Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking

—The border town of Getlow.

This humble settlement had once been the Trailblazers' starting point as adventurers, and now, it served as a waypoint on their final journey.

Upon arrival, Nahida had reverted to her original appearance. Clad in her familiar green attire and matching hat, her minstrel-like outfit caught March 7th's eye. She glanced repeatedly at the figure before her.

"Hm? What's with that nostalgic look?"

Venti, wearing his trademark sly grin, teased her.

"Missed me that much, March?"

"Ugh! You're as unreliable as ever," March huffed, placing one hand on her hip and pointing at him with the other. "You looked more dependable as a little girl than you do now!"

"That's a terrible thing to say! Whether I'm Venti or Nahida, I'm still me, aren't I?"

"Exactly! And that's why I know you're slacking off most of the time!"

March's pointed accusation earned her an exaggerated pout from Venti.

Even Stelle nodded solemnly. "Slacking off is bad—"

"Hey now," Venti protested with mock indignation, adopting the tone of someone deeply wronged. "Even gods need a good afternoon nap every once in a while! Besides, don't I always get my work done in the end?"

"Well… I guess you've got a point," March admitted, thinking back on Venti's contributions. Even she couldn't deny that he'd pulled his weight when it truly mattered.

But then a troubling realization struck her—am I the one contributing the least?!

March drooped her head in sudden despair, her earlier bravado deflating.

Meanwhile, Stelle remained fixated on Venti, her gaze sharp and probing, as if she were trying to unravel his secrets.

Noticing this, Venti chuckled and tilted his head. "What's the matter? Finally realized how much effort I put in behind the scenes and decided to give me a big hug?"

"No. It just feels like there's something you're not telling us."

Stelle's intuition rarely failed her, and when it came to Venti, she was almost always spot on.

Sometimes, she even dreamt of stories involving him on other worlds, though she couldn't be sure if these were fragments of memories shared through their connection to the Stellaron. Regardless, they deepened her understanding of him.

After the events of the King's Forest, where they had shared not just the battlefield but also moments of vulnerability, their bond had grown immeasurably closer—both figuratively and literally.

"Ahaha… Why would I keep secrets from my companions?" Venti replied, feigning innocence and blinking at her with exaggerated sincerity.

"...Still suspicious."

Stelle narrowed her eyes, her brow furrowed as she scrutinized his every movement for inconsistencies.

But before she could press further, Venti suddenly struck a bashful pose, pretending to be flustered.

"Well, even someone like me can get shy when a beautiful girl stares at me like that!"

His mix of embarrassment and playfulness was met with an unimpressed smirk from Stelle.

"You really think I'd believe that?"

Her words carried an air of self-deprecation, as if dismissing her own femininity, but she couldn't take Venti's supposed modesty seriously.

Watching the exchange, March snapped out of her funk and burst into laughter.

Dan Heng, who had remained silent until now, suddenly shifted his gaze toward the end of the street, where a flash of crimson hair disappeared around a corner.

...Himeko?

The thought crossed his mind.

But he hadn't received any messages from Welt or Himeko about joining them.

Could Himeko have quietly followed them, worried about March and the others?

Yet if that were the case, why was she observing from the shadows instead of meeting them directly? It felt oddly reminiscent of an overprotective mother secretly tailing her child's first solo school trip.

Though puzzled, Dan Heng decided not to dwell on it.

If Himeko had chosen to stay out of sight, she must have her reasons. It wasn't his place to intervene.

"Hey—! Dan Heng, hurry up!"

March called out, waving at him from several paces ahead. The others had already moved forward while Dan Heng lingered behind.

"Coming," he replied, quickly closing the gap so they wouldn't have to wait.

Back in the alley, the crimson-haired figure lingered for a moment, a faint smile gracing her lips as if she had seen something reassuring.

Then, with a quiet laugh, she turned and disappeared into the shadows.

---

The receptionist at the adventurer's guild directed the Trailblazers to the local inn, where Zaryus was recovering from his injuries, cared for by Fina.

However, the sight that greeted them upon arrival made everyone frown.

Zaryus's chest and abdomen were wrapped in layers of bandages, the dark red stains seeping through telling of his grievous wounds. The once-powerful lizardman, whose body was robust enough to withstand a troll's slam, now lay half-paralyzed on the bed, his breaths shallow and labored.

Fina, sitting by his bedside, was in better condition by comparison—though her left eye was concealed by thick bandages, and her remaining blue eye brimmed with sorrow and fatigue.

When she saw the group, her expression brightened into a genuine smile.

"Ah, it's Mimiya! And everyone else!"

The devout young cleric rose quickly from her seat, making a religious gesture across her chest.

"Fina, what happened to you? And Zaryus too… you're both so badly hurt!"

March 7th rushed forward, wrapping Fina in a worried hug. While March had once been flustered by Fina's initial misconceptions about her, she had come to see the cleric as a kind and accepting friend. Seeing her in such a state was deeply upsetting.

Fina's nose wrinkled, her eyes welling with tears, but she held them back. She didn't want to dampen their long-awaited reunion. Mustering her resolve, she began to recount the events of the past few months.

Yes, months.

Although it felt like only two or three days had passed in the Golden Forest, the world outside had moved on for several months.

After parting ways with the Trailblazers, Fina and Zaryus had returned to the border town with Goblin Slayer's party. After a few days of rest, news reached them about the events in the King's Forest: the return of the Elven Princess, leading her companions to annihilate the monsters occupying the ancient ruins and sealing the portal to the underworld. Even the infernal creatures that had escaped were eradicated.

This victory became the most uplifting news for humanity and the allied forces in recent times.

