Chapter 247 - 247: Youth is Great, Sleeping Instantly

Baiheng's movements were simply too fast.

She was so quick that March 7th, Stelle, and Caelus barely had time to register the danger, let alone reach out to stop her. Before their desperate hands could grab her wrist, the second sip of that dark, ominous coffee slid down her throat. Her eyes rolled back, and she toppled straight backward like a felled tree, hitting the plush cushions with a soft thud.

"Hey, her hand speed is way too fast!" Caelus stared at the unconscious Foxian, his eyes wide with disbelief. "I didn't even get to finish saying 'Wait up'!"

"Himeko—" March 7th clutched her head, her pink hair flying in all directions as panic set in. "You... you actually added Fermented Mung Bean Soda to the coffee?!"

The delirious mumble Baiheng had let out right before fainting finally clicked in the archer's mind. Fermented Mung Bean Soda? March 7th leaned forward, vigorously sniffing the air around the cup. Where was that signature, terrifyingly sour stench? Who in the universe would ever recommend Fermented Mung Bean Soda to Himeko?

Yet, the obvious truth lay before them: Himeko had genuinely mixed the infamous biohazard into her brew.

"That's right. It is a renowned Xianzhou specialty drink, after all."

Himeko cradled her own coffee cup, her posture the picture of elegant composure. A faint, almost imperceptible hint of smugness danced in her amber eyes as she shared her latest culinary breakthrough. "I think the fusion is quite harmonious. Little March, would you like to try some?"

"Hahahaha, no thanks, Sister Himeko! Please, keep it and enjoy it yourself slowly—"

March 7th retreated three steps in rapid succession, waving her hands so frantically they blurred into afterimages. 'Monsters and demons, begone, begone, begone!' she chanted internally, treating the porcelain cup like a cursed artifact.

"But Himeko..." Stelle leaned closer to the rim of the offending cup, her golden eyes clouded with genuine academic confusion. "How did you manage to add Fermented Mung Bean Soda to the coffee without unleashing that strange, sour smell?"

Stelle gave the dark liquid a cautious sniff. To her absolute bewilderment, she couldn't detect even a trace of the soda's notoriously pungent odor. It was truly bizarre.

"It is the coffee itself. The rich, roasted aroma of the beans completely overpowered the scent of the Fermented Mung Bean Soda." Himeko smiled warmly, her tone carrying the quiet pride of an artisan admiring her masterpiece.

"...That really is a Genius Society-level design flaw," Caelus muttered, nodding slowly as he stared at the cup with newfound respect and terror.

The three Trailblazers simultaneously lowered their gazes to the sofa. Baiheng lay sprawled across the cushions, completely dead to the world. Right beside her, a fluffy Cat Cake lay flat on its back in the exact same stiff posture. One large and one small, perfectly and peacefully synchronized in their comatose state.

"So... what do we do now?" A heavy layer of helplessness coated March 7th's voice.

"You three go on ahead and enjoy Belobog first." Himeko set her cup down on the saucer with a soft clink. She leaned over, gently smoothing a stray lock of white hair away from Baiheng's forehead. "I will watch over her here. I still need to get her later."

Gazing down at the Foxian's peaceful, sleeping face, a gentle smile graced the navigator's lips. To possess the sheer courage to take a second sip after experiencing the first... Himeko deeply respected this unyielding spirit of Trailblaze.

If Baiheng were awake, she might have cried out that she only took the second sip to confirm if her tastebuds were hallucinating the soda while her nose smelled nothing. Himeko, blissfully unaware, simply admired her bravery.

"Well... well then, we will be going now..."

The three young Trailblazers slowly backed out of the Parlor Car, their expressions a complicated mix of pity, awe, and sheer survival instinct.

The heavy doors to the Parlor Car slid open a short while later. Leon strolled in alone, his footsteps light against the carpeted floor. Serval was still resting back in their room, thoroughly exhausted from the previous night's activities, leaving him to start the morning solo.

"Morning, Himeko," he greeted casually, stretching his arms.

"Morning, Leon." Himeko looked up, a familiar, welcoming smile blooming on her lips. "You came at an awkward time; March and the others just left." She paused, her gaze drifting briefly to the empty space behind him. "Where is Serval? Still sleeping?"

"Yeah, letting her rest a little longer."

Leon closed the distance to the central lounge, his casual gaze sweeping over the plush seating. He stopped. His eyes locked onto the unconscious Foxian draped across the cushions.

"Baiheng is aboard? Why is she passed out on the sofa?" Leon raised an eyebrow. A very specific, highly suspicious sense of deja vu washed over him. He slowly turned his head, his gaze shifting from the comatose girl to the elegant navigator. "...Did she drink your coffee?"

Himeko maintained perfect eye contact. Her smile did not waver a single millimeter. Internally, she might have been questioning his bluntness, but outwardly, she was the picture of innocence.

"She probably just arrived on the Astral Express and was far too excited to rest well last night," Himeko replied, her tone steady, smooth, and utterly composed. "See? Youth is great. She fell asleep instantly."

