Honkai Star Rail: Corruption System

The wind howled across the snowfield, a constant, biting reminder of Belobog's harsh climate. Inside the relatively warmer confines of their current location, however, tension hung thicker than the frost outside.

"Daziel, have you lost your mind?!" Himeko was the first to break the stunned silence. Her brow furrowed, her voice a mixture of disbelief and deep concern. "Mr. Daziel," she continued, her tone shifting to a more measured, though no less worried, cadence, "we appreciate your... generosity, but even if we liquidated every asset in Belobog, we couldn't possibly repay a debt of that magnitude. For us, it would simply be trading one creditor for another..."

Bronya echoed Himeko's incredulity, her usually composed demeanor fractured by confusion. Her eyes, wide with bewilderment, remained fixed on Daziel. "The Astral Express simply doesn't have that kind of spare budget right now. Do you even understand the scale of what you're suggesting?!" Himeko interjected again, her voice sharper this time, "I understand you want to resolve this crisis, but you can't just—" She trailed off, concern etching lines around her eyes, fearing Daziel was acting rashly in his eagerness to find a solution.

"Don't worry, Himeko," Daziel reassured them, shaking his head gently. His voice remained calm and steady. "This won't be using any Express funds. I'll be covering this personally." He paused, then added, his words once more sending ripples of shock through the room, "And as for Belobog... you can repay me slowly, without interest. Pay me back whenever you are able."

The room fell silent once more, the weight of Daziel's words pressing down on them. They couldn't begin to fathom his motives, let alone where he could have possibly acquired such a vast fortune.

Topaz, ever the pragmatist, observed Daziel with narrowed eyes, suspicion and wariness coloring her gaze. "Mr. Daziel," she began, her voice laced with thinly veiled doubt, "as far as our records indicate, you don't have any discernible sources of substantial income, do you? Where did you possibly get this kind of money?"

"The source of the funds..." Daziel began, his tone still frank and open, "I'm afraid I can't disclose that information. But I assure you, the funds are real. In fact," he continued, gesturing with his hand, "you're welcome to verify my Interastral Peace Corporation bank account balance right now if you have any doubts. Half of the total debt is already deposited, enough to serve as an initial payment."

Topaz hesitated for a moment, then, with a flick of her wrist, produced her personal communication device. She quickly typed a message, sending it off to a subordinate with instructions to discreetly check Daziel's account balance.

The ensuing silence stretched, each second feeling agonizingly prolonged. Topaz's gaze remained fixed on her device screen, her anticipation palpable as they awaited the reply.

Finally, a subtle vibration alerted her to a new message. She swiftly opened it, her eyes scanning the contents with focused intensity.

As she read further, her brow furrowed deeper and deeper, her eyes widening with growing shock and utter disbelief.

"You... you really do have this kind of money?" Topaz finally asked, looking up at Daziel, her voice now trembling ever so slightly.

"As good as gold," Daziel confirmed with a nod, his tone unwavering and composed.

Silence descended again, thicker and more profound than before. Topaz lowered her gaze, lost in thought, her mind clearly racing.

After what felt like an eternity, she spoke again, her voice hesitant, almost fragile. "Then... Mr. Daziel, what… what is the price you want me to pay? I genuinely don't believe I possess anything of comparable value…"

Daziel, in response, pulled out his own device, his fingers moving swiftly across the screen as he typed. "It's not really appropriate to discuss this here," he said, his attention still focused on his phone. "I'll send it to your device. Have a look yourself."

Topaz, her heart pounding a nervous rhythm against her ribs, picked up her own device and opened the message Daziel had just transmitted.

Initially, she'd braced herself for some impossibly demanding conditions, perhaps even terms she simply couldn't, or wouldn't, agree to.

But as she read the message's contents, she was utterly speechless. A wave of crimson flooded her cheeks, turning them as brilliantly red as ripe apples. Her eyes darted around, filled with a mixture of shyness and burgeoning panic.

"This... this..." Topaz stammered, completely unable to articulate the chaotic jumble of thoughts swirling within her mind. She had never, in her wildest imaginings, anticipated that the "price" Daziel was suggesting would be… this.

"Does it have to be me?" Topaz finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mr. Daziel, if you have… such preferences, our Corporation could easily find you… more, and prettier… individuals of any species in the galaxy. I truly don't understand, what is it about me that you find so… interesting?"

