Chapter 177: Am I Fuli-7?
"Where are we supposed to find a tall man in silver armor?"
The Bloodhound Family enforcers grumbled, pacing through the bustling streets. They had scoured a massive grid of the Golden Hour, yet they hadn't found a single trace of this supposedly 'hot as fire' giant clad in silver.
"Idrila above..."
A melodious, deeply passionate voice drifted through the air, instantly snagging the Bloodhounds' attention.
They whipped around in unison. Standing near a vibrant billboard was a strikingly handsome man with flowing crimson hair, earnestly praising the aesthetic composition of the local scenery.
The enforcers mentally checked their superior's list: As hot as fire. A tall man. Silver armor.
"It's the wanted criminal!!!"
"Catch him! Don't let him get away!"
And so, the completely innocent Argenti found himself abruptly hunted by a swarm of rabid Bloodhound security officers.
"Everyone, please! There must be some deep misunderstanding! I implore you, listen to reason!" Argenti shouted over his shoulder, gracefully weaving through the dense crowd and flashing neon signs. Despite the relentless pursuit, he maintained an air of absolute composure. His fiery red hair billowed beautifully in the artificial wind, and his polished silver plate armor caught the dazzling city lights, gleaming like a beacon.
"He runs so fast!" an out-of-breath enforcer gasped.
"Tall man, hot as fire! Silver armor! That's exactly you! Stop right there and surrender to the Family!"
Argenti let out a soft, elegant sigh in his heart, though his long legs didn't slow down in the slightest.
A short distance away, Sampo Koski was lounging comfortably on a roadside bench, casually swirling a cup of iced SoulGlad.
"...Huh?" He blinked, lowering his drink. He watched with immense amusement as a literal Knight of Beauty sprinted past, trailed by a barking pack of Bloodhounds.
"Well, hey now! That's a sight you don't see every day." Sampo, a veteran prankster and seasoned opportunist, had genuinely never witnessed such a bizarre spectacle. A wicked grin spread across his face.
After a bit of discreet maneuvering—slipping into an alleyway and tossing a few well-placed misdirections—Sampo successfully helped Argenti shake off his pursuers.
"So... brother, you're a Knight of Beauty, right?" Sampo leaned against a brick wall, eyeing the man who practically had 'I am a gullible Knight of Beauty' stamped across his noble forehead. The gears in Sampo's head were already spinning at maximum velocity.
What if I offload all that unsellable junk I claimed was related to Idrila onto this guy?
"Thank you for your timely assistance, my friend!" Argenti placed a gauntleted hand over his heart. "Your warm, welcoming face is like a gentle spring breeze, soothing my weary soul! Idrila above, I had merely heard that the Charmony Festival was commencing, so I piloted my personal spacecraft to Penacony to witness it. Yet, the very moment I stepped foot in this dream, the local security officers mistook me for some 'tall, silver-armored, fiery-red, and hot' wanted criminal. Alas, I am not gifted with a silver tongue, and my earnest cries for peace were entirely in vain..."
Sampo stared at him....Wow, this guy really is something else.
"Hey, when traveling the cosmos, who doesn't run into a few bumps in the road?" Sampo smoothly transitioned into his best salesman persona, patting Argenti's armored shoulder. "Just looking at your magnificent attire, brother, I can tell you are valiant, extraordinary, and brimming with heroic spirit! You're clearly a man with a deep story. Those security officers just have terrible eyesight. They definitely grabbed the wrong guy!"
Argenti looked at Sampo, genuinely moved. A sincere, brilliant light flickered within his emerald-green eyes.
"My friend, your deep understanding encourages me greatly!" Argenti declared, his voice ringing with absolute conviction. "I am the Knight of Beauty, Argenti. My journey across the stars is solely to spread the beautiful, illustrious name of the Aeon of Beauty, Idrila. I wonder if you would be willing to..."
"The Goddess of Beauty, Idrila, possesses unmatched beauty!" Sampo puffed out his chest, delivering the line with practiced theatricality.
Password correct.
Argenti gasped, his eyes widening in pure awe. "To think you are also a follower of beauty!"
"I have searched for so long across this vast and boundless universe, never once expecting to meet a brother who shares my noble aspirations in this bustling, slightly restless city of dreams!" Argenti's voice boomed with overwhelming passion, causing several passing Dreamers to stop and stare. "Your heartfelt praise is sweeter than the purest morning dew, and more dazzling than the most brilliant starlight! Idrila above, this must be the absolute guidance of fate!"
