The moment the spatial rift closed, the slight feeling of weightlessness brought by crossing dimensions also disappeared.
Alya, from the parallel world, felt her feet on solid ground, yet it was as if she were stepping on a cloud, somewhat unreal.
She deactivated the power bestowed upon her by the Akuma Butterfly, and that superhuman sensation, which had permeated her limbs, receded like a tide, leaving her with a brief moment of weakness.
"What the heck…"
The first thing she did was instinctively reach for her pocket, which, of course, was empty.
She couldn't help but complain.
"My phone is still in my room! Hey, big butterfly, how are we going to get back later? You're not a one-way ticket, are you?"
The "big butterfly" she referred to was, naturally, the Goodwill Butterfly beside her. However, when she looked up, preparing to continue her barrage of words mixed with dissatisfaction and questioning, all her words caught in her throat.
She was completely captivated by the sight before her.
They were standing on the highest observation deck of the Eiffel Tower.
Night had already fallen deep. Above the deep blue velvet night sky, countless shimmering stars were scattered, as if someone had spilled an entire box of diamonds.
And below, was another, even more dazzling and colorful "sea of stars."
The entire city of Paris, like an endless black carpet, was illuminated by millions of lights. Golden, white, and colorful points of light converged into flowing rivers of light, outlining every street and every building in the city.
The Seine River, like a winding black ribbon inlaid with crushed diamonds, quietly flowed through the city, shattering and reassembling light and shadow.
In the distance, Sacré-Cœur Basilica, illuminated by the lights, resembled a dreamlike white castle, sacred and solemn.
The evening breeze carried a hint of coolness, gently brushing against her cheek and rustling her dark reddish-brown hair.
In the wind, there was no pervasive, cold scent of metal and disinfectant found in her world, but rather a mixture of food aromas wafting from distant restaurants, the damp smell of the Seine River, and an indescribable scent called "life."
"Wow…"
She involuntarily let out a low gasp, filled with awe.
In her world, Paris was also like this, with the same buildings and the same streets.
But… the feeling was completely different.
The nights in her world were dead silent and strictly controlled.
The lights were cold, lifeless white, and besides patrols, not a single pedestrian could be seen on the streets.
The air was always filled with suppression and tension.
There, "mutual help" was an abnormal behavior that needed to be reported, and "meaningless gatherings" would be considered potential crimes.
But here… she could hear the faint honking of cars, the laughter of people, and the melodious accordion music of street performers from afar.
All these sounds intertwined, composing a vibrant and free symphony.
Paris here was "alive."
"This world… feels… different."
She murmured, her eyes filled with a dazed look.
"Yes, it's different."
The Goodwill Butterfly's voice rang out beside her.
His voice was as gentle as ever, but carried a hint of imperceptible, deep sadness.
"I'm here to take care of a small matter. I'll be back soon."
"As for the matter of returning…"
He spread his palm, and nestled within it was a small, antique-like enamel jewelry box. He opened the box, and an Akuma Butterfly slowly flew out, circling his fingertips affectionately.
"It will take us back."
The Goodwill Butterfly said, his gaze turning to Alya, his eyes calm and serious.
"Before I return, please stay here and don't wander off."
Alya nodded. Of course, she knew what a brief and precious opportunity it was to come to this "paradise-like" world.
She hadn't seen enough; she wasn't willing to run around.
Seeing her consent, the Goodwill Butterfly put the butterfly back into the jewelry box.
Then, he walked to the edge of the platform and, without the slightest hesitation, leaped. His purple suit drew an elegant arc in the night wind, silently merging into the darkness below.
Alya watched his disappearing back, somewhat puzzled about what he was going to do.
But soon, her attention was drawn again by the brilliant night view below her feet.
She leaned on the railing, trying to see farther and clearer.
"Seriously…"
She muttered softly.
"Couldn't you have taken me somewhere closer to the ground? Staying here, I can't see anything but lights…"
Her complaint carried a hint of a deeper longing for this world, which she herself hadn't even noticed… The Goodwill Butterfly's figure, like a feather, silently landed on a rooftop near Jaden's house.
He gazed at the familiar, now dark window, his eyes revealing a gentle, fatherly concern.
He knew that the young man he had forcibly pulled from another hell was now sleeping peacefully. That was enough.
But he still needed to confirm a few things.
He closed his eyes, and his powerful mental energy swept across the surrounding streets like a radar, searching for a suitable "medium."
