Golden Hour, Oti Mall
After confirming the situation on Sunday, Welt ended his communication with the Church's Acting Priest.
The ascetic continues to look back at his former soul, and the most significant part of that soul will eventually depart.
"This stop is merely a farewell; the influence of [ Order ] no longer exists. Too many variables have arisen on this journey..."
On Sunday, he shook his head slightly, his gaze finally settling on the milk tea shop on the street corner, which was shimmering with soft light.
Through the glass curtain wall, he could clearly see that all-too-familiar slender figure inside the store.
Welt remained silent, his gaze behind his glasses sharp yet calm.
The siblings chose to meet at such a 'childlike' milk tea shop... This style of doing things is clearly the work of the Church of Eternity.
He spoke, his voice steady. "How did you know she was here?"
"I don't know, I just had a few guesses in my mind, and I was just trying my luck. It seems I do have my lucky days."
Sunday didn't look back, still gazing in that direction, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
"Leaving such things to fate is not like you," Welt said.
"I'm also trying to change."
Welt's gaze lingered for a moment on Sunday's slightly stiff ( Intellitron disguise) profile before he finally nodded slowly.
"I think others should avoid this kind of occasion. Go ahead."
Aren't you worried I'll use this opportunity to escape?
"I believe you are a capable and willing person to utilize everything, but that certainly doesn't include Miss Robin."
A complex expression flashed quickly across Sunday's eyes, so fast it was almost imperceptible, ultimately fading into a barely audible whisper:
"... Thanks."
Welt scrutinized Sunday's ' Intellitron ' appearance once more. "You... aren't you planning to reveal your true form to her?"
"A farewell doesn't necessarily need to be known by both parties... She shouldn't take any risks for my selfish desires."
"... Please go ahead," Welt finally said, refusing to say anything more.
Then, Sunday took a deep breath, straightened his back, slowly raised his hand, and pushed open the door of the milk tea shop decorated with starry sky patterns.
The door hinges turned with a slight hum, like the gears of fate quietly meshing; if he couldn't take this step, there was no point in even talking about setting off.
The store is filled with a faint, sweet fragrance, and soft lighting comes from the flowing star map projection on the wall.
The Robin was facing away from the door, gazing up slightly at the illusory yet magnificent starry sky. Hearing the door open, she turned around gracefully, a perfectly measured surprise in her clear eyes.
"I never expected to meet you here, Robin... Madam." Sunday took a few steps closer, mimicking the respectful tone befitting Dreamweaver.
The Robin's lips curved into a gentle smile, like a newly blossoming lily of the valley.
Hello, ma'am. May I ask your name?
"My name is... Wanweike, and I'm a member of the Nightthrush Family." He answered, his hands unconsciously clenching slightly at his sides before relaxing.
The Robin's smile deepened slightly as she gently stroked the rim of the empty glass in her hand with her slender fingers.
"It turns out you were a Dreamweaver. Thank you for your hard work; the dream was able to recover from the crisis."
He kept his voice as soft as possible on Sunday. He walked to the seat next to him, but didn't sit down immediately, his gaze following her profile.
" Robin must be very busy these days, what brings you here?"
"Taking a break from my busy schedule, I wanted to find a quiet place to relax, preferably where I could see the stars." The Robin turned back, gazing again at the deep starry sky, its eyes slightly unfocused. "I just ended up here."
"Even though it's just an empty dream." Her fingertips lightly traced the air, as if trying to touch those non-existent stars.
On Sunday, she unconsciously took another step forward, standing beside her as they gazed at the virtual night sky. "On this point, perhaps there's no difference between dreams and reality."
He tilted his head slightly to look at the Robin's delicate profile.
"[We look up at the night sky, but the stars are not there. Every ray of light we see is what they looked like long ago.]"
When have we ever seen the real starry sky?
These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. The Robin's expression clearly faltered for a moment; her long eyelashes trembled, and her gaze instantly became distant and complex, as if some deep-seated thoughts had been stirred up.
She slowly turned her head and looked intently at the man beside her who called himself the Intellitron Dreamweaver.
"Miss Wanweike speaks very philosophically, just like someone I know."
The Robin's gaze lingered on the Intellitron's face for a moment, as if searching for some familiar trace.
Do you work around here?
"No, no. It's a day off today. There's a performance later, so I came to buy some drinks in advance."
"The performance? Is it here?"
"Further away, it's said to be a final performance, better listened to from afar than watched live."
"I see. Then the lookout tower at the Dream's Edge is a good choice. From there, you can see the whole of Penacony."
The Robin lowered its gaze, which fell on its clasped fingers.
After a moment, she raised her head, a faint smile playing on her lips, "Distance makes some things more beautiful."
"..." Sunday turned around, her gaze returning to the flowing star map. "Ms. Robin, may I stay and stargaze with you before the show begins?"
"Ah, it's here..."
The Robin somewhat surprised, before he could finish speaking.
As if in response to a silent command, the starry sky background on the wall of the milk tea shop suddenly became even brighter and more dazzling.
Countless stars were illuminated and magnified, and the Milky Way flowed like a liquid ribbon of light, enveloping the entire small space in a dreamlike starlight.
"That being said, these stars are somewhat unfamiliar; not a single one is familiar. It's unsettling."
The sounds of Sunday seemed somewhat hollow against the starlight, and my fingers unconsciously traced the surface of the table.
"What makes you uneasy?" The Robin looked at him with concern, its clear eyes reflecting the shimmering starlight. "Is it the vastness of the sky, or the unknown?"
Perhaps both.
"Although the Stellaron disaster didn't cause any real damage, many guests still chose to check out, making the hotel much quieter. I wonder what the Penacony; hopefully, it won't affect Robin's life."
"Thank you, I'm alright. By a twist of fate, this disaster has allowed me to see many things from the past and also to gain clarity about the future."
"The only regret..." Her voice trailed off, trembling slightly, and her eyes dimmed, "Is that there were some things I didn't get to say."
"Did the person you were talking to leave?"
"Yes, he left in a hurry, he didn't even have time to say goodbye."
Sincerity needs no embellishment; perhaps your feelings have already been conveyed.
"But when you want to encourage someone, you still need to put in more effort, right?"
On Sunday, try to keep your voice steady. "If I may ask, who is the person you want to encourage?"
"He is someone who has just experienced failure and is about to embark on a long journey." The Robin's gaze once again turned to the distant depths of the starry sea, its voice soft yet firm.
"There are many people like this at Penacony. For Dream Chaser, failure is like the sunset; it comes every day. With their perseverance, they can start over with Robin."
"But that person was different. He was much stronger than the average person, which gave people the illusion that even if he fell, he would get back up faster than others."
Are you trying to say that's not the case?
"He won't. Before he stands up... he'll hesitate about whether it's the right thing to do, and agonize over it for a long time."
Sunday fell into a brief silence, everyone tensing up. "For this kind of person, perhaps failure isn't such a bad thing. Self-reflection is a valuable quality."
That might be true, but I still hope that person won't change.
The Robin furrowed its delicate brows slightly, then relaxed them, its eyes becoming incredibly gentle.
"Because I believe in my Remembrance of him. He may have used the wrong methods in that failure, but I don't think he had the wrong intentions."
Her gaze fell gently on ' Wanweike ', as if she were trying to confirm something through the metal shell.
"We once stood at the same starting point; now it's his turn to soar among the stars. I believe he can find the right path, even if he's alone."
"We don't need to fly to the sky together." The Robin clasped its hands gently together at its chest, its eyes sparkling with hope.
"Because the reunion will surely come, high in the clouds."
I hope so.