『 The monster held Hotaru in a vice-like grip, its grotesque, vertical pupil fixing its gaze upon her, seemingly poised to strike.
Hotaru struggled ceaselessly, yet her eyes remained fixed on Stelle with deep concern. Her hand began to clench involuntarily.
In her heart, she weighed the cost: Should I reveal my trump card? Should I strike now?
But after only a moment of hesitation, she abandoned the thought.
Because someone had come to save them!
BANG!
A purple magical formation suddenly manifested upon the floor.
In the next instant, massive hands constructed of pure amethyst tore through the ground, surging upward to ruthlessly suppress the beast!
BOOM!
With a deafening crash, the terrifying monster was slammed violently against the ceiling by the giant crystal hands, completely immobilized.
[ If you don't master the correct method… ]
[ You won't be able to retreat from the shadow of death… ]
[ Unscathed! ]
A gentle yet languid voice rang out. A mysterious, elegant woman suddenly appeared, sitting atop a television set.
At that moment, the monster broke free from its restraints and prepared to lunge at the group once more!
[ You are…? ]
Hotaru looked at the mysterious woman beside her, confused.
[ Relax, little sister. ]
[ I'm on your side. ]
[ Why don't you call me… Memokeeper Black Swan. ]
The mysterious woman revealed her identity with a smile, and immediately began to employ her techniques to suppress the monster before them.
[ Hehe, let's meet again another time! ]
Black Swan chuckled softly. She brought two fingers together and flicked out a mysterious card.
Instantly, the card expanded into a powerful magical array, violently blasting the monster into the ground.
Immediately after, she threw another card toward Hotaru and Stelle, forming a mysterious passage leading to parts unknown.
[ Go! Quickly! ]
Black Swan shouted a warning to the pair.
Without a second thought, Hotaru grabbed Stelle's hand and pulled her along, running toward the passage together.
Reaching the entrance, the two leaped forward, diving straight into it!
The scene shifts—
The next moment, Stelle woke up in her room.
[ You're awake, sleepyhead. Looks like you had a good dream. ]
[ Well? Did you dream of me? ]
The first thing Stelle saw upon waking was Black Swan standing elegantly before her, wearing a look of concern.
[ Are we in Heaven... Or? ]
Stelle asked that all-too-familiar question.
[ Welcome to reality. More specifically, The Reverie. ]
[ The place you are most familiar with, and the safest place for you. ]
[ I'm glad your mental state is still relatively normal. ]
[ You weren't affected by that Primal Dreamscape. Lucky you! ]
Black Swan spoke in a soothing tone, explaining Stelle's current situation.
[ Hotaru… Did she make it out? ]
Remembering the critical moment when Hotaru had taken her hand to flee, Stelle immediately asked.
[ Hehe, you care a lot about that little girl. ]
[ That's fair — she was hell-bent on assuring your safety even at the brink of death... ]
[ Even I was a little moved. ]
[ I know you have many question marks floating in your head. Don't be impatient. ]
[ Before that, go tell your worried companions that you're safe. ]
Black Swan didn't answer Stelle's question directly, instead suggesting she regroup with the Astral Express crew first. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
March 7th: "Miss Black Swan is the GOAT!!"
March 7th: "I can't believe Miss Black Swan stepped in to save Stelle and Miss Hotaru in the nick of time!"
March 7th: "Miss Black Swan's fighting style is just too cool and elegant!"
Furina: "Exactly, exactly!"
Furina: "That scene just now had my heart in my throat!"
Furina: "I didn't expect it to turn around like that in the end!"
Furina: "I really thought Miss Hotaru and Miss Stelle were going to be killed by that monster!"
Welt: "As expected, Miss Black Swan is a Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection!"
Welt: "It's no wonder she could easily rescue the two of them from that treacherous Dreamscape."
Acheron: "The Memokeepers of the Garden of Recollection are most skilled at manipulating Memoria. In that environment, there truly is no one more suitable to perform a rescue than Miss Black Swan."
Lumine: "Is this what a Memokeeper is? That's really amazing!"
Lumine: "Such a troublesome monster, suppressed easily with just a single card."
Paimon: "And when Miss Black Swan fights, she's so elegant and composed!"
Paimon: "She's simply too charming!"
Black Swan: "Hehe, you flatter me."
Black Swan: "It just happened to be within my area of expertise."
Black Swan: "That is why it appeared so effortless."
Himeko: "Come to think of it, it seems we commissioned Miss Black Swan to save them."
Himeko: "Could it be that we happened to meet Miss Black Swan right when the two of them were in danger?"
Welt: "It's not impossible. That is likely the case."
