Bruce nodded.
"Young Master Wayne, since you mentioned your speculation, I have some thoughts of my own as well." Alfred gently wiped the rim of the cup. "I agree with your speculation that the 'Watchmaker is still alive' — but I don't think he is imprisoned. Rather, he stays in Penacony voluntarily."
Bruce frowned slightly: "Why?"
"Perhaps Penacony is closely tied to this Watchmaker. This city in dreams needs him. The so-called 'legacy' is to take over for him and become deeply bound to Penacony." Alfred said softly, "Of course, this may be a cage… but people are always good at building cages for themselves and calling it a mission."
——
[After chatting, everyone returned to their own rooms. Just as Stelle reached the door of March 7th's room, she heard her excited voice.]
["Wow! Such a big bathtub…"]
[Stelle pushed the door open and saw March 7th jumping with joy. Especially when talking about the current situation, she was completely unlike Uncle Yang and Himeko who were so serious. Instead, she seemed even more excited.]
["At first I really thought we were here for a vacation, but now… I feel like this [Festival] is definitely extraordinary! Various factions deciphering riddles and competing for the legacy — it's exactly like a detective novel!"]
["There might even be classic plot points like family members turning against each other, families destroyed, separation by life and death, rivers of blood… That would be so thrilling…"]
——
Bleach.
"Every time this little girl makes a prediction, seven or eight out of ten times she's right."
On the rooftop of Urahara Shop under the night sky of Karakura Town, Yoruichi lazily stretched her body and looked at March 7th with great interest.
"Oh?" Urahara Kisuke pressed down on his hat brim, his fan covering half his face. "I didn't expect you to pay so much attention to her."
"I have no choice but to pay attention. Do you remember back in Belobog? She said to let Dan Heng use his 'hidden power'… and sure enough, he had it, and it was the power of the Luofu Dragon Lord."
"The Tingyun incident too… She said 'the person appearing at the port is definitely the mastermind behind the scenes,' and that Tingyun turned out to be the incarnation of the Lord Ravager. The girl was right again."
Yoruichi spread her hands: "Now I feel like this girl's casual remarks might be even more accurate than Elio's."
"But this time is different. Penacony is a dreamscape." Urahara looked up at Yoruichi squatting on the eaves. "Separation by life and death, rivers of blood — those could indeed happen once Duke Inferno arrives. But family members turning against each other… Could Robin and Sunday end up at each other's throats?"
"Not sure, but Sunday… I feel his mind is as meticulous as Aventurine's. Then again, to become a representative of the [Harmony] Family, how could he possibly be a simple character?"
——
[After chatting with March 7th, Stelle was about to return to her own room, but as soon as she entered, she saw Aventurine standing inside.]
[Aventurine greeted Stelle enthusiastically and smiled: "Don't be nervous. I'm just here to soak up some good luck. It's your room now, but half a system hour ago — it was still mine."]
[He used the room as an entry point, saying he simply wanted to have a casual chat with Stelle.]
["What do you want to talk about?"]
["Smart people are so straightforward." Aventurine smiled in satisfaction. "Simply put, friend, I need your help. You may not know this yet, but Penacony is far from as simple as it appears. The Family's eyes and ears are everywhere here. I don't want to say it outright — you understand."]
["My goal is simple: help the company retrieve some things that originally belonged to it. If you're willing to help me, once it's done, you'll receive generous rewards and the protection of [Preservation]."]
["After all, you are different from the others. You are special — special enough to flip the entire table." His tone rose at the end, like a meticulously designed magic performance. "That power — don't you want to use it? Or… don't you want to break free from it? Don't you want to become famous across the universe because of it?"]
["That power feared yet craved by all, lies right within your grasp…"]
[Aventurine suddenly lowered his voice. His breath carried a dangerous yet alluring aura, like a hook dangling with bait.]
["Miss [Stellaron], am I right?"]
[Stelle frowned slightly: "How do you know?"]
["Now I know." Aventurine smiled meaningfully.]
——
Sword Art Online.
22nd Floor of Aincrad.
The wooden cabin was warmly lit by the fireplace. Asuna, wrapped in a blanket, stared at Aventurine's elegant yet dangerous expression on the Celestial Screen and unconsciously leaned closer to Kirito.
"Being friends with someone like him feels like there are no secrets at all." She sighed lightly. "It feels like you could be schemed against at any moment until not even bones remain."
Kirito added a piece of firewood to the stove and chuckled softly: "If he were a teammate, he would definitely be the core of the core in the team — skilled at reading people's hearts and cooperating with other factions. If interests align, he can make the whole team unstoppable. But if standing on opposite sides…"
Asuna rested her chin on her knees, her hair falling down: "Then what?"
"I'm not sure. At least we haven't encountered someone like him yet." Kirito watched the sparks bursting in the fireplace. "But compared to an obvious threat like Duke Inferno, Stelle should indeed be more wary of people like Aventurine and Sunday… even if Aventurine is currently showing goodwill."
In his view, Sunday and Aventurine were like icebergs floating in the ocean. It was hard to guess how massive they truly were beneath the surface. If one collided with them rashly, the result would only be shattering into pieces.
——
["You don't need to answer me right now. Thinking also takes time. When the time is right, I will naturally come find you. Of course, you can also discuss with your companions and use me in return — I welcome it, because that is also showing me your value."]
["Oh right, before I leave, let's play a little game. It's very simple — guess which hand the chip is in. Consider it a way to get to know each other better, so you can understand my personality and way of doing things…"]
[The amber-colored chip flipped between Aventurine's slender fingers like a tamed golden butterfly. He suddenly flicked his finger, and the chip drew an elegant arc in the air — then vanished into thin air.]
["Friend, the game has already begun."]
[Aventurine's lips curved into a half-smile. He deliberately slowed his movements, his fingers opening slowly like blooming petals, but his palm was empty. The chip had long disappeared.]
["Make a deal with me. You cannot refuse, there is no reason…"]
[Stelle suddenly felt a slight weight in her palm. In her opened hand, the vanished chip lay quietly. She abruptly looked up and met Aventurine's suddenly approaching eyes — those beautiful and eye-catching eyes now seemed to glow with a predator's gleam.]
["…and no room to escape."]