After finishing their rest, the caravan resumed its journey.
As they bid farewell to the refugees, March 7th couldn't help but murmur despondently, "Himeko, if even the rear is in this state, then what about the frontlines…?"
"Little March, I understand your concerns," Himeko said softly, placing a gentle hand on March's head and ruffling her hair.
"But I want you to try to understand and respect the choices the people of this planet have made."
Her tone was tender, yet tinged with the wisdom of someone who had seen countless hardships.
"Of course, that's just the perspective of an adult observer—a 'logical' answer, if you will. But you also have the right to act, to do something for them. That's an essential part of any Trailblazing journey. I only ask one thing of you."
March 7th looked up at Himeko, a mix of puzzlement and shyness in her expression. Himeko leaned in until their foreheads touched, her gaze filled with warmth.
"If you ever encounter something that makes you sad, confused, or distressed, promise me you'll tell us."
"—Because the Astral Express family will always be here for you."
Reassured by this sense of unity and belonging, March 7th managed to push aside her worries for the time being and skipped off to play with Stelle.
Stelle, who had been sitting quietly, lost in her thoughts, appeared as distant and cold as ever—her gray hair and reserved demeanor adding to her aura of quiet beauty. But as soon as the energetic and goofy March 7th arrived, the mood shifted entirely, their banter filling the air with laughter.
Sitting in the driver's seat, Dan Heng cast a brief glance at the two, but refrained from joining in. Instead, he turned his gaze to Venti.
"You used your powers," Dan Heng stated flatly.
"Mm-hmm. Sharp as ever," Venti replied with a lazy grin, making no effort to feign innocence.
He could've hidden it from anyone, even Himeko. But not from Dan Heng—who, having once revealed his true dragon form, could surely sense Venti's subtle actions.
After a moment of silence, Dan Heng spoke again, his tone steady but firm.
"Himeko told you to rest properly."
The unspoken warning was clear. If your powers spiral out of control, the destruction you could unleash on this planet would dwarf any calamity we've ever faced.
Dan Heng didn't want to see Venti commit such a grievous act. More importantly, he didn't want their companions on the Express to bear the same burdens of guilt and regret that he carried from his own past.
He knew all too well how such feelings could eat away at someone.
"Wow, is this you showing concern for me, Dan Heng?" Venti teased, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.
His words drew the attention of March 7th and Stelle, who turned to look at him curiously.
Before they could ask, Venti waved a hand dismissively, his trademark mischievous smirk back in place.
"It's nothing, nothing. Dan Heng and I were just chatting about some guy stuff."
"Guy stuff? You mean, like mimicking the way girls talk? That's still from Nahida's influence, huh?" March 7th quipped without hesitation.
Stelle tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a faint smile as if she'd suddenly figured something out.
"And what's with that 'I know something you don't' look?" March 7th demanded.
"March, you're too young to understand," Stelle said with a playful twinkle in her eyes.
"Huh? You're the youngest one here! And for the record, I'm your senior on this Trailblazing journey, so don't get cheeky with me!"
As March puffed her cheeks in mock indignation, Stelle looked at her with an affectionate gaze.
"Ugh, that look! Don't tell me you're imitating Himeko! Thinking about how I was clinging to her like a little kid earlier is making me want to crawl into a hole!"
The two girls burst into laughter, their playful energy lighting up the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, at the front of the caravan, Mimiya cast a wistful glance back at the group. She envied their camaraderie, but her duties came first. After signaling to Venti that the road ahead was clear, she resumed her position at the front, continuing her watch.
"Now then, back to what we were discussing," Venti said, lowering his voice slightly.
"Dan Heng, are you worried that I might lose control of my powers and cause unnecessary devastation for the people here?"
"…Not entirely," Dan Heng replied after a pause. "As a fellow member of the Express, I trust that you can manage your strength and won't let it consume you."
He had seen enough of the Verdant Nation's long-lived forestfolk to know that they didn't obsess over immortality like the followers of Abundance. For them, even death—when it came naturally—was often a conscious choice, not an inevitable end.
Since meeting Venti, Dan Heng had never felt that he was the kind of person who would spiral into reckless, destructive extremes.
But his caution stemmed from having witnessed what happened to others who had lost themselves—and the tragic outcomes that followed.
Dan Heng's gaze softened as he spoke, his tone reminiscent of someone sharing a piece of hard-earned wisdom with an old friend.
