Special Eunuch: I... Don't have a cute March 7th?!
Chapter Text
[ "Universe, Galaxy Train, Aeons... What kind of sci-fi movie have I been dragged into? And this thing inside me, called a Stellaron..."
The starlight outside the window seemed to converge into a giant golden whale, traveling through the stars with the train amidst starry whispers. Gazing at the dazzling scenery outside the window, Stelle couldn't help but reach out towards it.
"Are you trying to catch stars?"
The adorable March 7th suddenly popped her head in, catching Stelle off guard as she leaned forward, almost face to face, like a female classmate sharing intimate secrets.
Stelle could smell a scent similar to macarons coming from her, sweet and hazy, floating in the air, making Stelle feel momentarily dazed.
March 7th smiled faintly, her rainbow-like pupils revealing childlike curiosity.]
[ ..... ]
『Viewers of Countless World』
At this moment, the men outside the light screen, struck by March 7th's close-up beauty, exclaimed that they were in love... Such an adorable girl must have been an angel in her past life, right?
Cute, lively, and energetic girls are always a special weapon against straight men.
~Genshin Impact World~
"Do girls like this really exist?"
Inside the Sacred Fire Arena, a certain Smoke Knight shaman glanced furtively at Citlali behind him, who was holding a wine glass, drunk and flushed, and muttered softly,
"Even though she also has pink hair and looks like a girl, why is there such a big difference?"
Unfortunately, as soon as he finished speaking, he was startled by the sound of someone slamming the table behind him.
"Y-You... what did you say?!"
The previously incoherent Citlali suddenly appeared behind him.
"So, you dare to badmouth Obsidian Grandma, I, I... think you're tired of living... hic."
"Looks like you've forgotten my methods, Grandma's... ugh..."
Citlalli just raised her hand when a strong feeling of nausea surged into her throat. She subconsciously covered her mouth... but ultimately couldn't hold it back, and vomited everything onto the poor Smoke Knight shaman.
In the end, Lumine pulled Citlali away and helped her to rest.
"Traveler..."
Citlali, who was dizzy from vomiting, finally regained some consciousness and spoke softly. Watching Lumine prepare to leave, she couldn't help but reach out and grab her skirt.
Citlali looked at the light screen, her lake-blue pupils reflecting March 7th's flower-like smile. Then, she carefully averted her gaze and looked at the Traveler... her evasive eyes were like a deer in the forest, frightened and cautious, making people want to protect her.
Even though she had been fiercely strong in front of outsiders just now, at this moment, she didn't seem like the dreaded high priestess of the Mictlan tribe, but rather a flirtatious and innocent girl, cautiously testing something.
"Traveler..."
Just as Citlali was about to speak, a slender finger was placed against her lips.
Lumine didn't say anything, but just smiled at her. Her eyes were clear, like dew falling from grass leaves in the morning, making people want to catch it.
—She could hear Lumine's heart.
And she could also hear her own "thump-thump" heartbeat.
In an instant, a blush appeared on the old thing's adorable cheeks.
"Hmph, I... of course I know that, those damned, ignorant guys."
Citlali crossed her arms, turned her head away, and let out a proud tsundere-ish snort that could travel three hundred meters against the wind,
"Well... I'll let it go this time, but if he dares to badmouth me behind my back while I'm drunk next time, I'll definitely make him remember the fear of being dominated by Obsidian Grandma."
—
[ "Hehe, I've done that too." March 7th chuckled and sat next to Stelle.
"But I didn't catch stars—I caught a lamp."
"When I first woke up from the ice, I opened my eyes and saw a cluster of starlight—so I instinctively reached out, but it was just the ceiling light in the train car."
"Everyone in the train crew was watching me at the time. It was so embarrassing."
As she spoke, Stelle noticed that March 7th's expression was a bit lonely. Although she was trying her best to hide it, the emotions in her eyes still betrayed her.
Stelle leaned in slightly: "Everyone was surrounding you?"
"Of course! Like they were observing some strange cosmic creature—but I don't blame them, after all, no one knows where I came from."
"Can you imagine? Before being salvaged by the train, I was frozen in a block of ice, drifting in the universe."
Mentioning her past, March 7th was uncharacteristically less lively, but rather slightly sad.
"Do you remember anything before you were frozen?" Stelle asked.
