The light that greeted him was grayish, washing over a landscape he couldn't quite comprehend. Around him stretched a city that looked strangely familiar—like one he'd seen in a movie. Towering buildings covered in neon lights, luminous billboards, and crisscrossing streets—yet no sound, no human bustle to give it life.
Aleph took a few steps forward, looking around with a mix of wonder and unease.
"Where are we?" He muttered.
"Looks like you finally woke up."
Firefly stood beside him, arms crossed, a faint smile on her face.
"It's a nice view, isn't it?"
Aleph blinked a couple of times as his gaze wandered across the floating signs, closed storefronts, and glowing neon reflections.
"Where the hell are we?"
"No matter what name people give it—'Death,' 'the Reaper,' whatever—it doesn't actually kill anyone. It just drags them here."
Aleph turned to her, confused.
"Here?"
"Yes. The land of the exiled."
Firefly extended a hand, pointing toward the horizon.
"The Dreamflow Reef."
Aleph frowned.
"Exiled?"
Before Firefly could answer, a deep voice joined them from behind.
"I suppose that's one way to call them."
Both turned. Welt was approaching calmly, leaning on his cane. His silhouette was framed by the dim shimmer of the suspended lights.
"It's good to see you safe, Aleph." He greeted softly. "Seems we all managed to survive in our own ways."
The man smiled gently as he drew closer.
"I assume I don't need to ask—you're just as lost as I am, right?"
"Completely."
....
They walked together through the empty streets. The sound of their footsteps echoed between walls lit by endless ads.
As they walked, Welt began to speak in a low, thoughtful voice.
"I've been going over everything that happened—Himeko's doubts, my own—and I've drawn some preliminary conclusions. But tell me, Aleph, do you remember the first question that started all of this?"
Aleph touched his chin, thinking.
"You mean… whether death really exists in the dream world?"
Welt nodded in approval.
"Exactly. And that leads me to believe all of this is a cognitive trap—a distraction designed to keep us away from the truth. Think about it who in their right mind would willingly go searching for something called 'Death'? The name alone keeps most people away."
"So the Dreamflow Reef would be…"
"A blind spot in the dream." Welt finished for him.
"It's the perfect way to hide what's really going on with the kidnappings… and with this place."
He paused, adjusting his glasses.
Firefly, walking a few steps behind, spoke next.
"There's no authority here. The Family has no influence in this place. But don't worry, Aleph—the ones who end up here are too dazed to cause trouble."
"That's… comforting, in a really depressing way."
Firefly nodded.
"I suppose it is."
Welt continued,
"If my suspicions are right, all of the meme's appearances are tied to the Watchmaker. And if this is where he brings his captives…"
"Then we'll find our answers here too." Aleph said, snapping his fingers as the realization hit him.
Welt nodded.
"Exactly."
Firefly spoke up again.
"Though… I've heard one name whispered around a lot—Gallagher. Does that ring a bell?"
Aleph frowned.
"Gallagher?"
Welt sighed.
"That man always shows up where you least expect him. But if he's here, we might have a lead."
He pulled out his phone and began typing.
"Either way, that simplifies things. I'll let Himeko and March know."
A few seconds later, the screen lit up with replies.
[Himeko: 'We're on our way.']
Aleph took the opportunity to send a message of his own.
[Aleph: 'Where are you, Stelle?']
The response came moments later, along with a photo of several garbage bins with muscular arms and legs, and a message:
[Stelle: 'These guys said pineapple juice is better than cranberry. Someone's gotta teach them a lesson.']
Aleph groaned and put a hand to his face in exasperation.
Firefly, curious, asked what was wrong. He simply showed her the screen.
She looked at the picture and smiled wryly.
"Ah… yeah. That sounds like her."
Welt walked a few steps ahead and turned back toward them.
"I'll be a bit further ahead. Don't take too long."
Aleph nodded, then looked at Firefly.
"Were things like this… common before?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer.
She let out a soft laugh.
"The only difference was that back then, you were part of it too. And it usually ended with a lot of property damage."
Aleph raised an eyebrow.
"Worse?"
Firefly nodded.
"Remember the time Kafka took away your allowances for wrecking half a hotel floor?"
Aleph chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Vaguely."
