『 After the Dream Bubble was interrupted by Hotaru's voice, it terminated directly.
Stelle's consciousness also withdrew from the Dream Bubble.
[ Oh my, what a pity—I still wanted to see how you'd deal with the Garbage King… ]
Sampo looked at Stelle with a face full of disappointment.
[ Do I even need to look? One punch and he's done! ]
Stelle looked at Sampo and spoke with a face full of disdain.
[ Pity, what a pity! Such a profound dream, brought to an abrupt halt by Miss Hotaru's intervention… ]
[ …I was originally looking forward to the expression on your face the moment you discovered the truth. ]
Sampo's tone gradually became erratic and floaty.
Beside Stelle, Hotaru became somewhat uncomfortable.
[ What the hell are you trying to say? ]
Stelle crossed her arms and asked impatiently.
She hadn't managed to land that final punch on Sampo in the Dream Bubble, so now she found Sampo extremely unpleasant to look at.
[ ..Trying to say? I'm not saying anything. ]
[ I just want to reveal the truth... ]
[ The truth about the Sweet Dream— don't you want to find out the truth behind the dream? Don't let all the pretty scenery in the dream world distract you from your goal — as soon as you get complacent, you'll lose sight of the truth. ]
[ Don't you think this Dream Bubble looks very similar to the current Penacony, hmm? ]
[ A group of people with ulterior motives, squeezed onto a tiny stage. No one wants to be exposed under the spotlight, so they push the poor Little Gray Hair to the front— ]
[ The Dreamscape isn't your bathtub at home, but a treacherous deep sea. If I have to speak more clearly—don't let yourself get enticed by that glowing light.. ]
[ If you fall into the hands of that kind of person… I would be very, very disappointed. ]
Sampo spoke a heap of riddles, seemingly implying something else.
[ A glowing light...? ]
Hearing this metaphor, Stelle's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
[ —Look, is that little girl still there? ]
Sampo reminded her.
Stelle hurriedly turned her head to look at Hotaru's previous position.
As a result, Hotaru, who should have been standing right beside her, was actually gone!
And she didn't even know when the other party had left!
[ Claims to be a Penacony local, yet understands none of the insider ways—plenty of petty thieving skills though. Just who is she? ]
[ My dear, haven't you suspected her for even a moment? ]
[ Take my advice, if you have questions, go confront that girl quickly. Don't let her run away with her tail between her legs, haha. ]
[ See you later, pal… You better not disappoint me! ]
After Sampo finished speaking, he walked away with a playful expression. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hotaru: "..."
Hotaru: "Stelle… do you have anything you want to ask?"
Hotaru was feeling somewhat apprehensive at this moment.
Stelle: "Of course I DO!!"
Stelle: "I must ask a very serious QUESTION!!"
Hotaru: "You… you ask then… I'm ready!"
Stelle: "Then I'm ASKING!!"
Stelle: "HANABI!! Why did you pretend to be Sampo?!!"
Stelle: "What exactly is your goal in approaching me and Hotaru?!"
Hotaru: "I really don't have any goal, I just… Eh??"
Hotaru: "You aren't asking me?!"
Seeing Stelle's message, Hotaru was dumbfounded.
Stelle: "Of course I'm not asking you."
Stelle: "How could I not trust you."
Stelle: "You must have your own difficulties, right?"
Hotaru: "I do indeed have my own difficulties… but…"
Stelle: "Having difficulties is enough, I don't care about the rest!"
Sampo: "I say, sister, you just trust her unconditionally like that?"
Sampo: "Aren't you afraid she'll harm you?"
Stelle: "None of your damn business! If she harms me, I'm willing, what's it to you?"
Sampo: "Sister, did you eat gunpowder? I didn't mess with you!"
Stelle: "You didn't mess with me?? Just now in the Dream Bubble, you used a bomb to blow me up! (Angry.jpg)"
Sampo: "But that was someone impersonating me, didn't you say so yourself?"
Stelle: "Why impersonate you specifically instead of someone else?"
Stelle: "Do you truly not have a clue in your heart?"
March 7th: "Right! Now that you mention it, I realize it too!"
March 7th: "Why was it exactly Sampo being impersonated?"
Sampo: "Ah this… if I say it's a coincidence, would you believe me?"
Stelle: "I believe you, but my bat doesn't!"
Sampo: "Ouch, hey, this really has nothing to do with me!"
Sampo: "Forget it, the more I explain the darker it gets, I'm not talking ANYMORE!!"
....
—✦In Between✦—
"Damn, what is this mess. I clearly didn't do anything, yet I'm taking the blame!"
"Truly UNLUCKY!!"
Somewhere in Belobog, Sampo, who had already returned there, shook his head with a bitter smile.
—
Stelle: "Hanabi, step forward!"
Hanabi: "Hai, hai. What is it, Little Gray Hair? Why are you calling me~"
Stelle: "Explain why you pretended to be Sampo."
