Welt asked in a low voice, "Miss Sparkle, could you tell us who the person behind you is? We have no intention of giving up."
Sparkle wagged her little finger.
"It doesn't matter whether I tell you or not. That person's mood isn't something just anyone can guess."
"On the contrary, I'm very curious—what did little gray-hair see in the past? Come on, spill it."
March 7th shook her head honestly, "I don't know."
"Do you think I'll believe that?"
Sparkle's face was full of disbelief.
Dan Heng: "Nameless Ones don't have the hobby of gossiping about a companion's past. Whatever Stelle saw, unless Leon wakes up and chooses to speak of it himself, we will never ask."
Everyone has a past.
Back when he boarded the Express—whether it was Leon, Himeko, or Welt—none of them had asked about his past.
They only asked one thing: whether he was willing to travel with them and become a guard of the Express.
That was all.
When he said he might bring trouble to the Express, the smile on Himeko's face didn't change in the slightest.
She only said—
The Astral Express does not ask about the past. As long as you are willing, the Express doors are always open for you.
If anyone comes looking for trouble with a Nameless One on board, no matter who it is, they will have to face the united Express crew.
Now, Dan Heng understood the weight of those words more and more.
Later, March 7th and Stelle boarded.
Their pasts were blank slates, just like his.
Everyone simply didn't ask.
But that didn't mean they wouldn't protect, or stop those with ill intentions.
Sparkle was currently dancing on the red line of the Nameless Ones. Even if they knew Leon's past, they would never speak of it.
Seeing Dan Heng's square-faced expression that left no room for negotiation, Sparkle curled her lips in boredom.
"Fine, don't tell me. One failure just means try again. That strange object isn't single-use, so why are you all wearing funeral faces?"
"…"
The three froze.
Sparkle was extremely sensitive to changes in people's expressions and noticed instantly.
After a brief thought, she guessed, "Don't tell me the Memory Synesthesia Thread snapped?"
"…Well…" March 7th's little face turned sheepish. "It does seem… like it broke."
So that thing was called Memory Synesthesia Thread.
"Oh?"
Sparkle's smile unconsciously faded, the shock on her face no longer hidden.
"That white-haired mister who can't wake up has quite the background."
Welt was puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Sparkle: "As far as I know, memories capable of destroying Memory Synesthesia Thread must involve something enormous in the past."
"How enormous? Let me put it this way—"
"The bundle of Memory Synesthesia Thread I gave you once altered the subconscious of an Emanator of Enigmata, indirectly manipulating him into making a fool of himself."
"That was a grand feat by a certain Masked Fool—winning a bet and offering the tavern a perfect piece of entertainment."
"And now what's the situation?"
"I never expected that the past of someone who isn't even an Emanator could involve something so huge that even that thing couldn't withstand it."
"Let me give you a piece of advice: don't try to enter his past again."
"Little gray-hair might have some skill, or maybe she just got lucky, to come back safely."
Dan Heng's expression darkened, "It's that dangerous?"
Sparkle nodded vigorously, "You bet?"
"Let me tell you another hilarious story. You know the Cremators, right? That bunch who love stealing other people's memories."
"This incident has been circulating in the tavern for a thousand years. Once, a Cremator targeted someone."
"While the target was asleep, they tried to pull off something big with Memory Synesthesia Thread."
"Result? That Cremator never showed up again. When the other Cremators arrived at the scene, all they saw were dozens of broken segments of Memory Synesthesia Thread, and—"
"The target, still asleep."
"Don't say I told you this, but a Cremator who plays with memories flipping over and losing their life in someone else's memories? That's not some common occurrence—it's simply laughable when you think about it, heehee~~"
Hearing this, March 7th broke into a cold sweat after the fact.
Out of concern, she blurted, "If it's that dangerous, you still let Stelle go? Weren't you trying to get her killed?!"
"Oh my, don't let concern cloud your judgment, little pink-hair. I didn't know big white-hair had such a huge background before—or rather, that his past involved something so major."
Seeing March 7th getting worked up, Sparkle's smile grew even brighter.
"Besides, it was little gray-hair herself who said she'd pay any price to wake him up."
"Do you believe me? If I pulled out another bundle of Memory Synesthesia Thread right now, little gray-hair would still charge in without hesitation."
March 7th's mouth stiffened. Her lips moved, but no words came out.
Having been companions with Stelle for so long, she naturally understood Stelle's personality to some extent.
She might be a little quirky on normal days, but when it came to the big things, she was more serious than anyone.
Not just Stelle—if it were her instead?
Almost without any hesitation or doubt, March 7th realized she already had an answer in her heart.
Let alone once—
Even ten times, as long as it could save Leon, she would go.
That reliable, secretly sharp-tongued doctor was the best companion the entire Express crew could ask for!
March 7th: "I believe you. So, Miss Sparkle, do you still have any Memory Synesthesia Thread?"
"???"
This time it was Sparkle's turn to freeze.
Wait.
This sudden look of enlightenment—like she'd decided to walk through fire for an important companion no matter what—made Lady Sparkle look like a complete clown.
Suddenly she didn't feel like laughing anymore.
"No, I just came to check if he woke up so I could take back what belongs to me."
"You don't even know Leon—why do you have to wait until he wakes up to get your stuff back? What precious thing of yours does he have?"
March 7th asked bluntly, like a total blockhead.
It was precisely this blockheaded questioning that nearly made Sparkle blush.
"None of your business! I say it's there, so it's there!"
Facing the unpredictable Masked Fool in front of him, Welt felt a slight headache.
Calling her unreliable—she had indeed provided the direction and means to save Leon.
Calling her reliable—her flippant attitude and mood swings that changed faster than beans were unbearable.
March 7th: "Then please, Miss Sparkle, go find another bundle of Memory Synesthesia Thread. That way we can try to wake Leon again."
"Only when Leon wakes up can you take back your precious thing, right?"
"Oh, and just to be safe, it'd be best to get a few extra bundles. If it breaks again, we can immediately switch to backups."
Hearing March 7th's pure, unadulterated words with no hidden intent, Sparkle's eye twitched hard.
What was this called?
Purity counters schemes?
Complete reversal of the natural order!
Just to steal… borrow that one bundle of Memory Synesthesia Thread, she'd nearly been caught by the Cremators.
If the joy in her brain got sucked away and she couldn't find fun anymore, it would be worse than killing her.
Getting one bundle already carried that much risk, and now "just to be safe, get a few more"…
Did she think she was some Edo Star mass-production line… okay, she was from Edo Star.
"What's wrong, Miss Sparkle? You don't look so good."
"Nothing, just suddenly realizing that the saying 'simpletons beat masterminds' is very true."
"So, Miss Sparkle, can you get…"
"Can't get any! Go ask Aha!"
Sparkle spun around and vanished from the trio's sight in an instant.
March 7th scratched the back of her head, "Um… Uncle Yang, Dan Heng, did I say something wrong? Why do I feel like she got super mad?"
Dan Heng thought seriously, "…Probably… not?"