of Penacony must immediately proceed to the designated location to report to the vanguard and accept further arrangements."
"..."
"What?!"
Sophon's message was brief, but it left the family heads utterly stunned.
Penacony was not an isolated world like Belobog. The Interastral Peace Corporation had a strong presence here.
They knew very well that the Starsea Empire was a hegemonic force that had destroyed the corporation and conquered countless civilizations.
It was far beyond anything Penacony could resist. A single misstep could mean total destruction.
Only half an hour later—
The trembling family heads stood before Sophon and Himeko.
"May I ask... what does the Starsea Empire intend to do...?"
"Sophon will answer your questions. Just follow her instructions."
At the same time, another figure had been brought along by the Angeloids.
A beautiful girl with silver hair and green eyes, dressed in a light-colored gown.
"Ah!"
March 7th immediately recognized her.
"You're that—that superstar from Epsilon, Miss Robin! 'Hope Is the Thing with Feathers' is your work, right?"
"Hm?"
Robin looked slightly surprised.
"I didn't expect to meet a fan here. I'm just resting in Penacony for a while... may I ask who you are?"
Clap—
Himeko clapped her hands and extended a friendly invitation.
"We've long admired your voice. The Commander hopes you'll perform in the Starsea Empire."
"Is this an invitation for a tour? The Starsea Empire...?"
Robin didn't know much about the galactic situation, but she had heard of that otherworldly civilization.
"You can think of it that way. As a Nameless, I can assure you—you'll like it there."
Himeko replied.
"You came all the way here just to invite Robin?"
A man with similar hair color, dressed in formal attire, sounded surprised.
"Yes."
Himeko looked at Sunday.
"The Commander looks forward to meeting Miss Robin and is willing to provide her with the finest stage in the universe, allowing her voice to resonate across all worlds."
"As for you, Mr. Sunday, we wish you a pleasant stay in Penacony."
...
Within the Starsea Empire's base.
Setsuna leaned back in his seat at the administrative center, glancing over the vanguard fleet's report.
"The progress is quite fast. As expected of my Emanators—looks like Himeko has a solid grasp of the philosophy of Trailblaze."
Belobog and Penacony had both been cleared at lightning speed by the Astral Express crew. As for the Xianzhou and the Herta Space Station, there was essentially nothing left to handle.
At the level of ordinary civilizations, conquest was basically complete.
Although some individuals had been scattered across the universe due to timeline shifts, it wasn't difficult for the Starsea Empire to locate them.
"...I don't remember the Aeon of Trailblaze being as unrestrained as you..."
Sparkle muttered beside him, only to be grabbed and pulled onto his lap, where he teased her for a while.
"Expanding territory is also part of Trailblaze. Got a problem with that?"
"Or would you prefer I properly trailblaze your body instead?"
"Eek—"
The little girl immediately recalled how she had been overwhelmed before and fell silent, not daring to speak again.
"Commander, what are the next arrangements?"
Belfast asked.
"..."
Setsuna thought for a moment.
He opened the star map and marked a location.
"Dispatch a reconnaissance fleet to investigate this area. Report back to me immediately if anything comes up."
"Hm? An unfamiliar star region? What scale of fleet?"
Belfast asked.
"No need for a large force. Focus on gathering intel."
"Understood."
The head maid promptly arranged for a small fleet to set off.
"That is..."
Black Swan looked at the star map, slightly surprised.
"A world even Akivili never reached—the Eternal Land, Amphoreus."
"Most people in the universe don't even know it exists. Commander, how do you...?"
"I am the Aeon of Trailblaze. What's strange about exploring a new world?"
Setsuna smiled.
"Additionally, everyone prepare for return."
"Eh?!"
The group was startled. Even Tingyun's tea-pouring slowed for a moment.
"Sacrosanct, are you planning to return to the Starsea Empire?"
"Mm."
Setsuna nodded.
"First, I want to see what's happening in Amphoreus."
"Second, we've recruited quite a number of people in this universe recently. I plan to bring them back for rest and reorganization before proceeding with further plans."
"It just so happens we can stay in the home territory for a while and take a look at other worlds as well."
Originally, his purpose for coming here had been to analyze Paths and the power of Aeons, elevate suitable individuals into Aeons, and then find a way to control the remaining Paths.
However, with expansion in this universe, many new girls had joined.
Including the original Astral Express crew, the Stellaron Hunters, and the people of Belobog—most of them had only heard that the Starsea Empire was an extremely powerful otherworldly civilization, but had never had the chance to visit its homeland.
They were all curious about that other world described in the data and wanted to see it for themselves.
Moreover, having stayed here for too long, the shipgirls, Spirits, Heroic Spirits, and others stationed in the capital had grown somewhat bored.
So he decided to temporarily pause exploration of this universe.
"The new Astral Express is almost complete. Once we return, we can go pioneer a few new worlds."
