Chapter 101

Sparkle: "Tsk tsk tsk, little gray-hair, are you praising me~"

Sparkle: "Hehe, I'll take it as you're praising me~"

The video continues.

[We deeply regret this story...]

[But things aren't that simple, right?]

Himeko thought the story shouldn't have ended here.

[Hmph... clearly, someone inherited the Watchmaker's name and has been secretly continuing activities against the Family until now.]

Gallagher explained.

[Is the Watchmaker an organization?]

Stelle couldn't help but interject.

[That can also be understood that way.]

[However, there should only be one person who inherited the Watchmaker's name.]

[It's a pity, after so many years, I still don't know who that person is, or even if it's a person...]

[Or Mikhail's ghost wandering in the dream.]

[So do you understand?]

[Why I'm willing to tell you so much...]

[Because that girl's death must be related to the Watchmaker's legacy.]

[And at the end of the heavy fog...]

[...Both you and I can get the answers we want.]

[If it really is Mikhail's ghost haunting, I'd quite like to meet him.]

[People who look down on me can circle the hotel three times, but those willing to look at me straight...]

[Sigh, one less for every one that dies.]

[I've told you everything I know, consider it a thank-you gift for everyone being willing to look at this old dog.]

[...Hmm?]

[Something seems to be going on at the film studio side...]

[Excuse me, good luck to you all.]

[How ironic, what is the difference between these stowaways currently being turned away by Penacony and the dream-chasers who were revered as pioneers several Amber Eras ago?]

Furina: "The person who inherited the Watchmaker's name?"

Furina: "Is there really such a person?"

Furina: "Could it be Mr. Gallagher himself?"

March 7th: "I don't know, maybe that Watchmaker Mikhail isn't actually dead?"

March 7th: "Maybe he's been hiding somewhere, secretly causing trouble for the Family?"

Gallagher: "..."

Gallagher: "I can only say, I wish that were true."

Robin: "Mr. Gallagher, what is your true identity?"

Robin: "Why are you deliberately making up these lies?"

Gallagher: "Lies...?"

Gallagher: "Hehe, maybe some are lies... but some... are indisputable facts!"

Welt: "It seems there are indeed many hidden secrets here."

Himeko: "No matter, all of this will eventually come to light; we might already be very close to the truth..."

The video continues.

[Mr. Gallagher... is indeed a man with a story.]

Watching Gallagher's departing back,

March 7th couldn't help but sigh.

[Although Miss Firefly's whereabouts remain a mystery, his sharing explained quite a few doubts...]

[The Watchmaker's true identity, his relationship with the Family, and the power struggles hidden behind dreams and death.]

Himeko summarized.

[And... the Family is not of one mind.]

Stelle added a point.

[That's right, Mr. Gallagher mentioned that the real traitors were others...]

[And they are likely lurking in the Oak Family.]

Himeko nodded.

[Death and the Watchmaker also seem to be related.]

Stelle thought for a moment and said.

[This also matches the previous information; Miss Firefly was dragged into this tragedy precisely because of that legacy...]

[We can also be more certain that Aventurine's accusation against Acheron is groundless.]

Himeko thought for a moment and said.

[Is there a possibility... that Clockie is the Watchmaker?]

Stelle suddenly said with a wild imagination.

[...]

[Do you like Clockie that much!]

[That's just an animated character, not the person himself!]

March 7th couldn't help but roll her eyes at Stelle.

[Come to think of it, that Clockie who only Stelle can see is also concerning...]

[It's a pity we haven't met him since then.]

[...]

[This trip has verified quite a few previous conjectures; it's worth us digesting it carefully.]

[Stelle, send a message to Welt and ask how things are on his end.]

After Himeko pondered for a while,

she instructed Stelle.

Furina: "Clockie is the Watchmaker..."

Furina: "I suddenly feel, this doesn't seem impossible, right?"

March 7th: "Eh??"

March 7th: "Miss Furina, why do you think so too?"

March 7th: "But Clockie is just a cartoon character, he has nothing to do with people, right?"

Hu Tao: "I think I understand Miss Furina's idea."

Hu Tao: "Didn't Mr. Gallagher say?"

Hu Tao: "It seems someone inherited the Watchmaker's name and is secretly working against the Family."

Hu Tao: "He doesn't know who this person is either, and even suspects it's Mikhail's soul."

Hu Tao: "And this Clockie is a cartoon character created based on Mikhail, the Watchmaker."

Hu Tao: "But now he appears alive in the dream, and only certain people can see him!"

Hu Tao: "So..."

Xiangling: "Hu Tao, are you trying to say that this Clockie is the soul of Mikhail?"

Xiangling: "He is the mastermind behind the dream?"

Hu Tao: "Na, that's right, I think that's what Miss Furina is guessing, right?"

Furina: "Ha, Miss Hu Tao really has a heart-to-heart connection with me!"

Furina: "That is indeed what I was thinking."

