Archive of Our Own

Sing it loud, sing it proud! 

by springfieldofcherryblossoms/umi-sen-yama-sen

It had been three days since the Astral Express had found themselves landing on their fifth world, which was Planarcadia, the planet that has close ties to Aha and the Path of Elation. It was full of sparkly, neon lights from almost everywhere at night—with large billboards of some animated characters and idols, floating emoji mascots, blaring techno music and unique-looking inhabitants that seemed like they came straight out of a comic book.

On their second day, Stelle happened to spot furry versions of them in some establishments, much to Himeko's hidden amusement. Although it made all of them dubious of the sight (with Mr. Yang getting all excited over a cool, large mecha statue nearby), they didn't expect that all of them would be ‘special’ in Aha's domain, where they would be seen almost akin to “celebrities.” At some point, they had to resort to wearing disguises in order not to be ambushed by some rabid fans who wanted pictures and even autographs. Dan Heng wore a cap and his silly Seal Sunglasses, March 7th sported a very short black wig that she claimed was an attempt to impersonate Betty Bomp, and Sunday donned nerdy glasses and a black facemask that concealed half of his face. 

As for her, well, she had to say that her Mem hat, which she didn't have the chance to wear in Amphoreus, has finally been used, but only to conceal the obvious color of her hair.

Now on their third day parading in complete disguise, the Astral Express Quartet found themselves walking through an almost endless entertainment establishment along the roads—with March 7th gesturing at almost every maid café, hostess club, fancy food stall, and even to the arcade places that she happened to see. 

“Everyone, look! It’s a karaoke box!” 

And right before them, they indeed spotted a gaudy-looking karaoke place with clown motifs and a very huge sign of a jester's mask that said, “Aha-ha-ha—Sing Along!”

“Sunny, if we ever enter that place, do you think there would be funny clowns in a weird getup greeting us?” she asked her silent Halovian companion, who seemed to be marveling at the ostentatious signage above them. 

“I'm quite uncertain. It might be just a theme, though?”

Dan Heng chimed in. “Definitely a theme. This planet is Aha's domain after all.”

“You know what? Let's go in! I want to sing!” The pinkette said as she pulled a surprised Dan Heng by the arm, followed by Dan Heng—who suddenly grabbed her arm as well, and she found herself pulling Sunday too as the three of them were being hauled all the way inside the establishment by an excited March 7th.

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“Seriously, March,” Dan Heng began, shaking his head as he observed the pinkette flipping through the pages of the songbook in search of a new song, even though her current unfinished one was still playing on the large screen before them. “And here I thought you wanted to sing, but why are you only singing a few parts?”

“Just so you know, this song is full of rap and I can't rap!” March complained through the mic and continued. “I can't follow it. It's fast!”

“Of course it would be fast, March; after all, you said it's a rap.” He said this while crossing his arms and maintaining a deadpan expression. “Why did you even choose that song to begin with if you knew you couldn't rap?”

“Because it's a good song?”

Dan Heng sighed. “If that's the case, you shouldn't have picked this song in the first place.”

“Geez! Stop nitpicking! If it bothers you that much, why don't you try singing that part of the song instead!” she pushed the extra microphone on his way to challenge him. 

“I can't. I don't even know that song.”

“Then Sunday,” March chose to turn her full attention to a silent Sunday who was sitting next to her, sipping a colorful beverage. Just existing and nothing else. “Sing that part for me!”

“...” Sunday didn't answer for a moment, but when he did, he only shook his head in complete reluctance. “My apologies, Miss March, but I have a similar case with Mr. Dan Heng. As much as I would have liked to help you, I didn't know the song as well.”

“These two unbelievable men! What are you? An ape stuck in a cave? How come you didn't know this song?! It's famous!”

They fell silent for a moment, then—

“...I’m only familiar with instrumental music or Robin's songs…”

“...I got stuck in Amphoreus for who knows how long…”

“Nonsense! This song came way too early, before we even decided to visit Jarilo-VI, Dan Heng!” She flashed the archivist a disapproving stare, then she switched her gaze to the Halovian and gave him a piece of her mind. “And you! You should expand your music tastes even more! Don't narrow it down to just Penacony!”

“...”

“...”

To spare both of the awkward men from humiliation, Stelle casually grabbed the other microphone from March as she waited for the song countdown to end on the large screen. “Don't mind them. I know this song; let me sing the rap part.”

…5..4… 

“Great! I know I can count on you!”

..3..2..1…

“I don’t want you to leave; please don’t leave me here alone! Don’t tell me it’s the end; keep those words to yourself—” she started singing the lines and continued. “Even just for a day, I can’t live without you. I want you back, want you back into my life, oh—”

It was March 7th’s turn this time. 

“I found a way to let you leave. I never really had it coming. I can’t believe this side of you—I want you to stay away from my heart.”

Then both of them started singing in unison. 

“Lala lala lalala la~ Lalala lala lalalala~”

“Lalala lala lalala~ Lalalala lala lalalala~”

This time, they sang side by side—taking turns and adding some dramatic flair to their performances. She pointed her hand to the amused Sunday. “Is it a punishment from the heavens?” 

“Or was I just thrown away this easily? Shall I try just going on, constrained by loving someone?”

Stelle suddenly circled her arm around Dan Heng's neck, pulling him in close to her, much to the man's surprise. “Oh, Dan Heng! I, wandering among the stars, fill my heart with melodies. Don't leave and let me freeze—!”

The instrumental part went on after she sang the last part of the song until it eventually ended. Dan Heng, who didn't expect to be pulled midway through the performance, could only grumble next to her. But he didn't seem mad or annoyed. In fact, the archivist looked like he was completely embarrassed for some reason; even his cheeks reddened in a fraction. 

“You almost blew off my eardrum.” He complained. And because of that statement, she and March started laughing like there was no tomorrow. 

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“Eh? We got a hundred percent score? No way!”

“Good day, all. Gramps, grannies, aunts and uncles—” She began speaking into the microphone, attempting to mimic Owlbert's narration style, but she completely failed when the pinkette started laughing loudly from the side. Stelle grinned. "This is a major breakthrough for the Astral Girlies! Does this mean we can hold a concert somewhere in the universe?”

“In order for that to happen, I believe you will need a manager and a voice coach as well.” Sunday commented. 

“Please,” Dan Heng groaned, as if the thought caused him pain. “Please, don't give them any more ideas.”

“That's a good idea, Sunny.” Stelle deliberately ignored Dan Heng; her focus was now on Sunday, who was merely listening. “Should we try to convince Aventurine to sponsor us? Who knows, we could be the new dual girl group the whole cosmos needs.”

March seemed invested, beaming. “Should we?”

“Please don't,” The archivist could only sigh. “The karaoke machine is rigged.”

“What do you mean by that, Dan Heng? Our performance was good! Right, Sunday?”

“Yes, it's indeed a spectacular performance. I had to say it's full of verve.” 

“Sunday, admit it, they're out of sync when they sing.”

