章 4: Chapter 03

March 7th: "So you're telling me you managed to distract a group of Voidrangers for a whole ten minutes... by singing?"

Stelle: "Well... At least it worked."

"You know what they say, even Voidrangers can appreciate music."

March 7th: "I've never heard anyone say that, though?"

March had a slightly perplexed expression after listening to Michael's explanation, which obviously omitted anything about his transmigration and the existence of the system, at least for now.

Stelle: "Well, what should we do now that the elevator is broken?"

March 7th: "It's a pity Dan Heng isn't here, he's like a walking encyclopedia... He knows a lot of complicated things, maybe he knows how to fix an elevator too."

Before March 7th could even finish her words, Michael noticed Dan Heng's figure approaching around the platform, just in time to hear her words.

Dan Heng: "I don't know about that tho."

March 7th: "Woah! Since when have you been here?!"

Dan Heng: "I just arrived."

March 7th was startled by Dan Heng's sudden appearance, but soon recovered, turning to Michael and introducing them to each other.

March 7th: "Michael, this is Dan Heng, he is also a member of the Astral Express. Dan Heng, this is Michael."

Dan Heng nodded at him briefly, and Michael nodded back, there was no need of flowery words between the two of them.

Dan Heng: "Arlan is in the control room now. He was injured, but it's not serious."

March 7th: "You found him! Will he know what to do with that elevator?"

Dan Heng: "I think, as the head of the Security Department, he should know what to do."

March 7th: "Then let's talk to him right away!"

During March 7th and Dan Heng's brief conversation, Michael stood at Stelle's side. He wasn't a very talkative person to begin with, so he refrained from commenting.

Taking advantage of the brief period of peace, Michael checked the system notifications he had already received a short time ago when he was saved by Stelle and March 7th.

[Ding!]

[Mission #2 conditions have been met!]

[The final evaluation of the Host's presentation is being calculated...]

[The final grade is: C+!]

[Rewards are being distributed!]

[100 Star Points have been acquired!]

[Host has received a Random Skill Ticket!]

[Does the Host wish to use the Random Skill Ticket now?]

Michael thought for a moment and decided not to use the ticket at that moment.

He didn't know exactly how the ticket usage worked, so it would be wiser to leave this testing for a more convenient time and a safer location.

As Michael turned his attention from the system to the Astral Express group, he noticed March 7th looking at him.

"... What is it, Miss March?"

March 7th: "You can just call me March. Michael, you said you were on the Space Station for a while, right? Stelle here seems to have hit her head somewhere and doesn't remember anything other than her name, do you happen to know her or have any impression of her?"

At March's words, Stelle also turned her attention to Michael with a subtle trace of curiosity in her impassive expression.

"I'm sorry, but I have no impression of Miss Stelle at all. She doesn't seem like a researcher, at least."

Of course, Michael knew her from the game very well, being the protagonist, but he wouldn't say something like that.

March 7th: "I see... It's a shame, but thanks anyway!"

March had a more pitiful expression than Stelle herself, who didn't seem worried, or at least it didn't show on her face.

Dan Heng: "We'd better start moving, we don't know when we'll encounter the Antimatter Legion soldiers again."

March 7th: "Dan Heng is right, Michael, you stay behind us."

Michael nodded. He was just a normal human, so of course he wouldn't refuse to be protected by this group of super-powered protagonists.

Soon, the group of four began to move along the platform, Dan Heng seemed to know the route well. Their pace was fast and Michael had to struggle a bit to keep up with them.

Unlike the game, where the map was compressed for the players convenience, the real Space Station was much larger, and it would take a good ten minutes of running to reach the Security Room where Arlan was. They weren't even halfway there, but Michael was already panting.

'This body really isn't suited for physical activities...'

Along the way, they had encountered a group of Voidrangers, but they were easily dispatched by Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng. Michael took this moment to shore up the wall and rest for a while.

Soon, March 7th approached Michael with a frowning expression.

March 7th: "This won't work, Michael can't keep up with our pace much longer... Stelle, can you carry him the rest of the way?"

March asked the gray-haired girl, who shrugged blankly as if it was no big deal.

Michael felt a little embarrassed to be carried by a girl, but he didn't refuse because he was already feeling his legs getting weak.

'I should do some exercise after this... If I can't even run that far, how will I go on a stage in the future?'

