Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 31

Chapter 31: The Doubts in Bronya’s Heart

Hearing Seele ask about the Source Continent, Dan Heng offered a brief, measured explanation of the world beyond their icy borders.

Bronya stood quietly to the side, hanging onto his every word.

“That is the gist of it,” Dan Heng concluded, his tone calm and even. “To be specific, since neither of you has experienced the mechanics of a game, exploring the finer details would only cause unnecessary confusion.”

Seele rubbed her chin, her eyes wide with disbelief. Having grown up in the harsh, resource-starved Underworld, the concept was entirely alien to her. “My goodness… resources that just magically refresh every single day? Are you kidding me? That’s not a world, that’s literal paradise!”

“Doesn’t that mean you can eat and drink whatever you want?” she continued, her voice rising with excitement. “You’d never have to worry about going hungry ever again.”

Bronya’s perspective, however, was anchored by the heavy responsibilities of her station.

‘Inexhaustible resources…’Bronya muttered quietly to herself, her mind racing with logistical possibilities.’If we could establish a route there, Belobog’s dire situation would improve significantly. The people wouldn’t have to freeze or starve…’

Catching Bronya’s quiet murmurs, Dan Heng turned his gaze toward her. “If you wish to go there, you can.”

Bronya’s eyes widened, but Dan Heng raised a hand.

“However, you will have to wait a bit. I just heard Furina mention that after upgrading to an E-rank Adventurers Guild, the member limit increases to one hundred. When that time comes, we can pull you into the group, and then you can cross over to Samuel’s world.”

Hearing this, Bronya nodded thoughtfully, her posture straightening. “I will have to trouble you, then. Given Belobog’s current state of decay, I simply cannot bring myself to refuse such an opportunity.”

She placed a hand over her heart, her expression resolute. “This is Belobog’s chance to finally escape its frozen predicament, and I refuse to let it slip away. Even if I have to pay a steep price for these slots, I will gladly accept it.”

Dan Heng shook his head, his expression remaining as cool and unreadable as ever. “There is no need for a price. Such is the creed of the Nameless. If we can lend a hand to those in need, we will not stand idly by.”

Bronya looked at Dan Heng, struck by the quiet conviction in his voice. She then turned her gaze toward the nearby steps, where the Trailblazer was currently squatting, happily showing off a handful of shiny gold coins and biting one to check its authenticity.

‘The Nameless?’Bronya thought, a faint smile touching her lips.’I didn’t expect there to be such a group of righteous, selfless people traveling through this universe.’

Noticing Samuel moving about near the makeshift kitchen, Dan Heng thought for a moment. “I have a suggestion. Although Samuel doesn’t strictly care who we bring into the group, since he is the Lord of that world and he is here right now, you should go and formally introduce yourself.”

Bronya nodded, feeling that Dan Heng’s advice was perfectly sound. “Alright. I will do just that.”

She turned around, intending to ask Seele to accompany her. But as she scanned the snowy courtyard, she sighed. Seele had already been sucked into the chaotic orbit of the Trailblazer, March 7th, and Furina. The group was gathered around some new spectacle, and whether Seele fully understood what was happening or not, she was enthusiastically joining in the cheering.

Seeing that Seele was thoroughly occupied, Bronya adjusted her coat and walked toward the house alone.

Inside, Samuel was busy preparing lunch for the growing crowd. Among everyone present in the frozen wasteland, he was the only one who possessed actual culinary skills. Relying on the rough-and-tumble Wanderers or the rusted automatons of the Robot Settlement was entirely out of the question; they certainly couldn’t produce a decent, edible meal, let alone a feast.

Samuel hummed a light, cheerful tune, a small pairing knife dancing in his hands as he expertly peeled potato skins.

Knock, knock, knock.

At the sound, Samuel turned his head and saw Bronya standing politely at the kitchen entrance, the cold wind swirling gently behind her.

“Bronya? What brings you here?” Samuel asked with a welcoming smile. “Lunch will be ready in just a little while.”

Bronya organized her thoughts, standing tall as she addressed him. “Mr. Samuel, I would like to join the Trailblazer’s Adventurers Guild. I have come to formally inform you of my intentions and to see if you would permit it.”

Samuel’s smile widened slightly. “You can just talk to the Trailblazer about the guild details. But if you want to visit my world, you are more than welcome to come.”

Hearing his immediate and warm agreement, a heavy stone seemed to lift from Bronya’s chest. She looked closely at Samuel. Despite his casual demeanor, the aura he exuded was one of deep gentleness and ancient holiness—like a quiet forest untouched by the snow. Dan Heng had mentioned that Samuel was the Lord of the World, a genuine deity.

Taking a deep breath, Bronya decided to voice the heavy burden that had been suffocating her. “Samuel… I have a question I would like to ask you.”

Samuel paused his peeling, looking slightly curious. “Oh? What kind of question? Let’s hear it.”