"And how you and Stelle decided to rob a bank to get it back?"
"That sounds… like something she'd do."
"And you followed her without question. But since that was too complicated, you two ended up pestering Silver Wolf until she helped you hack into several accounts. You got a fortune in credits and spent almost all of it on candy."
Aleph's jaw dropped slightly.
"Silver Wolf got punished for it. They confiscated all her gear for a week—and Stelle had the brilliant idea of blasting Lacrimosa on her phone while Kafka was lecturing her."
Aleph pictured it and burst into laughter.
"I can totally see that happening."
They started walking again, following Welt into the narrow neon-lit alleys. The glowing lights painted fleeting reflections across their faces as they reminisced about those chaotic days.
As they walked, Firefly picked the conversation back up.
"Oh, and before I forget—Silver Wolf got her revenge later. When she got her gear back, she showed you both just how vengeful she could be. She hacked your devices, changed all your usernames, banned half your accounts, and deleted a bunch of your gacha saves—then left a note: 'That's what you get for messing with me during a weekly event. Next time, I won't hold back.'"
Their laughter faded.
Firefly lowered her gaze, and after a brief silence, she spoke again.
"I'm sorry."
Aleph stopped and turned to her, puzzled.
"For what?"
"For making you go through so much before telling you everything."
He shook his head.
"You don't need to apologize. I guess the script didn't let you."
Firefly nodded slowly.
"Elio already knew the clash between SAM and the Express was inevitable. I tried to prevent it, even though it was pointless. But…"
She looked away.
"…I also wanted to spend time with you and Stelle. Not as SAM. As Firefly."
Aleph watched her quietly for a moment before replying.
"Don't worry. When all this is over, you'll have some freedom before going back to the script. We'll make the most of that time. The three of us—do something normal… even just for a while."
Firefly looked at him, surprised at first—but then smiled softly.
"I'd like that."
Aleph glanced sideways at Firefly.
"So, are the Stellaron Hunters after the Watchmaker's legacy too?"
Firefly gently shook her head.
"No. My only directive was to make sure you and Stelle joined this search. That's all. The Watchmaker's legacy seems to have some connection to your Trailblazing expedition, but Elio didn't explain more than that. He only told me it was crucial that the two of you were involved."
Aleph raised an eyebrow.
"That's strange. Elio's scripts used to be different. They always revolved around a specific focal point."
Firefly lowered her gaze for a few seconds before replying.
"Since you left, the scripts have changed. They no longer revolve around specific Stellaron events, but around occurrences that, one way or another, involve you, Stelle, and the Astral Express."
"...Okay, that doesn't sound good at all."
Aleph sighed.
"For now, it's pointless to worry about a future that can still change. Elio himself has had to rewrite his scripts more than once because of unforeseen variables."
Firefly gave him a doubtful look.
"You really think that's the case?"
"Yeah. It's happened plenty of times before. Elio isn't infallible. Remember that time in Noctyra? He hadn't foreseen those things or the encounter with Valentine and the Exequias of Faith, and we still had to adapt. Nothing's set in stone."
"Maybe… but his margin of error was never this wide. Something—or someone—is shifting the flow. And that worries me. I don't know what that might mean for the future."
Aleph smiled and placed a fist against his chest.
"Don't worry. If the worst happens, I'll protect Stelle with everything I've got."
Firefly looked at him, but instead of relief, her eyes filled with deeper concern. She said nothing—only lowered her head.
A moment later, she stopped and took Aleph's hand.
"I need to leave for a bit. It won't take long, I promise."
"Leave?"
"Yes." She said. "By the way, there's something you should know—time doesn't flow the same way here as it does in reality. This place has a high concentration of memories, and if you get distracted, you could fall into the Memory Zone. Be careful, Aleph. You're more sensitive to that than you realize."
Aleph nodded slowly.
"Got it."
Firefly gave him one last look before fading into the blue mist.
"We'll meet again soon."
Once more alone, Aleph kept walking.
His mind drifted back to that feeling he'd had after waking up—before ending up here—and to Burroughs' explanation.
Why had his stats increased again?
Did he even have stat points left?
He was sure he'd spent them all before coming to Penacony.
He shook his head.
Was Burroughs hiding something? Or was she malfunctioning?
