"Achieving the level of an Emanator through pure energy alone?" Robin murmured to herself, finding it somewhat incredible.
Acheron, however, gave Derick a longer look. Others might not understand this situation, but Acheron knew it crystal clear. That was absolutely certain.
When it came to people who had achieved the power of an Emanator without an Aeon's favor, Acheron could be considered Derick's senior. According to the common definition in the universe, if only those blessed by an Aeon can be called Emanators, then Acheron wouldn't be considered an Emanator either.
She is merely a person with the power of an Emanator.
"How do you plan to do it?" Acheron asked Derick.
"Well..., I haven't quite figured it out yet. Or perhaps, the time isn't right," Derick replied.
Acheron nodded. "Alright. If you need anything, I will help you."
"Me too," Robin chimed in enthusiastically from the side.
On one hand, Robin's fondness for Derick was genuinely high, and she was more than willing to help him with something. On the other hand, Derick's talk of becoming an Emanator without the power of an Aeon had also piqued her interest.
She wanted to know exactly how he would do it.
"Mhm."
Derick nodded, glancing at Robin.
He wondered how she would react if she knew the final part of his path to becoming an Emanator involved stealing her brother's creation. But then again, she would most likely be supportive. After all, Robin would never agree with what Sunday had done.
Glancing at the time, Robin felt the day was coming to a close, so she said to Derick, "Um, Derick, I have to go back and rest. I still need to prepare for the Charmony Glee. For everything else, just give me a call if you need anything. If I have time, I'll come find you too."
"Mhm." Derick nodded. "You've worked hard today. You should go get some rest. I'm looking forward to seeing a superstar like you perform at the Penacony Charmony Glee."
"When the time comes, I will absolutely give my best performance."
When it came to her area of expertise, Robin was never one for false modesty.
"Great!"
After a few more words, Robin bid Derick farewell and prepared to return to the Oak Family's residence to see her brother, Sunday.
Robin had to tell her brother everything that happened between Derick and Aventurine today, down to the last detail. It concerned the affairs of Penacony, and she would not treat it lightly.
Arriving at the Oak Family's residence, Robin immediately went to see Sunday. Sunday doted on his sister immensely, and upon hearing she was looking for him, he came to see her at once.
After listening to Robin recount the conversation between Derick and Aventurine, Sunday couldn't help but chuckle.
"Derick is our benefactor. We will naturally give our full support to whatever he wants to do. He has any needs in Penacony, and I will have people help him with them."
Ultimately, Sunday was truly curious about how Derick would become an Emanator.
"As for the Interastral Peace Corporation's situation, I will keep what he said in mind and not let them fish in troubled waters."
As he said this, a sharp glint flashed in Sunday's eyes.
If Derick hadn't spoken up, he might have truly been deceived by Aventurine. Of course, in the end, under the effect of the Dream of Harmony, all of Aventurine's efforts would have been for naught. But it would have inevitably caused him some trouble in the early stages.
Derick speaking out now had saved him quite a bit of effort.
...
After Robin left, Derick planned to walk around a bit more with Castorice and the others before going back to rest.
And just as they were rounding a corner, Derick saw a fellow with a clock for a head walk past him.
Well, well. I've run into Clockie!
Derick thought to himself.
Beside him, Stelle excitedly said to Derick and the others, "Hey, look! This is Penacony, alright. Even a cartoon character like Clockie has shown up."
Hearing this, Castorice and Huohuo wore confused expressions.
"Stelle, what are you talking about? What Clockie?"
Both of them looked as if she were joking.
Stelle pointed at Clockie.
"I... don't see him either," Acheron also spoke up.
Clockie, equally shocked, ran up to Stelle and said, "You... you can actually see me?"
"Is it strange to see you?" Stelle scratched her head, asking Clockie in confusion.
"Yeah, it's not strange at all to see you." Derick walked up behind Clockie, squatted down, and patted its shoulder.
Derick thought for a moment. He could probably see Clockie because his Fifth Clone had devoured a good amount of Memoria from the Reverie Reef. The clone's energy would be transferred to his main body, so Derick also possessed this ability.
"You... you can see me too?" Clockie was even more shocked.
Castorice and Huohuo were even more bewildered.
"Are you both saying you can see a cartoon character called Clockie?" Castorice asked Derick.
If it were just Stelle, she could have been joking. But with both of them saying they could see it, Castorice naturally believed it was real.
"That's right." Stelle nodded emphatically.
Then, an expression of contemplation appeared on Stelle's face, and she suddenly clapped her hands.
"I get it now." She looked at the others and said, "It must be because only people with pure hearts can see Clockie. Among everyone here, only Derick and I are pure of heart, so that's why we can see him."
Castorice: "..."
Even as much as she liked and trusted Derick, she really couldn't associate 'pure of heart' with him.
Huohuo's suspicion was practically written all over her face.
Derick cheated, had an affair with his teacher, was two-timing—no, many-timing—and had a thing for lolis. How could any of that possibly add up to being pure?
"Why don't any of you believe me?" Stelle muttered as she saw everyone's disbelief.
"Especially you, Derick. Why do you look like you don't believe it either? Don't you even believe in yourself?"
If Stelle had asked, Derick would have definitely nodded seriously.
Did he not know what kind of person he was?
"I don't know why you can see me either," Clockie said to Stelle. "But I'm really happy that you can. In all of Penacony, no one besides Misha can see me."
"Misha?" Stelle asked, puzzled.
"Where is he? Take us to see him," Derick said from the side.
He knew that Misha was Mikhail. Seeing him sooner would allow him to do something sooner.
"Okay, okay, I'll take you to see Misha."
Clockie had no reservations about this and nodded repeatedly.
Then, it started walking ahead, signaling for Derick and Stelle to follow.
Derick glanced at the others, preparing to go with them.
____
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