Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [70]

The spacious room was comfortably warm, equipped with every amenity one could imagine. A large bookshelf in the corner held hundreds of books spanning countless genres.

On the square wooden table, a few elegantly plated dishes lay untouched, their meticulously crafted presentation doing little to stir Bronya’s appetite. Even the intricate desserts nearby failed to entice her. The utensils remained spotless, unused.

She was under house arrest.

Her mother had placed her under confinement using a preposterous excuse.

The room was empty except for her. Even her most trusted aide and surrogate family member, Pela, had been taken in for investigation by the Silvermane Guards. Bronya had received no updates from the outside world.

Sitting in a cushioned chair, she felt helpless for the first time since she could remember. Against her mother’s iron will, she had crumbled in just one round.

Disappointment and anxiety clashed violently within her, but over time, those emotions settled. With nothing else to occupy her, Bronya began to reflect on everything that had happened. Concepts she hadn’t fully understood in her private lessons before now seemed to come into focus.

“Mentor… where have you gone…” Bronya murmured softly, staring at her unanswered phone.

When she had been escorted back by Captain Gepard under her mother’s orders that morning, Bronya had sensed something was off about him. Yet, she couldn’t pinpoint what.

It wasn’t until he was about to leave that he offered her some reassurance—telling her not to worry about Chen Lin and the others.

But that was all he said, and Bronya was left in the dark. She had no idea whether Gepard was following orders to capture them or what the situation outside was like.

Her mother had visited briefly, saying little other than to tell Bronya to rest and that she would explain everything once the matter was resolved.

Outside the palace, more than a dozen elite Silvermane Guards stood at every passageway, weapons at the ready. When Cocolia decided to confine Bronya, she stripped her of her military title and authority. Bronya was no longer acting commander of the guards and thus had no command over them.

It was clear this move was to prevent Bronya from issuing orders to bypass the guards and leave the palace.

Now, not even a fly could get in or out.

Knock, knock, knock—

The repeated knocking jarred Bronya from her thoughts. She answered weakly, “Come in.”

The heavy door creaked open as several chefs entered, carrying steaming dishes.

Noticing that the food from lunch remained untouched, the head chef’s face filled with concern.

“Lady Bronya, please eat something. You’ll make yourself ill.”

“Chef Antony, there’s no need to prepare so much. I don’t have an appetite right now,” Bronya replied with a shake of her head.

The head chef sighed deeply. After setting down the fresh dishes and clearing away the cold ones, he quietly left with the others.

Once again, the room plunged into an eerie silence.

In the palace’s hallways, patrolling guards came and went. Those stationed at the main door waited idly for their replacements, their boredom evident.

“Chris, do you think Lady Bronya will be alright if she keeps this up?” one guard asked.

The younger guard across from him pursed his lips. “I’m worried too, especially about Lady Bronya and Mr. Chen. Good deeds should be rewarded… By the way, let me tell you something: my cousin is a hero now.”

“Oh? How’s that?”

“My cousin was assigned to monitor Mr. Chen’s group. Just as they were waiting for the order to act, he suddenly… fainted. Led the way by example!”

“Oh! I get it! A true hero!” The senior guard gave him a thumbs up. “Let’s grab a drink sometime. I like people who know what’s what.”

“Leave it to me!”

“Hey, what are you two chatting about?” A patrolling guard, hands rubbing together for warmth, stopped by.

“Lady Bronya and Mr. Chen, of course. I refuse to believe Mr. Chen would harm Belobog or us,” the senior guard declared.

The younger one shrugged. “Honestly, I think the ones sitting pretty in their offices are the real traitors.”

“I heard from the guys on morning duty that some ministers were badmouthing Mr. Chen in court. Hypocrites, the lot of them.”

Another guard chimed in. “Oh, yeah! Didn’t Jack get three days of detention for cursing out those parasites outside the main hall?”

“Ha! I was there! The new administrative minister turned red and green from the insults. Once Jack’s out, I’m buying him dinner as thanks!”

As more guards joined in, they realized they were all on the same page.

At first, they had been hesitant to speak ill of the Supreme Guardian or high-ranking officials. But knowing their comrades shared their thoughts, they abandoned their reservations. A chorus of complaints and jokes filled the hallway.

One particularly disgruntled guard declared, “Mr. Chen was good to us—humble, selfless, and instrumental in reclaiming lost territory. I’d sooner trust a Fragmentum monster than believe he’s a threat to national security.”

The patrol captain nodded. “Well said. Sharp, fair, and accurate. One day, those traitorous leeches will face justice.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself, boss. +1.”

“+2.”

“…+19.”

The guards’ camaraderie was abruptly interrupted when two armored, masked figures approached. Their chatter ceased instantly.

The patrol captain frowned and stepped forward. “What unit are you with? What’s your business here?”

When the two figures removed their helmets, the captain’s eyes widened in shock.

“Lady Serval? Vice Officer Pela?! But… weren’t you taken in for investigation? Are you alright?”

Pela shook her head. “They didn’t trouble me much. Just made me read a couple of books for a few hours before letting me go.”

Serval clapped the captain on the shoulder. “No need to be so stiff, Eric. We’re all on the same side here. We’re here to see Lady Bronya. Is that alright?”

“Of course! Absolutely! Brothers, keep watch and let me know if anyone comes. The two of you should go in quickly—Lady Bronya hasn’t eaten all day. Maybe you can convince her.”

---

Meanwhile, in the Underworld, Chen Lin and his group stood outside a modest stone house dimly illuminated by a geothermal lamp in the corner.

“This is where Oleg lives?” Chen Lin asked.

Seele nodded and pushed open the door. The room was empty.

“That’s strange. Oleg isn’t home?” Seele muttered. “But the lamp’s still on…”

Geothermal lamps were manually operated, not designed to run continuously like the overworld’s more advanced lighting. Oleg, known for his frugality, wouldn’t leave it on unless he was around.

After a brief search of the house turned up nothing, Seele stepped back outside, only to meet a neighbor—a woman wearing an apron.

“Oh, Seele! Looking for Mr. Oleg?”

“Yes, Auntie. Do you know where he went?”

The woman shook her head apologetically. “Not sure, but he got some news about Fragmentum monsters popping up somewhere. He probably went to deal with that.”

Seele’s face darkened. “Got it. Thanks.”

Turning to Chen Lin and the others, she gestured sharply. “Let’s go!”

Soon after leaving the town, they arrived near a Fragmentum opening. A group of Wildfire fighters was struggling against a wave of monsters.

Seele sprang into action, wielding her massive scythe with deadly precision.

The Wildfire fighters cheered as she joined the fray. “It’s Miss Seele! We’ve got this!”

Watching from a distance, Chen Lin and his group arrived just as the last monster fell.

“Finally,” Chen Lin muttered.

Seele turned to address the fighters but suddenly felt something pull her back sharply. She staggered just as an icy projectile speared the spot where she had stood moments earlier.

Heart pounding, Seele realized she had narrowly avoided a fatal blow.

Her eyes darted around, but there was no one nearby who could’ve pulled her back. Only Chen Lin’s group stood in the distance.

“Did I just… imagine that?”

---

This is a fan translation of 在星穹铁道点群星科技树真的没问题吗？ by 杏雨诗韵 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!