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ArabicHonkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Enjoying the Coolness Under the Moon
Himeko completely agreed with Welt’s assessment of their surroundings.
“Yes, this scenery is wonderfully dreamlike,” she murmured, her gaze sweeping over the glowing, tranquil landscape. “It feels exactly like stepping into the pages of a fairy tale.”
Samuel smiled, lifting his porcelain teacup to take a light, appreciative sip. “Naturally.”
The three of them—Samuel, Himeko, and Welt—sat together in comfortable leisure. Samuel and Welt were safely enjoying a freshly brewed pot of traditional tea that Welt had brought along, while Himeko sipped from her own personal mug of dark, sludgy coffee.
Earlier, Himeko had graciously offered Samuel a cup of her special brew. Knowing full well that Himeko’s coffee was less of a beverage and more of a biochemical weapon of mass destruction, Samuel had quickly declined. He smoothly excused himself on the grounds that, being the reincarnation of a World Tree, his unique botanical physiology simply couldn’t process caffeine.
A short distance away from the adults, Stelle, Furina, and March 7th were squatted in the dirt, intensely focused on a high-stakes game of marbles.
Every so often, Stelle would pause, pull out a small bottle of Sour Water, and aggressively squirt a few hits of the tangy liquid into her mouth like a gamer chugging energy drinks.
Furina clutched her head, her dramatic wail piercing the quiet night as another of her marbles was claimed. “Ah! How did I lose again?! I’m down to my very last one! This is so frustrating!”
Stelle puffed out her chest, tilting her chin up with the smug, arrogant pride of a conquering general. “Heh. Please, address me by my proper title: The Marble King.”
Seeing Stelle acting so insufferably smug, March 7th immediately grabbed Furina’s arm. “Furina! Look at her being all arrogant. No way we let this slide—let’s team up against her!”
Furina’s eyes lit up with competitive fire. “Okay! Let’s take her down! We’ll win back every single marble!”
March 7th and Furina immediately joined forces, launching a relentless, coordinated marble offensive. Outnumbered and outgunned, Stelle had no choice but to grab her loot and opt for a tactical retreat across the grass.
Watching the trio chase each other further and further away, Himeko called out, “Don’t run too far! We’ll stay out just a little longer, and then it’s time to head back and rest.”
“Got it!” Stelle, March 7th, and Furina shouted in unison, though they didn’t stop their chaotic game for a second.
Samuel watched them bicker with a quiet smile before turning back to the table. “By the way, where is Dan Heng? I haven’t seen him around all evening.”
Welt adjusted his glasses. “Dan Heng is back in his room reading through the data bank. That’s just his personality; he prefers the quiet.”
Samuel nodded, understanding perfectly.
The moonlit night passed in peaceful silence.
The next morning, deep within the Palais Mermonia in the Court of Fontaine.
Furina sprang up from her luxurious mattress like a startled carp.
“A beautiful girl awakens!” she announced to the empty room.
She hopped out of bed, slipped into her fluffy slippers, and padded over to the grand bathroom to wash up. Staring into the ornate mirror, Furina hummed a cheerful little tune around her toothbrush, her shoulders swaying side to side to the upbeat melody.
It was obvious to anyone that the Hydro Archon was in an exceptionally good mood.
Ever since she began visiting Samuel’s world, Furina had finally found an escape. With Stelle and the others, she had found friends she could genuinely play with, allowing her to completely cast aside the heavy, suffocating mantle of her divine identity. To Stelle, she wasn’t the grand and infallible Hydro Archon; she was just Furina, a slightly dramatic girl who was terrible at marbles.
After spending time with the Astral Express crew over the past few days, Furina could physically feel the crushing mental pressure in her chest lightening. Before this, her mind had been trapped in a high-stakes pressure cooker every single day. She had to play the role of the perfect god flawlessly, without a single crack in her mask, constantly on high alert no matter who she spoke to.
Finished with her morning routine, Furina changed into her elegant daily attire and made her way to the dining room.
Escofier, her personally appointed Dessert Grand Officer, had already prepared a lavish breakfast spread.
As Furina strutted into the dining room, she blinked in surprise. Neuvillette and Clorinde were already seated at the long mahogany table, quietly reading the morning papers.
“Morning, Neuvillette, Clorinde, and Escofier!” Furina chirped, taking her seat. “Neuvillette, what brings you to the main dining room for breakfast today? Don’t you usually eat in your office?”