Sunday was silent for a moment before responding. “Well…that can be managed with proper coaching…”

Poof! 

Congratulations for hitting a perfect score! For that reason, you'll get a very special price!☆

“?” Stelle eyed the large screen behind her, brows raised. “Special price?”

“What? Where?”

As if it had been summoned, an emoji mascot with a large smiley face suddenly materialized behind the large screen—carrying a red box on top of its head. The mascot beamed upon seeing her as it carefully deposited the box into her awaiting hands. 

“Is this the ‘special price’?” she asked as she marveled at the box. 

The smiley emoji mascot nodded excitedly. 

“Okay. Thanks for delivering it, yellow fella!”

It just preened, seemingly pleased by her simple gratitude, before returning back to the enigmatic, enormous screen. 

“What's that?”

She took a seat next to Dan Heng and tried prying off the lid that covered it, but to no avail; it was tight and couldn't be opened with her bare hands (much to her slight annoyance). Stelle shook the mystery box right next to her ear to blindly guess what was inside, but she didn't hear anything. Weird. “Beats me. It can't be opened, though?”

“Let me try,” the archivist volunteered, reaching out to seize the box from her grasp and attempting to open it with his bare strength. However, the lid wouldn’t simply budge. “The lid isn't budging.”

“Try looking around the box. There might be a clue on how to open it.”

The four of them stared at it for a minute, searching for hidden clues, until suddenly, the Aha mask sticker affixed to it shone and began projecting strings of words into the air.

Instruction:

Shake the box many times to see what's inside!

(⁠◠⁠‿⁠・⁠)⁠—⁠☆

“...”

Sunday blinked in question, looking at the words displayed above them. “Shake the box?”

“Why does that sound…ominous? What if it's a bomb?” the pinkette murmured. 

“Are you sure this is a real price?” Dan Heng, their voice of reason, could only speak while sporting an uncertain look. “Why do I have a feeling that this is a prank?”

Stelle blinked as she read the instruction with wonder, then started shaking the mystery box in front of her, unbothered. “Well, there's only one way to find out….”

Shake shake shake

“...”

Shake shake shake

“...”

Shake shake shake—

“...It's not opening yet?”

She frowned and stopped at it for a while, checking the mystery box once again and finding nothing in the process. Several moments later, another set of words began to project itself from the Aha mask sticker. 

Got you! ♪ヽ(*´∀`)ﾉ

“I knew it. It's a prank.” Dan Heng remarked, not amused. 

Just kidding! (*´︶`*)ฅ

March frowned. “Is the box making fun of us right now?”

It's not! (p′︵‵。)

“I think it's trying to communicate?” Sunday commented, somewhat curious. 

You're correct! Just keep shaking! ٩(ᐛ)و

Then suddenly, the words disappeared and the holographic display transformed into numbers. 

100

She tried shaking it once. 

99

Then again. 

98

“You know what,” she smirked at the words displayed before them. “I think I'm going to shake it very hard this time.”

And she indeed started shaking the box in her hands—very hard—and the numbers began decreasing at every shake. 

Shake shake shake

“Do you need help?” Dan Heng asked. 

“I get this! Don't worry!”

Shake shake shake

She continued shaking the box vigorously until she had completely exhausted all of the numbers in the countdown hovering above their heads.

Silence. 

“...”

Their gaze was now entirely focused on the bold number “0” in the air, waiting for a surprise to come. But despite the fact that a whole minute had gone, nothing emerged.

“What the heck? I thought we needed to shake it to see what was inside, but nothing is happening at all.”

“Perhaps there's a defect?”

“If nothing happens in three seconds, I swear I'm going to chuck this box right on the screen and see what will happen.” She simply warned. 

1…

2….

3….! 

Stelle was about to chuck the box to see what would happen, when an animated Aha mask suddenly appeared on the large screen and made a cutesy, sad expression. The screen started typing, right below the animated figure, and said:

Impatient as always! Is this how you say you miss me? ♥

Huh? Why did that statement seem eerily familiar? 

“...Huh.”

“Is it…is it trying to communicate with you, Stelle?”

“It's—”

POOF!

The box in her grasp suddenly opened, much like a party popper, with spring coils bursting forth from inside, spilling confetti. But instead of confetti, she received a spring coil toy of a tiny cartoonish mushroom clutching a card, with the box lid striking her right in the face. 

March exclaimed. “Stelle!”

“Are you alright?” Dan Heng closed in on her right away, looking to see whether she was harmed. “Did it hurt?”

She shook her head and stared at the opened box, clearly taken aback. “I’m fine. Don't worry.”

March snatched the box lid from the floor and started threatening the animated Aha mask on the screen with it. “Hey, you! Do you think that's funny?!”

Not funny? ι(´Д｀υ)

“No, it's not!” 

But, special price? (´•̥﹏•̥`)

“Just where is the special price anyway?!”

It's already there? (・'v`・)？？

The pinkette accused. “You just gave us a surprise toy! That doesn't look like it!”

“Maybe the toy was the special price they were referring to?” Sunday commented while leaning forward to see the said toy up close. “Or perhaps, it's this card?”

Stelle watched him extract the card from the mushroom toy, and he was correct; there was a distinctive shiny card in its grasp—which reminded her of the Nexus Anima cards that she discovered some Pepeshis enjoyed collecting.

“An Anima card?” The Halovian seemed to have the same thought as her, but upon seeing the silly print of a similar Aha mask in front of the card, Sunday only shook his head. “Or not.”

Thereafter, an echo of familiar maniacal laughter suddenly filled the karaoke box. Her three companions instantly froze at the sound, clearly wary of the unknown, but Stelle, who already knew who was behind the prank, could only sigh as she took back the card from Sunday and inspected it with wonder. 

A special privilege card blessed by The Joyseeker!☆ 

Keep this in your book at all times! Because if not, you'll see my head rolling! Kekekeke! 

“...” Her golden eyes landed on the satchel that she had been faithfully carrying with her since their arrival on the planet. 

How did they know she was carrying a book with her? 

“What is there to roll when you don't even have a head in the first place?” Stelle found herself murmuring as she grabbed her satchel and pulled out the original "As I've Written" book and slid the card into one of its pages. “Thanks for the price, by the way. I was in need of a bookmark,” she said dryly. 

Before she could close the tome, some words began to appear below the silly print of Aha on the so-called privilege card. 

It's not a bookmark! It's a special gift! (∩´﹏`∩)

So they can also use the card to communicate, she inwardly filed that little discovery in her mind and closed the book. 

“I think we should leave, Stelle. It's probably—”

“Nah,” she only waved her hand as she put aside the box and reached out for the remote, uncaring of the maniacal laughter reverberating inside the karaoke box. “Don't mind it. It's just Aha wanting attention. They will leave once they find you having fun.”

“A-Aha?” March stammered. 

“The Aeon of Joy…is with us?” Sunday murmured next, equally surprised as March. 

