Even the socially fearless Stelle and March 7th fell silent, glancing awkwardly at each other.
"Mr. Argenti," March finally said, "so what you're saying is… your ship rear-ended our train?"
"And based on the usual compensation standards… what do you think—"
Before she could finish, Evan stepped forward.
To Argenti, the man before him seemed wrapped in mystery.
Two different Paths intertwined within him.
It created a strange kind of beauty.
"Oh~ I didn't expect such a beautiful gentleman to be here as well."
"This Emanator, have you heard the name of the Goddess of Beauty—"
"Of course I have," Evan replied instantly.
"Lady Idrila, the Goddess of Beauty, is peerlessly magnificent!"
"…!"
Argenti's eyes lit up immediately.
"I've finally found a kindred spirit!!"
In the next second he rushed over and grabbed Evan's hands tightly.
"You! You! You!"
"My dear friend! You are the companion I have searched for all this time!"
"Lady Idrila's beauty is truly unmatched!"
Before Argenti could begin another long speech about Beauty—
March stepped in.
"Back to the important part!"
"So why exactly did you crash into our train?!"
Argenti coughed lightly and composed himself.
"Ah… it's a long story."
"Then make it short," Evan replied flatly.
Argenti thought for a moment before explaining.
"I was piloting my ship—the Rare-in-All-Worlds—while searching the universe for traces of the Goddess."
"Then I encountered him."
"Oh! Right, I forgot to introduce him."
"His name is Villet. An employee of the Interastral Peace Corporation."
"And then…"
"We ran into a Hibernation Bug."
"Hibernation Bug?"
Everyone suddenly remembered the violent tremor from earlier.
They had seen a massive insect blocking the path of the train.
The creature was a True Hibernation Bug—a spawn of the Path of Tayzzyronth's Propagation.
Even though Tayzzyronth had long since fallen—
The Swarm remained one of the three greatest disasters in the universe.
The Astral Express had already encountered the other two.
The Abundance factions.
And the Antimatter Legion.
But the most troublesome of all—
Was the Swarm.
As long as the Path of Propagation still existed—
The Swarm could never truly disappear.
Propagation was not a narrow concept.
It wasn't something simplistic like the exaggerated fantasies people imagined.
It represented all forms of reproduction.
Biological reproduction.
Animals producing offspring.
Plants pollinating.
Flowers blooming and bearing fruit.
Cell division creating new cells.
Even the birth of intelligent machines.
All of it belonged to the Path of Propagation.
So even though Tayzzyronth had perished—
The Path itself could never vanish.
True Hibernation Bugs were among the creatures born from that Path.
They weren't individually powerful—
But they were extremely troublesome.
They secreted a kind of hallucinogenic wing dust.
Anyone who inhaled it would see visions of their deepest desire.
Among them existed extremely rare giant individuals—
Massive enough to swallow the entire Astral Express.
Within each swarm existed a hierarchy.
The strongest individuals were called "Dominators."
Curiously—
Their status wasn't determined purely by strength.
"So… let me get this straight."
Evan folded his arms and smiled.
"You're saying the bug is chasing us here…"
"…was attracted to you two?"
Before finishing the sentence, his gaze shifted toward the IPC employee.
The young man stiffened.
"W-Why are you staring at me like that?"
Before Evan could speak—
March had already stepped forward.
"Exactly! Your bug crashed into our train!"
"You owe us compensation!"
She stretched out her hand.
The IPC employee forced an awkward smile.
"First of all, thank you for rescuing us on behalf of the company."
"Second… I'm broke."
"Mr. Argenti and I only just escaped those bugs. I don't have any money right now."
"But if you escort me back to an IPC station…"
"The company will reward you generously."
Evan wasn't surprised at all.
He remembered this part clearly.
The guy wasn't innocent.
If Evan remembered correctly—
There was actually a bug hidden in his possession.
And not just any bug.
It was the leader of the swarm that infiltrated the train.
A Dominator-class insect.
Meanwhile, the massive creature that swallowed the train—
Was actually just a lower-rank member of the swarm.
That explained why the bugs kept attacking them relentlessly.
The real traitor was right here.
Having just dealt with traitors on the Luofu—
Evan had absolutely zero patience for them.
"May I know your names?" the IPC employee asked politely.
"The company will surely thank you."
"…"
"Evan. A Nameless."
"March 7th. A Nameless."
"Stelle. A Nameless."
As for Dan Heng—
He stood silently with the Cloud-Piercer spear in hand.
Always vigilant.
After all, being swallowed by a giant bug was not exactly comfortable.
Welt and Himeko didn't bother speaking.
There was no need.
But the moment introductions ended—
BOOM!
A violent tremor shook the train again.
Evan sighed.
"Looks like Lady Idrila didn't bless you today, Argenti."
"You might have to fight again."
March instantly grabbed her bow.
"Wait—there are more enemies?!"
"Relax," Evan said calmly.
"With Argenti here, it'll be fine."
"And even if he fails, you still have Dan Heng and me."
Dan Heng nodded quietly.
His spear tightened in his grip.
"Then we'll leave this to you, Mr. Argenti."
Evan stepped back behind him without hesitation.
March did the same.
Before retreating, she dragged the Galaxy Baseballer (Stelle) along with her.
The next second—
More than a dozen insects burst into the observation car.
Argenti raised his spear.
"Beauty exists everywhere."
"Within reach… and beyond the grand rivers of stars."
"I swear upon this rose."
"As a Knight of Beauty—"
"Lost souls… where do your gazes wander?"
A field of roses bloomed around him.
But the buzzing of insect wings soon filled the air.
The swarm attacked.
"Beauty… eternal."
Evan stood in the back with folded arms, watching the show.
For the crew of the Astral Express, this was their first real encounter with the Swarm.
Since they didn't have to fight—
They simply gathered combat data.
Argenti's spear flashed.
Roses burst into existence and shot toward the insects.
Even so—
The creatures were incredibly strong.
Some attacks broke through Argenti's defenses.
Fortunately, his field prevented most damage to the train itself.
But the insects' corrosive slime—
It was utterly disgusting.
A few of their piercing mouthparts slipped through—
Only to be knocked away by Dan Heng's spear.
Then suddenly—
The bugs split apart.
Smaller insects appeared.
"Propagation power…" Evan muttered.
"No wonder the Swarm is considered one of the universe's three great disasters."
He looked at Argenti with amusement.
"So, Argenti, can you handle it?"
"If not, just say the word. I'll help."
Argenti ignored him.
He lifted his spear high.
"Praise Idrila!"
"Until I witness that radiant light once more…"
"I will defend every beauty in the galaxy!"
"By my honor—grant me the highest glory!"
Flowers exploded into bloom.
Argenti's figure vanished—
Then reappeared directly inside the swarm.
For a moment—
The entire battlefield seemed filled with nothing but beauty.
Then—
A single flash.
Five insects were instantly cut down.
"Whoa!"
"That was amazing!"
March raised her hands in excitement.
"So this is the power of a Knight of Beauty?!"
The Knights of Beauty were much like the Galaxy Rangers.
They rarely gathered as a group.
Argenti himself had said so.
Members seldom met each other.
But they all followed the same ideals.
Galaxy Rangers followed the Path of Hunt.
Knights of Beauty followed the spirit of chivalry.
They traveled the universe—
Spreading the name of the Goddess of Beauty—
Idrila.
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