Chapter 222

This time, overwhelmed by melancholy, Amyqi began pouring out her sorrows,

leaving Stelle feeling deeply uneasy.

【This isn't working either—I should lift her spirits.】

This time, Stelle adjusted Amyqi's emotions,

shifting them to joy.

【I saw it...】

【The moment I stepped onto the stage with Shu Weng.】

【The audience clapped, cheers surged like tidal waves, melodious music played, ribbons draped over my shoulders, the air filled with the fragrance of irises...】

【This taste... sweeter than honey.】

【I've seen this scene countless times—even in dreams, each one leaves me utterly enchanted.】

【That's why, no matter what, I must bring her back to that world.】

【Wanna clink glasses?】

【A kind stranger who listens well—consider this... a premature toast to this unreachable dream.】

Amyqi's mood improved greatly this time,

and a smile finally appeared on her face.

Under this emotion, she couldn't help but raise her glass and clink it with Stelle.

【Ah... after talking with you, I just feel strangely unsettled.】

【All these thoughts tangled together—somehow exhilarating, yet also making me want to cry...】

【Perhaps... I need to find a place and rethink: what does Shu Weng truly mean to me...】

【This is for the drink—please pass it on to her.】

【I'm leaving now. Goodbye.】

Hard work pays off,

after much effort,

Stelle finally managed to send Amyqi away.

Stelle: "Everyone saw that, right?"

Stelle: "It was Himeko who pushed me to do this."

Stelle: "I didn't deliberately use the Clockwork Trick on her."

March 7th: "Hey, why are you rushing to disclaim all this?"

March 7th: "We never said you did it on purpose."

Himeko: "In an emergency, we must act accordingly. Right now, we urgently need to uncover the truth of Penacony, so under special circumstances, special measures are justified."

Nahida: "But it seems the outcome of this Clockwork Trick wasn't bad at all."

Nahida: "After being affected by the Clockwork Trick, Young Lady Amyqi seems to have figured out many things."

Hu Tao: "Hehe, looks like we accidentally did something good."

Yan: "Hmm... Young Lady Shu Weng and Young Lady Amyqi both seem to have quite a story."

Paimon: "Their relationship feels strange."

Paimon: "Young Lady Amyqi seems overly dependent on Young Lady Shu Weng."

Colette: "Maybe because... she's deeply insecure..."

Colette: "That's why she yearns for someone like Young Lady Shu Weng—bright as sunlight..."

Furina: "So it's a lack of self-confidence."

Furina: "I think Stelle should give her a confidence-boosting Clockwork Trick."

Furina: "That might solve everything outright."

Stelle: "Is there a chance... the video didn't show me having a confidence-boosting Clockwork Trick?"

Furina: "Uh... yeah, that's true..."

Furina: "I overthought it, hehe."

The video continues.

【... Amyqi left?】

【This is better for her... The dream of the grand festival is enchanting, but a dream is still just a dream—not reality.】

【I paid for her drink—keep the money.】

【Oh, when you're ready, go find Galahad—I can tell he's itching to act.】

Stelle: "Wow, turns out we made money using the Clockwork Trick this time!"

Stelle: "Hmm, I think I've spotted a new business opportunity!"

March 7th: "Helping unhappy people adjust their emotions, easing their worries..."

March 7th: "Stelle, I think you could totally become a therapist using the Clockwork Trick!"

March 7th: "You'd make a fortune, right?"

Black Swan: "Hah, that's actually a decent idea."

Black Swan: "You might even become more popular than the Memory-Healer."

Stelle: "Say no more—I'll open a shop in Penacony as soon as I learn the Clockwork Trick!"

Stelle: "When I do, everyone here gets a 50% discount when you come to confide in me!!"

Silver Wolf: "Heh, you're surprisingly generous..."

The video continues.

"We've gathered all the materials we wanted."

Stelle and March 7th came over to Gallagher.

"Hmph, quite efficient."

"Let me take a look..."

"... You've brought some rather interesting things. Go ahead and pick."

"Each kind of drink has its own distinct flavor—the base usually determines the first impression and the lingering aftertaste—which material would you like to choose as the base?"

Gallagher looked at the materials the two had brought,

and asked with great interest.

"Uh... let's use this Pikawhite Grape Soda."

Stelle thought for a moment, then answered.

"They say this was that Hanunuu's favorite drink—of course, I'm talking about its prototype."

"This stuff is sour and bitter, the bubbles explode in your throat like swallowing a rusty iron chain—it makes you think of prisons and cells."

Gallagher picked up this glass of soda and added an explanation.

"The base is settled. Next comes the supporting ingredient—it's responsible for producing a wonderful chemical reaction with the base. It can't overshadow the main act, but it must deliver an unforgettable taste experience..."

"Which material would you like to choose as the supporting ingredient?"

Gallagher poured the soda into a glass, then asked.

"Let's use this one—'Looking Forward to a Better Future.' At least it sounds like it has nice symbolism."

Stelle took out the supporting ingredient she liked.

"A better future..."

"This taste—it's been so long."

"I'll never forget—when Mikhail took me galloping through the wilderness of dreams, the mnestic flowing wind carried exactly this flavor."

"Those days were hauntingly beautiful... too beautiful to be real."

Looking at the supporting ingredient Stelle had taken out,

a hint of reminiscence surfaced on Gallagher's face.

"Mikhail...?"

Himeko heard the name

and felt a little puzzled.

"Heh, almost there."

"Pick a garnish—what style do you like?"

"I've got everything here."