Yan Huan opened his eyes.
His vision was blurry at first, as if the warm, dazzling lights and shadows of the feast in his dream still lingered. Then it gradually adjusted to the coolness of reality and became clear.
He tilted his head slightly.
The Dawn Machine's constant, cold incandescent light slanted in from the balcony, cutting long, sharply defined geometric patches across the floor.
Fine dust floated in the air, replacing the fantastical atmosphere of roasted mushrooms, honey, and fragrant vegetation from the dream.
The cheerful cries of the fairies calling "Mimi," the simple, melodious leaf flutes and wooden xylophones, and the boisterous laughter and singing were gone.
In their place was a silence so still it seemed almost frozen.
That overly leisurely dream... had lasted only one night.
"You're awake."
A gentle voice came from beside him.
Cyrene stood beside the lounge chair, the morning light outlining her in a soft glow.
Her eyes curved with her smile, as sweet as ever.
"How was it? Did you sleep well?"
"What do you think?" Yan Huan slowly sat up, his bones making faint sounds after remaining in the same position for too long.
He rubbed his brow, temporarily pushing the overly vivid clamor of the dream from his mind as he calmly began considering their next move.
He and Cyrene had arrived in Kryudera's era. At this point in time, many places had yet to fall.
Their objective was clear.
To help the geniuses outside gain further control over Amphoreus, they had to obtain the authority of [Law].
Either they gained the approval of the Kryudera of this era, or... they killed her directly and seized the Core Flame.
The latter was the path Phainon had repeated through countless cycles.
"Come to think of it... is the Core Flame