The crisis that had caused the reality of the entire Asdana system to sink into the depths of the Memoria Sea came to an end in a dazzling light that seemed to pierce the entire universe.
The following was an internal company communication some time later...
[Jade: It's good to hear your voice again. Congratulations on becoming the biggest behind-the-scenes winner of this grand event...]
[Aventurine: Did you call specifically to make fun of me? Wasn't Topaz the one who had a good dream too?]
[Jade: Of course not. I was just lamenting that you managed not to lose again this time. Who would have thought that the head of the Oak Family would drag the entire Asdana system into the Memoria before the grand event even began, and use the fragment of Idrila he obtained from the Mirror Holder to create such an enormous dream, almost like a paradise.]
[Aventurine: Isn't that exactly what you wanted? The Family directly delivered Penacony into the company's mouth... As for me, heh, if I wanted to lose, wouldn't it be easier to just go play against Nero?]
[Jade: Hmm... It seems a lot happened in the dream.]
[Aventurine: Yes, a lot, Madam. Unforgettable.]
[Jade: I'm on my way to Penacony...]
[Aventurine: Ah, looks like I can enjoy my vacation properly.]
[Jade: Leave it to Topaz and me, child.]
[Aventurine: Let's stop here for now, Madam. Seems like I have a guest over here...]
———
After ending the call with Jade, Aventurine gently shook his head. He had soaked in the Memoria for too long, and his whole body felt light and floaty. It had indeed been a long dream.
Then he turned his face toward the door.
There had already been noises outside the guest room just now. Now, the uninvited guest had arrived.
Looking at the familiar mechanical cowboy, Aventurine smiled without the slightest sign of panic.
"Oh? There really are plenty of fresh things happening today. A Galaxy Ranger and wanted criminal actually came to my door himself, and even took out two company employees right under the noses of the company fleet. Do you know what that means?"
Boothill looked thoroughly annoyed and immediately fired back, "Go suck an egg, you son of a... I just put them to sleep. Quit your damn threatening act with me."
"Besides, the company dogs I've taken out have generated more residual value than whatever you've squeezed out of them. I don't mind adding a few more zeroes to my wanted notice."
"I've got a question for you. Answer straight, or I'll put a bullet through you and kill you dead right now. Tell me... where is Oswaldo Schneider, Director of the Market Expansion Department?"
Bang!
Just then, the guest room door was suddenly kicked open, and several figures filed in.
The boy in front shouted directly, "Aw hell, is the Dream Lord in here?"
Boothill turned his head. "Huh? How come you little cutie is talking like me?"
However, in the next instant, Boothill's view was blocked by another tall figure.
"My friend, although your manner of speaking is somewhat overbearing, your choice of words is delightful. Your wonderful diction sparkles like pearls. Ah, but there is one more thing I must point out. A gun is a very dangerous weapon, so please do not point it at people."
Boothill had not expected things to turn out like this at all. He had simply come to Penacony after the Dream of Ena ended. Then he heard that there were still some company dogs here, so he figured he would come over and see if he could get any useful information.
And then...
If he remembered correctly, this little cutie should be the one called Nero. Brother Dan Heng called this kid Nero. And these people should be... the Knights of Beauty?
They were all people he had already seen in the Dream of Ena.
He had originally just wanted to take care of his own business, but he never expected someone to kick the door open.
And they were all people he had seen in the Dream of Ena... Yet this was the first time he had met them in reality. It gave Boothill a somewhat strange feeling.
While he was still distracted, the knight in front of him, who should be called Argenti, suddenly grabbed his hand and pushed it down.
Boothill instantly snapped out of his strange feeling and instinctively began to resist.
However, the strength his modified arm could produce when it operated seemed to be no match for this knight in front of him...
Afterward, Argenti forcibly dragged Boothill to a corner of the room and began giving him a verbal lesson about pointing guns at people.
Nero, who had kicked the door open, looked at Boothill being dragged away, then at Aventurine, and blinked.
"Ah! This is your room, Brother Aventurine. I saw two company employees lying outside the door, so I thought some evil person had snuck in."
At this point, Nero furrowed his brows and could not help sighing.
After breaking through the Dream of Ena, everyone had awakened from their dreams. After Pom-Pom drove the train away from Penacony and parked it on the space rail, everyone did not leave immediately.
In any case, now that everything had been resolved, perhaps this was the real vacation time. Besides, the Charmony Festival had not even started yet.
After officially landing on Penacony, Neron quickly ran into the knights. After that, he began searching for the Dream Lord.
Yes, he still had not forgotten the plan involving 107,336 people.
However, he still had not found him.
Soon, an unwilling expression appeared on Nero's face.
"Damn... so it really is like this."
"Thinking about it carefully, Brother Sunday's ascension still relies on the aspirations of the 107,336 people of the Oak Family. Isn't that the Dream Lord?"
"There's a good chance he was already killed by that Sky-Shattering Strike."
"If that's the case, it means I personally destroyed this excellent labor force myself..."
"Damn, I'm so unwilling to accept this! Why couldn't the Dream Lord have been a little sturdier... Now there's only the Great Duke of the Ever-Flame Mansion left as a new labor force."
Watching the changes in Nero's expression and listening to the child mutter nonstop, Aventurine's expression became somewhat subtle, but he soon smiled again.
"Hmm, it's fine. But Nero, this cowboy is a major wanted criminal of the company. Want to exchange him for some pocket money?"
"Huh? You damn company cutie, you son of a... quit kicking me while I'm down. I'll damn well..."
"Please stop pointing your gun at people so casually, Mr. Boothill. Such behavior is very impolite. It is most unbeautiful." Argenti looked completely serious."
"Ahhhhhhh!" Boothill screamed in frustration.
"Exchange Boothill for money? Forget it." Nero shook his head. "Although he talks in a very strange way, he isn't a bad person."
"And compared to exchanging him for money... a body that has been completely modified like this really seems more suitable for being sent to a factory to work. The efficiency should be very high, and it should last a very long time."
"However, exchanging him for money first, then having the company send him over as labor afterward seems like the choice that would maximize our profits."
Hearing Nero discuss him like this, Boothill wanted to say something again.
However, this time Argenti had already anticipated it. So that the cowboy could listen to him properly, he "had no choice" but to cover Boothill's mouth in advance, while also holding down the hand holding the gun.