This Misha… they had seen him before in the child's dream.
In fact, on the very first day they arrived at Penacony, Stelle had already met him once.
But they never expected this—
Never imagined—
That he was actually Mikhail.
The famed Watchmaker.
Gallagher, standing to the side, stared at the boy-like Misha in shock.
How could he possibly fail to recognize him?
That was his master… his companion… his comrade.
The Nameless who had helped pioneer Penacony—Mikhail.
How could he not know who he was?
"The afterglow of Trailblaze… and the Nameless of the Astral Express…"
"Thank you for coming here… and for guiding me back into this dream."
"Allow me to introduce myself once more."
"I was born on the planet Lushaka in the Przemyer Star System, the adopted son of the navigator Mikhail and Madam Shire."
"The two elders left me a treasure—a name that carried their hopes."
"Ragwok Shire Mikhail… or more simply—Misha."
"If you prefer a name more familiar to others…"
"You may call me the Watchmaker."
When the boy before them truly confirmed his identity—
March 7th's eyes widened in shock.
"So—you're the Watchmaker himself?!"
Misha narrowed his eyes slightly, nodding… then gently shook his head.
"Unfortunately, the man everyone admired—the Dream Magnate—is already gone."
"I am merely a fragment of his life."
"The child standing before you now…"
"Is the ignorant protagonist from his childhood dreams."
"A friend of the Clockie Boy… a young apprentice… a future train mechanic."
"And also—the starting point of his entire journey."
As his words faded—
Misha's figure began to overlap with Mikhail.
A voice followed—
Both aged and youthful at once—
Echoing in everyone's ears.
"At the end of my journey, I left behind this small flame I treasured… deep within the dream."
"Hoping to pass it on to the Nameless of the future."
"But somehow… it ran out of the dream bubble on its own… and forgot everything."
"My apologies… for letting you witness such a farce."
Misha looked at everyone present—
Himeko… Welt… Stelle… March…
And finally—
His gaze fell upon Evan.
The afterglow of Trailblaze.
When Evan obtained that Trailblaze treasure chest, Misha had instinctively been drawn to that power.
That was why he had been following him all along.
Even Sparkle and Firefly, who existed within the Golden Hour, couldn't see him.
Only Evan could.
Because he was a Nameless—
A successor of the Trailblaze.
And so, the afterglow drew him here.
"There's no farce," Evan said with a faint smile.
"After all… Mikhail spent his entire life on the path of Trailblaze, didn't he?"
Himeko continued:
"I think… little Misha never forgot his role as a guide."
"That's why he mistakenly thought he was just a hotel bellboy."
"That's also why Stelle and Evan met you here in Penacony."
"So in that case… didn't we brush past the Watchmaker's legacy from the very beginning?"
Misha chuckled softly.
"Heh…"
"A certain old friend once told me that my life just kept circling… only to return to the starting point."
"Perhaps… that's something every Nameless must go through."
"But in the end—you still found me."
"Now then… since you've come this far, you must be wondering what the Watchmaker's legacy truly is."
"My Bloodhound mentioned the Stellaron… and the so-called fortune of the Dream Magnate."
"I must apologize."
"The Stellaron does exist."
"But Mikhail's 'fortune'… is nothing more than rumor."
"I left my homeland as a child and set out on the Trailblaze."
"I passed through station after station… until I finally stopped at Asdana."
"With my companions, I built the earliest Penacony… and fought for its future ever since."
"My entire life… was spent striving, doing everything I could to break through every obstacle."
"But in the end…"
"My road also came to an end."
"My body… is like a worn-out locomotive."
"And I've left behind no wealth worth entrusting to anyone…"
Misha slowly turned around.
His gaze was gentle… almost kindly.
"So if you ask what remains inside this broken engine… that could be called a legacy…"
"I suppose… it's only what still burns within its furnace."
"You already know the current state of Penacony."
"Of course, I hope someone can help guide this world back onto the right path."
"But that choice… should be yours to make."
"Because the path of Trailblaze… is never laid out by others."
"So…"
"I've left you a story."
