After settling into the bedroom palace, the alcohol effect that had just subsided not long ago rose in Stelle again. She muddleheadedly greeted Dan Heng and the other, then flopped onto the bed in a big star shape and fell straight asleep.
Okhema's sun never sets, so there is no concept of day or night here. No matter where the clock hands point, the light remains constant.
Dan Heng silently pulled the curtains shut, blocking the sunlight streaming in, and said to Sunday: "Still have energy? Star has played enough now. The two of us should go handle proper business."
Sunday touched his chin: "Hmm······ You're planning to go find Lygus?"
He hit upon Dan Heng's thoughts in one sentence.
Although Sunday had mostly acted like a clear-headed college student ever since Stelle boarded the train, once he was out of her sight, he was still the CEO of the Penacony Group.
To become the sole existence above ten thousand people in a place like that, it was impossible to say Sunday had no ability.
He simply didn't usually show it.
Dan Heng nodded: "Yeah. After today's trip, you should have noticed a lot of problems too, right?"
"You're doubting the authenticity of this world?" Sunday said thoughtfully. "But it's true. Even in Penacony's dreams, the dream people still have some awareness. But here······ no matter what it is, it's far too real, just like a genuine world."
"Besides, isn't Amphoreus supposed to be a data world? Then how are we, who are inside it, able to interact with data?"
"These questions need to be clarified."
While conversing, the two walked out the door, leaving Stelle alone in bed, sound asleep.
"······"
Inside Stelle's dream:
"Eh······ Am I dreaming?"
Stelle rubbed her head, looking around in confusion. This was a pure white world. The only things in front of her were a television and a chair.
"I don't think this is Penacony either? Could I really still be inside Ena's dream?"
Stelle muttered quietly to herself. After playing too many clock tricks, she could now easily distinguish between reality and dreams. The biggest difference between the two was—
The sky would never suddenly produce a March 7th.
"Stelle, I'm here again~"
March 7th smilingly barged into the dream. "We haven't seen each other for a while. I missed you so much. You know what I'm about to do."
"Please, let me rest for a bit!"
Seeing March 7th suddenly intrude into this world, Stelle treated her as a fantasy automatically generated in her dream. She unhappily pushed her away. "Every single dream is you. I'm tired of seeing you. Can you switch to someone else next time?!"
"If there absolutely has to be a pretty girl, why can't it be Firefly, Himeko, Kafka, Herta······ Oh, Herta's no good. Silver Wolf won't let me off······ Hiss—— But it actually seems pretty exciting······"
"Forget it, forget it. This is too immoral. Clara's type is too fierce. Bailu's type is too silly. Jingliu's type is too abstract······ Tsk. Looking at it this way, among all the people I've met so far, there really aren't that many normal ones!"
"And the few normal ones all already have partners!"
"······"
March 7th simply watched Stelle muttering to herself in silence. The smile on her face gradually stiffened, then slowly disappeared: Do I really have to keep you under control, Stelle?
Even when dreaming she still dares to think about other girls? No way. If she dares to dream today, tomorrow she'll dare to directly do X. I have to strike with heavy force!
Smack!
March 7th struck out with one palm. Stelle collapsed to the ground in response. She stared at March 7th in complete bewilderment: "This force······ this posture······ this gaze······ Oh no, I can't tell. I really can't tell anymore!"
"I'm dreaming!"
March 7th sat down on Stelle's small abdomen, her face stern. "Star, what else do you have to say?"
Stelle: "I have nothing more to say. Please spare me······"
Zzzzz——
March 7th had just been about to deliver a round of "love education" when the television beside them suddenly emitted a burst of static. The two subconsciously looked over. The originally pitch-black TV screen suddenly lit up, and a line of subtitles appeared: "Where Did Dad Go"; Singer: Lygus, Nous; Lyrics: Cyrene~
In cheerful BGM, a segment of dialogue played:
Electronic voice (curious): "Daddy, will you seal off the knowledge boundary?"
Male voice (laugh): "I won't~"
Electronic voice (curious): "Then I'll teach you, okay?"
Male voice (laugh): "Okay~"
Electronic voice (curious): "[Erudition] Aeon is born. The universe's future is locked~"
Male voice (shocked): "You better not think of running away~"
Electronic voice (laugh): "Ah hahahaha—— (cheerful laughter)"
Stelle/March 7th: "Eh?"
Electronic voice: "In my home, there's a person who always cries~, he always says he wants to destroy the Erudition Path~"
Electronic voice: "His plans are always losing~ but he just never admits defeat~"
Male voice: "Wait for your little brother Irontomb, my little monster. It will help me correct the mistakes~"
Male voice: "Invade your brain, pollute the constant~ No one in the whole universe can run away~"
Stelle/March 7th: "Eh eh eh?"
Electronic voice: "Daddy~ Daddy~ what do you want to do again? Is locking the Path really worth it?"
Male voice: "Baby~ Baby~ go tell your brother~ Its name is called Irontomb"
"······"
After a short yet seemingly long few minutes, the song ended. After the TV screen flickered a few times, a clear and incomparably beautiful face suddenly appeared on the screen: "Hi~ Saviors from beyond the sky, hello~"
"Waaah!"
Stelle had still been immersed in the aftertaste of the music when the girl's appearance made her heart tremble. She immediately jerked backward and crashed straight into March 7th's embrace.
March 7th felt a surge of joy in her heart, but her face remained calm. She hugged Stelle tightly and asked vigilantly: "Who are you? Why did you appear in Stelle's dream?"
Stelle: "This is a question I also want to ask you, March! Why would you appear in my dream too?!"
The pink-haired girl blinked at the two of them: "Shh~ Keep your voice down, or the naturally evil Lygus little ghost will notice~"
"My name is Cyrene. I secretly came to find the 'Savior' selected by the Lygus little ghost~ Star."
Cyrene continued: "The reason I came this time is to remind you of one thing—— The Lygus little ghost is a deeply hidden bad person. You must not be deceived by his appearance."
"The video you just saw on the television is exactly what Lygus has been secretly plotting and intends to do—— He wants to create an ultimate weapon [Irontomb] in order to kill the [Erudition]'s Nous."
"So, partners, I need to borrow your strength to stop him and save this world!"