Chapter 26: Coffee

‘She seems so easy to fool…’Chen mused, a fresh wave of cognitive dissonance washing over him.’I really thought she’d be much more of a “trash panda” character.’

He couldn’t help but recall the classic portrayals of Caelus and Stelle he’d seen plastered all over forums, community pages, and countless fan creations before his transmigration.

The images that flashed through his mind were of a Trailblazer with a touch of cynicism, a master of the snarky comeback.

The kind of person who would occasionally commit acts of such audacious scoundrelry that everyone would roll their eyes, yet somehow find it perfectly hilarious.

The kind who would say the most shockingly outrageous things with a completely straight face.

And then there was the image of the chaotic troll, expressing the most sincere and heartfelt emotions toward a common trash can.

That particular image was simply too deeply ingrained in the collective consciousness of the fandom.

So much so, that the moment Chen had first laid eyes on Qiong, his subconscious had immediately slapped a similar label on her.

And the result?

Leaving aside her combat potential—she hadn’t even awakened a Path yet, so she was just a bundle of brute force—her actual personality was… well, she was practically like a newborn fawn, full of curiosity about the world, yet endearingly timid.

No, perhaps a better analogy was a blank canvas, untouched by any artist’s brush.

Her reactions to the world were utterly pure.

She would clutch her bat tightly, like a mother bear protecting her cub, just because Herta expressed an interest in studying it.

She would offer a heartfelt, earnest ‘thank you’ after receiving the slightest bit of help.

She would feel a sense of ease and comfort just from seeing ‘another version of herself,’ and even actively seek solace in that mirror image.

‘Does any of this have even half a credit’s worth of connection to being a scoundrel?’Chen thought with an inward sigh.’This is clearly a case of being so pure it borders on傻瓜!’ [Translator Note: Shǎguā – fool/idiot, used here endearingly.]

“No wonder Kafka was so invested in her in the original plot, always saying things like ‘Listen to me’…” Chen rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

“If she were let loose on her own, forget the Stellaron Hunters, I’m afraid any silver-tongued swindler could kidnap her.

No, they probably wouldn’t even need to lie.

Just offer her a new, sturdier-looking baseball bat and she’d probably follow them home…”

The more he considered it, the funnier the situation seemed, yet a strange sense of responsibility began to well up inside him.

As the only one with insider knowledge, it seemed he had to worry about more than just her eventual awakening to the Path of Destruction.

Was he now also responsible for installing an ‘anti-kidnapping’protocol and a’basic common sense’ patch?

“Whatever.

Being a troll has its joys, but being pure has its own… educational opportunities.” Chen straightened up, stretched his shoulders, and an unconscious smile played on his lips.

“At least… she’s much easier to get along with than I expected.

I won’t be roasted into stunned silence every five minutes.”

He walked over to the small table, picked up the new set of casual clothes left for him, and changed.

The material was a significant upgrade, far more comfortable than the spare uniforms stocked on the Herta Space Station.

As he adjusted his collar, he caught his reflection in the dark glass of the porthole.

Black hair, a face that was more refined than rugged but still undeniably masculine, and eyes that still held a faint, lingering confusion from his transmigration.

But beneath that, a spark of anticipation for the new journey was beginning to glow.

“Alright, let’s go,” he said to his reflection in a teasing tone.

“Time for your new duties as Sister Qiong’s temporary babysitter, Path of Destruction enlightenment mentor, and anti-kidnapping consultant.”

“Time to go freeze in the ice and snow.”

He pulled open the door and made his way toward the Parlor Car.

When Chen entered, he found that most of the crew had already gathered.

Uncle Himeko and Ms.

Welt were standing before the holographic star map, their discussion quiet and serious.

Nearby, March 7th was leaning conspiratorially toward Dan Heng, whispering about something.

Though Dan Heng remained as expressionless as ever, he would offer a slight, almost imperceptible nod from time to time.

Qiong was already sitting in her previous spot, still clutching her bat as if it were a security blanket.

Her gaze, however, immediately locked onto Chen as he walked in, following him until he found an empty seat and sat down.

Only then did she turn her head back to the front, quietly zoning out.

“It seems everyone has rested well,” Uncle Himeko said gently, his warm gaze sweeping over Chen and Qiong.

He then turned and retrieved two sleek, silver-gray devices from a storage compartment beside him.

“These are the standard-issue terminals for all Astral Express crew members.”

Qiong blinked, her curiosity piqued, and reached out to accept the terminal he offered her.

Uncle Himeko then handed the second one to Chen.

As Chen took the device, a blur of motion appeared at his side.

“Ooh, new terminals!” March 7th exclaimed, leaning right over Chen’s arm to get a better look.

The sudden proximity made Chen lean back instinctively.

“Hey, hey,” he chided, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“You act like you don’t have one.

Anyone who didn’t know better would think Pom-Pom cut off your equipment supply.”

“Oh, that’s different!” March 7th chirped, pulling back with a giggle and planting his hands on his hips, his tone perfectly self-assured.