It had been a long time since he'd had any missions or challenges.
[…Really, why do you have to be perceptive only at the worst possible times, Master?]
Burroughs' voice sounded weary.
Aleph sighed.
"What's going on?"
[Do you remember the encounter with Aha before entering the Luofu?]
Aleph frowned as that unpleasant memory resurfaced.
[That 'joke' of his caused several system errors. I've lost a lot of data. Some of it irreparably corrupted.]
Aleph couldn't help but worry.
"Are you okay?"
[If he'd wanted to cause me permanent damage, we wouldn't be speaking right now. Don't worry, Master. I'll just be inactive for a while to run updates.]
"Is there anything I should watch out for in the meantime?"
[Not really. Most of your functions will remain stable. You can still summon demons by voice command—just whisper the demon's name. The rest of my functions will return once repairs are complete.]
Aleph exhaled but nodded.
"Understood. Rest as long as you need."
[Always the dramatist, Master. Until next time.]
The mental link went silent.
Aleph exhaled again and kept walking, feeling lonelier than before.
After a while, he spotted a familiar figure ahead. Welt was waiting, leaning on his cane.
"You look lost in thought."
"Just thinking about something unimportant."
"Can I ask what exactly?"
Aleph tried to keep his expression neutral and gave a believable excuse.
"Acheron's sword slash."
Welt nodded, looking ahead.
"I see. That explains a lot. Now I understand why she's so reluctant to draw it. A power like that, contained in a simple sheath… impressive. If Aventurine's strength hadn't come from Preservation, the dreamscape could have collapsed in seconds."
Aleph changed the subject.
"What do you think about Gallagher?"
Welt adjusted his glasses.
"He gave us valuable information about the Clockmaker and his history with Penacony and the Family. But there are inconsistencies. We were investigating a murder, and suddenly he veered off into his personal story. Why would a security officer go that far off-topic? And now Firefly mentions his name again here. It's hard not to be suspicious of him."
Aleph rubbed the back of his neck, looking uneasy.
"By the way… what do you think of Firefly?"
Welt gave him a calm look.
"Don't worry. She's already revealed that she's a Stellaron Hunter and shared useful intel. Learning that the Molten Knight is actually a young woman with such an unassuming appearance was surprising, but her honesty seems genuine. I believe she wants to earn our trust—for now, cooperating with her isn't a bad idea."
He walked a few steps ahead, thoughtful.
"Still, she hasn't told us everything. I suspect she entered Penacony through a different method than we did—one that might be hiding greater dangers."
Aleph's phone buzzed. He checked the screen and saw a message from Firefly.
[Firefly: "I forgot to tell you how to get into the Dreamflow Reef fortress… Sorry."]
Aleph let out a short sigh and slipped the device back into his pocket.
"Welt, come with me. Firefly left directions."
The two walked to the end of the alley on the right, then turned left, where they found a slightly worn metal elevator.
According to the message, that was the right way.
Once inside, the elevator began to rise. Through the glass, the Dreamflow Reef unfolded beneath them—a magnificent sight. It lacked the decadent splendor of the Golden Hour, but it still possessed a beauty grand enough to steal anyone's breath.
"Truly an impressive view." Welt commented, resting on his cane.
"Yeah." Aleph replied, taking several photos with his phone.
"March is definitely gonna want to see this."
....
When the doors opened, they were greeted by a massive wall covered with two gray curtains. On each one, Clockie was drawn with a wide smile and outstretched arms.
Welt raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"Seems like Clockie's even more beloved here than on the other side."
They walked farther in.
To their surprise, the place had a fairly organized structure—residential areas separated from commercial zones, defined streets, even small shops.
"For something built here like this, it seems people were already living in this place before the abductions." Welt murmured, scanning the surroundings.
"The architecture reminds me a lot of the ones I've seen in pictures of other dreamscapes." Aleph added. "Think it could be the work of the same person?"
"Possibly." Welt replied, then shook his head. "But there's no point in speculating for now. We'll analyze it later when we have time. What matters now is regrouping with Himeko, March, and Stelle."
They continued walking toward what looked like the entrance to the commercial district.
As they advanced, a cheerful voice called out.
"Aleph!"
They both turned and saw Misha waving from a distance, accompanied by Clockie, who was energetically waving both hands in greeting.
