Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Clara and Anviel Become Friends

Svarog’s optical sensors glowed with a steady, unblinking crimson light as he suddenly broke the silence.

“Outworlder, I am aware of your purpose. With the exception of a few specific restricted zones, you may browse the settlement as you wish.”

Samuel looked up at the towering mechanical behemoth, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing his features. “I just mentioned the Stellaron, and you have no reaction at all?”

The massive robot shifted his gaze down to Samuel, his hydraulic joints whirring softly. “Stellaron. A forbidden object. Combat protocols should have been initiated. However, after calculation, the probability of victory in combat against you is infinitely close to zero. Abandoning combat. Switching to peaceful coexistence mode.”

Hearing the machine speak with such pragmatic clarity, Samuel remembered that Svarog was far from a standard automaton; he had long since developed a complex, almost human emotional matrix. ‘Right,’Samuel thought.’In the original timeline, when Topaz came to Belobog to collect the IPC’s debts, Svarog didn’t choose to resist either. He simply pointed out the mathematical impossibility of winning and cooperated to renovate the city.’

“So that’s how it is,” Samuel murmured, a faint smile touching his lips. “You really are different from ordinary robots.”

Clara beamed from the sidelines, her bare feet shifting slightly against the cold metal floor. “Mhm! Mr. Svarog is different. Mr. Svarog is Clara’s family!”

Samuel’s smile warmed. “Well, let’s go, Clara. Let’s head inside first. The wind and snow are getting a bit heavy out here.”

Clara nodded eagerly and led Samuel toward the shelter of her home. Once inside, the biting chill of the Underworld faded, replaced by the faint, comforting scent of old machinery and hearth fire. Clara immediately bustled about like a little adult. She poured a cup of hot water for Samuel, setting it gently on the table, before trotting over to the stove to fry up some sliced baguette.

Watching her work, Samuel could not help but draw a quiet comparison. Clara and Anviel were remarkably similar. Both possessed gentle, delicate personalities, both were children who had endured harsh lives far too early, and they were right around the same age.

Samuel leaned forward slightly. “Clara, I need to step out for a bit. I’ll bring a friend back for you in a while.”

Over in the small kitchen area, Clara poked her head out from behind the doorway, a spatula clutched tightly in her small hand. “Eh? Is Big Brother Samuel going out?”

Samuel nodded, standing up from his chair. “Yeah. Don’t worry, I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”

Hearing this, Clara smiled brightly, pulled her head back into the kitchen, and went right back to frying the bread, the sizzling sound filling the quiet room.

Stepping into a secluded corner, Samuel opened a portal and stepped through, instantly returning to the bustling plaza of his own domain.

Anviel spotted him immediately, her face lighting up as she hurried over. “Lord Sacred Tree! You’re back!”

Samuel reached out and gently ruffled the young elf’s hair. “Mhm. Come on, take a little trip with me. I’m taking you to meet a new friend.”

Anviel nodded obediently, her eyes wide with quiet anticipation. Samuel opened another portal, gesturing for her to step through, and followed close behind.

Just as the two of them emerged from the swirling gateway into the warmth of the Underworld shelter, Clara happened to be walking out of the kitchen, carefully balancing a plate of golden-brown baguette slices.

Clara froze in her tracks, her red eyes widening at the sudden appearance of the stranger. Her gaze immediately drifted upward, locking onto the distinct, elegant shape of Anviel’s ears. ‘So cute… her ears are pointy!’

Anviel was equally captivated, sizing Clara up with wide, curious eyes. The two little girls stood rooted in place, staring at each other across the short distance of the living room, neither daring to make the first move.

Samuel chuckled softly at the standoff and stepped between them to break the ice. “Clara, let me introduce you. This is Anviel. Anviel, this is Clara. She’s the friend I wanted you to meet.”

Hearing Samuel formally declare them friends sent a wave of shyness crashing over both girls. Anviel immediately ducked her head, her small fingers clutching tightly at the hem of Samuel’s coat. Clara, equally flustered, hurriedly set the plate of bread down on the dining table and hesitated, shifting her weight awkwardly from foot to foot.

Samuel’s amusement grew. These two were entirely too adorable. He looked down at the elf clinging to his coat. “Anviel, do you want to be friends with Clara?”

Anviel peeked up at Samuel through her bangs and gave a tiny, earnest nod.

Satisfied, Samuel turned his attention across the room. “Clara, do you want to be friends with Anviel?”

Hearing her name, Clara finally turned around, her cheeks dusted with a faint pink blush, and nodded shyly.

“Isn’t that right?” Samuel encouraged, his voice gentle. “Come on. As new friends, you should shake hands.”

