"Come on, let me show you the local specialties!"
Firefly clasped her hands behind her back, her face beaming with a sunny smile full of youthful energy. Under her lead, the two soon arrived at a bustling, dreamlike street.
"If you don't know what to do first after arriving in the dream, you can check out the Oti Mall. The variety of goods here is incredible. Apart from Dr. Edward's 'Dreamscape Boutique,' many dream outfits and custom mounts are purchased here."
"Look over there—that sheep with a bell around its neck was originally the main character in some animated show. Even though the original was 2D, it's perfectly recreated here."
"And that lady over there seems to be a game character, quite famous too. They say she's from some place called Jerusalem…"
"If you want to customize your appearance, as long as it's not against the rules, you can modify it with a few Alfalfa Credits… Oh, but I think you look plenty good as you are now."
—"Hmm?"
As Firefly was pointing at the 'Appearance Customization Shop' to introduce it to Stelle, a blond man inside the shop noticed the two. "Oh… what an unexpected pairing. How could Passenger March 7th allow something like this to happen?"
"Sir, your customized appearance is complete. That'll be three thousand Alfalfa Credits," a shop assistant said with a cheerful smile.
The blond man elegantly handed over a card, gesturing for her to swipe it herself. After settling the bill, he asked politely, "Dear lady, could you tell me where the nearest restaurant is? I'm rather curious about how dreamworld steak and red wine compare to reality."
"Sir, head right after leaving and go straight—that's the Gourmet Street."
"…"
Stelle and Firefly chatted and laughed as they arrived at Gourmet Street. Suddenly, Stelle noticed a familiar figure and froze in place.
"What's wrong?" Firefly turned back, asking with concern.
Stelle's mind was utterly baffled. She rubbed her eyes hard and exclaimed, "Ott… Void Archive?"
The figure ahead, with flowing golden hair, wasn't that the man with the face that could infuriate gods and men alike?
Hearing her voice, "Void Archive" turned around, gave a slight smile, and said, "What a coincidence, Miss Stelle. Want to hear a bad joke to confirm the identity beneath this skin?"
Stelle: ?!
"Shush?" Stelle pointed at him. "You're using this skin—aren't you afraid Uncle Yang will beat you up?"
Shush shrugged. "In the dreamworld, even Mr. Welt wouldn't take it too seriously, right?"
Stelle's expression grew odd. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you later."
Shush glanced at Firefly beside Stelle, smiled faintly, and extended his hand. "Hello, I'm a companion of Miss Stelle. We're both from the Astral Express. And you are…?"
Firefly gave a sweet smile. "I'm a friend Stelle just met. Right now, I'm acting as her guide, showing her around."
"Oh—I see," Shush said with sudden realization, then turned to Stelle. "Alright, I've signed a confidentiality agreement. I won't tell Passenger March 7th about this."
Stelle: "…Hey! Don't go saying weird things!"
After passing through Gourmet Street, Firefly led Stelle to a large plaza. Standing there was a statue made entirely of pure gold, adorned with expensive gemstones, towering over ten meters high. Normally, this should've been a statue of Clockie, but in reality…
It was a muscular, clock-headed man sitting on a massive high-backed chair, sipping red wine and playing with dice.
Firefly: "Look, this is Penacony's most iconic landmark, the Clockie Daddy Statue. It comes from an animated series that's been passed down in Penacony for nearly ten Amber Eras."
"And here's a little secret: Clockie Daddy's legal department is said to be the strongest in the galaxy. Once, a company's creative team tried to make an IP similar to Clockie Daddy, but they lost a lawsuit in just three days under the might of Penacony's official legal team."
Stelle: This setting feels oddly familiar.
Firefly: "This statue isn't just commemorative—it's also the prototype for Clockie Daddy, a symbol of the wealth and status of Penacony's founder, Mr. Mikhail."
"I heard Mr. Mikhail was a universe-renowned super tycoon. Even with Penacony's massive staff, he ensured every employee's dorm had air conditioning."
Stelle felt a surge of respect. That's some serious wealth.
—"Hmm? What a coincidence, Stelle."
As Stelle was gazing up at the towering Clockie Daddy statue, a gentle voice called out. Turning around, she saw Himeko not far away and immediately waved. "Sister Himeko!"
What she didn't notice was that, upon seeing Himeko, a fleeting sharpness passed through Firefly's gentle gaze.
"What a coincidence? You're here to see the Clockie Daddy statue too?" Himeko smiled, then seemed to notice something, her lips curling into a slight arc. "Oh? Young people's social skills are impressive. You've only been in the dreamworld for a short while, and you've already made a new friend?"
"Uh, about that…" Stelle glanced at Firefly and introduced her. "This is a friend I just met. Her name's Firefly. She's really nice and super enthusiastic. She's my guide right now, showing me around."
"Oh—" Himeko nodded meaningfully. "Alright, I won't disturb you two then… Oh, and I'll pretend I didn't see anything. I won't tell March."
Stelle: …Why is even Himeko saying stuff like that?
She was clearly being perfectly normal, okay? She hadn't done anything against the rules!
Ten minutes later, the two arrived at a vibrant, dreamlike park.
"This is Aideen Park, the largest park in the entire 'Golden Hour.' It also holds a special significance that other moments don't have."
Firefly pointed to a SoulGlad-shaped building in the distance. "See that? That's the headquarters of the SoulGlad Company, one of Penacony's cultural icons, famous across the universe."
"Hehe~ A little secret: I've always loved drinking SoulGlad. If it weren't for the high sugar content, I'd probably drink a bottle every day!"
Stelle nodded in agreement. "I love SoulGlad too. SoulGlad forever!"
Firefly covered her mouth, chuckling softly. "Yup, you're so right. SoulGlad forever."
"But let's focus on what's in front of us for now—the amusement rides here are one-of-a-kind in the universe. Since this is a dream, even rides that would be extremely dangerous in reality are no big deal here. If you want to pilot a super mech, they can make it happen~"
"A mech?"
Stelle raised an eyebrow. Speaking of which, wasn't this basically Uncle Yang's dream paradise?
Where was Uncle Yang right now, anyway? Should she send him a message?
—"Yo, Stelle? What a coincidence, you're here too."
A familiar voice came from the side. Welt, carrying a box of tokens, walked toward them.