After enjoying the grand fireworks show, Adrian hummed a tune as he returned to a secret guest room in the [Daydream] Hotel.
"You're late."
Silver Wolf blew a bubble with her gum, lying on the bed staring intently at her game console—the provocative [FAILURE] in big letters.
"Tch! All because of that noise earlier—who sets off fireworks for fun?" Silver Wolf pouted. Anyone would've jumped!
She'd been fully focused on the game when a massive boom scared her into hurling the console—naturally greeted by [karma].
"Haha… Have some milk tea to cool off. Lose again, and I'll carry you to victory."
Silver Wolf took the milk tea from the [mastermind] Adrian. One sip, and all bad vibes vanished.
"Huh? Don't you need to rendezvous with the Express crew? I already sent the hints to that glasses-wearing uncle."
...
[Wake up~ Wake up~]
Who knows how long later—in reality, a guest room at the [Daydream] Hotel
"You're awake, little sleepyhead. Looks like you had a good dream."
Stelle groggily opened her eyes to Black Swan in her veil.
"Did you dream of me?"
"Is this heaven…"
Still not fully alert, after the "Adrian" attack, she and Firefly had arrived in a brand-new area.
Then she fought that bug called [Something Toward Death], right before this self-proclaimed Garden of Recollection Memokeeper Black Swan showed up.
If Black Swan had been any later, Stelle might've soloed the bug.
Caught off-guard by fake Adrian—daring to tamper with her most trusted milk tea? Unforgivable.
"Welcome back to reality—the Daydream Hotel—your most familiar, safest place."
"Glad your mental state's stable—no effects from that [primordial dreamscape]. Lucky you."
"Firefly… where is she?"
Stelle's first concern was her companion.
"Hehe~ You care a lot about that girl. Even facing [Death], she did everything to protect you… even I'm a little moved."
"I know you have tons of questions. No rush. First, reassure your worried friends you're safe."
Black Swan led Stelle out of the room to the [Daydream] Hotel's public lounge.
"So suspicious… What a coincidence. That woman's definitely trouble."
From past experience, Detective March 7th ruled: all mature big sisters except Himeko brought danger to Stelle.
"But she did find Stelle and bring her back to reality… For now, we hear her out."
Himeko said—the Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection clearly came prepared. Caution first.
"Adrian's out of contact too. Anyone see him in the dream?"
Welt adjusted his glasses. Misfortune couldn't happen to Adrian.
"No… Sigh~ If Teacher Adrian were here, we wouldn't need the Garden of Recollection to rescue Stelle."
"Sorry for eavesdropping~ Miss Himeko, as promised—I brought the child back." Black Swan suddenly appeared beside Himeko.
"Stelle! You okay?!"
March 7th rushed over first, checking Stelle: "Couldn't find you in reality or the dream—worried sick…"
"Good you're safe. Let me introduce—Miss Black Swan, Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection."
Stelle turned, surprised: "You're Himeko's friend?"
"Nope." March 7th ruffled Stelle's hair—she clearly wasn't fully awake.
"Big Sis Himeko said they met while investigating the dream."
"Not yet. But thanks to you, we might deepen our understanding." Black Swan explained.
Himeko cut to the chase: "So… Stelle, how'd you end up there? What happened?"
Stelle recounted everything. March 7th's shock was visible.
"No way… Someone impersonated Teacher Adrian?! Too bold—mimicking an [Eternity]… Emanator!"
"Ahem… So your attacker was a male skilled in illusions, able to change appearance…"
Black Swan flipped a tarot card with a scarlet mask: "Preliminary guess—the culprit's a Masked Fool who slipped into Penacony: the red-clothed girl, Sparkle."
"Don't worry—she won't target you again for now. She's probably gloating somewhere, thinking she succeeded."
Black Swan speculated, but grew curious about March 7th's words.
Besides the Church's two… another [Eternity] Emanator? Interesting.
"You seem to know her well." Welt raised his guard slightly.
"Of course—I know everyone here. In Penacony, anyone can lie… but [memories] don't."
"So let me clarify: Sparkle's tricks cause hallucinations, but that bizarre dreamscape had nothing to do with her—it comes from Penacony itself."
"Penacony… itself?"
"Haven't realized? The so-called [Land of Dreams]… is a meticulously maintained creation by the Family through unknown means. A designed beautiful dream."
Black Swan gazed at confused Stelle, gently brushing her hair.
"And the memoria domain she fell into—that's the dream's original form: chaotic, dangerous, mysterious… a shifting labyrinth inhabited by memory beasts…"
"She's right. Everyone, remember the scenery when entering the dream?"
Himeko prompted. March 7th reacted: "Huh, everyone saw the same? I remember a guest room, then a long corridor through a mirror…"
"[Corridor of Fading Memories]—that's what the hotel staff called it." Welt recalled clearly.
"Doesn't it feel vastly different from dream Penacony… yet very similar to what Miss Black Swan described?"
"Indeed… Didn't notice at first, but looking back, the similarities are too many."
"Also, from some regulars, the first stop after entering was originally the [Hotel in the Dream], but due to an incident… [the hotel is currently under renovation]."
"Under what circumstances does a building need renovation?" Black Swan drew a tarot card: "Combined with Stelle's experience, the answer's clear."
"Penacony's beautiful dream is [sinking]—reverting to its original form… falling into the deep sea."