"Of course, there's a price." Elegy said, holding the bubble gently in her hands.
Stelle looked at her in confusion.
"A price? What kind of price?"
"To see inside this memory." The woman replied with a calm smile. "In exchange, I want you to bring someone else. A person you should find here."
"And who is that supposed to be?"
Elegy didn't answer. Her smile remained, but not a single word left her lips.
Stelle sighed.
"Great, another mystery…"
She decided to drop it for now. Elegy lifted the bubble delicately and motioned for her to place her hands on it.
"Relax. Just watch."
....
After saying goodbye to Grace and the children, Robin set out with Micah, Himeko, March, Aleph, Welt, Misha, and Clockie.
March glanced around.
"What about Stelle? Shouldn't we wait for her or go look for her?"
"Check the chat." Himeko replied.
Both took out their phones.
[Stelle: "I'm busy with something important. I'll contact you later."]
March sighed as Aleph slipped his device back into his pocket.
"Well, I hope she doesn't get into trouble…"
"Knowing her, she probably will." Aleph muttered—half joking, half serious.
They continued walking down the cobblestone streets as several locals greeted Micah and Robin with friendly gestures.
When they reached an open area, Micah stopped in front of five aligned stone plaques.
"We're here." He said solemnly. "These are the graves I look after."
The others stepped closer. Aleph lowered his gaze to read the inscriptions.
Razalina.
Tiernan.
And—
Before they could read the third name, Micah spoke.
"Long ago, it was the Trailblazers who connected this place—once a frontier prison—to the stars. They were heroes. They deserve to be remembered, not just with these stones, but in history itself."
He sighed.
"But the Penacony of today, lost in the decadence of the Sweet Dream, has forgotten them. It's also forgotten the Prisoners' War for freedom, and everything this place once stood for."
Micah's tone grew somber.
"Razalina fell during that war. She went alone to the heart of the Asdana system, investigating an anomalous flow of crystallized memory. She never came back."
"Tiernan…" Micah's voice lowered slightly. "The gunslinger who led the people through countless battles. He didn't live to see peace."
Welt folded his arms.
"What happened to him?"
"Tell me, boy." Micah said, looking at Aleph. "How many Families are there in Penacony?"
"Five? At least, that's what I think." Aleph replied, scratching the back of his neck. "Nightingale, Iris, Oak, Hound, and Alfalfa."
"There were originally six." Micah corrected. "The sixth was the Moth Family."
Micah closed his eyes for a moment before continuing.
"After the war, Tiernan and the Moth Family set out on a crusade to fight off external threats while the others stabilized the newly founded Penacony. But during their journey, they encountered the Star-Devouring Swarm. Soon, they were surrounded."
March looked at him.
"And…?"
"As far as we know, it was mutual annihilation."
March lowered her head.
"What a cruel fate… though, I guess I should've expected it."
Her thoughts clouded for a moment.
Could that be our fate too?
She couldn't help but think it.
What if the Beast at the Space Station had been stronger?
What if Stelle had never received Preservation's power on Jarilo-VI?
What if things had gone worse on the Luofu?
A strange unease bloomed in her chest as countless tragic possibilities flashed through her mind.
But she quickly shook her head, forcing the thought away.
No, never.
Her fist clenched tightly.
Our Trailblazing Expedition… will last forever.
Himeko looked at the plaques with a serene expression.
"At the very least, they met an end worthy of true Trailblazers… venturing into the unknown without fear."
Her gaze lingered on the last gravestone. It had words carved into it—but no name.
"That one's blank… Why?"
"Because when the Dreamflow Reef was founded, its owner was still alive." Micah explained. "He said his time would come one day, so he left it ready."
That was when a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Well, well. What an interesting group."
Gallagher approached with a grin, sipping from a can. Behind him walked Sunday. His face was impassive, but the emotion in his eyes was clear the moment he saw his sister.
"Robin…"
Robin smiled and waved, stepping aside with him so they could talk privately.
Gallagher glanced at the others, crossing his arms.
"We should give the siblings a moment alone. In the meantime, let's talk about something else."
Welt stepped forward, adjusting his glasses.
"Good idea." He said seriously, locking eyes with Gallagher. "Since you went out of your way to gather the head of the Oak Family, the Astral Express crew, and the Stellaron Hunters… I imagine you have something important to tell us."
Gallagher laughed.
