Chapter 109: March 7th - Gallagher, So You Really Were the Wolf All Along!
[Just as Aventurine was about to leave, Kakavasha approached:
"Sir... are you leaving? You've ultimately chosen to depart from this dream."
Aventurine replied: "...Yes. Because they're not here... Father, Mother, Big Sister..."
"Then where are they?"
"They're in the place everyone eventually goes - a place very, very far away."
"Are you going there too?"
"Someday I'll reach that place too. But not now."
"There will come a day when rain falls from the sky again, when I'll hear Mother Goddess's call and know my destined time has come to reunite with my family."
At this point, a faint smile appeared on Aventurine's face, hope rekindling within him: "So before that moment arrives... I should make 'preparations.'"
"Prepare for what?"
"To face them properly, Kakavasha - to become their pride (Child Blessed by Mother Goddess)."
"I believe you'll do it!"
"Of course, because I'm a child blessed by Mother Goddess."
Kakavasha laughed happily: "But you still seem a bit nervous..."
"I feel that way too. Maybe only you can help me with one last thing..."
"One last time - shall we make our vow?"
Aventurine removed his ornate hat, walked up to Kakavasha, crouched down and gently patted the boy's head. "Are you setting off now?"
Aventurine raised his hand, and Kakavasha pressed his small palm against it. Their voices merged together, one deep and one high: "May Mother Goddess close Her eyes for you thrice, that your blood may forever pulse, your journey remain unobstructed, and your schemes never be exposed."
Waving his arm in farewell to the past, Aventurine walked toward the future. Kakavasha held the hat, sending blessings from the past to the future!] [Stelle]: "Amazing! Aventurine made peace with his past and regained hope."
[Sakura]: "Death is the destination we all must reach, but until then, we have the power to choose how we get there."
[Kiana]: "Not reconciling with suffering, but reconciling with his past self, huh."
[Herrscher of the Void]: "But can past suffering really be forgotten so easily?"
[Elysia]: "Because Aventurine's family would never want him to walk the path of self-destruction. Their love made Aventurine embrace Preservation♪"
[Qingque]: "This 'vow' might truly be Aventurine's last one. Ah, this whole story is permeated with a faint melancholy."
[Huohuo]: "Wuwuwu, I'm crying~"
[Topaz]: "Diamond sending Aventurine to Penacony was indeed the right choice. It seems you've gained much, Aventurine."
[Aventurine]: "Perhaps. But now things are getting complicated. If more information leaks, the IPC might have grounds to reclaim Penacony themselves."
Aventurine was merely watching these events unfold on screen, not experiencing them firsthand - nor could he under current circumstances. But regarding that question, his future self had provided an answer. Yet a version of himself who hadn't experienced these events might give a different response.
[As the glow of Aventurine Stone faded, Topaz and Jade knew it was time to act. Meanwhile, Stelle who had just been at the battle site was rescued by Sam, "You're awake."
"I've been waiting here for you."
"What did you do?"
Stelle remained wary of Sam. "I did nothing but wait for you to wake.
You've seen me now - Sam of the Stellaron Hunters."
"I wanted to appear before you earlier, to reveal certain truths."
"But I faced more obstacles than anticipated. Eleven attempts ended in failure. Unknowingly, my connection to this world became too deep, making it hard to escape the [Script]'s constraints."
"...Elio was right. In this land of dreams, we'd both gain unforgettable experiences."
"I lack his and Kafka's understanding of human hearts, nor do I possess Silver Wolf or Blade's specialized skills. Most of my abilities are only suited for dealing with merciless villains."
"So—there's only one method I can employ."
As Stelle watched in shock, Sam's mech dissolved in roaring flames, revealing Firefly within: "That is... to show you... my everything."]
[Stelle]: "Firefly! My Firefly! Firefly baby!"
[Silver Wolf]: "'No understanding of human hearts', 'no specialized skills'... Firefly, you're being too modest."
[March 7th]: "Exactly! Firefly is clearly amazing too! Like... her combat skills!?"
[Stelle]: "If you can't compliment properly then don't! Firefly! Let me play with your transformation device!"
[Firefly]: "Huh? But... only I can use this?"
[Stelle]: "No problem! I just want to look at it! Just once!"
[Kafka]: "Firefly, you're becoming completely obedient to Stelle now."
