Boom—
Within the Starsea Empire's base, a frenzy of energy surged.
The power of Elation scattered in all directions as Imaginary energy instantly swept through the entire Delve.
The clouds in the sky condensed into a massive funnel, stretching from high above down to the ground.
And its endpoint was Setsuna.
Rumble—
Waves of Imaginary tides crashed in one after another.
All kinds of equipment in the laboratory were blasted into disarray by the energy shock.
Setsuna felt another strange energy begin to gather around him.
The ownerless Path of Elation had responded to him, and an enormous amount of Imaginary energy poured down accordingly.
If infused into any living being, it would be enough to rapidly elevate them to above the level of an Emanator in a short time.
The premise was that they wouldn't explode from overload—just like the insect Aha once tried to send into the Genius Society.
Shua—
He once again activated the power of Dominance, just like how he had dominated the Path of Trailblaze, using it now to dominate the power of Elation.
The tsunami formed by Imaginary energy was initially wildly chaotic, sweeping across the entire space in a frenzy. Stelle clung tightly to Gudako's leg to keep from being blown into the sky by the storm.
A group of little girls and Bulins, under the guidance of the Angeloids, raised shields and urgently activated emergency shelter systems.
Hum...
As the Imaginary energy was gradually suppressed by the power of Dominance, the energy tide calmed down as well.
It condensed into a nearly tangible mass of energy, held in Setsuna's hand.
"Stabilize."
Boom!
The storm subsided, and space completely stabilized.
With prior experience from the Herta Space Station, Herta, Ruan Mei, and Grey weren't too surprised.
The others in the base only emerged from the shelters with lingering fear after confirming everything was safe.
"Commander, this? ..."
Whoosh—
A strand of Imaginary energy spread out from Setsuna's fingertips.
Unlike the power of Trailblaze, it carried an entirely different style—strange and unpredictable.
"Elation!!!"
The Herta was so shocked she almost forgot to breathe. The scene felt eerily familiar.
"You... you've taken control of the Path of Elation?!"
"Yes."
Setsuna crushed the Imaginary energy in his hand.
"This was an accident. I didn't plan to take control of it."
The power of the Path of Elation was no weaker than Trailblaze, but Setsuna didn't find it as smooth to use.
He wasn't a fun-seeking maniac like Aha, so he had little interest in the Path of Elation.
He was far more inclined to expand territory across countless worlds than to wander around looking for amusement.
Throwing parties barely counted as "Elation," and strictly speaking, that concept was closer to indulgence than true Elation.
"You... you really control two Paths at the same time?"
Herta realized Setsuna's research value in her mind had just skyrocketed by another two orders of magnitude. This was absolutely unprecedented.
Not even Aeons had ever achieved such a feat.
"I'll hold onto the Path of Elation for now. Later, I'll see who's suitable and pass it on."
Setsuna thought for a moment.
Originally, his plan had been that whoever could become a greater trickster than Aha would take over as the new Aeon of Elation.
Gudako, Stelle, and even Grey all had potential.
But because he had pulled a massive stunt on Aha, he ended up taking the Path of Elation himself—
Which basically meant he now had the authority to designate and appoint the Aeon of Elation in the future.
"Hiss—"
Grey and Gudako cast burning gazes at Setsuna.
"Commander, considering all the singing, dancing, and entertainment I've done for you—?!"
Gudako clung to Setsuna's arm, saying something outrageous.
"That's bribery! You're using your body as a bribe!"
Stelle shouted in shock, completely ignoring the fact that Gudako was her senior.
"You haven't even properly mastered Imaginary energy yet, and you want to become an Aeon? Go train more first."
Setsuna lightly flicked her forehead.
"Wah, then I won't throw parties with you anymore..."
"If you don't come, plenty of others will. The shipgirls are still lining up."
"Ahhhh—!!!"
...
After the commotion died down.
In the administrative center, Setsuna dragged Sparkle in front of him.
Aha's grand scheme had also brought along two additional people.
Black Swan and this Masked Fool loli.
Black Swan maintained the elegance and composure of a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection, giving a slight bow as she stood to the side.
