In Honkai Star Rail With A Dating System

Bochang provided a brief explanation regarding the incident. Neither March 7th nor Stelle seemed particularly concerned. After a short exchange, they continued towards the Astral Express.

They took a star ferry to Cloudford and found the docked Astral Express. One by one, Bochang's group boarded.

Qingque, no stranger to the Astral Express, looked around curiously from side to side.

This would be her home...

Qingque was preparing for an extended stay aboard.

As Bochang led his team into the train's main hall, they spotted Pom-Pom standing anxiously in the center... along with Welt Yang and Himeko nearby, seemingly searching for something.

The usually adorable conductor appeared somewhat flustered.

March 7th and Stelle bypassed Bochang, approaching Pom-Pom. "We're back, Conductor," March 7th said. "Where is this strange creature?"

"I'm not sure, but it's definitely on the train, Pom-Pom can feel it! Nobody knows Akivi's trains better than me; if there's something odd onboard, I'll sense it!" The small lop-eared rabbit looked at the returning group. "Please help search with us; we must find it."

"Of course, Conductor, leave it to us." Bochang patted his chest confidently.

Serval, March 7th, and others sprang into action.

Bochang scanned the train's main hall but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"Should we check other areas?" he wondered.

Serval, March 7th, Qingque, and even Dan Heng ventured off to search elsewhere.

Just as Bochang was about to leave, something caught his eye.

"Hold on... Was there a mirror here before? And it's broken too."

Bochang frowned slightly.

The full-length mirror stood in one corner of the train's main hall. It appeared shattered, with a large hole at its center, yet through that gap, glimpses of something peculiar could be seen.

The longer Bochang looked, the more eerie it felt—especially since no one else seemed to notice it, making it all the stranger.

"Could this...be the strange thing Pom-Pom mentioned?"

Bochang narrowed his eyes.

Suddenly, Stelle darted towards the mirror like a gust of wind, apparently having noticed it as well.

And then...

She struck a pose in front of the mirror. "Aren't I just adorable?"

Bochang remained speechless.

Stelle didn't linger long before the odd mirror; after a quick glance, she started asking around about it.

Both Himeko and Welt Yang claimed they couldn't see any mirror.

When Stelle shared her discovery with Pom-Pom, the conductor responded with a tremulous voice.

"Wah! P-P-Pom-Pom knows there's s-something strange going on here!"

"Quickly, think of something, Stelle!" Pom-Pom urged.

Stelle glanced at Bochang, who understood without her needing to ask. He smiled and said, "I can see that mirror too; it is indeed peculiar."

"Only the two of you can see it?" Welt Yang frowned, his thoughts unclear.

Pom-Pom prompted them both to take action immediately.

After a moment's consideration, Bochang reached into his storage pouch, feeling around until he found the Super Flashlight. This artifact had the ability to dispel illusions—perfect for dealing with a mirror invisible to others.

Welt Yang, seeing the familiar flashlight emerge, instantly guessed Bochang's intention.

Stelle's eyes also lit up.

Without further ado, Bochang activated the flashlight.

A pure white beam shone forth, instantly enveloping the mirror.

The space around it began to distort.

In the sight of Himeko, Welt Yang, and Pom-Pom...

An eerie, shattered mirror appeared before their eyes.

"T-t-that's it!" Pom-Pom, hiding behind Welt Yang with her tiny hands clutching his knees, trembled as she spoke once more. Only half of her adorable blue eyes were visible.

No one ventured closer to the mirror.

However...

Within its reflection, a hooded girl emerged. Her face was obscured by a peculiar mask, making her features indistinct, but her figure seemed quite graceful.

While Bochang continued to observe, the girl stepped out from the mirror onto the floor of the Astral Express.

Bochang's eyes widened slightly.

It wasn't just him; Stelle, Himeko, Welt Yang, and Pom-Pom all witnessed this as well.

"Wow, is this the Astral Express?" asked the peculiar hooded girl.

Unconcerned with pleasantries, Stelle swiftly drew her metallic baseball bat and swung at the figure. "Take this, fiend!"

Unfortunately...

The bat passed right through the girl's body and then through the mirror itself.

As if they didn't exist at all.

"Hold on, I'm not here to harm anyone," the girl hastily spoke up. "I am a Messenger from the Garden of Recollection. For the coming days, I'll be taking refuge aboard your esteemed train. Please guide me."

The Garden of Recollection was an organization devoted to Aeon Fuli. As Messengers of Memory, they had forsaken their physical bodies and traversed the universe as memes, seeking the most precious memories across the star sea for Fuli.

Now...

A Messenger from the Garden of Recollection had arrived specifically for memories.

Under Stelle's questioning, the Messenger revealed much information.

"Actually, we could have secretly followed you without anyone noticing. However... The Memory Court believes you to be exceptional, possessing exceedingly rare and precious memories, with more yet to come in the future... So I thought it would be better to introduce myself..."

As she spoke,

Ka, the Messenger from the Garden of Recollection, suddenly felt something was amiss.

Everyone seemed to be staring at her.

Although the girl wore a mask, concealing her expression, they could sense her surprise through her voice.

"Wait... You can all see me?"

Himeko placed one hand on her hip, her gentle and lovely oval face nodding slightly.

Welt Yang adjusted his black-framed glasses, saying, "It appears the rumors are true. Emanators of the Garden of Recollection lack physical form and can only be perceived by those they choose."

"Huh? But didn't you all see me just now? What's going on? Wait... Could it be that..." The girl glanced at Bochang and the ultra-powerful flashlight he held.

Regarding this artifact...

The Garden of Recollection actually had some knowledge about it.

It was astonishing how effortlessly her disguise as a Messenger had been penetrated.

"The Astral Express is not a place for you to casually wander, Pom!" exclaimed Pom-Pom, resembling a lop-eared rabbit, visibly upset.

The Messenger girl hastily waved her hands. "Please let me explain first. I have a reason for being here, and I mean no harm to the Astral Express."

Himeko spread her arms wide. "Go ahead, we're listening."

Under the glare of Bochang's ultra-bright flashlight, the Messenger girl dropped the act.

Straightforwardly, she revealed her purpose:

In essence, the Garden of Recollection sought to engage in a trade with Stelle and Bochang, offering material goods and Light Cones in exchange for their precious memories.

Of course...

These memories would not disappear; the Garden of Recollection merely aimed to create copies, without forcibly taking them away.

However, the Messenger girl's explanation did little to sway opinions.

The group on the train remained skeptical.

"Dealing with the Memory Court is too risky, especially when it involves trading memories," Welt Yang stroked his chin thoughtfully.