109. Welt Is Seriously Bold / 110. One Credit, One New Friend

Robin came to Caelus's side, grabbed his arm, and gave it two gentle shakes. Though there was a hint of reproach in her tone, she was clearly in a good mood—otherwise, she would not have acted like this.

"You think he wasn't truly happy either, don't you?"

Taking the opportunity, Caelus held Robin's hand. She had already grown used to it and showed no reaction.

"This was indeed not happiness, because it was all an illusion. Once the sweet dream ended, they would still have gained nothing. True happiness was something that could be felt in reality. No one could change their reality, so they abandoned it and chose to flee into an illusory sweet dream."

"That kind of happiness is far too false. It is like spending the entirety of one's remaining life in advance within an illusion. Once they wake up, perhaps all that will remain is a burnt-out soul."

Robin nodded. Her voice was gentle, and it was clear that she wanted these people to emerge from their sweet dreams rather than lose themselves in them.

"Everyone has their own choices. From a moral standpoint, we cannot interfere with others. But as long as we throw morality away, we can help them."

Caelus spoke to Robin with a solemn expression. However, his words made Robin think of that Pipissee, and she could not help but laugh.

"Hehe, why don't you ask whether they even want your help?"

Though Robin was telling Caelus not to use violence, he had indeed just helped someone who had lost their mind regain clarity. It barely counted as a good deed.

"Ahem, Robin, it is time for us to meet the Dream Master."

Sunday coughed in reminder. If he kept watching Caelus abduct his sister right in front of him, his blood pressure would become impossible to control.

"Alright."

Robin responded, then pulled Caelus by the hand toward an open area with few people around.

They had not gone far when they saw a beautiful woman standing at the intersection ahead. She wore the same outfit as Robin, had the exact same celestial halo above her head, and even shared her appearance.

"That is... me?"

Robin clearly saw the woman's face. She looked in mirrors every day, so she recognized the person identical to herself at a glance.

"Hi, Brother."

The fake Robin raised a hand and greeted Sunday. Even her voice was exactly the same, and Sunday immediately frowned.

"Fool, put away your tricks. They are useless against me."

Sunday's expression darkened. He hated this Masked Fool impersonating his sister, just as he hated Caelus.

"Fool, this is our second meeting, isn't it? Last time, you did not exactly come out ahead when you were around Caelus."

Robin lifted a hand to stop Sunday. She did not want her brother clashing with the Masked Fool at this moment, so she took over the conversation herself.

The fake Robin's appearance swiftly changed back to her original form: black hair in twin tails and butterfly-shaped marks beneath her eyes. This was the true face of Sparkle, the Masked Fool.

"That little gray-haired one, and the Stellaron Hunter pretending to be some helpless young woman."

Sparkle looked at Caelus and Firefly with a comical expression. Firefly's fists clenched at those words. She had heard before that Sparkle had used her appearance to cause trouble. If the situation had been more appropriate, she would definitely have taught Sparkle a lesson.

"What did you do to us before? Why were we in the Dream Hotel when we woke up?"

Caelus was fairly friendly toward pretty girls. He wanted to know what method Sparkle had used to teleport them away; perhaps that ability could be useful.

"I only meant to teach you a little lesson. Who knew someone would toss you into that dreamscape? Being chased by monsters wasn't fun, was it? Hehe."

Sparkle spoke with a smile, then bared her teeth in a grin at the end. Her expression was exaggerated, but she really was cute—though it only made people want to punch her.

"You were lucky that you ran into another Memokeeper who helped you. Otherwise, there would have been an even better show."

"Sparkle, your surname really is Qiansao, huh."

Caelus spoke helplessly. The others did not understand what he meant, but Sparkle, crafty as she was, understood immediately. Not only did she not consider it an insult, she actually seemed to enjoy it.

"So I'm shameless, so what? If you've got the guts, come mess with me~"

Sparkle stuck out her tongue at Caelus. She might have been a little absurd, but that was what a Masked Fool was. If she did not revel in joy, how could she have walked the Path of Elation?

"Fool, you should leave. If you keep talking, Caelus is going to hit you. He really will do it."

Robin helplessly tried to persuade her from the side. Others might ignore Sparkle, but Caelus had never cared about rules. If he said he would strike, he would strike.

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving. But Miss Robin, I still have to advise you to think it over carefully. Can people who live in dreams truly escape suffering and obtain real happiness?"

Sparkle raised her hands in surrender, but before leaving, she still said something that made Robin uncomfortable. The question did not need an answer. Everyone knew it was impossible.

"I've finished everything I needed to do. The last two gifts are for you. If the Grand Gala still unfortunately takes place... remember to use them at the performance venue. Do not lose them, okay? It will be very exciting!"

Sparkle pulled two button-equipped boxes from her pockets. They were red like her own color scheme. Robin and Sunday both accepted these obviously suspicious items, likely because they did not want to keep talking to Sparkle.

Caelus wanted to settle the score with Sparkle, but this was not the right moment. So he tapped his lips with his index finger, then pointed at Sparkle.

