Was it false information?
Or was there some misunderstanding in the middle?
When they had just met, Kiana had indeed liked to mention Ms. Ruan Mei often. Whenever she spoke of Ms. Ruan Mei, there was always a relaxed smile on her face.
Anyone with eyes could see it.
She cared a great deal about Ruan.
Putting a stop to those thoughts, Robin returned to the present and halted her wandering imagination. When she knew nothing, it was better not to overthink and form preconceived notions.
But the person currently in Kiana's room...
Who could it be?
Raiden Mei?
Or Ruan?
No matter which of the two it was, she would have to bury her already well-hidden feelings even deeper and more discreetly.
At least for now.
She could not let anyone else know what she was thinking. If someone around Kiana were to find out that she liked her...
For some reason,
Robin thought of Sirin, who had come to Penacony once with Kiana before.
Thinking back now, that Miss Sirin had also seemed to harbor some affection for Kiana. Just like herself during that journey, it could have transformed qualitatively at any moment.
If she thought about it carefully, Kiana had seemed to deliberately or inadvertently avoid Sirin's attempts to take things further.
If she exposed her feelings before the timing was right, she would undoubtedly end up with the same result as those before her.
Precisely because there were lessons from the past,
Robin had been even more cautious, not doing anything that might seem out of line. Even with Sunday, she had repeatedly emphasized the matter to him.
Whoever came at this moment would affect her time alone with Kiana.
A faint trace of regret stirred in Robin's heart.
When she reached the guest room door, she gently knocked, pressing down her thoughts and putting on a smile to greet Kiana.
Or perhaps the new friend Kiana wanted to introduce to her.
The door opened, but Kiana did not swing it wide. She only opened it halfway, then reached out and pulled the person standing outside into the room.
"Kiana?"
Robin let out a startled cry as Kiana tugged her inside. Although it was inappropriate for two people to share one guest room, it wasn't as if they were going to use the same dream pool to enter a dream.
Was there really a need to be this cautious?
Still puzzled, Robin turned her head and saw the striking figure inside the room.
Her features bore some resemblance to Kiana's.
The girl had a golden halo above her head. Broad wings extended from behind her waist, and different dark purple markings adorned her hands, waist, and legs.
Her expression was utterly indifferent.
As if she had no interest in the disturbances of the world. Even though Kiana had just pulled someone into the room, there was not the slightest trace of confusion in her eyes.
Only a calm, fleeting glance.
A Halovian.
Robin herself was a Halovian, a true one. Like her and her brother, she had a halo above her head and wing-like ears.
Although the wings grew in different places, Robin still instinctively questioned the girl's identity. Was she a Halovian like herself?
"Surprised?" Kiana's voice rang out, brimming with amusement. She stood with one hand on her hip, unable to suppress the smile on her face. "When I first met Araya, I immediately thought of you. I figured your expression would definitely look like this if you saw her."
"Miss Araya?"
Seeing someone else who shared a similarity with her and thinking of her, then introducing that person to her...
It seemed that she still carried at least a little weight in Kiana's heart.
Robin curiously studied the girl before her. After glancing at her once, the girl shifted her attention back to Kiana.
Quietly listening.
"Is she a Halovian too?"
Seeing that Araya had no intention of speaking and probably no desire to interact with her, Robin looked toward Kiana.
"No."
Kiana's gaze lingered briefly on the halo above Araya's head. If having a ring above one's head made someone a Halovian, then if she retained her Herrscher of Finality form, would she count as one too?
Obviously not.
"She isn't?"
Robin still could not help but glance again at the halo above Araya's head and the wings behind her. She asked softly, "So she's the new friend you wanted to introduce to me?"
Even though they were talking about her right in front of her, Araya's expression did not change in the slightest. She showed no curiosity toward Robin either.
As if, in her eyes,
Robin did not exist at all.
What a strange person.
Looking at her state, Robin naturally associated it with a lack of emotional depth—perhaps even something abnormal.
"Mm-hmm!" Kiana nodded. "Don't misunderstand. She's not trying to be rude. This child still doesn't know how to communicate with people."
Why would she need to learn how to communicate with others?
Araya listened to Kiana's words and silently refuted them in her heart. She did not believe there was any need for her to learn such a thing.
With three cycles of reincarnation to support her, it wasn't that she didn't understand how humans interacted and communicated with one another.
It was simply that, in her view, there was no need to learn it.
Her purpose for existing was to help Mother fulfill her wish. That was her destiny, the meaning of her existence.
Compared to engaging with complicated humans, she would rather stay alone.
Even that Herta she disliked had stumbled when faced with complex human nature.
The effort given and the reward received were not proportional.
So there was no need.
But she did not dare say those words aloud in front of Kiana.
Robin was someone highly sensitive to the emotions of those around her. She keenly sensed the distant essence beneath Araya's indifference.
A lone wolf.
Someone who did not like dealing with others.
She did not look like someone who needed friends.
How had Kiana come to know such a person? Someone who regarded interacting with others as trouble and burden—why would she stay by Kiana's side?
And even be willing to listen to her?
Although she did not entirely agree deep down, Araya did not seem to reject Kiana.
"Miss Araya seems like the quiet type."
If she did not reject her, there was only one possibility.
Kiana was very important to her.
At that thought, Robin's eyes could not help but move back and forth between her and Araya.
Their somewhat similar features.
If Kiana and Araya clearly did not belong to the same race, she might have suspected that this Miss Araya was Kiana's relative.
"Araya, I told you just now—she's my friend. Say hello to her, okay?"
Only then did Araya shift her gaze back to Robin.
Mother's friend.
She did not seem quite the same as those two.
"Hello."
A simple greeting.
