Chapter 183
[Although Misha was still somewhat confused, being a kind-hearted child, he relied on an inexplicable sense of familiarity to guide the Nameless through this dream bubble. "It's strange.
This place clearly isn't a hotel, and it looks quite different, but I feel like I've been here before... and even lived here for some time."
"If I remember correctly, if we go down that corridor, there should be a warm fireplace. Clockie and I often warmed ourselves there, listening to the crackling of firewood."
Misha gradually explained the purpose of each room, but as he spoke, he grew more puzzled - why did he feel so familiar with this place? Himeko comforted Misha in a tone that suggested she'd seen this before: "This might be a phenomenon called [amnesia]. Don't worry, little Misha. Everyone forgets parts of their past. But those memories aren't gone - they're just sleeping deep in your mind. Similarly, we can help you find them again."
To help little Misha recover his memories, they decided to check the other two rooms. Misha told them about his grandfather, the navigator Mikhail's story. "It really doesn't seem related to the Clockmaker at all. Could it really just be a coincidence of sharing the same name?"
When they reached another room, Misha recalled the story of the 'Compass'. In his memory, Clockie had discovered a new continent, different from reality. After seeing the magnificent fountain one last time, Himeko speculated: "From Misha's description, the scenes in this dream bubble are all from his childhood memories."
Following Misha's guidance, they eventually arrived at Mikhail's study.]
[March 7th]:"This... this can't be right? Why would the dream bubble left by the Clockmaker contain Misha's childhood memories?"
[Theresa]:"In Misha's memories, these are all his recollections. And his grandfather Mikhail was a navigator, not one of the Nameless. He wasn't descended from the Clockmaker either."
[Mobius]:"Misha is likely a Meme Gene like Clockie. Dream bubbles can't exist blankly. In reality, Pom-Pom and Misha seem to know each other. Isn't this obvious enough?"
[Elysia]: *"Mobius, are you saying... Misha is the [Clockmaker]
Mikhail!?"*
[Mobius]:"Is this hard to guess? We practically have the answer slapped in your faces from our god's perspective. Misha is probably some kind of 'memory entity' left behind by Mikhail using dream bubbles."
[Hi3-Himeko]:"We did have some suspicions, but this speculation... is still quite shocking."
[Arriving at navigator Mikhail's study, they found Clockie already waiting there. "Misha, you're finally here!"
Misha exclaimed happily: "Clockie, so you were here.
Now that I think about it, we first met in this room too..."
Looking at the numerous navigation logs filling the room, Misha began recounting his grandfather's past in response to Himeko's questions. As he spoke, he suddenly realized: "It's the Astral Express! I remember now - Mikhail's friends were a group of Nameless. They came to our world to resolve a disaster caused by a Stellaron."
"Then, Mikhail gave me his pocket watch. It was his treasure, appearing in every story of setting sail. He said the days ahead would be difficult, but the watch's hands would show me the way."
Misha's voice gradually matured: "As long as I keep taking steps forward, I'll definitely reach where I want to go. And then, I seemed to hear..."
"The train's whistle, sounding from the other end of the room..."
"Yes, Misha! Then we followed the sound, didn't we?"
"Right, I should still remember the way."]
[Qingque]:"So solving Stellaron problems is basically the Express's specialty now?"
[Kiana]:"Seems like the Astral Express encounters Stellarons pretty often. Let me think - Herta Space Station, Belobog, The Luofu, Penacony."
[Kiana]:"The previous generation of Nameless dealt with: Penacony's Stellaron, and Misha's hometown Stellaron."
[Bronya Zaychik]:"Bronya thinks that in pursuing Stellarons, you seem more professional than the Stellaron Hunters now."
[Dan Heng]:"Stellarons are nicknamed the Cancer of All Worlds. They not only endanger the safety and property of planetary inhabitants but also block both established and potential navigation routes of the Express. The Express resolves Stellarons not just to continue航行 but also to achieve the goal of connecting all worlds."
[Hi3-Welt]:"Dan Heng is correct."
[Misha]:"That's right. We've encountered Stellarons many times before too."
[March 7th and the others completed the dream puzzle and entered an inner room. "This is it. This place... is my [Clock Room]."
"While waiting for Mikhail to return from his voyages, Uncle Walde gave me this workshop, this playroom, my [secret base]..."
"Here I learned to repair springs and gears. I love precision machinery. I was the captain of the [Compass], searching for new continents in dreams with my partners, Clockie and Miss Mirror."
"I... was born and raised here."
Himeko smiled: "It seems you've remembered everything now."
March 7th sensed something wrong and quickly said: "Wait wait wait, what's with this feeling that everyone except me is on the same wavelength?"
Himeko explained: "Little March, do you remember Stelle mentioned before that there was a Clockie only she could see?"
"Of course I remember! Isn't that the one right here? But in Dreamflux Reef, we all saw it, and Mr. Yang even greeted it."
Clockie chuckled: "It seems everyone from the Astral Express is quite childlike at heart!"
"The answer is precisely [the Astral Express]. Stelle's experience proves that only Miss Firefly and Miss Acheron couldn't see Clockie."
"And in Dreamflux Reef... did everyone notice that people outside our Express group... subtly never had any conversations with it?"
"A meme lifeform that only specific groups can see - it's almost like... a secret message left for the Nameless by someone."]
[March 7th]:'According to this reasoning, only we can see Clockie, and only we can see Misha too. That means...'
[Stelle]:"And Misha was born in the Clockmaker's dream bubble. So Misha is the legacy the Clockmaker left for us?"
[Misha]:"Well... although I think 'my' original intention wasn't exactly this, you could say that."
[Misha]:"After the Penacony incident concludes, Miss Himeko, Express crew... would you be willing to let me, Misha, join the Nameless?"
[Himeko]:"Of course. We welcome all who possess the spirit of Trailblazing."
[Pom-Pom]:"Mikhai... no, Misha. Welcome aboard the Astral Express."
[Stelle]:"Great! I'm not the rookie anymore!"
[March 7th]:"Wake up! Misha... senior has way more experience than us."
Author's Note:
I had Misha join the Astral Express. Although Misha was born from Mikhail's dream bubble, in my view, Misha and Mikhail are not the same person. The Clockmaker has passed away. What lives now is Misha - a child who embodies all ages and genders, carrying the Clockmaker's memories but yearning for trailblazing in his own right.