Soon, he locked onto a target—a young man sitting in front of his computer, filled with remorse, anger, and unwillingness after losing a crucial match in an online game.
He was the one.
The Goodwill Butterfly took out the jewelry box from his embrace, opened it, and released the butterfly. The butterfly silently passed through the window and merged into the young man's headphones.
"Mister Information, I am the Goodwill Butterfly…"
His voice echoed in the man's mind, carrying an undeniable authority.
"I grant you the power of victory, but in return, you need to do a few things for me…"
The process of Akumatization was swift and efficient.
The Goodwill Butterfly had no interest in watching a new show of destruction; all he needed was this man's authorization as a "terminal."
Through this "puppet" he temporarily controlled, the Goodwill Butterfly's consciousness instantly connected to Paris's entire public network.
The situation was still under control.
After confirming the macroscopic information, the Goodwill Butterfly's consciousness silently infiltrated the country's financial system.
He skillfully brought up a highly encrypted anonymous account—the account linked to the identity he had arranged for Jaden in this world.
When he saw that the account balance column showed only a meager three-digit number, the Goodwill Butterfly's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He had forgotten that Jaden was just an ordinary student with no source of income.
The money he had transferred last time was almost used up.
A pang of guilt flashed through his heart.
He had brought that child to this world, yet he hadn't been able to give him a truly carefree life.
[Initiating 'Wealth Redistribution' program…]
His consciousness swiftly traversed the vast sea of financial data, locking onto the offshore accounts of several well-known multinational corporations with a history of tax evasion and other misconduct.
Then, like the most skilled digital ghost, he silently "borrowed" a small portion from each of those massive fund pools, funneling them into an untraceable financial transit station composed of countless virtual accounts.
Finally, a huge sum, enough to allow any ordinary student to live a luxurious life, silently transferred into Jaden's almost depleted bank card.
Having completed all this, he immediately severed the connection with "Mister Information."
The butterfly flew out of the headphones and disappeared.
The young man in front of the computer merely shook his head, thinking he had played too many games and was hallucinating.
The Goodwill Butterfly did not immediately return to the Eiffel Tower. He was inexplicably drawn to the vicinity of the Agreste Mansion in this world.
He stood in the shadows of a distant street corner, quietly gazing at the enormous mansion, which was both familiar and strange to him.
The mansion was brightly lit, and through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, he seemed to see a complete, happy family inside.
That was… his home.
He could imagine that Gabriel of this world might be watching Adrien play the piano with his Emilie.
They would smile at Adrien's small progress and prepare his favorite food for him.
There, there were no Akumatized Butterflies, no "comatose" wife, no nest filled with obsession and pain.
There, there would be none of what he had lost.
A sharp, almost tearing pain came from the depths of his heart.
He only glanced from afar, then could no longer bear it, resolutely turned around, and his figure once again merged into the darkness.
He could not linger; for every extra second he stayed, his firm will might be eroded by this potent poison called "longing"… When the Goodwill Butterfly's figure reappeared on the Eiffel Tower, Alya was idly drawing circles on the ground with her toe.
"You're finally back."
Seeing him, she immediately straightened up.
"I was almost turning into a statue."
The Goodwill Butterfly ignored her teasing, merely nodded, and then took out the Akuma Butterfly again.
"Are you ready?"
"Anytime."
The butterfly once again flew into Alya's body, and the power of time travel connected her to another dimension.
A shimmering portal slowly opened before them.
The two walked into the gate, one after the other.
Light and shadow shifted, and when Alya opened her eyes again, she was back in her familiar room, filled with news clippings.
The world outside the door was still that oppressive, sickly purplish-red.
The Goodwill Butterfly immediately released her Akumatization state. The butterfly flew out of her body and returned to its master's side.
"Thank you for your help, Miss Alya."
He thanked Alya solemnly. Then, his figure began to become ethereal.
"I must leave immediately. If we stay here for another minute, we might both be traced by the power of the 'Supreme Being'."
Before he finished speaking, his figure completely disappeared from the room.
Alya stood alone in the center of the room. She walked to the window, looking out at the familiar, lifeless night scene.
The dazzling, vibrant sea of lights she had seen in the other world was still vividly imprinted in her mind, forming an incredibly cruel contrast with the scene before her.
In her heart, her dissatisfaction with this world grew even stronger.