『 "What's wrong, Ratio? Stop with the long face… Hey, I just noticed, where's your handsome plaster head?"
Aventurine looked at Ratio, who was standing in the center of the room deep in thought, trying to liven up the atmosphere.
"You're late. Exactly 4 minutes and 16 seconds. You'd best have used that time to solve the mystery of Akivili's fall—if not, I advise you not to go looking for trouble with the Nameless," Ratio said in a stern tone.
"Looking for trouble? Even you think that? Does no one believe I really just want to make friends with them?" Aventurine said with a hint of grievance in his voice.
"Hmph. Noisy fellows can't make friends. A little trivia: Fun fact: The Attini Peacock boasts one of the universe's more jarring songs, and your choice of attire is somewhat peacock-esque."
Speaking to this point, the Professor looked around the room and let out a cold laugh.
"…It seems this peacock has had its feathers plucked—luggage confiscated by The Family?"
"Yeah, all detained by those in the gray suits. All the gift money, and even the box storing the Cornerstone," Aventurine lowered his head and said dejectedly.
Upon hearing the word 'Cornerstone,' Ratio turned around and walked toward the door without a shred of hesitation.
"Hm? Where are you going?" He turned his head in confusion to look at the Professor who was about to leave.
Hearing Aventurine's question, Ratio stopped in his tracks.
"Heading back. To tell the IPC that some idiot ruined everything."
"It's just a few stones, why so pessimistic? So what if they're gone?" Aventurine smiled and replied.
"Without that Aventurine Stone, you are nothing but a Sigonian slave sentenced to death by the IPC—or is that line of serial number on your neck also a gift from the Amber Lord?" Ratio turned back to look at Aventurine and retorted. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Aventurine used to be a slave? That string of numbers is a serial number?
〘Boothill〙: Hahahaha, fudge me! You were turned into a slave by the IPC, and now you work for the IPC? Hahahaha, come here! Let me love you to death with a bullet!
〘Aventurine〙: Shut up, cowboy. We are not the same. I am just walking my own path. I will keep winning, winning it all.
....
『 The corner of Aventurine's eye twitched. "…Oh, not bad. Humorous! It seems our learned friend has prepared his lessons well."
"This is my job. Otherwise, how is a gambler supposed to reclaim Penacony for the IPC?"
"Rest assured, Professor, I have plenty of ways. The Family is afraid of the IPC causing trouble, which is why they are opposing us at every turn… If anything, Penacony has been a conspiracy of The Harmony from start to finish."
"If you ask me, that invitation letter was just a self-directed facade. Perhaps they want to do something outrageous at the Charmony Festival…"
"Or perhaps the inviter is someone else entirely, but they tacitly allowed it, wanting to beat them at their own game and set up something bigger. It doesn't matter. Whether it's The Family or The Watchmaker's Legacy, as long as I can use it, it's fine." 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: Wow, simple and easy-to-understand analysis. Even I understood it!
〘Stelle〙: Then which one do you think it is?
〘March 7th〙: Definitely the second one! A conspiracy hidden under another conspiracy is the most exciting plot!
〘Silver Wolf〙: Pfttt...
〘Elio〙: .....
....
『 Ratio looked at the confident Aventurine and asked, "Get to the point. What is the method?"
"There's no need to explain it so clearly right now—it's not time to reveal my hand yet."
"Damned gambler. The prerequisite for cooperation is mutual trust—does Sigonian preschool education not include this?" Ratio crossed his arms, frowning as he questioned him.
"Then do you trust me?" Aventurine asked back.
"That depends on your attitude."
"So you don't trust me either. Doesn't that settle it? Also, I haven't been to school, and my parents indeed never taught me that—regrettably, they left before they had the chance to teach me."
Aventurine said these words calmly, but his eyes revealed a trace of sorrow.
Hearing this, the corner of Ratio's eye twitched, realizing his previous words might have gone too far.
"I did not mean to offend." 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: One sentence, making a man feel guilty for a lifetime.
〘Hanabi〙: Retract that, let Hanabi-Sama speak!
〘March 7th〙: If Miss Bailu hadn't said she was of the Vidyadhara race back then, I would have had to slap myself awake in the middle of the night thinking, 'I really deserve to die!'
....
『 "I'm not offended. But they did teach me that friends are weapons of the Avgins. Even under the watchful eye of The Harmony, we need as many friends as we can get, don't we?"
Aventurine paced as he spoke, "Let's see, the Garden of Recollection and the Astral Express have already made contact. The Annihilation Gang... I can't really count on them. The Knights of Beauty haven't given their answer, and as for that bunch at the Tavern..."
"…Speaking of which, I met a woman just now who claimed to be a Galaxy Ranger. I felt something was off, go help me investigate her background…" Aventurine stopped pacing and turned to look at Ratio.
But while Aventurine was pacing and thinking, Ratio had already walked away.
"Where is he?" Aventurine looked at the empty room in confusion.
"He doesn't hate me that much, does he? Sigh, looks like I have to rely on myself." Aventurine sighed. 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: Keep going, what about the guys from the Tavern~? Hmm? Little peacock~?
〘Aventurine〙: Professor, why did you walk away? Was it out of guilt?
〘Veritas Ratio〙: Shut up. Impossible.
....
『 As the voice faded, the scene shifted back to Stelle. She seemed to have entered the dream at this moment, or perhaps not.
Stelle observed the surrounding scenery: a familiar lounge room, with Memoria bubbles floating around.
Stelle murmured uncertainly, "Is this… the Land of Dreams?"
"The atmosphere here creeps me out, and... what was that weird noise just now?" 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: Why does it feel like entering a dream is so difficult for you?
〘Stelle〙: Can you blame me?
....
『 "Over here! Can you see me? Over here! Please come this way…"
Stelle looked toward the source of the voice. It was a picture frame suspended in mid-air, and Misha's voice seemed to be coming from within it.
Stelle walked curiously toward the picture frame; the voice seemed to be coming from inside it.
Stelle reached out to the frame and said, "This is Trailblazing, not me being curious."
Moments after her hand touched the frame, Stelle was sucked inside. In the blink of an eye, she arrived at a long corridor floating in the air, paved with a red carpet.
Stelle looked around curiously. In the air of the corridor, there were many suspended chairs, and Memoria bubbles much larger than the ones outside. The sky also twinkled with starlight.
"Ah! You're here! That's great!" Misha looked at Stelle excitedly, very happy that she had heard his words.
"I thought you wouldn't notice me…"
After speaking, Misha bowed to Stelle, then began to introduce the place.
"Welcome to the Gallery of Thoughts! You can think of this as the entrance to the Golden Hour. I'm here to provide guidance to our guests."
"We meet again." Stelle smiled at Misha in front of her. For some reason, she felt a sense of closeness to this little boy.
"Eh? You still remember me? I'm so happy." Misha revealed a smile from the bottom of his heart. 』
『 ....』