Fate's Slave - Shadow Slave X Honkai Star Rail

After such a delectably filling meal, Sunny inwardly sighed in satisfaction.

’Ah... who would have thought that something as stupid as fish soaked in jam could taste so heavenly?’

After a few seconds, he froze, realizing where he was.

This was the Underworld of Belobog, a place that was not only isolated from the rest of the Universe, but was in a mystical ice age. And in this lower part of the city, the conditions were similar to the outskirts on Earth, which the people that inhabited the place barely lived better than a beast. Even then, that was up to interpretation.

So how in two worlds did the Underworld have such delicacies? Actually, Sunny had started to notice that Boulder Town was strangely well off — my much more than the area he had first arrived in alongside Sampo, where children were starving.

How would they even be able to obtain fish? Sunny understood that the crab they used seemed to have lived between rocks instead of within oceans, but unless the fish somehow had a way to swim through dirt and mud, or magically developed legs, then there would be no way to obtain them — all the oceans on Belobog were frozen after all.

There were two possibility that he could think of.

The first of which was that there was sort of farm for fish. If a large amount of fish was put in a supervised body of water that was safe from the effects of the Eternal Freeze, then they would be able to healthily reproduce, creating a sustainable food source for the people of Belobog.

The second possibility was that the fish was obtained outside of Jarilo-VI. However, the planet was completely isolated, as the Astral Express was the first visitors in centuries.

So only the first option was possible.

’...Why does this even matter?’

He could worry about that later. Sunny was more concerned about savoring the memory of the delicious food he had just eaten.

...Until he was unfortunately interrupted by the stall owner, who asked him and Bronya to leave if they weren’t going to order anything else, seeming as if he was going to close it down due to how late it was.

’Good food. Horrible customer service.’

***

Sunny and Bronya strolled through the streets of Boulder Town, the streets relatively empty. Summoning the Endless Spring, he took a swig of it before offering it to Bronya.

He expected her to decline, but she actually accepted it, drinking from the bottle of infinite water herself. She gazed at it in curiosity.

”This Memory... is extraordinarily useful. What Rank is it?”

Sunny grinned. She must have thought that it was at least of the Ascended Rank, since being able to have an endless pool of water seemed too amazing.

”It’s a Dormant Memory of the fourth Tier.”

Bronya blinked in astonishment as her face turned into an expression of disbelief. She shook her head as she passed the Endless Spring back to Sunny.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Sunny heard a familiar voice.

”...How much longer can you last with your current supplies?”

They both paused in their steps.

’Is that... Seele?’

He turned to look at Bronya, who seemed to share the same suspicions as he did. Looking in the direction of Seele’s voice, he found that she must have been at Natasha’s clinic.

’Let’s take a little look...’

They found Seele and Natasha talking in front of the clinic.

Seele sighed.

”...I know. I’ll go to Rivet Town and bring them back for you.”

In response, Natasha shook her head.

”It’s too dangerous to go alone. Get Oleg to send someone with you.”

Rolling her eyes, Seele replied:

”The rest of Wildfire has barely gotten any sleep the last few days. They should rest. Besides, I’d have to worry too much about what they see, which would only slow me down. Besides, didn’t you say some of the miners were gravely injured? Lives are on the line...”

”Is there trouble?”

Seele jumped up with a yell that was a few pitches too high. With her Awakened strength, she leaped a dozen meters back, staring at Sunny with shock on her face.

He didn’t use Shadow Step to purposely scare her. He would never...

”You... aren’t you supposed to be sleeping? What are you doing out here?”

Her gaze trailed to Bronya, who was just walking into the scene. Her eyes narrowed into a glare.

”...Up to no good, perhaps?”

Bronya scoffed.

”We’re just having a walk. Neither of us could sleep. You can rescind your baseless accusations.”

Seele sent Sunny a look of betrayal, which only caused him to sigh in annoyance.

’Overworlder, Underworlder... can’t you just be nice to each other? It’s not like you two personally did anything to the other...’

