"Does it look good?"
AR-214 twirled in front of Leon, her dress dancing gracefully with her movements.
"Not bad," Leon commented simply.
"Does it have that... female high school student vibe?"
AR-214 waited for his answer with a heart full of anticipation.
Clearly, she had only changed her clothes, but her demeanor made it feel as if she were truly living that kind of life—the ordinary life one dreams of.
Iron Cavalries were mostly pitiful people.
"I guess so. Youth should be like this."
How would Leon know what youth was?
"Mr. Leon, have you ever been to school?"
AR-214 blinked and asked this after hearing his answer.
"My education is higher than you think."
Although, if Leon's education were converted to this world containing Imaginary, Quantum, and various other compulsory subjects, it might just be at an elementary school level.
"Then why use 'should'?"
AR-214 asked curiously, "With a face like Mr. Leon's, there should be many girls chasing you, right?"
She didn't understand what 'liking' someone meant.
Nor did she understand love at first sight. She simply judged based on the most primitive desires at the genetic level: Leon was indeed an object that made one want to engage in 'Propagation' at first glance.
"Bro, film works are all lies."
Small-town test-takers were the norm where he came from; things like JKs (high school girls) didn't exist.
Youth? Youth was just three years of college entrance exams and five years of simulations.
"I made you spend money..."
The first thing Firefly did was express her gratitude.
She had overheard the conversation between Leon and the merchant earlier and knew that the bill for these two outfits had already been settled in his name.
"My own turf, don't be polite."
Penacony was now under the protection of the Eighth Heavenly General, one of the Xianzhou ships under the Xianzhou Alliance's name.
Naturally, it was his own turf.
"Haha..."
Firefly laughed a few times without losing politeness.
Leon's response left her a bit unsure of how to reply.
She could only respond with a smile.
"Is this Mr. Leon's territory?"
AR-214 seemed slightly surprised. "Come to think of it, Mr. Leon is so strong. Have you also undergone some kind of modification?"
"No."
Firefly shook her head, answering on Leon's behalf.
"Unlike us, he is an 'Emanator'."
"'Emanator'?"
"Mm, those blessed by an 'Aeon' are 'Emanators'."
Although Firefly felt that AR-214 probably wouldn't understand these things either.
"Is every 'Emanator' as strong as him?"
AR-214 didn't understand, but she was puzzled by another question.
"Why, with such existences around, does the Swarm still exist in the world?"
Since there are existences like 'Emanators' outside, why did Glamoth have to go to such lengths to create Iron Cavalries like them to fight the Swarm?
"That's not it. General Leon is in a tier of his own, even among 'Emanators'."
Indeed, in a tier of his own. There really wasn't any other 'Emanator' with a combat record like Leon's.
"As for the second question..."
Firefly paused, formulating her words.
"'Emanators' are rare. Becoming an 'Emanator' is not easy."
"Every 'Emanator' has their own stance."
"'Emanators' aren't all good people either, and existences like General Leon have always been rare."
Fighting the Swarm was something the Corporation did as well.
But the Corporation was very pragmatic. If you hadn't signed a contract or joined the Corporation's Pan-Galactic trade system, then the Corporation couldn't care less whether you lived or died.
Clearly, Glamoth was one of those who hadn't joined.
"Is that so..."
AR-214 nodded, seemingly half-understanding.
"In short, Mr. Leon is a great person, right?"
"Mm."
Firefly nodded. "Yes, a good person."
Leon signaled that that was enough. "Don't go handing out 'good person cards' randomly, bro."
"Let's continue strolling. Let's tour all of Penacony."
He looked at Firefly. "Don't leave yourself with any regrets."
"Thank you. Really, thank you."
Firefly pursed her lips, knowing what he was referring to.
Golden Hour, in front of a dessert shop.
Perhaps wanting to return the favor, Firefly offered to treat them.
After staring intently at the wide variety of goods in the store, she set her sights on the Oak Cake Rolls.
Having made her decision, Firefly greeted the waiter.
After paying out of her own pocket, she carried three plates of Oak Cake Rolls from the counter toward the small round table not far away where the two had already found seats.
"Although it can't compare to those two outfits, this is a small return gift from me."
As she spoke, she placed the cakes on the table one by one.
First for Leon, then for AR-214, and finally for herself.
"Please don't despise it, General Leon."
Having done all this, she took her seat and looked at Leon.
"There was no need," Leon looked back at her.
"No, no, no. Although it's insignificant, the sentiment must be there."
