"Kiana, Miss Sirin, over here."
A little girl with a pompom on her head waved cheerfully at them from not far away, happily calling out their names.
Seeing the unfamiliar Pepeshi person, Sirin frowned and thought for a moment, but couldn't recall knowing anyone like that. She turned her puzzled gaze to the girl beside her. "Kiana, do you know that Pepeshi person?"
"She should be Robin."
Kiana said as she walked over, quite certain that the one greeting them was indeed Robin.
After all, in the story, Robin had often appeared in different forms—her fame was enormous.
If she appeared in public as herself, her fans might swarm around her, making it impossible to do anything.
That was the trouble of being a celebrity.
Sirin followed her in surprise. Watching that Pepeshi person from a distance, she soon figured out what was going on.
Robin, indeed, wouldn't go walking around at the Golden Hour as herself.
That would bring a lot of trouble.
"Robin?"
"It's me. I'm sorry, it's not convenient for me to show my face in public, so I could only come like this to meet you."
"It's fine, we understand."
To be honest, Kiana found Robin's disguise quite amusing. The short figure made her want to reach out and pat her head.
"Next, I'll take you to explore the dream world properly—let's start with the Clockie statue."
Her voice was still unmistakably Robin's. Around Kiana and Sirin, she hadn't bothered to disguise it.
She led them to the Clockie statue nearby and began introducing them to the famous figure every Penacony native knew.
When it came to Clockie, Kiana actually knew more than Robin. But while Robin spoke, she didn't interrupt, listening with genuine interest.
Experiencing it in person was different from just knowing the story—especially with Robin's pleasant voice and engaging way of explaining things.
"By the way, you still haven't found your last friend, right? Are you planning to wait for her to find you?"
After wandering through much of the Golden Hour, they reached Edin Park. Robin slowed her pace in this entertainment district and brought up a serious topic.
Kiana drew her gaze away from a man in the distance, leaning against a lamppost and vomiting rainbows.
"After all, the universe is vast. She doesn't even know I'm still alive. Finding her would be far too difficult."
"Without any leads, finding someone really is like searching for a needle in an ocean."
Letting the other party see her message and reach out on their own—that was undoubtedly the best plan.
Robin could completely understand that.
Just like posting a bounty through the IPC—it worked well enough. Look, hadn't Kiana already found one friend that way?
"Kiana, how about coming to sing with me?"
Robin suddenly invited her.
"What?!"
The one who spoke was Sirin.
She stared at Robin in disbelief, then looked at Kiana. This was something she never would've imagined.
"That... that's not possible, right?"
Kiana was stunned. Only now did she realize what Robin meant earlier when she said she might have a way.
She couldn't deny that Robin's idea made sense.
Robin's fame was indeed enormous—she was well-known across many worlds.
If Kiana could gain such recognition, the chances of Mei seeing her would indeed increase dramatically.
But she had never sung before!
Robin was naturally talented, had worked hard, and was a Pathstrider of Harmony. It was no wonder she had become a superstar.
Kiana, however, had no such buffs at all.
"Your voice has a lovely tone. With some systematic training, I'm sure you could shine brilliantly, too."
Robin said enthusiastically, "And with this approach, I can help you."
Her experiences with Kiana on Kasbelina-VIII had great sentimental value to her. Every word Kiana had once said to her there—she still remembered it clearly.
Even though she had nearly died there from a stray bullet, Robin wouldn't abandon her dream because of it. In the future, she would continue to pursue it—traveling to more worlds that needed her.
There was also a small bit of selfishness behind her suggestion. If Kiana agreed, they could later go together to other planets in need.
They could spread the seeds of hope to more places—so that more people could rediscover their love for life.
It would be fine even if she had to do it alone.
But if there were someone who could walk beside her, someone who understood and shared her dream, spreading hope together...
She would be happy.
And Kiana was that person—the one she had long hoped for, just as Kiana had once told her on Kasbelina-VIII.