Zhongli: "It sounds reasonable and convincing."

March 7th: "Uh... hearing you say that, it really seems like there's such a possibility!"

March 7th: "The clock tricks Clockie taught Stelle are so evil, they didn't seem like ordinary means to begin with."

March 7th: "Now it seems that if he is transformed from the Watchmaker's soul, then having such means is not surprising."

Furina: "Of course, this is only one possibility."

Furina: "Actually, besides that Clockie, I think that little Little Misha also has a great suspicion."

Furina: "First, besides Miss Stelle, only he can see Clockie."

Furina: "Second, it seems only Miss Stelle can see Little Misha."

Furina: "Such a suspicious phenomenon is enough to show that his origin shouldn't be simple either!"

Welt: "Hmm... Miss Furina's analysis is very correct."

Welt: "Regardless of whether these two existences are the incarnations of the Watchmaker."

Welt: "But they must have an inseparable connection with the Watchmaker."

Stelle: "Is it possible that Clockie is the Watchmaker, and this child named Little Misha is the Watchmaker's descendant?"

Guinaifen: "Eh, sister, what you said is very likely!"

Himeko: "Actually, I'm more concerned about... does this Watchmaker have anything to do with Trailblazing?"

Himeko: "Are the three Nameless from back then still alive in the world?"

Dan Heng: "There is no sign of them in Penacony now; the situation is probably not optimistic."

Pom-Pom: "However... as long as they haven't forgotten their identity as Nameless... they should have left something behind, Pom?"

Stelle: "Must see the person alive, must see the body dead!"

Stelle: "Don't worry, Conductor, even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I will find their whereabouts!"

March 7th: "That's right, Conductor, just put your heart in your stomach!"

Pom-Pom: "Then thank you, passengers, Pom! (Heart.jpg)"

The video continues.

Stelle took out her phone,

and began to contact Welt.

[Stelle: Mr. Yang, our investigation here has come to an end.]

[Stelle: How is your progress?]

[Welt: Small gains. The Galaxy Ranger and I agree that the Family may have withheld extremely important information.]

[Welt: We are now heading to Dewlight Pavilion.]

[March 7th: Is that Acheron? Didn't Aventurine say she's very dangerous...]

[Welt: I've confirmed it, she's on our side.]

[Welt: Don't worry. Please wait a moment, once there are any findings, I will synchronize them in time.]

The message ended temporarily here.

The scene shifted,

to Acheron and Welt.

[...Are your companions worried about you?]

Acheron saw Welt taking out his phone to communicate,

and asked.

[Just normal contact.]

[They seem to have some findings on their end, let's go and return quickly.]

[...Moving forward, we will enter the depths of Dewlight Pavilion.]

Welt explained,

and then looked at the door in front of him leading to the depths of Dewlight Pavilion.

[Everything has been smooth along the way...]

[Too smooth, it's hard to imagine this is a heavily guarded Family residence.]

Acheron felt something was fishy.

[Let's find someone who can report first.]

Welt began to walk forward,

trying to find someone.

[Something's wrong, such a magnificent mansion, there isn't even a butler to receive guests...]

[Is it a vacancy caused by an emergency?]

The two walked inside all the way,

but didn't even see a shadow.

Such abnormal behavior,

made Acheron alert.

[This door is open, it seems we can only go in and find out.]

[Proceed with caution.]

Welt looked at the wide-open door,

and was about to lift his leg to walk inside.

But he was stopped by Acheron.

[Wait a moment.]

Acheron put her hand on the hilt of her sword and drew it slightly,

and in an instant, her aura became imperceptible.

[Bai... I slightly eliminated the aura around me, so it's less likely to be noticed.]

[The Astral Express having the Family's permission can be explained, but my appearance here... is not reasonable.]

Acheron explained.

[I see, a very interesting technique.]

Welt nodded,

and then the two continued to walk inside.

[The model in the sand table... should be the Golden Hour.]

The two came to the sand table that Aventurine had traveled through before,

Acheron recognized at a glance which moment's model this sand table was.

[Perhaps the heads of the families use this model to discuss important matters.]

Welt said casually.

[The footprints here are different from elsewhere... there are two sets.]

[Outsiders may have walked through here not long ago.]

Welt keenly discovered the two suspicious sets of footprints on the ground.

[Can Mr. Welt distinguish who the owners of the footprints are?]

Acheron asked.

[Hmm...]

[This pattern is unique and quite flamboyant.]

[Judging by the size, it should be a men's style.]

[I guess... it's likely that envoy from the Interastral Peace Corporation, Mr. Aventurine.]

Welt looked at the footprints and pondered for a while,

and came to a conclusion.

[Aventurine... then what about the other one?]

Acheron continued to ask.

[The two sets of footprints are not one after the other.]

[Judging from the almost parallel state, the companion shouldn't be his subordinate...]

[...The IPC is eager to take back Penacony.]

— Author's Notes —

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