"Old Yang... you're really playing favorites."
Even Evan couldn't help but complain.
Back on the Xianzhou, the moment he'd learned that Luocha—the blond guy with the tongue-twisting name—was around, Welt had grabbed the Star of Eden and rushed all the way from the Divination Commission to Scalegorge Waterscape.
But now?
He took one look at Acheron and declared she couldn't possibly be a bad person.
If that wasn't blatant double standards, what was?
"So."
"What do you need me for?"
Acheron asked calmly.
Evan smiled before explaining the plan they'd just discussed.
"I'd like Miss Acheron..."
"...to cut this dream open."
"You only need to leave a single crack in The Dream of Ena."
"Once there's an opening, I can send my Authority of Consciousness into it."
"I've always hated doing things the complicated way."
"So..."
"I'd appreciate your help."
He looked at Acheron, waiting for her answer.
Acheron.
A Self-Annihilator who had stepped into the shadow of Nihility.
A Self-Annihilator was someone who had accidentally fallen beneath Nihility's gaze.
Such people gradually lost everything.
First the small things.
Then themselves.
Finally...
their very existence.
Acheron was no exception.
She had already lost countless things.
Now she stood at the very peak of the Path of Nihility.
Though she wasn't an Emanator,
the power she possessed rivaled even the strongest among them.
"One slash..."
Acheron pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Then I'll wait for your signal."
"No rush, Miss Acheron."
"We're not starting just yet."
Evan smiled.
"Later, Miss Black Swan, I'll need you to bring Robin back from Dreamflux Reef."
"She has already witnessed the Land of Exile with her own eyes."
"I'm sure she now understands everything Gopher Wood has done."
"As for what happens next..."
"It depends on Sunday."
"Will he come to his senses?"
"Or will he insist on following Gopher Wood all the way to the end?"
"As for whether we actually fight..."
"That won't be our decision."
"It depends on what they choose."
"It won't take long."
"They're already running out of patience."
Evan's gaze fell upon the bullet in Acheron's hand.
He wondered whether Boothill had arrived yet.
If he hadn't...
then Evan would have no choice but to unleash all of his Authorities himself.
Destroying a world this enormous...
wasn't exactly easy.
Even with the full power of an Emanator-level Authority over Consciousness,
he couldn't confidently say whether it could overpower the immense Dream of Ena.
"My, my~"
"Since the Messenger of the Aeon has spoken..."
"I suppose I have no choice but to obey~"
Black Swan smiled gracefully.
"That little songbird actually managed to find her way into the deep dream."
"Quite impressive."
She looked at the tarot card in her hand.
The image upon it was none other than Robin.
Then she turned back toward Evan.
"However, Divine Messenger..."
"After all this is over..."
"Would you allow me to see your beautiful memories?"
"I'm truly fascinated by them."
"..."
Evan fell silent for a moment.
Then he casually replied,
"Come to my room tonight..."
The moment those words left his mouth—
he felt someone viciously pinch his waist.
Turning around—
March 7th stood on his left.
Stelle stood on his right.
And Firefly...
was staring at him pitifully.
"..."
March and Stelle were one thing.
But Firefly...
Why were you looking at me like that?
Anyone seeing this would think we'd done something scandalous.
Seriously...
With Dreamflux Reef's plan finalized,
the scene shifted to Penacony's Grand Theater.
Standing at center stage—
the true star of the Harmony Festival—
Sunday clasped his hands behind his back as he gazed toward the empty stage.
The wings behind his head covered part of his vision,
preventing him from truly seeing the suffering of ordinary people.
Every mortal suffered.
"I have faithfully served the Clover Family for over ten years."
"I have always worked diligently and sincerely, believing shared Harmony to be the highest virtue."
"But yesterday..."
"I made a mistake."
"While preparing the Family Head's dinner, I accidentally dropped the meal."
"Out of laziness, I lied and claimed everything had been prepared properly."
"Although the Family Head dismissed me as punishment..."
"I still cannot sleep."
"I fear the seed of evil has taken root within my heart."
"I confess my sins, hoping to atone for them."
"Thank you..."
"I'll keep working hard..."
"I'll earn enough to redeem my children and join the Family..."
"Praise Harmony..."
"Today's confession lasted long enough, right?"
"Then I'll go now."
"I hope you're elected..."
"Don't let me lose my investment..."
