If it were just an ordinary, small-scale swarm, Penacony's own forces could naturally hold them off.
Even if they couldn't, throwing enough credits at the IPC to buy an annihilation service would settle the matter.
But what had appeared was clearly no ordinary swarm.
Born from the memories and psyches of individuals, rumors whispered of a swarm possessing the power to devour dreams and annihilate the spirit.
They were even being controlled by a single entity...
If such a power were to fall upon a world like Penacony, which possessed a massive Memoria dreamscape, it would undoubtedly become an absolute catastrophe.
That was why Gopher Wood had come in person, even preparing himself to summon Dominicus should things take a turn for the worse.
He hadn't expected, however, to run into an old acquaintance.
Gopher Wood still felt a sense of gratitude toward the woman who was once 'Celenova.'
Had she not delivered Tiernan and Kamu to Penacony, he likely would have perished during the attacks that followed shortly after.
Even if he had managed to survive by some fluke through the power of Harmony, he would have been reduced to a mere meme trapped within the dreamscape.
He certainly wouldn't be standing here on a starship, arriving at the very edge of the Asdana star system.
So, when the power of Harmony detected that familiar aura, Gopher Wood went as far as using the term 'friend' to signal his goodwill.
Regardless of any personal disillusionment he might feel toward the Harmony, this person had indirectly saved his life.
Furthermore, she seemed to have control over that peculiar swarm, making it all the more worthwhile for Gopher Wood to extend an olive branch.
"Rumor had it that the Stellaron Hunters might have a hand in controlling that swarm, but it seems the one actually pulling the strings is you, my old friend."
"Why not bring your Iron Cavalry friend along and join me on the ship for a chat? Allow me to play the host," Gopher Wood invited.
AR-214 turned her head toward 'Little Herta.'
The girl had just implied she shouldn't go to Penacony—should she go up there now?
"Come along, it's fine. Just stay close to me and nothing will happen."
"Okay..."
'Little Herta' gave AR-214 a reassuring nod.
Regarding this matter, she had asked Jingliu to help her get confirmation from Elio.
The reply she received was simple: as long as AR-214 stayed by her side and didn't stay in Penacony long-term, she would be safe.
The two followed the guidance and boarded the ship.
'Little Herta' deactivated her armor, her form shrinking down into that of a petite young girl as she stepped onto the deck.
AR-214, naturally, remained encased in her armor, but when she saw that the person's true appearance was such a small girl, her voice rang out through her helmet, unable to mask her shock.
"You're... a child?!"
"If I'm not mistaken, my old friend's current form should be modeled after Madam Herta during her childhood, correct?"
A dignified, slightly elderly man walked over elegantly, clearing up AR-214's confusion.
'Little Herta' nodded at his words. "Exactly. My true self is no child, so there's no need for surprise."
"Is that so?" AR-214 was baffled, wondering why anyone would have such a strange quirk.
However, after wandering alone for a while, she at least knew that not every thought was fit to be blurted out loud.
'Little Herta' glanced at AR-214 before looking back at Gopher Wood.
"I'm glad to see you're still healthy. I heard Mikhail and Tiernan have already died once."
"Yes. If you hadn't sent Tiernan and Kamu to Penacony back then, I likely would have died in a dream long ago," Gopher Wood remarked, his tone thick with emotion.
That long-premeditated assassination attempt from years ago had been thwarted by the forceful intervention of Tiernan and Kamu.
The conspirators' plans had failed, and Gopher Wood had emerged unscathed, yet the event had changed him fundamentally.
With Gopher Wood's silent approval, the mastermind and his accomplices were all executed by Kamu in the name of the Bloodhounds.
Afterward, Tiernan had embarked on a solo, terrifying hunt against the unruly Dreamchasers, establishing a rule of the Hunt for Penacony.
In the past, Gopher Wood would never have permitted such extreme behavior.
But after that incident, he felt that 'Celenova' had been right: without Order, how can there be Harmony?
'Little Herta' didn't know the full story, but she could guess from Gopher Wood's tone that quite a lot must have happened back then.
This old gentleman had likely strayed from the path of Harmony.
