Himeko: "Masked Fools, Nameless, Fiction Historians, Mourning Actors, Omen Vanguards…"
Himeko: "Come to think of it, did that war really attract such a convergence of factions?"
Stelle: "People are fighting a war; what exactly are the Masked Fools and Fiction Historians doing there?"
Hanabi: "What else would a Fool do~?"
Hanabi: "Obviously, we went to enjoy the spectacle of rivers running red with blood."
March 7th: "Then what about the Fiction Historians?"
March 7th: "Don't tell me they went there just to take advantage of the chaos, spreading rumors to shatter military morale?"
Dan Heng: "Hmph… The probability is high."
Keqing: "I must say, the factions in your universe are truly… bizarre."
Keqing: "There are those dedicated solely to seeking amusement, and others dedicated to fabricating rumors and stories…"
Venti: "Ehe, but that's what makes such a universe interesting, isn't it?"
Paimon: "I think I get it now."
Paimon: "With so many complicated factions, I'm afraid the only group suitable for me and Lumine is the Nameless."
Lumine: "Hmm… Trailblazing and Traveling… they are indeed quite similar concepts."
Stelle: "That's right! We Nameless are the universally renowned heroes of the cosmos!"
Stelle: "Stick with us, and you can't go wrong!"
Pam: "As the Conductor, I welcome all passengers, Pam!"
Paimon: "Hehe, there will definitely come a day when we board the Express!"
Paimon: "Right, Lumine?"
Lumine: "Mn. Once our journey in Teyvat concludes, we will head into the star ocean to seek the tracks of the Astral Express!"
March 7th: "Ha, then we'll be waiting for the good news."
....
『 [ Thirteen years old?! ]
[ No matter how you look at it, that's impossible! ]
Hearing this, March 7th wore an expression of utter disbelief.
[ Hanunue liberated the frontier prison, but he departed before he could ever see peace. ]
[ Barren resources, external threats eyeing us like predators, and major prison sectors divided in spirit and heart… ]
[ The future of Asdana remained perilous. ]
[ That was until the Watchmaker of history extended an olive branch to The Family, attempting to forge this prison into the Planet of Festivities, a star of toasts and galas… ]
[ Only then did Penacony finally earn its current name, stepping onto the stage facing the galaxy. ]
Gallagher nonchalantly skipped over the issue of his own age, continuing to introduce that segment of past history to the trio.
[ That is why he was called the Father of Penacony. ]
Himeko seemed to come to a sudden realization.
[ But, didn't you explicitly state earlier that the Watchmaker was a traitor to The Family? ]
[ You also claimed to be his companion, so does that mean you also… ]
March 7th asked with hesitation.
[ I was not his companion; I was one of his many children. ]
[ But I am indeed a traitor. Not a traitor to The Family, but a traitor to… Mikhail. ]
Gallagher's words were shocking.
[ …What did you do? ]
Himeko asked, her brow furrowed.
[ I did nothing… and that was the greatest betrayal of all. ]
[ Just like you, I once had companions with whom I shared an inseparable bond. ]
[ We poured our hearts and blood into Penacony, yet the "Oak Family"… they condemned us to injustice. ]
[ Mikhail grew old. He could no longer protect his children. ]
[ We left The Family to find our own way out, and thus became traitors to The Harmony… ]
[ Even though the true traitors were others entirely. ]
[ Outwardly, they continued to praise the Watchmaker's good name, while in the shadows, they quietly nailed him to the pillar of shame. ]
[ Even so, we still hoped to clear his name. ]
[ As long as we could drag the true traitor, the mastermind behind all this, into the light, Penacony's Harmony could return to the right track… ]
[ …But we lost. ]
[ A long time passed, and the influence of the Land of Dreams had cut too deep… ]
[ Under their endless pursuit and persecution, I gave up… like a beaten dog. ]
[ The Family accepted me back, gave me a job as a security officer. On the surface, it was forgiveness; in reality, it was punishment. ]
[ Since then, I completely severed contact with my companions… and my past. ]
[ As for Mikhail… ]
[ …I heard he died in a corner no one cared about, a place no one could find. ]
[ I understood then. From that moment on, the Penacony of old could never return. ]
Gallagher's tone was despondent. 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hu Tao: "Ugh… I didn't quite catch some parts of that story."
Hu Tao: "But it seems… that Mikhail person was truly framed?"
Hu Tao: "And this matter seems to coincidentally involve the Oak Family?"
March 7th: "Things wouldn't really be as Miss Furina guessed, would they?"
Stelle: "It feels like she's right on the money, doesn't it?"
Stelle: "The Father of Penacony died in a corner no one cared about."
Stelle: "And the Oak Family became the highest authority of Penacony in the public eye?"
Furina de Fontaine: "So all of this is actually Mr. Sunday's scheme?"
Robin: "No, impossible!"
