"..."
"!"
"Where... am I?"
"Did I... succeed?"
"..."
A moment later, Aventurine, completely engulfed in red, slowly opened his eyes. Gazing at the still dreamlike and beautiful city before him, he fell silent.
Is it true, then? Does Death truly not exist within Penacony's Sweet Dream?
A rule that even an Emanator of Nihility cannot break?
Aventurine's spirits plummeted to rock bottom...
All or nothing.
If this rule holds true—a rule even a Nihility Emanator must obey—then Aventurine truly has nothing left.
His Aventurine Stone has shattered and is unusable. He's alienated the Astral Express, the Family, and others. Ratio has vanished without a trace... Everything seems to have returned to square one...
A gambler who has spent his entire life fighting through wagers, no matter how high he climbs, can lose everything with a single failed bet.
Aventurine now finds himself in exactly that position.
Having lost his Aventurine Stone and with the Charmony Festival looming, Aventurine likely wouldn't get another chance to devise a plan...
Thump!
"Damn it!"
"Where exactly did things go wrong?"
Aventurine slammed his fist against the floor in frustration. Even if death truly didn't exist within Penacony's Dream, it shouldn't be like this—that after being slashed by an Emanator of Nihility, he could simply reappear unharmed in Penacony.
Wait a minute!
"When you die in the Dream, aren't you supposed to return to the Dream Pool? Why am I..."
Aventurine quickly realized the problem. He had tried many times before in Penacony, and each attempt had always ended with him opening his eyes in the Dream Pool.
So why, this time, had he reappeared directly in Penacony?
"Could it be...?"
"Hmm? You're awake! Congratulations, you're a mature young lady now!"
Aventurine's suspicions were immediately confirmed by a voice that suddenly materialized.
As for the claim about becoming a mature young lady, it was clearly a lie.
Well, even if it were true, I wouldn't mind. Change is change, after all. It's just another way to 'live'.
Aventurine stopped thinking and looked up at the sound, only to see two figures—one white, one black—standing before him.
Sigh...
Seeing Lumina and Herta appear before him, Aventurine let out a silent sigh of resignation.
Neither Lumina nor Herta were people he could afford to offend.
Even if they had disrupted his plans, he had to greet them with a smile.
After all, in the eyes of both Aventurine and the entire Interastral Peace Corporation, Penacony wasn't even a speck compared to Lumina and Herta.
If either Lumina or Herta expressed a desire to claim Penacony, the IPC would immediately abandon all its plans related to the planet and devote all its resources to helping them seize control.
"Miss Lumina, Madam Herta, thank you for your timely intervention," Aventurine said, bowing deeply with a genuine smile that betrayed no hint of displeasure. "Aventurine is eternally grateful."
"No need to be so formal, Mr. Aventurine," Lumina replied, waving her hand. "I simply enjoy helping others." Though Aventurine showed no outward signs, Lumina could sense the faint resentment and helplessness hidden deep within his heart.
Smiling, she waved her hand, signaling Aventurine not to be so formal.
See? I saved him and ruined his plan, yet he still thanks me.
Ah... Gazing at Lumina's Holy, pure, and beautiful demeanor, Aventurine sighed inwardly once more.
He hadn't shared his plans with anyone, so it was impossible for Lumina to have come here solely to toy with him.
Therefore, Aventurine harbored no suspicion toward her words.
Even if Lumina did know his plan, Aventurine wouldn't doubt her. After all... Lumina genuinely was the kind of person she appeared to be.
Over several Amber Eras of healing, Aventurine couldn't help but be aware of Lumina's name, even without paying special attention.
It was just a pity that her "Divine Miracle" hadn't descended upon...
Suppressing further thoughts, Aventurine maintained his respectful smile, his eyes wide as he began to babble nonsensically: "Miss Lumina, what may seem like a casual act to you..."
"...is, in my eyes, an act of salvation I cannot ignore. I owe you my life."
"Miss Lumina, currently I have nothing on hand to adequately thank you for saving my life."
"But please rest assured, I will certainly keep your kindness in mind."
Aventurine's face was earnest, as if Lumina saving him and thwarting his plans was the greatest stroke of fortune imaginable.
"Your personality is truly atrocious," Herta, who had witnessed the entire exchange, muttered beside them, nudging Little Lumina with her elbow.
"Mr. Aventurine, there's no need for such formality," Lumina replied, shaking her head at Aventurine before returning Herta's elbow jab. Leaning close to Herta's ear, she whispered with a warm breath, "Little Herta, after all this time, you still don't know what kind of woman I am?"
"Without a doubt, I'm certainly not a despicable woman."
"Heh, whether you're despicable or not, you know the truth in your heart," Herta retorted, stepping back slightly to distance herself from Lumina. She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, subtly concealing her slightly flushed ears.
"That line might fool others, but don't try to fool yourself."
"What are you saying, Little Herta! How could you doubt me like that? I'm going to cry!" Lumina glared at Herta, her eyes brimming with tears as if she were about to burst into tears.
"Hmph," Herta snorted coldly, offering no further response. She seemed too lazy to even acknowledge Lumina's antics, especially with Aventurine still present.
"Miss Lumina, no need to say more. I'll bring a gift and personally visit to express my gratitude later."
Aventurine didn't overthink Lumina and Herta's slightly intimate interaction, assuming it was simply a sign of close female friendship. After all, Miss Topaz and Madam Jade often acted similarly, so he paid little attention to their behavior.
"I have some urgent matters to attend to. I'll take my leave now."
Though his initial plan had failed, Aventurine remained determined to try other approaches. Whether these attempts succeeded or failed no longer seemed particularly crucial.
"Very well. Please proceed as you wish," Lumina replied with a slight nod and a graceful wave, her smile unwavering.
The entire Asdana Star System was now enveloped by Ena's Dream. Whether the IPC fleet managed to break through at this point held little bearing on the ultimate outcome. This was precisely why Lumina had chosen to "save" Aventurine only to toy with him afterward.
"Thank you again, Miss Lumina, for saving my life." Seeing this, Aventurine bowed deeply to Lumina once more before hurrying away.
"Broadcast Aventurine's conversation with Acheron in the Edge of Existence to the Player's perspective," Lumina instructed the System in her mind, watching Aventurine's retreating figure.
[Do you want to include the scene where you toyed with Aventurine as well?]
"No, just upload that as fan content."
[Okay, the title will be: "Shocking! Aventurine Becomes the Emotional Punching Bag for Lumina and Herta! Is This a Twist of Human Nature or a Decline of Morality?!"]
Lumina: ?!
[Heh]
Lumina really wanted to drag this System out and give it a thorough beating. That title made it sound like she and Herta were dating! Was it out of its mind?
She and Herta were completely innocent. Why did it always twist things like this?
Did it think any two people who stood close must be lovers?
Couldn't they be best friends, sisters, or just good friends?
At the very least, couldn't they be mother and daughter? Why did it always jump to that conclusion?
I really liked what Herta said earlier: "You can deceive others, but don't deceive yourself."
Lumina: ...