『 At the same time…
Looking at Stelle, who was frozen in shock after she revealed her identity, Hotaru smiled, her tone gentle.
"Everything has returned to the beginning. You once stepped into the Golden Hour from here, and you will also step into the real Penacony from here."
"I am very glad to be able to walk with you again. Now, I can finally reveal the whole truth to you. As you can see… my other name is the Stellaron Hunter Sam."
Stelle couldn't believe everything before her eyes. Looking at the familiar girl, her lips trembled slightly. "Are you… okay?"
Hotaru nodded. "I'm fine… Sorry, I hope I didn't scare you earlier."
"I know you have many questions… Remember when we encountered 'Death' in that unfamiliar dreamscape? That was when I was gripped in the hands of the Meme…"
"And just as it was about to strike, I saw the reflection of another dreamscape in that terrifying pupil."
"Based on the hints in the Script, I had some conjectures about that Meme. So I had Silver Wolf send out the invitations, guiding everyone to the hotel in the dream…"
"I originally planned to summon 'Death' in front of you all, using a more direct method to reveal the answer and invite you into the game. But things didn't go as planned. I couldn't violate the Script, and I didn't even have time to explain it to you." 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: So this murder case happened because the victim played herself to death~
〘Sampo〙: If Miss Hotaru's plan had succeeded, wouldn't you guys have ended up skewered?
〘March 7th〙: Can we not make these food-related dark jokes…
〘Kiana Kaslana〙: Mei, don't make any skewered food recently.
〘Yunli〙: Can you not say this while I'm eating Qiongshi Bird skewers?
....
『 "Just as you saw, I was pierced by the wingblade of 'Death'. The heavy pressure of the thick Memoria… they exploded in my mind, as if it were reality."
"But after the momentary paralysis faded, I found my body completely intact."
"I was indeed still alive, and just as I thought—I arrived at a place completely different from the Sweet Dream. Buried beneath Penacony's dreamscape is another more primitive and chaotic Memory Zone. Its name is… the Land of Exile."
"So I returned to the hotel in the dream, wanting to tell you of its existence. But I couldn't reveal my identity yet, so I could only find a way to distract you and your companions, leading you away from the battlefield."
"Afterward, all my attempts ended in failure. Until not long ago, a blood-red slash shattered the high wall in the dream, causing you to fall into this deep dreamscape, allowing me to wake you and your companions up one by one…"
"That is everything that happened before."
Stelle placed her right hand near her chin, answering thoughtfully, "I completely understand…" 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: You don't look like you understand at all.
〘Stelle〙: In the outside world, my identity is self-given, and so is my wisdom. Saying it like this makes me look very sophisticated.
....
『 "I know it's hard to believe all this unconditionally. I just want to say, you are very close to the final answer. You only need to do one thing, and I can prove it to you…" 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: No, it's not hard. If the subject is you, it's very simple.
〘Silver Wolf〙: Wow, I can already imagine Hotaru blushing.
....
『 "Next, let's leave this place… Please close your eyes."
Stelle very obediently closed her eyes. Hotaru slowly came before her and gently took her hand.
"Then take a deep breath, and picture the outline of the dream in your mind. Remember… absolutely do not open your eyes."
Stelle nodded silently, thinking of all the moments she shared with Hotaru in the previous dreamscape, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
Then, she heard Hotaru begin the countdown.
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Don't be afraid. The one to welcome us has arrived."
As the words fell, a burst of black mist rose above their heads. The next moment, 'Death' emerged from it, piercing through both of them at an extremely fast speed.
Subsequently, they dissolved into Memoria together and dissipated into the space. 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: Now they really became skewers~
〘March 7th〙: Now I know why we had to close our eyes. Watching yourself get stabbed with your eyes open is indeed a bit terrifying.
〘Sampo〙: The Sleepy-Sleepy Express, the transportation of your choice. In business to this day, never a bad review.
〘Stelle〙: Not exactly no bad reviews.
