After parting ways with Gallagher.
Sylvia looked at the red-and-white mask still in her hand.
After a moment's thought, she simply placed it on the bench beside the road.
Honestly, since it was something she'd gotten from Sparkle, Sylvia didn't really feel like carrying it around with her.
It felt like the kind of thing that would suddenly show off some weird function at the most awkward moment possible.
But after walking a fair distance from where she'd left the mask…
Plop.
The red-and-white mask fell out of thin air right in front of Sylvia, landing at her feet.
"…"
It even has autofollow?
Sylvia felt speechless, but she wasn't exactly surprised.
That Sparkle woman wouldn't have left her the mask just to give her a simple gift.
She was probably planning something.
Thinking this, Sylvia stepped right over the mask and kept walking.
But not far ahead, the mask plopped down in front of her again.
After testing it several more times, Sylvia couldn't shake the mask—it just kept following her.
She started wondering if Sparkle was still hiding nearby, tossing it at her, but since the mask was sticking to her like glue…
Sylvia decided to just exit the dream.
It couldn't possibly follow her from the dream into reality, right?
With that in mind, she stood still and chose to wake up.
Only…
As Sylvia felt herself gradually floating upward, a strange sensation began to creep in.
The mask in her hand suddenly let out a clear, tinkling laugh, like a grinning fox:
"Giggle~Have fuuuun~"
"Sparkle!"
Accompanied by a violent headache and dizziness…
Sylvia's eyes snapped open as she pushed herself upright from the Dreampool.
But all she saw was a distorted, shadowy space.
Pretty, iridescent bubbles were scattered all around.
From the twisted, bizarre spaces, Sylvia could vaguely make out the layout of the Reverie Hotel.
But clearly, this wasn't the Reverie Hotel room she'd entered the dream from.
"…Where in the world have I ended up now?"
Bewildered, Sylvia got to her feet, rubbing her forehead.
The uncomfortable feeling of her soul and will being ground down and washed over made it hard to focus at first.
Sitting in the Dreamscape pool for a moment to collect herself, Sylvia gradually started to piece it together.
Had she been dumped into the Memory Zone?
How on earth did Sparkle even manage something like this??
Before, Sparkle had used some weird button to speed up the Ambrosial Arbor's absorption of the Stellaron—fine, whatever.
But now she could even hijack the Family's Dreamscape pool like this?
--+--
Meanwhile.
In the real Reverie Hotel, in Sylvia's room.
"Mmm-hmm~ Really now, you're so well-behaved when you're asleep~"
Sparkle was crouched inside the Dreamscape pool, one hand holding her phone, the other reaching out to poke the sleeping Sylvia.
She squinted her eyes, smiling happily.
Then she quietly slipped a red-and-white Sparkle mask into Sylvia's palm.
"Giggle~ I can't wait to see your startled reaction when you wake up."
Muttering to herself, Sparkle stared at Sylvia's face, chuckling softly.
"But then, you probably won't wake up that quickly. Serves you right for not agreeing to play with me. Now you get to explore the new map all by yourself~"
--+--
Sylvia stood up from the Dreamscape pool.
She tried activating the [Truth-Seeking Sigil].
Its function of dispelling illusions and deceptive glamours seemed to still work here.
Sylvia could sense that if she wanted to, she could force her way out of here and back to the real world.
Somewhat reassured, she decided to explore the area first.
After checking the room, she didn't find any picture frames she could enter like in the game.
So she pushed the door open and walked out.
The same quiet, shadowy hues surrounded her.
And the atmosphere felt distinctly unpleasant.
The corridor was empty—no people, not even any monsters in sight.
But soon, from the other end of the hallway…
The heavy sound of high heels sinking into the carpet quietly echoed through the silent space.
"…"
Sylvia shifted into a ready stance, staying alert as she moved cautiously toward the source of the sound.
As the footsteps drew closer, Sylvia grew even more wary.
When she neared the corner, she stopped and waited silently for the owner of the footsteps to round the bend.
"To think it's you. I never expected to meet you here. What a curious twist of fate."
The newcomer was still wearing that slightly alluring bodysuit, her voice as soft as when they'd first met.
Her mysteriously captivating eyes, brimming with amusement, met Sylvia's gaze.
Though the surprise in her expression was impossible to hide.
"Quite the coincidence, Black Swan. What brings you to a strange place like this?"
Standing before Sylvia was Black Swan, whom she'd met once before, when the Memokeeper had sought her out on her own initiative.
Though she'd claimed to be curious about Sylvia, they'd only met that one time.
This Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection—who knew why she'd chosen to enter Penacony during this period.
Or why she'd appear in a place like this.
Black Swan gave a light, closed-mouth smile and stepped closer to Sylvia.
"I should be the one asking you that. You clearly entered the dream through the Family's Dreampool, so why are you here?"
"I don't know. I was just trying to wake up. Sparkle might be behind it—anyway, I blinked and ended up here."
Sylvia shrugged.
The red-and-white mask she'd been holding was gone now, she didn't know where.
No way to prove it, really.
But Black Swan gave a slight nod.
"That Masked Fool? Hmm, she certainly does enjoy being the center of attention."
"From your tone, it sounds like you know her?"
Sylvia remembered doing missions involving Black Swan and Sparkle, but the game never specified when those took place.
Some speculated those missions happened before the Trailblazers arrived in Penacony.
But since nothing was confirmed, there was no definite answer.
"Indeed. I crossed paths with her not long ago, so I have a fair idea of what she's like."
Black Swan nodded, agreeing with Sylvia's line of thought, but showed no intention of elaborating further.
"Speaking of which, little miss, has the Light Cone I gave you been of any help?"
Black Swan looked at Sylvia.
This white-haired girl was someone she'd stumbled upon by chance.
Right from their first meeting, she'd felt there was something unusual about her, and after interacting, found her even more intriguing.
Although Sylvia seemed quite wary of her…
Truthfully, Black Swan was simply curious about Sylvia.
Curious about why she could manipulate memories, and curious just how far her control over Mnemonic Matter could go.
"Somewhat. At least it pointed me in a direction to investigate."
Even though Sylvia felt she would've eventually sought out Gallagher—a character who appears in the story—even without that Light Cone…
At least the information from Black Swan had saved her some detours.
"That's good to hear."
Black Swan smiled, a smile so beautiful it didn't seem quite real.
--+--
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.