Dan Heng, on the other hand, seemed like he was already so done with everything that transpired for the day. He let out a long, burdened sigh. 

“Why do you always attract them?”

“Beats me. I'm probably just that charming.” She replied with a grin as she grabbed the mic and played another song. “Sunday, let's have a duet this time. They have Robin's song!”

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She wasn't sure how many songs that they had sung for the day. Just like what she had mentioned earlier, Aha's maniacal laughter dissipated the moment they started having fun by taking turns to sing. At first, she sang Robin's songs along with Sunday, who surprisingly had a terrific voice. Who would have thought that the silent, former head of the Oak Family could hit a couple of high notes effortlessly without needing to warm up his vocal cords? And he was chugging a very cold beverage while he was at it, too! 

March sang a couple of songs with a reluctant Dan Heng, but several songs later, he eventually let go of his embarrassment and started singing a few songs alone. As a result, they discovered that the stoic archivist was concealing a talent they had no idea of. Dan Heng has a versatile vocal range that left both her and March wide-eyed. 

“He can sing from low tenor to high baritone,” as noted by an all-knowing Sunday during one of their surprised moments while watching the archivist perform.

Aside from singing, they found themselves drowning in that addicting cold beverage and snacks that kept coming in their room, carried by those yellow emoji mascots, and sometimes with those cube cartoonish mascots too. 

Stelle didn't care whether the drinks were free or not; she continued to drink several glasses, eventually becoming tipsy as time passed. 

“So, this was alcohol, after all!”

“No kidding. This almost reminds me of honeybrew…” March said while sipping her own glass, seemingly tipsy as well. “...Sweet and addicting, but it will hit you a couple of moments later.”

Dan Heng, whose cheeks were also red from the aftereffects of the drink, grabbed both of their glasses and murmured. “You two should stop drinking.”

“Dan Heng! You're such a party pooper! Give me that back!” 

“March, stop. You're grabbing my face…”

“I just want my drink baaaack!” she whined. 

“Miss March, calm down. What about drinking water first?”

“Water? But it doesn't taste the same…”

“You need to stay sober. Stelle seems like—”

“Sunny!” she grabbed Sunday by the arm and started reaching for the remote near him. “Shut up and just give me the remote.”

She heard him let out a soft sigh, but he gave her the remote without qualms. Easy. 

“I want to sing more.” Stelle took the nearest songbook and began flipping through the pages in search of a song. When she found one, she started pressing buttons on the remote like a madman and watched as the title “Pomp and Circumstance” appeared at the top of the screen. “There you go~♪”

Click

She pulled Dan Heng away from the sofa to stand next to her, pushed the mic on his chest and made a demand. “Dan Heng, sing with me.”

“Huh—” he seemed a bit lost for a second, but when the song started playing and its huge song title blared on the screen, Dan Heng looked like he didn't know what to say. “That song…”

“Just so you know, I know which songs you listen to whenever you borrow my phone. Do you really think I wouldn't know?”

“...”

“I'm done singing Robin songs with Sunny. Your karaoke bonding with March ends here; it's definitely my turn.”

Dan Heng remained tongue-tied as ever, as he had no choice but to completely accept his fate. 

“Now,” she dragged him by the arm, clutching her own microphone as she faced the enormous screen, waiting for the song countdown to end. "You have to sing this song with me.”

“Lord Phainon, how are you feeling?”

“Let me see,” Phainon replied while trying to move his arms around to test. Nothing hurts, and he felt good all over. “All good! Thank you so much for always checking up on me, Hyacine.”

Hyacine smiled in response. “Please tone down your sparring fights with Lord Mydei. I know both of you are strong and can manage yourselves, but please keep in mind that Lady Tribbie doesn't want to see both of you all beaten up like rowdy children at the end of the day.”

“Haha! Mydeimos, did you hear that?”

“For that, I can't guarantee. This fool always challenges me to spar. And who wants to say no to having that aggravating face come into contact with my fist?”

“You mean my fist hitting your princely face, Mydeimos?”

“HKS.”

Hyacine could only sigh at the typical rivalry behavior playing out between them. At that point, it did feel pointless trying to talk some sense into them. Regardless of how often Lady Tribbie or Lady Aglaea chastised them, they would continue to squabble like children over who was stronger. 

“Are they at it again? It must be terrible to be their everyday healer and therapist.”

“Lady Cipher, hello.”

“Just ‘Cipher.’ Come on, don't make me cringe.” 

“Hehe, my apologies, I couldn't help it.”

Cipher crossed her arms. “Have you seen Aglaea and the others?”

“We're here,” The Goldweaver suddenly appeared along with the three red-heads who seemed to be eyeing Phainon and Mydei who were patched with bandages in some parts of their body. “Ah. So it happened again,” she remarked. 

“As usual…”

“Snowy, we already told you that you have to take it easy. You need to look after yourself more!”

“Greetings, Lady Tribbie.” Phainon could only offer, albeit sheepishly. “We're just sparring as usual. I hope you forgive me this time.”

They could only sigh, if not deeply. “We're not mad. But don't make us worry even more, okay? And you, Dei, you should stop falling into Snowy's obvious provocations every single time.”

Mydei couldn't bring himself to reply. “...”

“Now that I think about it, where's Castorice, by the way? I haven't seen her for a while.”

“Writing.”

“I should check up on her sometime. Her stories are interesting.”

“That's true,” Aglaea agreed and continued. “The last time I checked, she was able to finish her short ones and she was now working on another story.”

“It's a long, sweet story too!” Tribbie added. 

“We're actually encouraging her to publish her own literary works.”

“Really? That's awesome. What do you think, Mydeimos? You'll support her books once they come out, right?”

The Kremnoan prince was silent for a moment, but when he did reply, he awkwardly scratched his cheek and murmured. “I guess I might…”

A sudden moment of silence filled the air, as different sets of eyes were trained upon the prince as if they were seeing him in a different light. 

“...”

Mydeimos, who absolutely noticed their hawkish eyes pinned on him, could only bark. “What?”

Cipher whistled. “So, the handsome, gallant prince in her story was based on this lion, after all~”

“I knew it,” Phainon slowly blinked, as if a sudden realization hit him. “You like Castorice.”

“Shut up, Deliverer. Don't speak nonsense if you don't want to eat my fist.”

“Defensive, are we?” He flashed him a simple smirk, enough to ruffle the Kremnoan prince’s feathers. “How many times do I have to tell you that you aren't sleek enough to hide your attraction towards Castorice?”

Wordlessly, Mydeimos could only pinch the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut. “...”

He pushed on. “You shouldn't deny it. It's already obvious at this point.”

“HKS. Go to hell.”

“Dei Dei, you're giving in to Snowy's provocations once again.”

The ex-Deliverer sighed. “He really was that easy to rile, Lady Tribbie. It's unbecoming.”

“I'm challenging you to the fight of death right now, Deliverer. I swear upon the name of Strife, I'll wipe this floor with your face and blood.”