[Silver Wolf]: "Lol, their close relationship isn't new."
[Elsewhere, Gallagher arrived alone at Morning Dew Manor. "Maze-like corridors and halls, traps everywhere... the owner of this mansion is quite paranoid."
Sunday remained with his back turned: "You're quite humorous, Officer Gallagher.
I hope this humor helped you find the serial killer."
"Just sharing personal observations. What? Hit a nerve?"
"Mr. Gallagher, my patience is limited. Negligence—"
Sunday turned around sharply, his piercing gaze fixed on
Gallagher: "—only makes me more suspicious of your connection to the real culprit."
Gallagher actually laughed at this accusation - after all these years being accused of everything, now he was being framed as a serial killer's accomplice. "I take it back: your problem isn't being too suspicious. You're insane, understand? Insane."
Gallagher sarcastically recounted past experiences, his eyes filled with mockery toward The Family and Sunday. Rather than targeting me, perhaps you should worry about those foreign guests causing chaos in the amusement park. Sunday responded that while he hadn't exposed Aventurine's tricks, the current situation was still what he desired.]
[Stelle]: "Huh? There's another mastermind!?"
[March 7th]: "Wait, this chaotic situation benefits Sunday? Could he be the one betraying The Family?"
[Fu Xuan]: "Perhaps this situation makes it easier for him to uncover the real culprit?
After all, that traitor within The Family - the mastermind behind everything - still hasn't been caught."
[Gallagher]: "How desperate - accusing even an old dog like me, a security officer."
[Qingque]: "Seems like The Family are the only losers here! Aventurine brought the IPC into play - win! Stelle learned Firefly's true identity - win! Sunday benefits from muddying waters to find the culprit - win! Only The Family loses with Golden Hour in chaos."
[Sunday dropped all pretense, revealing Gallagher had been his true target all along. To expose Gallagher, Sunday personally deconstructed his disguise: "Brown hair soft and curly like Benny (dream architect); brown eyes reminiscent of Sir Whitaker (Nightingale family head); strange scars like Woolsey (Hound Captain)'s medals..."
"And the gray vest, tie, Hound insignia, canteen, mixology skills, security officer identity... they were all real—"
"—from fifty-two loyal Family members."
"When gathered together, countless small truths weave a lie—you plucked strands of cognition from each person, claimed them as your own, fabricating a complete 'Gallagher' in the dream..." "Am I correct... mysterious claw?"
Gallagher burst into laughter: "HAHAHAHA!
You've got guts! Impressive! I underestimated you..."
Gallagher walked toward
Sunday: "I admire you. But so what? Does this prove I killed your sister and that stowaway?"
"It proves you're in league with the Memoria [Death] - sufficient evidence."
Sunday met Gallagher's gaze fearlessly: "Listen well—I don't care how you did it... I only care about one thing—one question—"
"—you bastard damn stray mutt—WHY DID YOU KILL HER?!?"
Gallagher walked past Sunday wearily and sat on the steps playing with a lighter: "The observer sees not the sand at his feet."
"Want answers? I'll give them."
"All because of that damned twist of fate."
At Gallagher's signal, [Death] emerged, turning Sunday into Sunday paste and sending him to reunite with his sister.]
[Robin]: "Brother!"
[March 7th]: "What kind of plot twist is this? Gallagher is from [Mystery]? His entire existence is fabricated? He's the real mastermind? Stelle my CPU is overheating!"
[Stelle]: "Huh? Oh! Doesn't matter - information overload, mine's fried too."
[Honkai Star Rail Welt]: "These methods... Gallagher must be a Fictional Historian. So how much of what he told us was true or false?"
[Gallagher]: "This old dog never betrayed the Watchmaker."
[Sparkle]: "Chicken-wing boy couldn't swallow his sister's death—now he won't need to swallow anything~ Right Oniichan"
[Sampo]: "Gallagher's so kindhearted—making sure Sunday and Robin siblings reunite!"
[March 7th]: "Your jokes are too dark! At least we know [Death] isn't actual death but just going to Penacony's other side."
[Theresa]: "But Sunday didn't know that then. So before Gallagher, the normally elegant Sunday had his first breakdown."
[Aha]: "Just like Otto meeting Kallen's killer~"
[Otto]: "...Excuse me?"