Chapter 57: Can You Be in a Band with Me for a Lifetime?

The discussion about serious matters didn't last long. When even the most reliable Dan Heng nodded in agreement, the others, who were mostly just along for the ride, naturally had no objections.

The topic quickly shifted to where they should go have fun next.

To quote March 7th's preamble: "This is a brand new, fascinating world! Staying cooped up in the hotel goes against the spirit of Trailblazing! We absolutely have to go out and have a blast, roarrr!"

March 7th and Stelle launched into a lively, chattering discussion, with White Seele occasionally adding soft-spoken comments. Dan Heng remained calm and taciturn; the order of sightseeing didn't matter to him. Caelus, too, was silently pondering... how exactly was he going to help the people of Belobog escape the disastrous trap Cocolia had set?

Before long, the First Plenary Session of the Jarilo-VI Trailblaze Task Force concluded successfully.

"Haha! With Himeko and Uncle Yang not around, nobody can control me now— Super Little March, attack!" Like an Intertwined Fate manifesting as an overjoyed Samoyed, March bounced around, accidentally blurting out her true feelings. Although Dan Heng, the metaphorical dog-leashing post, was still present, being managed by siblings was clearly different from the constraints imposed by parents or elders.

"Yay— Stelle, attack!" The Stellaron host, channeling an energetic Husky, followed close behind.

White Seele, cute and well-behaved like a soft, blue, short-haired kitten, was Dan Heng's last bastion of comfort.

As for Caelus? He'd already flashed ahead to join the group!

Leaving the hotel and stepping onto the bustling street, the sight of March 7th's and Stelle's fair legs immediately drew the attention of passersby. There was no doubt that the legs belonging to the 'Intertwined Fate spirit' and the 'Stellaron host' were stunning enough to be admired all year round, but that wasn't the main reason for the stares. Seeing people flaunting fair legs in short skirts during the dead of winter, looking completely unfazed by the cold and as carefree as if on a spring outing – you'd stare too. Human evolution clearly left me behind! If everyone had such cold resistance, who would huddle indoors during snowstorms and cold snaps?

"Speaking of which, the temperature inside the city really is much higher than outside, huh~!" March 7th realized, a bit late.

"Is it because of those heaters?" White Seele pointed towards the roadside, where column-shaped devices glowing red-hot stood outside nearly every household. She tilted her head cutely, puzzled. "Those are for heating, right? Why are they placed outdoors?"

"Maybe it's to boost the 'Livability' stat?" Stelle pondered for a moment, giving an answer based on subconscious feedback, gesturing with her hands. "Surrounding your residence with wreaths, potted plants, or sculptures... whether it's useful or not, stacking up the Livability score is always the right move... Isn't that common sense?"

March 7th retorted, "What kind of bizarre common sense is that? I'm getting more and more curious about your hometown."

After a few seconds of thought, Dan Heng shook his head. "According to Captain Gepard, Belobog generates heat using a mineral called Geomarrow. Still, it's strange. I don't know the properties of Geomarrow, but raising the temperature of the entire city by tens of degrees... seems unlikely." The cold snap that brought doom to this civilization wasn't comparable to an ordinary winter. The frigid wind blew relentlessly day and night; the temperature outside the city ranged between -80°C and -30°C, while inside, it was above freezing, sometimes even reaching double digits.

Hearing this, Caelus patted Dan Heng's shoulder. "I think you should check out the library here later. You might find some clues." Having the Trailblazer run errands was a game mechanic; in reality, of course, the capable should do more work~! No one was better suited for investigating and summarizing intelligence than the multi-talented tool... ahem, Teacher Dan Heng.

"Mm, I was planning to," Dan Heng nodded, a hint of approval entering his gaze towards Caelus. He suddenly felt his impression of Caelus might have been too stereotyped; sometimes, Caelus was much more reliable than March!

Caelus flashed Dan Heng a brilliant smile. See~ See~, Dan Heng even praised me!

The five admired the sights and sounds of the city as they made their way to their first destination, Belobog's most symbolic landmark – the Everwinter Monument.

"The shape of this ice sculpture is really unique... Wait, what are you two trying to do?" March 7th's exclamation cut short as her tone shifted abruptly. Her expression changed, and quick as lightning, she grabbed Stelle's and Caelus's arms. "Seele, quickly, help me hold her!"

"Oh... Okay!" On the other side, seeing the situation escalate, Dan Heng acted decisively, locking Caelus in a firm hold from behind.

"Let go of me! March! I need to open the treasure chest!" Like a fish caught in a net, Stelle twisted and struggled violently, gazing longingly up at the apex of the Everwinter Monument where a dazzling light shimmered and swayed.