"Who knows? I don't remember anything from before. Who am I, what my original name was, where I came from... I've forgotten all of it. Even the name 'March 7th' was just to commemorate the date I was awakened."
"So I'm staying on the train, following it station by station. Hoping that one day I can find my past..."
Although March 7th was trying her best to say these things in a cheerful tone, the atmosphere was still sad. ]
[ ..... ]
~Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World~
"I originally thought March 7th was a girl with a happy and fulfilling family, but I didn't expect her to have this kind of experience, too."
Sein said with pity,
"But this optimism and open-mindedness are commendable. You can't get on the Astral Express without a special background, right?"
Frieren analyzed calmly,
"Currently, three out of the five members of the train crew besides Pom-Pom have amnesia; Himeko's identity hasn't been mentioned, and Mr. Welt can suppress the Stellaron with a wave of his hand, especially that cane, which is completely unfathomable. In short, what I want to say is... none of the people on the train crew have simple identities."
"Speaking of March 7th, I have a guess."
Stark raised his hand,
"Don't you guys think March 7th's ice looks familiar? Like a certain Aeon..."
Before he could finish speaking, Fern suddenly realized and responded,
"The Aeon of Remembrance!"
"Not bad, you're quite perceptive."
Frieren gave Stark an admiring look.
The Aeon of Remembrance seems to be composed of solid ice from head to toe, looking noble and mysterious, which is just right in line with March 7th's own ice attribute.
Moreover, she has amnesia, and the Aeon of Remembrance just happens to be in charge of the memories of all people in the universe...
It's hard not to make people guess.
—
[ In the light screen, the train was about to start warping, and Stelle, after finishing her conversation with March 7th, went to Himeko to inquire about information about the next stop.
Himeko sat in a chair, propping her chin with one hand, her beautiful eyes lingering on the brilliant starlight outside the window, and said gently,
"Our next destination is a very small planet, codenamed 'Jarilo-VI'." ]
[ ..... ]: The Great Tomb of Nazarick is about to give out documents
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
[ "Alright, Astral Express Passengers, hurry back to your seats, I'm starting the countdown."
"Everyone get ready, three, two, one..."
Under Pom-Pom's countdown, the train's massive body began to accelerate gradually, and the chess pieces on the board also began to tremble. Then, a layer of blue membranous substance spread rapidly from the train's head, instantly enveloping the entire train.
The train seemed to have entered some spatial rift, disappearing in the blink of an eye. ]
[ ..... ]
~Runeterra World~
"Is this the otherworld's warp technology?!"
Jayce opened his eyes wide with curiosity.
He couldn't imagine how this seemingly ordinary and somewhat retro-styled train had done it.
In his considerations, if the energy of the Hextech crystal could be perfectly activated, remote warp technology could be achieved.
However, according to the calculations, the energy required to warp larger objects would increase exponentially, and for an object the size of a train...
"Perhaps this is the power of the Aeons,"
Viktor murmured with a sigh.
A single word, Aeon, could easily bridge the enormous gap between the two worlds.
—
[ Accompanied by flashing lights, the train traversed from a singularity, and the blue substance around it gradually peeled off. To Stelle's astonished eyes, the train's warp had already ended.
The space station outside the window had disappeared, replaced by a huge, white planet, standing quietly in the distance.
This was their destination—Jarilo-VI.
"Thousands of years have passed, and Jarilo-VI has actually become like this..." Himeko compared it with the lush green planet in the database, sighing with emotion, "Time passes, and the world changes."
"That white planet, is that our destination?" March 7th's eyes suddenly widened, and she subconsciously hugged her arms.
Before even setting foot on this planet, a chill was already creeping up from the soles of her feet.
"Space readings are abnormal! Astral Express stability rate dropped to 12%!"
"The docking plan has changed, and the stopover time at this station has been extended from seven days to an indefinite period!" As Pom-Pom's warning sounded, Himeko's face was also covered with a rare layer of gloom. The atmosphere in the train seemed to be affected by Jarilo-VI, becoming cold and stiff.
"Indefinite..." Stelle looked at Himeko beside her.
"To use a regular land train as an analogy, it's like the advancing rails suddenly breaking, with a collapsing abyss below..." Himeko smiled helplessly, "At this time, we can only brake urgently, right?"
March 7th rubbed her forehead, obviously, this wasn't the first time she had seen this kind of situation.
"The preliminary test results are out, the source of the anomaly is still the [Stellaron]."
Seeing the atmosphere of the discussion become stagnant, Welt slowly walked over, his gaze involuntarily turning to Stelle, "It's the same substance as the [Stellaron] placed in your body."
Stelle asked in confusion, "What exactly is the Stellaron?"
"There are many mysteries surrounding the [Stellaron], even Herta hasn't been able to fully analyze it. But you don't need to worry too much, we're not encountering a Stellaron blocking the route for the first time. Even if we don't understand the principle of the [Stellaron], there are still ways to counteract its effects."
Welt nodded, "The only thing we can be sure of is that the descent of the [Stellaron] will bring drastic changes to civilization and ecology, and it will also produce spatial distortions such as the Fracture."
"The reason why Jarilo-VI has become a frozen planet... I'm afraid it's inseparable from the influence of the [Stellaron]."
"According to our conjecture, the [Stellaron] is a seed of disaster sown by a certain Aeon to various worlds. If the source of the calamity is not eradicated, there will be no [Trailblaze] to speak of." ]
[ ..... ]
~Overlord World~
~Great Tomb of Nazarick~
Cocytus, walking towards the Throne Room, had very heavy steps. And as if infected, the servants behind him also had heavy steps, slow, and even dared not raise their heads.
The reason for the heavy steps was the light curtain that appeared in the sky not long ago. The content that appeared inside was really incredible. Cocytus racked his brains and didn't expect that the humans who appeared inside could be so strong.
When the picture in the light curtain was playing the train warping, Cocytus received a message from his master, ordering him and the other Guardians to come to the Throne Room for an audience.
It shouldn't be just a simple meeting, but to hear their opinions of them, the Guardians.
——Especially those "Aeons."
Thinking of this, Cocytus' body stiffened. He, who had absolute resistance to freezing air and cold, trembled not from external causes, but from his heart.
Recalling the gaze of the Destruction Aeon, the intense pressure seemed to spread from his chest to his limbs, causing his steps to falter—
"Cocytus, do you intend to keep the Supreme Beings waiting?"
A cold voice came from the steps above. Cocytus raised his head sharply and saw Albedo and Shalltear looking down at him condescendingly.
In addition, Demiurge, Sebas, and other Guardians were also in place, standing on both sides of the stairs.
Everyone's eyes seemed to carry unspoken blame.
"Sorry, I'm late. If it's because of me that everyone is punished by the Supreme Beings—"
"Let's skip these words for now. If your slowness makes the Supreme Being Ainz-sama feel even slightly displeased, then you can only atone with your death."
Albedo's golden pupils contained a hint of blame, but punishing Cocytus would also take time, and they couldn't afford to delay.
After briefly explaining the precautions for the meeting, the Guardians, led by Albedo, entered the Throne Room with their respective servants.
Cocytus felt extremely happy entering the room he had only been to a few times.
The perfect architecture and carvings symbolized the outstanding taste of the Supreme Beings.
In addition, flags were symbolizing the Supreme Beings and World Items in the deepest part. Even Cocytus, as a Guardian, found it quite difficult to come to this room. Calling this the core of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was truly fitting.
After saluting the Ainz Ooal Gown guild mark on the wall, Cocytus and the other Guardians knelt down, lowered their heads, and waited quietly for their master to arrive.
"Welcome, the supreme ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!"
Yuri, the battle maid, announced, and the door slowly opened, accompanied by the crisp sound of shoes and the sound of a cane hitting the ground.
The sound of footsteps slowly passed by the Guardians, followed by the sound of climbing the stairs, and the sound of sitting on the throne. Albedo's voice echoed loudly in the hall.
"Everyone, please raise your heads and look upon the honorable face of Ainz Ooal Gown-sama."
Cocytus immediately raised his head, afraid that his slowness would displease the Supreme Being.
Holding the scepter symbolizing the ruler, shrouded in a terrifying aura, and with a mysterious dark light emanating from his back, the Supreme Being was the supreme ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
Albedo slowly walked to the Supreme Being's side and bowed slightly.
"Ainz-sama, the Guardians have gathered before you. Please issue your orders."
"Hmm..."