Thinking about how long it had been since exploring a new world, Setsuna found himself wondering whether there were any more 'normal' universes nearby aside from the few high-level ones.
"Wait, Commander, I haven't become an Aeon yet!"
Elysia puffed her cheeks and poked him.
"Ereshkigal at least managed to create some of her own rules. I haven't done anything yet."
"Blaming me, are you?"
Setsuna pulled Elysia into his arms, enjoying her soft warmth as she giggled.
"Ereshkigal works overtime in the Underworld every day. Meanwhile, you've just been eating, drinking, shopping around the Xianzhou, and watching Guinaifen perform tricks. Look—you've even gained weight."
As he spoke, his hand slipped into her clothes and gave a squeeze.
"I have not!"
Elysia lightly punched him twice with her soft fists.
"I just haven't figured out a way yet... I'm not like Ereshkigal or Tiamat, who have such concrete authorities to work with."
"That's why we can go explore other worlds. Maybe in another universe, you'll find inspiration and opportunity."
Setsuna said with a smile.
"...Inspiration?"
Elysia thought for a moment, then suddenly had a flash of realization.
"That's right! If we find exceptionally powerful people or obtain extraordinary powers from other worlds, it'll be much easier to conquer this place."
"Maybe I can even become something stronger than an Aeon~"
"...You want to become a magical girl too?"
...
The news that the imperial fleet would temporarily return quickly spread.
The companions recruited by the Astral Express were naturally excited—Himeko, March 7th, and the others were eager to visit the Starsea Empire.
At the corporation headquarters, Pier Point.
Topaz, Jade, and several other former senior executives were currently undergoing ideological education under the Northern Parliament shipgirls.
Suddenly, an order from above arrived.
"Topaz, Jade... prepare to go to the Starsea Empire to meet the Commander."
"Eh?!"
Topaz jumped in shock.
To the corporation, the Starsea Empire was an absolute conqueror. For defeated parties and prisoners like them, being allowed to continue working was already a mercy.
And now, she was being summoned to meet the supreme ruler of the Starsea Empire?
"W-Wait... um, may I ask what we're going there for?"
"Hmm..."
Chapayev thought for a moment and explained in terms Topaz could understand.
"You can think of it as a performance review."
"The Commander wants to understand your recent situation and then decide your future arrangements."
"If your performance is satisfactory, you may be allowed to join the Empire's core territory and take charge of certain operations."
"Oh!"
Topaz, Jade, and the others immediately felt immense pressure.
Reporting to the Commander was hundreds of times more stressful than reporting to the Interastral Peace Corporation's chairman, Louis Fleming.
After all, he was an Aeon—there was no room for mistakes.
The former executives immediately began organizing documents based on past experience, compiling every detail of their responsibilities, achievements, and learning outcomes.
They were preparing for the most important report of their lives.
On the Xianzhou Luofu.
"Then, I shall temporarily bid farewell to everyone and accompany my husband to the Starsea Empire."
"As for official matters, I'll trouble Lady Yukong to handle things for the time being."
Tingyun elegantly addressed the Xianzhou officials.
"Uh..."
Everyone's expressions were a bit awkward. In the past, she had been addressed as an Amicassador, but now she was the Sacrosanct's wife.
Others only dared to call Setsuna 'Sacrosanct,' but Tingyun's form of address was uniquely intimate.
"My husband also said that anyone interested in visiting the Starsea Empire is welcome to come along."
Tingyun smiled as she looked at Sushang.
"Your Taixuan swordsmanship is not yet complete, correct? Jingwei still has high hopes for you and wishes for you to train diligently and further refine your skills, so as not to tarnish the reputation of the Taixuan lineage."
"Huh?"
Sushang wasn't sure whether Jingwei was concerned about her—or simply thought sending such a novice out was embarrassing and wanted her to return for more training.
"Can I bring a friend? Guinaifen also wants to visit the Starsea Empire."
"You may."
"I'm going too!"
Qingque immediately raised her hand without hesitation, recalling her pleasant time in the Starsea Empire.
"..."
Fu Xuan glanced at her and nodded.
"Very well—"
Before Qingque could celebrate, she added:
"I will accompany you as well."
"What?! Lady Fu Xuan, aren't you very busy? Why not stay in the Divination Commission and focus on your work? I can go on your behalf..."
Qingque was stunned.
"I also wish to see the Starsea Empire's scenery and study their methods of divination and prediction."
Fu Xuan snorted and glanced at Qingque.
"Do you think I don't know? If I send you alone, you'll spend your days gambling and having fun again, losing until you barely have any clothes left."
"Tch. At this rate, one day you'll lose everything and be forced to sell yourself."
She exaggerated on purpose, hoping to teach this notoriously lazy girl a lesson.
"Huh?"
"Sell myself to the Starsea Empire...?"
Qingque thought for a moment—then her face lit up with joy.
"There's such a good deal?!"
"???"
—
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