“Yeah? But before that, how many books are you planning to buy to support Castorice? I hope it's enough to crowd in the Kremnos’ library. It wouldn't be bad to have your own private collection, you know.”

“This conniving….!”

And chaos ensued, with Phainon defending himself from Mydei's barrage of fists. Phainon appeared to be enjoying himself by provoking the Kremnoan prince even more, while Mydei was clearly intent on harming him as they continued their deadly game of tag. 

“Heh. They're at it again. Who are you betting on, Pinky? This time, I'm with the Little Prince. After all, he seems to be out for blood for our ex-Deliverer boy.”

“...Shouldn't you be stopping them instead of making them fight?”

“Where's the fun in that? And who am I to stop them either?” Cipher grinned toothily in her direction, which caused Hyacine to shake her head.  

“Agy, they will be fine, right?”

“Well,” The Goldweaver only crossed her arms in response. “It truly depends.”

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The spar between two overly competitive warriors went on for half an hour, where neither of them wanted to back down and concede defeat. The remaining Chrysos Heirs could only watch them go back and forth, as if they were just mere spectators in another one of their intense battles of strength.

But then, in the midst of their sparring, all of them noticed a burst of colors in the clouds, painting the clear skies with powdered smoke of various hues. Curious and fascinated, Phainon and Mydei came to a halt in the middle of their fight due to the unexpected spectacle unfolding before them. The crowd seemed to be doing the same thing, as they remained stuck in their positions, completely taken aback by the stunning sight that had startled the entire city of Okhema.

“Fireworks?” Cipher questioned. “No, it doesn't have sparks, though…?”

“It's daytime fireworks,” Aglaea said in response to her query, looking both astonished and amazed. “But I wonder, where do these daytime fireworks even come from?”

“Maybe there is a celebration going on?”

They both knew that idea was pretty unlikely, but they couldn’t help but consider it anyway. 

“I have no idea. Perhaps.”

Several moments later, they heard a boom of infectious laughter echoing all over the Holy City. It didn't sound human, given how truly unhinged it sounded in their ears. And suddenly, the skies above cracked and split open, creating a wide gap. The people and Chrysos Heirs could only watch in utter dread and shock as a massive shadowy figure wearing multiple masks peered through the opening, much like a child peeking through a dollhouse to check on their toys. 

As a result, no one moved. Let alone make a single sound.

The laughter persisted for a while, and every single soul in Okhema could only watch, watch and watch while holding their breaths as they faced the unknown. Their presence was absolutely overwhelming, way more overwhelming than the Black Tide or even Lycurgus himself. The level of superiority it emanated made them think of Irontomb in some manner, possibly even more, given how their very presence rendered them all frozen. They couldn't be sure whether it was out of fear or because this unknown figure had done something to all of them. 

But what they perceived as danger was actually the exact opposite when they just showered them with lots of colorful confetti that disintegrated in the air akin to stardust. When deemed satisfied, they simply vanished; their joyful laughter resonated until it died away, and the large gap closed as though nothing had happened—leaving a clear blue sky in the firmament above with no single trace left of the masked figure who had spontaneously come out of nowhere. 

The onlookers were left in a state of confusion, and without a doubt their hearts were still racing from the unexpected turn of events, including the Chrysos Heirs who were—for lack of a better word—in utter disbelief. As the last shimmer of confetti floated away, an inward sense of wonder replaced their initial fear, igniting conversations about the “mysterious being” who had brought such an unusual and unexpected spectacle. 

“....All of you saw that masked-wearing monstrosity, right?” Cipher was the first to break the ice, which was followed by a disturbed Hyacine, who kept looking at the skies to see if she wasn't hallucinating at all. 

“T-that was definitely not human,” said the healer. “It was even bigger than Kephale's statue…much bigger...”

“...”

“I wonder who that would be?”

“Perhaps…a Titan…?”

“But which Titan…?”

“Everyone!” Phainon called out as he ran all the way to them, with Mydei in tow; his worry was almost palpable through his tone. “Are you alright?”

They all nodded in response. 

“Snowy…” The Holy Maiden faced him, uncertain. “You saw that too, right?” 

“...” He frowned momentarily before offering his reply, but when he did speak, his frown deepened as he recalled something that triggered a distant memory. 

“I'm quite uncertain who that mysterious figure was, but I have to admit it truly reminds me of how I met—”

“...all…—bin's songs….you….choose?”

“....fine…whatever….pick.”

“—...sure? You…..preferences?”

“I….sure….good..”

All of them froze instantly at the sound. It wasn't a random laughter this time, but voices. There were two of them talking in the background, with a sound a bit muffled—hushed even—and all they could catch was broken sentences being carried through the wind. 

“—...about this one?”

“….sounds good….me.”

“Alright.”

This time, some foreign instrumental music began to play. It wasn't unusual, but there was something unique about it that they couldn't bring to name. It was definitely far too different compared to the instrumental music that they normally listen to. Even far too different from Hysilens’ aria. 

“—nny. Would you like to lead?”

“It would be much more appealing to me if you were to perform the opening song first.”

“Have I told you that you're way too formal? But sure, okay.”

Now, the voices became clearer and louder. All of them, Chrysos Heirs and Okhemans alike, could only listen to the instrumental music playing as the two voices echoed across the Holy City as they conversed. Like what happened earlier, they seemed interested in where the strange music and voices originated. But the Chrysos Heirs, on the other hand… 

“In candlelight, as time unwinds

I find myself lost in your eyes.”

“That voice….” Aglaea remarked, if not surprised. “...Isn't that…?”

“In midnight tolls, as darkness folds

I see your tears when we say goodbye.”

“...Stelle?” Phainon was the one who finally answered for all of them. Quite unbelieving. Just….How did that happen? How in Kephale's name were they able to hear her?

“Haha, would you believe that? Our very own Gray Mystery is singing!” Cipher clapped her hands, clearly amused by the revelation. “I haven't heard her singing, so this is completely a treat!”

“Honestly, I have no idea what's going on, but they seemed to be having fun. There's a lot of echo, though.” Mydei decided to join their conversation this time. Although he looked a bit skeptical about what had transpired in Okhema in only just one day, he couldn't outright deny that what they were hearing was in fact the Trailblazer, along with someone they barely knew by the voice. “I'm curious whether any of these have anything to do with the masked figure from earlier.”

And he was right; Stelle was indeed singing, together with a man whose voice was lyrical and quite soothing. It wasn’t Dan Heng (for that they were certain), but they had a strong feeling that it might be someone important who was also part of the Express that they hadn’t managed to meet. 

And the masked figure from earlier…

Phainon had to admit that the feeling he experienced upon seeing them was absolutely reminiscent of his initial encounter with Nanook. 

“Will shooting stars align ‘neath the sun? 

In whispered hopes where journey's begun.”

“In dreams, we waltz the sky

You watch me drift on by—”

“...”

They sang a mellow song. The instrumental was good, and the lyrics too were quite symbolic. The song conveys a bittersweet farewell and expresses a hope for reunion—someday.