Hearing her voice, Neuvillette lowered his newspaper. His piercing, analytical gaze settled on her. “Lady Furina. I was informed that you have not stepped out of your private quarters for several days. Are you, perhaps, feeling unwell?”
Furina hadn’t expected the Iudex to interrogate her about her schedule so bluntly. A brief flicker of panic crossed her eyes before she masked it with her usual theatrical bravado.
“This… well, I cannot tell you for the time being!” she declared, waving a hand dismissively. “In short, I am in the middle of doing something incredibly important, so no more questions! When the time is right, I will naturally let you know. Escofier, come sit down and eat with us.”
With a grand gesture, she motioned for the head chef to join the table, effectively shutting down the conversation.
Neuvillette didn’t press the issue. He simply picked up his knife and fork, returning to his meal.
The truth was, Clorinde had sought him out late last night, quietly asking if he knew why Lady Furina had locked herself in her room for days on end. Though the Champion Duelist had asked discreetly, Neuvillette was sharp enough to realize something highly unusual was going on. He had immediately summoned Escofier, confirming that the Hydro Archon had indeed vanished into her chambers without explanation.
Since Lady Furina refused to speak of it, Neuvillette decided there was no need to pry further. She was the ruler of Fontaine, after all; she did not need to report her every movement to him.
What the Chief Justice could not possibly know was that Furina’s seemingly bizarre, secretive behavior in that alternate world would eventually be the key to saving all of Fontaine.
Furina took a bite of the fluffy Egg Pancakes Escofier had prepared, her eyes lighting up.
“Mmm! As expected of my most valued Dessert Grand Officer! Escofier, these are absolutely delicious!” She wiped her mouth delicately with a napkin. “Help me pack one—no, make that six portions to go.”
Escofier beamed at the praise. “Right away, Lady Furina! There are still ten portions fresh in the kitchen; I’ll box them up for you immediately.”
Across the table, Neuvillette frowned slightly. His eyes narrowed with quiet confusion.
Normally, Lady Furina was incredibly strict about her diet to maintain her figure. Even when it came to her absolute favorite cakes, she capped her intake at two slices a day. Suddenly demanding six heavy portions of Egg Pancakes was highly irregular., wanting to take them all back to her private room made the entire situation even more suspicious.
Neuvillette watched her hum happily as she waited for the food. After a moment of deep thought, he made a silent decision: he would observe Lady Furina very carefully over the coming days. She was definitely hiding something.
Breakfast concluded swiftly. The moment Escofier handed over the large, stacked food box, Furina grabbed it and practically sprinted back to her bedroom.
Meanwhile, on the Source Continent, inside the Star Adventure Group’s sprawling treehouse.
Stelle was slumped on the sofa in the first-floor hall, yawning widely. Her hair was a mess, and she looked like she was completely losing a battle against gravity.
Seeing her half-conscious state, Samuel walked over. “Stelle, did you stay up late gaming again?”
Stelle shook her head sluggishly. “No way. I crashed the second I got back to my room last night. Slept like a rock.”
Samuel looked puzzled. “Then why do you look like you haven’t slept in a year?”
Welt, who was reading a datapad nearby, chimed in with a knowing sigh. “Young people nowadays are just like this. They can never get enough sleep. The bed is the one place they are most reluctant to leave.”
Stelle chuckled, rubbing her tired eyes. “Uncle Yang, you see right through it, but you don’t have to say it out loud. Speaking of which… where is Furina? Didn’t she promise to treat us to breakfast today?”
Sometimes, the universe just has perfect comedic timing. The very second Stelle finished her sentence, the front doors of the treehouse burst open, and Furina came jogging in, proudly hauling a massive food box.
“Everyone, the star has arrived!” Furina announced brightly. “Is everyone hungry? I brought us fresh Egg Pancakes from Fontaine!”
She marched straight over to the coffee table and popped the lid open. Instantly, the rich, buttery aroma of perfectly cooked pancakes filled the entire hall.
Stelle’s stomach let out a loud, aggressive growl. She patted her stomach and grinned sheepishly. “Hehe. Okay, yeah, I’m definitely hungry.”
Furina pushed a plate toward her. “Then hurry up and eat! Once we’re done, we are heading straight out to hunt Goblins. Stelle, didn’t you say you were saving up to buy a Travel Frog today?”