—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Hu Tao: "That old man's story…"
Hu Tao: "It truly is… heartbreaking…"
Xiangling: "His comrades gone, his homeland lost."
Xiangling: "Even his own body can hardly be called his own anymore…"
Xiangling: "If it weren't for the Dreamscape, I honestly can't imagine how he would find the courage to keep living."
Paimon: "Keep living… He wouldn't be able to at all, right?!"
Paimon: "Just hearing about that old gentleman's experiences, Paimon can feel a wave of despair washing over her."
Paimon: "If Paimon were in his shoes, I wouldn't have the courage to go on!"
Keqing: "A fate worse than death; there is no other way to put it."
Keqing: "Fortunately, the Dreamscape has provided some warmth for the remainder of his life."
Stelle: "Exactly! That's the proper way to use a Dreamscape!"
Stelle: "To provide a choice for those who have none!"
Stelle: "That is the fundamental meaning of the Dreamscape's existence."
March 7th: "It's clear that while the old man still has many regrets in the dream…"
March 7th: "At least he's found a reason to live again."
March 7th: "But if this dream didn't exist…"
March 7th: "His situation in reality would be…"
March 7th: "Ugh… that scene… just thinking about it is unspeakably bleak!"
Li Sushang: "Not just bleak… It's terrifying!"
Li Sushang: "The old man's body in the real world must be riddled with scars and ailments."
Li Sushang: "Yet in the dream, he can have a body that is whole and healthy."
Aventurine: "To have found this Dreamscape, the second half of his life is undoubtedly lucky."
Aventurine: "It's just a pity that many others like him don't share that same stroke of luck…"
Furina de Fontaine: "Speaking of which, didn't Mr. Sunday say at the end that Penacony is already on the right path?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Is it, though?"
Furina de Fontaine: "A Stellaron has appeared so silently within the Sweet Dream of Penacony."
Furina de Fontaine: "How can that be considered being on the right path?"
Stelle: "I appeared quite ostentatiously, not silently at all."
March 7th: "Oh, you and your quips!"
March 7th: "Miss Furina is clearly talking about the Stellaron that The Family integrated into the dream."
....
『 [ Look… who is this lovely lady? ]
Robin and Sunday are walking along the path when they suddenly hear a voice.
[Eh? That's… me? ]
Robin looks toward the source of the voice, her expression turning to one of surprise.
[ Brother! ]
[ What a coincidence, we meet again. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Silver Wolf: "LMAO, the fake ran right into the original, didn't she?"
Silver Wolf: "Seriously, you have the nerve to call him 'Brother' right in front of the real sister?"
Stelle: "Yeah, that's very much in character for Director Hanabi."
Hanabi: "What's the matter?"
Hanabi: "She's Robin, and I'm Robin too."
Hanabi: "Why can't I call the chicken-winged boy 'Brother'?"
Paimon: "Hmm… that… that actually makes a lot of sense."
Paimon: "Wait… no, no, no!"
Paimon: "You're Miss Hanabi, not Miss Robin!"
Hanabi: "Who says? Look at me, aren't I Robin?~"
March 7th: "The 'I am you, and you are me' routine, huh?"
March 7th: "You've really mastered that one."
Furina de Fontaine: "Hehe, seeing two Miss Robins standing together is actually quite a sight."
Furina de Fontaine: "Um… can the Hanabi-version of Robin sing?"
Hanabi: "Singing… tee-hee… of course!"
Hanabi: "I, Hanabi, am a master of all trades(Actress). Singing is a piece of cake; performing at the Charmony Festival would be child's play~"
Stelle: "Ahem… Director Hanabi, isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
Stelle: "I'll admit you're a top-tier actress, but when it comes to singing, I think you're even worse than me!"
Hanabi: "Is that so?"
Hanabi: "Then for my birthday party, little Gray-hair, you'll be the one providing the vocals~."
Stelle: "No problem. It's time to reveal my heavenly voice to the world!"
March 7th: "You? A heavenly voice?…"
March 7th: "I think 'delusions of grandeur' is more like it…"
Qingque: "Heh, when others sing it's for money, but when you sing it's for lives!"
Stelle: "Hey! Shut it, General Qing!"
Stelle: "If I wanted to, I could have debuted as a superstar long ago!!"
