Once upon a time, Sunday had been utterly loyal to the Path represented by the Aeon of Harmony. As an orphan taken in by the Oak Family, he, like Robin, once held a fervent faith in and identification with the Aeon.
After all, if not for Harmony's creed of the strong helping the weak and the living protecting life, he and his sister would never have survived.
However, as he gradually rose to a high position, came to understand the structure and history of The Family, and listened to the wishes of its members as a minister, his perspective slowly changed.
He came to realize just how much darkness and suffering had accumulated beneath the placid surface of so-called Harmony.
Constantly facing the negative aspects of The Family, he began to doubt the Path of Harmony itself. The world is so cruel, how could it possibly allow the weak to enjoy a sweet dream?
Under this shift in thinking, and with the guidance of the Dream Master, he finally turned to Order, deciding to end people's suffering through a different method.
Sunday had no regrets or fears about his choice.
He was the type with an iron will; once he set his mind on something, he would see it through. The only thing that gave him pause, the only thing he couldn't face, was his sister.
He feared no hardship, only the possibility of being misunderstood by her.
Robin was the only one who could make him hesitate, which was why he had never dared to tell her the truth, and even planned to keep it from her for the rest of his life. The one thing he never wanted to see was the look of disappointment in his sister's eyes.
So now, seeing that same confusion on Robin's face, Sunday was first stunned, then instantly ecstatic. If my sister has also finally understood the flaws of the Path of Harmony, if she is finally walking the same road as me...
Doesn't that mean there's a good chance Robin will be able to understand me?
Thinking this, Sunday struggled to suppress his inner excitement, forcing himself to act as if he knew nothing as he asked in a gentle voice, "Robin, why do you ask? Do you have some confusion about the Aeon's Path?"
Hold on, don't be hasty. He had to confirm that his sister truly had a different view of the Aeon of Harmony before he could probe further.
Any carelessness could expose him completely.
"Mhm."
Robin didn't find Sunday's calm reaction strange.
She knew her brother's faith in the Aeon of Harmony, and she also knew he would never lecture her over a few doubts. Buffered by their familial bond, she could voice the confusion she couldn't share with anyone else.
"I was just thinking, is the universal Harmony that the Aeon pursues truly the right path?" Robin looked to her brother for help. "Spreading harmony throughout the universe, forcibly bringing everyone, willing or not, into The Family... can that truly achieve universal harmony? Can it truly eliminate suffering? Is it really the right choice?"
The core of Robin's question was still Su Mo. Her admiration for him needed no further description.
She believed that even if he didn't walk the same Path, his contributions to the universe made him a key figure in promoting cosmic harmony.
However, the Aeon of Harmony's thoughts seemed to differ from hers.
Considering the Aeon's strange silence and the past examples Su Mo had mentioned, a worry took root in her heart. Xipe, the Harmony... They aren't planning to make a move on Lord Su Mo, are They?
The reasoning was simple.
Besides Xipe's past feat of devouring Ena the Order, it was also because such an action would best align with the Aeon's Path and interests.
Joining the Aeon Alliance was a must; not joining would leave one vulnerable. But how one joined made all the difference.
Qlipoth the Preservation and Lan the Hunt both chose to offer gifts, applying for membership. Even the Aeons of Elation and Remembrance, whether they couldn't or wouldn't join, knew to send a gift to foster goodwill.
The Aeon of Harmony had chosen neither path.
In fact, it seemed They were preparing to act against Su Mo.
On the surface, this seemed like the worst possible decision. Even Nanook the Destruction hadn't tried to move against Su Mo, the proposer of the Aeon Alliance.
Everyone knew that given Su Mo's relationship with Ruan Mei, the Aeon of Life, anyone who acted against him would make a permanent enemy of her.
But it seemed the Harmony was preparing to do just that.
This wasn't because They were foolish, blind to the situation, or overly arrogant. It was because, for the Aeon of Harmony, this was the best way to join the Aeon Alliance—the method most in line with their conceptual Path and the one that would grant them the most control.
Offer Su Mo a gift and beg for a spot in the Aeon Alliance? Compared to that, wouldn't it be better to directly assimilate Su Mo and make him Their avatar?
The single greatest weakness of the entire Aeon Alliance lay in Su Mo, its only mortal member. He was not an Aeon, yet he held a position more important than one. This in itself made him an obvious, living target.
Besides, acting against Su Mo didn't mean killing him.