Harmony embraced everyone.
As a result,
it also accepted countless people who had committed terrible crimes.
Likewise,
it could not punish those who abused wealth or power.
After living in such an environment for so long,
Sunday no longer received any positive answer from Harmony.
He had begun to doubt it.
If Harmony could not provide an answer...
then he would seek one in Order.
Robin was different.
She had traveled beyond Penacony.
She had seen the real universe.
But Sunday...
As Family Head,
he had always stood high above everyone else.
He had never witnessed the outside world.
Nor had he ever personally seen the goodness that ordinary people were capable of.
Naturally,
he found it difficult to believe people could build a paradise through their own efforts.
Facing the empty audience seats,
Sunday quietly spoke.
This was where Penacony's Harmony Festival would soon begin.
How many times had he asked?
Questions directed toward the threefold soul—
Who judged the crimes of the powerful?
Who guaranteed the survival of the weak?
Who comforted the truly kind?
No one answered.
"Are day and night equal?"
"Are the righteous and the guilty equal?"
"If people are born weak..."
"...which god grants peace to the weak?"
Still...
no answer.
"Sunday."
"My child."
"What are you thinking about?"
An aged voice echoed through the theater.
Gopher Wood,
controlling the body of a Pepeshi,
had arrived.
Sunday didn't turn around.
But the familiar voice drew his attention.
This time, however...
his eyes were filled with doubt.
"Lord Dreammaster..."
"Are we truly doing the right thing?"
"Penacony's dream is already descending into chaos."
"Every major faction is searching for the Watchmaker's Legacy."
"Isn't this exactly what the Watchmaker wanted?"
"He's using their greed..."
"...to stop us."
"And this time..."
"An Emanator has also arrived."
"He could stop our plan before it even begins."
"You're referring to the Messenger of Elation?"
"No."
"He won't."
"Reviving a dead Aeon..."
"Stealing Its Authority..."
"To the Aeon of Elation..."
"...that's nothing more than another joke."
"As Elation's Messenger..."
"He won't interfere."
"The one we should be wary of..."
"...is his other identity."
"A Nameless."
"The lingering light of Trailblaze."
Sunday remained conflicted.
As one of the few remaining Halovians,
he had merely been an orphan rescued from war by Gopher Wood.
Since childhood,
Gopher Wood had filled his ears with the teachings of Order.
He had never truly heard Harmony's light.
Unlike Robin,
he had never left Penacony.
Thus,
he had witnessed only the darkness hidden beneath Harmony's inclusiveness.
Yet he had found no way to change it.
In truth...
Harmony was simply too tolerant.
The Family had become infested with all manner of scoundrels.
Just as Yaoshi's boundless compassion had created the Abominations of Abundance,
Harmony's excessive acceptance had allowed corruption to flourish.
In that environment,
Order's ideals became something Sunday could readily embrace.
"But..."
"He's not merely an Emanator of Elation."
Sunday still remembered the power Evan had displayed inside the mansion.
Three Emanator Authorities.
Five Paths.
Something unprecedented in the history of the universe.
Even the Aeon of Elation had personally appeared just to stop him from lifting Order's coffin lid.
Could Penacony really stand against someone like that?
"Sunday."
"You're hesitating."
"My child."
"Harmony's light no longer shines upon Penacony."
"Only Order..."
"...can answer your questions."
"Have you forgotten?"
"The confessions you once heard..."
"As a priest?"
"Have you forgotten your dream?"
"Have you forgotten your questions for Harmony?"
"Praise Xipe."
"I have prayed for Their presence among us."
"..."
"O soul of threefold nature..."
"Please hear my question..."
As Gopher Wood repeated his own words back to him,
Sunday's resolve gradually hardened once more.
Yes...
Only salvation.
Only Order.
Only Order could save the travelers trapped within this sea of dreams.
If no one could answer the questions of the threefold soul...
then he would become the one to answer them.
If he became the One...
he could save everyone drowning within this dream.
Seeing Sunday's conviction return,
a faint smile appeared deep within Gopher Wood's eyes.
Damn that Emanator...
Damn the Aeon of Elation...
I spent so many years raising the Twins of Order.
Now one of my finest sacrifices has already been ruined.
The final move is about to be played.
Nothing can go wrong now.
Even if...
...I have to personally seize Sunday's body.
This grand summoning...
must be completed.
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