She was extremely curious about Setsuna, the ruler of the empire who controlled two Paths, but made no inappropriate moves.
She quietly observed the situation and waited to be received.
Sparkle, on the other hand, completely gave up resisting.
Aha and Their accomplices had been thrown into another world by Setsuna, leaving only her behind.
She had seen everything clearly. Aha could have fun in that world because They were an Aeon, but for ordinary people, being cast into that world would be nothing short of hell.
Having narrowly escaped that fate, she had no idea how Setsuna planned to deal with her.
Setsuna pinched her cheek. In truth, Sparkle's original appearance was even cuter than the loli form she had transformed into.
"Anything you want to say?"
"Mm!—"
Sparkle lowered her head, secretly glancing up at Setsuna.
In the past, she would never have been this cautious.
But the man before her was an Aeon! Not only the Aeon of Trailblaze, but he had just taken control of the Path of Elation as well.
"I'm sorry!"
She looked up, putting on a pitiful expression.
"Um, I really didn't mean to cause trouble. It was all because Lord Aha came to find me."
"They asked me to come to the Astral Express and see if I could become a Nameless."
"I've never played that role before, so I wanted to try it... so I came, mm—"
Pfft—
Setsuna couldn't help but laugh.
"So now that Aha isn't here, you're just shifting all the blame onto Them, huh?"
"No! It's all true! I'm the most honest person in Penacony!"
The little girl puffed her cheeks in protest.
Setsuna wasn't as lofty and untouchable as she had imagined, which eased her a bit.
"Come here."
He beckoned.
Sparkle hesitated before walking over.
Just like on the Astral Express before, she sat on his lap.
Her figure was petite and soft, carrying a playful and mischievous charm.
"Didn't expect you to get shy?"
"Huh, my background doesn't include tragic plots like selling my body, you know?"
"I thought Aeons were all weird beings who couldn't even speak normally. Turns out there are Aeons who like taking advantage of girls?"
Sparkle giggled, as if discovering a whole new world. Setsuna was completely different from the Aeons she had imagined.
"Uh... so what Aha said is true? You really like girls?!"
"Of course."
Setsuna wrapped an arm around her waist and lightly tapped her cheek.
A strand of Imaginary energy spread out—that was the power of Elation.
"What should you call me from now on?"
"Mm... Lord Setsuna? Commander?"
Sparkle tilted her head again, her twin tails brushing against Setsuna's face.
Now that Setsuna controlled the Path of Elation, he was unquestionably the Aeon of Elation.
As a Masked Fool, she should follow the new Aeon of Elation—even if Setsuna wasn't particularly "elated."
"That's right."
"You said earlier you might pass the Path of Elation to someone suitable in the future—is that true or not?"
Sparkle asked again.
"Wouldn't that be equivalent to directly turning someone into an Aeon?"
It was the first time she had heard of such a way to manipulate a Path.
"It's true. Someone is more suitable than me to govern it. Until then, I'll keep it for now."
Setsuna replied.
"Eh..."
Sparkle suddenly had a bold idea. She extended her pale hand and began drawing circles on Setsuna's chest.
"Then who do you think truly embodies Elation?"
"That depends on your performance."
Setsuna teased her.
"Oh..."
"So what if I want to have a little fun with you? ..."
"As long as you can deceive me once, you win."
Setsuna smiled.
"Really?"
Sparkle's eyes lit up.
"Mm."
"Oh..."
The little girl was full of confidence. As a master performer skilled in countless disguises, she believed that in the domain of Elation, Grey and Gudako were far inferior to her.
"But if you lose, you'll have to pay a price."
"Eh—"
While Setsuna was teasing Sparkle, another girl walked in, dressed in a purple gown with a veil, looking like a fortune teller.
"Pleasure to meet you, Commander."
"I am a Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection. You may call me Black Swan."
"Earlier, I submitted an application to Ms. Himeko, though it seems there was a small incident in the process?"
Her golden eyes lingered briefly on Sparkle.
Unlike Aha and the Masked Fools who came seeking amusement, Black Swan's purpose was simple: to collect those unique, irreplaceable memories from other worlds within the Starsea Empire.
