The professor shifted his gaze slightly and glanced at Aventurine before speaking calmly. "Before you open your mouth, why don't you think about your own foolish actions?"
Without waiting for Aventurine to speak, Ratio continued, "I met that child once at Herta Space Station, and I also saw him fight with my own eyes. You should have a little more confidence in his strength."
"Missing... He probably just discovered some corners of the dreamscape that ordinary people have difficulty noticing. He can deal with a copy of a Shatterstar Worm in thirty seconds. I don't think there is any force in Penacony right now that can pose an excessive threat to him."
At this point, Ratio paused before changing the subject.
"However, I am somewhat surprised that you would become anxious because of news of his disappearance."
Aventurine looked at Ratio, remained silent for several seconds, then smiled.
"But he calls me brother."
The professor narrowed his eyes and looked at Aventurine.
"Oh... You see him as your younger brother."
Although psychology was not the field he specialized in, as a scholar, Professor Ratio had obviously studied it to some extent. And as it happened, he knew about Aventurine's past.
The Intelligentsia Guild had cooperation with the Company, but it did not belong to the Company. As one of its great scholars, Ratio's status was quite high in the Company's eyes.
However, that alone was probably not enough for him to obtain all the information concerning one of the Ten Stonehearts.
But as a leading figure of the Intelligentsia Guild, he had his own methods.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment. After adjusting his state of mind and emotions, Aventurine asked, "Let's talk business, Ratio. So... what did you find?"
"As you guessed: no one outside knows that Robin was attacked. There isn't even the slightest rumor. The television is still broadcasting her ceremony rehearsal. Probably a substitute. Everyone is dreaming."
The proud and aloof scholar held his arms across his chest, practically evaluating what he had seen with an air of commentary.
There was a trace of disdain between his brows. It was unclear whether he looked down on the Family's methods or simply thought their approach was too simple.
Aventurine had long since gotten used to his attitude.
"Of course. Who would have thought that death would truly descend upon the beautiful dream created by the Family, and that the victim would be the heroine of the Charmony Festival..."
"To be honest, I didn't believe it before. I even tested it myself several times, until I discovered that I really couldn't die. Whenever there was danger, I would be forcibly awakened by the Dreamscape, as if I had only had a nightmare."
"That was why I became certain that there must be a greater secret hidden behind this."
Ratio shrugged.
"Then you should also know about that Memory Zone Meme, 'Something Unto Death.' When I went to the Oak Family to establish some connections for you, they were already in a complete mess."
"Memory Zone Meme... Could Nero's disappearance have something to do with it..."
Aventurine frowned slightly and muttered.
He clearly still did not know about Something Unto Death. Seeing Aventurine's reaction, Ratio frowned slightly.
"Impressive, gambler. I thought you knew everything."
Aventurine shook his head.
"It doesn't matter much. This factor can't change the situation at the gambling table.
"Mm... That Masked Fool once told me to find a mute to be friends with. Robin was the mute she was talking about."
"She lost her voice. Ordinary people wouldn't notice, but it can't escape your ears or mine. It wasn't an organ producing sound, but the resonance of Harmony."
"If that girl hadn't practiced singing until her throat went hoarse, then there was only one possibility: there was something wrong with the Family, or something was wrong with Robin herself. To figure this out, I tried every possible way to meet her..."
"But she died. She died right in front of my eyes."
Ratio quietly watched Aventurine recount everything he had seen and commented, "A complete loss. And you were sent straight to the interrogation stand."
"There were eyewitnesses at the scene. The Family is willing, for the time being, to believe your alibi, but from now on... I'm afraid you'll have to spend your time under the Bloodhound Family's surveillance."
Aventurine smiled.
"The situation isn't optimistic, Professor. I'm already sweating cold. What do you think... Is there still a chance to turn this game around?"
Ratio looked at Aventurine, his expression unchanged.
"If you're asking me about the probability, there is one, but it approaches zero. In terms more suited to Penacony, dream on."
"But if you simply can't keep your hands to yourself and want to find someone to take a chance with, there happens to be a suitable candidate... That man wants to see you again."
"Who?"
"Sunday."
Aventurine raised his brows, but he did not seem surprised by this development.
"...A confrontation in court, or a private interrogation?"
"If it were the former, I wouldn't need to deliver the message."
Aventurine's lips curled slightly.
"Good... Then that's it. Everything fits. Look, the dead can't speak, but the living can.
"Ratio, I can now be certain that there must be a problem within the Family. Just wait and see. That man's sister died... He won't be able to sit still."
"Feeling the same way?" Ratio said calmly.
"..."
Aventurine was silent for a moment.
"No time to lose. Let's set off now. Lead the way! The good show... is about to begin. You're the professor, so I trust your judgment."
Ratio looked at Aventurine and gave an indifferent snort at his flattery before turning around and leading the way.
Aventurine put on a somewhat innocent expression and followed.
———
The world before them was filled with endless white sand. Looking around, they could not see a single rise or fall in the landscape.
Nero and March had already been walking here for a long time, but hunger and exhaustion had not found them. In this empty region, they seemed to have gained an endless supply of physical strength and stamina.
However, so far, the two of them had still not found any way to leave this desert. Countless amounts of white sand gathered into human shapes, certain buildings, or some monsters, but soon, these illusions would disappear in the middle of their own performances.
In fact, besides walking, Nero had also tried other methods. Because he could sense Black Cutter, he had once tried calling Black Cutter over to smash a hole in this place for them to return through.
However, although he could sense Black Cutter, he could not call it over. It was as if something separated them. This thing did not prevent him from "seeing" Black Cutter, but it would not let him call Black Cutter over.