Daziel shook his head gently, his expression earnest and sincere. "It's not about quantity, or… conventional beauty," he explained, his voice soft but firm. "It has to be you."

"I… I'll consider it," Topaz mumbled, lowering her head, her voice almost inaudible.

Daziel leaned in closer, his breath warm against Topaz's ear, and in a low, intimate tone meant only for her ears, he murmured, "Consider it carefully. Come to Room 301 of the Gothe Hotel tonight…" His tone remained calm and even, as if discussing a purely mundane matter.

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the others in the room utterly bewildered and adrift in a sea of unanswered questions.

Bronya watched Daziel's retreating figure, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and speculation. She utterly failed to grasp Daziel's motivations, why he would be so willing to assist Belobog in such a monumental way. It simply didn't seem to offer him any discernible benefit…

While Himeko's actions could at least be interpreted as supporting a friend in need, Daziel's appeared to Bronya to be nothing short of foolish generosity. In her pragmatic worldview, it was utterly incomprehensible.

Regardless of the perplexing circumstances, the immediate crisis had, at least temporarily, been averted. For the moment, the looming threat of renewed conflict had receded. And none of them truly desired a war with the Interastral Peace Corporation, even with Himeko's formidable backing. From a purely strategic viewpoint, this outcome was undeniably the best they could have hoped for.

"Just what is Daziel up to?" Himeko wondered aloud, her brow still furrowed with worry. "March, you've been with him the longest, do you have any idea?"

March 7th shook her head, just as perplexed. "I don't know… If even you don't know, Himeko, how could I possibly understand what's going on inside his head?"

Topaz remained rooted to the spot, still staring at her device, her heart a turbulent mixture of conflicting emotions. She was utterly unsure which path to choose, or what ramifications either choice might unleash.

"Credit," she whispered, her voice laced with uncertainty and a deep sense of helplessness, "what do you think I should do?"

"Hum hum!~" Credit, however, offered no insightful reply, only snuggling closer on her shoulder and snorting softly, as if he too was wrestling with the complex and perplexing situation.

Should she agree to his… proposition? Compared to the precarious peace and long-term stability of two entire planets, her personal feelings undeniably seemed insignificant. Furthermore, even with the combined might of Topaz and Jade, they might still not be able to gain a decisive advantage in a direct confrontation against both factions.

But—

It's just… so incredibly embarrassing! Why did it have to be this kind of request?

…

Outside, on the desolate snowfield, the wind continued to howl its mournful song, as if relentlessly urging Topaz to make a choice, to commit to a decision.

And Daziel had already walked far into the distance, his figure gradually becoming indistinct, blurring into the swirling snow and wind, leaving behind only a vague, receding outline.

He knew his carefully constructed plan was already halfway to fruition.

Now, everything hinged on Topaz's ultimate decision, and, perhaps more importantly, on the mysterious system's unseen judgment. If the women scanned by the system truly did have their common sense subtly, yet irrevocably, altered, then Topaz would have no logical reason to refuse his… unconventional terms.

Daziel now needed to focus on making some subtle, yet essential, preparations for the anticipated confrontation that night…

…

Night enveloped the Gothe Hotel, casting long shadows across the plush corridors. Inside Room 301, Daziel sat patiently in a comfortable armchair, quietly awaiting Topaz's arrival.

Time crawled forward, second by agonizing second, each tick of the clock feeling stretched and distorted, as if each second was a century.

Deep within Daziel's mind, anticipation warred with a gnawing unease. He remained uncertain if Topaz would actually come, and even if she did, how he should even begin to navigate such a… delicate encounter.

Just as his thoughts began to spiral into further uncertainty, a soft, hesitant knock resonated through the silent room.

"Knock, knock, knock…"

The sound wasn't loud, almost tentative, but in the otherwise absolute stillness of the room, it sounded startlingly clear. Daziel's heart leaped in his chest. He inhaled deeply, forcing a semblance of calm, then rose to his feet, walked deliberately to the door, and pulled it open.

Standing in the dimly lit hallway, framed by the soft glow spilling from the room, was Topaz.

She was still impeccably dressed in her formal business attire, but her face was subtly, almost imperceptibly, made up—a delicate touch of enhancement he hadn't noticed before, adding an unexpected layer to her already striking beauty.

A faint, delicate blush painted her cheeks, and her usually sharp, calculating eyes were now veiled with a complex tapestry of emotions—hesitation, apprehension, and something else he couldn't quite decipher.

____________

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