Sparkle recalled how Caelus had forcibly kissed her before. Her smile remained unchanged, but a vein visibly throbbed on her forehead. She admitted that she was a little angry. She had not gotten any joyful emotions from Caelus at all. That would undoubtedly make her a failed Fool. She needed to find a chance to get revenge.

With Sparkle no longer obstructing them, Robin and Sunday smoothly reached an overlooked open space along the street. At that moment, the cries of night crows echoed through the area. Clearly, the Dream Master was about to arrive.

"Right out on the street?"

Caelus asked curiously. He had thought meeting the Dream Master would require some kind of ceremony, but it was just an open space. All they needed to do was call out, like summoning a pet.

"The entire dreamscape is under the Dream Master's control. Where we meet is not particularly important."

Sunday explained. By then, he and Robin had already stepped into the open area. Sunday took a gemstone from his pocket and raised it. As it began to glow faintly—

"Since it has already seen me, I will not hide either. Call Uncle Yang over too."

As Caelus spoke, he took out his phone and shared his location with Welt. At the same time, someone approached from nearby. She had an utterly ordinary appearance, like an office worker. She stopped in front of Sunday and nodded expressionlessly.

Welt Yang's Incredible Courage

"Mr. Gofei Mu, it has been a while."

Sunday placed his left hand behind his back and his right hand over his chest as he greeted the woman before him. Robin made the same gesture, except she did not place her hand behind her back.

Caelus looked at the woman before him in surprise. No matter how he looked at her, she did not resemble the Dream Master at all. She was obviously a stand-in. It seemed the Dream Master was a cautious person, which Caelus could understand.

"Sunday, Robin, it has been a long time. Especially you, little bird. How many years has it been since we last met?"

The Dream Master nodded at Sunday, then shifted his gaze to Robin. His face remained expressionless, but his tone carried a hint of indulgence.

"Mr. Gofei Mu..."

Robin looked at the Dream Master with mixed emotions. Memories of Gofei Mu caring for her meticulously when she was young resurfaced in her mind. Without him, she would have died long ago. He had raised her, but the path he walked conflicted with Robin's beliefs. That was why she looked so pained.

"This friend..."

The Dream Master looked toward Caelus beside Robin. In truth, he had long known who Caelus was, but he pretended that this was their first meeting. This was the person Acheron was protecting. There was truly no way he could make a move against him.

"Hello, Mr. Gofei Mu. I'm Robin's boyfriend. I came back with her today to meet her parents."

Caelus said with a smile. Rather than hold Robin's hand, he brushed the back of his hand against hers, making them appear intimate.

"Uh... Robin has reached that age too. That is... a good thing, I suppose."

The Dream Master's stand-in was visibly stunned. His thoughts became somewhat muddled, giving him the feeling that a pig had rooted up the cabbage he had raised. Though he wanted to use Robin for his own schemes, he did not want to watch an outsider ruin her either.

However, the Dream Master had to maintain his image and persona. He could not show the same open rejection toward Caelus that Sunday did. That would be far too undignified. Thus, for no apparent reason, he felt wronged the moment he met Caelus.

"That is not true. We are only ordinary friends."

Robin hurriedly denied it, even shooting Caelus a glare. Even if she truly wanted to date, this was not something to bring up now. Did they not have serious business to handle?

Caelus turned his gaze away and whistled as though he had done nothing wrong. Robin was so irritated that she laughed. It was at that moment that Welt arrived.

"Mr. Gofei Mu, I am Welt Yang of the Star Rail Express. We have important matters to discuss during this meeting."

Welt directly stated his purpose. He had no time to exchange pleasantries with the Dream Master, and immediately laid out everything he had learned in Dreamflow Reef.

"You mean that all this time, villains have been using the Grand Gala, which we hold to bless the people, as a tool to fulfill their ambitions?"

After hearing Welt's words, the Dream Master did not appear surprised. His original face was incapable of joy or sorrow, and he merely voiced a question.

"Precisely, Dream Master. Once the Grand Gala begins, the Stellaron's power will spread throughout all of Penacony with the singing. At that time, everyone within the dream will be unable to awaken."

Robin stood on Welt's side and added her support. This was the outcome she had always tried to prevent. Penacony would become a prison that trapped everyone.

"Hmm, that is unexpected. The dreamscape is maintained jointly by the five great families. If someone is using the Grand Gala to freely spread the Stellaron's power, that person must hold a high position. Do you have anyone you suspect?"

The Dream Master spoke sincerely, but Caelus and Welt were not swayed in the slightest. The entire dreamscape was under the Dream Master's control. His words were like saying someone was digging through the backyard every day while the homeowner passed by without ever noticing. Who would believe it was not tacit approval?

"May I ask, do you truly know nothing of the Stellaron's existence?"

Welt raised his question sternly. It was practically a blunt way of telling the Dream Master to stop pretending—they all knew it was him. Even if he had not done it himself, he at least knew the relevant information.

"...I had never expected this Nameless to point the spear directly at me. It is truly astonishing."

The Dream Master had not expected Welt to be so blunt, immediately voicing his suspicion of him. Thus, he could only offer his reply. These Nameless truly had a lot of nerve.