Whether he would choose Order, however, remained to be seen.
"Well then, after several centuries, would you like to see Penacony again? Compared to how it was hundreds of years ago, the Penacony of today is quite different."
"The Planet of Festivities, right? I've heard of it. Why don't you show me and my friend around?"
A smile touched Gopher Wood's face. He looked at the Iron Cavalry soldier who had been standing behind 'Little Herta' like a guardian deity since they arrived.
"And how should I address this young lady?"
"AR-214."
"..."
Gopher Wood paused for a moment, then, as if realizing something, gave her a gentle look. "I see. Then please, both of you, follow me."
Gopher Wood left the majority of the fleet behind to conduct a search, ensuring no remnants of the swarm had slipped through the net.
Meanwhile, he escorted 'Little Herta' and AR-214 to Penacony.
The current Planet of Festivities was a far cry from what it was centuries ago.
The Reverie Hotel now possessed the same opulent, magnificent look 'Little Herta' remembered from the game.
However, with AR-214 standing beside her, that suit of armor drew quite a few wandering eyes.
"I have arranged the highest-class suite for you both. I hope you enjoy a perfect vacation."
Bypassing the reception desk entirely, Gopher Wood personally handed the keys to the top-tier room to the pair.
He didn't push for an immediate deep conversation, instead insisting they enjoy themselves in Penacony first—playing the part of the perfect host.
"As for Mikhail and Tiernan, I have already sent word to them. I imagine they will be delighted to reunite with you." With those final words, Gopher Wood took his leave.
'Little Herta' led AR-214 into the elevator to head to their room.
The heavy boots of the Iron Cavalry thudded against the soft carpet, creating a muffled, rhythmic sound.
Passersby scrambled out of the way, seemingly terrified that this dangerous-looking figure might blast them away on a whim.
It wasn't until they were alone that AR-214 finally spoke in a low voice. "I cannot enter the dream... Madam."
"Call me Bai Ming."
"Madam Bai Ming, Glamoth Iron Cavalry cannot dream. I'm afraid I won't be able to enjoy the wonders of this Planet of Festivities."
AR-214 looked down at the key in her hand, her voice tinged with disappointment.
She had chosen to flee because she wanted to explore the world and find herself; how could she not yearn for a world of beautiful dreams?
"No, not necessarily. Stay in the room with me later, and I can show you how a dream can come true." 'Little Herta' winked at AR-214.
Under normal circumstances, it was true—she couldn't dream. But 'Little Herta' was hardly a "normal circumstance."
While the Iron Cavalry couldn't dream, they didn't necessarily need to dream to enter a dreamscape.
At the end of the day, a dreamscape was still a world constructed from Memoria. No matter how special an Iron Cavalry pilot was, her body still contained Memoria, linking her to the ubiquitous world of memories.
For ordinary people, the boundary between dream and reality was sharp and difficult to cross.
But for 'Little Herta,' once she understood that the essence of the world was inextricably linked to Memoria, that boundary was no longer such a daunting barrier—especially for a special Pure Child like her.
Leading AR-214 into the room, 'Little Herta' looked up at the tall suit of armor, thought for a moment, and asked, "By the way, AR-214, can you take off that armor while we're in a group setting like this?"
"...I don't know. I'll try."
AR-214 truly didn't know; she only dared to remove her armor when she was completely alone.
While serving within the Cavalry, military regulations strictly forbade pilots from removing their battle suits.
She had never dared to openly defy orders—if she had, she wouldn't have survived this long with a three-digit serial number.
But now, as a deserter, she naturally didn't care for military law. Besides, she was curious to see what would happen if she shed the suit.
Soon, flames ignited across her body. As the fire dissipated, the armor vanished with it.
Finally, standing before 'Little Herta' was a white-haired girl wearing a form-fitting combat suit, her hair tied in low twin-tails, sporting red-rimmed glasses and a red hairclip.
She looked almost exactly like the character from the animated short 'Little Herta' had seen—the "rebellious" special unit.
Seeing her unique appearance, 'Little Herta' finally understood why she was the one who had chosen to desert.
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T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL