'Robin' was still blissfully unaware that the Family had already reached a firm conclusion: they were going to hunt down the creator of the Hachimi Song.
And then, they planned to forcefully inject them with the Family's power of Harmony for a little "correction."
Honestly, even if she had known, she probably would have looked forward to seeing them try.
As for the Galaxy Rangers...
They had actually picked up on the issue as well.
Their take wasn't much different from the IPC's.
After using their Tuner-derived senses to decipher the hidden message within the song, the Rangers simply dismissed it as another prank from some powerful Fool.
After all, this kind of thankless effort exerted purely for the sake of a laugh was exactly the sort of thing only a Masked Fool could pull off.
The Xianzhou Alliance, meanwhile, had been keeping a casual eye on the situation due to the Galaxy Rangers' recent activities.
Logically, the behavior screamed "Fool."
However, the power being used was Harmony—and a brand of Harmony that felt distinct from the Family's usual flavor.
It had only been a few days since the resurrection of Ena. It seemed impossible for a Masked Fool to grasp the nuances of this divergent Harmony faster than a Pathstrider of the Harmony itself.
That made the originator of this whole mess quite a mystery.
Coupled with the fact that the content was posted by an account linked to Madam Herta, the Xianzhou high command couldn't help but suspect a connection to the recent Ena and the Swarm King incident.
--+--
Elsewhere.
Acheron, who occasionally stepped away from the borders of IX the Nihility to keep tabs on Bai Ming's movements in the material world, found herself back on the grid.
As she reconnected to the cosmic network, she was immediately slapped in the face by a tidal wave of "Hachimi wo nameru to~"
A massive question mark practically manifested over her head.
To orient herself, she actually had to double-check the current Amber Era and year.
She realized it hadn't even been two months since her last visit to the physical realm.
What on Aeon's green earth has happened to the outside world?
Driven by a rare spark of curiosity, Acheron clicked on a few audio clips to play in the background while she searched for recent news.
But as she scrolled, a subtle, peculiar sensation washed over her.
"This voice... though it's slightly different, I can't help but feel it belongs to Bai Ming."
She had zero evidence, yet Acheron couldn't shake the intuition.
She paused to imagine Bai Ming recording these songs with a deadpan, serious expression, and a flurry of smiles involuntarily broke across her face.
"And Amphoreus, the war against the Abundance, the resurrection of an Aeon... I feel like these are all things Bai Ming would be capable of."
Acheron felt a touch emotional. It wasn't that the universe was usually peaceful, but rarely did events unfold with such a constant stream of "unpredictable" developments.
Everything felt very much like Bai Ming's signature style.
If Bai Ming really was behind this...
Acheron considered the implications and figured there would likely be trouble heading her way soon. At the very least, according to the rumors circulating online, the Family was definitely going to start a fuss.
"Hmm... I missed her a little. I'll ask where she is."
Since she happened to be around, she might as well drop by and say hello. If help was needed, she could lend a hand.
Acheron raised her phone and sent a message to Bai Ming.
As the Hachimi Song continued its viral spread, Herta finally remembered that she had once given 'Robin' authorization for this kind of thing.
She summoned AI Herta to get a status report.
When Herta saw the original videos and the subsequent, mountain-sized pile of Hachimi remixes, she found it difficult to describe exactly how she felt.
It got worse when she glanced at the comment section.
- [Came here for the hype. Is this what a genius looks like?]
- [When a genius makes a move, it's at a height we mortals can only look up to.]
- [I find Madam Herta more approachable than the big sister next door now. Do you think there's a chance the real Madam Herta might sing Hachimi herself?]
- [I would've said you were crazy before, but now... I'm not so sure.]
"..."
The original video had effectively become a digital pilgrimage site. Countless people from various planets, provided they had an internet connection, were flocking there to pay their respects.
The idea of a high-and-mighty genius personally descending to the mortal coil to engage in such relatable, contrast-heavy, and abstract nonsense was an absolute magnet for attention.
Madam Herta, naturally, wasn't the type to get worked up over comments.