"Oh, why so suspicious? At this point, it should be obvious."
"'Obvious,' he says…" March muttered, pointing at him. "That smile of yours screams 'I'm the one behind all this.' I can tell because it's the same look Aleph gets when he steals cookies."
Aleph's eyes widened.
"How did you know?"
"…I didn't." March replied, arching an unimpressed eyebrow as she crossed her arms. "But now I do."
Himeko let out a quiet laugh, and even Welt, despite his serious face, couldn't stop a faint smile from tugging at his lips.
Aleph stood frozen, slowly processing that he'd just walked straight into her trap.
"…Did I just fall for a March trap?"
Gallagher shook his head, amused.
"Your camaraderie really is enviable."
....
"The siblings already know what they needed to." Gallagher said calmly. "But you… the Anonymous of the Astral Express—you arrived a bit late. Still, it would be rude of me not to answer your questions, wouldn't it?"
March frowned.
"So now you're finally going to stop talking in circles?"
Gallagher chuckled softly.
"First things first—proper introductions. I'm afraid I left out a few… details last time."
He gave a short bow, placing a hand over his chest.
"I was the one who founded the Dreamflow Reef, the Watchmaker's assistant…" His grin widened. "…and the one responsible for sending the invitation that brought all of you—and the other factions—to this little dream-born chaos."
"What?" Aleph looked at him, half confused, half incredulous. "You were the one who—?"
"Exactly." Gallagher straightened up. "Gallagher, the False Historian, at your service."
March blinked in surprise.
"False Historian?" She crossed her arms and pointed at him. "Then everything you said back at the theme park was a lie!"
Gallagher raised an eyebrow with mock innocence.
"'Lie' is such an ugly word… Let's say most of it was true… probably."
"He's doing it again!" March complained, pointing at him. "Aleph, he's doing it again!"
Aleph sighed in defeat.
"Yeah… he definitely is. I saw it, March."
Gallagher gave a playful smirk.
"You really are a delightful audience."
Himeko spoke up calmly, one hand resting on her hip.
"Before you arrived, I took the time to confirm some of his claims with Micah. And surprisingly, most of what he said turned out to be true."
"See?" Gallagher replied with a mischievous smile. "I'm a man of my word… to an extent."
"Then…" Welt adjusted his glasses. "If you're the one who caused all this chaos in Penacony, I want to know why."
Gallagher snapped his fingers.
"Straight to the point, as always. Very well, Welt Yang. It all comes down to something you should already know very well…"
He raised one finger.
"A Stellaron."
March frowned in confusion.
"A Stellaron? But we haven't seen any signs of corruption."
"That shouldn't be possible." Welt said, narrowing his eyes.
Himeko glanced sideways.
"Aleph."
Both turned toward him.
"Have you noticed anything?" Himeko asked. "You're particularly sensitive to them."
Aleph slowly shook his head.
"No. Since what happened last time on Jarilo-VI, I've been trying to control that… compulsion. Absorbing them just because I could was a mistake. I don't intend to repeat it."
Gallagher clicked his tongue and nodded, looking almost pleased.
"And you're right to restrain yourself. Because in this case, there were no clear signs for a very specific reason."
Aleph looked up.
"What do you mean by that? No clear signs of contamination… Is someone manipulating it?"
Gallagher gave a slow, mocking clap.
"As expected from the boy carrying two of those things inside him. Very good."
His eyes gleamed with an unfathomable light.
"Think about it. If the Memory Zone is like an endless ocean with no land… then how does a place like the Dreamscape even exist? How can there be solid ground where there should only be tides of memory?"
He paused, spreading his arms.
"The answer is actually very simple…"
March looked puzzled.
"Are you saying—?"
"Exactly. Pulling something like that off without the help of a Remembrance Emanator or the Enigma would be impossible… so they used a Stellaron."
Aleph frowned.
"Even with one… achieving that should be—"
"Precisely." Gallagher nodded. "And even with its power, it wasn't enough. It required manpower, sacrifice, and knowledge—everything they had to give."
His eyes narrowed.
"That's how Penacony was born. Or rather, how its dreamworld came to be."
"Then… how did it all start?" Welt asked.
Gallagher inhaled slowly, then pointed toward the gravestones before them.
"After the border war." he began. "When they built Penacony from scratch, someone proposed using the Stellaron. Their predecessors—the Anonymous of that era—warned against it. Most listened."