Thanks to the guild's efforts to spread the word, the tale reached every corner of the kingdom, and the party members involved in the mission found themselves basking in newfound fame.

Zaryus and Fina, having traveled briefly with the team, also gained recognition. However, neither of them cared for wealth or status and instead quietly celebrated their companions' accomplishments.

But fame was a double-edged sword.

Their association with the heroes placed them in the sights of the Demon King's army. While not targeted for assassination, the danger level of their missions significantly increased.

Around this time, Goblin Slayer received a summons from the capital of the Water City. Reports indicated a severe goblin infestation, and the letter specifically requested his expertise.

Lacking members, Goblin Slayer reached out to the elven archer in the King's Forest and invited Fina and Zaryus to join him.

With no pressing commitments, the two agreed to accompany him. Together, they set off for the Water City.

Upon arrival, they uncovered a series of gruesome crimes: missing women, dismembered priestesses, and more. The severity of the situation prompted Sword Maiden to request reinforcements from the kingdom.

But with the bulk of the army stationed at the frontlines against the Demon King's forces, resources were scarce, and the matter of "mere goblins" took low priority. Sword Maiden herself was bound to the Great Temple, tasked with defending it against potential attacks from the Demon King's generals.

Thus, she turned to Goblin Slayer.

Using maps of the city's underground waterways, the team launched their investigation. They discovered not only goblin raiding parties navigating the waterways by boat but also a swamp dragon kept as a grotesque "pet."

After defeating the goblins and sinking their ships to feed the swamp dragon, the group traced their route to a hidden chamber. Inside, they found captured adventurers but soon realized it was a trap. The goblins had sealed their escape route and begun releasing poison gas into the room.

Were it not for Zaryus's expertise in herbal medicine and his supply of antidotes, they would have perished.

The situation remained dire, as a goblin horde led by a goblin hero—a rare and formidable variant—descended upon them.

Goblin heroes were elite among their kind, capable of overwhelming any adventurer below Gold rank. Facing such a foe with a few Silver-rank companions seemed hopeless.

The goblin hero's strategy and brute strength nearly decimated the team, leaving Goblin Slayer gravely injured and their defenses in shambles.

In a desperate move, the goblin hero was lured by Fina's terrified cries, creating an opening for Goblin Slayer to land a critical blow. Even then, the group only managed to force the goblins to retreat, ending their mission inconclusively.

After recovering at the surface, they resumed their efforts with the elven archer's timely return. Her addition revitalized the team, both in morale and combat capability. With her guidance, they discovered the goblins' lair and confronted another formidable foe: a mutated beholder.

While weaker than the one the Trailblazers had encountered, it still posed a significant threat. Using clever tactics, they defeated it but inadvertently attracted a massive goblin horde led by the goblin hero.

Drawing on their accumulated experience, they managed to kill the goblin hero and seal the goblins' portal with cement, sinking it into the lake.

However, the true mastermind behind the Water City's troubles was not the goblins but a lich commanding a monstrous army. Zaryus and Fina reported this discovery before withdrawing.

The matter was resolved by Sword Maiden, with assistance from the archmage of the Magic Academy and the Grand Knight of the Earth Mother Church.

The worsening situation at the frontlines soon forced all adventurers into wartime deployment. Zaryus and Fina, now crucial Silver- and Copper-rank assets, were tasked with clearing small detachments of the Demon King's army infiltrating the kingdom.

One mission went catastrophically wrong. Their team encountered a heavily armed battalion. Though they escaped with their lives, the encounter left Zaryus gravely wounded and Fina blinded in one eye. The rest of their team was either killed in action or died of their injuries.

After returning to the rear, Zaryus wrote the letter to the Trailblazers that had brought them here.

Hearing Fina's account, Zaryus struggled to sit up in bed, his expression pained. Fina quickly pushed him back down. His vertical-pupiled eyes fixed on the group, his gaze filled with guilt.

"Forgive me. I've failed to uphold your honor… I'm nothing but a broken shell of my former self."

"This isn't your fault," Dan Heng said, his voice heavy. "If not for us, you wouldn't have been put in this situation."

He could see that Zaryus's life hung by a thread. Without a miracle, there was no way to save him. Even Venti, burdened by the overwhelming vitality of abundance, dared not intervene for fear of turning Zaryus into a monstrosity.

The room fell silent.

March and Stelle exchanged uneasy glances, their spirits weighed down. Mimiya lowered her head and asked softly, "Do you know where that Demon King's battalion went?"

"…We're not sure," Fina replied. "But the nearest unit to this region is the Third Army Group…"

Her voice trailed off, her concern evident.

"Mimiya, you can't act recklessly. The outskirts are far too dangerous now. Many towns have sealed themselves off, and trade routes have been completely cut."

"Has the guild done anything about it?"

"The guild's forces are stretched thin," Fina said grimly. "The towns are mostly filled with the old, weak, and injured. Worse, there are rumors… They say the Demon King's army has harnessed the power of the Calamity and gained immortality."

Her words carried a tremor of fear.

"Monsters that rise again after being defeated… and creatures unlike anything seen before. People are terrified. They think the end is near."

"…"

The Trailblazers understood immediately—this was the Stellaron's doing.

Now was not the time for idle adventuring. The group resolved to head for the frontlines.

---

Thank you for reading this chapter!

Wise-Senpai leads the way, sharing stories that inspire and connect us all. Your support is like the encouragement of a loyal companion, pushing this journey forward and lighting the path ahead.

If you'd like to support Wise-Senpai, you can visit:

[patreon.com/WiseTL].

Every contribution strengthens our resolve, paving the way for the stories yet to come!

Let's continue to explore these worlds together!

-Mash Kyrielight 💜