"How could this be?! How does she know?!"
Robin was truly sweating bullets now.
Her loss of voice stemmed from a dissonant note within her family's Harmony—a discordant strain.
That discord naturally meant the Family was no longer united as one, indicating a traitor had emerged in Penacony.
Understanding the immense hidden danger behind her sudden muteness, Robin had ensured this matter was known only to her closest confidants. It simply couldn't have leaked.
Even her manager and assistant, who accompanied her daily, only knew the same officially stated reason.
This was a secret.
One so delicate it couldn't be spoken of lightly.
The Family, renowned for its Harmony, now harbored dissonance within.
Especially now, with the Charmony Festival just around the corner.
The gaze of all major factions across the cosmos was fixed upon this grand event, held only once an Amber Era.
Though the room was warm and comfortable, Robin felt as though she'd plunged into the depths of winter. Without realizing it, a cold sweat had drenched her back.
[Robin: You must be joking, Miss Sylvia. My recent hiatus is solely to prepare for the Charmony Festival. The Family remains as united as ever. Please do not lend credence to baseless rumors.]
[Sylvia: Is that so? Then I must apologize, Miss Robin. It was improper of me to test you with such unsubstantiated gossip.]
Sylvia wasn't actually trying to confirm anyone's identity. As she'd thought before, this was already the studio's account—no need to pretend about who was using it.
Besides, it didn't matter if the person on the other end was the real one or not.
Sylvia's goal was simply to get one piece of information into Robin's ears.
To let Robin know that she knew her secret.
In Robin's eyes, already suspicious of the Family's internal situation, Sylvia's presence was bound to loom impossibly large.
At that point, even if Sylvia tried to avoid her, Robin would never let her slip away.
In an extreme scenario, Robin might even try to silence Sylvia, ensuring she couldn't speak until after the Charmony Festival concluded.
But setting aside Sylvia's own capabilities, the fact that she was currently on the Xianzhou, with Acheron as her backer, meant Robin couldn't easily touch her.
If it were her brother Sunday, he might have managed some scheme, but Robin operated largely outside Penacony—her actual authority was surely less than his.
If Robin had any sense, after investigating Sylvia's background, she'd at least avoid making the first move outright.
And if they could talk, then scoring an invitation to Penacony would become much easier to swing.
Sylvia stowed her phone for now, in no hurry to continue the conversation with Robin.
She planned to let it simmer for a couple of days.
Besides, she needed to give Robin time to look into her.
If you want to fool someone, you have to commit to being an enigma.
A mix of truth and fiction, vague hints and solid leads—that's what keeps people off-balance.
And for a proper enigma, the most important rule is to strike and vanish. Say just half of what you mean, never giving the other party a clear chance to press for answers.
So, after tossing her phone aside, Sylvia set it to silent and settled in to sleep, half-expecting Acheron's 'gift' all the while.
--+--
The next day.
Acheron's speed was downright terrifying.
In just a single day, she'd already sent word that she'd arrived at the old starport.
Sylvia couldn't help but wonder if this was Acheron's top speed.
Pressing the 'B' button on her phone, Sylvia opened a pixelated-style portal. Stepping through to the derelict starport, she saw Acheron's slightly surprised expression.
In response, Sylvia silently opened her arms and gave Acheron a gentle hug.
"Didn't expect our reunion to come quite this soon," she quipped lightly.
Acheron, however, looked down, meeting Sylvia's eyes as she said:
"I found myself looking forward to it, actually."
"..."
Oh no. She'd forgotten how blunt naturals could be.
Sylvia rubbed her chest, her heart having skipped a beat for a second there from Acheron's unexpected line.
"Since when did you start saying things like that after just a few days apart?"
"I'm attempting to be less aloof. The return of my sense of taste, and the fact my recent memories have hardly faded... it's all thanks to you."
Sylvia almost reflexively argued back.
But then she remembered the recent items from her system, how they loved to hide extra functions and play games with their descriptions.
Speaking of yesterday's rewards...
The Truth-Seeking Sigil. Its description had even mentioned something about being 'conceptual.'
She'd gone to bed too early to think about it yesterday, but Acheron's comment reminded her—maybe she could use it to check what the ring actually did.
No time like the present.
Reaching out, she took Acheron's left hand, earning a puzzled look.
The silvery-white ring on Acheron's bare finger seemed to echo the one on Sylvia's own.
Sylvia lowered her head, blinked, and complex sigils gradually surfaced within her pupils.
Soon, she saw past the ring's appearance, perceiving the unspoken power within.
Shock, awe, and confusion.
Seeing its true nature clearly, Sylvia's eyes widened.
Oh no. It's real.
When the ring had been given, there was a line of description she'd assumed was just a common blessing, a sentimental motto.
'But only love is eternal; even time cannot fade its hue.'
Who knew it was meant literally? This thing actually had a function to help the wearer preserve related memories.
Memories of Sylvia, associated scents, everything about her—it would all be carefully preserved.
Originally, it was just a cute hidden feature meant to add a little romance.
Who could have predicted it would end up on Acheron, of all people, who was plagued by Nihility?
In one stroke, it had neutralized Nihility's side effects on her.
Not only did she stop losing new memories, but even what had been lost was being forcefully reclaimed, all because of Sylvia.
If any other Pathstrider had worn this, the effect would never have been so profound.
Take Sylvia herself—wearing it felt no different from an ordinary ring, utterly mundane.
--+--
As Sylvia stood there, lost in thought, head bowed, Acheron remained perfectly still, her gaze fixed on Sylvia's white hair and her distinct, elegant nose.
The scent coming from Sylvia wasn't strong.
She wore no makeup, unlike Acheron, who carried a faint, lingering fragrance from hers.
But to Acheron, it was a comforting smell.
In just these short two weeks, Acheron realized she'd already grown somewhat accustomed to having company.
Leaving alone this time had felt awkward, even stirring a sense of 'loneliness' she hadn't felt in a very, very long time.
Perhaps this is the downside of memories that don't fade, she mused inwardly. When memories vanish, parting brings no loneliness.
But if memories never lose their color, those beautiful, reassuring moments endlessly stir desire.
And desire, when unmet, twists into this feeling of solitude.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.