Slowly, Anviel and Clara closed the distance between them. They reached out their small hands, their movements timid and hesitant, until their fingers finally brushed and clasped together. In that simple, quiet gesture, an everlasting friendship took root.

Ten minutes later, the atmosphere in the room had completely transformed.

Samuel sat comfortably at the dining table, chewing on a piece of crispy baguette. He watched with quiet interest as Clara and Anviel sat huddled together on the worn sofa, their heads close as they whispered back and forth. The hushed murmurs were frequently punctuated by bright, silver-bell-like laughter that echoed warmly through the metal walls.

Svarog stood silently beside Samuel, his massive frame casting a long shadow over the table. “Mr. Samuel, I am very grateful to you for introducing Clara to a new friend. Before this, Clara had no other companions her own age besides the little girl named Hook.”

Samuel took another bite of bread and shook his head. “No need for thanks. It’s good for them. By the way, there’s something I wanted to ask you. Just how expansive is this Underworld of yours?”

As Samuel and Svarog fell into a casual conversation about the subterranean geography of Belobog, Anviel suddenly hopped off the sofa and pulled Clara over to the table.

“Lord Sacred Tree,” Anviel asked, her eyes shining with excitement, “can Anviel take Clara back to our home to play?”

Samuel shook his head gently. “That won’t work for now. Anviel, as a native creature of the Source Continent, you can pass through the portal to other worlds. But Clara isn’t. She can only cross over after she officially joins Stelle’s Adventurers Guild.”

Anviel’s pointed ears drooped slightly in disappointment. “Oh… Anviel was thinking of taking Clara to the forest to pick Moon Fruits to eat.”

Samuel laughed, the sound rich and easy. “Isn’t that simple to solve? Can’t you just go over and bring the fruits here? I remember you picked a whole basket of them this morning.”

Anviel’s eyes widened in sudden realization. “Oh right! Why didn’t Anviel think of that!” She spun around and caught Clara’s hands. “Clara, Anviel will go get some Moon Fruits for you. Wait right here, just a little bit!”

Clara nodded heavily, her expression entirely serious. “Mhm! Clara will wait for you!”

Samuel opened the portal once more, and Anviel ducked inside with a burst of energetic speed. Barely a minute passed before she reappeared, her arms laden with a cluster of vibrant, blue-purple fruits shaped perfectly like crescent moons.

“Clara! Try this Moon Fruit, it’s delicious!” Anviel offered the brightest one to her new friend before turning to the table. “And Lord Sacred Tree! You eat some too!”

Under Anviel’s highly expectant gaze, Clara took a Moon Fruit and took a cautious bite. The moment the sweet juice hit her tongue, Clara’s red eyes lit up like stars. “This… is… delicious! Clara has never eaten anything this tasty before. Moon Fruit? Clara has remembered it!”

Beaming with pride, Anviel bustled around the room, distributing the crescent fruits to everyone present. She even carefully handed one up to Svarog, who accepted the organic matter with a polite, mechanical nod. Her task complete, Anviel hurried back to the sofa, and the two girls resumed their huddled whispering.

Samuel took the fruit Svarog wordlessly passed to him, peeled back the thin skin, and took a bite. The flavor burst across his palate—sweet, slightly tart, remarkably similar to fresh blueberries. It was exceptionally good.

The rest of the day passed in a comfortable, leisurely blur. Samuel stayed in the Underworld, watching the girls play, while Svarog eventually took him on a complete walking tour of the surrounding Robot Settlement.

By the time night fell, the biting winter wind of Belobog was howling fiercely against the metal exterior of the shelter.

Inside, however, the atmosphere was a picture of perfect warmth. Samuel had taken over the small kitchen, stewing a rich, fragrant pot of mushroom noodle soup for the two little ones. Clara and Anviel now sat cross-legged on the floor near the crackling fireplace, each cradling a steaming bowl in their hands. They chatted and giggled between eager sips of the savory broth.

Samuel lounged on the sofa nearby, quietly enjoying his own bowl of soup, letting the peaceful ambiance wash over him. In the corner, Svarog was carefully applying fresh machine oil to his joints, occasionally pausing to buff his heavy chassis with a clean cloth.

Meanwhile, far away in the opulent halls of the Palais Mermonia, Furina was in an absolutely spectacular mood. She had spent the entire day out in the field, dramatically vanquishing Goblins and successfully grinding her way up to level three.

Riding the high of her triumphant adventuring, she decided to cap off the evening by taking her prized Flying Skateboard out for a joyride. Humming a cheerful Fontaine melody, she practically skipped her way down to the designated parking lot.

But the moment she arrived, her humming stopped dead, and she froze completely in her tracks.