Welt eyed them with curiosity.
"What a coincidence running into you here." he murmured, hand to his chin in a contemplative pose. "...Especially after Acheron cut through the Sweet Dream."
Aleph looked at him, somewhat lost, not entirely understanding what he meant.
Welt noticed his expression and smiled in an easygoing manner.
"Don't worry, Aleph. Just me rambling, nothing important." Before Aleph could even say a word, Welt was already moving forward. "Since they greeted us, it'd be rude not to return the gesture."
Though puzzled, Aleph nodded—his reasoning was sound enough.
Misha waved excitedly.
"I'm so glad to see you both!"
Clockie hopped toward Aleph.
"Nice to see you again! And with a new friend too!"
Welt leaned forward slightly, observing the tiny figure.
"Are you... a meme from the Memory Zone?" Welt asked, intrigued by Clockie.
Clockie shook his head enthusiastically.
"No, no! I'm just me! The hero of Dreamville!"
Misha smiled.
"He's my best friend. I don't know where he came from, but he's always been with me."
Aleph blinked, recalling something the little one had said before.
"Wait, Clockie—you said only people with pure, honest, and innocent hearts could see you, right?"
"Exactly! Glad you remembered, Aleph!"
Welt cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses, trying to maintain composure as he averted his gaze. Hearing something like that at his age was... a bit embarrassing—especially since neither Aleph, Misha, nor Clockie said it mockingly or with ill intent.
"Well… I suppose I'll take that as a compliment." He muttered under his breath.
Clockie let out a lively tick-tock and raised his hand for a high-five with Welt.
Misha watched them curiously.
"How did you manage to get here? This dreamscape isn't open to the public. Did the Sleeper bring you?"
Aleph frowned in confusion.
"The Sleeper?"
Welt spoke before he could ask more.
"You live here, Misha?"
The boy nodded.
"Yeah. When I'm done working at the Hotel Fantasia, I come back here. It used to be easy to travel, but after some... messy problems, the Sleeper started transporting people between this place and the other dreamscapes."
"Could you describe this Sleeper?" Welt asked calmly.
"Sure! He's big, with bat-like wings, a huge red eye, his body looks like purple crystal, and there's a metal stinger at the end of his tail… Gallagher takes care of him."
The name made Aleph frown.
"That guy again?"
Welt adjusted his glasses.
"Then, as I suspected... that 'Sleeper' must be what they call 'Death' in the other dreamscapes."
Misha's eyes widened.
"D-Death?" He stammered. "That can't be! You can't die in dreams. The Sleeper can be a bit rough, sure—sometimes he... swallows the wrong people... well, not always... but—"
His face turned red when he noticed Aleph's blank stare.
"He's not a bad guy!" Misha insisted, clapping his hands together nervously.
"Has he been bringing in the wrong people lately? Sorry for all the questions—we're investigating a missing person case." Welt asked.
Misha tilted his head.
"I'm not sure. But Gallagher would know more. Though he's busy right now with a visitor from the Oak Family. He said not to bother him until he's done."
"I see." Welt replied.
Misha thought for a moment, then asked,
"Mr. Yang, are you looking for Robin?"
"Yes." Welt answered.
"...Just as I thought. If Firefly's here, then the chances of Robin being here too were pretty high." He murmured quietly.
Misha nodded.
"Then come with me. She said she'd gladly welcome visitors from the outside."
Clockie hopped onto Aleph's shoulder.
"Come on, come on! I'll show you the way!"
Aleph and Welt exchanged a quick glance before following the little duo deeper into the district.
.....
As they followed Misha, Aleph took the chance to ask,
"Misha, have you seen three girls around here? A redhead, one with pink hair, and another with gray hair and a somewhat… absent-minded expression?"
"No? I mean, I don't think I have." Misha said, tilting his head thoughtfully. "But it shouldn't be too hard to find them. The Dreamflow Reef is smaller than the Golden Hour, and it's not that crowded either. If we work together, we'll find them soon."
Aleph nodded, resting a hand on his chin.
"That'll be interesting… I'll finally get to test the trap I designed to catch Stelle and March."
Welt gave him a strange look, not entirely sure how to feel about that.
Why were Aleph's eyes sparkling like that?