Ainz heavily tapped the floor with the scepter in his hand, attracting everyone's attention. Then, he slowly opened his mouth,
"Welcome to my presence, Guardians. You have more or less guessed the purpose of my summoning you here."
The scepter was slowly raised, pointing to the light curtain that was clearly visible even through the wall—
"Regarding the [Stellaron] and the [Aeons], let each of you share your thoughts."
—The Master and the School's Technique
Chapter Text
Chapter 26: The Master and the School's Technique
~Overlord World~
~Great Tomb of Nazarick~
"You go first, Demiurge. Your speeches are always so brilliant."
"Oh, you flatter me, Lord Ainz! Thank you for your recognition! I am your servant, and I will do my best with any arrangement you make."
Demiurge bowed deeply, his expression trembling with joy.
"Regarding the Star Gods... my opinion is that we don't need to pay them any attention at all."
"The number of people who can connect with the Star Gods in the light screen is minimal. Currently, only that young girl-like Herta, seems to have a close relationship with the Erudition Star God... Beyond the nebulous might of the Aeons themselves, the rest are utterly beneath our notice."
"Interesting perspective...Do you think the power of the Star Gods will not affect our Great Tomb of Nazarick?"
"Affect? Hmm... These effects are negligible..."
Demiurge hesitated for a moment before continuing,
"The effects of the Remembrance Star God on us are very weak, as is the Destruction Nanook, and they cannot cause any harm to our bodies... In short, it is not difficult to conclude that if we can continue to produce high-level scrolls that isolate mental influence, the Star Gods will have almost no impact on us."
"Hmm, very good... Are there enough materials for the high-level scrolls?"
"The core material is the skin of adult males—but there is plenty of this material. The Holy Kingdom is full of men of the right age, so Lord Ainz need not worry."
Mentioning his area of expertise and interest, Demiurge's tone became unusually light and cheerful.
In Cocytus's impression, Demiurge was usually a good-tempered and quite gentle person, but only towards the creations of the Supreme Beings. Otherwise, his cruelty and cold-bloodedness were terrifying.
"Do not over-slaughter. The Kingdom still needs labor."
"Lord Ainz, please rest assured. We can immediately reskin them using healing magic, so we don't need to kill the captured men. As long as they can be repeatedly used. Of course, this is all thanks to the excellent torture magic casters."
"Hmm, magic is truly wonderful... Very good, continue to take care of this part."
"Next is Cocytus."
Finally, it was his turn.
"This time, I would like to hear your opinion as well."
"Yes... Lord Ainz. But I..." Cocytus lowered his head very low. This posture, where he could only see the ground when meeting his master, was the only way he could think of to express his respect. He did not dare to look up and directly face his master's face, simply because he had felt a fleeting moment of fear when his eyes met the Destruction Nanook's.
As a warrior created by the Supreme Beings, he felt infinitely ashamed of that brief, momentary fear.
Moreover, he did not have Demiurge's agile mind to come up with suitable countermeasures. As for his opinion on the Star Gods... he racked his brains but couldn't think of anything.
Looking at Cocytus's slightly trembling body, Ainz had already vaguely sensed something.
"You have no opinion?"
"...Yes, Lord Ainz. I am truly sorry. My understanding of the Star Gods is too shallow. Please grant me—"
Cocytus's apology was stopped by the sound of a staff hitting the ground. Then, Albedo's cold voice immediately echoed throughout the throne hall.
"Everyone... should execute the orders of the Supreme Beings with gratitude. Cocytus, how dare you disobey Lord Ainz's orders?"
"I—"
Cocytus's explanation was interrupted by Ainz's calm voice. He looked down at him from above, his voice not having much emotional fluctuation.
But the lights flickering in his master's empty eye sockets seemed to have a slightly distinct crimson hue.
"Raise your head, Cocytus. If you have something to say, you can speak boldly."
"I..."
Cocytus swallowed a mouthful of saliva and finally mustered the courage to raise his head.
"Judging from the attitude of the Astral Express crew, they will travel to many worlds. I think there should be more advanced technologies in these worlds. In my humble opinion, if we could see them one day, we should..."
Ainz seemed to have guessed what he wanted to say and said with amusement,
"You mean learn? Cocytus, that word sounds strange coming from you."
"Lord Ainz, I..."
