Becoming a Star In Honkai: Star Rail!

Another monday, another week of work... Can you feel the weariness in my writing? Unfortunately, salarymans can only resign themselves to the cruelty of capitalism. I'm writing this while lying on my couch, shivering from the cold, but too lazy to get up and grab a blanket. That said, I spent this Sunday and Saturday playing Honkai Star Rail, and I realized how much content there is to be explored... I could barely read all the contents of the Space Station and Xianzhou books even after spending hours in front of the phone screen until my eyes were dry. I'm thinking about bringing these stories into my fic somehow, but I'm afraid it'll disrupt the main story's pace too much, so... Maybe I'll do something like Side-Chapters later.

Anyway, don't worry too much about this note, I'm just an attention-starved author with no one to talk to (I also have no desire to talk to anyone tho).

ASS: ANARCHIE.

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March 7th: "~ Phew, finally..."

With an exhausted sigh, March sat in the middle of Michael's room with her legs crossed in an unladylike manner.

After an entire afternoon of cleaning and moving items to another car, all that was left in Michael's room now was a dusty red rug they had spread on the floor, where March was sitting, a small old tube TV, and the broken Snowmobile.

Stelle tried to get the old TV to work somehow, but even after hitting it with her baseball bat, the TV remained off.

"...Why don't you plug it in first?"

Stelle: "Oh..."

Stelle stared at Michael with an impassive expression, causing him to twist his lips slightly.

March 7th: "What are you carrying there, Michael?"

March asked curiously. Michael was carrying an old box in his arms with several bottles inside.

"It's wine, I don't know who left it here, but it was well hidden. Probably whoever kept it didn't want it to be found."

March 7th: "Wine? Le'mme see!"

March suddenly jumped, almost putting his head inside the box and quickly taking out one of the wine bottles from inside the box. It was dusty, but well preserved.

March 7th: "There's no label or anything... Is it some cheap drink?"

"Heh... If it was any cheap drink it wouldn't be hidden like that. It's probably some kind of limited edition wine."

March 7th: "What you say makes sense... Hey, how about we have a drink?"

"That's not a good idea, we don't know what the drink is or who it belongs to. Do you really want to drink that?"

Michael's words made March 7th start to reflect, she was weighing the pros and cons of taking a risk on drinking before Michael spoke.

"Go call Dan Heng, we'll have him try it for us."

Exchanging a knowing smile full of mischief, March ran out of the room. Michael set the box down on the carpet and looked around.

His room was big enough for him to set up a miniature studio. It would come in handy in the future, so he took advantage of the time March 7th was out to log onto a shop site on his phone, starting to use Asta's credit card frenetically.

'At this rate, my economic sense may end up distorted...'

Sighing, Michael lamented. Still, his fingers kept tapping on the screen at an alarming speed.

After a few long minutes, March 7th returned dragging Dan Heng by the collar.

March 7th: "This guy really didn't want to come..."

Dan Heng: "Tsk..."

Dan Heng clicked his tongue with a hint of dissatisfaction, standing up as he brushed the dust off his clothes after being dragged across the car by March 7th's hands.

Dan Heng: "What do you need?"

"We found this box of wine while cleaning the room, so I told March 7th to get you. Let's drink it together."

Michael invited Dan Heng with a soft smile that would prevent anyone from saying no.

It was Dan Heng, though.

Dan Heng: "I avoid drinking alcohol."

March 7th: "Oh, come on! Just one drink and if you don't like it we won't insist any further, how about that?"

"Yeah, anyway there's no one underage here, right? Oh, except Stelle."

Stelle: ? I'm already a grown-up and independent woman, you know.

Stelle: Now, where do I stick this plug?

Dan Heng sighed lightly at March 7th and Michael's insistence, he lightly rubbed his temples and finally gave in, sitting down on the carpet beside Michael.

Dan Heng: "Fine..."

March 7th: "Yey! Quick, Michael, open the bottle before Dan Heng regrets it! I'll get the glasses, just wait, I'll be back!"