Bronya lowered her head. For a moment, the proud heir of Belobog looked incredibly fragile. Then, as if having finally made up her mind, she met his gaze. “What I want to ask is… how can one become a qualified leader?”

Samuel blinked, genuinely surprised by the weight of the inquiry. “Oh? I didn’t expect you to ask something like that.”

Bronya’s hands tightened into fists at her sides. “I have been designated as the successor to the Supreme Guardian since I was a child. I have been trained for it, educated for it… yet I often ask myself whether I am truly qualified to take over such a monumental role.”

She looked down at her boots. “Sometimes I feel I can carry the weight. Other times, I feel entirely inadequate. And I cannot seem to give myself a definitive answer.”

Samuel smiled, a soft, understanding expression crossing his features. He set the knife down. “I see. It is a classic case of being too close to the situation to see it clearly. It is perfectly normal to feel lost.”

He leaned against the counter, his voice taking on a soothing, grounded cadence. “As the leader of a civilization, what you must often do is contemplate the future of your people. But the future is an ethereal, shapeless thing. Staring into it often makes people feel confused and terrified.”

Samuel walked over to the frosty window and wiped away a patch of condensation. “But, as long as you hold firmly onto your bottom line, you are a qualified leader. Your Belobog has a position called the ‘Supreme Guardian.’ I think that title is very fitting. A qualified leader must, above all else, be a qualified guardian.”

He pointed out the window. Outside, Clara was currently engaged in a fierce, chaotic snowball fight with the Trailblazer, Furina, and March 7th.

“Guard the smiles of the children,” Samuel said softly.

He then shifted his finger toward the edge of the square, where groups of weary Wanderers were huddled together, setting up iron pots to boil the supplies they had brought.

“Guard the hope in the people’s hearts.”

Finally, Samuel turned back and pointed directly at Bronya.

“And guard your original intention—to lead your people toward a better, warmer life. You are the strongest wall of your entire civilization. Even if the people fall into despair, you must remain firm in your will and lead them toward a beautiful future.”

The quiet words struck Bronya like a physical force. The suffocating doubts that had tangled around her heart for years vanished like smoke in the wind. The lingering sorrow on her face melted away, replaced by an incredibly sharp, unyielding light in her eyes.

“Samuel… thank you for your answer,” Bronya said, her voice steady and clear. “I know exactly what I must do now.”

She turned and walked out the door, her gaze lifting toward the distant, towering gates of the Robot Settlement, looking in the direction of the Overworld.

‘Mother…’Bronya thought, her hands clenching with newfound resolve.’If you really have lost your original heart as the Supreme Guardian… your daughter will surely work hard to set you right!’

Soon, the rich aroma of food wafted through the frosty air.

Samuel stepped out onto the porch and clapped his hands, calling out to the chaotic group playing in the snowdrifts. “Lunch is ready! Everyone, go wash your hands and come inside to eat!”

Hearing the call, Anviel and Clara hurriedly scrambled up from the deep snow, brushing the white powder from their coats. The two little ones had been bullied absolutely miserably by the Trailblazer, who had shown zero mercy in the snowball fight, leaving them with no power to fight back against her rapid-fire icy barrage.

Panting and laughing, the Trailblazer, March 7th, and Furina dropped their remaining snowballs and raced each other to the washbasins.

Moments later, the group was crowded around the large dining table. The Trailblazer took a deep, greedy sip of the steaming mushroom chicken soup, her eyes practically sparkling.

“Ah~” she sighed, melting into her chair. “Finally, I’m eating a proper meal~”

March 7th put down her spoon, nodding vigorously. “Exactly, exactly! Although we sent a batch of supplies over earlier, we completely lacked any good seasonings. The flavor just wasn’t right in the end. This is amazing!”

Samuel chuckled, ladling out extra portions of the rich chicken soup for Clara and Anviel, placing the warm bowls gently in front of the shivering kids.

He then looked over at the Express crew. “Furina’s Adventurers Guild has already reached E-rank. Trailblazer, March, what about your Star Adventure Group?”

Hearing her name, Furina immediately puffed out her chest, put her hands on her hips, and tilted her little head up with a haughty, dramatic flair. “Ohoho! That’s right! Trailblazer, March, you two really need to step it up~ You’re falling behind!”

The Trailblazer ignored the taunt, taking another blissful, loud sip of her soup. “Ah~ So good. Don’t worry, we’ll get it done tonight.”

She waved her spoon lazily. “It’s not like you don’t know our situation. We were ambushed by monsters last night; otherwise, we could have easily finished the upgrade quest then.”

Sitting quietly at the edge of the table, Dan Heng took a slow sip of his soup. His thoughts drifted upward, past the frozen clouds, to Himeko and Welt, who were still stationed on the Astral Express. Without the proper system authority to open the teleportation gate, they were currently unable to travel to the Source Continent to join in on the adventure.