Inwardly, she thought that at least this person seemed much better than those two.
She did not make her feel uncomfortable.
It truly was just a greeting.
Kiana said a little awkwardly, "She's still young. She hasn't learned how to get along with people yet."
"I see."
Robin did not doubt her. She nodded, accepting the explanation, then asked, "So what are you planning to do?"
"Originally, I wanted her to come help with something. There are many things she can do in dreams that we can't," Kiana said. "But after talking with her for a while, I feel like... while she's helping, she should also learn something in the process."
"I understand. Is there anything I can help with?" Robin asked.
"Honestly, I don't really know how to help her develop more of a sense of self. But this is the world of dreams, so let's just take her around and let her experience the atmosphere of the Planet of Festivities."
Their time alone was gone.
Robin had already prepared herself before coming. But compared to what she had imagined, the current situation was actually much better.
"I'll help too."
It wasn't difficult. They just needed to bring her along from now on. Araya seemed like someone of few words. Most likely, nothing unexpected would happen.
"I'm really glad you're willing."
After speaking with Robin, Kiana turned to Araya. There was a hint of helplessness in her eyes as she said, "I know you're more used to being alone, but that won't do. I hope you can build more connections with this world."
She didn't see Araya as merely a tool.
Araya called her Mother.
So she had a responsibility to do something.
Jyahnar was like this as well. Kiana couldn't really control Jyahnar, but Araya had been born from her copy and called her Mother.
She hoped Araya could form more connections with humanity and understand what emotions truly were.
In this world, even mechanical lifeforms possessed warmth and feelings. They understood what love was.
Build more connections with this world?
Araya's expression grew serious. She nodded. "I understand, Mother."
Araya did not sense Kiana's true intention. She interpreted Kiana's words in another way.
Mother wanted her to expand her influence.
To draw more people and more of the world into the Stigmata system.
"Mother?!"
Araya's solemn reply made Robin's eyes widen in disbelief. She cried out in shock.
Her gaze flew in panic to Kiana.
Those two words from Araya's mouth struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving Robin utterly stunned.
How long had it even been since they last saw each other?
How did Kiana already have a child?
And one this grown.
Blood rushed to her head. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, almost pleading, "She—she called you Mother? Kiana, she called you Mother?"
How could she call Kiana Mother?
How was that possible?
Robin nearly lost her balance. She grabbed Kiana's arm to steady herself, desperately seeking an answer.
It had only been a little over a year since they last met. How could Kiana possibly have a daughter this old?
And the resemblance.
It was just a coincidence.
It had to be, right?
Robin's reaction was huge.
Even Kiana was a little surprised. But after thinking about it, if a close friend she hadn't seen in a while suddenly showed up with someone of similar age calling her Mom, that really was outrageous.
No wonder Robin reacted like this.
Just as Kiana was about to explain, a sudden idea popped into her head.
"That's right, that's how it is. She's the crystallization of Mei and my love!"
Since she was already being misunderstood, she might as well take the opportunity to tease her a little. She found Robin's reaction rather amusing.
Robin's grip on her arm tightened. She seemed to lose her ability to speak entirely, staring blankly at Araya.
Re-really?
Had it already reached this stage?
Judging by the child's appearance, could it be that this had happened long before they even met...?
"That's not correct."
Araya shook her head, denying Kiana's claim and stating that the truth was not like that.
Araya was actually explaining the truth?
Kiana looked slightly surprised. She hadn't expected Araya to care enough to correct it.
After hearing the words "that's not correct," Robin felt as if she had grabbed hold of a lifeline. She looked at Araya with concealed hope, waiting for what came next.
Then Araya said calmly,
"It's Mei. I was created by Mother and Mei together."
Those words delivered a fatal blow to the hope Robin had been clinging to. Her face turned slightly pale as she looked at Kiana and saw the stunned expression on her face.
Clearly, she hadn't expected Araya to say that.
But why?
Robin's mind raced. She quickly arrived at the most likely explanation—Kiana had just been joking.
But if that had been a joke, then what about what Araya just said?
Kiana scratched her head awkwardly. "Well, to be precise, you could say she was created by Ruan and me together."
Along with the experiences of others that ultimately shaped the Araya standing before them now.
Which meant that the "Mei" Araya referred to wasn't someone else.
It was Ruan Mei—the one Kiana used to mention so often.
Her brother's words from yesterday echoed in her ears.
Ruan Mei and Kiana were lovers.
That genius specialized in life sciences. If it were her...
Robin could not describe what she was feeling. She only felt dizzy. A jumble of emotions and thoughts churned within her, making it impossible to stay calm.
"You and Ms. Ruan..."
Taking the opportunity, she voiced the confusion in her heart. She wanted to hear Kiana say it herself.
Kiana did not hide it. She answered directly, "Ruan is my lover."
So her brother's information had been true?
"Then what about Raiden Mei?"
She heard her own voice again.
What about Raiden Mei?
From what Kiana had just said, it was clear that her relationship with Raiden Mei had not fallen apart. On the contrary, it seemed just as good as ever.
Kiana's gaze grew slightly evasive and embarrassed. It was awkward discussing this in front of a friend.
"Mei is my lover too."
But she wouldn't hide it. There was no need to hide it from her friend. Especially since Mei would be coming to Penacony soon.
Robin froze, dazed once more. Her eyes widened in shock, and she almost thought she had misheard.
"Sh-she is too?" The information was too explosive. She even stammered. "You're together with both of them?"
Kiana fell silent.
That was a good question.
Was she together with both of them?
No.
In reality, there were three.
Being able to be in a relationship with three people at once was only possible because the others had made concessions. Kiana knew that clearly. Even though they weren't here right now, she wouldn't leave anyone out.
"There are three."