Firefly shook her head, indicating that this was absolutely necessary.
"I can't just take your things for nothing."
After saying that, she hesitated for a moment but eventually spoke up, still feeling uneasy.
"If it's convenient, could we exchange contact information?"
Leon was helping her right now without asking for anything in return.
Her conscience really couldn't accept his act of spending money to buy clothes for herself and AR-214.
"I can't come up with the full amount for these two outfits temporarily, so I can only pay you back a small part first."
As she said this, Firefly subconsciously sat up straight.
"But later, when I have money, I will definitely pay General Leon back every single cent."
The young girl's small face held a very serious expression.
Leon glanced at Firefly, then looked at AR-214.
"Consider it compensation."
His gaze landed on AR-214 as he spoke.
"...Compensation?" Firefly was slightly stunned.
"Penacony owes her."
Leon spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
"Clearly a hero of everyone, yet buried along with the Swarm Disaster beneath the prestigious name of this Land of Dreams, becoming a forgotten object of history."
No one knew about the Swarm Disaster.
Even fewer knew that a Glamoth Iron Cavalry had once extended an indispensable helping hand to Penacony.
All of this had been beautifully rewritten by the History Fictionologists or simply erased by time.
Undoubtedly, no one other than the 'Dreammaster' could secretly manipulate the history that should have remained.
Mm, he would kick that stray dog, the 'Dreammaster', to death later.
"As the current Dreammaster of Penacony, I am sorry. And as a Galaxy Ranger, I promise you that her injustice will be redressed by me later."
Just like with Mikhail, he would arrange for Robin to handle AR-214's affairs, both regarding her life and what came after.
A hero's achievements.
Cannot be forgotten, and should not be forgotten.
Firefly remained silent.
"...Thank you," she said softly.
She had originally intended to repay his kindness.
But in the end, unexpectedly, she owed him more and more.
This really was...
"Come to think of it, don't the Stellaron Hunters pay wages?"
Leon naturally changed the subject; he was quite curious about this.
With the future sight of 'Terminus', shouldn't Elio be making a killing in the stock market?
Bankrupting the Corporation in a second—if he didn't make money, Leon would eat his shoe.
"They should, right?"
Firefly replied in an uncertain tone.
"The money I have on hand is all saved from what was left of operation funds, or from working odd jobs occasionally when on standby during missions. Bit by bit, slowly accumulated."
"Food, drink, and entertainment."
"As well as housing and travel, Kafka arranges all of it. I don't care much about that aspect."
She answered truthfully.
"However, she said I could swipe her card. The Stellaron Hunters shouldn't be without money, right?"
"Silver Wolf also often tells me that as long as I want, I can add a few zeros behind the numbers."
Firefly gave a hum, responding to Leon's slander as a Stellaron Hunter herself.
"Fair enough."
Leon figured the Stellaron Hunters wouldn't be broke no matter what.
Otherwise, wouldn't Elio just be purely painting a big pie called 'Terminus' to make people work for him for free?
A cat like Elio was the shrewdest; he loved getting something for nothing.
"Hey, Firefly!"
Firefly felt her sleeve being pulled and turned to look.
"Let's take a photo! You should have that kind of civilian device on hand too, right?"
She was met with an excited AR-214.
Firefly looked in the direction she pointed. Directly in front of a couple, a dessert famous in the store was placed, and they were currently holding up a Jade Abacus to take a commemorative photo.
"Mm, I do. Let's take one."
Firefly withdrew her gaze and agreed softly.
No surprises, once she left the dreamscape and returned to reality.
The photo taken at this moment would be the only means for her to see AR-214 again in the future.
"Mr. Leon come too, let's take one with the three of us."
Saying that, AR-214 moved her chair and leaned towards Leon.
Firefly didn't refuse her proposal and, like her, moved her chair to crowd towards him.
Originally, they sat one in the east, one in the west, and one in the north, perfectly surrounding the small round table.
But now, the west and north sides had all moved to surround the host seat in the east.
"Heave-ho!"
AR-214 didn't shy away at all, pressing her shoulder against Leon's.
Leon glanced at her sideways.
The emotion hidden deep in AR-214's eyes—he had also felt it from March 7th.
That was the anxiety of desperately wanting to prove one's existence, and at the same time, the sense of nihility from doubting one's own existence.
As an existence inextricably linked to 'Remembrance'.
Leon could naturally feel AR-214's wrongness clearly at this moment.
The 'Dreammaster' was not a member of the 'Remembrance' faction after all.
