『 On the eve of the Astral Express's departure for Penacony, Conductor Pam summoned everyone to the Parlor Car for a route meeting. However, when the group arrived, Pam was nowhere to be found.
"Is the Conductor not here yet?" March 7th asked, looking at the four people in front of her.
Himeko smiled and teased, "Even Pam likes to keep us in suspense sometimes."
"Ahem, sorry to keep you waiting, passengers. Since this is an important matter, the Conductor took some time to prepare, Pam!" Pam finished speaking and waddled into the middle of the group on short legs.
Hearing this, Stelle asked Pam, "Are we changing the route again?" 』
『 ....』
〘Silver Wolf〙: Kafka, it seems the impression you left on your precious Stelle last time was quite deep.
〘March 7th〙: I mean, a projection suddenly appearing on the Express is really terrifying, okay?
〘Kafka〙: Then I'll try to be more low-key next time.
〘Himeko〙: There's a next time?
....
『 Hearing this, March 7th looked at Pam in shock. "Huh? I just finished packing my bags!"
Pam looked at March 7th and Stelle, shaking its head. "All passengers should know by now, Pam? The destination of this trip is the 'Planet of Festivities,' Penacony."
"While this Conductor knows you've all been looking forward to that universe-renowned interstellar hotel for a long time, there are three things I must remind everyone of before we depart."
"First, Asdana, where Penacony is located, is a star system brimming with 'Memoria.' Historically, it was one of the 'Great Holes' where the Memory Zone leaked. Although years have passed, the Memoria concentration ahead is still higher than average. Usually, it shouldn't be a big problem… but everyone's physical condition is different. If you experience dizziness, hallucinations, or memory disorders, do not ignore them!" 』
『 ....』
〘Anby〙: In films, there is a theory called Chekhov's Gun.
〘Hanabi〙: A gun introduced in the first act will definitely be fired in the third. Applying it here, it means…
〘March 7th〙: Someone on our ship is going to have this happen. It won't be Stelle, will it…
〘Elio〙: ...
....
『 "Second, Penacony is the territory of 'The Family' of Harmony. This is also the first time The Family has publicly issued invitations to other factions. Remember, the Express is visiting as a guest. The rules that must be followed must be followed."
March 7th nodded earnestly. "Got it! When in Rome, as they say! Don't worry, Conductor, we definitely won't embarrass the Nameless."
Pam nodded and then proceeded to the third point.
"Mhm, and finally, the third point. Rather than a requirement… Pam would like to make a humble request of you all."
"If possible—I hope that while you're on vacation, you can find some time to help ask around for news regarding several 'Nameless'." Pam rubbed its fingers together.
Stelle asked curiously, "Are we getting new companions?"
"Let me explain," Himeko interjected.
"Like most worlds the Express stops at, Penacony was once a station on the Silver Rail. Thousands of years ago, it was a frontier prison for the IPC. It was 'The Preservation' that connected it to the Thousand Stars. At that time, the Astral Express also visited Penacony—just as journeys have meetings and partings, according to the Express records, it seems several passengers chose to stay here, choosing Penacony as their final stop."
Stelle looked at Himeko and voiced her doubt. "It's been so long, can we still find them?"
"Don't be nervous, just think of it as a ritual of returning to an old place. After the Express left, the Stellaron cut off the worlds, and the ownership of Penacony changed hands several times. How those old Nameless who stayed here fared, what they experienced, and what marks they left on this world… tracing the footsteps of our predecessors is a kind of adventure in itself."
Having said that, Himeko looked at Pam. "Even after leaving the stars, the 'Trailblaze' of the Nameless does not end. The Conductor thinks so too, right?"
"According to the member roster, the passengers who disembarked back then were named Tiernan, Legwork, and Razalina. They were the Express's guard, mechanic, and surveyor. Other than that, there is no other information."
"Only names and professions? And they might not even be real names… isn't this like looking for a needle in a haystack?" March 7th scratched her head and whispered.
Himeko looked at March to comfort her. "Just go with the flow. Considering the diversity of the Nameless… we might even find their descendants, or even with a very small probability—meet the people themselves."
"Then that concludes this route meeting. There's still some time before the warp jump. Everyone can take a bit more time to check your luggage."
Pam nodded to the five of them. "Mhm, before the warp jump begins, this Conductor will make a broadcast announcement, Pam!" 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: So Misha really is a descendant of the Nameless the Conductor mentioned?
〘Misha〙: I... I don't know.
〘Stelle〙: You have amnesia too? Perfect. Welcome aboard. You've passed the entry exam.
〘March 7th〙: Stop making memory loss a prerequisite for joining the crew!
....
『 After the route meeting ended, Stelle and March went to their rooms to pack. Once finished, they sat down on the sofa in the Parlor Car.
Shortly after, Pam's voice rang out over the Express's broadcast.
"Hello—hello hello—attention all passengers—"
"The Express is about to warp—the Express is about to warp—please sit tight and hold on, PAM—!"
Hearing this, Stelle adjusted her seat and closed her eyes.
"Warp jump starting in 5- 4- 3- 2- 1!"
But as the Conductor reached " 2," images of Acheron, Firefly, and Robin flashed through Stelle's mind.
Those images flashed by so quickly that Stelle couldn't remember them at all. 』
『 ....』
〘Welt〙: Stelle shouldn't know them at this point. Why would she see these images during the warp?
〘Hanabi〙: It seems that gun has fired its bullet.
〘March 7th〙: Wait, did I actually call it?
....
『 When Stelle opened her eyes again, she found herself in an unknown room. It looked like a hotel room, with the blue light of Memoria shimmering around the edges. 』
『 ....』
〘Himeko〙: This looks like a room in the Reverie Hotel?
〘Sunday〙: It is indeed the style of a hotel room, but with these blue lights around… the Memoria here is quite dense.
....
『 As Stelle stood up and looked around in confusion, a sigh followed. Then, the owner of the voice spoke.
"Another one… come with me." Acheron turned around. 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: Stelle, remember, based on our previous Trailblaze journeys, the first person we meet is definitely not simple!
〘Sampo〙: Hey, what's wrong with old Sampo?
〘Kiana〙: She really looks like Mei. Her eyes were covered in the previous images, but seeing her face this time, that's just Mei.
....
『 Stelle looked at Acheron and asked, "Where is this place?"
Acheron let out a sigh, turned back to look at Stelle, and gave an answer to her question.
"These questions… are meaningless. But I will do my best to explain: This is the boundary between reality and the Memory Zone, a… 'Dreamscape'." 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: Did Stelle enter a dream before even reaching Penacony? What's going on?
〘Herta〙: Interesting. Is it because of the Stellaron inside her?
....
『 "At this very moment, you and I happen to share the same dream, appearing in each other's thoughts. This is the first greeting from the 'Land of Dreams' to us."
"Don't worry, you will soon wake from this dream, forgetting everything that happened here, leaving only a faint sense of melancholy. There's no need to mind it; this 'forgetting' happens every morning. It's a common occurrence we've long grown used to."
Acheron finished speaking and turned her back to Stelle.
"So, come with me. I will take you home." 』
『 ....』