His tone hardened.
"But there are always those who think they know better."
He gestured faintly, lost in recollection.
"The turning point was Tiernan's fall. With him gone, the Clockmaker had to intervene on the front lines. But his rivals took advantage of his absence."
"When he returned." Gallagher continued, "the Stellaron had already seeped into the primal Synesthetic Dreamscape. That's when the Family stepped in. Together, they hid it beneath the façade of Harmony—and in doing so, smothered all internal conflict… at least on the surface."
March raised her hand.
"So… that's how the feud between the Family and the Watchmaker started?"
Gallagher nodded slowly.
"Remember what I said the Stellaron was never truly sealed. It was merely… displaced."
Welt frowned.
"'Displaced,' you say… To another plane of existence?"
"Exactly," Gallagher said. "The Stellaron became the foundation of this dream. Without it, everything would collapse. Think of what I said before—the Memory Zone is an ocean. How does land stay afloat? The Stellaron wasn't sealed—it was submerged in another plane. The Family understood its workings better than anyone."
His voice hardened.
"The Sweet Dream—that opulent illusion everyone indulges in—was built atop the decay of their souls. Pleasure and complacency blended into a poisonous brew, flowing through Penacony like clear water. Tempting, numbing, corrupting. Every mind became a sacrifice; every desire, food for the Stellaron."
He took a sip from the can in his hand.
"Negativity. Sloth. Vanity. All of it used as mortar to cement their control. Penacony became a more perfect prison than the IPC's—one no one wanted to escape."
For a moment, silence hung heavy. Only the wind moved between the gravestones.
"When we finally realized what had happened." Gallagher went on. "it was already too late. The Family ruled Penacony completely. Their power could crush any opposition."
He lowered his gaze with a sigh, tinged with resignation.
"So I turned to the Enigma… and fled here. In time, I founded the Dreamflow Reef, exploiting a loophole in the dream."
He looked toward the horizon, as though reliving distant memories.
"From that void, Lethargy was born—a memetic entity I created to exploit an inherent flaw in the dream."
"Lethargy…?" Himeko murmured.
Gallagher nodded.
"Think of it this way in a dream, no one sleeps, no one tires. So… what happens if you introduce the sensation of sleep within the dream?"
His lips curled into a sly smile.
"You create fatigue. You create need. And that need becomes an anchor—a gateway to draw others here." He said with quiet gravity. "Those who still had the potential… to wake up."
"So…" Himeko began, crossing her arms. "You sent the invitations under Watchmaker's name, expecting every faction to show up for his so-called legacy? You wanted them to get tangled in this mess with the Stellaron so the truth would eventually come out?"
Gallagher smiled calmly, tilting his head.
"You're not wrong… but." He raised a finger. "You're still missing a few pieces of the puzzle. There's more behind all this… And the chaos caused by conflicting factions clashing might just be enough to flush out the traitor hiding within the Family."
"So the whole 'legacy' thing was a façade all along?" Aleph asked.
Gallagher tilted his head, briefly thoughtful before replying.
"Well, I wouldn't recommend thinking of it that way… but sure, if it helps, you can consider the Stellaron and all its complications as the 'legacy.'"
Himeko gave him a firm look.
"And where would the Stellaron be now?"
"Come with me." He turned and started walking. "If you want real answers, I believe the one who can give them isn't me—but that little chicken boy who once claimed the Stellaron was stable under the Family's control…"
The group followed him down the cobblestone path until they reached the spot where Sunday was speaking with Robin. Both turned as they approached.
"Sorry to interrupt." Himeko said politely, "but there's something we need to confirm."
Gallagher shoved his hands into his pockets and looked straight at Sunday.
"Tell me, kid—do you know where the Stellaron is?"
Sunday was silent for a few seconds, staring at Gallagher blankly before answering.
"The Stellaron is hidden in the heart of Penacony's Grand Theater." He said finally. "…Or at least, that's what the Dreammaster told me. Then again, it could've been a half-truth—or a complete lie—just to make me believe I had his trust."
Robin exhaled quietly.
"…So it really was there."
Sunday looked at her.
"Robin?"
"Brother…" Robin's gaze met his, firm and clear. "I've been there countless times, ever since I started delving into Harmony. It's hard not to notice that strange dissonance seeping from the place. I always thought it was because it was the first building to manifest within the dream… but who would've guessed it was the Stellaron's energy?"