"—But if you can't maintain control, you will eventually face profound sorrow and despair. When that time comes, the Express family might fall apart as well."
"And would you come to help me, then?"
Venti tilted his head slightly, flashing a radiant smile.
The look on his face carried an unshakable belief that Dan Heng would go to any lengths to save him.
That unfounded trust, coupled with the bitterness that stirred in Dan Heng's heart like a deep ocean tide, threatened to overwhelm him.
But the boyish gust of wind stirred by Venti's movements pulled Dan Heng's thoughts back to a distant memory—the day he was freed from the prison of Yufufeng.
"Seems like you're still shackled to your past. What to do with you…" Venti mused, tapping his cheek thoughtfully. Suddenly, as if struck by inspiration, he grinned.
"How about this: since we're both walking around as 'ticking time bombs,' let's make a deal!"
"If, someday, you ever find yourself in trouble and in need of someone's help, just call my name. No matter where you are, I'll be there."
And if the tables are turned and I'm the one in a tight spot, I'll count on you to pull me out of it. Although I doubt that'll ever happen, making this deal should put your mind at ease, right?"
It was illogical.
Dan Heng couldn't comprehend how Venti could speak with such carefree certainty, as if setbacks and challenges were no more than trivialities.
Didn't he realize that just being associated with someone like Dan Heng would earn him the relentless pursuit of the Xianzhou Alliance?
And yet, Venti's smile was so pure, his eyes as clear and untainted as a blue sky after rain.
For reasons he couldn't quite grasp, when a shaft of sunlight broke through the clouds and illuminated the boy, Dan Heng instinctively reached out and clasped the offered hand.
"Hehe. So, it's a promise for life then, right?" Venti said with a chuckle.
"…If we're talking about promises, it's a little heavy-handed. Besides, I'm a Vidyadhara," Dan Heng said.
Though he intended to decline, the words to truly refuse Venti never came out.
"Ah, I've heard that the Vidyadhara are endlessly reborn, like being caught in an eternal black hole," Venti quipped, his emerald eyes sparkling with mirth.
"I wonder if a wind spirit like me could escape before getting pulled in?"
Dan Heng allowed himself a faint smile before turning his gaze to the road ahead.
"Who knows? It's too late for regrets now, isn't it?"
"Wait a second! What kind of promise are you two making without telling the rest of us?!"
March 7th suddenly interrupted, wearing an indignant expression as she barged in like a large, overly friendly dog.
She threw an arm around Venti and Dan Heng each, clinging as if she'd never let go. Seeing this, Stelle casually joined in, wrapping her arms around the group without hesitation.
"You're all my wings," Stelle declared solemnly.
"Hey—don't ruin the atmosphere with random lines like that!"
"Eh-heh?" Stelle grinned mischievously.
"Don't imitate bad habits!" March 7th huffed.
Even though Stelle's sly smile was begging for a smack, March 7th couldn't bring herself to follow through.
From a short distance away, Himeko watched the lively group with a soft smile. She couldn't help but feel like a bystander, but seeing such a warm, joyous scene made her journey worthwhile.
Of course, there were pressing matters to address before they could fully indulge in such moments.
Clapping her hands lightly, Himeko spoke in a tone that resembled a teacher calling her students back to their seats.
"Alright, everyone. It's good to be close, but we'll have plenty of time to bond once we've finished what we came here to do. For now, let's get down to business."
Her words redirected everyone's attention. Up ahead, a massive city loomed, shrouded in a faint haze.
---
Unlike the smaller towns they had passed earlier, the deeper they ventured into the western front, the more these settlements resembled fortified military strongholds.
Emerald City was no exception, with towering walls, tightly patrolled defenses, and enormous cannons. The guards stationed there wore expressions ranging from numb to grim, and the air was filled with the hurried commands of officers handling the influx of people seeking refuge.
"Move, move, move!"
Though the frontlines hadn't completely fallen yet, the city was brimming with adventurers on royal commissions, couriers sent to plead for aid, and refugees fleeing the west.
Yet among all these groups, the Trailblazers were the only ones bringing a substantial shipment of supplies.
This did not go unnoticed. From the city walls, a watch officer observed their approach and quickly descended on an elevator.
However, rather than the welcome March 7th had anticipated, they were greeted with hostility.
