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ArabicHonkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 6
Chapter 6: I Am Superman!
Dan Heng found a quiet spot by the door, pulling up a small wooden stool to rest his legs. Completely uninterested in the surrounding commotion, he retrieved a thick data bank from his coat and quietly began to read.
A few paces away, Himeko and Welt approached Samuel. Himeko took a moment to look the young man up and down, a thoughtful smile gracing her lips.
“I have to admit, I didn’t expect the incarnation of Irminsul to be a man. In most of the stories and historical texts we’ve encountered, the avatar of the World Tree is almost always depicted as female.”
Samuel spread his hands in a gesture of mild helplessness. “That is just a universal stereotype. Who actually made the rule that the incarnation of Irminsul cannot be male?”
Himeko covered her mouth, letting out a soft, elegant chuckle. “Just a joke. Our Mr. Irminsul is quite the handsome young man.”
Samuel puffed his chest out just a fraction, entirely satisfied with his own appearance. “I like honest people like you.”
Welt adjusted his glasses, a warm smile on his face. “Samuel, you certainly have a great sense of humor.”
“Of course,” Samuel replied, nodding sagely. “Life is hard enough as it is. One must learn to entertain oneself. Why don’t you two browse the shop for a bit? There are plenty of interesting snacks and little toys inside.”
Welt shook his head slowly. “If I were still a child, I might be easily swayed. But at my age… I think I will pass.”
“Exactly my thoughts,” Himeko agreed.
Just then, Samuel felt a sharp, rhythmic tapping on his shoulder. He turned around to find Stelle standing right behind him, holding a woven basket in one hand and pointing enthusiastically with the other.
“Samuel, what is the deal with the frog sitting on this giant round platform?”
Samuel followed her gaze to the little amphibian resting on the stone pedestal. “That is a Travel Frog. If you feed it special ores, it will pack its bags, go on a journey, and return after exactly ten minutes. When it comes back, it will bring you a random item from across countless worlds, though the value will not exceed one copper coin. For reference, the purchasing power of one copper coin is roughly equivalent to a single kilogram of rice.”
Stelle’s golden eyes practically turned into stars. “That is so cool! It sounds like a gacha game! Ten copper coins, right? Just wait for me! I am going to hunt Goblins all afternoon to fund my gambling addiction!”
March 7th leaned over to inspect the Travel Frog, her hands resting on her knees. “Samuel, do you have any more of these frogs? I want one too!”
“Naturally,” Samuel said. “The items on this platform refresh once a week. Before the timer resets, you can buy an unlimited amount. Oh, and a quick reminder: this Travel Frog can be leveled up. Once it reaches a higher level, it can bring back much more valuable loot.”
Stelle gripped her basket tightly, vibrating with chaotic energy. “Really! That is amazing! Stand back, everyone, I am heading out to the forest right now!”
Before Stelle could sprint out the door, Himeko reached out and caught her by the collar. “Stelle, rest first. Your stamina has not recovered from the morning expedition. We still need to set up the Treehouse later. We will go hunting together in the afternoon.”
Stelle slumped her shoulders, instantly deflating. “Alright. This afternoon it is, then.”
Resigned to waiting, Stelle, Furina, and March 7th pulled out the wooden yo-yos they had found and began practicing tricks in the dirt plaza right in front of the General Store. Samuel, Himeko, and Welt strolled around the perimeter, exchanging stories and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.
An hour slipped by in the blink of an eye. Himeko checked the time on her pocket watch and turned to Samuel.
“Samuel, we need to head back to the Astral Express to check on things. Would you like to come along and have a look around?”
Samuel did not even need to think about it. The Astral Express was legendary; of course he wanted a tour. He called over Stelle and March 7th, who were still fiercely competing to see who could keep their yo-yo spinning the longest. The group stepped through the shimmering teleportation gate, leaving the forest behind.
Furina packed her own yo-yo away, humming a cheerful little Fontaine street tune as she stepped through her respective gate.
Back inside the Palais Mermonia in the Court of Fontaine.
The spatial tear deposited Furina directly into the center of her lavish bedroom.
“Hum, hum-hum-hum.”
Furina was in an exceptionally fantastic mood. She had successfully reached Level 2 today, and the surge of power coursing through her veins was intoxicating. She could clearly feel the physical enhancements, her stamina and raw muscular strength vastly exceeding her usual limits.