For a brief moment, Aleph and Sunday locked eyes.
A low, piercing hum echoed through Aleph's head. The dissonant ringing forced him to clench his teeth—it was like a note too deep to exist, vibrating inside his skull.
But just as suddenly as it came, the sensation vanished.
"Aleph? What's wrong?" March asked, worried.
He smiled faintly.
"Nothing, just… fatigue. Even with that short break I took, I guess it wasn't enough. This hectic day's starting to take its toll."
March puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms.
"I get that. I haven't had a proper chance to enjoy my hotel bed either—and it was so comfy!"
Aleph chuckled softly.
"With everything that's happened, I doubt anyone's gotten any rest."
Sunday continued calmly.
"As you might've already guessed from what I said earlier—the one wielding its power is none other than Gopher Wood, the current Dreammaster."
Gallagher nodded.
"Well, looks like you've done your homework…"
Sunday sighed.
"…When I was investigating Robin's supposed killer, after you, Gopher Wood was my next suspect." He sighed again. "I went after you first because… a part of me still wanted to trust him. After all, he's the one who helped my sister and me. I didn't want things between us to end like this."
"You actually made the right choice." Gallagher commented, while Himeko glanced at Sunday.
"What do you mean, you didn't want it to end like this?"
Robin answered instead.
"To be honest… both my brother and I could be considered victims of the Stellaron. We grew up as orphans until the Family took us in after saving us. Gopher Wood was the one who cared for us and eventually brought us to Penacony." Robin frowned, placing a hand on her chest with resolve. "If he's truly the cause of all this… I won't stand by while he becomes an enemy of Harmony. I won't let him twist the Carismonia Festival into something that defiles it."
A faint whisper escaped her lips as she stepped closer to her brother.
"…For our dreams."
Sunday smiled and echoed her softly.
"Indeed. For the paradise of our dreams…"
Gallagher sighed.
"Young people these days sure do get lost in their ideals." He said with mild exasperation. "The enemy you'll face isn't some old dog whose bite's gone dull and can barely bark anymore… Knowing that, will you still go through with it, kid?"
Sunday met his gaze steadily.
"As the head of the Oak Family, it's my duty to secure Penacony's future at any cost… If this is true, then I'll face him no matter what."
Gallagher glanced toward the Astral Express crew.
"Our goals align. Why not take advantage of that and join forces? Who knows—there might even be a chance of success."
Himeko and Welt exchanged a look.
"…We've always followed in the footsteps of the Anonymous who came before us." Himeko said seriously. "Do you think now's the time to stop doing that? Or will you move forward—without hesitation, and with everything you've got?"
"I think I can speak for both Stelle and Aleph here!" March declared, raising her fist high. "Heroes never back down!"
"…Did you really have to say something so embarrassing? A simple 'yes' would've worked." Aleph muttered, a little red-faced as he and March earned amused looks from the others.
...
After their talk with Sunday and Robin, the group reached a consensus.
Their next destination would be Penacony's Grand Theater, located in the Golden Hour.
But before setting off, there were loose ends to tie up. Welt led them to a quieter area where they could talk in peace.
"…Maybe we acted too fast. Facing the Dreammaster won't be easy."
March and Aleph tilted their heads in confusion.
"Remember, he's the master of all the Families in Penacony, with their full support—and he has access to the power of Harmony. On top of that, we can't forget he also holds a Stellaron. We need to proceed carefully if we want to avoid disaster."
March raised her hand timidly.
"Uh… Mr. Yang? Maybe you shouldn't go this time…"
"He has a Stellaron?" Aleph scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't we have three?"
Welt shook his head calmly.
"You shouldn't get overconfident, Aleph. Trust me when I say this the moment you think you're ready to face an enemy, no matter how much of an advantage you think you have…" Welt sighed. "He can still smash your face into the ground before you even have a chance to react."
Aleph deflated for a moment, then nodded slowly toward Welt.
"…So, what's your plan, Welt?"
"The IPC will make a good deterrent. All I need to do is negotiate with them. If things go south and the Family shows their true colors, we'll have a guaranteed exit."
"The IPC? But, Mr. Yang, after what happened with Aventurine…" March said uncertainly.
"March, there are people for whom profit outweighs everything else… and many of them work for the IPC—especially among the higher ranks. I can pull it off. But either way." Welt removed his glasses and began cleaning them. "Take care of yourselves. And if the worst happens… don't worry about me. Just make sure to seal the Stellaron—no matter what it takes."
