Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [29]
Bronya couldn't deny the warmth rising in her heart.
Since arriving in the Underworld and shedding the title of Supreme Guardian's heir, she'd finally seen firsthand that here, her status and authority meant nothing.
In this gray world, she was no different from anyone else.
No one here bowed to her because of her title, nor did they flatter her with empty words or twist the truth to gain her favor.
In fact, if she were to reveal her true identity, it would only put her at a disadvantage.
Though she hated to admit it, she felt ashamed for coming here so carelessly, without even a weapon for protection.
She'd thought that, despite the poor conditions in the Underworld, it would still respect the order imposed by the Supreme Guardian and wouldn't be as dangerous as the front lines.
But Rivet Town was even more corrupted than the Rift's reach into Belobog, and here, trust was scarce. Even worse, there were groups dedicated to robbing others of their hard-earned possessions.
In conversations with Venti's friends, she'd often found herself unable to keep up, and Seele's barbs had often left her feeling defeated.
So when Venti extended his support, she couldn't help but feel more than gratitude—she felt an unexpected sense of connection.
The young Bronya didn't view this new feeling as romantic, but more as a blend of friendship and camaraderie.
With a determined expression, she finally replied, "I want to look for her. If someone's managed to survive here, there must be traces left behind."
"Mhm! Sisters, living in the Rift… I'd love to see how their story unfolds. Let me go with you!" Venti said with a grin.
"…Thank you, Venti."
"No need for thanks; we're good friends, right?"
Venti's playful smile put her mind at ease.
Bronya was grateful for his support and trust. Going alone into this part of the Rift would've been dangerous.
Not that she was afraid of the risk—she wouldn't have taken Cocolia's assignment to lead her elite team into the perilous front lines otherwise.
But the harsh truth was, while her title afforded her many privileges, it also meant that her life wasn't her own.
She was responsible for the people of Belobog. If she were to disappear or die here, it could very well lead to an irreversible divide between the Upper and Lower Districts.
The weight of this reality prevented her from fully committing to the search.
Noticing that Bronya's spirits had lifted somewhat, Venti suggested, "In that case, no time to waste. Let's deliver these medical kits first, then we can ask around for information and come back later."
Of course, they couldn't break off from the group right now to search for the girl's sister. And anyway, the information they needed might not be here alone.
As the Underworld's largest settlement, Boulder Town was far more likely to offer leads.
Otherwise, by the time they stumbled onto anything useful, Natasha would probably have sent out a search party for them. They'd be adding to her troubles instead of helping in this urgent time.
As Bronya hurried to catch up, she was warmed by the sight of Seele waiting, arms crossed, although she wore a grumpy expression.
Though Seele still didn't seem particularly friendly, Bronya understood that if Seele truly disliked her, she wouldn't have cared about her safety.
By waiting, Seele was showing that she might even see Bronya as someone who, like Venti, was a trusted ally of Wildfire.
That made two people who accepted her here.
The thought brought a small smile to her face.
Seeing her smile, Seele, who had been about to speak, looked away, suddenly flustered.
Seele's initial wariness had only been because Bronya's identity seemed suspicious. She'd been trying to test her, hoping to see if she would slip up, not because she had any deep-seated grudge.
Back in Boulder Town, Natasha finally exhaled in relief upon receiving the much-needed medical supplies.
After thanking everyone for their hard work, she was soon busy again, with Seele stepping in to help as best as she could.
As for Venti, Natasha brushed him off with, "You've done plenty for everyone already—go take a break."
And since Bronya didn't know Natasha or the others all that well, she also took her leave with Venti.
To rest and gather information, Venti brought her to the Goethe Hotel in the Underworld.
It was part of the same chain as the Goethe Grand Hotel in the Upper District. When Bronya asked the friendly owner about the connection, the woman laughed warmly.
"Both the one up there and this one down here belong to the Goethe family. Our family's been around since before the Eternal Freeze, and I've heard we even had ties to the original Supreme Guardian, Alisa Rand!"
"So there's that kind of history here?"
Bronya's curiosity was piqued. Before, she'd doubted Venti's plan of gathering information in a public place, as most of her own intelligence came from detailed reports prepared by officials like Pela.
Coming out to collect intel like this was a first for her.
The owner seemed to be in a talkative mood, continuing eagerly.
"Yes indeed! Our family was one of the most prominent back in the day—the Rands are what you'd call a major family these days, right? We were probably on their level back then!"
"I know one of their family members—he's now a Silvermane Guard Captain, defending the front lines with great dedication to his family name."
Talking about things she was familiar with brought back a bit of the confident, radiant Bronya of old.
"Haha! And now you know someone from the Goethe family too. We might not have a Supreme Guardian, but we're not far off!" the owner joked.
Unlike other Underworld residents, she seemed to hold no ill will toward the Supreme Guardian and even went on explaining.
"But unfortunately, there were a few who squandered the family fortune, and we nearly lost everything. Thankfully, someone took up the family name and built us back up again—this hotel was our comeback."
"Eventually, business got so good here that someone decided to try their hand at the Upper District, and, wouldn't you know it, the Goethe family even secured a property in the most luxurious part of the Administrative District! And that's how the Goethe Grand Hotel up there came to be."
"I see."
Bronya nodded in understanding.
"Our family had to split after that, with one branch staying in each district."
At this point, the owner's expression turned a bit wistful.
"So do you know Mr. Goethe from the Upper District? What's he like? I mean… I might be performing there someday—should I bring him a gift or something to make a good impression?" Venti interjected.
"Oh, of course! We're still family, after all," she chuckled. "We still have family gatherings on warm holidays and such. Good times!"
The owner, Gerti, recalled fondly.
"As for that Mr. Goethe… he's a good man, don't worry. Just show up as yourself—no need for formalities. And truth be told, we're actually of the same generation! Haha!"
"Wait! You mean…"
Bronya was surprised. Although the owner didn't look particularly young, she certainly didn't seem old enough to be considered in the same generation as the elderly Mr. Goethe.
She'd met the Upper District's Mr. Goethe a few times and remembered him as a white-haired elder. Even if one's features aged prematurely, the difference was striking.
Noticing her unspoken thoughts, Gerti grinned knowingly.
"A lot of people say that. But some things in life, you need to take care of, don't you think?"
With a mischievous twinkle, she added, "Would you like some beauty tips, young lady? I can tell you have a good base—you just need to show it off a bit more.
"Your current methods are decent, but let me tell you, they're a little outdated!"