The reason he could fish AR-214's 'Memoria' out of the 'Memory Zone'.
And fabricate such a meme existence was purely because his connection with Penacony was too deep.
Although he could create the AR-214 meme, he couldn't make her exist for long.
AR-214 was, in the final analysis, a person who had already died.
Even this Land of Dreams couldn't accommodate her; her body parts were already somewhat transparent at this moment.
Perhaps it was for this reason that she requested to bring Leon along—to avoid direct confrontation with Firefly.
Firefly saw her action.
Hesitating for a moment, she then also closed the distance with Leon once again.
The unique scent of a male rushed to her face, causing Firefly to subconsciously hold her breath.
So close...
That face, which could be called magnificent, was visible just by lifting her eyes. She bit her lip, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
When piloting Sam, she often fought Blade back-to-back.
But this was the first time Firefly had such intimate contact with a male using her own body.
It was a very novel, and quite strange feeling.
The stimulation brought by male hormones made her feel her body was a bit off, as if awakening some instinctual desires at the level of 'The Propagation's' recessive genes.
"I'm taking it."
Firefly tried her best to keep her voice from trembling, her hands shaking slightly as she lifted the prepared Jade Abacus.
AR-214 smiled at the lens, raising her hands to make a peace sign.
Leon made no movement or expression, simply turning his face directly toward the lens.
Firefly pressed the shutter button.
After a slight sound, the group photo of the three lay quietly in the small preview box in the lower-left corner.
The pixels of the Jade Abacus certainly couldn't compare to dedicated photography equipment, but it was precisely such a flawed photo that felt more real to these two Iron Cavalries.
"D-Done!"
After taking the photo, Firefly rapidly put distance between herself and Leon.
Her voice stammered a little, afraid that if she stayed a second longer, something unpredictable would happen.
The girl pulled her chair back to its original place and lowered her head, her cheeks, flushed with some redness, hidden by her falling hair.
The lingering warmth on her shoulder.
Made her brain temporarily a bit overloaded.
"Come, taste the cake."
AR-214 looked at her like this and just smiled.
"Mm... it looks delicious."
Firefly took a deep breath and quickly calmed her emotions.
While the two were talking, Leon had already taken the initiative to test the poison with a bite.
It almost killed him.
Leon fell into silence, shifting his gaze to the two Iron Cavalry generals on his left and right.
He found that after eating, without exception, neither showed any expression indicating that this thing was hard to eat.
Could it be that his taste buds were the problem this time?
"...Why buy this?" he asked.
"Mm? Because it's called cake," Firefly answered without thinking, then delivered another bite to herself with a fork.
Leon couldn't be bothered to roast it.
Beautiful girls always like desserts; he would comply.
Although beautiful girls always like desserts, he thought he would absolutely not pack any to take back for Cyrene and March 7th. The taste was truly hard to describe, brother.
Next, after finishing the dessert, the three of them visited many more places.
The Moment of Oasis, where they walked together in the Sun Park.
The Moment of Blues, where they enacted a scene from Titanic on the ship Dusk at the coast.
And, the Moment of Sol.
The time spent lingering in this moment was the happiest for both Firefly and AR-214.
Here, they got their wish to become two ordinary female students. No longer in cosplay outfits, they became genuine entrants of Paperfold University.
Leon, as promised, took the two of them on a tour of all of Penacony.
"That Amphoreus... if there's a chance, I really want to go see it too," AR-214 exclaimed with regret.
"...We can go right now."
Firefly didn't like hearing her say such things, nor did she want to see her reveal that expression.
"Just like just now, the three of us together."
Leon didn't speak, his gaze fixed on AR-214.
He knew her time was up.
The invitation that followed would likely be the 'Dreammaster' starting to lay out his plan.
"Sorry, Firefly. I don't seem to have that chance anymore."
AR-214 shook her head, hiding nothing from her.
Firefly fell silent.
She didn't need to be told; along the way, she had already faintly sensed that something was wrong.
"Thank you. Thank you both for accompanying me today."
Clearly, AR-214 spoke with a smile, yet there was a lingering heaviness that couldn't be waved away.
"Mr. Leon, thank you for giving me this opportunity."
AR-214 knew he had seen through everything long ago.
He just hadn't exposed it.
"Also, Firefly."
"It's really great that you have your own name. It's really great that I could see you one more time."
AR-214 spoke from the bottom of her heart.
"Firefly, in this final time, I still have a place I must go."
"A matter that must be resolved. Can you come with me?"
____
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