Chapter Text
"I can't believe Himeko gets to go to a fancy party while we have to work," March whined.
"March, do you think you would have fun if you went with her?" Stelle asked.
March was ready to say yes when she remembered Himeko would be with a bunch of rich-smart people, talking about things she didn't understand while having to solely listen to classical music, drink champagne, and eat food that probably looked better than what it tasted.
"Now that I think about it, perhaps it's a good thing I don't have to go."
Stelle rolled her eyes, not surprised in the slightest with March's answer.
Not far from them, Welt and Dan Heng listened to their exchange, but while the former grinned, the latter let out a quiet sigh.
Even if March had complained, the truth was the crew wouldn't be doing much besides staying at the express reviewing a few files, so the doing work part was a bit of a stretch as they would just have a calm night in.
"Himeko should be here soon, right? The event starts in less than an hour." March said, looking at the clock.
"She has been preparing for a while, so I'm sure she…" Stelle stopped mid-sentence since the door to the parlor's car opened.
Her gaze immediately drifted towards it, and the image that met her eyes made her jaw drop.
There stood Himeko, clad in a beautiful red dress.
Compared to the one she usually wore, this one was longer, the skirt almost touched the ground, and instead of having both her legs exposed, only her right leg was visible through a slit. The neckline was more prominent, too, but it was the perfect balance between revealing and modest.
Looking at the whole fit, there was not another word Stelle could think of to describe Himeko besides breathtaking.
"Wow," March gasped, just as in awe with Himeko as the trailblazer.
"I take it you like how I look," Himeko concluded, judging by the way both girls were looking at her.
At the other side of the room, Welt and Dan Heng were also admiring how she looked, but unlike Stelle and March, their reactions were more subtle as Welt smiled proudly while Dan Heng just nodded, showing he approved of her appearance.
Pleased with everyone's approval, Himeko joined them, and after closing Stelle and March's mouths, she spoke to Welt.
"I don't know how long I will be out, so don't wait awake for me."
Welt nodded. "Very well, will someone be waiting for you once you land?"
"Yes, a ride will be waiting for me, and since I don't want to be late, I will be on my way."
With an exchange of goodbyes and wishes to have fun from the crew, Himeko was dropped at the landing port, and once she walked out of it, she saw a driver waiting for her.
The drive from the port to the place where the party would be held wouldn't be longer than fifteen minutes. The whole time Himeko was in the car, she couldn't help but think about how she had ended up there.
A few weeks ago, an old friend of hers had contacted her to invite her to a party he would be hosting at his mansion to celebrate becoming the minister of the city.
When Himeko heard the news, she was fast to congratulate him, but she didn't know if she could accept his invitation. Of course, he didn't feel offended by it and just told her to think about it before giving him a final answer.
Despite thinking it over, the navigator was inclined to say no, but after talking with Welt, the man had convinced her to accept the invitation.
Even if she had entertained the idea of not coming, Himeko had to admit she was looking forward to seeing old acquaintances as well as enjoying a night out.
Pulling into the mansion, Himeko could see other cars arriving as well as a few parked ones close to the entrance from where the guests were descending.
When it was her turn to get out, her door was opened by a staff member, and after thanking them, she made her way inside.
Once inside the mansion, Himeko was guided to the ballroom where the party was being held, and as soon as she stepped into the room, she scanned the place, waiting to find the party host.
When she spotted him, she walked up to him, and after greeting each other, they fell into an amicable talk that lasted just a few minutes since other guests wanted to greet him and congratulate him for his achievement.
From then on, most guests arrived till the ballroom was full of people chatting. Himeko had spent most of her time talking with some acquaintances as well as meeting new people, but when the tone of the party changed, as people had forgotten the socials in favor of dancing, Himeko decided to step away to take a breather.
A few tables had been placed at the far corner of the room that were full of appetizers and glasses of champagne, so the guests could serve themselves, which was what Himeko intended to do as she walked up to the table to grab a glass and take a sip from it.
"Look who we have here."
Himeko almost choked on her drink, but she managed to swallow before she spat everywhere.
"Can you stop doing…" Himeko was ready to scream at who she knew was Kafka when all the words died in her mouth once her eyes settled on her.
Kafka wasn't wearing her usual attire; instead, she was wearing a black dress.
The dress was a tight fit that hugged the woman's figure in all the right places. It was also shorter than hers as it only reached up to Kafka's mid-tight, allowing her legs to be full on display. The neckline was also different since it was a deep V cut, and to top the whole look, she was wearing a black coat over her shoulders.
She looked good, really good, as Himeko had to admit she was momentarily awe-struck by her, but she quickly forgot that sentiment once her eyes returned to Kafka's face to see her smirking at her.
"You were saying?"
"You enjoy it, don't you? Appearing out of nowhere to scare me to death."
