The little Stellaron spirit was simple and pure at heart. Whoever spoiled Nero was a friend.
"Oh, right. Nero's guest room seems to be one of the really expensive ones. How many extra Credits did you spend after switching rooms? I'll transfer them to you."
A kind smile appeared on Stelle's face, as if she had already accepted Aventurine as a teammate.
In the past, she never would have said something like that because she really had no money.
But things were different now. Nero's factory had become more and more successful, so successful that even a Lord Ravager had gone there looking for work. Stelle couldn't say she was extremely rich now, but she could at least call herself wealthy.
Stelle's offer caught Aventurine off guard for a moment. Then he waved his hand.
"Forget it, my friend. Penacony really is the Land of Dreams. Across the whole galaxy, who knows how many people would spend half their lives just to get a ticket to the Reverie Hotel?"
"The factory has made a lot of money, but it's still nothing compared to the IPC. This is a business trip for me. I can get it reimbursed."
Stelle: "..."
Even though he talked strangely, he was a surprisingly straightforward guy.
Aventurine raised an eyebrow at Stelle's reaction.
He immediately realized that the gray-haired girl hadn't understood what he was really trying to say.
That gave him a basic impression of her.
Normal guidance would be enough.
Aventurine sighed before continuing, "My friend, I'll be honest. I have work to do, so I can't keep an eye on that child all the time. I need your help."
"Penacony isn't as simple as it looks. The Family's eyes are everywhere. As for Miss Robin, although she's highly respected, she left her homeland long ago. Strictly speaking, she isn't really one of the Family anymore, so there's only so much help she can provide."
"Once I achieve my goal, the chaos here can be greatly reduced. Then we won't have to worry so much about that child. Besides that, you'll also receive a generous reward and the protection of Preservation."
Stelle looked at Aventurine in confusion.
Aventurine sat down nearby, lightly tapping the table with his fingers.
"This is Penacony. It's also a gambling table. Every one of us is both a gambler and a chip on that table. And it just so happens that this place holds a prize we all care about."
"A gambler must think carefully and also accept the risk of losing everything. As for the chips, they have no choice. They can't act according to their own will."
"Whether the people we want to protect are strong or weak doesn't matter. But in a situation like this, it's difficult for us to make a move that changes the whole wheel."
"But you're different. You're special. My friend, your power is so unique that it could blow the entire gambling table apart. You're a 'joker card' no one wants to hold."
"Miss Stellaron, that power everyone fears yet desires... rests in your hands."
Stelle stood there blinking.
The gambling table, chips, the wheel...
To be honest, Aventurine's metaphors left her completely confused.
For a little Stellaron spirit who had never been involved with gambling, it was all a bit too hard to understand.
Even so, she still understood two fairly obvious points.
One was protecting Nero. Aventurine didn't want Nero to be swept along by the people secretly pulling the strings beneath Penacony's surface. He only wanted him to enjoy a normal vacation.
The other was that Aventurine knew there was a Stellaron inside her.
"Did Nero tell you?"
The first point needed no explanation. Stelle was more curious about how Aventurine knew the second.
"No. That child isn't the type to let things slip. With the IPC's reach, finding certain information isn't difficult. Besides, all the questions I had were answered by your response just now."
Stelle finally realized it.
Aventurine had only been suspicious before.
She had just been tricked into confirming it herself.
"Anyway, I sincerely hope we can work together. Our shared goal is the chip I've put on the table. When the time is right, I'll come find you again."
"Also, there's no need to keep today's conversation secret. I know the Astral Express crew probably didn't have the best first impression of me and may even be suspicious of me, but the chip I'm offering does carry real weight."
After saying that, Aventurine's expression shifted slightly into a confident smile.
He knew that once these words reached the rest of the Astral Express crew, each of them would naturally come to their own conclusions.
But that didn't matter.
Because everything he had said was true.
Although he felt a little sorry for Nero, who still knew nothing about this, it was the easiest way to create a connection that the Astral Express couldn't ignore. The famous visitors who traveled across the universe were undoubtedly the best witnesses.
A golden poker chip flipped through Aventurine's fingers.
Then he tossed it into the air.
It landed standing upright on his fingertip.
"My friend, the game has already begun. None of us can walk away, and none of us have another choice. Do everything you can, see what you wish to see, do what you wish to do. Take this chip as a gift."
As he spoke, Aventurine casually turned his hand over.
The chip disappeared.
At the same time, Stelle suddenly felt something in her hand.
She raised it and saw that, somehow, the chip had appeared there.
"I hope everything goes smoothly for both of us on this journey."
Aventurine smiled.
At that very moment, while Stelle was wondering how the chip had ended up in her hand, a low female voice came from the doorway.
"What are you two doing in my room?"
Standing there was a woman with long blue-purple hair who looked strangely familiar.
Aventurine raised an eyebrow at the unexpected visitor.
"...Your room?"
After a brief moment of surprise, he roughly understood the situation.
This Galaxy Ranger had come to stand up for someone.
Still, he had never intended to take a forceful approach with the Astral Express crew.
His purpose today had been twofold: first, to bring the Nameless into his plan; second, to remind them that Penacony's waters ran deep.
He felt he had already made that very clear.
After all, even Miss Stellaron now seemed to be thinking seriously.
He glanced at Stelle.
She was staring intently at the chip in her hand with a thoughtful expression.
The sight made Aventurine's confidence waver slightly.
He could only hope she was thinking about how to keep Nero from getting dragged into the conflict... instead of wondering how the chip had flown into her hand.
He had heard plenty of stories about how unconventional Miss Stellaron's way of thinking was.
He only hoped that, for Nero's sake, she would take his message seriously.
...But he still couldn't help worrying.
'Wait.'
'A Galaxy Ranger?'
This was actually a good opportunity.
After a brief silence, many thoughts flashed through Aventurine's mind.
Then he smiled at Stelle.
"...Impressive, my friend. You've only been in Penacony for a short while, and you've already learned how to recruit people.
"Don't misunderstand. I just wanted to remind you that this place is full of all kinds of people, and there are plenty with bad intentions. Stay alert. For example... remember to close the door.
"I'll be going now. I hope you both enjoy yourselves."
Aventurine left.
Before leaving, he fully showed off his skill with words. Using a much simpler and easier-to-understand approach, he reminded Stelle once again while also giving the Galaxy Ranger a push.
Hopefully Miss Stellaron would be dependable...
Though he was still very worried...
She looked a little absent-minded.
Would she really be okay...?
Aventurine truly left.
Although he appeared calm and composed, he was actually very uneasy inside.
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