Chapter 627: Asta’s Fantasy World

After giving a few final instructions, Pei Guang prepared to leave.

He still had to return to the space station to handle the aftermath of this mission, and once everything was settled, he would bring Asta back.

To Pei Guang, this whole affair had been deeply satisfying. Blowing up a planet with his own hands felt way more thrilling than just clicking buttons in front of a screen. 

The only thing he regretted was that, although the Star Destroyer had a collection function, due to a shortage of manpower and storage space, it couldn't harvest the resources of an entire planet.

Still, it didn't matter. With the planet Asta had gifted him, Pei Guang didn't even care about this barren one.

Pei Guang moved on to the next mission. 

The clean, decisive destruction and revenge carried out by a player like him was enough to catch the attention of the Aeons.

Unfortunately, during Pei Guang's first class advancement, Akivili's Trailblaze 'Gun' beat them to it, meaning that before unlocking his second class or second advancement, Pei Guang couldn't receive the gaze of any Aeon.

To be honest, every Aeon now wished Pei Guang could become their Emanator, a walker of their Path. But regrettably, his new class hadn't been unlocked yet.

No matter. According to the current progression, Pei Guang would gain a new class change opportunity at the next stop, Penacony…

The planet where Duke Inferno had been was destroyed. 

For life across the universe, a planet getting blown up wasn't exactly breaking news. In the blink of an eye, countless planets were destroyed across the galaxy, and countless civilizations were born anew.

But what truly made the brains of everyone in the universe buzz was a wide-range broadcast. It was so loud and clear that nearly every civilization capable of receiving information heard it distinctly.

Some planets that hadn't yet achieved interstellar travel fell completely silent upon receiving the message. Limited by their level of technology, they could only vaguely interpret Pei Guang's broadcast.

Words like "kill" and "blow up"… For these civilizations that hadn't yet left the cradle of their homeworlds, it was the first time they'd felt a threat from beyond the stars.

Many didn't understand what was going on. 

Who was Asta? Why had he broadcasted something like that across the whole universe for her?

But those who did know Asta were completely stunned when they received the message. What? That Asta? Was it really her?

If it was just someone with the same name, fine. But if it was really her...

Sure enough, Asta herself didn't receive the broadcast, but her mother did, and contacted her immediately.

"When are you going to bring him over so I can meet him~?"

"Sweetie, I fully support your right to love freely."

"It's fine if he doesn't want to marry into our family, just marry him instead. As long as you don't wrong yourself, that's what matters."

"Do you have enough allowance? If you're in a relationship, what I give you weekly surely isn't enough, right?"

Looking at the messages from her mother, Asta was completely confused. But when she actually read the content her mother had sent, her breathing became heavy.

"No wonder it got misunderstood. But still…"

Asta looked at what Pei Guang had sent across the universe. 

You could almost call it a confession—and a confession on a galactic scale, at that. How many girls in this world would ever get to experience something like that?

Just thinking about it, Asta couldn't help but daydream about what it would be like to be with Pei Guang. 

Should their first child be a boy or a girl? Or maybe a pair of twins, one boy and one girl?

Asta fell into her fantasy. 

But after a while, she quickly shook her head. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible. Ah Guang didn't mean it like that. Maybe he's just… simple. But, players are usually pretty flirtatious, right? Still, it's just a fantasy~ Just thinking~ Just thinking~"

As a girl, Asta had her own time for fantasies. Sometimes, even knowing that something was impossible, she couldn't help herself. 

She could tell that the bond between Pei Guang, March 7th, and Stelle was already unbreakable. She also knew she hadn't really thought of Pei Guang that way before, but hearing words like that, maybe she just felt a little shy?

But either way, it didn't matter: just thinking about it was fine~

With that thought, a smile appeared on Asta's face again. Just doing nothing, imagining something that could only happen in stories… it was enough to make even her heart race a little.

Just as she was lost in her fantasy, a voice interrupted her.

"Asta? Asta~~~"

Pei Guang's sudden appearance shattered her fantasy. And since the person she was just fantasizing about had suddenly appeared in front of her, Asta's heart stirred a little.

"Huh? It's you! Everything done?" Her heart was beating faster, but once reality hit and her fantasy dissolved, she quickly steadied herself.

Pei Guang: "All settled. Your mission is complete~ And I've got good news for you: your missing staff are all safe. They're just a bit weak and shaken from being confined for so long, but overall they're fine."

That sentence lit up Asta's face with joy. "Really? Everyone's okay? That's great…"

While she was happy, Asta also felt a bit melancholic, because she knew it was time to leave the Astral Express. To her, being able to stand on the train and gaze out at the universe, imagining impossible things, had already been a precious experience. 

Now, it was time to return to work.

The staff needed comforting, the space station's supplies needed managing, and there were countless other responsibilities waiting for her. But to her, the space station was where she could realize her value, and that still filled her with motivation.

At this moment, though, a thought crossed her mind.

She turned to Pei Guang and said:

"Can I give you a personal, permanent mission?"

Pei Guang's eyes lit up. "Mission? Permanent mission? Quick! Tell me!"

Asta: "Mhm~ My task is simple~ When I'm tired or don't have anything to do, how about you take me out for a walk? Ahem, don't get the wrong idea… I just really envy your ability to go anywhere freely. I just want to use it for some selfish little wishes of mine~"

Pei Guang: "Of course, no problem! A permanent task? So every time I fulfill it, I get a reward?"

Asta: "That's right~ Credit points, rare items, and… my personal affection~ Hehe~"

If March 7th had been present, she would've definitely noticed Asta's impure intentions, but Pei Guang didn't think too much about it, because the task sounded way too normal.

Compared to other tasks, where royalty ranging from kings to princesses sneak off to explore the world, Asta's little request for a sightseeing trip was almost laughably simple.

Pei Guang even had a better idea: he could take Asta out for the task, then call March 7th along, and once they reached the destination, leave Asta to wander while he went on a date with March 7th. 

Just thinking about it felt perfect.

As that idea formed in his mind, Pei Guang's eyes gleamed with the cunning light only a player could have. His constantly fluctuating intelligence and emotional awareness blinded him to any of Asta's subtle feelings.

Pei Guang: "Perfect! I'll take your permanent task. Just call me when you need something. We Trailblazers will do everything we can to complete your mission."

Asta: "Yay~ It's getting late, so please take me back to the space station."

Asta reached out her hand to Pei Guang: she knew that teleportation with him required physical contact, and she was just making it easier for him.

Trust me!