…Was he even letting out a faint villainous laugh?
"Young people these days…" Welt muttered, choosing not to comment further.
Clockie spun in place and raised one of his tiny hands.
"Don't worry! Security here is unmatched—nothing bad will happen!"
Misha smiled.
"Then it's settled. I'll be your guide. When you're done looking for your friends, I can show you the inside of the fortress." His expression suddenly lit up as if remembering something. "Oh, right! I almost forgot—Robin went to Grace's house to play with the kids and will be staying there for a while, so there's no need to rush."
"Good. That'll give us time to get our bearings." Welt said, seeing no problem with the arrangement.
Clockie hopped down from Aleph's shoulder.
"Wait here a moment! Misha and I need to grab something important. We'll be right back!"
As the two walked off, Welt crossed his arms, scanning the surroundings carefully.
"You know, Aleph." He began. "The further we go, the more intrigued I am by the mastermind behind all this."
"What do you mean?" Aleph asked.
"The Dreamflow Reef, the kidnappings, the changes in the dreams… everything seems to follow a clear intention, but we can't see the purpose. What reason could there be for all this? What's Gallagher's role in the middle of this game board?"
He shook his head.
"Every answer we find helps us see the picture more clearly, but it also opens the door to more questions." Welt gave a small, ironic smile. "If I'm being honest, it's actually a rather nostalgic feeling."
Aleph looked at him curiously.
"Nostalgic?"
"Yes." Welt let out a faint sigh. "It's a feeling I used to know very well back on my home planet—before I boarded the Astral Express."
They both sat on a nearby bench. Aleph watched him quietly for a few moments before speaking.
"I've always wondered… what was your life like before the Express?"
Welt smiled faintly, tinged with melancholy.
"I always tell everyone I was an office worker and an amateur animator, and that's true." He said, his gaze wandering into the distance. "But I took that job long after retiring." He rested his cane across his lap.
"Before that, I used to run… well, something like an academic and research institution, you could say." Welt couldn't help but chuckle a little at the sight of Aleph's bright, curious eyes. "Not so different from what I do now, in a sense."
Aleph nodded slowly, taking in his words. Before he could ask more, Misha and Clockie came running back—prompting Aleph to sigh; that meant Welt wouldn't keep talking.
Both were now dressed differently—far more colorful than before, almost too colorful—and each wore a shiny badge reading "Reef Guide."
"All right! Now we're ready to go!" Misha announced proudly, hands on his hips and a radiant smile on his face.
....
The group followed Misha through the different parts of the area. They passed small stalls, shop windows, and softly lit storefronts. Despite the dreamlike atmosphere, there were more people than they expected—former residents mixed with those who had been dragged here by Lethargy.
Aleph approached a railing, awestruck by the view. On the horizon, the water seemed to converge at a single point, swirling as though being drawn into a black hole.
Without thinking, he pulled out his phone to snap several photos.
"If you wander off too far, you might get lost." Welt said with a faint smile; seeing Aleph like this reminded him a little of March.
When he caught up, he saw Aleph chatting with a young woman with light brown hair and curious eyes, holding a tablet full of diagrams and formulas.
"Are you studying that?" Aleph asked, pointing at the phenomenon on the horizon.
"Yes." The girl replied eagerly. "It seems directly connected to dreams and memory—and I've finally gotten answers!"
She laughed a bit oddly, pushing her data right up to Aleph's face.
"My research builds on the work of Miss Razalina—the first to theorize about cumulative memory dynamics! I only had to tweak her methods a bit to get accurate results—it's the end! The whole dream will collapse in ten hours!"
Misha scratched his cheek with a nervous chuckle.
"Uh… don't mind Kaimee. She can be a bit… passionate. But don't worry, it won't take long before she realizes her data's wrong."
Welt, who had just walked up, raised an eyebrow at the name.
"Razalina…" He murmured. "What do you know about her?"
The young woman nodded enthusiastically.
"Her work was absolutely brilliant! Sadly, ordinary people don't appreciate research. Because of the existence of the Garden of Recollection, few show interest in studying the nature of memories." Kaimee shook her head as though saddened by it. "In the end, Razalina left this world without receiving the recognition she deserved. Only a few journals and personal notes remained."
Welt and Aleph exchanged a silent look as the girl continued her passionate monologue.
"I came to Penacony following her path! Just when I was about to give up, I ran into Lethargy and ended up here in the Dreamflow Reef! Isn't it ironic? Searching for the truth about memory, and I end up inside a dream."
"That must've been quite the surprise." Welt commented.
"It was. I would've loved to meet her in person." She nodded, placing a few papers into Aleph's hands. "According to my calculations, there's an abnormal accumulation of memories in the Golden Hour, and something—an unknown presence—is stirring the waters of the Sea of Memories. But I'll find proof. I'm sure I'm close."
Without waiting for a response, Kaimee hurried off, muttering about getting concrete evidence and proving everyone wrong.
Aleph watched her leave before glancing at Welt.
"Well… that was peculiar."
"Scientific passion." Welt said with a shrug. "Sometimes people get carried away by it."
"Has that ever happened to you?"
"Not exactly… but I've known plenty who have. I wouldn't recommend it. It can end rather disastrously."
They kept walking, and Misha—who had patiently waited—resumed speaking with an understanding expression.
"Ah, Razalina. Yes, I've heard that name. They say she died during the Prisoner War. She was an important ally to Penacony's founders."
Misha continued talking enthusiastically, but Aleph wasn't listening anymore.
His eyes had fixed on something ahead.
In front of an ice cream stand, a familiar figure stood frozen in indecision before a mountain of flavors, holding a tiny spoon in each hand, visibly struggling to make up her mind.
Aleph brought a hand to his forehead and exhaled slowly.
"March…" He murmured, a sly smile spreading across his face. "March."
Aleph moved as stealthily as he could between the stalls, closing in on his target.
There was March, still undecided in front of the ice cream counter, a tiny spoon in each hand and a deeply focused expression on her face.
"Target located." He murmured with a grin.
He took one step, then another—channeling every bit of his predator's instinct—before pouncing mercilessly on his distracted prey.
"March!"
That was the shout heard just before she let out a muffled scream, feeling a pair of arms wrap around her from behind.
"Ah—A-Ah! I knew it! The vengeful ghost of stolen desserts has come for me!" March cried in panic.
Aleph burst into laughter.
When she recognized him, March frowned and gave him a small punch with her clenched fist.
"That's not funny."
"Of course it is." He said, easily lifting her up and hoisting her over his shoulder, ignoring her flailing.
"One of the targets has been captured," he declared solemnly as he walked toward Welt.
Welt sighed as he watched them approach. Somehow, seeing the two like that brought to mind the image of a puppy proudly carrying a bone—or a raccoon showing off its prize.
In the end, he just chuckled quietly, finding the scene somewhat amusing.
"Should I proceed with the elimination of variables, Mr. Yang?" Aleph asked with a wink.
Welt blinked for a second before deciding to play along.
"Proceed, Mr. Avesta."
Aleph sighed dramatically.
"It's been nice knowing you, March. No hard feelings—this is purely for research purposes."
March froze.
"Wh–what are you going to do to me…?"
And then she remembered something.
Didn't Aleph have a really weird habit of eating almost anything—even things no one should eat?
Like that time back in the Luofu…
Aleph had taken a big bite out of the Ambrosia Tree with a satisfied look on his face, saying it "tasted amazing."
Her face went pale as her imagination twisted the memory into the horrifying image of Aleph biting her and muttering that March with mayonnaise was a delicacy fit for gods.
"W–Wait… you're not seriously thinking—"
"Of course I am." Aleph smirked shamelessly. "I've always been curious about how you'd taste. With that hair color, I figured you'd be something sweet—bubblegum? Strawberries? Yogurt? Maybe cotton candy?"
He licked his lips expectantly.
"Can't wait to find out."
March trembled, thrashing harder.
"I don't taste good! You'll get a stomachache!"
Aleph broke into another fit of laughter at her second squeal.
March, red with embarrassment as she realized he was only joking, smacked him hard on the shoulder.
"Stop teasing me!"
"Sorry, couldn't help it." He said, still laughing.
Off to the side, Misha watched with confusion.
"Uh… is this normal?" He asked.
Welt shrugged.
"At this point, it's hard to feel like a day's complete without a scene like this. Though usually, there are two more people involved…"
March's indignant yelling caught the attention of a passing Pepeshian.
The small creature froze, trembling, and nearly burst into tears.
"N–Nooo! Why me?! What did I do wrong?! I've been good all my life! Wh–Why can't I rest in peace after Death took me?!"
Aleph nodded proudly.
"As expected of the mighty Phantom Queen, March 7th. Her screams can terrify even the purest souls."
"Stop saying weird things!" She shouted, a vein pulsing on her forehead.
March tried to approach the Pepeshian to calm him down, but the little one just backed away, trembling even more.
"Stay away! You won't take my soul!"
Aleph doubled over with laughter as March glared daggers at him.
"This is your fault! Now people are going to start spreading weird rumors about me!"
While the little one still stared at her in terror, March crouched down and tried to explain the situation slowly.
"You're not dead, you hear me? Repeat after me: Dream–flow–Reef."
"D–Dream… what?" The Pepeshian stammered, even more confused.
"Dreamflow Reef!" She repeated, syllable by syllable.
"Maybe you should let someone else handle this…" Misha suggested carefully.
"Nope, I've got this!" March said, looking back at him with determination.
The little one shrank in terror.
"She's talking to herself! She's talking to herself!" He squeaked, covering his head. "I should never have tried sleeping inside a dream! Curiosity killed the Pepeshian!"
And with that, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Welt observed in silence.
"He looked genuinely terrified."
Misha knelt beside the little one and nodded sadly.
"It's probably because of the memory memes. They hunt down people with strong negative emotions and take the form of their nightmares. Normally it's not a problem—folks here are used to it—but if Sleepyhead keeps bringing in outsiders, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened."
"...I think we should move him somewhere else." Aleph said, carefully picking up the fainted Pepeshian.
"We could take him to Jessie." March suggested. "She might be able to help."
"Jessie?" Aleph asked.
"She owns a nearby bar." March explained. "She helped me out when I got lost after arriving here."
Welt nodded.
"With any luck, she'll know how to handle it."
They walked for a few minutes until they reached the place.
The sign flickered faintly, and behind the counter stood a woman with short, wine-colored hair and a calm expression.
"March, nice to see you again." She said with an amused smile. "And who are your companions?"
"Oh, this is Mr. Yang and Aleph—some friends of mine." March said.
"And what's with the little guy you're carrying?" Jessie asked. "Don't tell me you've started trafficking them or something?"
"W–What?! No, I—" March stammered, shocked.
Jessie laughed.
"Relax, relax. I'm joking… but seriously, what happened to him?"
"March scared him so badly he fainted," Aleph said, ignoring the betrayed glare his friend shot at him.
Jessie chuckled.
"Classic you, March."
"It's not my fault!" She pouted, cheeks puffed out.
Jessie carefully took the little one into her arms.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of him. But if you really want to help, I need you to bring the Aureolian Lady. Her songs can heal mental wounds better than any medicine."
March tilted her head in confusion.
"Um… the Aureolian Lady?"
Welt leaned toward her and whispered,
"I think she means Robin. After all, she's here too, in the Dreamflow Reef."
"Oh!" March nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, we'll bring her right away!"
"And while we're at it." Aleph added. "we might as well look for Himeko and Stelle too, right?"
...
"And then that guy told me he was from a nearby star system." March said as they walked. "Though I swear he had an accent just like someone from Jarilo…"
Aleph raised an eyebrow.
"There are stowaways from other systems here?"
"Lots!" March nodded enthusiastically, showing her phone. "Look, I've got pictures with some of them! This one's a mechanic from Tornilla, this other guy was a botanist from an asteroid called Kevala, and this girl was from Salsotto—she made amazing cakes!"
Welt looked at the photos with a calm smile.
"You've been keeping yourself busy."
"And I learned even more things!" She went on. "Turns out there are other places like the Dreamflow Reef scattered all around the Zone of Memories in Asdana. They're like little dream islands. According to an old dreamer, the Reef used to be the center of all dreamscapes when this world was formed."
"The center, huh?" Welt murmured. "If that's true… it would explain the architectural similarities you noticed earlier, Aleph. Maybe the original design of the dreamscapes came from here."
"So it wasn't my imagination!" Aleph said, sounding pleased.