"Dream Master, as long as you can prove that the Grand Gala has nothing to do with the Stellaron and that we are merely overthinking things... I will return to the stage and sing as promised."

Robin remained on Welt's side. Unlike the silent Sunday, she made her stance clear. She too suspected that the Dream Master was involved and needed him to prove his innocence.

"Sunday, could you beseech Them to cast down Their light and question me through you, leaving no lies a place to hide?"

The Dream Master nodded without anger, preparing to use certain means to prove his innocence.

Sunday agreed. His method was the one he had previously used against Aventurine. Anyone who lied would become a puppet of Harmony, knowing nothing but how to praise Harmony for the rest of their life.

"O soul of threefold visage, brand his tongue and palms with hot iron, so that he may not fabricate lies or swear false oaths."

Sunday spoke, and the space around them seemed to twist. Caelus and Welt both felt it, as though some existence were watching them. The Family served Harmony, so this was likely the power of the Aeon Xipe, preventing them from lying.

Sunday then asked several questions about the Grand Gala and whether the Dream Master was innocent. The Dream Master's answers did not draw punishment from that power, indicating that everything he said was true.

"Thus, I have proven my innocence."

"Not so fast."

Welt spoke. At this point, Robin was already beginning to believe the Dream Master, but Welt still did not.

"What is it, Mr. Welt?" Sunday asked.

"Everyone, I still have one question that needs answering. As far as I know, the Family's harmony and prosperity have never relied on so-called commandments. Is the god you two speak of truly Xipe?"

Welt voiced his doubt. Caelus stared at Uncle Yang in surprise. Had he always been this bold? Not only did he express distrust of the Dream Master's proof, he even suggested that the god they worshipped had been replaced. If such betrayal of faith were discovered, a Harmony Emanator would come have a talk with him.

"Other than that Aeon, who else could compose such a magnificent symphony?"

The Dream Master countered Welt's question, intending to put him on the spot. Instead, it was exactly what Welt wanted.

"That is precisely the issue. Harmony may indeed be the only one capable of composing the symphony, but what if the discord comes from within Harmony itself?"

"There was once an Aeon renowned for composing as well, but Their Path collided with Harmony and was subsequently consumed. The Aeon fell, but the Path remained. Within all-embracing Harmony, it may not be impossible for Their will to be born anew."

Welt's courage made Caelus see him in a new light again. This was not a conversation at all. He was practically pointing at the Dream Master's nose and calling him an infiltrator. Caelus meant that even if the Dream Master had been innocent, Welt's words would make a fierce battle unavoidable. As expected of Uncle Yang—he was incredibly brave. Now Caelus knew who March 7th took after.

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One Credit to Make a Friend

"Excessive sharpness is never a good thing, especially when your Star Rail Express stands alone without support."

The Dream Master spoke after a moment of silence. Once he said that, it meant he was going to make a move. Caelus had long prepared his lance. He grabbed Robin and shielded her behind him in one smooth motion, raising his barrier at the same time.

"Dream Master, Acheron is with us. I advise you not to overestimate yourself."

Caelus threatened him. The reason he had the confidence to meet the Dream Master was naturally because Acheron was his protective talisman. Acheron had previously split the dreamscape apart with a single slash. He was ready to see how many slashes the Dream Master could endure before crying.

"I know what you are thinking. The Emanator of The Void has already been expelled from the sweet dream. She cannot be your support."

The Dream Master spoke to Caelus with contempt. Caelus froze for a moment. No wonder he had not seen Acheron here, even though they had returned to the sweet dream.

"It is not that I look down on you, but you can exile Acheron? More likely, she exiled you instead."

Caelus said to the Dream Master with equal contempt. The two maintained their mocking expressions for a while, until the Dream Master lost his composure first.

"That Emanator left the sweet dream of her own accord to protect your safety, and I guaranteed her that I would not kill you."

The Dream Master's expression gradually darkened. Though this was effectively giving Caelus and the others a protective talisman, it did not matter, because his goal had never been to kill them.

"Tch, can we make peace? Let's be friends."

Caelus changed his expression incredibly quickly. He took two Credits from his pocket and handed them to the Dream Master, then thought better of it and reluctantly pulled one back.

"You..."

The Dream Master nearly cursed at the sight. Since gaining control of the dreamscape, he had not been this angry in a long time. Was this something that money could solve? Even if it could truly be solved with money, why take one back? Was he not worth two?

Sunday deeply sympathized with him. Caelus had tormented him like this before, and he had not expected even a man as formidable as the Dream Master to be disgusted by Caelus. For some reason, Sunday felt a little pleased.

"Firefly, take Caelus and go!"

Welt suddenly shouted. He had already finished charging his power, and a black hole appeared in midair, controlled by the cane in his hand.

"Firefly Type IV!"

Firefly made her decision almost instantly. Holding her transformation device, her body was enveloped in silver-white armor. She grabbed Caelus's arm and pulled him into her embrace. The thrusters behind her sprayed out two flaming wings, and the two of them shot into the sky, vanishing beyond the horizon.