Silver Wolf: "Sigh… keep dreaming…"
Hotaru: "It's okay, bragging is a hobby too!"
Silver Wolf: "Please, stop spoiling her so much…"
Silver Wolf: "If you keep this up, her ego is going to float off into space…"
....
『 [ Show your true self; your tricks are useless against us. ]
Sunday looks calmly at Robin Hanabi, who has disguised herself as, his expression unruffled.
[ I heard that a Masked Fool skilled in deception had also received an invitation… ]
[ It seems it was you. ]
[ Are you having fun? ]
Robin asks, looking at her double.
[ Passably. ]
[ The people here are so easy to fool. Give them a little sweetness, and they're hooked, but they scatter the moment danger appears… ]
[ Simply put, they're fools with more money than sense and a deathly fear of dying! ]
Hanabi provides a rather biting summary of the people here.
[ Since you've had your fill of fun, it would be best for you to leave early. ]
[ The movement of Harmony cannot tolerate dissonance. ]
Robin begins to see her guest out.
[ What? ]
[ Now that the real one is back, I'm useless? ]
[ And after I helped The Family so much, it's truly heartbreaking. ]
[ You should be thanking me. If I hadn't stepped in to clean up this mess… ]
[ Penacony would have been a chaotic mess by now, wouldn't it? ]
Hanabi puts on a pitiable act.
[ That was a private request from the head of the Iris Family; it has nothing to do with us. ]
[ Withdraw. Do not cause any more trouble for the Charmony Festival. ]
Sunday's expression turns sour.
[ The Charmony Festival? ]
[ Humph, who are you trying to scare? Do you think I don't know what you're all planning? ]
[ Setting aside what you're thinking, Chicken-winged Boy, our lovely Miss Robin here has probably made up her mind not to take the stage, hasn't she? ]
[ After all, you've seen how hideous this Sweet Dream has become under the operation of Harmony… ]
[ Penacony, the Land of Dreams… is this the paradise you siblings envisioned? ]
Hanabi asks the two of them with a sarcastic tone.
[ …Silence! ]
Sunday's face darkens completely.
[ Getting defensive, Chicken-winged Boy? ]
[ Did I hit a nerve? ]
Seeing Sunday like this, Hanabi giggles.
[ Our agreement is none of your concern, Fool. ]
[ Leave at once, or do not blame The Family for being unkind. ]
Robin's tone also becomes stern.
[ Fine, fine~ I'll go. ]
[ However, Miss Robin, I must advise you to think it over carefully… ]
[ …Can people living in a dream truly stay away from pain and find real happiness? ]
[ Hehe, my work here is done. Now, I'll just wait for the fireworks. ]
[ Here are two final gifts for you. ]
[ If the Charmony Festival unfortunately proceeds… remember to use them at the venue. Don't lose them. ]
[ Boom—it'll be quite the thrill! ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Navia Caspar: "Uh… she handed the bomb buttons directly to the leaders of The Family?"
Navia Caspar: "So this is basically just a joke, right?"
March 7th: "Hah, we never believed she was actually giving out real bombs anyway."
March 7th: "After all, wouldn't you want to do something like that in secret?"
Hanabi: "Hehe, you guys just don't get it."
Hanabi: "I am a Fool, after all."
Hanabi: "Maybe… I have some special methods up my sleeve~."
Stelle: "Damn, if a bloodbath actually happens when the Charmony Festival starts, that would be the ultimate 'Elation'."
Stelle: "I hope everyone's okay!"
Hu Tao: "It's all in a dream anyway. Even if things blow up, it shouldn't matter much, right?"
Lumine: "It might not be a pleasant experience, but they probably won't die."
Amber: "Miss Hanabi is subtly prompting Miss Robin again."
Amber: "The way she talks, it's as if she knows everything."
Paimon: "She knows everything… I'm really curious how she pulls that off."
Hanabi: "Hehe, didn't I tell you?.~"
Hanabi: "I'm actually the mastermind behind the scenes!"
Hanabi: "So, knowing these things is perfectly normal, right?"
Stelle: "Director Hanabi, who's going to believe that?"
Stelle: "We aren't idiots."
March 7th: "Exactly."
March 7th: "You're clearly just here in Penacony to cause trouble and have a laugh."
March 7th: "When would you have time to be a mastermind?"