This was 'Robin's' handiwork, and she had given the green light.
Consequently, she didn't particularly care about how her reputation was shifting across the cosmos, nor did she care about the idiots in the comments begging her to sing the Hachimi Song.
They were just a bunch of mediocre minds gathered for a cheap laugh. It wasn't enough to stir any real emotion in her.
However, while she was indifferent to the audience, she certainly had some thoughts regarding 'Robin.'
She had heard those purely nonsensical songs. She had seen those bizarre lines of dialogue.
Herta swore that she would never, in this lifetime, sing such trash.
At most, if the whim ever struck her, she might have a puppet perform it in front of her for amusement.
I mean... Herta knew why that girl was doing this. She could even guess the tactical advantages of choosing such a weird method of implementation.
But the hidden power of Elation within it was something Herta knew all too well.
Of all things to use, you just had to use the power of that Aeon of Elation, didn't you?
Herta was genuinely on the verge of losing it.
Furthermore, Herta felt a begrudging sense of respect for the fact that the girl actually had the thick skin to personally sing those songs. She had even released her voice as free material for netizens to remix at will.
Herta was seriously starting to wonder if the girl was purely trying to research the Harmony or if she was just genuinely enjoying herself.
So.
She tracked down 'Robin,' who hadn't left yet. As soon as Herta walked in, she saw the girl staring at a screen with a grin, lost in thought.
Herta strode over in three quick steps and unceremoniously grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.
"So, this is your grand plan?"
"Uh..."
Startled, 'Robin' initially thought Herta had come to demand an apology, but she twisted her head to sneak a look and noticed that Herta didn't actually look all that angry.
'Robin' blinked innocently.
"I thought you were here to skin me alive."
"Oh, so you know you're asking for it~"
Herta's grip on the back of her neck tightened slightly, and her expression turned dangerous.
She wasn't actually that mad—mostly because she was getting used to this girl's constant antics—but being asked that to her face...
It just felt annoying.
It felt like if she didn't haul this person back for a "lesson," she would never learn her place.
Feeling the palm on her neck grow firmer, 'Robin' immediately folded.
"How could I! It's just because you started by grabbing my neck, I didn't do it on purpose, I swear!"
"..."
Herta didn't know whose identity this person was currently using, but seeing such a refined face pull these expressions... she really wondered if this girl had any shame at all.
Then again... maybe it was the influence of Elation that made her so shameless.
"Is that your excuse for using the power of Elation?"
"It was just the right fit for the job! Besides, everyone's reaction has been so interesting. See? Even Madam Herta looks confused. Isn't that fun?"
Herta's eyelid twitched. She released the girl's neck, her face a mask of pure disdain.
"...I seriously suspect you've already paid a visit to the Tavern."
"Hey, watch it! I won't deny I like a good laugh, but don't go slandering me by saying I've joined the Elation!"
"You sound exactly like those Fools when you say that."
Herta rolled her eyes.
"So, do you feel any change? I see your tune has spread pretty far, even if it hasn't penetrated every civilization yet."
'Robin' shook her head, sounding helpless.
"I can't feel any shift in the Harmony. My guess is because the individuals listening haven't been strongly affected by the Tuning yet. The numbers aren't high enough; we have to wait."
Even though they couldn't feel it yet, neither she nor Herta thought the plan was a failure.
"Then why were you looking so excited just now..."
"That was because of something else."
Right then.
'Robin' received a message from Acheron.
"Hold on, Acheron messaged me. Let me reply."
[Acheron: Some of the big events lately... I feel like they're things you would do. I thought maybe you needed help?]
[Nameless: ...How did you know it was me?]
[Acheron: A feeling? It seems my intuition was quite accurate.]
[Nameless: It's very accurate... You're not in a rush to head back this time? Do you have someone's final wish to deliver?]
[Acheron: No final wishes. It is my own wish. I wanted to say that it has been a while, and I wanted to see you.]
"..."
—Leading with such an ambiguous line? Hachimi-ron, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL