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Himeko had anticipated this, after all... she sensed the presence of Stellaron within Stelle's body.
It was now clear that their identities were not as they seemed.
As for Bochang...
Himeko didn't have any immediate insights, but given their matching outfits, she guessed they were likely part of the same group.
"Ah? Then where did Bochang and Stelle come from? Surely not with the Antimatter Legion?" March 7th shrugged helplessly.
Asta shook her head. "That's unclear..."
Dan Heng frowned, studying these two mysterious newcomers closely.
To divert attention, Himeko changed the subject. "Let's set aside those questions for now. Have you contacted Herta about the space station issue?"
"I've sent numerous messages, but they've all gone unanswered. You know her well, Miss Himeko. To Lady Herta, the space station is merely a storage facility for her followers and Curios; it doesn't seem to concern her much." Asta sighed, expressing her frustration.
Asta sighed.
If only Herta had reacted sooner, the situation at the space station wouldn't have escalated to this point. After all, she was one of the eighty-four extraordinary geniuses invited by Aeon - Nous, serving as his Emanator, on par with the previously mentioned Lord Ravager.
Dealing with the Antimatter Legion would be a minor task for Herta.
"I knew it... But don't worry, I'll also send a message to Herta, informing her that we've brought the Curio she desires. At least that should pique her interest."
"Thank you very much."
Asta didn't press further about the identities of the two strangers; she could tell Himeko was changing the subject. Thus, she decided not to dwell on it.
The redheaded woman turned to Bochang and Stelle, saying, "Stelle, why don't you take Bochang over there to rest? Carrying him around must be tiring for you, and it's probably not too comfortable for him either..."
"Don't exaggerate... I'm feeling quite alright now," Bochang muttered to himself.
The gray-haired girl nodded in agreement, and as Stelle began carrying Bochang away,
Himeko issued instructions to Dan Heng and March 7th. "Please go reassure the staff members. At a time like this, nobody wants any further incidents within the space station."
Those matters didn't concern Bochang or Stelle anymore.
With the black-haired youth's intervention,
all Stelle needed to focus on was taking care of him.
On their way to the rest area, Bochang heard voices from the crowd.
It was unclear what those two children had been discussing, but suddenly, one of them—the girl—burst into tears.
Currently... most people were in a state of unease, with no shortage of individuals crying.
Affected by the tense atmosphere, even Stelle's mood seemed to darken slightly.
Before reaching the rest area,
the gray-haired girl unexpectedly asked, "Bochang... have you recovered enough to walk on your own?"
This question caught the black-haired youth off guard, who was lazily leaning against her back.
It was indeed true.
His physical condition had been restored by thirty percent in one go.
Combined with the rest he had already taken,
the fatigue and pain significantly diminished, making it entirely possible for him to walk on his own now.
Of course...
there still remained some weariness, considering Bochang had previously overexerted himself.
He also sustained minor injuries, leaving him in a poor state.
Restoring only thirty percent wasn't substantial.
As Bochang pondered how to respond...
[Dating Options activated.]
[Option 1: Although lying isn't ideal, sometimes it's unavoidable. Tell her, "No... I'm still very exhausted." - Completion Reward: Skill 'Feign Death', allowing you to enter a false death state at any time.]
[Option 2: Honesty is always the winning strategy. Be straightforward and concise, reply with, "Yes... I just wanted to stay on Stelle's back a bit longer, is that not okay?" - Completion Reward: Strength increased by 100%.]
This time, the Dating Options presented only two paths.
To Bochang's slight surprise, he had expected there to always be three options...
He carefully examined both rewards.
Feigning Death could be somewhat useful but not significantly so, while strength enhancement would have immediate benefits.
"Increasing my base strength is still quite valuable. After all, Feigning Death has limited practical uses; it seems more suited for pretending to be injured... Although being pampered as an invalid feels nice, I can't remain a burden to the team forever..."
This time, Bochang made his decision swiftly, unlike his hesitation with the previous choices.
"I've decided, Option Two!" With admirable courage, Bochang went straight for the heart of the matter, "Yes, I just want to stay on Stelle's back a bit longer. Is that too much to ask?"
The gray-haired girl paused momentarily, her golden eyes flashing with surprise.
Despite racking her brain, Stelle never anticipated this response. She had expected something along the lines of, "My body is still very weary"...
This unexpected remark left Stelle momentarily speechless, but she quickly regained her composure. Her firm and shapely legs resumed their stride, heading resolutely towards the rest area.
"Do as you like. Even if I put you down, I doubt you could walk quickly..." Stelle replied.
Bochang blinked, suddenly sensing a subtle shift in the atmosphere around them.
"Is there... perhaps? maybe? some hint of romantic interest?" His black eyes sparkled, and he asked, "By the way... how did you know my condition had improved?"
"Your body told me... Earlier, when I carried you on my back, your entire body felt limp. Now, I can occasionally sense you exerting effort to maintain your balance."
Stelle's expression remained composed, almost indifferent.
Bochang nodded thoughtfully and said, "Ah, so that's how..."
"We've arrived at the rest area."
Stelle halted her steps.
Due to the Antimatter Legion's attack, many individuals aboard the space station were injured and gathered mostly in the rest area. Medical personnel moved about busily, attending to the wounded.
As Stelle rushed to the rest area with Bochang on her back, medical personnel in white immediately approached them.
"What happened... Do you need assistance?"
Looking at the friendly medical staff, Stelle responded, "We were looking for a place to rest, and he just..."
Before the gray-haired girl could finish, Bochang interrupted her.
"I think I sustained some minor scrapes. Do you have any topical medication available?"
"Sure, I'll bring it right away." The medical staff member nodded and pointed towards a nearby spot on the floor, "Please wait there while I fetch it."
After they left,
Stelle frowned.
"So you did get injured after all? Why didn't you say something sooner? Was it when you were first thrown by the shockwave?"
"I didn't want you all to worry... Besides, it's just minor scrapes..." Bochang shook his head.
He could feel that the wounds on his back weren't severe, aided by the system's enhancement and healing capabilities.
They likely had already healed mostly, requiring only a bit of topical treatment now.