Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [107]
The Trailblazers gathered together, with March 7th rubbing her eyes and stifling yet another yawn. Sleepiness still clung to her like a stubborn fog.
"—Huff, so Uncle Yang, you called us out here… for this?"
"March, this concerns Venti's safety. We need to take it seriously."
"Eh… but he's Belobog's god, right? Who could actually manage to abduct him?"
"We can't rule out any possibilities. Both logically and emotionally, we have to check."
After receiving Venti's messages, Welt had reviewed them carefully multiple times. While the responses seemed normal on the surface, there was an odd sense of déjà vu that he couldn't shake.
It felt as though someone else might have taken Venti's phone and replied on his behalf.
While it was unlikely that anyone on this planet could force Venti to do something against his will, what if the situation wasn't one solvable by sheer strength?
After all, Venti didn't exactly seem like the cold and calculating type. Quite the opposite—he was easily affected by emotional attachments.
Or to put it bluntly, he was prone to getting tangled up in things.
This wasn't surprising; Welt himself hadn't started his journey across the stars voluntarily. Even among the current crew, including Dan Heng and March 7th, their reasons for boarding the Astral Express were diverse, often tied to circumstances beyond their control.
But Venti was different. As Belobog's savior, he had no obligation to leave Jarilo-VI. Countless people depended on him.
Welt had extended the invitation because he saw Venti's longing—for exploration, for the kind of grand adventures that spanned the universe.
That's why, on the day of the Windblume Festival, Venti had chosen to travel with the Astral Express.
It was curiosity, the desire to witness the transformation of the unknown into the known.
He was, in essence, a natural-born Trailblazer.
Thus, inviting him had felt inevitable.
Still, while Welt had anticipated some obstacles, he hadn't expected things to unfold like this.
Staring at Venti's now offline profile picture on his phone, Welt noted that the last reliable information placed him in Rivet Town, deep in the Lower City.
They'd heard about the area from Miss Pela before. Years ago, during the previous Guardian's aggressive policies, the Silvermane Guards had withdrawn from the Lower City. When the Fragmentum spread there, the residents lacked the means to resist and were forced to abandon their homes.
For nearly a decade, the area was overrun by Fragmentum creatures. Only recently had the combined efforts of the Guards and Wildfire begun reclaiming and rebuilding it.
Why would Venti be there now?
It was baffling.
"…Wandering around aimlessly like this won't help," Dan Heng said, breaking the silence.
"We're not familiar with Rivet Town, and it's been over thirty minutes since the message was sent. Even if we find the scene, any evidence might already have been cleared away."
"Ugh… Are we detectives now? Are we about to start the Trailblazers' Mystery Files?" March 7th scratched her head, frowning.
"Besides, like in those TV dramas, wouldn't it be faster to ask the local authorities for help?"
"March, normally, yes. Asking the authorities would be the most efficient option. But—"
Dan Heng crossed his arms, his tone calm as ever.
"We don't have evidence that Venti is missing. And even if we did, considering his reputation, people would likely think he's off planning another surprise rather than worrying about his safety."
March 7th paused to imagine it, and… it did seem plausible.
After all, Venti was known for being free-spirited, even a bit unreliable.
He could be strumming his harp on Belobog's streets, napping in the branches of a tree in the Windy Heights, or getting drunk in some tavern.
The last time he vanished without a word, he had been secretly preparing for the Windblume Festival.
Honestly, he was the type who could go missing for days without anyone noticing, weeks or months before anyone started talking about it.
It wouldn't be surprising if Belobog had a leaderboard tracking how long it had been since the last Barbatos sighting.
"Ugh, what do we do now? We can't not look for him, but the trail's already gone cold…" March 7th groaned.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out behind her, tinged with mischief.
"—Why not try ol' Sampo's way?"
"Ahh! You scared me!" March 7th jumped, then spun around to glare at him.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you locked up by the Guards for stealing relics?"
"Ah, please, no need to bring that up, my friends. Ol' Sampo's reputation was ruined by that blasted cup!"
Sampo clutched his head dramatically, feigning regret.
"Did you get caught with a fake relic?" Dan Heng asked, his tone skeptical.
"Of course not! The relic was real. After all, I personally… uh, ahem, anyway, that's beside the point!" Sampo coughed, quickly changing the subject. "With the Windblume Festival in full swing, I figured I'd earn a few extra bucks by turning in the relic as a gesture of goodwill.
But wouldn't you know it? The artifact's value plummeted! Why? Because Barbatos himself showed up at the festival and handed over a legendary relic to some lucky lady! Everyone's attention went straight to her!"
Sampo's expression turned mournful.
"And to top it off, Barbatos has been spending every night in the taverns, leaving countless wine glasses behind. Now, even those aren't worth anything anymore! I spent two days locked up, missed the festival's grand finale, and ended up with nothing. Talk about a raw deal!"
"Then why help us?" Dan Heng asked bluntly. "Logically, you should hold a grudge against us for putting you behind bars."
Sampo simply grinned, his tone unbothered.
"That's where you're wrong, my friend. You clearly don't understand ol' Sampo Koski."
"I'm just an unlucky… good Samaritan who keeps getting roped into trouble but never charges a fee for my good deeds!"
"His grin grew wider as the Trailblazers gave him skeptical looks, silently daring him to keep spinning his tale."
