"Nice to meet you, Miss Kiana."
This was Kiana's first time meeting Sunday. It was somewhat late—this was already her second visit to the Planet of Festivities, Penacony.
He looked similar to his in-game appearance.
Yet even though this was their first meeting, Sunday neither said nor did anything beyond offering a simple greeting.
And still, Kiana keenly caught that faint, almost imperceptible attention directed at her.
"Good morning, Mr. Sunday."
Kiana responded to his greeting in a proper, measured manner, while wondering what exactly had prompted that trace of attention.
Because she was Robin's friend?
He was a sister-con.
That much was beyond doubt.
A very close friend, someone with an excellent relationship with his sister—that alone was enough to draw Sunday's attention. But if it were merely curiosity about his sister's friend, he could have appeared when Robin came to pick her up.
That would have been a good opportunity.
But he had not shown up then. Instead, he waited until now. That alone made Kiana suspicious.
Had Robin refused him?
But she could not think of any reason Robin would do that. Robin did not even know yet that the events brewing behind Penacony were being orchestrated by her own brother.
Or perhaps...
The concealed probing had something to do with the plan he was currently carrying out. Sunday wanted the Dream of Ena, and as an outsider invited by Robin, she was clearly an unstable factor.
She had acted personally more than once.
However, the records left behind should not be many. For those unfamiliar with her—or who did not know her at all—judging her strength based on that would be very difficult.
Whether it was what happened in Izumo or on Jarilo-VI, there were actually not many who knew the full picture.
Would Robin go into detail about her circumstances with Sunday?
Kiana had known Robin for some time now and believed she was not that kind of person. At the very least, regarding Izumo and the Nihility, she would not casually speak of those matters.
"Robin should have mentioned me to you," Sunday said. "But since this is our first meeting, I believe I should still introduce myself. I am Sunday—Robin's older brother, and a member of the Oak family of the Family."
Kiana nodded and replied, "Kiana... you can consider me a free spirit for now."
She paused slightly when speaking about her origins, unsure how to describe herself.
Should she say she came from Izumo?
She had not actually lived there for very long.
There was no true hometown for her here.
But she did not feel lonely. Wherever the one she loved was—that was her home.
"Miss Kiana, this may be somewhat belated, but thank you for the help you provided to Robin on Kasbelina-VII. I will remember it. If you ever encounter trouble, or need assistance, you may come to me. I will offer whatever help I can."
Kiana did not feel she had truly done anything there. When Robin was struck by stray fire, she had not even been at her side.
It was Robin's own good fortune that the injury had not been fatal. All she had done was accelerate the healing of her wound.
In the end, she really had not done anything worthy of such gratitude from Sunday, had she?
"Robin's dream is a great one. I didn't do much—just a small effort on my part."
"No." Sunday shook his head. "Thank you for staying by her side at that time."
By the time Sunday received the news, everything had already happened. When his sister needed help the most, he had not been able to appear at her side immediately.
He had always carried a trace of guilt over that.
"That matter is already in the past," Robin suddenly said. "But Kiana, this is my brother's goodwill. Just accept it. Otherwise, he won't feel at ease."
Kiana felt a little helpless, but she understood.
If someone had saved her brother—even if her brother had already expressed his thanks, or if that person were his close friend—she would still feel heartfelt gratitude toward them and want to thank them herself.
"All right. If there's ever anything I need help with, Mr. Sunday, I won't stand on ceremony."
"As it should be."
After that, Sunday only chatted with her about her impressions and opinions of Penacony, as though collecting user feedback.
But once that topic concluded, the conversation subtly shifted toward the experiences she and Robin had shared in the past. She realized that Sunday was, in a very understated way, trying to draw information from her.
Kiana's guard instantly rose to its highest level.
Whenever the topic touched on her personal circumstances, she laughed it off and brushed it aside.
Before long, Sunday suddenly received some kind of message. With an apologetic expression, he excused himself and left early.
He departed in great haste.
Once Sunday left, only Kiana and Robin remained. After watching him go, Kiana quietly let out a breath of relief.
Though she did not know why he was trying to gather information about her, saying less and concealing what she could was the safest course.
Kiana turned to look at Robin and happened to meet her gaze. Robin had been watching her the entire time.
"What is it?"
Kiana raised a hand and touched her face in confusion. Was there something strange on it?
Robin shook her head slightly, seeming hesitant. "Kiana... do you dislike my brother?"
"I rather admire him," Kiana said. "Don't misunderstand. I don't have anything against him."
"But..."
"I just feel that some things don't need to be made known to everyone," Kiana explained. "And from the moment we met, he seemed to be... watching me the whole time. Robin, don't you think he's overly curious about me?"
This was their first meeting.
Didn't he feel some of his questions were crossing the line?
What exactly was he trying to find out?
If the storyline had not changed, once the Dream of Ena descended, she might even have to fight Sunday.
Had Sunday been observing Kiana all along?
Robin understood the reason.
But it was a secret that could not be spoken.
At least not now. She knew this was not the right moment. If she said it at this time, it would certainly push things in a direction she did not wish to see.
Before she had absolute certainty, she would rather maintain their current relationship.
"Brother doesn't mean anything else by it. Perhaps he accidentally brought his work habits with him," Robin said carefully, offering what appeared to be a flawless excuse for Sunday's behavior.
Was that so?
Kiana still felt it was more likely that he saw her as an unstable factor, wanted to understand her in advance, and then do something about it.
For example, make her leave Penacony.
"I see."
Robin was completely in the dark, after all.
It made sense. Sunday was her brother. They had grown up together. In her search for a traitor within the Family, without concrete evidence pointing in a specific direction, how could she possibly direct her suspicions toward her own brother?
Kiana did not say anything further.