"What the hell is wrong with your Borderlands Commerce Guild? Do you know how long overdue this delivery is? Do you have any idea how many people are too weak from hunger to even lift a weapon, just lying in their homes waiting to die?!"
The officer was a burly man with a face like a brick wall, his words sharp and accusatory.
"W-wait, that's not entirely our fault!" March 7th stammered, trying to explain. But the officer didn't even glance her way. Instead, he waved his arm toward the soldiers behind him.
"Move all the supplies inside!"
"Yes, sir!"
A group of soldiers clad in simple armor swarmed the caravan, shoving the Trailblazers aside as if they were nothing more than empty air.
"Hey! These supplies aren't all for you!"
March 7th grabbed one soldier by the arm to stop him, only to be startled by his gaunt face and bloodshot eyes.
"Out of the way!" he barked, his voice raw with desperation, before trying to continue unloading the cargo.
But a long spear suddenly blocked his path.
Dan Heng stood there, expression unreadable but radiating an unmistakable sense of authority. The soldiers, who had been busy dismantling the load, froze mid-action. Slowly, they drew their weapons, surrounding the group.
The officer's expression darkened, his voice cold. "What do you think you're doing?"
"What are you doing?" March 7th snapped. "Why are you lashing out at us like this? And even if you're desperate, you can't just hoard all the supplies! There are other towns ahead that still need help!"
"Other towns? You mean Sunset City? That place is already under siege. Do you think anyone there will survive long enough to see your precious supplies?"
The officer's mocking tone stung, and he seemed ready to say more, but his gaze shifted to the silver-tier badges hanging from their necks. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, recognizing their rank.
Mimiya, however, wasn't willing to let it slide. She strode forward and grabbed the officer by the collar.
"What did you just say?!" she growled.
"Are those long ears of yours just for show? Or do you not understand human language?" the officer sneered, pushing her away with growing impatience.
"Get lost if you don't want to die. If it weren't for adventurers like you stirring up trouble, the frontlines wouldn't be in such a mess to begin with."
March 7th latched onto his words, repeating them under her breath.
"Trouble caused by adventurers?"
"You people never understand anything without having it spelled out. Explaining it to you is a waste of time. If you want to camp outside the walls and feed yourselves to the monsters, be my guest. But the supplies? They're staying here."
The officer barked another order to his men to resume unloading. Stelle instinctively turned to Venti for a solution, hoping he had some idea of what to do.
But the green-haired bard merely stroked his chin thoughtfully, his tone light as he remarked, "Everyone here seems rather unfriendly."
"?" Stelle's expression clearly read: Is your sense of urgency broken?
Although her actual words and inner thoughts might have gotten tangled, Venti understood her meaning perfectly.
"Don't worry," he said with a smile. "Himeko's here. Let's see how the adults handle things. It'll be a good learning opportunity for us, won't it?"
Just as Venti predicted, Himeko stepped forward gracefully. Clad in a pristine white gown more suited for a noble's banquet than a battlefield, she instantly commanded the attention of everyone present.
Several men even audibly sucked in their breath, captivated by her beauty. Himeko ignored them entirely, striding directly to the officer.
There was something about her presence—an invisible aura—that silenced any thoughts of disrespect. Even the gruff officer, who had been ready to hurl more insults, found himself unable to speak.
"Sir," Himeko began smoothly, her voice calm yet firm, "I believe there are many misunderstandings between the Commerce Guild and Emerald City that need to be resolved. This includes certain necessary exchanges of information."
Her measured words carried an authority that left no room for argument. To the onlookers, it might have seemed like simple courtesy extended to a beautiful woman. But to the officer, it was something far more chilling.
Behind her composed demeanor and warm, red eyes, he felt the overwhelming weight of her presence.
"In the meantime," she continued, "I believe it would be wise to refrain from any more discourteous actions. Don't you agree?"
Her polite smile made the officer feel like a beast cornered by a predator. Cold sweat soaked the back of his uniform.
Himeko's words were punctuated by the emblem pinned to her chest—the Thorned Rose insignia, marking her as a senior figure in the Borderlands Commerce Guild.
Adventurers could rise no higher than silver tier without pledging allegiance to a greater power. Gold and platinum-tier statuses were reserved for those who became part of larger organizations or kingdoms.
In his mind, the officer recalled rumors of a past recipient of that very insignia: the benefactor of a legendary hero's party, whose influence spanned the entire kingdom.
It dawned on him just how badly he had miscalculated.
---
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