"I'm Sampo Koski. Haha, very pleased to meet you, buddy..." Sampo rubbed his chin, pretending to hesitate. "I actually have a proposal for you."
"Hmm! Since our meeting is clearly destined by fate, I just so happen to have a batch of rare goods that might be related to Idrila's ancient traces. Would you like to take a look?"
"Is that true?!" Argenti stepped forward, practically glowing.
"Well, I can't guarantee it one hundred percent~" Sampo waved a hand dismissively, playing hard to get. "After all, it's just a strong possibility."
"That is perfectly fine! Along my endless journey, I have encountered many relics said to be tied to Idrila. Even if most ended up being in vain, the pursuit of beauty is never a waste!" Argenti didn't hesitate for a microsecond. "How many Credit Points? I want them all!"
"Alright, alright, alright~ No problem at all, brother. I'll go fetch them for you right away."
Sampo practically skipped away to retrieve his stash. Ho ho, talk about a golden goose! Running errands for Sparkle while simultaneously liquidating his dead stock at a premium markup—no matter how he sliced it, he was making an absolute killing today.
"Gallagher!"
Misha suddenly materialized right beside Rekka. Gallagher flinched, his expression twisting into something entirely indescribable as he stared at the young bellboy.
"So, you're the Trailblazers who came all this way to find the Watchmaker?" Gallagher asked, his voice rough.
"To be completely precise," Rekka corrected, casually leaning back, "we are looking for... Ragwook Char Mikhail, Borekrin Tiernan, and Razalina Jane Estella."
March 7th blinked in surprise. "Did the Conductor and Himeko actually say their full names like that?"
"Yes, you just weren't paying attention," Rekka replied dryly.
"...You kids really know a lot." Gallagher's brow furrowed slightly, his golden eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"It's nothing much," Rekka grinned. "Just a few hundred million points more intelligence than your average bear."
"You want to find Grandpa Mikhail?" Misha looked up at the group, his large eyes filled with innocent curiosity.
"Hmm..." Gallagher stared at the chaotic crew for a long, heavy moment before finally letting out a breath and nodding. "Alright. Since that's the case, follow me."
"You're just agreeing to take us there? Just like that?" Stelle asked, hefting her baseball bat over her shoulder.
"What, don't you believe me?" Gallagher stopped and threw a glance over his shoulder. "Then you're free to find the way yourselves. Although Dreamflux Reef isn't exactly massive, you'll never find the right place if you just wander around blindly without a guide."
"Then let's go."
Rekka shoved his hands deep into his pockets and followed the hound with light, unbothered steps. Delta stuck close to his side, her pink-blue eyes darting vigilantly across the decaying architecture. She tracked the shadows of the dilapidated buildings and the occasional eerie figure flickering in the periphery, her right hand resting firmly on the hilt of her greatsword.
This place was a far cry from the Golden Hour. There were no blinding neon billboards from the Twelve Moments here, no luxurious fountains overflowing with SoulGlad. There were only crumbling old houses, rusted iron pipes, and dim, flickering streetlights. The air itself felt heavy, permeated with a distinct, musty dampness.
"Before I take you to meet the Trailblazer you're looking for, I need to ask you one thing." Gallagher suddenly stopped and turned around.
He pointed a thumb at the cheerful bellboy. "How exactly did you manage to turn him into a Memory Spirit?"
"Is that important?" Rekka deflected smoothly.
"It's very important."
"I am a Flawless Pure Child."
Gallagher stared at him. Then, surprisingly, he sighed. "...No wonder. That actually makes sense..."
"What's a Flawless Pure Child?" Stelle tilted her head, her ahoge twitching. She clearly had absolutely no concept of the term.
March 7th blinked rapidly. Her mind raced back to a previous conversation. Rekka had claimed to be a Flawless Pure Child once. He had also casually mentioned that a Flawless Pure Child had a chance to ascend and become Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance.
At the time, she had even tapped his head and joked that Station Master Asta also had pink hair.
Wait.
Pink hair. Memory manipulation.
So... Ah, am I... am I Fuli-7?! March's eyes widened in sheer existential horror.
"What's a Memory Spirit?" Misha asked, tilting his head in pure puzzlement.
"Nothing you need to worry about," Rekka patted the boy's hat. "Just wait a little bit. There's going to be a small, tiny surprise for you."
"A little surprise? Really?" Misha's face lit up.
"It's truly a surprise," Rekka nodded solemnly. "And it's a big surprise. The kind that will make you jump right up out of your shoes."
Misha's eyes sparkled with intense anticipation.
Rekka glanced at the sky. There was still some time left until midnight.
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