The purple-haired girl huffed.

”Hmph. Walk somewhere else, then...”

Natasha placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, having somehow walked over to where she had jumped to without being noticed.

”Easy, Seele, maybe they can help.”

Sunny immediately sprung up.

”If you’re asking, of course I’d help!”

A deafening silence resounded, before being broken up by a giggle from Natasha.

’What a beautiful sound!’

”Well, aren’t you enthusiastic. See Seele, I told you they can help.”

Seele stared at Natasha, as if saying:

’This bastard means it!’

Of course, she didn’t say this out loud, as Sunny was sending her a particular glare.

He felt a little smug about how easy it was to push her buttons.

Natasha continued.

”Here’s the situation: The clinic is packed full of people injured in the mines incident. Since you helped us resolve things, Seele and I have been busy caring for them. As you know, the underground is lacking resources to begin with. Add on the sudden nature of the incident, and it’s no surprise that the clinic is almost out of medical supplies. We need to acquire more... somehow.”

Sunny roughly understood what they were going to have to do. They would travel to Rivet Town, where they would be able to get more supplies for Natasha to treat the wounded.

”...Wait, why would it be dangerous for Seele to go there?”

That seemed somewhat strange. Seele was an Awakened after all, so there was no possible way that she would get mugged. Rather, people would need to worry about being mugged by her instead.

Seele sighed.

”As the Fragmentum spreads underground, more monsters go roaming around causing trouble for all the towns. That means more vagrants in the mines.”

Her face contorted into a scowl.

”The towns’ resources have been swallowed up by the Fragmentum. To get anything now, people have to risk their lives!”

Suddenly, Natasha patted her head, causing Seele’s face to redden in embarrassment.

”...Easy now, Seele. Anger isn’t good for one’s health.”

Sunny sniffled.

’Not only an admirable woman, but a skillful doctor as well!’

Natasha turned back to Sunny and Bronya.

”Seele and I actually aren’t from here. We both come from an industrial town to the north. A few years ago, the Fragmentum began to seep into the town center. I used to manage an orphanage and clinic there, but after the Fragmentum corroded the area, I had no choice but to move here to Boulder Town. After all, I have to survive myself if I want to save more people.”

Bronya hummed in understanding.

”Go to a corroded town to collect some useful resources? I’m in.”

Sunny nodded.

”Yeah... I guess I’m going too.”

She turned to look at him, one eyebrow cocked.

”You want to come as well? But you look quite tired.”

Well, he was pretty tired. Unfortunately, he couldn’t fall asleep whatsoever. There was a good chance that his narcolepsy might act up again, but...

’If I help Seele, I’ll score some points with Natasha, right?’

The Gloomy shadow mockingly glared at him.

Averting his gaze to look at the moody projection of himself, Sunny telepathically said:

’I’m not infatuated! I’m simply making the most optimal choice.’

If he was made to say that aloud, he would be able to. After all, it was the truth.

Rather, she was a person that Sunny heavily respected. After all, he didn’t have to pay for her medical services!

However, Sunny also knew that free things were the most expensive.

As such, he was willing to help her out in any way.

Seele’s voice broke his train of thought.

”Hold up! I never said you could join us!”

Sunny’s eye twitched. How could she hold so much spite for someone who hadn’t done anything to her?

That was his thing!

Bronya placed her hands on her hips.

”People’s lives are at stake. Why wouldn’t you want another person to help? Besides, I have some experience with the Fragmentums. I’m sure I will be of use.”

’Why can’t you be this reasonable, Seele?’

The girl in question looked away before sighing.

”Well... just don’t slow me down!”

Sunny didn’t miss the red tint on her ears. It seemed that she had an inclination towards blushing... at practically everything.

Natasha shook her head with a small smile on her face, amused by Seele’s antics. She waved her hand, beckoning for Sunny and Bronya to follow her.

”Come. Let me give you a list of materials we need.”