For some reason, Phainon couldn't help but inwardly hope for the same thing as well. 

“—in your memory, a whispered song

A seed of hope where we belong.”

That perhaps someday, he would be able to meet her again.

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

“They surely are having fun, huh? I initially thought they would stop after one or two songs, but now it seems endless. I really couldn't count how many songs they've sung anymore.” Cipher commented next to Aglaea, with her face a combination of exasperation and amusement at the same time.

“I'm glad that they were able to have fun after all of the hardships they faced by helping us.” The Goldweaver replied with a gentle smile. “They deserve all the peace, Cifera.”

“Heh. Guess so. I can't deny that.”

“Miss March seems to be full of life whenever she sings! I had no idea that Dan Heng could sing too! What do you think, Cinny?”

“O-oh, yes. Both of them really sing well.”

“Big Sis, don’t bother her. She's busy mooning over Terravox Jr.”

“Mooning? Ahhh..”

“Th-that's not true! I'm just listening to them sing!”

“Yuuup,” Cipher eyed Hyacine with a very shrewd look, borderline teasing. The latter, on the other hand, seemed really embarrassed by the sudden, unsolicited attention. “That's the look I need. You look like a tomato as you deny it.”

“L-Lady Cipher!”

“You and I are weak like the reeds! But chasing flames is carved into creed, oh-oh!”

“...Cleave the darkness and seize the light. Daybreak meant to be free—”

“Dan Heng!”

They heard a very sharp echo, probably coming from their end, and then an irritated scold. 

“You need to put more feelings into it!”

“—we are gonna shatter the ties...”

“No soul! What's the point of having a good voice when you sing like a preacher?!”

“You're exaggerating.”

“You know I'm not! Right, Sunday?!”

“...Do I really have a say about this?”

“What are you talking about, Sunny? Of course you are; you are our precious unbiased critic in the Express. We already dethroned Dan Heng in that position.”

“...is that so?”

“Oi. What do you mean by that?”

After Dan Heng grumbled, they heard Stelle's familiar laughter afterwards. 

“Nothing! March, he just probably needs some voice warm-ups. Let him sing White Night next and have him shout!”

“I will definitely do that. Give me the songbook and remote!”

“No, not that song—”

“There's something on the screen.”

“‘If you liked the song, clap to show appreciation. If you didn't like the song, clap because you are glad it's over.’”

“What the hell? Is the screen making fun of us singing?”

“Aha is just messing with you. Please, March, stop shouting on the microphone.”

“Hahahahaha!”

“What a lively bunch. They're hilarious.”

“Hehe, they really are having fun right now. It makes us happy too.”

The Chrysos Heirs continued to listen to the voices sing like there was no tomorrow while huddling near the large tree of the Sunlit Garden. As for the common people, well, they didn't seem to mind the noises echoing around, especially when they found out it was the ‘Deliverer from the stars’ and her companions who were singing. In fact, they appeared to be enjoying themselves while listening to them sing; they even laughed from time to time every time March and Dan Heng banter like children in the background too. They really were entertained. 

Although it remained a mystery how the voices reached them from an unknown source, their skepticism about the phenomenon was overtaken by curiosity rather than negative questioning. 

“I wonder what really caused this? Do you think this will continue for a while?” Mydei asked, seemingly curious. 

“Hmm. Same question.” Aglaea nodded. 

“Considering how they were blasting off somewhere singing, I bet it might take some time.” The Thief Star could only shrug. 

Phainon laughed as he spoke. “I guess we'll just have to listen to them sing then.”

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

“Wow. They're still not stopping… How many songs were there?”

“Probably a lot… Also, is it just me, or are they drunk?”

Phainon blinked. Now that he thought about it, this time, they sounded way too enthusiastic and full of energy as they sang. Dan Heng seemed to be throwing off some of his inhibitions, too, and was singing freely along with them. Along with the other man in their group whose name was “Sunday.”

“It really does seem that way…” he trailed off. 

“One! Stop staying within the lines!”

“Two! We always alignnnnn!”

“Three! Even if we don't gain the upper hand, we'll fight for rightttttt!”

“This is actually catchy. I like this one.” Cipher said as she bobbed her head in sync with the beat. 

“Four! Never care a rap for hindsight!”

“Five! Let us light the nighttttt!”

“Six! Even when there are wheels within wheels, go ahead!”

“Get it pulverizeddddddddd!”

“We thought it would be a good idea to step outside for a break after hours of chess, but why does it sound like there is a concert going on throughout the entire city?”

“Imperator, Lady Hysilens, you both are here.”

“Woohoo! Damn right! That's a perfect score right there! Aha, give me a real price!”

Phainon could only smile, albeit awkwardly. 

“Gray Fry?” Lady Hysilens looked up at the skies, utterly confused by the loud yet familiar voice. “Why can I hear her? Is she here?”

“Um, no, not really…”

Stelle was chattering with her companions in the background. A combination of laughing and shouting reverberated all over Okhema. 

“I want more snacks and drinks!”

“...”

“Care to explain what's going on, Dux Solaris?” 

He momentarily scratched the back of his head. “Haha, how I wish I knew the answer to that…but unfortunately, I don't..”

“What do you mean by that?” Imperator Cerydra frowned in response as she crossed her arms, her eyes landing on Aglaea's in question. Equally as confused with the Sea Siren. “Dux Goldweaver?”

The Goldweaver could only shake her head. “All of us share Phainon's sentiment. We have no idea what's going on either.”

“It's a miracle, Little Imperator!” Lady Tribbie said as she pointed her little finger up above—pointing to the clear heavens. “It all happened when some daytime fireworks appeared out of nowhere!”

“Daytime fireworks, indeed!” Both Lady Trianne and Lady Trinnon added. “They were kind of pretty!”

“Daytime fireworks?”

“Uh-huh! Then afterwards, some huge, masked figure appeared in the skies!”

“...Huge, masked figure?” The Imperator and the Sea Siren parroted in unison, somewhat in disbelief. 

“Yes.” Aglaea confirmed with a curt nod of her head. “The teacher is telling the truth.”

“I want to sing this song…”

“Stelle, there's a mascot bringing snacks!”

“Oh? That's perfect. Good job, Aha!”

“They surely are lively.”

“We all have the same thought.”

“How long have they been at it?”

“Approximately an hour and a half?”

“I believe it's close to two, though?”

“Well, I applaud their exuberance. It's amazing that they haven't lost their voices yet after all of this shouting.”

“I think it's because of the alcohol… I have a feeling that they were already inebriated.”

“Heh. No wonder,” Imperator Cerydra shook her head, a knowing grin on her face. “Well, just let them be. I believe they deserve a moment of respite, even if it means goofing around and becoming drunk.”

“Yes, indeed.”

.

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

“The Trailblazer sounds absolutely wasted this time,” Mydeimos commented, if not quite amused by his own thoughts. “If she's already chaotic enough while being sober, how much more when she's completely intoxicated?”