〘Sushang〙: Not exactly, not exactly.
....
『 After a sharp shriek, thick and violent Memoria rushed into Stelle's chest, churning and raging. Stelle felt her consciousness like a piece of paper in a whirlpool, tearing apart, dissolving, and dispersing into the rolling, turbid current.
Countless voices echoed through the Memoria like rolling thunder, among which one reverberating voice was exceptionally clear.
Stelle knew it came from the girl beside her. Your hearts beat to the same rhythm, calming down, and calming down further…
Until in that silent darkness, memories rippled slightly…
….
In the black screen, the deep roar of an engine suddenly sounded. Right after, the picture gradually became clear.
Hotaru, wearing a tailored suit, sat straight in a luxury convertible sports car, her right hand resting on her seatbelt, whether intentionally or not.
In the driver's seat next to her, another person, also in a suit but with a face as cold as frost, Blade, had his hands on the steering wheel. 』
『 ....』
〘Herta〙: Oh? Interesting. Getting stabbed together allows you to see that person's memories?
〘Black Swan〙: Memoria is quite miraculous, isn't it?
〘Silver Wolf〙: This is… Oh, that time.
〘Stelle〙: Which time?
〘Silver Wolf〙: The Jepella Rebellion. It's because we wiped them out that I said the Annihilation Gang is nothing. I barely even did anything, and they were almost played to death by Kafka.
〘·HSR· Welt Yang〙: The Jepella Brotherhood. If not for their downfall, the Duke's Ever-Flame Mansion wouldn't have expanded so quickly. Rumor has it their downfall was because they captured the Stellaron Hunter Kafka. It seems the rumors were true.
....
『 Looking at the scenery and traffic passing by quickly, Hotaru slowly broke the silence, her tone carrying a hint of surprise.
"I never knew you could do something like this."
"Hmm…" Blade responded coldly.
Hotaru couldn't help but ask again, "Do you have a driver's license?"
"Yes." After the brief reply, the car fell into silence again.
After a moment, Hotaru murmured, "This is truly… surprising."
Hearing this, Blade suddenly spoke, "Why? Because this is the city of sin, Jepella?"
"Mmh, no… It's nothing." Hotaru shook her head slightly, her gaze continuing to look at the scenery flying past the window, saying seemingly casually, "I just think you haven't slept for twenty system hours… are you okay?"
As she spoke, her hand on the seatbelt tightened slightly.
"No problem. I can't die. You and I are the same." Blade noticed Hotaru's small movement, but his face remained expressionless as he held the steering wheel, steering the vehicle steadily forward. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Blade: Hotaru, what's the point of living a life anyway?
〘Hanabi〙: Hotaru: I want to get off! Let me off the car!
〘March 7th〙: Lol.
....
『 Hearing this, a complex expression appeared on Hotaru's face. She sighed slightly, turned her head slightly, and stared at Blade's perpetually unchanging poker face. After a moment of silence, she softly urged.
"I might not be. Better drive slower."
"The infiltration has ended. You can activate Sam at any time."
"There's still some time before the next act of the Script. Let me stay a bit longer, in this body."
Then came a long silence. The two did not bring up any more topics, seemingly accustomed to this silence.
Until a long time later, another soft sigh sounded in the car.
"What a long tunnel. When we set off, I didn't think it was this long." 』
『 ....』
〘Hanabi〙: Because you are currently in the car of someone who is driving fatigued and won't die from a car crash.
....
『 Blade continued to look ahead and spoke, "In half a system hour, it will lead us to Kafka, followed by the downfall of the Jepella Brotherhood."
"Are these also in the Script?" Hotaru asked curiously.
"They are in your Script too."
Hotaru turned her gaze out the window again. "Sorry, I didn't notice."
"Even if you choose to ignore it, their fate won't change," Blade said calmly.
Hotaru fell silent upon hearing this.
"I told you, that's a bad habit." 』
『 ....』