[Dreamscape Depths, Dawn]
Everyone listened to Sunday's account of the negotiations.
"It's unbelievable. Penacony actually has... remnants of Order." Himeko said, somewhat surprised.
As for Stelle, she frowned.
If she remembered correctly, Nero had asked the Knights to search for the Dream Master earlier. Judging by the Knights' efficiency, there was no reason for them to remain indifferent when the Dream Master appeared.
Moreover, Miss Noe was not here either. Based on what she knew of Nero, this Knight should have been sent out by Nero as well.
Yet in Sunday's account just now, he had not mentioned the Knights at all.
The situation felt strange to Stelle, but when she turned her head toward Nero, she found that there was little change in the expression on the boy's face.
No matter how naive Nero usually acted, there was no reason for him to react like this. Just what was this subtle sense of incongruity...?
While Stelle frowned in confusion, March had already angrily questioned Sunday from the side, "What did you do to Mr. Yang and Miss Robin!?"
"Please rest assured. I merely gave them some time to contemplate their fate on their own." Sunday said.
"You should understand that doing this means becoming enemies with the Astral Express." Himeko looked at Sunday.
However, Sunday said, "Even if we must become enemies with the Nameless, it would only be me and the Oak Family. But we have not reached that point yet, have we?"
"Everyone has seen you running around Penacony for justice."
"Give Mr. Yang back to us!" July said.
"I will, but that depends on the outcome of these negotiations." Sunday said.
"If Order is driving you to imprison Welt and Robin and threaten us into obediently submitting, then I think there is no need for us to sit down and negotiate at all." Himeko looked at Sunday.
"You misunderstand, Miss Himeko." Sunday still maintained his calm tone. "They are safe. Just as the Family has always promised, no one will be harmed in the dreamscape, let alone in the beautiful new world belonging to Order."
At this point, Sunday lowered his eyes slightly, revealing an expression of pity for all living beings, "Penacony and this universe have witnessed too much innocent bloodshed."
"The strong raise their blades against the weak, and the victors push the lives of the defeated toward their end..."
"Natural selection. The world follows this law, building the well-being of all humanity upon the remains of the weak. Only we, the Pathstriders of Order, or rather, I, have the ability to put an end to this absurd farce."
"You intend to revive a dead Aeon? No one has ever accomplished such a thing." Himeko looked at Sunday with a serious gaze.
"If that is the case, then how should we explain the existence of this boy you call Nero?"
Sunday smiled and looked toward Nero. The expressions of the others changed at this moment.
Sunday paid no attention to the changes in their expressions and simply continued speaking, "Since Miss Himeko is interested, then let us speak frankly. I have always believed that people can understand each other through peaceful means."
"I am willing to tell you all the aspirations of the Pathstriders of Order truthfully, so that you can make a better judgment regarding the Astral Express, Penacony, and this universe."
"Words are pale and powerless, and it is difficult to describe what that ideal looks like..."
Before Sunday could finish, Nero interrupted him, "You're talking nonsense! You locked Mr. Yang and Sister Robin up. How is that understanding each other through peaceful means?"
Sunday, "..."
Nero's words left Sunday silent. In a sense, his words had hit the nail on the head.
However, after the silence, Sunday still said, "Nero, I am very grateful that you once protected Robin from the attack of the Mirror-Holders."
"After that, following the attack on the Xianzhou Luofu, when the various factions throughout the universe launched a campaign to hunt down the Mirror-Holders, I also acted as Penacony's representative and expelled the Mirror-Holders who had come here to seek refuge."
"During this process, from the information revealed by those Mirror-Holders, as well as from the Knights' attitude toward you now, I gained a certain understanding of your true nature."
"From a certain perspective, you are also one of the gods who walk ahead of mortals, leading the god of the Path of Beauty."
"Beauty, Beauty... After you have seen all of this, I think you will understand my ideal. So please give me some time, and give me an opportunity to show you, and everyone..."
As he spoke, Sunday slowly turned around. "So follow me, everyone. Let us walk the road we came by once more and see where this road is trying to lead."
As Sunday's voice fell, his entire person disappeared before everyone's eyes.
"Huh? How did he disappear!" March cried out in surprise as she watched this.
But the next moment, Sunday's voice came from all directions. Or rather, it seemed that the voice had sounded directly in everyone's minds.
"Welcome. This is not any part of Penacony's dreamscape. It is my inner world. The reason the scene before you has not changed is because your consciousness extracted similar concepts and used them to fill in the gaps."
"So you locked us up too?" Nero said.
"Exactly..." July echoed.
After a brief silence, Himeko asked, "You... did the same thing to Welt?"
"This is a kind of tuning. Its effects are stronger, and it is also more mentally taxing." Sunday answered. "This gray-haired friend has experienced it before, so she should understand."
"Through tuning, you can understand my emotions more directly. This also means I will hide nothing from you."
"Next, I would like everyone to look at the big screen. The road we came by begins here."
"From here, you will see the many choices I have experienced. I have chosen some of them to share with you."
"I think that after experiencing the same difficulties together, you will certainly be able to understand my thoughts."
As Sunday began his narration, an image appeared before everyone. It was an injured little Harmonious Cuckoo.
"Let us begin. The first choice concerns the story of a fledgling."