“Looking at new things is what makes them interesting!

Besides, this is the latest model.

It must have some new features mine doesn’t, right?

Right, right?”

He aimed the latter half of his question directly at Himeko.

Himeko offered a helpless, indulgent smile, deftly avoiding the bait about new versus old models.

Instead, he turned toward a small, elegant bar set up on one side of the car.

“Familiarizing yourselves with the equipment will take time.

Why don’t we have something to refresh ourselves first?

As it happens, I’ve prepared some coffee.”

The moment the word “coffee” left his lips, the eyes of everyone in the room—save for Chen and Qiong, who was now cautiously poking her new terminal—visibly brightened.

“Awesome!

Himeko’s coffee!” March 7th was the first to cheer, his interest in the terminal instantly forgotten.

Even the perpetually cool Dan Heng’s gaze softened, and he gave a minuscule nod, as if acknowledging a cherished and familiar ritual.

Ms.

Welt also showed a gentle smile.

“It seems we’re in for a treat.”

Chen blinked.

“…?”

‘Wait, coffee?

Coffee brewed by Uncle Himeko?’A five-alarm fire klaxon went off in his mind, accompanied by a frantic cascade of bullet-point comments dredged up from the depths of his pre-transmigration memories.’Coffee?!

The legendary “Himeko Special” that can permanently destroy your sense of taste and make the Trailblazer question the very meaning of life?”You call that coffee?

That’s a dimensional strike aimed directly at your taste buds!”One cup to wake you up, two cups and you’ll never be tired again, three cups… three cups and you might need to go find the Aeon of Abundance to resurrect your tongue!’

Seeing March 7th and the others looking so genuinely expectant, Chen fell into a spiral of deep confusion and self-doubt.

Could it be that the Uncle Himeko of this gender-swapped world had accidentally put his skill points into the correct tree?

Or…

did he remember it wrong?

No, impossible!

The terrifying legend of Himeko’s coffee was etched into the very DNA of every Trailblazer!

While Chen was wrestling with this internal crisis, Uncle Himeko had already begun to skillfully operate the exquisite coffee machine.

The rich, inviting aroma of grinding coffee beans soon began to permeate the car.

A few moments later, several cups of deep brown, steaming liquid were placed on a small tray and brought over.

When handing a cup to Chen, Uncle Himeko even offered a particularly gentle smile.

“Give it a try.

I’m not sure if it will suit your taste.”

With the tragic sense of resolve of a man about to test a medieval king’s food for poison, Chen carefully picked up the very normal-looking cup of coffee.

He brought it to his nose and sniffed.

The aroma was rich and layered, with no hint of any strange, chemical odors.

He took a small, tentative sip.

The warm liquid slid into his mouth.

The expected, soul-crushing bitterness or acid that would make his spirit flee his body simply did not appear.

On the contrary, it was a perfectly balanced flavor.

The rich taste of coffee carried just the right amount of pleasant bitterness, which was immediately followed by a soft, mellow sweetness.

The mouthfeel was smooth, the aftertaste clean… it was delicious.

Chen froze.

He took another small sip.

It really was delicious!

This was the kind of high-quality, artisanal coffee that would easily sell for a premium in a specialty shop!

He looked up and saw March 7th already taking a big, happy gulp, his eyes squinting in pure enjoyment.

Dan Heng was also sipping his in small, measured mouthfuls, his expression one of quiet contentment.

Ms.

Welt held her cup with both hands, clearly very satisfied.

Even Qiong, following everyone else’s lead, held her cup with both hands and tentatively licked the rim.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and finding this “warm, fragrant, and slightly bitter” liquid not bad at all, she took another small sip.

“How is it?” Himeko asked with a smile, leaning against the bar with his own cup in hand.

“Delicious!” March 7th answered first.

Dan Heng gave a concise, “Mm.”

Ms.

Welt added, “Your skill is as excellent as ever.”

Qiong, though she didn’t speak, followed suit with a firm nod.

Chen stared at the cup of coffee in his hand, a beverage so utterly normal it was making him question his own sanity.

He then looked at the handsome, steady, and apparently max-level-barista Uncle Himeko before him and began to scream internally.

‘Cut!

Director, the script is wrong!

Wasn’t Himeko’s coffee supposed to be the hidden, final boss on the Trailblaze Path?

Wasn’t it supposed to unlock a permanent taste-paralysis debuff upon consumption?

Does this gender-swap also come with a complete cooking talent reset?!’

Or…

was the coffee in the original game so legendarily awful because the person brewing it was in a bad mood?

Or was she just doing it on purpose?

While silently trying to digest this massive cognitive shock, he couldn’t help but take another sip.

Mm, so good.

“It seems Chen likes it too,” Himeko noted, his smile deepening as he took in Chen’s subtle expressions.

“I’m glad.

On a long journey, a cup of coffee that suits your taste can sometimes be more relaxing than many words.”

[Elysian’s Note:

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