"So you're the one who arrived before us? Aha even said you could help us board the Astral Express."
Sparkle leaned forward, sizing Black Swan up.
Noble, elegant, composed—like a noble from a classical era, yet with a hint of danger.
"Involving outsiders in your jokes is not a good habit, Miss Masked Fool."
Black Swan smiled faintly.
"Mm, so you received guidance from Fuli and wanted to come here?"
Setsuna glanced at Black Swan's profile on the holographic interface.
With the Starsea Empire causing such a commotion—and being a civilization from beyond the universe—it wasn't surprising that the Garden of Recollection had taken notice.
"Yes. The Garden hopes to preserve valuable memories. The Starsea Empire originates from beyond this universe, and many Memokeepers are already on their way here."
"We need to record everything about this otherworldly civilization—the past and the present—to reconstruct their complete image within memory."
Black Swan's gaze briefly met Setsuna's.
There was no doubt that the one before her was also an Aeon—and one who controlled two Paths.
She was extremely curious about what kind of memories he possessed. She had never truly touched the memories of an Aeon before.
More importantly, this Aeon seemed far more approachable than the others—almost human.
"I thought Fuli would come personally to see me?"
Setsuna smiled.
"Perhaps They are already recording everything, simply waiting for the right moment. Until then, we will gather the memories on Their behalf."
Black Swan replied seriously.
"Mm..."
After a moment of thought, Setsuna nodded.
"Alright. I permit you to stay within the Starsea Empire's base."
"But you must follow the rules here. Do not probe others under the pretext of collecting memories."
"Understood."
Black Swan inclined her head.
She adjusted her attire slightly, then looked at Setsuna and spoke gently:
"Commander, I wonder if you would be willing to...?"
"Stop. I know what you want to say."
Setsuna waved his hand.
"You want me to share some memories with you, right? The memories of an Aeon are very appealing to you, and you're curious about my past."
"But that's not possible right now."
"Eh?"
Black Swan was caught off guard.
"Some people want me to assist in their work, some want to observe me for research, and some want to obtain something from me."
Setsuna pinched Sparkle's cheek.
"It's not hard for me to share memories with you—but what are you willing to offer in return?"
"Eh?"
Black Swan was stunned.
She couldn't possibly sneak into someone's mind to collect or alter their memories like some Memokeepers did—doing that to an Aeon would be suicidal.
"Mm... I could perform divination for you, if you need it?"
"Even Nous and the Finality cannot predict the future of the universe or mine. Are you sure?"
"Then... I could exchange other memories with you."
"How would you provide something equivalent to the memories of an Aeon?"
Setsuna looked at her with interest.
"Ah..."
Black Swan seemed slightly troubled.
Indeed, when dealing with ordinary people, she could use trade or cooperation to obtain their memories.
But before this ruler of the Starsea Empire—and an Aeon—she couldn't immediately offer anything of equal value.
"No rush. Think about it slowly while you're here."
Setsuna smiled.
"When you can find something suitable for exchange, I'll share what interests you."
"Tch."
Sparkle clicked her tongue and waved a finger.
"That's easy. Here's a little hint: Commander likes pretty girls!"
"Look, he's still teasing me and taking advantage of me right now. So just follow the old methods—use a beauty trap or something, isn't that simple?"
"Huh?—"
After realizing Setsuna bore her no ill will and was easy to talk to, Sparkle grew bolder.
As she spoke, she looked Black Swan up and down again.
"Wait... you don't seem like a normal person?"
"Yes, your observation is quite sharp. If there's time, I'd also like to take a look at you."
Black Swan smiled beautifully.
After following the Aeon of Remembrance Fuli and becoming a Memokeeper, Black Swan had already abandoned her physical body.
Thus, the form she currently displayed was a memetic lifeform composed of crystallized memories, completely different from Sparkle or Firefly.
This unique lifeform granted her the ability to freely manifest within memories and dreams. What constituted her was the "concept" of memory, not physical biological matter.
"Oh..."
Gudako stared at Black Swan for a long time, deep in thought.
"That's such a pity."
"What?"