"—Bold!"
Before Cocytus could continue speaking, Albedo rebuked him again.
Albedo's deafening voice had the majesty of the Guardian Overseer. Her black wings trembled slightly with anger, and her face gradually became distorted.
"Are you saying that there is more advanced wisdom in other worlds than that of the Supreme Beings? Or... Cocytus, have you lost the honor and dignity of a Guardian and started flattering those guys in the light screen instead?"
That was a serious accusation.
Cocytus realized his slip of the tongue. Cold sweat froze into ice crystals the moment it emerged from his body.
But this anger was quickly interrupted by the resounding sound of a staff hitting the ground.
"Albedo, be quiet. I am asking Cocytus. Don't be too presumptuous."
"I-I'm very sorry! Please forgive me..."
Albedo lowered her head and retreated into the shadows behind Lord Ainz.
His master's gaze turned and sharply stared at Cocytus.
"More advanced technology? I have also thought about that... Hmm, that point of attention is indeed necessary."
Ainz's voice had a hint of approval.
"Aren't you saying it well? Cocytus."
"If we want to learn, we can't maintain an aloof attitude."
Ainz's flashing red eyes surveyed all the Guardians, and he quickly decided in his heart.
"I'll leave this matter to you, Cocytus... Hmm, and Sebas. You two will be responsible for this together."
(Translator-kun: umm..... wait till you turn in Isekai Quartet and see.. Oppssss.... wrong project.)
—
[ Stelle looked at Himeko with confusion: "Don't those people know how to save themselves?"
Welt shook his head calmly: "Looking at this planet from our current perspective gives the illusion of being omniscient and omnipotent. But when you truly stand on that land, you will realize your own insignificance and helplessness."
Himeko: "I want to entrust this trailblazing journey to you, March 7th, and Dan Heng. The purpose of the journey is also very clear: find the Stellaron that brings disaster to the world and causes space warping, bring it back to the Express, and leave the rest to us."
Suddenly entrusted with such an important mission, Stelle subconsciously touched her head: "I suddenly feel a little sleepy..."
March 7th nudged Stelle gently with her elbow: "Don't give up at the beginning!"
Himeko smiled gently: "Someone has to stay on the Express, otherwise Pom-Pom will be very lonely. Moreover, we were just glanced at by Nanook, and it would be terrible if we were targeted by the Antimatter Legion again."
"You can talk to Dan Heng later about the ecology and observation data of Jarilo-VI. He has probably already started organizing it. It won't hurt to have more information before starting the journey." ]
[ ..... ]March 7th quietly leaned against the train window, her breath fogging up the glass as her slender fingers drew a cute smiley face on it.
"Not bad," Stelle's voice sounded unexpectedly from behind her.
"Eek! Hey, don't scare me like that!" March 7th shuddered, turning around abruptly to see Stelle's teasing smile.
"Did you come find me before departure because you're nervous about your first Trailblaze?" March 7th asked confidently, hands on her hips. "Don't worry, Dan Heng and I are Trailblazing veterans. Stick with us, and we'll guarantee you'll eat meat—well, provided we can find meat on that planet!"
"But, seeing this planet, I can't help but wonder—this world is all ice, could it have something to do with my past? Once that thought popped up, I couldn't stop thinking about it."
Stelle joked, "Maybe it's your hometown?"
"Probably not, right? I was trapped by a rare substance called Six-Phase Ice back then. It'd be hard to find on a regular planet, I think?" March 7th shook her head, suddenly shivering. "Honestly, I hope this isn't my hometown. It looks so cold, and a beautiful girl like me can't handle the cold very well!" ]
[ ..... ]
~Genshin Impact World~
"Uh... is that girl really going to a snowy place dressed like that?"
Seeing the cold planet in the light screen, Childe immediately thought of his happy hometown. He had experienced the freezing blizzards of Snezhnaya since he was a child.
Someone as lightly dressed as March 7th probably couldn't even walk across the snow-covered wasteland.
But compared to the snow of Snezhnaya, he preferred the scenery of Liyue at the moment.
There were many willows by the port of Liyue, just at the best time of year.
Along the port, every willow tree looked like it was made of jade. The willows swayed in the wind, and the water shimmered in the sunlight, the green of the world swaying together, a sight unseen in Snezhnaya.