Robin: "My brother would absolutely never do such a thing!"
Sunday: "Everyone, please do not be led astray by this Mr. Gallagher's words."
Sunday: "There is scarcely a word of truth spilling from his mouth."
Qingque: "What? Is Mr. Gallagher not a member of your Family?"
Sunday: "Of course not. The Family has never accepted him!"
Seele: "So he's still the Watchmaker's man then?"
Seele: "No wonder he's speaking up for the Watchmaker."
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Mr. Gallagher is also lying…"
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "In that case, it seems the Watchmaker's faction is also beginning to harbor ulterior motives."
Stelle: "Lies upon lies, every single one of them! Not a word of truth!"
Stelle: "Truly, you're all even worse than Hanabi, that Masked Fool!"
Hanabi: "Tsk tsk tsk, Little Gray Hair, are you praising me~?"
Hanabi: "Hehe, I'll take that as a compliment~"
....
『 [ We deeply regret how this story turned out… ]
[ But things aren't that simple, right? ]
Himeko believed the story shouldn't end there.
[ Hmph… Obviously. Someone inherited the name of the Watchmaker and has continued anti-Family activities in the shadows, right up to the present. ]
Gallagher explained.
[ The Watchmaker is an organization? ]
Stelle couldn't help but interject.
[ You could understand it that way. ]
[ However, there should only be one person who inherited the Watchmaker's title. ]
[ A pity. After so many years, I still don't know who that person is, or even if it is a person at all… ]
[ Or if it's Mikhail's ghost wandering the Dreamscape. ]
[ So, do you understand now? ]
[ Why I was willing to tell you so much… ]
[ Because that girl's death is definitely related to the Watchmaker's Legacy. ]
[ And at the end of the heavy fog… ]
[ …Both you and I can get the answers we want. ]
[ If it really is Mikhail's ghost causing trouble, I'd actually quite like to meet him. ]
[ Those who look down on me could line up around the hotel three times, but those willing to look me in the eye… ]
[ Sigh, every time one dies, there's one less. ]
[ I've told you everything I know. Consider it a thank-you gift for being willing to spare a glance at this old dog. ]
[ …Hm? ]
[ Seems like there's something going on over at the theme park...]
[ I'll take my leave first. Good luck to you all. ]
[ How ironic. What's so different between the stowaways rejected by Penacony today and the dream seekers once hailed as pioneers several Amber Eras ago? ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Furina de Fontaine: "Someone who inherited the Watchmaker's name?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Does such a person really exist?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Could it just be Mr. Gallagher himself?"
March 7th: "I don't know. Or maybe the Watchmaker, Mikhail, actually never died at all?"
March 7th: "Maybe he's been hiding somewhere all this time, secretly causing trouble for The Family?"
Gallagher: "…"
Gallagher: "I can only say, if only that were true."
Robin: "Mr. Gallagher, what exactly is your identity?"
Robin: "Why deliberately fabricate these lies?"
Gallagher: "Lies…?"
Gallagher: "Heh, perhaps some are lies… but some… are indisputable facts!"
Welt Yang: "It seems there are indeed many hidden circumstances within this."
Himeko: "No matter. All will eventually come to light. We may already be very close to the truth…"
....
『 [ Mr. Gallagher… really is a man with quite a story. ]
Watching Gallagher's retreating figure, March 7th couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
[ Although Miss Hotaru's whereabouts remain a mystery, his explanation cleared up quite a few doubts… ]
[ The Watchmaker's true identity, the relationship with The Family, and the power struggles hidden behind the Sweet Dreams and Death. ]
Himeko summarized.
[ Also… The Family is not united as one. ]
Stelle added a point.
[ Correct. Mr. Gallagher mentioned that the true traitor is someone else… ]
[ And it is very likely they are lurking within the Oak Family. ]
Himeko nodded.
[ "Death" also seems to be related to the Watchmaker. ]
Stelle thought for a moment and said.
[ This also aligns with the previous information. Miss Hotaru was dragged into this tragedy precisely because of that Legacy… ]
[ We can be even more certain now that Aventurine's accusation against Acheron is baseless. ]
Himeko pondered briefly before speaking.
[ Is there a possibility… that Clockie is the Watchmaker? ]
Stelle suddenly voiced a wild theory.
[ … ]
[ You just like Clockie that much, don't you! ]
[ That's just an animated character, not a real person! ]
March 7th couldn't help but roll her eyes at Stelle.
[ Speaking of which, that Clockie whom only Stelle can see is also concerning… ]
[ A pity we haven't encountered him again since then. ]
[ … ]
[ This trip has verified quite a few of our previous conjectures. It's worth digesting carefully. ]
[ Stelle, send a message to Welt. Ask him how the situation is on his end. ]
After a moment of contemplation, Himeko instructed Stelle. 』
『 ....』