Kafka grinned, "Perhaps I enjoy it, but it's not my fault you are so…" She looked her up and down. "Impressionable."
They had exchanged just a few words, and Himeko was already thinking of either drowning her glass of champagne in a big gulp or throwing it at Kafka, but she did neither once she remembered where they were.
They were at a party filled to the brim with influential people, and Kafka, who was a wanted criminal across the galaxy, had just paraded in without a care in the world.
"How are you even here?" Himeko looked around to see if anyone was looking at them. "It would be dangerous if you were spotted."
Kafka fake gasped. "Are you worried about me? Or perhaps, are you worried about what could happen if you are seen with me?"
"This is not a joking matter, Kafka."
"Relax," Kafka shrugged. "No one knows I'm here. Well, that is not exactly right as they do know, but they just aren't capable of carrying."
Himeko narrowed her eyes. "What did you do?"
"Nothing harmful, I'm just fooling their minds."
"Why do that? Is there anything of value here that would make you deceive dozens of people just so you could show up?"
Kafka didn't strike her as the kind of person who would appear somewhere just because she felt like it, so she had no doubt her presence there wasn't random.
Despite Himeko's inquiry, she didn't answer right away as she instead grabbed a glass from the table, and only after she drank from it did she say something.
"As a matter of fact, there is, you are the reason why I'm here, Himeko."
Alright, that was an answer Himeko hadn't anticipated.
The last time they had properly talked was the second time Kafka had visited her on the express. After that, they only spoke once over text when Himeko told her off for stealing from her, something she was still angry about, but besides that, nothing more was said, so Himeko couldn't think of a reason why Kafka would want to meet with her right there.
She, of course, wanted to question her on the matter, but she didn't get the chance to do so since Kafka spoke again.
"Would you care for a dance?"
"What?"
"A dance, Himeko. Would you do me the honors?"
Himeko was inclined to believe she was just joking, but Kafka seemed serious about her request.
"Why do you want to dance?"
Kafka sighed. "You want to know why I came here for you, right?"
"Well, yes, but…"
"Then dance with me, I promise you it will be worth it."
Himeko had two choices: either she says no to the dance, walks away, and it's left with the intrigue, or she accepts the dance and gets the answers she seeks.
It was a tough choice, but in the end, she chose to…
"Okay, we will dance."
Kafka smiled, pleased with her response. "Perfect."
Before getting onto the dancefloor, Kafka removed her coat, and once she put it on the nearest chair, she returned to Himeko's side and extended her hand to her.
Himeko grabbed the offered hand, and together they walked to the dancefloor, where they found a perfect spot to move comfortably. Kafka tugged Himeko close to put her free hand on her back while Himeko put hers over her shoulder.
For a few instants, they just swayed from side to side till they found their rhythm, and once their movements followed a specific pattern, only then something was said.
"I have some interesting information that I believe you might want to hear," Kafka said.
"Information about what?"
"The homeowner, he is your friend, right?" Himeko nodded. "Well, let me tell you that your friend is involved in some shady business; he appears to be making deals with people he shouldn't."
Himeko frowned upon hearing that accusation. "What proof do you have?"
Kafka smirked. "He is a collector, isn't he? He has a taste for priced antiques and has been acquiring different relics throughout the years."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean he is involved in shady business as you say."
"I know it doesn't, but through a trustworthy source, it was discovered that a few months ago, he was contacted by a group of people who were aware of his interest in antiques and wanted to strike a deal with him. He would pay them well and in return, those people would give him more antiques to expand his collection."
"He didn't seem interested at first, mostly because he knew some of the artifacts that were being offered to him shouldn’t belong to anyone since they could pose a risk if they fell into the wrong hands, but upon further insistence, his desire to see his collection grow was stronger, and he ended up accepting the deal."
The trustworthy source Kafka was referring to could be anyone, so that didn't give Himeko any kind of guarantee that she was telling the truth; however, she knew the homeowner had made a few purchases for his collection not long ago, since he had mentioned it in the brief talk they shared before.
Still, just because he had bought relics, that didn't mean he had acquired them on shady means or that they were the kind Kafka was talking about; if they were, Himeko didn't think he would mention anything about it.
"That is a strong accusation you are making, and besides, I don't understand what you would win by telling me something like this. I know it's not because you want to stop him from continuing with his business."
Kafka chuckled. "You know me so well, that is right, I couldn't care less for what that man does, but you do have a sense of justice, and that is what I'm trying to appeal to."
"He has information I need. I know he has a vault where he keeps all the illegal purchases he has made, and it's in that same place he is hoarding what I'm after." Kafka twirled Himeko so she could press her front against the navigator's back.
"I plan to infiltrate his vault, but I want to ask you to come with me, that way you will be able to see he has done what I have told you of. Whatever you do after that, it's up to you, but I feel like you wouldn't want to let the opportunity pass."