Phainon laughed softly in response to his friend's remark. He was not mistaken in that regard. 

In fact, he could only fondly think of the idea as part of Stelle’s undeniable charisma. 

“I had to say she became even more talkative while inebriated. A little expressive too, just like Dan Heng.”

“—need to stay sober. Stelle seems like—”

“Sunny! Shut up and just give me the remote.”

“...”

“See?” he smiled, his words seemingly precise. “It's a shame we couldn't see them having fun, though. I would love to witness them without inhibitions and just simply having fun.”

“Hm. Dan Heng looked like he could hold his drink well. As for the Trailblazer, she did appear like a lightweight to me at first glance. That being said, it's quite remarkable that she was able to handle a couple of drinks all by herself without dropping like a fly.”

“Haha. You can't simply judge by appearances alone, you know.”

“You're one to talk. When you first saw her, I imagine you had the same impression as I did. Stelle is, after all, an odd woman, not in a bad way, but eccentric nonetheless.”

“Now that I think about it…” He blinked for a while, allowing his thoughts to settle before responding. “It's quite the opposite, really.”

“Opposite?”

“At first glance, I felt this inexplicable pull towards her. I feel like I've known her before… I know it's weird, but it's true…”

“Oooh~ what's this? Has the ex-Deliverer boy developed affections for Gray Mystery?”

“N-no! It isn’t that way!” Phainon sputtered, raising both hands in denial. “I b-believe so!”

Cipher cocked her hips to the side, arms crossed, and a sly expression showed up on her face. “What's with the sudden intense reaction? And why are you stuttering?”

“You surprised me, that's all..”

“As you can see, what I’m saying could possibly be interpreted in a variety of ways, most likely in a general sense. But what do you specifically have in mind when I say that?”

“...” For some reason, he was unable to react. He felt like he was truly caught in the act this time. 

“Haah. I knew it. You and your ‘buddy’ pretenses. Pathetic.”

“Shut up, Mydeimos.”

Cipher and Mydeimos could only snicker in response to his outburst. The other Chrysos Heirs, on the other hand, looked amused by the entire exchange.

“Dan Heng, sing with me.”

“Huh—”

“...”

“That song…”

“She's about to sing another song again, Deliverer. What about you cheering her on this time?” The prince commented with a smug face. 

That was one annoying look that Phainon absolutely wished to wipe off his face.

“Sure, I'll do it. Wholeheartedly. Then you must do the same thing for Castorice too. Deal?” He jabbed back, with a smirk of his own. 

“...Fine. If only when I see her.”

Cipher remarked. “I swear, these two men. Is it really that hard to admit that you have a crush on someone? It makes me think both of you are absolutely inept when it comes to it.”

“Well, I'm not denying mine.” Phainon eventually confessed, to which she fired back, saying “oh no, you did at first,” but he simply ignored it and went on. “This guy is even more in denial than me.”

“HKS.”

“You're in luck, Little Prince. You are free to see the object of your affection at any time. Meanwhile, our poor ex-Deliverer here has no choice but to yearn endlessly for his undying love.”

“Undying love….” He couldn't stop the heat from spreading all over his surprised visage. Embarrassed beyond belief. “Isn't that quite an exaggeration…?”

“What do you mean? I saw the letter you wrote for Gray Mystery. Do you think you can fool me?”

“What letter?”

“You know, the one with a quote of ‘You are the hero of my heart, Stelle’ written on it—”

“C-Cipher, you shouldn't have—”

“‎—wning in the sensations made to run up from

‎The tips of my toes, lead my body and heart.”

“Having bitten down on a finger trying to bear it, is what is desired an ideal?”

“‎I don't need it, don't need it at all, a shined-up obtrusive PRIDE!”

“Oh? It sounds like Gray Mystery and Terravox Jr. are really enjoying themselves this time around. It’s another upbeat song.”

“‎—rules of this meaningless world, it's pointless to describe them

Your STYLE is hidden away, but you should DIVE in with it all laid bare—”

“What's born is hope, it's not a mistake, the SMILE at the peak!”

“Ahhh ahhhh, ahhh ahhhh!”

Everyone else, including Lady Tribbie, could do nothing but applaud in amazement. “Little Gray is so full of energy!”

“Matching the pace of our breathing, feeling your breath upon my ear—”

Phainon blinked slowly as he tried to make sense of the words Dan Heng was singing. Matching the pace of their…what…?

“A chest on the verge of exploding…cells going berserk… 

First you should kindly rip off this shirt I'm taking off, no worries

It's time to get flying…don't you dare hesitate darling...”

“Oh?” Lady Tribbie looked lost for a while.

Hyacine, in contrast, was just flushed. “That's…”

“...”

“In the midst of doing as you please, what you're dreaming of, is it your true nature?”

“...”

“Awwww, why did you stop? Is Cold Dragon Young embarrassed?♪”

“...I don't think I can finish this song… It's way too—”

“Nonsense, it's completely harmless. Just don't stop having fun!”

“March and Sunday looked absolutely horrified by the lyrics!”

“They’re only appreciating a song from a rhythm game. Right, Marchie and Sunny?”

“Oh, um, that's…”

“Don't be such a worrywart, Dan Heng. No one will judge you if you really want me to rip off your shirt—”

“STELLE.”

“—Don't waste time hiding it, do what's on your MIND more proudly than anyone—”

“Hey, ahh—you're being way…too close!”

“In this world there's nothing else; the only certain thing is yourself~♪”

“That's it. No more drinks.”

“No waaaaay!”

There was a bit of noisy static coming from their side, and the instrumental music went on in the background as usual while they conversed.

“Don't take them away from me!”

He blinked, blinked, and blinked, until it finally dawned upon him what the song truly implied. The discovery, for some reason, only made him absolutely speechless.

“Don't you think the song lyrics…are a little bit suggestive?” Like him, Aglaea and the other Chrysos Heirs were taken aback, and their reactions ranged from stupefaction to complete disbelief. With the exception of Cipher, who merely had fits of laughter.

"That's crazy!”

The Imperator appeared to be deeply engrossed in contemplation, accompanied by the Sea Siren, who appeared discombobulated by the wonders of foreign music. “The music beyond our world surely is interesting…”

“I can't believe that kind of song is a thing somewhere in the cosmos,” said Lady Hysilens and continued. “Although, I had to admit the song was catchy enough to warrant attention, but the meaning behind… Well, it seems to be on a whole different level.”

He suddenly felt a hand landing firmly on his shoulder, and when he craned his neck to see who it was, Phainon was only greeted by a serious-looking Mydeimos, who looked like he was about to drop the most aggravating advice. Ever.

And he wasn't wrong when the prince only spoke, and he acted sagely at that.

“Stay strong, Deliverer. I just had the sudden realization that you're up against a formidable opponent for Trailblazer's affections. If I were you, I would have taken up singing lessons or started practicing how to be more reserved and innate.”

“Stop it. I'm not dumb, you know. And I know how to be reserved.”