She looked at Robin's smiling profile and, thinking of how she knew nothing, felt an urge to simply speak the truth outright.
But not now.
She had to wait for the right opportunity.
Dreamflux Reef.
Kiana thought of that place.
Robin was currently investigating the matter of the noise. She could help Robin reach Dreamflux Reef ahead of time.
"Is there something you want to say to me?"
Robin was very familiar with the expression on Kiana's face at this moment, because she herself was hiding things from Kiana. She simply did not let her thoughts show on her face.
Kiana, however, was easy to read.
She looked like she wanted to speak yet held herself back, as though she was troubled by something—too obvious to miss.
Kiana instinctively wanted to deny it.
But when the words reached her lips, she thought of something else. Perhaps she could be a little indirect, lay a bit of groundwork for Robin in advance?
Some preparation was better than none.
"I just spaced out. I suddenly thought of something else," Kiana said, quickly finding a direction.
"Oh?"
The smile on Robin's face deepened slightly. She looked at Kiana leisurely, as if anticipating what she would say next.
Reflection?
Kiana was still the same as before.
Then she heard Kiana say, "What does it feel like to be deceived by the person you trust most?"
Robin froze slightly.
"Belobog," Kiana said, adopting a reflective tone. "The events that occurred on the world known as Jarilo-VI. I stayed there for a while."
She briefly described Belobog.
"The Supreme Guardian believed the world was beyond saving. Under the Stellaron's day-and-night whispers of temptation, she ultimately chose to cooperate with it, believing in the new world it promised her."
Robin appeared to listen carefully to the story Kiana was telling.
She was indeed listening.
But in her heart, she was thinking about Kiana's earlier hesitation.
And her own guess.
Kiana was reflecting something onto her.
Reflecting what?
The most trusted person deceiving her?
The answer lay within that sentence.
...Brother?
But this was her first time meeting Sunday.
Could it be that Kiana believed the matter she was investigating was actually related to her brother?
"It's truly a regrettable story," Robin said. The guess in her heart was somewhat alarming, and although she wanted to think carefully, she found it hard to concentrate. "But since you went there, you must have done something, right?"
"I sealed the Stellaron."
Robin was moved and sighed softly. "The vast majority of things in the universe run along predetermined trajectories. To change the course, the simplest method is to introduce a variable."
"Was her idea wrong?" Kiana asked.
"...I can't judge right or wrong." Robin hesitated briefly, then shook her head. "From our perspective, it was absolutely the wrong path. The Stellaron's promise could never truly be a new world. But for the Belobog you described—a world that had endured repeated disasters and been cut off from the universe—without your arrival, the possibility of its continued existence was extremely slim. Though the path was wrong, her desire to save the world is something I can still acknowledge."
"What if something like that happened in Penacony?" Kiana asked, as if merely curious.
"If something like that happened in Penacony?"
Robin froze.
How could she fail to hear the implication in Kiana's words?
Was Kiana reminding her?
"Of course we cannot allow something like that to happen."
The closest person.
Penacony as well.
Was Kiana trying to tell her that her brother wanted to change Penacony?
The thought flashed through her mind.
"That would not be true salvation. I would stop it from happening."
But how could that be possible?
Her brother's views differed from hers, yes, but he could not possibly be like the person in Kiana's story... could he?
And this was Kiana's first time meeting Sunday. Robin felt as though she was being warned, yet at the same time, she worried she might be overthinking it.
Kiana had never met Sunday before.
Robin was certain of that.
Her brother rarely left Penacony. This was the first time he and Kiana had met. Robin could tell.
"I think so too," Kiana said.
The Dream of Ena—pulling everyone into dreams and constructing a true paradise.
Perhaps there were places in the universe that required such an idea, but it would never be Penacony. The people here might dream every day, but...
"Why did you suddenly think of this?"
The topic they had been discussing earlier had nothing to do with what Kiana had just brought up.
Robin could not think of any trigger that would have led Kiana to this subject.
So she really was reflecting something, trying to use it as a reminder.
To put it simply—
was she laying groundwork?
"I..." Kiana faltered. "I've been busy dealing with matters over there lately. Only recently did I barely manage to find a solution that seems workable."
Her answer did not quite match the question.
"Oh, right!"
Kiana suddenly found a way to divert Robin's attention. She could not properly explain why she had abruptly thought of such a matter.
All she could do was speak in a somewhat flawed manner and try to muddle through, hoping Robin would understand her meaning. Even if she did not fully grasp it, having some psychological preparation would be enough.
"Since we're free anyway, how about I introduce you to a new friend?" Kiana said. "The matter you're investigating—she might even be able to help."
"A new friend?"
Robin looked at Kiana in surprise. She had just set aside what she said earlier as though she had never spoken it, as if asking Robin to skip past it as well.
Wasn't this... self-deception?
Or was it intentional?
"That's right!" Kiana nodded enthusiastically. "Come to my room. I'll introduce you two!"
"What?"
"It's settled then. Leave the dream first. I'll explain once you see me."
Her room? The hotel room?
Robin stared in confusion at the direction Kiana had gone.
She remembered clearly that she had only received Kiana alone.
The new friend she was going to introduce.
And in her room, no less.
Had that person just arrived in Penacony today?
If they were in her room right now, and Kiana could leave them there while entering the dream, their relationship must be very close.
Was it Raiden Mei?
Or perhaps...
Ruan Mei?
Robin recalled what her brother had told her yesterday. He had said that he heard Kiana had stayed at the Herta Space Station for a period of time, and so he contacted staff members there to inquire about the situation.
Robin had told him that Kiana's lover was Raiden Mei.
But the information Sunday obtained differed from what Robin knew.
According to what he had learned from the Herta Space Station,
Kiana's lover was Ruan Mei.