"And two gifts."
"I wish to pass them on to you."
"My pocket watch."
"It accompanied me through a long journey… guiding a foolish child who knew nothing… forward step by step."
"And my hat."
"The one who guided me… once placed it on my head."
"And with it… planted an unrealistic dream."
"The journey of Trailblaze…"
"Will never end."
"Now… it's time to make your choice."
…
Misha smiled faintly at everyone.
Then slowly walked toward the chair.
Evan and the others were still waiting—
For an answer.
For what choice they should make next.
Gallagher stood frozen in place.
Watching the boy before him.
Despite his rough, middle-aged appearance—
Among everyone present—
He was the one who shared the deepest bond with Mikhail.
"…Old man…"
Misha smiled at him.
Step by step—
He walked to Mikhail's side.
And slowly sat down.
"I've walked far enough…"
"It's time… to rest for a while."
"You've already done more than enough…"
"…Heh… yeah…"
"I suppose I'll stay here…"
"And then… it'll all end."
"Gallagher…"
"Do you know what the 'clock trick' really is?"
"…What is it? I don't know."
"Everyone gets lost sometimes."
"They hesitate… unsure which direction to take."
"That exists in this dream…"
"And everywhere beyond it."
"But there's no need to be afraid."
"Just as people feel lost…"
"There will always come a moment…"
"When they make up their minds."
"And choose something bold… something extraordinary."
"In this dream…"
"Whether calm, joyful, angry, or sorrowful…"
"What people need…"
"Is just a small push."
"And then…"
"They can move forward."
"To the path that belongs to them."
"That is the clock trick."
"The will of Trailblaze."
The hands of a clock turn endlessly.
Just like human doubt, hesitation, weakness, and wavering.
But in the end—
People still move forward.
Just like the hands—
Always pointing ahead.
"My journey ends here."
"From now on…"
"It's your road."
Evan slowly walked toward Mikhail.
On the ground lay a hat—
One that had fallen long ago.
It carried the power of Trailblaze.
It had once been placed on a young man's head by the navigator of the Astral Express—
When he was lost.
This time—
Evan picked it up.
And before Stelle could react—
He placed it gently on her head.
Like Mikhail's pocket watch—
It was already broken.
The chain had snapped first—
Scattering across the ground.
Then the casing—
Shattered by a bullet.
Finally, the dial—
Worn down by time until its markings faded.
Broken again and again.
Repaired again and again.
Its original form—
No longer recognizable.
Only the unmoving hand remained—
Still pointing forward.
This item once belonged to the seventh navigator—
Amonsson.
In his youth, Mikhail repaired Amonsson's watch-compass.
And because of the will of Trailblaze he displayed—
He earned Amonsson's recognition.
Rising from a mere train cleaner—
To an official train mechanic.
This was Amonsson's relic.
And the hat—
Was given to Mikhail by the eighth navigator, Granholm.
When Mikhail chose to remain in Asdana—
Alongside Razalina and Tiernan—
To guide the prisoners toward true freedom—
It was passed to him.
On behalf of Amonsson.
That—
Was the true legacy left behind by the Watchmaker.
For future Nameless.
"Huh?"
Stelle looked up at Evan.
He stood much taller than her—
At least a head above.
Even on tiptoe—
She couldn't quite reach his height.
After all—
With the Authority of Reason—
Modifying one's body was trivial.
A 1.8-meter boy?
Even an 18-meter one wasn't impossible.
"This hat…"
"Should be inherited by you."
"Yeah, yeah! Stelle, just wear it!"
March chimed in from behind.
Still confused—
Stelle put on the hat.
And looked toward Mikhail.
At that moment—
Misha's figure had completely disappeared.
Only Mikhail remained—
Resting quietly in the chair.
As if peacefully asleep.
"What is Trailblaze?"
"It is walking the unfinished road of those who came before…"
"And going even farther."
"The Penacony in Mikhail's dreams…"
"Will never belong to Order."
"So—"
"Stelle, March, Himeko, Welt—"
Evan smiled faintly.
"Let's make this one big."
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