"Apparently not." Welt replied in a thoughtful tone.
As they walked through the Reef's streets, March was more animated than ever, practically dragging Aleph along by the arm. The air carried a familiar aroma—one that brought a smile to both their faces.
"…I'd recognize that rich coffee smell anywhere." Aleph said.
"It's Himeko!" March exclaimed.
"She should be nearby." Welt added, adjusting his glasses as he glanced toward a terrace not far away.
And there she was—Himeko, sitting at an outdoor table with a cup of coffee, chatting calmly with a broad-shouldered man with short blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard.
Himeko looked up with a warm smile as she saw them approach.
"Right on time."
The man stood and greeted them with a polite nod.
"Micah." Himeko said. "These are Welt Yang, Aleph Avesta, and March."
"An honor to meet you." The man replied in a cordial voice. "You must be the Astral Express's so-called Anonymes, right?"
Aleph blinked in confusion.
"You know us?"
"Ever since you set foot in Penacony." Micah explained with a nod. "I've been keeping an eye on your movements. I would've preferred to meet under better circumstances, but with the Reef's paths sealed off… it wasn't easy."
He gave a short bow, one hand over his chest.
"Micah, gravedigger of the Dreamflow Reef. My apologies for not introducing myself properly sooner."
"Gravedigger?" March repeated with a blink. "So… you take care of graves?"
Micah smiled.
"Something like that. Life here is peaceful, and everyone tends to themselves. My only real duty is to keep a few lonely graves clean."
"I see. So you're a sort of caretaker." Welt said with interest. "By the way, Micah, what kind of graves are we talking about?"
"They're not graves in the traditional sense—more like symbolic stones." He scratched the back of his neck. "But if you're curious, I can take you to see them. You might even find a little surprise."
"A surprise?" Aleph raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"You'll see." Micah replied as Himeko let out a soft laugh behind her cup.
"But before we head out, there's someone else we need to pick up." The gravedigger added. "An important guest."
Micah led them through a series of cobbled streets, warning them to watch their step where the path had worn down.
They descended a wide staircase that opened into a quiet clearing where a soft melody floated through the air.
There, surrounded by children, was Robin.
Her voice was warm, and the little ones mimicked her gestures as she guided them like a tiny choir.
March froze.
"Huh? Robin?" She muttered, sounding disappointed. She'd known it was unlikely, but part of her had still hoped it would be Stelle.
"…Ah, so that's Robin?" Aleph echoed, puzzled.
"Have you seriously already forgotten who she is?!" March said, shocked.
"…Is there a reason I should remember her?" Aleph asked, genuinely confused.
March pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed in exasperation.
"You're impossible."
Meanwhile, Robin looked up, smiled, and waved.
"Well, well, looks like we've got some pleasant company."
Micah stepped forward.
"I thought you might enjoy a bit of companionship."
Aleph, Welt, and March exchanged glances, not quite sure what he meant.
...
Meanwhile, somewhere else in the Dreamflow Reef—
Stelle sat on the bench of an old station. In front of her, the train tracks disappeared into the mist.
In the distance, she could hear the sound of a train approaching—but strangely, there was no train in sight.
"How long until it arrives…?" She murmured under her breath.
A gentle voice answered from beside her.
"It won't. That train departed long ago. What you're hearing is only its memory—caught in the Reef's current."
Stelle jumped slightly and turned toward the speaker. It was a pale-skinned woman with white hair, dressed in black, her attire reminiscent of an antique porcelain doll. Several transparent orbs floated lazily at her side.
"Who are you?" Stelle asked cautiously.
"Elegy." The woman replied with a faint smile. "A pleasure to meet you, traveler."
Elegy's eyes were a deep, luminous blue—but lifeless, inert. Stelle realized with a start that the woman was blind.
Trying to shift the topic, she pointed to the floating orbs.
"What are those bubbles?"
"Memories." Elegy answered. "I collect the echoes of worlds that suffered apocalyptic events. My duty is to keep them safe—so they aren't lost to oblivion."
Stelle watched the colorful bubbles in silence, captivated.
"Can I see one?" She finally asked.
Elegy smiled, lifting one of the orbs, which glowed with a soft light.
"Of course." She said softly. "After all… who knows when you'll have another chance?"