Himeko slowed her movements, not to halt their dance altogether, but enough for them to slightly swing from side to side, breaking the dance pattern they had been following.
"I don't understand why you are telling me your plans and then asking me to go with you. What makes you believe I won't just hand you over?" Himeko spoke over her shoulder.
"Well, that thought crossed my mind, but you don't know when I will act, nor do you have any proof that I was here. Besides, if you did speak, that means you will have to mention our talk and what you have found out."
Kafka was not stupid, even if her request sounded absurd; she had made sure to put Himeko in a situation where it would not be easy for her to just ruin her plans.
"You don't give me much of a choice then." Either Himeko went with her and possibly stopped the illegal business her friend was supposedly doing, or she didn't, and Kafka still managed to get what she wanted while Himeko remained with the knowledge of what was happening but with no chance to stop it.
Kafka didn't answer her right away; instead, she pressed her hand against Himeko's stomach to make her stop dancing.
"You will always have a choice, Himeko. I'm just witty enough to have my guarantees, but don't worry, you don't have to give me an answer yet. Take your time to make up your mind, but be mindful not to delay your decision for long since I might make my move by then."
Himeko didn't get the chance to respond since Kafka twirled her again, and in the instant they were facing each other, the music came to a stop.
"Thank you for the dance, I hope we get to do this again," Kafka said, lifting Himeko's hand to kiss her knuckles.
Under the watchful gaze of the navigator, the stellaron hunter let go of her, walking out of the dancefloor to go pick up her coat, and after putting it on, she abandoned the party, leaving Himeko to her thoughts.
No sound was heard around the express since everyone had already retired to their rooms.
Himeko had just come back from the party, but when she was about to get into her room, she doubted, and after a few seconds of consideration, she changed her trajectory to Welt's room.
"Himeko it's everything alright?" Welt asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"I don't know, but I need to talk to you."
There was a sort of urgency in the navigator's voice, so Welt wasted no time moving to the side, allowing her to get in.
"Who died? You two look quite serious." March asked as she, together with Stelle and Dan Heng, walked into the parlor car.
Even if her question was supposed to be a joke, neither Himeko nor Welt seemed to find it funny as the first looked away while the latter glared at her.
"There is something we need to discuss. Please sit down." Welt instructed, pointing to the seats in front of them.
The youngsters exchanged confused looks before following Welt's request.
Since they had no clue what was going on, they just stayed silent, waiting for Welt to say something, but instead of him, it was Himeko who spoke.
"Do you remember when we went to Belobog and I was stuck in a Blizzard?" They nodded.
"Well, there is something I didn't tell you. As you know, I managed to find refuge in a cabin, but I wasn't alone."
Last night, Himeko had told Welt about every encounter she had with Kafka. It would be hard to say why she had done so at that specific moment. Perhaps the weight of her hiding stuff finally became too much for her to handle, or maybe her encounter with Kafka at the party was the last straw that made her realize she couldn't keep doing this alone.
Regardless of the reason, she had finally spoken, and it embarrassed her to admit she was absolutely terrified, but in the end, it felt quite liberating to be able to let go of everything she had been holding onto.
The whole time she spoke, Welt remained quiet, attentively listening to what she said without showing any kind of reaction. He only dared to say something once she had finished saying her piece.
"This matter has been tormenting you for quite a while, hasn't it?" Himeko nodded.
Welt wasn't a man who often found himself at a loss for words, but at that moment, he didn't know what to say. While Himeko's actions could be considered madness, he knew she had only acted out of the goodness of her heart. Her empathy and care for others were one of her biggest virtues, but they could also be flaws.
She had helped Kafka, someone who posed a threat to many, and while that shouldn't be ignored, something good had come out of that, as he could say with certainty that Himeko was alive because the Stellaron hunter had wanted to return a favor.
"I won't lie to you and say my mind isn't a mess at the moment, but I want to reassure you that I won't judge you for what you did." It became clear to Welt that Himeko's indecision to come to him with this issue was rooted in fear of what he would say, so he felt obligated to give her some peace of mind.
"However, this can't remain a secret between us; the others deserve to know too, and when they do, we will discuss how we will proceed."
Silence reigned in the parlor car once Himeko finished telling everyone about her encounters with Kafka and the talk she had with Welt, but fortunately, it only lasted a few minutes before March decided to speak.
"Who would have thought that woman could do nice things?"
She said the first thing that came to her mind, and without intending to, she managed to lighten up the mood, breaking the awkward atmosphere that surrounded them.
"Aren't you mad at me for hiding this from you?" Himeko asked.
March intended to answer the question, but before she could do so, Dan Heng beat her to it.
"We have nothing to be mad about, I'm sure you had your reasons for hiding this from us, so I don't believe we should hold it against you."
