At the same time.
The moment Sparkle stepped back into The Tavern, she found everyone inside staring at her in unison.
"?"
"Hey, Sparkle! You've really outdone yourself this time!"
"We saw the video, by the Aeon of Elation, I gotta toast to you! When it comes to stirring up fun, you're the real deal, Sparkle!"
The strange atmosphere made her pause mid-step.
She quietly backed out and checked the entrance, making sure she hadn't walked into the wrong place.
Were these guys messing with her?
What video?
Did something interesting happen while she was out having her own fun?
Sparkle's expression shifted swiftly from confusion to keen interest.
Without another thought, she picked up a glass and took a seat.
"Alright, tell me then. What's all this about a video~"
"Huh? You don't know, Sparkle?"
The person she'd pulled aside studied her face, puzzled. But no matter how he looked, she didn't seem to be faking it.
"Stop wasting time. Spit it out."
"Haha~ So you really don't know? That video wasn't made by you?"
"Hah! If Sparkle posted that video, then who's the one we're seeing right now?"
"Hilarious! The one who loves impersonating others finally got a taste of her own medicine~"
"If you ask me, the other one's the real deal—ours must be the fake!"
Seeing Sparkle's reaction, the rest of The Tavern quickly realized she wasn't pretending to be clueless.
Besides, Sparkle wouldn't play such a dull trick when it came to her own amusement.
So… someone had used Sparkle's name to post that video?
This imposter who loved pretending to be others… had finally been impersonated herself?
Even funnier!
While all Masked Fools sought amusement, their methods varied greatly.
Not everyone was like Sparkle, who took such delight in pretending to be others and never seemed to tire of it.
So, the moment they realized that Sparkle—the one who loved impersonating others and hunting for laughs—had not only been impersonated herself, but on such a grand scale,
The Tavern's Masked Fools were instantly thrilled.
There's nothing better than a Masked Fool becoming the joke herself!
They only wished the prank had been even wilder.
This was just the beginning!
They should've used Sparkle's face plastered all over it, and that last part shouldn't have featured some random white-haired woman—it should've been Sparkle's own image!
Now that would've been hilarious.
Unlike now, where only they could recognize it was Sparkle.
The ordinary folks probably had no idea what was going on.
Though Sparkle was a bit annoyed by their reactions, she didn't bother saying much.
Of course, she was still angry.
Whoever dared impersonate her…if she found them, she'd make sure to take their measure properly.
"It's on the video site—probably trending number one on the StarNet by now. Just take a look and you'll see."
Hearing that, Sparkle pulled out her phone and opened the trending page.
Sure enough, just as they'd said, an account named 'Director Sparkle' was sitting right at the top.
"…They really have no respect for me, do they."
Sparkle smirked without warmth and opened the account.
The familiar kaleidoscope style, the deliberately chosen name 'Director Sparkle'…
Then she played the video.
The hand that reached out—it might as well have been her own.
Anyone who knew Sparkle well would instantly connect it to her.
Just thinking about it made her feel like the creator was outright taunting her.
"Well then~ I was just getting bored. Let's see what you've actually done, borrowing my name like this."
Sparkle pressed play, watching the progress bar move.
And then… she saw the Aeons.
She froze right where she sat.
Just like everyone else, seeing such vividly rendered depictions of Aeons for the first time. The sheer presence bleeding from the screen was enough to overwhelm anyone watching.
Even Pathstriders couldn't withstand the successive impact of so many different Aeons.
The first time anyone saw it, they'd be stunned.
The other Masked Fools in The Tavern saw their chance.
They quickly pulled out all sorts of recording devices, aiming them right at Sparkle, who was completely absorbed in the video.
They intended to capture every single reaction from every possible angle.
But this time, Sparkle truly didn't pay them any mind.
The others laughed as they recorded.
After all, they'd all been through the same shock.
No one knew for sure who was behind the video.
Some thought it was the work of the Aeon of Elation, Aha.
But others felt Aha wouldn't intervene directly.
It was more likely a fellow Masked Fool had secretly used Sparkle's name to pull off something huge, and Aha had noticed and joined in.
Most leaned toward the latter theory.
But the former… wasn't entirely impossible either.
After all, this was Aha—was there anything he wouldn't do?
Sparkle finished the video.
She understood now why the others said it was such a big deal.
But why had the creator so deliberately impersonated her?
Lost in thought, Sparkle lifted her head and glanced at the others still fiddling with their recordings.
She'd settle accounts with them later. For now, her priority was to find the mastermind who'd dragged her into this!
Sparkle's interest was fully ignited.
She felt certain the creator had another purpose for making this video.
Were they trying to lure her out to find them?
Whatever the case, Sparkle decided to take on the challenge.
"Heheh~ Little Sparkle, let's see who you really are~"
Sparkle, who had only just returned to The Tavern, felt her thirst for fun ignite once more. Without even finishing her drink, she hummed a little tune, skipped out of The Tavern, and was gone.
--+--
Meanwhile, in a different tavern…
The Lord Ravagers had also taken notice of the video.
Phantylia was the first to discover it.
"This person seems to understand all the Aeons… fascinating. That's not knowledge just anyone could possess."
One or two Aeons would be one thing—after all, she herself knew Nanook relatively well.
But to know every Aeon to this extent…that was simply too unusual. Even if it was a team effort—how could anyone walk the Path of Voracity?
"Who could it be… the one behind this account. It can't really be Aha, can it?"
After watching the video, Phantylia shared it with her colleagues.
As usual, a few were unreachable.
Only Celenova responded.
"Could it be that one who impersonated me even before I was born?" Celenova asked.
Phantylia laughed: "I know you've always wanted to find them, but this probably isn't her. If this video was aimed at us, then maybe. But these are images of Aeons."
So many Aeons, each captured with a hint of their divine essence.
Phantylia felt that aside from the Aeons themselves, no human could have produced something like this.
She rather suspected Aha had intervened directly.
But Asat Pramad was completely silent, as always—who knew what they were up to.
--+--
Meanwhile, in Herta City.
"That woman! Always up to some baffling, unproductive nonsense!"
Herta slammed her hand on the table. That woman said it wasn't time yet, that she couldn't play the genius—was she calling her out?
"Heh… I actually think the video is quite well done."
Ruan Mei's light laugh came through the communication line.
Others might think it impossible for anyone to have seen so many Aeons.
But only they knew—there really was someone in this world who had encountered almost every Aeon at once.
"This isn't about whether it's well made or not! She provided the ideas, left me here racking my brains alone, and then ran off to stir up trouble? How does that make sense! It's like she's implying I, Herta, am the kind of person who steals inspiration."
Ruan Mei smiled without replying.
Herta was clearly sulking—upset that such a brilliant idea had come from Bai Ming and not from her.
And then the one who proposed it was constantly running around outside, leaving Herta alone to handle the designs.
Best to let her vent a little. Otherwise, Herta might really storm out to hunt her down.
--+--