"This is the Golden Hour—Penacony's most prosperous district."
Robin acted as a tour guide, introducing Penacony's dreamscape to Koji and the others. It was a city of lavish indulgence—music never ceased, and the revelry never ended.
To be honest, even she felt it was a bit too extravagant. She didn't really like that kind of atmosphere. She preferred singing—pure, uncomplicated singing.
"Robin," Lumine asked with open curiosity, "if a man and a woman do that kind of thing in a dream, is it any different from doing it in real life? I kinda want to try."
"Th-this…"
Robin's pretty face flushed faintly. That topic was so blunt it made her embarrassed.
She didn't know either. After all, she'd never done it before—and there was no way she could go ask someone about it.
Thonk!
Koji's mouth twitched as he knocked Lumine on the head. That question was "beautifully" asked—if her big brother-in-law ever found out, he'd probably smack her with something like Taichu Youwei (Primordial Deed) on the spot.
Even a shameless fox like Yae Miko was left speechless. When it came to being trashy, she really couldn't beat Lumine—the ultimate trashy little sister.
"Ahem… I don't know," Robin said, still red in the face.
For a sheltered, unmarried girl like her, that question was simply too mortifying.
At the same time, she couldn't help admiring Lumine a little. Being able to say something like that with a straight face… that level of thick-skinned confidence was unreal.
"Don't mind it. I was just asking casually," Lumine said.
She found it fun. This little bird really was pure—so pure it made you want to tease her.
"Lumine, you're really not afraid Robin's brother will just drop a huge ultimate on you?" Koji joked.
Her big brother-in-law was busy right now—he had to take care of the Dream of Taichi—so he wasn't watching Robin every second. Besides, he knew hardly anyone would dare lay a hand on her.
"Is that chicken-wing boy really that scary?" Lumine asked, honestly curious. She came up with the nickname herself.
"Pfft—chicken-wing boy? Are you talking about my brother?" Robin couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Her attention got pulled away, and the shame from earlier faded.
Chicken wings… she meant those ear-feathers, right? Still, what an imagination. Those weren't chicken wings at all.
"Then does that mean Robin's a chicken-wing girl?" Koji asked, smiling.
"Huh?"
Robin froze. How did that turn into her?
In that moment, her ear-feathers fluttered on their own. It had never even crossed her mind that she could end up with a nickname like that.
"Heeheehee—chicken-wing boy, chicken-wing girl…"
Just then, a bratty little imp came hopping over. Her outfit was passionate and bold, colored in deep red and pale pink—perfectly matching her bright, lively personality. A half-red, half-white fox mask perched on her head, giving off a sly, mischievous vibe.
This cheeky little gremlin was Sparkle—a Masked Fool walking the Path of Elation. She was always roleplaying as all kinds of characters, her temperament swaying between good and evil. You couldn't call her a villain… but she definitely wasn't the sort of "good person" who never created threats.
Yae Miko took one look and instantly knew: this little thing was a pure chaos-chaser. Her personality was basically "malicious fun," and that yukata of hers even carried an Inazuman style.
"A Masked Fool?"
Robin frowned. Penacony—the Planet of Festivities—didn't reject those of Elation, sure, but… Masked Fools? If you knew, you knew. Could those people behave themselves?
The answer was no. They loved chasing "fun." And what exactly counted as "fun," and who counted as "fun"… only the Masked Fools themselves knew.
"Hi hi, don't be nervous. I'm not a bad person," Sparkle said with a sweet, adorable smile—so harmless she looked like she wouldn't hurt a fly.
…But she wasn't a good person either.
Everyone silently roasted her in their heads. That chaos-chaser vibe was practically leaking out of her pores.
Koji remembered why Sparkle came to Penacony—she'd been commissioned by Silver Wolf.
"So how much did Wolfie pay you?" Koji asked with interest.
"…"
Sparkle's smile faded. She stared at Koji, visibly surprised.
She knew "Wolfie" meant Silver Wolf. She hadn't expected Koji to know about the deal between them.
Now that was… extremely interesting.
No embarrassment, no anger at being seen through—Sparkle just grew more intrigued by Koji. That was the logic of a chaos-chaser.
"Wanna know?"
She leaned in close to Koji. He caught a whiff of sakura fragrance from her. Her petite body wasn't voluptuous or curvy, but she carried a unique kind of charm all her own.
"I can tell you. She offered a huge price, asking Lady Sparkle to come to Penacony as a director—so that the 'three deaths' could be carried out in the safest way possible…"
Koji chuckled. If Silver Wolf found out she'd been sold out this casually, she'd probably lose it again.
"But you strangers? You feel like you'll be really fun," Sparkle said brazenly. Laughter hid in her eyes, though no one could tell what she was plotting.
"Wait—people can die in the dream world?" Robin caught the one thing that made her tense. She'd never heard of anyone dying inside a dream.
If that were true, Penacony's reputation would take a serious hit.
"Who knows?" Sparkle said meaningfully. "Chicken-wing girl, you can go ask chicken-wing boy."
In the "script" Silver Wolf had shown her, that Sunday guy had some pretty big issues.
Robin remembered that. She could ask about it later—after all, she was responsible for the safety of the tourists coming to Penacony.
She didn't catch the hidden meaning in Sparkle's words. Sunday wasn't doing anything obvious right now, so naturally, Robin wouldn't suspect her own brother.
"That's it for our first meeting…"
"Kana~"
Sparkle hopped away, lively as a cute, innocent little girl.
"A Masked Fool has entered Penacony… and they chose the eve of the Charmony Festival," Robin said worriedly.
When it came to stirring trouble and chasing laughs, there were very few who could match the Masked Fools.
"This Sparkle is actually not too bad. You don't need to worry that much," Koji said.
She didn't have as much of a "bottom line" as old Sampo… but at least in Penacony, she wasn't going to cause real damage.
Here, you called her Director Sparkle.
"I hope so," Robin said, nodding. Penacony really was getting lively.
A Genius Society genius. A Masked Fool of Elation. And in the places she couldn't see, there were probably people from other factions, too.
Robin continued guiding Koji and the others through Penacony's dream world.
Meanwhile, Sparkle slipped into an empty alley.
"Hey, hey, hey—Wolfie, you there?"
[Sparkle, don't call me that. Wait—how do you even know that nickname?]
On the other end, Silver Wolf sounded startled. That was Kafka's nickname for her—how did Sparkle learn it?
"Heehee, about that—Lady Sparkle met someone interesting in Penacony. And he even knew I made a deal with you."
Sparkle giggled. She'd been doxxed—cleanly.
[...]
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]