"I agree." March eagerly nodded.
Himeko was glad for their understanding, but there was someone who hadn't said her piece yet. "What about you?"
Stelle jumped, not having expected Himeko to speak to her. "I feel the same way as Dan Heng and March, but my mind is fueled with thoughts of Kafka. Why is she being so persistent with you?"
"It would be uncertain to say why the Stellaron hunter is acting the way she is, but we can presume it's because she wants to gain something, whatever that might be,'' Welt affirmed.
"Could it be to get closer to Stelle?" March asked, not being able to think of another motive for the time being.
"It's a possibility, but we will gain nothing by speculating. What we should focus on it's what Kafka told Himeko and the offer she made her."
There was a lot to consider when it came to what Kafka had revealed.
On one hand, if Himeko said yes to the offer and she ended up discovering Kafka had said the truth, Himeko would be able to put a stop to what his friend was doing.
On the other hand, if she said no, she wouldn't have to be subjected to whatever game Kafka was playing, but she would be left empty-handed since she would have no way of proving her friend was doing shady business and was in the position of dangerous artifacts, and of course, she would also miss the chance of discovering what Kafka was after.
When the problem was laid out that way, the choice seemed simple, and yet, everyone had their reservations about what should be done.
In the end, after thoroughly discussing the pros and cons of each choice, it was decided that Himeko would go with Kafka, but that choice had only been made because the navigator whiled it so; after all, she would be the one accompanying the stellaron hunter, and as such, she had the final word.
All that had to be done now was to contact Kafka, which Himeko did by texting the unknown number the stellaron hunter had messaged from before, and a few hours after she sent the text informing her she would accompany her on her infiltration, she received a reply stating an hour and a location which the navigator assumed was the time and place where she would meet with Kafka.
"She is no fool; she is making sure to keep things as vague as possible so I won't be able to sneak into the vault myself."
"Seeing her insistence on you accompanying her, it is expected she would play her cards right," Welt said, not at all surprised by Kafka's actions.
"Why does she have to be such a menace?" Himeko rubbed her temples. "She wins nothing from this besides toying with me."
"Himeko, there is something I have been meaning to ask you since you told me of your encounters with Kafka. I didn't say anything before because I had a lot to think about, but now I feel prepared to ask you this."
Welt looked at Himeko, who frowned at hearing his statement.
"What do you think of Kafka?" Himeko's frown deepened, not having expected Welt to ask such a thing.
"I don't know why you are asking me that, but what else could I think of someone who has a lengthy criminal record, is wanted across the galaxy, uses unethical methods to get what she wants, and has one of the most infuriating personalities I've had the disgrace of encountering."
Welt laughed. "I knew you would say that, but my question is not that, perhaps I should rephrase it and say, what do you think of Kafka as a woman?"
The only reason Himeko wasn't inclined to believe Welt was toying with her was because he seemed completely serious with what he had asked.
"You are not asking me this." Even if she had heard right, she needed further confirmation that she wasn't imagining this whole situation.
"I am."
"I can't believe you. You are aware we are talking about Kafka, right, the Stellaron hunter with the biggest bounty, that Kafka." Himeko was getting worked up, but how could she not when such a topic had been brought up?
"Yes, Himeko, I know who I am talking about, but for a moment, stop thinking rationally and answer what I asked."
Right, because it was so easy to do that, she wanted to argue and say there was no way she could just pretend Kafka wasn't who she was, but deep down, Himeko knew Welt was being so insistent for a reason, so the least she could do was to try to answer his question with the utmost honesty.
"I think she is a beautiful woman, she is smart, withy, an exceptional fighter, she has a presence to her that isn't easy to ignore, she knows how to keep your attention on her, how to enchant you in a way you aren't able to think of anything else but her and as much as that annoys me, I have to recognize it's one of her most attractive qualities."
"Was that what you wanted to hear?" Himeko spat out.
Welt shook his head. "While I appreciate you giving me an answer, I don't mean to upset you. I just needed to know what you thought of her because I have gotten the impression Kafka is interested in you, and deep down, I know you noticed it too."
Himeko scoffed. "What if I have? That doesn't change anything."
"Doesn't it? Look, Himeko, all I know is that there seems to be a mutual attraction between you two, but I'm not talking to you to put a stop to anything that is happening; I just want you to be careful, for the safety of your own heart."
And just like that, all the frustration Himeko was feeling faded away. Welt was just trying to look out for her, so she had no reason to get so upset.
Himeko sighed, forcing the tension to leave her body. "Welt, I appreciate your worry, but I don't think anything is going to happen between us. Even if there is a mutual attraction, I can't just look past the fact that Kafka is who she is."
Welt nodded, and while there was more he wanted to say, he knew that if he kept pushing the subject, it would only lead to a more significant disagreement between them, so for now, he wouldn't say more than necessary.