"You've got a great figure and you're pretty—definitely fits the Commander's tastes... but can you even attend parties on the Eternal Snowfall like this?"
"Only sisters who party together can gain the Commander's trust."
"???"
Black Swan froze.
She began to wonder whether, when Setsuna eventually shared his memories with her, she would end up seeing a lot of very strange things.
...
After the disturbance caused by Aha settled down.
Sparkle and Black Swan naturally remained at the Starsea Empire's base.
Black Swan pondered what kind of price she could offer in exchange for Setsuna sharing his memories.
She felt that perhaps only Fuli personally stepping in could afford such a price. However, aside from the empire's supreme ruler, there were also many ordinary people within the base.
Their memories also held value—through them, she could piece together some information about Setsuna.
"Mm..."
Meanwhile.
Sparkle, Stelle, and Gudako—the three candidates of the Path of Elation—gathered together in a small room, holding a secret meeting.
"Cough, the Commander said that whoever is most suitable to govern Elation in the future will be given the Path."
"In theory, the most suitable candidates are probably the three of us."
Gudako looked at Sparkle and Stelle—truly the three great troublemakers of the Starsea Empire.
Although Grey also loved causing trouble, nanomachines were far more interested in Erudition. She spent most of her time with the Research Department and wasn't particularly fond of Elation.
"Oh—little grey hair, and this little orange hair, you two also want a shot at Elation?"
Sparkle propped her chin on her hand, sizing up Stelle and Gudako, casually giving them nicknames.
"The strongest army makes the emperor! ...Ahem, no, I mean, I'm just trying to let you keep some dignity, alright?!"
Gudako slammed the table and cleared her throat.
"So, everyone's aiming for Elation?"
Sparkle and Stelle looked at her with interest, silently agreeing.
That was the power of an Aeon! There wasn't even a need for ascension. As long as the Commander handed over the Path, whoever received it would instantly become an Aeon-level existence.
There was no way anyone didn't have thoughts about it—even Herta and Ruan Mei wanted to study the Path of Elation.
"So? Little orange hair, what's your proposal?"
Sparkle asked.
"To avoid conflict, we can talk things out first."
Gudako spread her hands.
"Negotiate?"
Stelle looked astonished.
"How about I take the loss and accept the Path of Elation—reluctantly becoming an Aeon."
Gudako patted her chest, looking righteous.
"When the time comes, I'll grant you both the rank of Emanator. Each of you can govern a few star systems, hold court privileges, enter without announcement, wear swords in the hall, establish your own offices, share authority with the Three Excellencies, and command all military affairs of the Star Rail universe. How about it?"
"???"
Stelle was dumbfounded. After a long pause, she pounced on Gudako and the two began wrestling.
"What do you mean you're 'taking a loss' by becoming an Aeon?! Let me take that loss instead, okay?!"
"You're just dismissing me with one Emanator position? Huh?!"
"I'll add a Gundam for you! Barbatos or Strike Freedom, your choice!"
Gudako shouted.
"..."
Stelle froze for a moment, then immediately grabbed Gudako's face and stretched it like dough.
"I can just ask the Commander directly!"
"Pfft—hahahahaha—!"
"Yes, yes, fight! Fight!! Hurry up and fight!!!"
Sparkle watched the chaos unfold, fanning the flames without a care, laughing so hard she nearly collapsed.
"Little grey hair, use a baseball bat! That's right—home run!!"
"Little orange hair, don't you know magic? Show me what you've got!"
"Oh come on, is that all you've got? Are you even capable? The Commander said you were pretty strong..."
Crackle—Boom!!
With the instigation of a master provocateur, the fight between the two escalated rapidly.
Imaginary energy and magic clashed back and forth, leaving the surroundings in complete disarray.
"Gundam! Little orange hair, don't you have a Gundam? Can you let me see it?"
"Come on! Show me your trump card!"
Sparkle hugged a bucket of popcorn, took a sip of soda, and continued cheering them on.
"?"
After fighting for a while, Gudako and Stelle suddenly turned to look at her at the same time.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Sparkle blinked.
"Do you think you're the embodiment of Elation or something?!"