Besides, he didn't want to be carried by a girl again...

Stelle knelt down beside a reluctant Michael, letting him climb onto her back and lifting him effortlessly.

Soon, they began moving again, as Michael clung to Stelle's shoulders.

Stelle was almost as tall as Michael himself, and had a faint, unfamiliar but pleasant scent in her hair.

'Uh, it's not so bad...'

Suddenly, Michael felt that being carried by a girl was not a particularly devastating experience.

Should he try again in the future...?

As these thoughts circulated through his mind along the way, the group ran for a few more minutes before finally reaching the Security Room.

Fortunately, it didn't look like the Antimatter Legion had arrived there yet.

The four of them entered the Security Room together, and as soon as they set foot inside, they could see Arlan's figure leaning against the corner of the control panel.

His arm hung weakly at his side and his leg was bleeding, he didn't look very well. Even his dark skin couldn't hide his paleness face.

Arlan's expression visibly softened as he realized they were human.

Arlan: "Hey... You guys aren't researchers from the Space Station, are you?"

Even though Arlan didn't know all the people of the Space Station, he could easily tell that they weren't workers here.

March 7th was quick to answer for them.

March 7th: "That's right, we're from the Astral Express."

Arlan: "Did Madame Herta send you to help?"

Dan Heng: "No, it was just a coincidence. We were here to deliver a relic that Herta had asked us to find for her... We had no idea that we would arrive in the mid of a invasion."

March 7th: "Why is the Antimatter Legion after Herta's Space Station? It seems like they completely ignored the surface of the planet outside and came straight to the Space Station..."

Arlan: "I don't know..."

Michael didn't pay much attention to the three people's conversation. Although his memories were a bit hazy, he vaguely remembered the general content of the conversation and had no reason to pay attention to the small details.

Instead, he was more focused on talking to Stelle back.

Stelle: "You can come down now, you know?"

"Is this a order or do I have the option to politely decline?"

Stelle: "Do you intend to make me carry you the rest of the way...?"

"Honestly? Yes. I can't keep up with you three pace anyway, and your back is quite comfortable..."

Michael wanted to say a few more words of justification, but Stelle stared at him with that impassive expression that involuntarily made him get off her back without giving any more excuses.

Turning his gaze to Arlan, March 7th, and Dan Heng, he noticed that they had gathered around a control panel, fiddling with it with a Crypto Key.

Soon, Dan Heng turned his attention to Michael and Stelle and called them over.

Dan Heng: "Let's go."

Arlan: "Wait. I just activated the elevator on the top floor, you'll have to go there to use it."

March 7th: "Why? It's so far away."

March asked, confused, since they would have to take a longer detour to get there.

Arlan: "I can't risk letting the Legion reach the Main Control Zone via the elevator. I need to ensure the safety of the Station's staff first. I'm sorry to make you hear this, but you're going to have to take a longer route."

March 7th: "Aren't you coming with us?"

Arlan: "With my injuries, I would only slow you down. I'll stay behind and manually turn off the elevator from here, you guys go."

"You don't need to worry about that, those three are very strong, you know? More than enough to protect us, and you can use me as a crutch. If things get out of hand, Stelle can carry you."

Stelle: ?

Stelle glared at him as if asking if he wasn't even going to ask her opinion of the matter, but Michael selectively ignored her.

Arlan: "And you are...?"

"My name is Michael, the lost artist that Miss Asta took on a few weeks ago, remember?"

Arlan revealed a confused expression for a few seconds, but soon reacted as if he had remembered something.

Arlan: "Ah! I remember now. I'm sorry I forgot your name."

"It's okay, I don't mind. Anyway, we won't leave you here, just obediently accept being carried."

March 7th: "Yes, that's right! If we return to the Main Zone and tell Miss Asta that we left her subordinate injured down here, how are we going to face her?"

March nodded in agreement.

Arlan: "Well... If that's how it's going to turn out, allow me to thank you at least."

"No thanks needed, come, let me help you up."

Michael stepped forward to help Arlan. He, being the only normal human in the group, was clearly the heaviest burden, so helping Arlan make his way to the elevator was the only thing he could do to contribute, at least.

With the addition of an injured person, the pace of the five clearly dropped, but no one complained, and Michael could finally breathe a sigh of relief and keep up with these guys rythm.

As they walked along the platform, the elevator loomed solidly in the distance.