"Dan Heng! This is my once-in-a-lifetime request!" Caelus pleaded in a melodramatic tone that made Dan Heng's eyebrow twitch uncontrollably.

"..." Averting his gaze from the skin-crawling stare, Dan Heng silently retracted his earlier thought about Caelus being reliable.

"Eek! There are Silvermane Guards patrolling nearby! I only just got to lie on that soft bed for a little while; I don't want to spend tonight in jail!" Stelle possessed considerable brute strength. If not for Seele helping, March 7th alone might not have been able to restrain her. Vandalizing a cultural monument in broad daylight would land them more than just a few days in lockup. That's not the kind of Trailblazing path we want!

The plaza was bustling, and the group already stood out due to their unusual attire. Now that they were causing a commotion, they attracted even more attention. More and more eyes drifted their way. March 7th and Dan Heng felt like they were leashing two Huskies that had gone wild upon returning to the snow. With White Seele's help, they managed to drag the struggling pair away from the Everwinter Monument.

Under the public gaze, thwarted by Dan Heng and March 7th, Stelle understood that opening this treasure chest was probably impossible right now. Her eyes sharpened as she glanced sideways.

On the other side, Caelus mirrored her exact movement.

"Don't you dare sneak off!" they warned each other simultaneously. Filled with unyielding determination after staring each other down for a few seconds, Caelus and Stelle nodded in unison.

"Can't you two just settle down for a minute!" Although she had managed to restrain them for now, March 7th, knowing Stelle and Caelus well, didn't believe they would give up so easily.

And so... Super Little March devolved~ Stressed Little March! She was just a bit hyperactive; these two were genuinely troublesome!

Given Stelle and Caelus's... beautiful mental state, their sightseeing route was adjusted. They decided to first visit the Mechanical House, a place without critical facilities.

"We've arrived at the Mechanical House! Hey... Didn't Gepard say there are performances here?" March 7th looked left and right but saw no sign of any festive activity.

"His exact words were 'there are occasionally performances.' You filtered out the most crucial word," Dan Heng replied calmly.

"Darn it! I was really looking forward to it!" March 7th lamented, practically beating her chest.

"That's simple." The casual words made the disheartened Little March turn her head. She saw Caelus spreading his arms wide. "It's a pity there's no concert here, true, but we can totally put on our own concert!" Caelus raised a finger towards the sky, declaring with grand momentum, "The soul of rock and roll! It's best expressed through improvisational performance, roarrr!"

"Well said!" A voice full of approval and agreement came from within the Mechanical House, and a strikingly dressed woman pushed the door open and stepped out.

"Whoa, what a cool lady!" March 7th gasped instinctively.

A tall, graceful figure emerged. Stunning, gradient gold-blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She wore a severely eclectic mix-and-match black, white, and blue off-the-shoulder outfit, adorned with three gradient blue-purple feathers. Looking down, her right leg sported a tall boot, while her left leg fully showcased sheer black stockings that hinted at the skin beneath, giving off an impression of exquisite smoothness just by looking. It was a testament to stunning design.

After responding to March 7th's compliment with a polite smile and introducing herself, Serval turned to the gray-haired young man, her eyes sparkling with the joy of discovering a kindred spirit. "Hey there, kiddo. Interested in rock and roll?"

Facing Serval's intense gaze, as well as the surprised looks from March 7th and Stelle, Caelus crossed his arms, looking smug. "But of course! I know plenty about rock and bands!"

"Really?" Serval's voice involuntarily rose a few notches with excitement. Her hands had been itching to perform for ages. Unfortunately, she couldn't even gather enough band members. To think someone with the soul of rock would just show up on her doorstep!

Caelus snapped his fingers, a smirk playing on his lips. "Mm-hmm~ If you're interested, I can show you a thing or two."

"Alright! Come on in, quick! I've got instruments here. What do you play? Guitar, keyboard, or bass?" Overjoyed, Serval quickly ushered everyone inside.

"Don't need instruments."

"?" Caelus's single sentence made everyone, including Serval, freeze with bewildered expressions. No instruments? How would he perform then?

They watched as Caelus took a deep breath, and his mask ability activated! His expression turned serious, yet also somewhat timid. The light in his golden eyes shimmered, his posture meek, like a shy little animal finally steeling itself to reach out to the world, like the last piece of salvation grasped by a drowning person.

Caelus gazed into those ice-blue eyes, his voice a soft, deep murmur: "Hey, Big Sis Serval... will you form a band with me... for life?"

"?"

"? ?"

"???"

Question marks popped up above everyone's heads. March 7th did a tactical lean back. This is how you perform rock and roll?

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