While Stelle was still savoring the image of Firefly punching through a television, she suddenly noticed a faint, azure crack creeping up Firefly's rosy neck, as if it might shatter at any moment.
Stelle: !
Entropy Loss Syndrome, tsk… I almost forgot about that.
"Firefly, your neck…" Stelle cautioned with concern, "There's a crack there. Are you okay?"
"Huh?"
Firefly instinctively touched her neck, then smiled nonchalantly. "This? It's an old issue, no big deal."
"Ever since I was born, I've been different from others. I have superhuman strength, but my body's durability doesn't match it. So, every time I exert myself, there's a chance I'll damage my flesh or even my bones."
Stelle: …
Firefly: "…Hehe, but I believe with you around, you'll protect me no matter what dangers come next, right?"
"…Uh, yeah! Yes, yes, yes!"
Stelle planted her Flame Lance into the floor and declared, "As long as this is here, nothing can harm either of us!"
"Let's hurry and find the source of the Harmony. Otherwise, we might never get out of here."
Outside The Reverie Hotel.
March 7th casually tossed Sparkle onto the ground. "This the place?"
Sparkle: "*tavern curse* You told me to lead the way, so I did! Couldn't you at least let me walk on my own? You dragged me the whole way—do you even realize that?"
"Hm? You didn't say you wanted to walk," March 7th said, puzzled.
Sparkle gritted her teeth and shouted, "*Tavern curse!* Did I even have a chance to say anything? Did you give me a chance to speak? You were running faster than something flying in the sky—did I have a chance to say anything?!"
"I'm done!"
March 7th clicked her tongue, grabbed Sparkle by the waist, and pulled her so close their faces nearly touched. Her voice was icy. "Masked Fool, do you even realize you brought this on yourself?"
"I haven't locked you in a secret room for punishment yet, and that's me being nice. What? You planning to rebel now?"
"Take me to Stelle quick. If we're late, the consequences will be far worse than you can imagine. Got it?"
Sparkle's eyes widened, and she unconsciously swallowed, a faint blush creeping across her face. This pink-haired girl is way too close. What's her deal?
"Hmph… From what I've observed, that Stellaron Hunter clearly has bad intentions toward your Stelle. Plus, with Gallagher's concert happening in The Reverie Hotel in this dreamscape, there's a ninety percent chance they're here."
"Ninety percent? What if we hit that ten percent chance, miss finding my Stelle in time, and she gets whisked away by some shady woman from outside?!" (Super long, convoluted sentence.)
"Fine, fine, it's one hundred percent they're here, okay?!" Sparkle struggled fiercely. "When I made contact earlier, my Dreamchaser Fish left a mark on them. No mistake!"
"I've already brought you here, so let me go!"
"No way!"
March 7th hoisted Sparkle onto her shoulder. "This hotel is huge. Am I supposed to search room by room? You're sticking with me, and if this works out, I won't shortchange you."
Sparkle's pale legs kicked wildly. "No! Let go, you jerk! This position's gonna make me flash everyone!"
She didn't want to be the punchline!
March 7th carried Sparkle to the hotel entrance, only to be stopped by two Bloodhound Family guards. "Sorry, The Reverie Hotel in the dreamscape is currently under maintenance. No tourists allowed. Please understand."
March 7th snapped, "I'm looking for someone. Did a gray-haired girl just go inside?"
The two Bloodhounds exchanged a glance. "Miss, we're both professionally trained. No matter who comes, we won't let outsiders in."
"Unless they offer too much."
Inside the hotel.
The two encountered plenty of Sweet Dream Troupe monsters along the way, but fortunately, Stelle now had the Flame Lance at her side. No matter how many enemies there were, she could grind them down bit by bit with its mechanics, ensuring Firefly didn't have to act recklessly.
As they defeated more monsters, Stelle grew increasingly adept with the Flame Lance.
She was now confident she could handle any enemy below weekly boss level on her own!
Creak—
At that moment, a door beside them suddenly opened, and a figure stepped out—
Stelle: Hm?
"Eat my lance!"
Stelle shouted, thrusting her lance at the figure, pushing them back into the room.
"Wait, Stelle, don't go in!"
Firefly's expression changed, and she hurriedly followed.
Bang!
As Firefly entered, the room's door slammed shut with a bang and locked with a series of clicks.
"Ugh… (Annihilation Gang curse)… What kind of Memory Zone Meme dares to ambush me?!"
A deep male voice rang out. When Stelle got a clear look at the figure, she froze.
The one she'd struck was none other than Duke Inferno, whom she'd met not long ago!
What kind of plot twist was this?
Duke Inferno gripped the lance's tip tightly, his fiery eyes locked onto Stelle. "A Nameless of the Astral Express? Are you… colluding with the Family too?"
Stelle quickly retracted her Flame Lance. "Du— uh, I mean, Your Grace, no offense meant! We've been attacked by a ton of Memory Zone Memes and Sweet Dream Troupe members. You appeared out of nowhere, and I got a bit too jumpy."
"Hm…"
To Stelle's surprise, Duke Inferno didn't fly into a rage. Instead, he fell silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Nameless miss, since it was an accident, I understand. Please forgive my crude words earlier."
Stelle: ???
Your Grace, you're this easygoing? I just stabbed you!
"Since you've faced so many attacks, why not travel with me for now? I swear on Idrila the Beauty that I'll do my utmost to ensure neither of you comes to harm."
Stelle and Firefly exchanged a glance. This Duke is way too polite.
Those who know him know he's Duke Inferno. Those who don't might think he's from some knightly order.
"Your Grace, you're too kind. Meeting in a place like this is fate, isn't it? We can team up and figure out a way to solve this." Stelle cleared her throat.
"No, please don't call me Your Grace."
Duke Inferno extended a hand. "Calling me Your Grace makes me sound too ostentatious. Just call me Ifrit, like my master does."
Stelle: …
"Ifrit, why are you here? What happened just now?"
Firefly adapted quickly and asked.
At this, Duke Inferno sighed. "To be honest, I came here on behalf of my master to get Mr. Gallagher's autograph."
"I was originally here for Mr. Gallagher's concert, but something happened to this hotel, disrupting the forces that maintain the dreamscape's stability. That caused the hotel's structure to change, and monsters started spawning in droves."
"Even this very room—I had to expend tremendous effort just to open it."
Following Duke Inferno's gaze, Stelle and Firefly looked at the door. On the nameplate was a label:
A room you can't leave unless you XX.