Leon let out a low chuckle. He didn't offer a verbal response. He simply stood there, his hands tucked into his pockets, staring at Himeko with an amused, knowing glint in his eyes. The silent communication between them was deafening.

'Guess whether I believe you or not?'his raised brow seemed to say.'I think you should believe me,' her serene smile silently replied.

Neither spoke a word, yet the air crackled with their unspoken banter.

After a long, quiet moment, Himeko gracefully broke the standoff. She reached for a pristine porcelain cup, elegantly poured a fresh serving from her carafe, and presented it to him with both hands.

"You just woke up, right? Come, have a cup of coffee to refresh yourself."

Leon accepted the saucer. The dark liquid within was rich in color, boasting a delicate, oily sheen across its surface. He gave it a subtle sniff. It smelled... exactly like premium roasted coffee. But as his sharp eyes pierced through the dark surface, his overpowered perception immediately caught the subtle, unnatural viscosity swirling at the bottom. Fermented Mung Bean Soda. And a heavy dose of it, at that.

His lips twitched. "...I don't think that is necessary."

"Not drinking it?" Himeko's voice softened, carrying a distinct, heavy note of regret. "That is a shame."

She looked down at the carafe, her expression shifting into something surprisingly lonely. She looked exactly like an unrecognized artist, a brilliant visionary repeatedly presenting her greatest treasures to a universe that simply refused to appreciate her genius.

Leon let out a long, defeated sigh. He had a soft spot for the women on this train, and Himeko playing the lonely artisan card was a critical hit.

"...Fine. I will try a little."

He brought the rim to his lips and took a cautious sip.

His facial muscles instantly locked. His expression froze completely for exactly zero point three seconds as the unholy fusion of bitter roast and fermented sourness assaulted his palate.

Recovering instantly, Leon tilted his head back and downed the entire cup in one smooth, aggressive motion. Or, at least, that was what it looked like. In reality, the moment the dark liquid passed his lips, he smoothly manipulated spatial coordinates, transferring the cursed brew directly into another dimension.

[Aeons Chat Group]

Leon: [Himeko's latest special blend coffee. Who's interested?]

Aha: [Ahahaha—that nostalgic taste! Is it back again?!]

Aha: [Lan! This is a special edition with your Xianzhou specialty added! Want a cup?]

Lan: [Get lost.]

Aha: [Yaoshi, Yaoshi! Do you want to try it? That kid Lan won't even touch it—what a coward!]

Yaoshi: [In that case... I suppose I can try it.]

HooH: (Silently opened Aha's dialogue box and intercepted the coffee.)

Himeko, naturally, remained completely unaware of the cosmic undercurrents and spatial theft occurring in the Aeons Chat Group. From her perspective, she only saw Leon down the coffee in a single, heroic gulp, lower the empty porcelain cup, and maintain a perfectly normal, healthy complexion.

The corners of her mouth lifted, forming a genuinely beautiful, radiant curve. She truly hadn't expected it. Leon had actually finished the entire cup without passing out.

Himeko was well aware of the terrifying reputation her coffee held aboard the Astral Express. While she personally never felt her brews were anything less than exquisite, the other passengers consistently failed to appreciate her art.

"Would you like a refill?" she asked, her smooth voice carrying a bright, eager expectation she hadn't even noticed herself.

It was incredibly rare for anyone to finish her experimental blends. If Leon could handle this level of intensity, it meant her recipe was finally perfect. And if Leon could accept it... then surely March 7th, Stelle, and Caelus would be able to appreciate it too, right? She could finally use this exact ratio as her new baseline standard, confidently brewing this potent mixture for the entire crew every morning!

"Alright, I will have a bit more," Leon agreed with a dry smile, playing the role of the perfect guinea pig. He handed over his empty cup, let her refill it to the brim, and 'finished' it a second time, secretly dumping the payload straight into the chat group.

Just as Himeko was pouring a third serving, a faint rustling sound came from the sofa. Baiheng's long eyelashes fluttered. With a soft groan, the Foxian groggily forced her eyes open, her mind still swimming in a dark, roasted haze.

As her blurred vision finally snapped into focus, the very first thing she saw was Leon casually accepting a third, brimming cup of that cursed dark liquid directly from Himeko's hands.

"Don't drink it—!"

Baiheng practically launched herself off the sofa, her Foxian ears standing straight up in sheer panic. Her voice was hoarse from her sudden coma, yet it echoed through the Parlor Car, laced with absolute, unadulterated terror. "That coffee has Fermented Mung Bean Soda in it—!"

Ignoring her desperate warning, Leon brought the rim to his lips and drained the third cup right in front of her, his relaxed expression never changing by a single fraction.

Baiheng froze, utterly stunned. Her jaw dropped slightly as her bewildered gaze darted frantically back and forth between Leon's perfectly calm, healthy face and Himeko's deeply gratified, radiant smile.

Standing there in the quiet Parlor Car, the Foxian seriously began to question the fabric of her own reality.

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