His perception of Black Cutter was like looking at something outside a balloon while standing inside the balloon. He could see its shadow, but could not touch it.
Nero did not recklessly destroy this place. Although there were almost no people to be seen here, chain reactions and secondary disasters were dangerous things. He could not determine whether recklessly destroying this place would affect other people.
After all, there were many friends here who were as close to him as family. And although Nero was rather straightforward by nature, he had not become the kind of "dark" person who only cared about himself and considered everything else meaningless.
The two continued walking forward with March for a while.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rose in the sea of sand.
This had never happened in this sea of sand before. At least, it was the first time Nero and March had encountered it.
The wind was strong, sweeping up the white sand. Almost instantly, it created a hazy layer of shadow between heaven and earth. Their vision was obstructed, and Nero and March temporarily stopped moving forward.
"W-what's going on? How did such a strong wind suddenly start blowing?" March looked at the scene in surprise.
"I don't know."
Nero shook his head and stood motionless. His gray eyes blinked twice as he tried to look through the yellow sand spreading in every direction.
Although it was called "wind rising," that was merely a form of expression similar to wind. Or perhaps, some kind of change had occurred here, and in Nero and March's eyes, it had taken the form of wind.
Nero did not know what had caused this change, nor did he know what the material driving this change actually was.
Therefore, whether manipulating memoria or manipulating wind, it was difficult for him to have any effect on this "storm," unless he simply attacked it with all his strength.
Nero did not attack directly. Instead, he stopped and waited for a while.
At the same time, he kept trying to look outside. Although the drifting white sand affected his vision, Nero could vaguely see some things happening within the flying sand.
March did not know what Nero was looking at, nor did she know why this storm had appeared. She simply steadied herself and tightly held onto Nero, in case the child was swept away by this strange storm the moment he moved.
Strangely enough, although everything around them was caught in chaos, only the place where the two of them stood remained peaceful.
With Nero and March as the center, there was no effect from the storm within a range of about two meters in diameter. The two of them stood there as if they were in the eye of the storm.
Nero narrowed his eyes and continued looking outside. Suddenly, a glimmer flashed through his eyes. He pointed into the sandstorm and said to March, "There seems to be someone over there. Let's go take a look! This is the first person we've encountered in this place!"
March looked over doubtfully, but she could not see anything.
However, she knew that her eyesight was not as good as Nero's, and Nero would not lie for no reason. He should have really seen someone. If there was someone here, then even if they did not know how to get back, they should be able to learn something about this place.
Just as she was thinking this, the sudden storm gradually weakened, slowly calming down and subsiding at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Everything had happened too suddenly. It seemed that after only a few breaths, all the flying sand and dust quietly settled onto the ground, and the surroundings once again became the lifeless sea of sand from before.
At this moment, when March looked in the direction Nero had pointed, she finally saw a figure. The person was some distance away, wearing a black robe, as if they had suddenly appeared there.
The person seemed to notice them as well and suddenly turned around. March blinked in surprise. Even though they were very far apart, she seemed to see every detail of that person in an instant.
It was an old man with dark skin, as if he had been exposed to the scorching sun and had once lived in a place lacking water. The old man wore a pitch-black robe, a white shirt, and black trousers.
He shook his body, knocking the grains of sand off his robe, then stood barefoot in the sand and stretched out a hand toward them.
The old man's hand was the same color as his face. His skin was wrinkled, as if mountains and ravines had been spread across it.
His complexion was sallow, his arms thin, and his entire body was covered with traces of history. Yet his eyes were bright and full of life, seemingly reflecting some kind of crystalline light.
The old man waved at Nero and March.
"Is he... calling us over?" March asked hesitantly.
"Looks like it," Nero said.
"Then should we...?"
"Let's go take a look. We finally ran into someone. If he's up to no good, we'll beat him up!" Nero seemed not to have thought much about it. He did not seem to have any guard against this suddenly appearing stranger either.
The child seemed very innocent, but what he said did not sound like something an innocent child would be able to say. Even though he really could beat this person up or that person up if he wanted to...
Still, since Nero had said so, they might as well go over and take a look first.
March naturally did not refuse Nero's suggestion. The two of them quickly approached the old man who had suddenly appeared.
The distance that had originally seemed quite far did not seem as long once they actually walked it. Without spending too much time, the two of them arrived beside the person.
Both Nero and March looked at this suddenly appearing person. Now, March could finally observe more closely and specifically the appearance of the person who had been waving them over.
This middle-aged man looked like a successful businessman. His hair was combed perfectly, so much so that it even reflected the light.
Like most Company employees, he wore a well-fitted suit. At a glance, it was obvious that this outfit must be expensive, costing at least around the same as the one Nero was wearing.
The middle-aged man had a beard on his face, which made him look somewhat gentler. His eye sockets were slightly sunken, making him look somewhat deep.
His eyes seemed to contain many things. In the universe, there were some races or people who had eyes that looked different from ordinary eyes.
For example, Nero. His eyes always reflected the world, like mirrors. In his eyes, the world he saw could be seen with incredible clarity, making the child look like an unpolished piece of jade, as if innocence and happiness would always remain with him.
As for the other Xianzhou people, March had never seen another pair of eyes that was the same or similarly special.
The middle-aged man before them also had such a pair of strange eyes.
Nero looked at this fellow in front of him who did not look human in the slightest and seemed to have no sense of danger. He simply sat down on the ground and asked, "How did you end up here?"
March glanced at Nero. The boy's completely unguarded behavior made her feel an urge to stand up as the older sister and protect him. At the same time, she also heard the middle-aged man's answer.
"You open your eyes you sink into the water you rise into the sky before dawn arrives you keep falling stirring viscous threads the fish flee in panic the shadows disappear in confusion..."