Chapter 72: Old Sampo

Chen carefully examined his reflection, taking stock of his current Bronya guise.

Hmm, the clothes were impeccable, the face a perfect replica… but wait. This iconic, three-spiral silver hair… it seemed Caelus had decided to use it as a makeshift pillow last night.

The distinctive coil of hair on the right side had come loose, its perfect spiral now a slightly disheveled mess that completely ruined the otherwise delicate and pristine aesthetic.

“Tsk, it’s a mess.”

Chen frowned, a flicker of annoyance crossing his borrowed features. This particular hairstyle of Bronya’s was notoriously difficult to maintain.

For a normal person, that is. For him, it wasn’t a problem at all.

With a single, focused thought, the world shimmered.

Bronya’s elegant figure dissolved, collapsing back into his own male form for a fleeting instant before immediately reforming. The new—or rather, renewed—Bronya stood in the same spot, but her iconic three-spiral silver hair was once again restored to its immaculate, perfectly coiled state.

“Perfect.”

Chen nodded in satisfaction at his refreshed self in the glass, then gave the hem of his skirt a final, smoothing tug.

‘As expected of the one-key restore function,’he mused.’It’s far more useful than any can of hairspray or comb.’

With his appearance now flawless, he wasted no more time. He opened the door to his room and stepped out into the hallway.

The others were mostly ready, gathered in the corridor of the Goethe Hotel.

Dan Heng, ever the picture of calm reliability, was murmuring something to March 7th. Her posture was poised, her expression serene—a stark contrast to the boy beside her.

March 7th, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with energy. He spotted Chen immediately and waved with vigor.

“Bronya! Over here, over here! We were just about to go downstairs!”

Meanwhile, the real Lord Bronya was already waiting near the top of the stairs, his arms crossed. When his gaze fell on Chen, Chen immediately noticed a distinct difference from the day before.

Yesterday, Lord Bronya’s gaze had been a maelstrom of shock, vigilance, and a complex, almost painful thrum of emotion whenever it landed on him. Now, that storm had passed. The turbulence was gone, replaced by a quiet, more composed concern.

Especially when his eyes took in Chen’s well-rested and energetic appearance, Chen caught a flicker of relief on the young man’s face—a relief he probably wasn’t even aware he was showing. It seemed Furina’s words last night about bonds and choices had truly helped him sort through some things.

“Is everyone ready?” Lord Bronya asked, his voice steady and regaining its usual authority. “Then let’s go downstairs for a meal before we set off. Seele should already be waiting for us.”

The group descended the staircase and, just as predicted, found Seele in the lobby.

He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, his expression as cold and impatient as ever. Still, as they came down, he gave a curt nod of acknowledgement.

But it was the person at his feet that made Chen’s eyelid twitch.

Sampo.

This world’s female Sampo, still dressed in her flashy, borderline-gaudy attire, her face plastered with a smile so practiced and flattering it could probably sell sand in a desert.

Seeing the group descend, her eyes lit up. She rubbed her hands together with an almost cartoonish glee.

“Oh, is everyone up? Did you all sleep well? My, my… Miss Bronya, you look absolutely radiant this morning!”

Chen maintained a polite, slightly distant smile—a perfect imitation of Bronya’s own—but his mind was racing. ‘Why is she here again? And what is she doing with Seele?’

As if sensing the collective confusion, Seele curled his lip in annoyance and explained, his tone grudging.

“Aunt Oleg arranged it. She said the path deep into the Mechanical Settlement is riddled with old mine shafts and forks. It’s easy to get lost.” He gestured vaguely toward the woman. “She’s making this… Sampo… lead the way. Apparently, she’s familiar with the area.”

Sampo immediately chimed in, her smile widening. “Yes, yes, yes! Very familiar! You can leave it all to me! I guarantee I’ll deliver everyone safely to the territory of the big boss, Svarog!”

After a quick breakfast of hot soup and dry rations prepared by Oleg, the group set off with Seele and their new, unwelcome guide.

As they left the relative order of Boulder Town’s core, the alleys grew more dilapidated and rugged. The neatly carved stone gave way to rough-hewn passages, and soon, traces of manual excavation were replaced entirely by natural caves and the gaping mouths of abandoned mine shafts.

The light grew dimmer, the air cooler, thick with the scent of damp earth and stone. Light became a precious commodity, provided only by the scattered, pale glow of Geomarrow deposits embedded in the walls and the handheld lamps the group carried.

Sampo led the way, her steps surprisingly light and sure-footed. Her mouth, however, was never idle.

“This section here used to be the main vein,” she’d announce cheerfully. “That fork over there leads to an old water source, but it dried up ages ago.”

As they walked, she suddenly seemed to remember something and turned her head, her sharp eyes sweeping over March 7th, Dan Heng, Caelus, and finally, Chen. Her gaze lingered on March 7th as she asked, with a practiced air of casual curiosity, “Hey, young man March 7th, I’m a bit curious. Before… I remember in your little team, wasn’t there another… um, male companion? Is he not with you all?”

March 7th had been whispering to Caelus about how “this road is really hard to walk.” Hearing Sampo’s question, his ears perked up, and he glared at her like a cat protecting its kittens.

“Why are you asking that? What crooked scheme are you cooking up now?”

He took a half-step forward, instinctively shielding Caelus and Chen-as-Bronya behind him. His tone was laced with suspicion.

“I’m telling you, Sampo, don’t think we’re easy to deceive! Although… although last time it was Chen who first… ahem! Anyway, don’t even think about scamming him! He has other important matters to attend to and isn’t traveling with us!”

March 7th had nearly blurted out, “it was Chen who scammed you first,” but managed to bite his tongue just in time.

Sampo was merely amused by his defensive reaction, waving a dismissive hand.

“Oh, don’t be so nervous, young man! I was just asking out of curiosity. After all, that young man Chen… he seemed quite interesting.”

At the mention of ‘Chen,’ the real Lord Bronya’s head turned slightly, a flicker of interest in his eyes, but he remained silent. Seele, on the other hand, let out a cold snort, clearly unimpressed with Sampo’s roundabout way of prying for information.

Chen, however, was laughing internally.

‘This woman is really holding a grudge,’he thought, a smirk playing on his mind’s lips.’She’s still hung up on finding me.’The irony was delicious.’Too bad for you, Sampo… Chen is right behind you, trotting along obediently in a skirt.’

[Elysian’s Note:

Having a good time with the story?

Every single bit helps immensely:

Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]