Hanabi: "Sigh~, in this day and age, nobody believes the truth anymore. It's just… too much fun~"
Boothill: "Son of a nice lady, such a young girl, always 'fun' this and 'fun' that, talking all sarcastic-like."
Boothill: "That Aeon of Elation sure has a way of ruining people…"
Furina de Fontaine: "I can certainly respect the aggressiveness of Miss Hanabi's speech."
Furina de Fontaine: "On the flip side, I also respect Mr. Aventurine's defense."
Venti: "Ehe, Mr. Aventurine didn't lose his cool once when facing Miss Hanabi."
Venti: "In contrast, Mr. Sunday's defense seems a bit lacking."
Aventurine: "Well… I am a follower of Preservation, after all."
Aventurine: "How can he, a follower of Harmony, compare to my defense?"
Stelle: "Then with the powers of both Preservation and Destruction, wouldn't I be maxed out in offense and defense? Invincible!"
Stelle: "Tsk tsk tsk, in the future, I'll have to find someone to trade barbs with."
Silver Wolf: "You?"
Silver Wolf: "Try not to get roasted until you cry…"
Stelle: "Someone dares to roast me?"
Stelle: "They'll see if my bat is 'real' enough for them or not!"
Qingque: "Good grief, if you can't win online, you just beat them up in reality, huh?"
Qingque: "You certainly know how to keep yourself from feeling wronged…"
....
『 [ The cry of a raven in the distance… it seems the Dreammaster will arrive soon. ]
Suddenly, Sunday hears several cries, realizing immediately that the Dreammaster is approaching.
Thus, he leads Robin, walking quickly toward the sound.
[ This spot is suitable; let us wait for the Dreammaster here. ]
Sunday brings Robin to an open area.
[ Yes. ]
[ Speaking of which, Brother, I heard you don't touch sweets anymore. ]
[ Even though you used to fight me for dessert when we were children… ]
[ I feel like many things have changed while I was away. ]
[ What exactly happened? ]
Robin feels that her brother has, unknowingly, become somewhat of a stranger.
[ Even in a Sweet Dream, someone must remain awake at all times. ]
Sunday answers gently.
[ But that person shouldn't be you, nor should it be any specific individual. ]
[ Brother, you've taken too much upon yourself. ]
[ The paradise in our agreement… wasn't supposed to be like this. ]
[ Penacony is only a dream. ]
[ It cannot erase the troubles and pains of reality, nor bring true happiness… ]
[ All it can do is provide a place for people to escape reality, but that is all. ]
Robin feels that her brother is now carrying a burden he shouldn't have to bear.
[ Do you remember that old man from before? ]
[ Without this dream, he might have already fallen into an irredeemable situation. ]
Sunday uses the old man as an example.
[ True… ]
[ But even without Penacony, he might have found another way of life. ]
[ As far as I know, the Intelligentsia Guild has long been promoting corresponding rehabilitation technologies. ]
[ Though that life would be far more ordinary and difficult, now, while he receives end-of-life care called a 'Sweet Dream' in his coma, his end… is already fixed. ]
[ Is Penacony giving these people a future, or taking it away? ]
Compared to reality, Robin ultimately cannot accept an illusory dream.
[ Before that, you must know… not everyone can move toward the future. ]
[ The future is to humans what the sky is to birds. ]
[ The reason people mistakenly believe flying is a bird's nature is that they have never seen those birds that fall and die on the ground. ]
[ Do you remember the Charmony Dove we adopted as children? ]
[ How did we treat it? ]
Sunday asks Robin.
[ We carefully raised it in a cage, feeding it and changing its water every day, grooming its feathers, and then… ]
[ When I decided to leave Penacony, I opened the cage door and let it return to the sky. ]
Robin replies after a moment of recollection.
[ I didn't mention it in my letters because I was afraid it would make you sad. ]
[ Shortly after you left, it fell before your bedroom window. ]
Sunday tells Robin the final fate of that little Charmony Dove.
[ ....I guessed as much. ]
[ Otherwise, Brother, you would never have left its whereabouts unmentioned. ]
[ Though the ending is regrettable, I still believe that the choice was right. ]
[ Birds are not born to spend their lives in a cage… ]
[ Even if they lack the strength to fly, the sky is where they belong. ] 』
『 ....』