Tree King: What? I've become the Abundant Pharmacist?

Chapter 481 A Future Never Chosen

"Thank you, Himeko," Hoshi said.

"By the way, where did you go after that?"

"After our last farewell, we went to many places: Belleburg, Fairy Boat Luofu, Pinocchio, and Onfaros... It was a mixed bag of good and bad along the way."

As she spoke, Himeko's tone turned somber.

"How is Uncle Yang now?" Xing asked.

“Do you know Earth? Not long after Danheng left, Walter finally found his way home. I hope he gets there safely.” Himeko said with a sigh.

"What about Danheng?"

"Danheng? Although there were many twists and turns along the way, he still returned to Luofu. After all, that was his hometown."

"How is Pam now?" Xing continued to ask.

Himeko frowned, seemingly surprised by the question.

A sense of unease washed over me. This little girl had never boarded the train, so why was she mentioning Pam...?

"Where did you find out the train conductor's name? Did Danheng tell you?"

Xing's head was also a little dizzy, so she could only nod.

"So that's how it is. Pam is still the same as always, but seeing fewer and fewer people on the train, she must be feeling a little lonely."

“Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if you had left with us. Unfortunately, there are no ‘regrets’ or ‘what ifs’ on a pioneering journey.”

"What about March 7th?" Xing then asked.

"Little March... I don't know what to do... Sigh, I hope Yiting's friend can cure her."

Himeko's eyes gradually lost their sparkle.

"Then, what about Jing Yuanyuan?"

"Jingyuan? You mean the general from Luofu? He never boarded the train." Himeko looked at Hoshi with confusion.

“But…” Xing’s head became even more dizzy.

"Where's Eve's mom... oh no, where's Eve?" Xing rubbed her head.

“Eve, Eve, she…”

As she spoke, Himeko sighed.

"She has disappeared."

"Disappeared? How is that possible?" Xing was clearly surprised.

"We don't know where she went, we only know that Eve saw the Equilibrium Star God in the last moment before she disappeared."

Himeko's tone grew increasingly dejected; it was clear she didn't want to continue the conversation.

"Is the train still short of passengers?" Xing tactfully changed the subject.

“Life is not easy for the nameless passengers. After leaving here, some passengers briefly traveled with us, but now they have all gone their separate ways.”

“Recently, a friend from the Interstellar Peace Corporation suggested that we go to Camelot, which should have been destroyed by the antimatter legion long ago, but recently multiple distress signals have been received there.”

"We'll stop at the space station for a while and see some old friends—Star. If you'd like, you can come with us this time."

"I'll pack my bags right away!"

Upon hearing Himeko's invitation, Hoshi immediately responded.

But then, a voice rang out again in Xing's heart.

Is that really what you think? What would you do if boarding the Star Train didn't make your life better?

What if what awaits you is not a wondrous adventure, but endless cleaning and repairs, unhealable wounds, and a hopeless death...?

What if you can't help them, if you become a burden on the train, if an unnamed passenger sacrifices themselves to save you, if everyone wants you to leave...?

Think carefully about what kind of answer you should give.

For a moment, Xing hesitated.

"I'll think about it... I'll definitely give you an answer before the train leaves."

Himeko nodded. "Okay, wherever you want to stay, I will respect your choice."

Xing nodded and swayed as she left the platform.

Work is over, it's time to go home and sleep.

Xing lay in bed, with an endless starry sky outside the window.

The colorful stars make this universe look exceptionally beautiful.

Gradually, Xing drifted off to sleep, but faint birdsong could be heard outside the window.

My peaceful dreams were disturbed by the birdsong outside the window, but can a robin sing in a vacuum?

..........

Another part of the space station.

The robin was standing with Miss Note.

Miss Yin Fu calmly surveyed everything before her, and spoke ruthlessly:

"Let us tell you the story of a bird, a bird that was wrongfully imprisoned. She was once a singer, but was thrown into jail for writing songs that were not liked by the powerful."

"In the cage, the bird heard many mournful cries. So she sang for her fellow caged people, comforting their homesickness and inspiring their ambition to revolt."

"In the end, the bird, along with a pocket watch, a wolf, and countless companions, broke free of the cage."

"The bird thought that after winning her freedom, she could start a new life. She could show off her beautiful feathers and singing voice on the stage and screen, and bring hope to people who had nothing, just like before."

"But...she was wrong. Pinocchio quickly became unrecognizable. The songs the bird sang, the movies she starred in, and her own life were all confined in a cage called money, becoming commodities."

"The film company wanted to portray birds as a symbol of beauty, but the birds wanted to fly away from this suffocating, stinking ditch..."

"So they took away her stage name, found a completely new fledgling to replace her on screen, and strangled her in an dishonorable ending with filthy rumors and delusions."

After hearing all this, the robin felt the anger of someone who had endured injustice.

She asked timidly, "...So, you want to take revenge on those who smeared you?"

Miss Note shook her head. "On the contrary... when I returned to this world, I found that I no longer had anyone to take revenge on."

"Therefore I will reclaim my stolen name, erase all my works... and make all traces of my existence as ███ cease to exist."

"Since you were once imprisoned and robbed... then you should not now imprison all the Masters and Servants who came to end this Holy Grail War in Noble Phantasms," Robin asked.

"The Holy Grail and that investor may be able to grant your wish, but you will have to pay a much higher price. You, who lived in the same era, know this better than I do."

Miss Note fell silent.

Yes, how could any Pinocchio person do charity without seeking profit?

“I know no one can resist the temptation of profit, but Master, I believe that the Holy Grail cannot buy your mind.”

"You want me to deactivate my Noble Phantasm? Then command me with a Command Spell! Master, just like those who used contracts and laws to steal my name and my career, come on!"

The robin shook her head. "You know I wouldn't do that, Miss Note!... Let's make a bet, though I've never bet with anyone before."

"I bet those Masters and Servants whose 'heroic' appearance you stripped them of will never be trapped by your Noble Phantasms—I have faith in them!"

Miss Yin Fu paused for a moment, a strange smile appearing on her face.

"Alright...then I'll wait and see."

The songbirds fell silent.

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