Hanabi: "Pretend to be that guy? I didn't do THAT!!"
Stelle: "Still quibbling?"
Hanabi: "Hehe, do you have any evidence? Without evidence, you can't accuse me without cause!"
Hanabi: "I'm just a pitiful little girl, I can't handle you scaring me like this… boo, hoo, hoo~ (Crying.jpg)"
Stelle: "Is the evidence not obvious enough?"
Furina: "It is indeed quite obvious!"
Lumine: "The flaw was a bit too big."
Paimon: "Uh… I… why didn't I notice any flaw? Is my brain too stupid?"
Venti: "Ehe, the answer is actually just three words."
Freminet: "Is… is it the three words 'Little Gray Hair'?"
Lyney: "That's right, those three words."
Paimon: "Oh! I remember now!"
Paimon: "Miss Hanabi called Miss Stelle 'Little Gray Hair' in the livestream chat earlier."
Paimon: "And the fake Mr. Sampo in the video just now also used the nickname 'Little Gray Hair'!"
Stelle: "Correct, so from this we can deduce that the person impersonating Sampo is Hanabi!"
Hanabi: "Oh my my, turns out a loose tongue caused the trouble."
Hanabi: "Alrighty, I admit it~ It was me pretending to be Sampo. But so what?"
Hanabi: "Come hit me if you're not happy about it! (Mocking.jpg)"
Silver Wolf: "Uh… that's a very punchable statement."
Hotaru: "... (Fist hardened.jpg)"
Silver Wolf: "If it's hard, why don't you punch her?"
....
—✦In Between✦—
—✦Honkai Star Rail World✦—
Astral Express, in the Parlor Car—
"This unrestrained style… Seems a bit like a Masked Fool?"
Welt looked at Hanabi's messages, and couldn't help but frown.
"The possibility is high! Masked Fools can lose their bottom line just for amusement."
"If she really is a Masked Fool, then the danger level is extremely high! Therefore, we absolutely cannot let Stelle have contact with her!"
Himeko nodded, her expression somewhat grave.
—
Welt: "Miss Hanabi, what exactly is your purpose in disguising as Sampo to approach Stelle?"
Hanabi: "I say, don't go spitting blood on people, okay?"
Hanabi: "The one disguising as Sampo is the me in the video, what does that have to do with the me in reality?"
Hanabi: "Little Gray Hair, tell me, have I tricked you yet right now?"
Stelle: "Not yet."
Hanabi: "Then that settles it, I clearly haven't done anything yet… and you're all painting me as a bad guy… woo~ (Aggrieved.jpg)"
Himeko: "Since Miss Hanabi hasn't done it yet, then I hope you never do it in the future!"
Hanabi: "Okay, okay, really, I just wanted to find some amusement~"
Hanabi: "Now that there's even more fun amusement, naturally I won't go looking for the boring Little Gray Hair anymore."
Dan Heng: "I hope you keep your word, Fool!"
Hanabi: "Oh my, my identity has been seen through, so scary."
Furina: "Um… everyone, let's stop arguing for now? How about we continue watching the video?"
Sampo: "Exactly, exactly, peace is precious, pals."
Boothill: "Heh, the smell of gunpowder here is really strong."
Stelle: "Fine, temporary truce. Let's take a break, watch the video, and then continue flaming."
....
『 [ Sampo… what exactly did he mean? Is Hotaru hiding something? ]
[ I need to get an explanation from her. Let's find her first. She shouldn't have gone too far... ]
Stelle pondered on the spot for a while, feeling she should go look for Hotaru, to ask about the truth of the matter.
So she began to search nearby.
A few minutes later, around a flowerbed, she found Hotaru standing there in a daze.
And at this moment, Hotaru, also discovered Stelle's arrival, but she didn't know how to speak up, so she just turned her body sideways, pretending she hadn't seen Stelle.
Seeing this, Stelle didn't speak either, just waiting there quietly.
Finally, after a long while.
Hotaru couldn't hold back first, she turned her head and began to speak to Stelle.
[ I'm sorry…. ]
Hotaru's voice was somewhat low, and also somewhat guilty.
[ I want to know the truth. Is that too much to ask? ]
Stelle spoke with a gentle tone.
[ ...Sure. ]
Hotaru's voice was as quiet as a mosquito.
[ I am… did hide some things from you….. ]
[ For example, I'm indeed not a local, the Bloodhound Family chasing me isn't without reason… and traveling with you also had some other reasons….. ]
[ ….But… my gratitude for your help is real! ]
[ My admiration for the Nameless is also real. You've been to many worlds, seen all kinds of people and things, every day is a brand new beginning... ]
Hotaru looked at Stelle, her eyes gentle and her tone sincere.
[ If you're willing, You can board the Astral Express, too. ]
Stelle explained.
