Villette seemed to have gotten excited. He kept talking without stopping, and his gloomy voice gradually became more spirited as he described his plans to get rich.
"After getting off the train, I want to contact the Market Development Department and find a suitable business opportunity so he can become the company's spokesperson!"
"Then I'll transform into an agent! What do you think? Should this guy go the idol route or the talent route?"
Hearing Villette's question, Nero actually thought about it and gave his answer, "Although I don't think Argenti would really agree to your request... personally, if you don't make him play the role of a 'Knight of Beauty,' then he's obviously the idol type."
"You can tell from how stubborn he is now, right? He's devoted himself completely to promoting Beauty."
"Even filming a commercial requires acting skills. If you had him do it, he'd probably end up promoting Idrila instead of the company's products."
"So being an idol suits him. Regardless of his acting, the fact that Argenti is handsome is undeniable."
"Hoh... worthy of a Knight of Beauty. Even you, an incarnation of a fragment of Beauty, admit he's good-looking."
Cirrus floated over and said faintly, "Speaking of which, the ugliest person on this train right now is this company employee, isn't it?"
Cirrus's words made it hard to know how to respond. Even Stelle could only scratch her head awkwardly.
Villette heard everything, but seeing what Cirrus looked like, he didn't dare have any thoughts about it.
After all, what normal person would think about taking revenge on a floating eyeball surrounded by ghostly flames because it called them ugly?
But he caught another piece of information from Cirrus's words.
'An incarnation of a fragment of Beauty...'
Though he knew little about Beauty, it was the Aeon Argenti followed, and Argenti was already unbelievably handsome...
Finally, Villette turned his head. The gloom of being a working adult was swept away, and for the first time he looked directly at the white-haired boy.
Villette froze.
It felt like a ray of light had entered his eyes. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
For a moment, he felt as though he had seen an elf from a snowy land.
For another moment, it was as though he had returned to his childhood, piloting a spaceship freely through the universe while countless stars passed before his eyes.
The beauty of the elf, the magnificent scenery, tangled memories, emotion, and childhood hopes all collapsed into a single figure.
He seemed ordinary, no different from anyone else.
Yet he was so stunning that words failed.
The protection called ignorance and dullness shattered in an instant.
From then on, that beautiful figure would never disappear from his sight again.
Something seemed to flood into his mind, and Villette felt that perhaps he could understand Argenti a little.
"...Uh..." Seeing Villette suddenly freeze, Stelle looked worried. She quietly checked his breathing to make sure this normal flesh-and-blood human was still alive, then slapped him, "Snap out of it!"
Part of Villette's consciousness returned with the crisp sound.
It felt as though someone had "lovingly caressed" his face like his parents had when he was young.
Then he muttered, "No, I'm very clear-headed. I'm facing reality. Cough... uh... no."
After another two seconds, Villette blinked and finally seemed to wake up.
"Sorry, I got distracted..." Villette apologized first. Whether it was an illusion or not, he seemed to be speaking more like Argenti. "Um, this is the first time I've seen someone so beautiful. Little miss, may I..."
"Don't bother. I refuse. I won't endorse products, film commercials, become an interstellar celebrity, or do livestreams for the company." Before Villette could finish, Nero interrupted him. "Also, I'm not a little miss. I'm male."
Villette stood there blankly and blinked.
Then he visibly became depressed again.
"I'm terribly sorry, I just assumed... forget it... when can I get off the train..." Villette turned away and stopped looking at Nero.
The next moment, Stelle met the exhausted face full of weariness.
"I'm just waiting for you galaxy heroes to solve the traffic jam."
Stelle looked at him strangely. She had no idea why he suddenly seemed to have shattered inside, but she still said, "You'd better not get any funny ideas. Come help us instead."
Villette forced his eyelids open and looked at Stelle, then let out a heavy sigh.
"You really don't listen and can't read the room at all... forget it, just leave me alone. I'm just a mushroom, forever squatting in some dark corner with no peace..."
"What did you do to him? Did you steal his soul?" Cirrus asked Nero.
"I didn't do anything." Nero shook his head.
"Nonsense. If you didn't do anything, would he become like this?"
"No? Doesn't everyone become like this after being rejected while trying to flirt? They'll cheer up after a while." Nero thought about some experiences from daily life and said.
"..."
"You really are unbeatable, kid. He looks like he's possessed by a Heliobus!" After a long silence, that was all Cirrus managed to say.
Just then, a loud explosion suddenly sounded.
Immediately after came Conductor Pom-Pom's scream.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Just as Nero had said, the Villette who had almost become a corpse on the floor suddenly perked up after a while.
The company employee practically jumped off the floor in an instant, his whole body tense like a springboard.
"Huh? What was that sound just now? Who screamed?"
Looking at Villette, Cirrus nodded thoughtfully and understood what had happened.
Even though Nero himself had no such intention, the body forged from a fragment of Beauty inevitably affected others.
And the weaker the individual, the stronger the effect.
Villette had just fallen under that unconscious influence, but the sudden noise had shocked his hazy mind awake.
Narrowing her eyes, she drifted close to Nero and said meaningfully, "You, kid... it's a waste that you only know how to use direct and overpowering methods."
Nero blinked and looked at Cirrus in confusion.
He didn't understand what the Heliobus meant.
If not direct and overpowering, then what?
Black Cutter inside a greatsword was still a greatsword among greatswords.
Was he supposed to swing Black Cutter like a flexible sword?
Though he could indeed do that with his strength, Black Cutter was heavy and rigid, straight as a board.
It definitely wouldn't have the same effect as a flexible sword.