Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [55]

When dawn broke, Belobog was abuzz with activity.

Countless Silvermane Guards fanned out across the city in tight-knit squads, their solemn expressions and hurried movements drawing curious gazes from onlookers.

At the Neverwinter Workshop, Serval rose early, as was her habit. Without any performances scheduled, she skipped her usual makeup routine, opting instead to sit in the shop's main hall with her guitar. Taking advantage of the quiet morning, she began composing a new song that had been forming in her mind.

Opening the shop had become secondary to her; she had often mentioned to her close friends that the Mechanical Workshop wasn’t profitable under her management. But she didn’t care much for making money—fixing things was just her way of passing the time.

“This rhythm is pretty good. Better write it down.”

Serval’s pale fingers strummed the guitar strings, jotting down the occasional melodic fragment that caught her ear. She had been busy running errands lately and hadn’t spent much time with her trusty companion. Today, she decided to reconnect with her old rhythm.

Learning to steal moments of leisure is the key to living a relaxed life, she thought with a smile.

As a mechanical prodigy, Serval lived up to her former position as a researcher. Belobog’s cutting-edge technologies were child’s play in her hands. Even when the Silvermane Guards’ core equipment encountered problems that stumped the research division, Serval could easily resolve them.

Recently, she had even devised a gadget that reduced the volume of musical instruments without compromising sound quality, ensuring only the player could hear the music.

Thanks to this invention, Serval no longer had to worry about disturbing neighboring shopkeepers while playing her guitar.

She was fully immersed in her music when a sudden knock on the shop door startled her.

“Who’s there?” Serval glanced at the clock—it wasn’t opening hours yet. Interrupted mid-flow, she frowned in irritation.

A deep, familiar voice came from outside.

“Serval, it’s me.”

“Oh?”

Unlocking the door, Serval was greeted by the sight of Gepard, his face clouded with worry. The moment he saw her, he visibly relaxed.

“What’s going on so early? And aren’t you back with the Guards?”

“Yes, my injuries have healed. I can’t stay away from the Silvermane Guards for too long,” Gepard replied earnestly. Then, in a more serious tone, he added, “Serval, please be cautious these days. Try to stay indoors as much as possible.”

“What happened?”

As his sister, Serval knew Gepard like the back of her hand. She immediately noticed something was off about his expression. Glancing outside, she saw the unusually high number of Silvermane Guards patrolling the streets. “Is this about reclaiming lost territory again?”

“This… has nothing to do with combat,” Gepard hedged. “Just stay safe in the workshop.”

“Oh? So Captain Gepard thinks a humble citizen like me isn’t worthy of an explanation? Ah, such is the gulf between rank and status…” Serval dramatically covered her face, pretending to sob. Her pitiful act was so convincing that she truly seemed like someone who had been wronged.

But those familiar with her knew better. In Belobog, except for one or two figures at the very top, no one dared bully this rock-loving big sister. Even within the Silvermane Guards, many greeted her with respectful smiles and called her “Boss.”

“Serval!” Gepard exclaimed, flustered. His mouth opened and closed as if searching for words, but he found himself at a loss.

This was the downside of his straightforward nature—he struggled against clever wordplay. Unlike in the military, where he could resolve issues with force if necessary, he had no such option with his sister.

Seeing his frustration, Serval decided to ease up. “Alright, alright. So what happened? Don’t tell me you came all this way just to remind me to stay safe.”

She knew Gepard too well. He wouldn’t show up without a good reason.

What a blockhead.

Glancing around nervously, Gepard stepped inside and closed the door behind him. His cautious behavior made Serval’s brow twitch in curiosity.

If her stiff, by-the-book brother was being this careful, it meant something big was going on.

Sure enough, Gepard fixed her with a serious gaze.

“Serval, this is classified information from the military and Qlipoth Fort. You can’t tell anyone.”

“Alright.”

“Last night, the Supreme Guardian and her five palace guards disappeared without a trace.”

Serval’s eyes lit up at the news.

“This is great news!”

“Serval!” Gepard nearly choked on his words. “Don’t say things like that!”

“Ahem… Not my doing, I swear,” Serval quickly clarified, though a mischievous glint remained in her eyes.

Her reaction wasn’t entirely unwarranted. Once a rising political star herself, Serval had long been at odds with Cocolia. While many in the military and government knew about their strained relationship, few understood the true reason behind their falling out.

Gepard pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Of course, I know it wasn’t you. But with the Supreme Guardian missing, chaos is brewing. Please, just stay in the workshop and don’t wander around. And I understand you’re still upset about what happened with your status being revoked, but Cocolia is still Belobog’s leader. Everything she does is for the city. Holding a grudge doesn’t help anyone.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. But if she’s gone, we’ve still got little Bronya, right?” Serval said cheerfully.

“…” Gepard sighed, suddenly regretting coming to inform her. Still, he trusted his sister wouldn’t spread sensitive information.

Serval tilted her head. “So, you’re looking for Cocolia?”

“Yes. Her sudden disappearance has thrown the palace into disarray. Whatever the reason, we must find her as soon as possible.”

“Well, good luck with that.”

“Serval, please don’t—”

“I won’t, I won’t. Relax.” Serval waved a hand dismissively. “Do I seem like the kind of person to go spilling secrets?”

Satisfied, Gepard left after a final warning.

Once the door closed, Serval’s playful demeanor vanished. Her brow furrowed.

What’s going on? Cocolia, playing the disappearing act? That’s not like her…

After a long moment of contemplation, Serval locked the door and headed to her bedroom. She retrieved a small rectangular device from under her pillow—a gift from Chen Lin.

The gadget had numerous functions, but Serval mainly used it for communication. Tapping through the interface, she quickly sent a message before stashing it back under her pillow.

---

At the Goethe Hotel, several young Silvermane Guards slipped into Chen Lin’s room. They spoke in hushed tones.

“Mr. Chen, the higher-ups want us to keep this under wraps. Please don’t mention it to anyone.”

“You’ve saved many of our brothers. We trust you care about Belobog’s future, so please stay cautious during this time!”

“Exactly! If we find anything, we’ll report to you immediately. You’re practically family to the Silvermane Guards!”

Chen Lin saw the guards off with a smile, their flurry of “classified” information leaving him amused. His phone buzzed twice shortly after, and he glanced at the screen to see a message.

Serval: Cocolia’s gone. Gepard just told me—says it’s a big secret. But I think there’s more to it than that. Stay safe, Chen.
Chen Lin: Got it! You stay safe too, Serval.

Moments later, an urgent knock sounded at the door. When Chen Lin opened it, he found Bronya standing there, her eyes slightly red, with Pela close behind, her expression grim.

The moment she saw Chen Lin, Bronya rushed forward and grabbed his hand, her voice trembling.

“Mentor! I… my mother is missing!!”

Chen Lin: “…”

---

T/N: 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!