His younger brother and sisters, Teucer and the others, were clamoring for Pom-Pom plush toys. Plus, the Fatui Harbingers had been arguing about the light screen, so he had no choice but to ask Pulcinella for a new assignment and come to Liyue to gather information on the Liyue high-ups' response plan to the light screen.
"Don't forget, Miss March 7th can also control ice elements herself."
Inside a high-end private room at Xinyue Kiosk, Zhongli slowly put down his chopsticks and took a sip of fine Chenyu Dewdrop Tea.
"That's true."
Childe hadn't expected to run into Zhongli, the Geo Archon, as soon as he arrived in Liyue. As the former top leader of Liyue, he only needed a meal to get a chance to be alone with this god. Seizing the opportunity, he finally asked the question he had always wanted to know.
"Mr. Zhongli, what do you think about this sudden light screen in the sky... and the Aeons inside?"
The aroma of tea wafted around, and Zhongli sighed contentedly. He stared at the celadon cup in his hand for a long time, his golden pupils reflected in the clear tea.
"Hmm, that... of course, we should watch while we eat."
"..."
—
[ As they were talking, Dan Heng slowly walked up from behind March 7th and joined the pre-departure discussion. But Dan Heng noticed that March 7th kept staring at him.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
"No, I was just imagining what interesting things we'll encounter... hehe!" March 7th scratched her head, looking cute and a little silly.
"..." Dan Heng sighed helplessly. "This world is already full of disasters. First, it's the Stellaron, and now you've got your eye on it."
Stelle tried to correct the straying topic and looked at Dan Heng.
"It's such a big planet, where should we land?"
Dan Heng: "I did a preliminary survey and found a place on the surface of this planet with a relatively normal temperature—but by normal, I mean humans can barely survive there."
"If we're going to choose a location for a Trailblaze investigation, I'd definitely choose that relatively warm place."
Stelle nodded in agreement. "Okay, let's go then."
"Yay!" March 7th finally couldn't contain her excitement and said happily,
"The Jarilo-VI Trailblazing Squad, now departing!"
The three of them descended into a pre-selected snowy field via drop pod.
The world before them was only one color: silver-white. The wind was blowing hard, and the snowflakes flew in the air like torn cotton, falling aimlessly everywhere.
The originally verdant pine needles were covered by years of accumulated snow, turning into white icicles.
"There's absolutely no sign of life..." Stelle took a deep breath, the cold air hurting her lungs and chest.
"It really is a snowy wasteland," March 7th said, looking around at the vast expanse of white.
Stelle: "It really is a snowy wasteland."
"You're just repeating me," March 7th said speechlessly, while Stelle put on a wronged expression.
"Hey, it's all white, where should we go?" March 7th looked at the omnipotent Dan Heng.
"According to the target location, the target is not far away," Dan Heng pointed in a direction in the distance. ]
[ ..... ]
~Zenless Zone Zero World~
"Speaking of which, why don't they just land at their destination?"
Inside the Underworld's "Gentle House," Nekomata looked at Nicole in confusion.
"Why do they have to walk so far? It's so cold."
"How would I know that? Anyway, I wouldn't walk that far."
"Uh... Boss Nicole, I think this is actually pretty easy to understand."
Billy slowly leaned closer to Neko, lowering his voice.
"Boss Nicole, do you remember that time? We drove through the Hollow to get the commission item, but we accidentally landed on the roof of a rich person's villa and smashed a hole in their house..."
"Enough, Billy! Don't mention the past!"
Nicole seemed to recall something very unpleasant and shook her head desperately, causing her large headlights to sway horizontally.
"That day, we were like the main characters in a movie, chased by the security officers for three whole hours."
Anby, who was watching the light screen intently, took a bite of her hamburger, revealing a rare, enjoyable expression.
"If we hadn't run away, we would have had to pay 35,000,000 credits and spend the rest of our lives in the New Eridu prison."
Although Nicole was still afraid, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride when she mentioned that incident, and she proudly raised her chin.
"Avoiding a 35,000,000 credit fine by running away for three hours, doesn't that mean we at Cunning Hares earned 35,000,000 credits in three hours?!"
Billy's eyes suddenly lit up with golden light, and he suddenly sat up in the rickety bed.
"That makes sense, Boss Nicole, you're a genius!"
—