"And besides," Sampo continued, undeterred, "I was the one who ran off and left you in the lurch last time. Can't hold a grudge against you for catching me—it'd ruin my reputation! In this line of work, you've gotta make more friends and fewer enemies. Harmony brings prosperity!"
"Fine. So what's your plan?" March 7th asked, eyeing him warily.
"Well, ol' Sampo's got his intel network! Before you lot started wandering around here, I saw two familiar faces: Chief Seele and someone else who shouldn't be here at this time."
"Who?"
"Bronya Rand, the current Supreme Guardian. She's likely here to visit Chief Seele, or maybe she's just homesick."
"Homesick?"
The Trailblazers looked surprised.
"Yup. Not many people know this, but our dear Supreme Guardian grew up in the Lower City. Back then, she lived in Rivet Town's only orphanage."
Sampo leaned in conspiratorially.
"And guess who else lived there as a kid? That's right—Chief Seele. So, if they're both here, the orphanage is your best bet!"
"…I see," Welt said after a moment of thought.
"Thank you. Your information is helpful."
With this new lead, things started to make sense.
If Seele and Bronya had reasons to be here, then what about Venti?
Surely it wasn't just a coincidence.
And those cryptic messages…
Welt believed he had pieced most of the puzzle together.
"If that's the case, we should prepare to head back."
Even Dan Heng wore an expression of understanding, leaving March 7th blinking in confusion, clearly still in the dark.
"Huh? That's it? Aren't we going to check out the orphanage? Am I the only one still clueless here?"
Dan Heng gave her a subtle, slightly bemused look, which immediately set her off.
"Ah—! There it is again, that look! Like you're humoring a complete idiot!"
"Perhaps the intuition of a fool is sharper than one thinks?"
"No, no, this has nothing to do with intuition! Dan Heng, your eyes are screaming what you're thinking!"
"My apologies," Dan Heng said, his tone flat and utterly unapologetic. "I'll work on masking my thoughts more effectively in the future so you don't feel offended, March."
March 7th bristled at his dismissive response.
"—Hey! The normal thing to do is apologize first!"
"I'm sorry," Dan Heng replied with exaggerated sincerity, his face a mask of faux earnestness.
"Ugh, what is this? Why is Dan Heng suddenly so annoying today!?"
While March 7th was busy fuming and ruffling her hair, Welt turned back to Sampo to continue their discussion.
"So, do you have any additional information? Perhaps you saw them leave the area?"
"Can't say I did, ol' Sampo deals in honest trades—I wouldn't lie to you. There are two routes out of Rivet Town, though. Left leads to Boulder Town, and right takes you to the Robot Settlement. Either one's a possibility."
Sampo shrugged, clearly indifferent.
"Could you at least point us in the right direction?"
"That's easy! Consider it a freebie—I'll even throw in a map of Rivet Town for good measure."
Sampo pulled a rolled-up map from his bag, handing it over with a sly grin.
"Well then, since you've asked all your questions, it's time to get moving!"
"Huh? You're not going to charge us for the intel?"
"Heh. Didn't I already say? Ol' Sampo is a community-minded citizen! Helping out heroes like you and making friends—it's a win-win!"
Sampo gave her a deliberately exaggerated wink, prompting March 7th to recoil a few steps back in alarm.
"Talk to Dan Heng instead—this isn't working on me!"
It was clear that not everyone could pull off such gestures; when Venti did it, it came off as charming, but with Sampo, it was decidedly… unsettling.
"All right, March, don't be like that," Welt said, adjusting his glasses. "Since Mr. Sampo has been so cooperative, let's not dismiss his goodwill. I'm sure we'll cross paths again, and we could even hire him as a guide next time."
Welt's tone was calm and accommodating as he addressed Sampo.
"Does that sound reasonable, Mr. Sampo?"
"Exactly! I knew Mr. Welt was a man of integrity! I always say, great friendships are built on good conversations."
Sampo nodded enthusiastically before preparing to leave.
"Well, I won't hold up you heroes any longer. I'm off!"
True to his nature, Sampo turned and left without a second thought. However, a conveniently dropped business card on the ground suggested it was no accident.
On the card was printed:
"Relics lost their value? Don't worry, here's how to make them priceless again!"
A link followed, undoubtedly clickbait from an older era.
After tossing the card where it belonged, March 7th turned to Welt with a questioning look.
"So, Uncle Yang, what's the plan? Do we check it out or head back?"
"Let's go take a look," Welt decided. "If Venti isn't there, we can leave it at that."
To be honest, Welt was a little apprehensive about interrupting what could potentially be an emotional farewell. But having come this far, turning back now felt wrong.
Despite not being one to pry, Welt's concern for the three individuals in question stirred a sort of paternal instinct. He wanted to confirm things for himself.
Since Welt had spoken, Dan Heng didn't object and chose to accompany them.
The group ascended the hill until the orphanage came into view.
But—
Instead of an emotional reunion, they were greeted by the sight of Venti hanging from a swing, gazing forlornly at the moon.
When he noticed them, he let out a weary sigh.
"Ah, finally. You're here."
"Eh? What's going on? Why are you hanging there, Venti?" March 7th asked, bewildered.
"Probably because I rejected two girls at the same time?" Venti replied, his tone half-serious.
"…Shouldn't we have found you at the base of the mountain then?" Dan Heng quipped, raising an eyebrow.
…
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T/N: oooh rejected
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