She glanced around the opulent room, a mischievous giggle escaping her lips. Strutting over to the foot of her massive, ornate canopy bed, she rolled up her sleeves.
With a dramatic shout, Furina grabbed the heavy wooden frame with both hands, planted her boots into the carpet, and heaved. The massive bed lifted off the floor with shocking ease, hovering in the air as if it weighed nothing more than a stack of paper.
“Haha! I am terrifyingly strong now! I am basically Superman!”
Furina had issued strict orders that morning: absolutely no one was allowed near her bedroom corridor without her explicit permission. This was her private sanctuary, the only place in all of Fontaine where the grand Hydro Archon could drop her theatrical mask and truly be herself.
She gently set the bed back down, dusting off her hands with a satisfied smirk. Adjusting her cravat, she finally opened her bedroom door and stepped out into the hall.
She had barely walked a dozen paces before she encountered Clorinde, the Champion Duelist tasked with her personal safety.
“Clorinde, have someone prepare lunch,” Furina ordered, slipping effortlessly back into her haughty, authoritative tone. “I will be resting in my room this afternoon, so ensure that absolutely no one disturbs me.”
Clorinde offered a crisp, minimal bow. “Understood, Lady Furina. I will inform Escofier to begin preparations immediately.”
As Clorinde turned and walked toward the kitchen wings, a subtle frown creased her forehead. Since yesterday, Lady Furina had essentially locked herself in her bedroom, only emerging for meals. This sort of reclusive behavior was entirely unmatched. The Hydro Archon usually thrived on public attention and dramatic courtroom appearances. The sudden shift felt deeply suspicious.
If it were an illness, Lady Furina certainly did not look sick. Her complexion was rosy, and she carried herself with an odd, bouncing energy. After turning the matter over in her mind, Clorinde decided she would pay a visit to Neuvillette’s office later to see if the Iudex had any insight into the situation.
A short while later, a lavish lunch was arranged on the dining table. Clorinde stood by the wall, watching Furina happily devour a slice of cake, and finally voiced her thoughts.
“Lady Furina, there is a highly anticipated circus performance scheduled at the Opera Epiclese this afternoon. Would you care to attend?”
Furina waved her fork dismissively, not even looking up from her plate. “No, no. I have very important matters to attend to this afternoon.”
Clorinde’s internal confusion only deepened. Important matters? Locked inside her bedroom the entire time? What could she possibly be doing in there? Deciding not to press the issue, Clorinde mentally bumped up her planned meeting with Neuvillette.
Furina quickly finished her meal, wiped her mouth with a silk napkin, and practically skipped back to her room, locking the door behind her.
Meanwhile, aboard the Astral Express.
Pom-Pom had prepared a massive spread of food for Himeko, Samuel, and the rest of the crew. Sitting proudly in the center of the parlor car’s dining table was a large bowl filled with the vibrant, glowing fruit Stelle had hauled back that morning.
Himeko picked up one of the fruits, examining its smooth skin. “Speaking of which, we have not actually tasted the harvest Stelle brought back. I assume you picked these at Samuel’s place?”
Stelle nodded vigorously, her mouth already full of food. “Yup! Samuel has a whole forest of these things over there, so I just grabbed a bunch.”
Samuel took a seat at the table. “Those are a local specialty of the Elven Forest. The taste is quite excellent. Feel free to pick as many as you want whenever you visit. My world operates under rules similar to a video game. The environmental resources you gather will completely refresh the moment the clock strikes midnight.”
Welt paused, his fork hovering halfway to his mouth. “If that is truly the case, then the sheer volume of resources your world can produce is virtually infinite. A rule like that completely defies standard cosmic logic.”
Dan Heng closed his data bank and looked up from his stool. “Agreed. It violates the fundamental law of conservation of energy to an absurd degree.”
Before Dan Heng could elaborate on the physics of matter generation, a sharp, haughty voice echoed from the carriage door.
“What are you all talking about? Game worlds? Violating the law of conservation of energy? And more, who is this person? I certainly do not remember having a stowaway like this on the Express.”
Everyone turned toward the entrance. Standing in the doorway was a delicate puppet girl wearing a dark beret, her hands resting on her hips. Beside her stood a pink-haired girl holding a clipboard.
The puppet narrowed her artificial eyes at the crew. “Also, where did you Astral Express members run off to just now? Leaving a perfectly good train floating in space with absolutely no one on guard, forcing Asta to find someone to watch it for you. Confess honestly, right now!”