"T-That's too much trouble for you. Forget it, Robin, there must be another way."
Kiana stammered as she spoke.
Indeed, as Robin had said, this was a good plan—and since Robin was willing to help her, she could truly achieve her goal in the shortest time possible.
But how was that any different from stepping on Robin's shoulders to reach her goal?
She didn't think she could offer Robin any help in return. If she agreed, it would be like using Robin to serve her own purpose. That wasn't fair.
She saw Robin as a friend.
She didn't want to do something like that.
"I could help the Xianzhou hunt down the Abominations of Abundance—or take on the Antimatter Legion."
That was her original idea.
By proving herself through absolute strength, she could make her name known across the universe.
"That's way too dangerous!"
"I think Miss Robin's suggestion makes more sense. The Denizens of Abundance and the Antimatter Legion aren't easy opponents," Sirin said, frowning, not wanting Kiana to take such risks.
She was terrified of Kiana throwing herself into danger again. Even if the chance was small, it wasn't zero.
"You've got it wrong, I didn't mean I'd take them all on alone," Kiana quickly explained. "I recently met General Feixiao of Yaoqing—I think she wouldn't mind letting me tag along to help."
"That's not enough, Kiana."
Robin shook her head. What had been a casual thought at first now solidified into conviction after hearing Kiana's plan.
Risking her life fighting the Denizens of Abundance and the Antimatter Legion? That was far worse than following Robin's idea.
"Wait, you actually thought about taking them all down by yourself?!" Sirin raised her voice.
"N-no, definitely not!"
...Okay, maybe the idea had crossed her mind. But to become famous, someone had to witness her feats.
She couldn't just beat them all and then praise herself afterward.
Sirin's expression was filled with disbelief as she warned, "You'd better not have seriously thought that."
Of course she had.
As a Taran, Robin was highly attuned to emotional changes—she could read Kiana's little thoughts at a glance.
Her heart nearly skipped a beat.
No matter how you looked at it, Kiana—with thoughts as reckless as those—was not someone who could sit still and behave.
Whether she could stay rational once on the battlefield... that was hard to say.
So it was best to dissuade her from earning fame that way.
Speaking from a realistic perspective, Robin said, "That kind of approach has too small a reach. The IPC might issue a report after your victory, but since you're not part of the company, at most they'd mention your name in passing on the news. The effect wouldn't be nearly as great as you think."
"Helping the Xianzhou hunt down Abominations of Abundance would only spread your reputation within the Xianzhou Alliance."
Worlds far removed from those events wouldn't pay any attention to what happened on some frontier planet.
They wouldn't care about the lives or deaths of those worlds.
Robin understood the universe well enough.
Ever since returning from Kasbelina-VIII, she had come to learn what kind of people the IPC truly were.
Kiana's idea was noble—but its impact would never match her expectations. Worlds at peace seldom care about the tragedies of those suffering.
"I'm not saying your idea is bad," Robin said seriously, looking directly at Kiana, "but we have a better choice."
"Don't worry about troubling me. I'm happy to help you. And... I also hope, Kiana, that you'll join me in spreading the seeds of hope and courage to more worlds."
As she spoke, Robin's eyes suddenly lit up with joy. "Maybe we could even combine both ideas! We'll search for worlds in need and bring them hope together!"
Wasn't that exactly the path of Harmony?
To strengthen the weak!
Her eyes sparkled, filled with anticipation as she looked at Kiana.
If Kiana would agree...
"...I don't have any experience with that."
It was precisely because she understood that Robin was right—and that gossip and reputation often spread faster than the name of any savior—that Kiana hesitated.
Otherwise, she would have firmly refused.
Robin raised her hand to her chest, her gaze glowing as she looked at Kiana as though beholding a treasure.
"I want to spread hope to more worlds that need it. Will you help me? Just like on Kasbelina-VIII—this time, we can do even better."
