Stelle sat on the chair in front of the bed, staring blankly at the feather on the table.
It carried the hope of the Sky Haven Clan, and it also carried Leon's past.
She hadn't understood before why Leon would hand over something so important, leaving it to Mr. Welt and Himeko to handle.
Now, everything was crystal clear.
Walking alone on a path like that… it was far too bitter, far too painful.
"I'm useless… Leon, I couldn't reach the deeper parts of your past, couldn't awaken those beautiful memories."
"You saved me, saved March, saved everyone so many times, yet I…"
"Not only did I fail everyone's expectations, I couldn't even repay a fraction of the kindness—not even once, not even succeed in saving you…"
"As a companion, I'm truly too incompetent."
Stelle took a deep breath, gathering the sorrow in her heart.
"But I absolutely won't give up here, and I definitely won't fall into despair."
"You said the universe is so vast, and we walk the path of Trailblaze—someday, we'll reach a place that can wake you!"
"Until then… I can only ask you to bear with it a little longer… please sleep a while more…"
"…But, but… you're already like this, and I'm still asking you to accept my rude request. As expected, I'm still useless…"
Stelle clenched her fists tightly, closed her eyes helplessly, and didn't dare look at Leon.
Every time she saw Leon sleeping, guilt would surge like a tidal wave.
Leon had done so much for her and everyone, yet she couldn't even accomplish the one thing that could help him.
"Silly child, you've already done very, very well."
"If I'd done well, I wouldn't have come back alo—"
Stelle instinctively replied, then realized something. Her face instantly froze, and disbelief gradually welled up in her eyes.
Leon's… voice?
Was it an auditory hallucination…?
[???]
[Holy shit? Holy shit!!]
The frame froze on Stelle's stunned expression.
Countless players who had been listening to her self-blaming monologue felt a heavy weight in their hearts—it didn't feel good at all.
But the moment Leon's voice suddenly rang out, it was like a dying patient jolting upright in bed—pure shock and instant alertness.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH——!!!"
Leon's solo-stans, like Ah Xian, let out ear-piercing screams that shattered soundproof walls.
She was live-streaming with headphones on, and that voice seemed to come with full spatial surround simulation—like it really sounded right behind her.
Completely unexpected, without a single hint of warning.
"Husband husband husband!!!"
"That was Leon husband's voice just now, right?!"
Stelle stiffly turned her neck.
A hand gently rested on her head and lightly ruffled her hair.
"Astral Express, your Nameless One Leon is back. Not going to welcome me?"
Leon smiled gently, exactly like always.
Stelle's little face went through rapid changes, but in the end her eyes reddened as she forced the same smile.
Only the tremor in her voice betrayed her uncontrollable excitement.
"…Of course—welcome back, Doctor Leon!"
[Good good good good good!]
[Sorry scriptwriter, I was a bit loud earlier. This game really is a space comedy.]
[Leon didn't get knifed to death—great! Tingyun will definitely come back too!]
[Who said just because it's Honkai: Star Rail, characters have to die? Step forward!]
[Don't pop the champagne yet. Leon's Express crew—Tingyun isn't. And who can guarantee he won't die later?]
[Whatever—right now I'm screaming at the top of my lungs: Father is back!!!]
[The episode I envy female Trailblazer players the most! So warm—like an old father feeling proud because his daughter turned out amazing.]
[What about male Trailblazer?]
[If you picked male Trailblazer, Leon's action is different—he pats the shoulder instead of ruffling hair.]
[Pfft, who cares—I hereby declare 1.3 storyline ends happily! Father not only gifted himself as a free strong 5-star, he came back safely!]
[The process was still pretty brutal… anyway, we still gotta feel bad for Father.]
[Ah Xian, say something!]
Yet in the camera, Ah Xian's eyes had long been invaded by sand.
She didn't even grab a tissue to wipe—suddenly, as if struck by a mysterious illness, she used her limbs and voice to express her feelings:
"Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband ●▛▙ Leon husband Leon husband——"
[Hiss...]
[Wtf???]
The live audience was shocked for a hundred years!
Seeing that woman writhing on the floor, crawling like a yandere or deranged fangirl, frantically screaming "Leon husband"—
Anyone who could keep a straight face was a god.
[Insane!]
[This performance is brutal. The moment Ah Xian strikes, it's a peak those so-called power-up streamers could never reach in their lifetimes!]
[I have a feeling this clip will spread across every video platform overnight—unprecedented heat.]
[Ah Xian, in this world, do you have no family, no friends, no one you care about?]
"Friends, kinda. They've long known my true nature. Family? Yeah, none."
[Huh? Sorry, I really deserve death!]
[Ah Xian, Ah Xian—how many points for this heartwarming scene?]
"Only 22 points allowed! Not one point more!"
[Rebellious daughter, you only give Leon 22? Better be out of 10, or us Father fans will come for you!]
Ah Xian pouted proudly and declared righteously:
"Because the remaining 78 are in my mouth!"
[Ah? (Sword Demon voice)]
[Bushjtemen?]
[Can't comprehend—she's unbeatable.]
[Accidental encounter with a natural talent. One opening of the mouth and the illness is monstrous—give it everything and still can't win.]
Outside, the Express crew quickly received news of Leon's awakening and rushed back at top speed.
Seeing him sitting up in the sickbed, looking not too bad, the last trace of worry in their eyes turned completely into joy.
March 7th was the most excited.
If Dan Heng hadn't stopped her, she would've run to the window and shouted to release all the heaviness built up in her heart these days.
With Leon safely back, even Dan Heng—who rarely smiled—had the corners of his mouth lift into a genuine, almost imperceptible arc.
Players celebrated wildly, finally setting their hearts completely at ease.
Old Father was home, the free gifted version of him was obtained—now they could peacefully move on to other things.
Pulling for Leon's Eidolons and Light Cone, testing actual feel in Simulated Universe, Chaos Memories—strength, team comps.
Or if energy still remained, eyes turning to the Simulated Universe DLC, Swarm Disaster.
There, events buried in the old past still awaited player exploration.
Ah Xian wasn't in a rush. After the main story, she first looked for Leon to talk.
He was still sitting on the sickbed and hadn't vanished, meaning there was still follow-up—things to learn through interaction.
One thing still wasn't clear; the main story had never explained it.
That was the name of the Aeon the Sky Haven Clan followed, and Their Path.