Mydeimos simply ignored him and went on with his words. “If the information that those two Geniuses shared with us is accurate regarding the likelihood that this world may one day become a reality, then you will have to wait for a considerable amount of time before you will be able to materialize in the real world in the near future. In any case, don't give up.”

The gall of this Kremnoan brute.

“Thanks. I feel so assured.” He replied, deadpan.

“You're welcome.”

“That was sarcasm.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

“How many hours is it already?”

“Two and a half?”

“Damn. They're not stopping. It really must be fun, singing all day long, huh?” Cipher yawned.

“I'm banning you from drinking starting from now on.”

“As if that would stop me.”

“I will make you.”

“Okay.”

If Dan Heng's deep-seated sigh was any indicator, he must have sounded extremely stressed at that moment. He could practically picture him sighing at Stelle's antics, shaking his head, and likely considering how to handle her, particularly now that she was so inebriated. Phainon believed that as long as Dan Heng was there to take care of Stelle, he would still let her do anything she wanted, no matter what he said or how many reprimands he gave her.

(If only he could be there to care for her instead, he had to admit that it made him quite envious—wishing it were him in his place.)

“I guess the alcohol has already kicked in. Miss March has completely lost consciousness.”

“Just in case I'll have to carry Stelle, do you think you can carry March all the way back to the hotel, Sunday?”

“I believe I can manage.”

“Alright. We should get moving. Oi, let's stop now. We've been here for almost three hours. They're probably already looking for us.”

“Just send a message through the group chat to give them a heads-up! Take a picture too, if you must. And also, one more song!”

“Stelle, please. We need to go back.”

“Just one more song?”

“...”

“Pleaaaaase?”

“Did you forget that Sunday is with us? And don't you dare pout; you're drunk.”

“It's fine with me, Mr. Dan Heng. I wouldn't mind listening to another song before leaving.”

“Yay!”

“...Fine. Just one song.”

“Dan Heng and Sunny, you two are the best!”

“Hey! I told you to stop! Stop chugging that drink right at this instant!”

“The girls in their faction were really looked after. I think it's sweet.” Lady Hysilens commented after listening to them talk.

“True.” Imperator Cerydra agreed.

His musings were suddenly cut off by a very loud screeching of static coming from the skies, as if something had been dropped, accompanied by sharp echoes.

“Ah, I've dropped it~ Where is it, where is it.”

“Here, just use my microphone instead.”

“Thank you!”

An opening sequence of another song began to play in the background, then—

“To the blazing sun, this is for you!”

Aglaea murmured. “Blazing sun?”

Cipher shrugged, clueless. “Have no idea.”

“No, I think I have an idea who it is…” 

Wordlessly, he felt someone's eyes staring at him, and he instantly met Aglaea’s curious gaze. “?”

“—anger, wicked monster, losin' control!

I'm ready for a battle, wakened shadow, blood on my soul!

Burn it, burning it all, heavens, let them falllllllll—HAHA!”

“Another banger!”

“They taste of bitter ashes, littered plastic, crumblin' away!

They glimpse the broken faces, devil racin', searching for faith!

Crushing, crushing it all, shadows, watch them crawlllll—AH-HA-HA!”

“She really is unstoppable.” His friend remarked beside him; Phainon could only smile sheepishly in response.

“—my brain,

Learnin' from my painnnnnn—”

“Baby, watchin' it burn, send death to isolation!

Oh, watchin' it burn, ain't got no hesitation ohhh watchin' it burn, we're fallin' higherrr!

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!”

“It's one of her admirable traits, don't you think?” He finally answered while looking fondly at the skies.

“Hm.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

As usual, it was another song with intriguing symbolism, and the meaning behind it wasn't too difficult to decipher (at least for him). In fact, he couldn't help but wonder how the music nearly resonated within him—reminding him of the intense struggles and sacrifices he had no choice but to partake in to rebel against his fate and seek revenge on the gods. Particularly Nanook. 

The song was all upbeat and way too fast. All of that shouting, which necessitates powerful vocals merely to achieve specific notes, as if she were singing while putting her all into it. Phainon was quite astounded that Stelle could sing it without even needing to catch her breath, but he could only presume that it was all due to the alcohol pushing her to her limits (which was still a feat in and of itself). 

After three minutes of pure shouting and simply vibing to the song, all of them couldn't stop themselves from applauding Stelle. Lady Tribbie and her other counterparts couldn't stop gushing about how her singing made them feel alive for the whole duration of the performance. Hyacine appeared to be wiping away some unbidden emotional tears, claiming that the music was full of soul because it emphasized someone's persistent resolve. Aglaea—on the other hand—could only agree, along with Cipher, who looked speechless for once (probably surprised; he wasn't sure). 

On Stelle's end, there was a period of silence for a while, but a few moments later, he was able to hear her quiet voice saying something until it was swept away by the wind.

“Phainon.” 

Phainon froze at once, then he looked up. Was it just him, or did he happen to hear her utter his name?

“I miss you so much. Your pretty face, your voice….”

Pretty face…? 

Mydeimos abruptly cleared his throat and averted his gaze, seemingly attempting to suppress his laughter, while Cipher couldn't help but snicker at his way. 

All of them were simply observing him, but he was too perplexed—obviously lost—to register each familiar stare aimed at him. After all, his entire attention was drawn to the sky, where her voice was coming from.

"When I first saw you, I thought you were really cool. I'm not sure, but I think I developed a strong liking for you at some time. Is this what you consider a "crush"? I don't know...I'm confused.”

He was sure the cogs in his brain suddenly stopped working right at that moment, as if everything had come to a standstill for Phainon. He couldn't be sure if he was hearing things right. After all, he does hallucinate on occasion, most likely as a result of the trauma he has endured over millions of cycles. Despite his daily check-ups with Hyacine, he sometimes finds it difficult to distinguish between hallucinations and reality. Everything felt like a fleeting fever dream to him.

Of course, he didn't want to get ahead of himself, but did he really just receive a confession (?) out of the blue? Especially from the person he absolutely admired, while at the same time harboring feelings for?

“Congratulations!” He blinked at the warm felicitation directed his way. “Looks like it isn't really one-sided on your part.” The Thief Star threw him a wink.

So, it really wasn't a hallucination. He felt his face immediately warming by the thought. 

“But since Gray Mystery's unique charm and presence make her so appealing to many, you'll still be bound to have a list of rivals vying for her attention.”

“True,” his friend nodded. “But I don't think that would be a problem. You know how really persistent this guy is. I believe it's one of his redeeming qualities.”

“Haha! It's as if he was made for it, huh?”

“Shut up, Mydeimos.” He let out a sigh. “Cipher, please.”

Now that he was finally pulled back into his reality, he felt the weight of numerous eyes on him, from the other Chrysos Heirs to the common people—likely anticipating his reaction to that unexpected confession. The attention left him feeling incredibly awkward, which made him inwardly wish he could just disappear on the spot.