Hu Tao: "So next, Miss Stelle should be meeting up with everyone from the Express, right?"
Cyno: "And then wait for the punchline?"
Noelle: "Punch… punchline? What punchline?"
Alhaitham: "General Mahamatra Cyno, what nonsense are you spouting now?"
Cyno: "You don't get it? It seems your humor cells are lacking."
Cyno: "Punchline refers to the family's plot! It means, waiting quietly for the punchline of the Family's scheme!"
(Translator's Note: Cyno is making a pun on "Jia Yin" which means "Good News" but sounds like "Family Plot/Shadow" in Chinese. Rendered here as an attempt at a joke about plot/punchlines to fit his character trope.)
March 7th: "..."
Hotaru: "..."
Silver Wolf: "..."
Tighnari: "..."
Collei: "..."
Alhaitham: "..."
Stelle: "Uh… is this some new type of dry humor?"
Cyno: "What? Is it not funny? I think it's quite good?"
Tighnari: "Cyno, I beg of you! JUST SAY LESS!!"
Tighnari: "Stop telling your bad jokes!"
Collei: "Yeah, please! Stop telling them! I'm freezing to death! (Pitiful.jpg)"
Cyno: "Sigh, what a pity! I thought there were people here who knew how to appreciate art."
One bad joke from Cyno, and the entire group was rendered silent!
....
『 After receiving Black Swan's reminder, Stelle nodded and began following her to regroup with the Astral Express crew.
[ So suspicious… how could there be such a coincidence? ]
[ That woman definitely has issues! ]
[ But she did find Stelle and save her… ]
[ For now, we can only listen to her requests… ]
[ That Memokeeper clearly came prepared. Caution is advised. ]
Stelle walked slowly down the stairs. Before she even reached the lobby downstairs, she could faintly hear March 7th and the others discussing.
However, their voices were too quiet to hear clearly.
[ Miss Himeko, look. I've brought the child back as promised. ]
Black Swan brought Stelle into the lobby and greeted Himeko.
[ Ah? Stelle, are you okay?! ]
[ We couldn't find you in reality or in the dream! ]
[ I was worried to death… ]
Seeing Stelle return safely, a smile immediately bloomed on March 7th's face!
[ It is good that you are safe and sound. ]
[ Let me introduce you—Miss Black Swan, a Memokeeper of the Garden of Recollection. ]
After Himeko carefully looked Stelle up and down to ensure she was unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, she began to introduce Black Swan's identity.
[ So you're Himeko's friend. ]
Stelle looked at Black Swan, realization dawning on her face.
[ Oh, no. ]
[ Himeko-nee said they met by chance while investigating the Dreamscape. ]
Hearing Stelle's words, March 7th whispered an explanation to her.
[ Not currently. ]
[ But because of you, perhaps we can take this opportunity to deepen our understanding of one another. ]
Black Swan added with a smile.
[ So, Stelle, how did you end up in that place? ]
[ What exactly happened…? ]
Himeko began to ask about Stelle's experience.
[ It happened like this… ]
Stelle hurriedly recounted her previous experiences in great detail.
[ So, the person who attacked you was a woman in red, skilled in illusions, capable of changing into the appearance of others… ]
After listening to Stelle's encounter, Welt began to frown.
[ Heh, her name is Hanabi. A Masked Fool who has infiltrated Penacony… ]
[ Don't worry, that girl won't be targeting you all for the time being. ]
[ She must believe she has succeeded and is gloating somewhere right now. ]
At this, Black Swan chuckled softly and explained the identity of Stelle's attacker to everyone.
[ You seem to know her well? ]
Welt looked at Black Swan, somewhat surprised.
[ Of course. I know everyone here. ]
[ In Penacony, anyone might lie… ]
[ But memories do not. ]
[ So… It is necessary for me to clarify a fact for everyone. ]
[ Miss Hanabi's tricks can induce hallucinations. ]
[ But that bizarre Dreamscape has nothing to do with her. It originates from Penacony itself. ]
Black Swan spoke eloquently, revealing a shocking truth. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hanabi: "Aha~ I didn't expect this elegant Miss Memokeeper to actually clear my name~"
Hanabi: "Chicken Wing Boy, did you hear that clearly~?"
Beidou: "Oho, looks like we have concrete evidence now!"
Kamisato Ayaka: "So the Family's beautiful dream… is it all a lie?"
Diluc: "As expected. A true 'beautiful dream' does not exist in this world."
Nahida: "If the beautiful dream is fake, then what is its true nature?"
Neuvillette: "That is indeed a question worth pondering."
Yae Miko: "By the way, did Miss Black Swan also approach the Astral Express crew with an ulterior motive?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "I get the feeling the Express crew is constantly being approached by people with hidden agendas."
