Gopher Wood had no doubts about whether Celenova could enter the Dreamscape.
After all, her companion's abilities were nothing to scoff at.
They arrived at a fairly decent room—it had everything one might need, and though it wasn't luxurious, there was little to complain about.
Celenova released a Harmonic Hymn, reaching out to touch the Dreamscape enveloping all of Penacony.
Perhaps it was Gopher Wood's exhaustion, but the normally sturdy defenses opened a pathway for Celenova, allowing the Stellaron to slip entirely inside in an instant.
Celenova felt her vision blur for a moment, and then she found herself in a place quite similar to Acheron's realm, yet noticeably more bustling.
Her sudden appearance, however, drew puzzled glances from many around.
Because…
"Why don't I have a face?"
Celenova stared into a nearby mirror and realized she had taken on the form of a glitchy, half-loaded human model.
"Lady Celenova? This… Please focus and visualize your appearance. Try to control it—let it reflect your true self, and then…"
Gopher Wood gazed curiously at this strange, faceless figure.
Was it because Celenova had only recently come into being, lacking a firm sense of self-identity?
Guided by Gopher Wood's instructions, Celenova completed her first act of dreamweaving, shaping her form into that of Celenova as she was meant to be.
Celenova had given herself a face.
It felt… oddly surreal.
Beside her, Gopher Wood wore a thoughtful expression but didn't press further.
Instead, she led Celenova toward the grand theater.
Compared to the splendid, dreamlike "Twelve-Moment Fantasies" from the game, present-day Penacony wasn't nearly as extravagant.
Still, it had already grown far more beautiful than before.
Comfortable sunlight, clean streets, and pedestrians everywhere one looked.
Though various factions schemed and vied for influence throughout Penacony, by all accounts, this was still Penacony's era of ascent.
The Dreamscape was gradually expanding, and dreamweavers were steadily adding to the foundation of this beautiful dream.
And then there was that kaleidoscopic, flowing radiance emanating from around the grand theater—just like in the game.
Now, as Celenova, she could clearly sense the power of the Stellaron within that shimmering flow.
"Let me take you up for a closer look. As for how the Family handles the Stellaron… I think you'll understand once you see it."
Gopher Wood casually summoned a ride, and they boarded the grand theater together.
In this era, the theater didn't host many performances, and its scale was modest.
For now, it felt more like a storytelling hall for Penacony.
Celenova indeed sensed something different.
The Stellaron itself remained active, yet it was suppressed by the power of Harmony.
In fact, that energy—along with other traits of the Stellaron—was being repurposed.
Using that same power, they had orchestrated a kind of "collision" between the beautiful dream and the perilous dreamscape of sensory overload, effectively isolating the dangers lurking in the Aeons' domains.
A truly ingenious idea.
But also incredibly risky.
Celenova embodied both Destruction and Harmony, so she quickly grasped the truth through her understanding of Paths.
Just as Gopher Wood had implied, she understood the moment she arrived.
But—precisely because the Stellaron was being used to protect this beautiful dream, it meant the power of Harmony was dispersing the Stellaron's influence over everyone.
This diluted Stellaron energy, spread thin across the Dreamscape, was reduced to levels harmless to ordinary people.
That much was fine, but…
If someone fell into despair, shattered, lost hope in the world, or abandoned themselves to recklessness, that faint trace of Stellaron power could become the final straw that breaks the camel's back.
Moreover, Celenova glanced at Gopher Wood: "Since you came to Penacony, the Stellaron has been constantly trying to influence you, hasn't it?"
Gopher Wood offered a faint, bitter smile: "Yes. And what's more frightening is that while we tried to use Harmony to control the Stellaron, it has been using Harmony to influence me in turn."
For Gopher Wood, his situation in Penacony was far more precarious than it appeared to others.
Fortunately, Mikhail's aspirations were lofty enough, and he was willing to offer his support.
"But right now, Penacony can't function without the Stellaron."
"True."
Celenova gave a slight shake of her head.
There was little she could do about that.
Destruction wasn't exactly known for delicate handling of things like Stellarons.
More importantly, she couldn't stay in Penacony indefinitely.
So Gopher Wood leaning toward Order in the future… honestly, it was nearly inevitable.
She didn't believe a few persuasive words would be enough to sway Gopher Wood successfully.
"Aren't you leaving?"
"If I left… what would become of them?"
Gopher Wood shook his head.
If he truly wanted to leave, whether it was him or Mikhail, they could withdraw at any time. The reason they stayed was simply because they didn't want to go.
Celenova had nothing to say to that.
"I'll look around on my own for a while."
Gopher Wood nodded at her words.
He stopped walking and did not follow.
--+--
Meanwhile, Tiernan, whom Celenova had sent directly into Penacony, walked across that troubled land.
He smoothly located the prearranged signal he and Mikhail had agreed upon.
It was as if Tiernan had never stopped thinking about how to save Penacony.
That near-delusional persistence should have faded with time into a forgotten opportunity.
But with Celenova's intervention, that persistence finally bore fruit.
Mikhail didn't know what he felt when he saw Tiernan's face—so familiar, yet so changed.
He only knew he was tired, deeply tired.
He possessed neither Tiernan's strength, nor Razalina's wisdom, nor Hanunue's leadership.
In all the years since he had lost his companions, Mikhail would often lie awake in the dead of night, questioning himself:
Was his choice right? Was everything he had done correct?
Would continuing down this path truly make Penacony better?
Could the Family be trusted? Were the original inhabitants of Penacony still worthy of trust?
Countless doubts swirled in his heart, with no one to confide in.
And as he stood there, stunned, Tiernan's eyes glistened with tears as he burst into laughter: "Mikhail, you look like a worn-out old man now."
"Look who's talking—with that scruffy beard and that defeated look on your face."
Only after venting that did Mikhail turn his gaze to Miss Kamu.
This lady who had come with Tiernan clearly gave off the aura of a formidable fighter.
"And this is?"
"The Galaxy Ranger Kamu."
"Galaxy Ranger?"
"Yes. After I encountered the Swarm, the Galaxy Rangers saved my life. I've been traveling across the cosmos with them ever since."
Tiernan clapped Mikhail on the shoulder.
After their long-awaited reunion, the two excitedly found a spot to sit and began sharing the stories of everything that had happened since they parted.
--+--