March 7th shot out like a hurricane. Michael shook his head, subtly exasperated. With his bare hands, he easily removed the cork from the bottle, causing a 'pop' to echo audibly in the room.

Immediately, a rich scent of grapes filled the room. The mere smell of the wine intoxicated Michael, he couldn't help but pause for a moment, just appreciating it as his mind unconsciously relaxed.

Dan Heng: "That's is a good wine!"

"I thought you didn't drink?"

"Avoiding drinking and not drinking are two different things."

At that moment, even Dan Heng seemed a little eager to take a sip. This was how good the wine smelled, even Stelle came over at some point, sitting down beside Michael with an greedy expression.

Fortunately, March 7th didn't keep them waiting much longer. But surprisingly, she returned along with Himeko and Welt in tow.

Both Himeko and Welt had some snacks in their hands.

Himeko: "March said you guys found wine? I was already thinking about celebrating your entry into the Express, so I prepared some snacks. It's a small thing, but allow me to officially welcome you, Stelle and Michael."

"That's very kind of you, Miss Himeko."

Michael thanked him, and Stelle nodded in acknowledgement. Welt smelled the wine from afar, his eyes blinking in surprise.

Welt: "They say that you can identify the quality of a wine just by its smell. This one, apparently, is a high-quality drink."

To Welt's analisys, Michael agreed wholeheartedly. Although the red carpet wasn't very big, it was enough to accommodate everyone together; suddenly, Michael's room didn't seem so big anymore.

Michael poured a glass of wine for all the Nameless Ones, and together they shared the snack, chatted happily, and eventually opened up to each other.

Not surprisingly, March 7th was the first to give in. After downing three glasses of wine, she simply lay down on the carpet with a flushed face and reluctantly fell asleep.

Stelle didn't last much longer, although she had drunk less than March, her increasingly sleepy expression betrayed her, and soon she fell asleep with her head on Michael's lap.

Dan Heng: "I... I'm going back to my room..."

Dan Heng muttered vaguely. Although he had lasted longer than the two girls, his face had also already started to burn due to the drinking.

"You don't look so good, here, have some water."

Michael offered a glass to Dan Heng, who accepted it with a nod of thanks and drank it.

Dan Heng: "Pfft-! F*ck! Why does this water taste like alcohol?!"

"Oh, sorry, I mistook the wine bottle with a bottle of water..."

Dan Heng: "We didn't even bring water to begin with!"

With trembling hands, Dan Heng stomped out of Michael's room, but he stumbled halfway and almost fell.

Himeko, who showed no signs of having gotten drunk yet, laughed lightly. She patted March's head gently, watching everyone with a soft expression and a subtle smile.

She was happy.

Welt, on the other hand, had limited himself to a single glass of wine, so he was still far from feeling drunk.

Good things like this were best enjoyed little by little.

Originally, he intended to take the opportunity to ask Michael a few questions and probe him a bit.

But looking at everyone like that, he suddenly put that idea out of his mind for now.

Age softens even the strongest of men.

He wished things could always be this peaceful.

Looking at Himeko, Welt had to force himself not to reveal a trace of melancholy in his expression. He soon stood up in a composed manner, holding his cane.

Welt: "Come on, Himeko. Let the kids get some rest."

Welt called out, and Himeko nodded. She kissed March on the forehead as a goodnight and stood up, waving to Michael before leaving with her good friend.

Michael had drunk the most of the group, but was still well enough to not fall asleep instantly.

In his previous career, knowing how to drink was essential for everyone. That skill seemed to have followed him here as well.

Sighing, Michael thought of his family.

He regretted that he would never be able to see them again.

Looking at Stelle and March who were sleeping peacefully.

Remembering Himeko's gentle expression that resembled a loving mother.

Welt's caution, reminiscent of a strict father, but who cared about everyone deep down.

Dan Heng's care, which could be strict at times, but was warm inside.

'A family, huh...'

It's a good thing to have.