When he finished speaking, Welt turned and left. A clap echoed behind them, and when they looked back, Gallagher was there.
"Well, well. So even now, heroes still walk among your ranks? Mikhail would've been proud." He crossed his arms, looking serious. "Even if the Dreammaster really is innocent, that doesn't change the fact that the Family has rotted to its core. I won't make Mikhail's mistake—and I won't let you make it either. Anyway, I just came to wish you good luck."
Before he could leave, Himeko stopped him with a raised brow.
"Don't you think there's something else you should tell us?"
Gallagher had spoken of Tiernan's and Razalina's fates…
But what about Legwork?
"What happened to him?" Himeko asked.
Gallagher sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."
He turned toward them and gestured.
"Follow me."
They returned to the site of the tombs. Gallagher snapped his fingers, and the ground began to tremble. March clung to Himeko as the stone plaques glowed. The earth beneath their feet slowly rose, spiraling upward.
Aleph watched the entire process with bright, fascinated eyes.
Gallagher spoke without turning back.
"Everything I did was to keep a promise… one so old that I've forgotten how long it's been."
His voice grew heavier.
"Mikhail Char Legwork—the Watchmaker—asked me on his deathbed to guard his legacy and pass it on to the next generation of the Anonymous once they reached Penacony."
He climbed the newly formed staircase ahead of them.
Looking back over his shoulder, he added,
"Now, I'll take you to the place where Mikhail rests for the last time."
At the end of the staircase, a massive dome rose from the highest point of the Flowdream Reef.
Its surface was crystalline, a deep, dark blue—like it reflected the very depths of the dream sky itself.
...
Meanwhile, in the abandoned train station, Stelle opened her eyes as she and Elegy returned from the apocalyptic memory.
Stelle blinked, still stunned by what she had seen.
That strange floating golden head was truly imposing, and that being of light calling itself the Demon King of the Expanse… She wondered how someone could even become something like that.
Ahem—purely academic curiosity, of course.
And that lonely boy, trudging through a ruined city, crushing creatures that looked eerily similar to the demons Aleph could summon, desperately chasing the salvation of his dying world…
"How did it end?" She asked curiously. "What happened to that boy?"
"The boy's wish was never fulfilled." Elegy replied softly. "At least… not yet."
The ground shook beneath them.
Stelle looked up and saw, in the distance, a structure emerging out of nowhere, forming into a staircase.
Even without seeing them, she could already tell—Welt, Himeko, Aleph, and March were probably there.
"Looks like that's where they are." She said, standing from the bench and preparing to leave.
"Wait a moment." Elegy said, stopping her. "You still owe me a favor."
Stelle turned, blinking in confusion.
"A favor…? Oh, right." She tilted her head. "You never told me who I was supposed to bring, did you?"
Elegy nodded.
"At the request of an acquaintance, I came here to meet two people. One is you, Stelle."
"And the other?"
"A man named Aleph Avesta."
"…Why do you want to meet him?" Stelle asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Elegy chuckled softly.
"Nothing bad, I assure you." She said. "As I told you, this is just a request from someone who wishes for me to show him a particular memory—just like I did for you."
Though still unsure, Stelle finally nodded before heading off.
Elegy watched her leave and sighed.
"So… is it really acceptable for the Slave of Fate to force my appearance onto the stage… without informing his dear Stellaron Hunters first?" She murmured.
Her fingers brushed one of the floating memory bubbles beside her as she whispered under her breath.
"How many new branches will open now? How many paths will split from this? And is it truly wise for Elio to stray so far from his script…?"
She fell silent for a moment, then a faint smile curved her lips.
"…If this is the path he's chosen… then why?"
The woman stood still, gazing toward the horizon with eyes devoid of light.
**************************************************************************
Heeeey there!
How have you all been?
I took a little break because keeping up that writing pace was getting exhausting… and partly because replaying Colonipenal is pure madness.
God, it was fine the first time I played it—completely blind, no spoilers, and finishing it all in one go.
But now? Holy hell, what a pain.
The Omake will be returning soon — I've already written several new ones.
Turns out they're a nice breather from working on the main story.
There are also a few extra side stories in progress.
And just a heads-up — after the return to Luofu, I won't be starting Amphoreus right away.