[ …. ]
[ I want to take you to another place, is that okay? This time it's not a tourist attraction, quite the opposite…. it's sort of my secret base. ]
[ There, I will tell you everything I know… as much as possible. ]
Hotaru skipped over the topic of boarding the Express, and instead spoke with an expectant tone.
[ Okay, I believe you. ]
Although Hotaru seemed full of suspicious points.
But for some reason, Stelle just felt that the other party wouldn't frame her.
This feeling came from nowhere, even she didn't know why.
It was as if the other party was a friend she had known for a long time, worthy of trust, just like that.
[ Thank you…. ]
Stelle's unreserved trust, made Hotaru somewhat moved. 』
『 ....』
—✦In Between✦—
Astral Express, in the Parlor Car—
"I didn't expect that Miss Hotaru's identity really was just a disguise."
March 7th watched the scene in the video, her expression somewhat disappointed.
"I saw that coming a long time ago. She approached me with some kind of purpose."
Stelle was not surprised by this.
"Then why did you still get so close to her?"
March 7th couldn't understand what Stelle was thinking.
"You might not believe me if I say it. Hotaru she… always gives me a familiar feeling. This feeling makes me trust her especially."
"Anyway, I don't think she would really do anything detrimental to me. Just like I said before, perhaps she has some difficulties."
Stelle became rare serious, explaining a few sentences to March 7th.
"Although it's a result based solely on your intuition. But I believe you."
"Because, I also have a feeling… this Miss Hotaru… is not a wicked person. On the contrary, she might be a very amazing girl."
—
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina: "Even Miss Hotaru's identity is fabricated."
Furina: "My god, is there any truth left in this Penacony?"
Paimon: "Where did the trust between people go?"
Lumine: "Uh… although Miss Hotaru hid some truths. But I think her feelings for Miss Stelle are real."
Lumine: "She really cares about Miss Stelle, just like a long-known close friend."
Hotaru: "Maybe you guys don't believe it… but I really have no malicious intent..."
Scaramouche: "Heh, you say you don't so you don't? Who knows what scheme you're plotting?"
Scaramouche: "Deliberately putting on a weak appearance to win the sympathy of fools, isn't that the best strategy?"
Stelle: "Who are you calling a fool? You dumbass thing, try saying that again!"
Scaramouche: "Whoever replies to me is the fool."
Stelle: "Boothill, come out and control your dog, it's starting to bite people randomly!"
Boothill: "Oh my, Miss, I'm truly sorry. I took my eyes off him for one second and let my Scara-dog slip out. I apologize to you!"
Boothill: "I'll walk it home right now!"
Boothill: "My good Scara-baby, stop barking here, why don't you come home with your master?"
Furina: "That… that's such an aggressive statement!"
Scaramouche: "BOOTHILL!!! YOU'RE LOOKING FOR DEATH!!"
Boothill: "Tsk tsk tsk, a dog that bites its master isn't a good dog!"
Scaramouche: "I swear, I WILL MAKE YOU DIE WITHOUT A BURIAL PLACE!!"
Boothill: "Good! Good BARK!! Bark a few more times for master to hear?"
After Boothill said this, Scaramouche stopped speaking.
Boothill: "Sigh, what a killjoy, I wanted to hear you bark a few more times."
....
『 Hotaru began taking Stelle to her secret base.
[ Let's go this way… ]
Hotaru led Stelle to the right of the main road.
Starting to walk along this path.
[ …Huh? Is there some… thing calling for help over there? ]
As Stelle and Hotaru walked, they suddenly realized that not far ahead, a strange creature was shouting for help.
[ Tick-tock! Help! Help me! ]
[ Someone's dying! Please come here! ]
Urgent cries for help came continuously, accompanied by the ringing of an alarm clock.
[ What kind of… thing are you? ]
Stelle walked over, looking at this creature, feeling it was somewhat strange.
[ Hey! I'm a clock, not a 'thing'! ]
[ Hey, wait—you… can see me? ]
This clock-like creature was suddenly very surprised.
[ …What's wrong? ]
Hotaru saw Stelle suddenly stop in place, and was somewhat confused.
[ I see a… clock with hands and feet. ]
Stelle looked at this magical clock creature, and explained a sentence to Hotaru.
[ Could it be… you can really see me? ]
[ Tick-tock! Wonderful! This is awesome! There's still hope for Misha! ]
Hearing Stelle say this, the clock creature became even more excited.
[ Oops, I haven't introduced myself! ]
[ My name is Clockie. I'm a famous celebrity in Penacony! ]
[ My friends and I protect the peace of this town together! ]
[ My friends are—they are Hanu, Mr. Soda, Origami Bird, Hamster Ball Knight... ]
[ ...And Misha! Misha is in trouble! Tick-tock! Help! Help! ]
Speaking of Misha, Clockie started ringing incessantly again. 』
『 ....』