Dreamflux Reef, within the Narrow Alley.
Robin crossed her hands over her chest and looked at Sol with an earnest gaze that was almost pleading.
She desperately needed an answer.
Far away from the Golden Hour, within this dreamscape untouched by The Family, her voice was recovering.
This was good news—but it also implied that there was a massive source of dissonance within The Family itself.
She needed an answer, one that would allow her to help her brother, the helmsman of Penacony.
"Since you have asked with such sincerity," Sol said with a gentle smile, speaking like a proper gentleman, "as your loyal fan, I am willing to reveal the answer to you."
"Thank you for your generosity!"
Robin's smile blossomed, pure and white like a gardenia.
The reason sounded a little ridiculous, but it genuinely made her happy.
She would remember this kindness.
"At some unknowable moment, the Aeon of Order, Ena, fell. Xipe, whose Path was broader and greater, absorbed the Path of Order. Harmony became stronger—but with that, the seed of calamity was planted."
"The remnants of Ena merged into The Family. At first, they may have been lost, but as time passed, their convictions solidified. When people grow dissatisfied with the present, they begin to long for the past."
"The remains of Order awakened within Harmony and sought to ascend once more to the supreme throne of an Aeon."
Sol looked up at the sky, the corner of his lips curling upward. "What a magnificent chronicle—witnessing the birth of an Aeon. How many lives could even imagine such a feat?"
"Even those arrogant existences of the Genius Society would rush toward it like moths to a flame upon learning of this. Lady Herta, famed across the cosmos, still attempts to glimpse the secrets of Aeons through the Simulated Universe—yet some have already embarked upon a fanatical path to resurrect one."
"I am merely one of those drawn here. Whether the descent of an Aeon succeeds or fails, it is a great endeavor all the same."
Under normal circumstances, if Sunday had not been stopped by the Astral Express Crew, Ena of Order truly might have had a chance to revive.
He was tempted. If he could witness the return of an Aeon, his own path toward godhood might advance much faster.
Of course, Ena's return would almost certainly trigger the outbreak of an Aeon war immediately, which fundamentally went against his interests.
The drawbacks outweighed the benefits—it needed to be stopped.
Even so, merely awakening the Shining Tiga was already his greatest gain. Or better yet, interrupting Ena's revival process and keeping it firmly in his own hands.
"Someone within The Family… wants Ena to return?!"
Robin shuddered, her face draining of color.
"The return of an Aeon is undeniably magnificent," Sol said with a sorrowful sigh, "but how many will pay the price in this grand spectacle?"
"Before an Aeon, even an Emanator is nothing more than an insect granted power—let alone the mortals of the Asdana Star System."
He was planting a concept.
Order was the enemy.
And in truth, the real enemy was not nearly as terrifying as he described.
Awaken belief within people's hearts, then cleave apart Ena's dream with absolute force.
If one cared nothing for mortal lives, simply doing the latter would also suffice.
"Thank you for telling me this."
Robin's expression grew heavy, her thoughts racing. "I think I must return to The Family now and stop all of this. I'm sorry—this will interfere with your wish to observe the birth of an Aeon."
"Do not attempt to stop it forcefully."
Sol pressed down on Robin's hand and looked straight into her beautiful eyes. "If a plan to revive an Aeon can be easily thwarted, then it never should have existed in the first place."
"Even if you seek aid from the Astral Express Crew or the Interastral Peace Corporation, you would only end up witnessing the revival ritual in the midst of a devastating war."
This outcome was foreseeable. For this Charmony Festival, the families behind the scenes had made countless preparations.
Perhaps that was precisely why they had come to Penacony—to recreate Ena through the power of the Stellaron.
This might be the final chance for Ena to awaken. They would absolutely have the resolve to burn their bridges.
"A devastating war…?"
Robin covered her throat, feeling lost.
She had encountered war during her interstellar tours—her throat once slashed open by stray fire.
She had witnessed firsthand the terror of war. It did not care who you were; it dealt death with absolute equality.
Robin looked at the calm and composed Sol, like a lost lamb. "Then… what should I do?"
"Investigate quietly, without drawing attention. Contact every force you can."
"Remember—do not make a spectacle of it. Uncover the full sequence of events, gather scattered strength into a single fist, and appear at the critical moment of the ritual to minimize its impact."
Sol held Robin's hand tightly, conveying a blazing confidence to her.
From an objective standpoint, this truly was the optimal solution.
Of course, that was under the premise of not knowing that Sunday was the key figure.
If one knew Sunday's importance, then Robin bringing the Astral Express Crew to seize her brother outright would resolve everything.
"Darling is absolutely right. This is the best plan."
Sparkle looked at the two of them, the smile on her lips growing increasingly unhinged.
She more or less understood Sol's intentions—turn the twins of Harmony against each other. Lift the little bird up when her wings were broken, and in doing so, capture the bird of freedom itself.
So, twisted. She loved it.
"I understand now."
Listening to Sol's guidance, Robin's eyes gradually brightened.
That's right—by sabotaging things at the critical node, all consequences could be minimized.
And as for allies, just as Sol had said, the Astral Express Crew and the Interastral Peace Corporation were excellent choices.
Even the Stellaron Hunters, the Masked Fools—and Sol himself!
"Good. As long as you understand."
Sol withdrew his hand at the right moment.
"May I ask why you're helping me?" Robin asked with some confusion, staring intently into his eyes. "By your own words, you wish to witness the birth of an Aeon. I'm standing in the way of that wish."
"The success or failure of an Aeon's descent is not that important—they are equally grand and magnificent."
Sol smiled calmly. "Besides, your request holds more value than you realize."
He paused, then continued. "I hope what I've said will be of help to you."
"It helps immensely, Mr. Mercer!"
Robin took the initiative to cradle his hand, thanking him sincerely.
He had revealed so much vital information to her.
Most importantly, the idea that the success or failure of an Aeon was equally monumental.
Yet she herself could still occupy even a sliver of weight in Sol's judgment—such consideration was enough to move her deeply.
Compared to events of such magnitude, an individual was truly insignificant.
"Then, Miss Robin, what will you do next?"
Sol accepted it naturally, then asked with curiosity.
"As you advised—seek clues, unite allies, and deliver the heaviest defeat at the most critical moment for the remnants of Order."
Robin's eyes burned with fighting spirit, just as she once carried her songs across the stars.
Penacony, the land of dreams—the place where she and her brother grew up, where billions of lives sank into slumber.
No matter what, she would never allow Order's conspiracy to succeed.
No matter who stood in her way, she would stop it all.
And so, Robin looked at Sol, her emerald-green eyes filled with sincerity. "Mr. Mercer, please help me."
"Of course."
Sol straightened his expression and spoke solemnly. "When Order seeks rebirth and brings about boundless karmic ruin, I stand with the Light of Hope."
A light—brighter, more intense—drifted from his hand.
It settled upon Robin, and she felt the power of hope.
This light felt familiar.
She had received a trace of it before, in the Golden Hour.
===BREAK===
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