She knew Kiana's heart had been moved by the proposal, and she also knew exactly what was holding her back.
Kiana didn't want to take advantage of her.
She thought it would be too much trouble for Robin.
Robin didn't feel troubled at all. Kiana was her friend—she was more than happy to share her love of music with her.
But she also had to consider Kiana's feelings.
If she wanted Kiana to accept without feeling burdened, she needed to give her a reason that carried no weight of obligation.
And Robin had just the reason.
"Like Kasbelina-VIII?"
Prompted by Robin's words, Kiana's eyes flickered with recognition. She remembered the things she'd once said to Robin there.
Maybe she really had convinced herself back then.
"Yes, just like you said."
Robin spoke firmly: "Plant the seeds of peace and hope in every person's heart. When everyone longs for peace, peace will surely come."
"That's what you taught me, Kiana."
"Kiana."
Sirin, who had been listening from the side, found something very wrong. Words like that—reasonable and profound—coming from Kiana's mouth? And Kiana was the one who had said them to Miss Robin?
They kept mentioning 'Kasbelina-VIII'—what kind of place was that, and what exactly had happened there?
"I hope you'll join me in putting this ideal into action—to share our hearts with more people," Robin said solemnly, her Pepeshi disguise giving the scene a strangely endearing tone. But Kiana, knowing full well why Robin spoke that way, pressed her lips together, feeling an indescribable warmth.
How could she not realize that Robin was only saying this to ease her guilt?
Robin... really was so gentle.
She had never expected that the Robin she met by chance would come to regard her as such an important friend.
She even remembered her words so clearly.
Robin's request hardly felt like a request at all, since what she desired now aligned perfectly with Kiana's goal—to spread her name farther across the stars.
Saving other worlds, bringing hope to those trapped in calamity—these were meaningful acts in themselves.
So...
Kiana reached out her hand toward Robin.
Realizing what that gesture meant, Robin's eyes widened in delight as she eagerly took it. "You're agreeing, aren't you?"
"I don't think I have any reason to refuse."
"That's wonderful! Now we can take action together!"
Robin was overjoyed.
Seeing her so happy, Kiana's own smile brightened. Remembering something she'd once said, she looked at Robin holding her hand, her eyes steady as she returned the grip. "To strengthen the weak."
Robin blinked in surprise, then, gazing at Kiana's radiant smile, her eyes softened. She tightened her hold and smiled too.
"Yes... together, we'll strengthen the weak."
They would bring their hearts, their hope, and their courage to more worlds—to all who needed their help.
Kiana... was truly willing to walk the path of Harmony by her side.
Finding a companion who shared one's ideals was never easy. Even those who followed the same Aeon often interpreted their Path differently. Some held beliefs so divergent that one might doubt they even walked the same Way at all.
Just like her and her brother, Sunday.
Though siblings, both children of the Family, she had always known that her brother's ideals were not the same as hers.
Of course, that never affected their bond. She and her brother both knew what they were striving for, and they understood one another's convictions.
They were both working toward paradise.
Robin knew that, on the road of practicing one's Path and beliefs, meeting someone who walked beside you for even part of the journey was normal.
And yet, deep down, she felt something she couldn't quite describe—perhaps because she had longed for it, and Kiana had truly answered that longing.
"What do you mean, 'strengthen the weak'?"
But this wasn't just their private moment. Hearing the phrase and feeling left out, Sirin finally couldn't help but interrupt.
Kiana, who had just pledged herself to walking the path of Harmony alongside Robin, suddenly remembered that Sirin was still there. Embarrassed, she released Robin's hand and scratched her head awkwardly. "Sorry, Sirin. Guess I got a little carried away just now."
Sirin was a little bothered by being ignored, but more curious about what they'd just been talking about.
Stopping Robin before she could also apologize, Sirin said, "What were you two just saying? Kiana, are you giving up on the idea of getting involved in wars now?"