The mission from a few chapters ago is now over, and the results are in:
The first 50 chapters of the Honkai Impact novel are now up!
Find it here: Honkai Simulator: Start with Confessing to The Herrscher of Finality
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Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for each novel.
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For some reason, when it came to repairing machines...
Stelle's talent shone brightly. Working alongside Bochang, she required no guidance and swiftly fixed the device Serval had brought out.
"Not bad at all."
Witnessing this, Serval's eyes lit up, feeling like she'd struck gold—twice in one go.
Bochang remarked, "It was just a simple wiring issue; anyone can handle it with enough attention."
"That's not necessarily true." Serval wagged her finger, causing the flamboyant feathers on her outfit to sway along, creating an intriguing sight. "Many people struggle even with such basic problems... That's why my machine shop constantly lacks apprentices."
The female owner of the Perpetual Motion Machine Shop casually vented her frustrations.
Next...
Serval led both newcomers on a journey to repair various machines.
Throughout this process, Bochang found himself inadvertently glancing at the gray-haired girl, which caught Stelle's attention. She asked, "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
"No... Just noticed that you don't seem to have your usual color. Did you have nightmares again last night?" Bochang casually asked, though his concern wasn't actually about her dreams.
Rather, it was because...
He hadn't found any gray fur in the bathtub last evening, only a few strands of gray hair.
So...
Bochang suspected she might be a White Tiger, but without evidence and feeling awkward to inquire directly.
"If I were to ask her outright, Stelle would probably tell me the truth..." he pondered silently.
Stelle responded, "Oh, yes... I did have another strange dream, not sure what's causing them..."
As she spoke, the gray-haired girl sighed deeply.
Upon hearing their conversation, Serval interjected, "Nightmares? Could it be that you're using too many blankets?"
"No..." Stelle shook her head.
Serval paused her work nearby and asked, "Can you describe the nightmare?"
"I can't remember clearly." Stelle massaged her temples. "It seemed to involve something called 'Stellaron'..."
At this point, Bochang suddenly realized that Stelle was probing for information.
Serval's expression subtly shifted.
"Stellaron? Where did you hear about it?"
Although currently a mechanic driven by personal interest, Serval...was once a researcher with the Silvermane Guards. Her studies on Stellaron were abruptly halted by the drastically changed Cocolia.
Eventually...
Serval severed ties with Cocolia, left the Silvermane Guards in anger, and opened the Perpetual Motion Machine Shop. Occasionally, she would close the shop to hold concerts.
Stelle had casually mentioned Stellaron, not expecting Serval to react so seriously.
"Huh? I dreamt about it... What's wrong?"
Stelle gazed at Serval with her innocent, wide eyes.
The initially serious expression on Serval's face gradually softened as she thought to herself, "What am I getting worked up about..."
"It's nothing. Just remembered some past events; don't mind me." With a wave of her hand, Serval decided against discussing Stellaron further.
Bochang and Stelle exchanged glances, both realizing...this woman had knowledge about Stellaron.
As a relatively new player, Bochang was genuinely unaware of any connection between Serval and Stellaron.
"Looks like we'll have to explore step by step from here. But... our luck isn't bad so far. On just the first day, we've already found information related to Stellaron."
Bochang and Stelle continued assisting Serval with repairs, maintaining their composure.
It must be said...
This work was somewhat monotonous.
The trio worked on repairs until midday before taking a break.
Since the machine shop provided lunch, Bochang and Stelle didn't need to worry about arrangements; Serval directly ordered takeout for all three of them.
Even during lunch, Serval seemed somewhat preoccupied, likely still pondering Stellaron's situation.
Bochang and Stelle avoided drawing attention, playing it cool.
After finishing their meal, during the break time, they discreetly messaged the group chat about what they had learned regarding Stellaron from the machine shop owner. It was a chat called "Astral Express Family."
Currently, there were six members:
Himeko, March 7th, Stelle, Dan Heng, Bochang, and Welt.
Whenever something important came up, everyone discussed it within this group.
For instance, earlier when Bochang gathered everyone together.
Shortly after Bochang posted the message...
March 7th: What?! You've already found information about Stellaron so quickly? Impressive! I haven't even got a clue yet.
March 7th: Crying Cat.jpg
Dan Heng: I heard that within the Architects, there's knowledge about Stellaron. Serval... might have some connection to them. Bochang, Stelle, if possible, try gathering background info on Serval, but be subtle to avoid arousing suspicion.
Bochang: Roger that. Dog Grin.jpg
Stars: We'll keep an eye on it.
Himeko: It seems your Trailblazer journey is progressing smoothly. Keep up the good work.
Everyone except Welt had posted messages in the group chat.
Bochang glanced through them briefly, then turned off his phone screen and exchanged looks with Stelle.
Dan Heng had tasked them with investigating Serval's background.
This proved to be quite challenging, as their earlier attempts at probing revealed. Serval wasn't one to divulge information easily; asking outright would likely raise suspicion.
Glancing at the idle blonde woman nearby, fiddling with her musical instruments, Bochang and Stelle discreetly opened a private chat on their phones.
Stars: What should we do now?
Bochang: No rush, take it slow. Discovering that Serval is aware of Stellaron's activities on our first day is already significant progress.
Stars: Alright.
Their brief conversation concluded.
A sound came from the entrance.
Bochang and Stelle, seated at the counter, put away their phones and looked up, noticing new customers entering the machine shop.
For a business open to the public, receiving customers was entirely normal. Previously, the machines repaired by Bochang, Stelle, and Serval were all items left for repair by patrons. Additionally, numerous other devices awaited attention in the back warehouse.
Some repairs were completed but awaiting pickup by their owners, others couldn't be fixed, and some hadn't been touched at all.
The workload here was substantial.
No wonder even an apprentice could earn three hundred Shields per month, comparable to Dan Heng's street sweeping income.
Speaking of wages...
After witnessing Stelle's skills, Serval generously increased her monthly salary to three hundred Shields, matching that of Dan Heng.
This announcement came during lunchtime. At the time, Stelle had offered a symbolic smile in response.
"Welcome," Bochang greeted first.
The visitor was a young man who glanced at the duo behind the counter and addressed Serval, "Is my heater from yesterday repaired now?"
"Oh, it's you... Don't worry, it's fixed." Serval, who had been tinkering with instruments, stood up and retrieved the heater from a nearby cabinet. "Thank you for your patronage. The charge is twenty Shields."
As they exchanged money for the repaired item, something suddenly occurred to Bochang.
"Boss, may I step out for a moment?"