“Phainooooon. I want to see youuuu! If you come back, I'll pamper you with lots of attention—no, I mean, you'll pamper me with your attention? No, that's not it. Maybe we should pamper each other…? Never mind. Just come backkkkk.”

“Pfffft—”

He was now absolutely red from the neck all the way to the roots of his scalp. Phainon could hear a series of “oohs” and “ahhs” coming from the onlookers and some amused chuckles from Aglaea and his fellow Chrysos Heirs.

Phainon was acutely aware of how flushed his face had become. He really wished he could just disappear and avoid all of this attention!

“Heh. I always knew you have unquestionable tastes when it comes to women.”

What did he mean by “unquestionable”? Stelle was a spectacular woman!

“Starting from now, you’re not allowed to talk, Mydeimos. Talking will result in a blow to your face.”

“Truly a match made in heaven. Deliverers really do attract. Both weirdos.”

“That’s it. I'll start counting.”

“Now that I think about it. Dan Heng looks pretty too… I guess I like him too?”

“...”

“Phainon, you're sooo soft…”

“Stelle, that's not…Phainon. You're clinging to a mushroom mascot….”

“Don't care…. It's soft and comfortably warm, it reminds me of Phainon. Fluffy mmmmm…”

“Nu?”

“Is your name Nu?”

“Nu!”

“You’re all white, so I'll call you Snowy-nu. Just so you know, the original Snowy is a reputable man! Handsome too! So be honored!”

“Nuuuuuu!”

“...Looks like she really drank a lot, Mr. Dan Heng. She's becoming delirious…”

“Haaah. This is what I'm telling you.”

“...”

“Stelle?”

“...”

“Hey—”

“...I should have hugged you and everyone else before I left. I should have spent more of my time with all of you. If I had known it would be the last time, I would have stayed much longer.”

“...”

“I miss everyone. Cyrene…too.”

He heard how her voice cracked as she confessed, choking up her words until eventually, she began to break down and cry. Like him, the others could only listen to her heart-wrenching cries in the background. Every sound of her sob was like a sharp stab right through his chest; the helplessness he felt was almost immense.

If only he could console her and pull her right into his arms, if only he could reassure her that everything will be fine, and that at the right time—someday—they would reunite once again with a smile.

He wanted to say he missed her too—like, a lot. He wanted to say he badly wanted to see her—like, most ardently. He wanted to say it felt really incomplete without her in the picture—in an agonizing manner. 

He wanted to say he yearned for her presence too, like a man in need of salvation, and she was the salvation that he desperately needed.

All of it. He wanted to express all of that to her, hoping it would help to stop her tears from coming out.

But really, what can he do? He wasn't real—at least not yet. What he could only do at the moment was helplessly listen to her broken sobs as she mourned.

It took some time for her sobbing to stop, and when it did stop, it went completely silent on Stelle’s end. They heard some shuffling of footsteps, then rustling of clothes—

“Let's go back. You need to rest.”

“Dan Heng… I almost lost Firefly too; I was so scared. I thought I would never see another dear friend again.”

“I know.”

“I’m scared.”

“I know.”

“I can't forget about Mem either, or else she would be forgotten." 

“I know.”

“Sometimes, the future could be so cruel. What if one day I end up forgetting about them? What if Phainon and the others end up being forgotten by me? Dan Heng, I'm scared.”

“No, you won't. I know you won't. They will always be with you, believe me.”

“...They will?”

“Don’t forget you're always carrying this tome with you. See this? They're alive within here. Remember what Madam Herta said before?”

“Mhm.”

“Then, don't lose faith. They'll come back again someday. All we need to do is to wait. Now, let’s go back?”

“...But I'm so sleepy.”

“Then sleep. I'll carry you.”

“...‘kay.”

“Nu?”

“I’ll take over from here.”

“Nu!”

“Thank you.”

He was sure that the whole city went silent during Stelle and Dan Heng’s exchange. Lady Tribbie and his other soft-hearted fellow Chrysos Heirs couldn't stop being emotional from all of that as they wiped their own tears. Aglaea looked sad, Cipher became speechless again for the second time, and Mydeimos, who always looked impassive, seemed to change expressions and was sympathetic this time.

Phainon could still remember how Stelle could easily bring a smile to their faces. From the way she cracked jokes or continued to support all of them in whatever dilemma they had to face—she was always there as if she was their beacon. Their main driver—the one who changed everything for them, a special factor who influenced the good outcome of the story. The perfect hero who was brave and steadfast.

However, in a rare instance, such as now, he discovered a hidden side of her that was completely opposite to her usual demeanor. Scared. Weak. Uncertain.

Vulnerable. 

“Let's strive harder,” he said, and his comrades listened to his every word. “Let's be strong and hope for that big miracle that will happen soon. Amphoreus will be reborn anew.”

He knew that “hope” was a double-edged sword. That when it doesn't align with reality, it can turn from a driving force into a source of enduring struggle.

Yet he would rather choose to endure that pain instead of losing all hope.

“Until then, please wait for us, Stelle.”

“Are you ready to leave, Mr. Dan Heng?” said Sunday while carrying a dozing March 7th on his back.

“In a bit. Just give me a moment.”

“I understand. I'll wait for you outside.”

“Alright.”

When he finally secured the sleeping woman in his arms, his eyes simply landed on the huge tome that she was hugging tightly in her sleep. Ever since they left the fractured remains of Amphoreus that were left suspended in time, she always brought the book with her. With an old satchel that she got (or borrowed) from Welt, she made sure to always carry the book wherever she went—saying she wanted to bring ‘them’ to different worlds and that she didn't want ‘them’ to fully miss things out.

Aside from that, she considered mass-producing the book and distributing it to various planets with the help of the IPC, claiming that it was necessary for people and other living things to learn about that Amphoreus did, in fact, exist—and that, given enough time, hope, and pure wishes, it could be reborn as a new, real planet someday.

“..." 

For some reason, the tome's blue covers seemed to glow brighter this time than the previous times he saw it with Stelle. It seemed different today, and he couldn't help but notice how it was thrumming alive in her arms while she slept.

He knew this was a silly thing to do, but he often found her talking to the tome as if she wanted to share everything she saw through her eyes. Stelle would describe the beautiful things she saw, or she would narrate all of the fun things she had done for the whole day.

“I don't know if you can hear me, but it doesn't hurt to try. Your daily narrator is so drunk right now, and she's snoring with drool in my arms, but before I get started to narrate, I'll take over Stelle’s job as your temporary narrator.” He cleared his throat. “Today is our third day in Planarcadia; it's a planet that has close ties to…..”

.

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“—She ended up singing forty songs in total along with March, Sunday, and yours truly. How did I know? I counted. Thirty-one of them were a combination of Robin’s songs and March’s favorite songs, while the remaining nine of them were Stelle’s all-time favorites….” 

The book seemed to glow much brighter this time, as if it was listening attentively to his voice. He found himself smiling.

“I really do hope that we'll get to see all of you someday. We'll patiently wait for your return.”