"T-This... This isn't a story branch I planned... I've never made anything like this..." Doctor Edward sounded flustered. The golden can's behavior just now had made him start doubting his own performance.
"...This isn't a dream I've ever made either..."
Sparkle's expression was just as strange.
That little ancestor really was just as Sampo had described. There was something unusual about him.
What had that trash can called him just now?
Idrila?
The Aeon of Beauty?
———
[Inside The Trash Can Dream]
Stelle finally recovered from her shock. Looking at the golden can, she seemed to see someone she once knew, clad in silver armor with fiery red hair, and couldn't help blurting out, "My Idrila... a Knight of Beauty!"
Firefly stood behind her, blinking rapidly. The girl's mind genuinely couldn't keep up anymore.
'What's going on?'
'What Aeon of Beauty?'
'What Knight of Beauty?'
'Idrila... who? Nero?'
The other two cans also came to their senses and immediately rebuked the golden can.
"You can! What are you doing? Are you trying to flatter the travelers from afar so you can keep the Golden Trash for yourself?"
"You evil can! How shameless! We won't allow such underhanded behavior. Fight!"
As they spoke, the silver can and bronze can cracked their knuckles, looking ready to throw hands.
The golden can wasn't afraid in the slightest. Holding the Golden Trash, it turned around, stepped forward, puffed out its chest, and declared, "Then fight! Do you think I'm afraid of you? Standing before the Aeon of Beauty, I am invincible!"
The three cans were just about to start brawling when, all of a sudden, the silver can and bronze can stopped and slowly lowered their fists.
The two of them walked over to the golden can, patted it on the shoulder, and said, "Brother, I admit it. We were a little loud just now. You were right."
"Brother, I think everything you did just now was absolutely correct. The Golden Trash should indeed be presented to him."
Just like that, the three cans seemed to have made up. Supporting one another, they formed a circle and laughed together. Then they happily walked over, knelt together before Nero, and held up the Golden Trash with both hands.
Nero looked down at the trash and the three trash cans before him. A rare trace of disgust appeared in his gray eyes.
He wasn't Stelle. He didn't have that mysterious love for trash cans. Besides, even if it was called a symbol of power and status, this bag of Golden Trash was completely useless to him.
If he wanted power and status, he didn't need a bag of trash to get them. To put it simply, one punch south and one kick north, he could fight his way to power and status.
In any case, Nero really didn't want the Golden Trash.
"Eh? Th-This..."
Firefly stared at the scene in astonishment. For the first time, she realized that when someone was beautiful enough, it could actually produce this kind of unbelievable effect.
To be honest, Firefly had met plenty of people, but there probably weren't many she had spent enough time with to remember.
Among those people, most of the ones she remembered were very good-looking, for example, her fellow Stellaron Hunters.
Even so, the first time she saw Nero's face, she had been amazed. Especially after their fight on the Luofu, that feeling hadn't weakened at all. If anything, it had become even stronger.
When the boy stood in front of you by himself, you thought he was good-looking. But only when he stood beside other good-looking people did you realize just how outstanding his appearance really was.
Who would've thought that this kind of unbelievable beauty could even win without fighting?
At that moment, the disgust in Nero's eyes deepened.
'I really don't want this Golden Trash.', He muttered to himself inwardly. Then his gaze shifted and slowly landed on Stelle's face.
The little Stellaron baby was staring at him with shining eyes, rubbing her hands together in front of her chest. She was only one step away from writing "I want it" across her face.
So Nero reached out and picked up the bag of Golden Trash.
Seeing this, the three trash cans all showed excited, delighted expressions. No one knew how those expressions could be seen, but this was a dream, so it made perfect sense.
The next second, Nero tossed the Golden Trash into the arms of the impatient Stelle and said, "I think Stelle's the only one worthy of it."
Stelle hugged the Golden Trash and nodded happily.
She thought, 'That's right. Nero is right. Out of these little trash can people... who could possibly be as tall and upright as me?'
'I'm the only one worthy of it!'
Of course, she couldn't forget Nero. He was definitely worthy of it too, but he wasn't interested.
Maybe Firefly could be too, but she didn't seem interested either.
That's right. That's exactly how it is.
Stelle was overjoyed.
'Could anything better happen in this world? My companions all gave this noble symbol to me.'
'That's right. Yes. It's mine.'
'I really am the protagonist, the hero of the story. I receive the sage's blessing and go defeat the evil Demon King.'
It's a common trope in many games.
But then another question came up.
'As the protagonist, I defeat the Demon King with the sage's blessing... so here's the question...'
'If the sage is that amazing, why doesn't the sage go beat the Demon King himself?'
The three trash cans didn't seem to have any objection to Nero's decision.
The silver can even said, "A problem that troubled us for so long... was solved just like that..."
The golden can also said, "At this point, who is truly the most worthy can... no longer matters. Because..."
The bronze can finished the sentence.
"We've finally found the one a can should devote its whole life to serving! To hell with Tatalov, may Beauty last forever!"
It was certainly worth celebrating that the problem had been solved so smoothly. After all three trash cans became Nero Knight Cans, they willingly handed over a Proof of Trust.
Firefly had watched the whole thing unfold, but she really didn't know what to say.
Even someone as knowledgeable as Fuli, or as learned as Nous, would probably look at this development and say, "What the hell... this is way too abstract!"
After that, the three Nero Knight Cans took the initiative to lead the way, bringing the three of them to a grayish-white trash can they called Archimedes.
Archimedes looked like a very quiet can.
The paint on his lid had peeled off, leaving it pale white. That balding hairstyle was the very symbol of wisdom. Looking at him, Stelle couldn't help thinking of Nero's... no, the head of the Parsons Team at Herta Space Station.
At that moment, Archimedes was counting pieces of trash one by one. Sometimes he sighed, sometimes he scratched his head, as if trying his best to reach some astronomical number.
When he noticed everyone approaching, the trash can spoke in an aged voice.
"...Have you come to laugh at me too? Or have you come seeking the answer of wisdom?"
"Why are you counting trash here?" Stelle asked.
Archimedes let out a long sigh.
"It's a long story. Long ago, I angered Tatalov. I told him that even the firmest rule would one day fall, just as even the greatest amount of trash could one day be counted. I don't know which part made him so furious..."
"As punishment, he exiled me here and ordered me to count every piece of trash in this city. Until then, I will never again be allowed to voice my own opinions."
"But isn't your mouth attached to your own body? Forget it. Do you have a Proof of Trust? Can you give it to us?" Nero said.
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