Caelus, feeling bored, turned on the news playback device. A broadcast of Interastral Peace News greeted him with a familiar vibe.
Accompanied by the introduction from a male and female anchor, "This is Interastral Peace News. Good evening, viewers."
"Good evening."
[Hahaha, I'm dying—this is spot-on.]
[It really feels like News Broadcast, with the two anchors and their way of speaking.]
[I just wanna know, when will News Broadcast get its grand finale?]
—
The lengthy news segment highlighted three key points: First, Penacony's Harmony Festival is about to begin, with Robin set to perform. Second, the Garden of Recollection has completed the recovery of Memoria fragments from the deceased world "Shield of the Moon Guard," with hopes of restoring its memories. Third, the Interastral Peace Corporation and the Xianzhou Alliance have renewed a mutual trade agreement, benefiting both economies.
Caelus didn't turn off the Interastral Peace News, yawning as he checked in with the others. The broadcast served as background noise, with small subtitles displayed at the top of the screen.
After a brief greeting with Welt Yang, Caelus approached Himeko.
Himeko chuckled, "You're as calm as ever. March 7th is practically bouncing like a kid going on a field trip."
Caelus patted his chest, "I'm a mature and steady guy."
"Telling jokes with a straight face is definitely your signature move. But regarding The Family's invitation, there are some details I'd like to discuss with everyone… just not now. For now, enjoy the holiday."
Caelus knocked on Dan Heng's door.
"Come in."
Caelus pushed open the door to find Dan Heng sorting through data in the archives. "Come join us—it's a rare chance…"
"Thanks, I appreciate it, but I'm not fond of noisy places. Someone's got to handle the train's work."
Dan Heng paused, then added, "Don't worry about the Xianzhou matter. Penacony isn't our last stop. There's plenty of time. Once I'm done here, I'll catch up with you all. You should spend some time checking your luggage. I hear The Family's entry procedures are quite tedious. It'd be a hassle to realize something's missing after checking in."
Caelus nodded in understanding and finally reached March 7th's room, where the door was wide open. Inside, March 7th was stuffing her suitcase, "Camera, check; spare clothes, check; toiletries…"
Suddenly, her expression shifted, "…Oh no! The travel-sized bottles I ordered haven't arrived yet. But I heard Penacony's resort hotels are super luxurious, so their toiletries should be fine, right?"
March 7th pursed her lips, scanning the room, "Doesn't that mean I can free up some space in my suitcase? What else should I bring…"
Caelus leaned against the doorframe, raising an eyebrow at March 7th, "Bring me."
March 7th's mouth twitched as she snapped back, "My suitcase can't fit you! Walk yourself, okay?"
[As expected of my March's Wife, still so adorable after 42 days.]
[This range is pretty good.]
[Adorably Invincible March's Wife!]
"OK." Caelus snapped his fingers, "Finish packing and come over soon. We're about to warp."
But March 7th was no longer listening, scratching her head, "Ugh, so torn. What else should I bring…"
Caelus sighed helplessly and left the room.
—
At this moment, Caelus was seated on the sofa. The train's intercom crackled with Pom-Pom's voice, "Hello—hello hello—attention all passengers— The train is about to warp—The train is about to warp—Please hold on tight, pa—!"
"Warp commencing. Five, four, three, two, one!"
A flood of memory fragments surged into Caelus's mind, showing countless unfamiliar scenes. He snapped his eyes open, only to find himself in a new place?
"I time-traveled? Where am I?"
"Sigh." A woman with purple hair stood beside Caelus, arms crossed, "Follow me."
Caelus immediately launched his soul-searching questions, "Who are you? Where am I? What's next?"
The purple-haired woman sighed, speaking softly,
"Those questions… are meaningless, but I'll do my best to explain: This is the boundary between reality and the Memory Zone, a… 'Dreamscape.' Right now, you and I are sharing the same dream by chance, appearing in each other's thoughts. This is the 'Land of Dreams' greeting us. Don't worry, you'll soon wake from this dream, forgetting everything that happened here, left only with a faint sense of melancholy. There's no need to dwell on it either—this 'forgetting' happens every morning, something we're already used to. So, follow me. I'll take you home."
Caelus quietly followed the woman. She glanced back at him, "Galaxy Ranger, Acheron… that's what they call me. Use it as you like."
"I'm Caelus."
"Good." The two reached a door. As it slowly opened, a lavish grand hall appeared inside.
"This, my goodness!"
Acheron continued walking on her own until she reached a wall, where a golden substance formed a connecting bridge at the corner of the wall and floor. Acheron gestured for Caelus to proceed.
Caelus marveled inwardly, "She wants me to walk on the wall…?"
But the moment he stepped forward, it actually worked, just like Inception, brimming with imagination. After passing through the ceiling, Caelus arrived in a new hall. He noticed four dreamlike shadows.
Acheron, sensing his confusion, explained, "These voices… are just shadows of the dream. Pay them no mind."
But Caelus listened intently to their conversations. Some were familiar, others not.
Silver Wolf was speaking with Sam's mech. Silver Wolf: "How are you planning to drag them into this?" Sam: "Lay out the truth in full, and they'll show up."
[It's Sam! My trusty pal from Swarm Disaster!]
[Oh snap, the Stellaron Hunters caught the scent again?]
Then came two familiar faces. Dr. Ratio: "What makes you think you can win, you damned gambler?" Aventurine: "Three 'chips' are enough. All or nothing."
[It's Godfather! And who's this guy?]
[Aventurine, from the easter egg in Adoptive Father's movie. He was asking when we'd get to Penacony.]
Next were Robin and Sunday.
Sunday: "The stage of the 'Harmony Festival' belongs to you alone, sister." Robin: "But if I can't sing… what's the point of the stage?"
[I know Robin, but who's this guy calling her sister?]
[That's her brother, Sunday. You know, big star like Robin needs some unique screen time and character conflict.]
[Sunday, huh? This guy doesn't seem right.]
[Damn, 20 minutes in and it's all setup. Can we get to the story already? They're not padding this out, are they?!]
—
Finally, Caelus reached Black Swan and Sparkle. Sparkle: "Memokeeper… you think you can leave unscathed?" Black Swan: "Sorry. My dance partner… I've already chosen someone."
Caelus shook his head and followed Acheron's steps to another door. The door suddenly receded, revealing a long corridor… As they moved forward, the door closed before them again… They ran until Acheron stopped, speaking slowly, "We're here."
Caelus placed both hands on the door and pushed with force. A blue-haired bellhop bowed respectfully behind it, "Welcome to the Reverie Hotel. May you have an unforgettable vacation! Please proceed to the front desk to check in."