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Especially Miss Stelle. It seems there isn't a single person who isn't interested in her."
Stelle: "Sigh… they are all attracted by my damn charisma."
Stelle: "It really is distressing."
March 7th: "Hey, you really are full of yourself!"
....
『 [ Penacony… itself?! ]
March 7th was a bit dazed. She didn't quite understand.
[ Haven't you realized it yet? ]
[ The so-called Land of Dreams… ]
[ Is actually the result of the Family's meticulous maintenance using unknown means—a carefully designed beautiful dream. ]
[ And that Memory Zone she fell into—that is what the dream originally looked like. ]
[ Chaotic, dangerous, mysterious… a labyrinth of shifting changes where the beasts of memory dwell… ]
Black Swan explained to the group, her voice slightly lowered.
[ …She's right. ]
[ Everyone, do you remember the scene when we entered the dream? ]
Himeko placed her hands on her hips and asked the group.
[ I saw a clock, schools of fish, and a deep sea… ]
Stelle recalled.
[ Eh? So everyone saw the same thing? ]
[ I remember… then a guest room, and then passing through a mirror to a long corridor… ]
March 7th followed up, describing the sights she saw upon entering the dream.
[ The Gallery of Thoughts—that's what the hotel staff call it. ]
Welt interjected.
[ Don't you think that scenery is far removed from the Penacony in the dream… ]
[ But very similar to the Dreamscape Miss Black Swan described? ]
Himeko asked rhetorically.
[ Indeed… I didn't pay it much mind at first. ]
[ But looking back, there are far too many similarities between the two. ]
Welt nodded.
[ Also, I learned from some regular guests. ]
[ The first stop after entering the dream was originally the hotel in the dream, but due to some accidents… the hotel is currently under renovation. ]
Himeko revealed another piece of intelligence she had gathered.
[ Under what circumstances does a building need renovation? ]
[ Combine that with her experience just now, and the answer is clear. ]
Black Swan pointed at Stelle, then continued:
[ Penacony's beautiful dream is sinking, reverting to its original form… falling into the deep sea. ]
Black Swan's tone began to drift, becoming ethereal.
[ Sinking? ]
[ You mean… the dream world is collapsing? ]
March 7th somewhat understood the meaning behind Black Swan's words.
[ The encounter at The Reverie in the Dreamscape is the omen. ]
Black Swan nodded in confirmation.
[ …I see. That explains the sense of dissonance in the Family's words. ]
[ If this news were to be known by the outside world, regardless of the actual safety of the guests, the reputation of the Planet of Festivities would inevitably suffer! ]
[ With the Charmony Festival approaching, they have no choice but to conceal this matter. ]
Welt suddenly pieced together the truth within.
[ The safety of the guests… perhaps even that cannot be guaranteed… ]
[ Isn't the monster she encountered the best proof? ]
[ Do I need to hint at it again? ]
[ That is… a Memory Zone Meme… ]
[ How could a meme that serves as a metaphor for death and murder appear in a dream the Family claims is absolutely safe… ]
[ In Penacony, anyone might lie—perhaps including the Family themselves? ]
Black Swan said with a ghostly tone.
[ Miss Black Swan, we fully understand the current situation. ]
[ Returning to your initial proposal… ]
[ May I ask, for what reason has the Garden of Recollection chosen to cooperate with the Astral Express? ]
Himeko, having understood the entire sequence of events, decided to probe Black Swan's attitude.
[ Mn, please allow me to correct you… ]
[ This is my personal request, it does not represent the Garden of Recollection. ]
[ The answer is simple, Miss Himeko. I just want to make an exchange… an exchange regarding memories. ]
[ Beyond my duties, I also have some… personal aesthetic pursuits. ]
[ I am a Memokeeper, but also a collector. I too wish to witness those crystalline, brilliant, precious memories. ]
[ This way of thinking is easy to understand, is it not? ]
[ And you, the Nameless of the Astral Express, practitioners of the Trailblaze… ]
[ I believe in your potential, and I believe in the… unique radiance you will display upon this stage. ]
[ That is the reason I wish to be friends with everyone. ]
[ The intersection of nightmares and beautiful dreams… there is no place more suitable to serve as a cradle for memories. ]
Black Swan's tone was soft and soothing, and her eyes seemed to carry a genuine sincerity.
[ …I understand. But before giving you an answer, we still need to have a discussion. ]
Himeko pondered for a moment, deciding not to give Black Swan an answer just yet.
[ Of course, please, take your time. ]
Black Swan nodded, not minding in the slightest. 』
『 ....』