Riku and Schwi noticed the changes in Morien.
Among the crowd below, a few observant people noticed as well, but most of the settlement was still immersed in joy. Few paid any attention to the change in Morien's mask.
The swarm was more sensitive to Morien's transformation.
They realized that Father seemed to have become gentler again.
Morien leaned back against his chair, his left hand pressed to his mask, and could clearly picture its appearance within his mind.
As though looking into a mirror, Morien saw another version of himself wearing the mask.
The mask seemed alive, smiling at him.
It was a white mask with a subdued overall design, not as exaggerated as the previous Elation Mask. Its features used no overly elaborate colors, favoring warm tones instead, and its expression was a gentle smile.
This had never been possible before.
Previously, he had needed to take the mask off or look in a mirror to see exactly what it looked like.
But after experiencing the "moment of unmasking," he felt that he and the mask had become completely one.
His mind was clear; he had seen his true nature.
"Whew..."
He slowly breathed out.
Keeping his left hand against the mask, he raised his right hand before his chest, palm upward.
He gathered the wish power within sight into his palm, forming a vortex.
Below the platform, as the initial excitement faded, the crowd also noticed that something was different about a few people.
Most of the settlement's inhabitants had connected to the Swarm Network. Although they had no real permissions and could not see much, they could at least clearly sense that those around them were "family."
After becoming symbionts, they could also sense the Insect Brood's pheromones.
But a few people were exceptions.
Everyone turned