Robin was genuinely surprised by Sylvia's efficiency.
They had only just arrived in Penacony, having entered the dreamscape mere moments ago.
Yet Sylvia had already managed to contact both a Masked Fool from the Tavern and a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection.
Both factions were notoriously secretive, rarely seen on ordinary days.
Especially the Memokeepers—if they didn't wish to be seen, you wouldn't spot one even if they were right in front of you.
The fact that Sylvia was taking her matters so seriously, and with such remarkable speed, left Robin both astonished and considerably more at ease.
Perhaps Sylvia really could unravel all these secrets.
Robin was growing more and more convinced that inviting Sylvia to Penacony had been the right decision.
"No… she approached me first. I'm not sure what her goal is," Sylvia admitted, still feeling that Black Swan had intended to make a move on her.
Recalling the in-game lore about memory bubbles, she remembered that on Herta Space Station, those scattered bubbles were secretly created by Herta herself, kept hidden from the Garden of Recollection.
While the game's text was ambiguous about the Garden's true stance, Sylvia decided it was safer to assume the worst.
"So, what clue did the Memokeeper give you? A memory bubble?"
"No, it was a Light Cone."
Sylvia tried summoning the Light Cone within the dream and found it worked.
She handed the indistinct, hazy cone to Robin.
Robin had felt a flicker of hope, but upon seeing it and even carefully attuning to its essence, her hopeful heart sank.
"This… the memories within are far too blurred. Apart from the background vaguely resembling Penacony, I can't make out anything at all…"
"Of course, this Light Cone is still unfinished."
"...Then it seems unlikely to be of much use," Robin replied, though not disheartened.
Blurred as it was, it still offered some imagery.
If they could locate the places corresponding to those scenes, they might yet find a lead. It was better than having nothing to go on.
Seeing this, Sylvia smiled and stored the Light Cone away again. "It's fine. We'll have progress by tomorrow at the latest. For tonight, let's just rest and relax."
"Do you have a plan, Sylvia?" Robin asked, curious.
Sylvia winked mysteriously. "We'll give it a try."
Seeing that Sylvia didn't seem to be merely comforting her, Robin felt an inexplicable boost of confidence. "I understand. Then I'll wait for good news."
--+--
After their conversation, Sylvia and Robin parted ways for the time being.
Sylvia directly exited the dreamscape, returning to her guest room in The Reverie Hotel.
Feeling that persistent, clinging sense of unease, she attempted to open a teleportation channel.
Stepping through and arriving back at her residence on The Blue, her mind settled somewhat.
'It seems… it really might just be an anomaly from the environment? At least entering and leaving Penacony isn't a problem,' she thought, heading out to comfort Bella, who had been left home on guard duty, while still pondering the affairs of Penacony.
Just then, as if timed perfectly with her return, a message from Acheron arrived.
[Acheron: Made it to Penacony? How are you adapting to the environment there?]
Pulling out her phone, Sylvia couldn't help but smile at the message.
[Sylvia: It's okay. Felt a bit dizzy when we first reached the Asdana system, but I rested and adjusted.]
[Sylvia: Speaking of which, just today in Penacony, I ran into a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection and a Masked Fool from the Tavern.]
[Sylvia: The Charmony Festival really is a mixed bag, huh?]
[Acheron: Why did the Memokeeper seek you out? And the Masked Fool—what's her name? Are you alright?]
Reading Acheron's reply, Sylvia had a sneaking suspicion she was asking for the name with future retribution in mind.
[Sylvia: What could happen? Don't worry, there was no conflict.]
She then carefully phrased an account of her encounters with Black Swan and Sparkle, relaying it to Acheron.
She could almost sense Acheron's mood darkening through the screen.
[Acheron: It seems your presence has attracted considerable attention. Be cautious. Until I arrive, try not to stand out.]
Acheron realized Sylvia might be even more of a magnet for trouble than she'd anticipated.
This wasn't good. If all those factions started focusing on Sylvia, things could get messy in a place as chaotic as Penacony.
Acheron knew Sylvia had gone ahead early on a commission from Miss Robin to investigate something. But now, she wanted Sylvia to put that commission on hold.
Otherwise, in that tricky place, even if Sylvia called for her, she might not be able to provide support within the dreamscape in time.
[Sylvia: Hey, have you been getting more concerned about me lately?]
[Acheron: …]
[Acheron: We're discussing serious matters. Don't joke around.]
Reading Acheron's reply, Sylvia felt an irresistible urge to tease her.
Ever since last time, when Acheron had claimed she 'didn't know' something but her actions had clearly said otherwise, Sylvia had found herself wanting to see complex emotions flicker across Mei's typically cool, composed face.
[Sylvia: How is this not serious? Ask you anything and you play dumb, but your stubbornness takes the crown. That's you in a nutshell.]
[Acheron: …]
[Acheron: …]
[Acheron: Open the door.]
Sylvia knew exactly which door Acheron meant. Just imagining Acheron's expression on the other end of the phone made her grin mischievously.
[Sylvia: It's open, but someone doesn't seem to be at the door~]
[Acheron: …]
After a long wait, Sylvia watched the 'typing…' indicator flash by Acheron's name for what felt like ages, only for a simple ellipsis to arrive.
Sylvia laughed happily.
'Enough teasing,' she thought. Time to open the portal. Besides, she really did want to see Acheron's expression now.
Thinking this, Sylvia called out, "Help me, Big Sister Mei~"
As her words faded, a teleportation portal swirled open. A figure in white appeared and, in the blink of an eye, swept across the room like a gale, pinning Sylvia down into the sofa.
Acheron looked down at her, face cold, gaze sharp—like a hunter fixed on her prey.
Shing—
With a finger, she nudged her long blade slightly from its sheath.
Leaning down until their faces were almost touching, Acheron murmured, "Why don't you ask me now… what kind of mood I'm in?"
"…"
Seeing Acheron's utterly serious, 'about-to-slice-you' demeanor, Sylvia's smile froze.
'Wait, you're actually for real?'
"...Are you angry?"
Hearing this, Acheron's lips curled into a faint, dangerous smile. "Mhm. You guessed right. So… are you prepared for some long-overdue sparring practice?"
"Uh… can we reschedule?"
A cold sweat broke out on Sylvia's brow. 'You've literally drawn your sword. Are you sure this is 'sparring' and not just 'chopping me up'?'
"No. Wouldn't want anyone thinking only my words are sharp."
"…"
--+--
T/N: 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.