On the contrary, based on Robin's understanding of the Aeon and The Family, the Aeon's primary goal was most likely to absorb Su Mo into The Family.
Once Su Mo became a part of The Family, an avatar and retainer of the Aeon of Harmony, not only would Ruan Mei have no reason to cause trouble, but the entire nascent Aeon Alliance would fall under Their sway.
Through Su Mo's status, They could usurp the leading position in the Aeon Alliance, truly securing the best possible standing in the coming war of the gods.
Assimilate, digest, absorb, harmonize.
With such a perfect plan, what need was there for gifts?
One had to admit, the Aeon of Harmony's calculations were brilliant.
Even if the members of The Family knew, they would only approve of the plan. To gain control of the Aeon Alliance with no effort, elevating The Family's status to a level even above the IPC—what reason was there to refuse such a good offer?
From the perspective of the common person, the Aeon's actions would seem to have no negative effects. It would just be Xipe the Harmony replacing Su Mo to command the other Aeons.
To the average person, this would undoubtedly be an optimization and an improvement for the Alliance.
In this grand scheme, the only thing to be sacrificed was Su Mo's trivial freedom.
Robin had seen similar situations before. The children she had rescued from the ruins of battle, in order to survive and accept The Family's protection, mostly chose to join its embrace. However, in those cases, it was at least a choice born of their own free will.
But now, the Aeon of Harmony was actively trying to invade another's consciousness.
Even if the result might be good, did that make the action right? If this was the end Su Mo received after contributing so much to the galaxy and the universe, what meaning was there in a victory obtained by stripping away freedom?
Robin would never accept such an outcome, but she didn't know if she should, for this reason, reject the Aeon she had believed in for so long.
That was why she had come to seek her brother's counsel. In her eyes, Sunday was the most devout follower of the Aeon of Harmony.
If he agreed with the Aeon's actions, Robin wanted to know why. If even Sunday opposed it, then it meant the Aeon was truly in the wrong.
After asking, Robin had expected her brother would need a long time to think before giving an answer. She never imagined that after hearing her out, Sunday would speak directly after only a few seconds.
"Of course not!" He looked at his sister, his eyes burning with conviction.
Hearing this, Robin's eyes widened in shock. "Even you say that, Brother..." She had never thought that even the most "devout" Sunday would harbor such a thought.
Did that mean she wasn't the one who was wrong, but the Aeon of Harmony?
At this thought, courage welled up in Robin's heart. She looked at Sunday with the same burning intensity and asked her final question. "Brother! So, you also think that I should choose to trust myself and, for the sake of someone important, fight against an Aeon?"
Her subtext was: Brother, do you think I should fight against the Aeon of Harmony for the sake of Lord Su Mo's freedom?
However, in Sunday's eyes, the subtext was entirely different. The important person Robin speaks of... who else could it be but me, her brother?
A wave of relief washed over Sunday, and a genuine joy filled his heart.
Not only was his sister walking the same path as him, not only could she understand his thoughts, but she even placed his importance above that of an Aeon. For a brother, there was nothing more gratifying.
She is a bit foolish, though.She should place her own importance highest of all! It seemed his silly little sister still needed his protection.
With that thought, Sunday nodded immediately. "That's right! From the very beginning, didn't we embark upon our Path for the sake of those important to us?"
Deep in his misunderstanding, he wholeheartedly supported Robin's idea.
"No matter if the outcome is good or bad, as long as we hold fast to that original purpose, we can accept any result!" As her brother, he too placed Robin's importance above his own.
"I understand!" Encouraged, Robin nodded deeply. The confusion in her eyes vanished, replaced by an unparalleled certainty. "Thank you, Brother. I know what I must do now!"
"As long as you understand!" Sunday nodded in gratification, believing his sister was now completely on his side.
"In that case, Brother, I will no longer hide this matter from you," Robin said with great seriousness.
"Yes, there should be no secrets between family. I have something to tell you as well," Sunday nodded, slightly more relaxed. In his mind, the current Robin was fully prepared to accept his plan. He no longer had to bear the pain of hiding the truth from his own flesh and blood.
The siblings looked at each other, then spoke at the same time with solemn gravity.
"I disagree with the Aeon of Harmony's methods. For Lord Su Mo's sake, I will resist Them!"
"I disagree with the Aeon of Harmony's methods. To eliminate the world's suffering, I will subvert Penacony!"
Two sentences, so similar in structure yet so utterly different in content, were spoken in unison.
The moment the words fell, both of their faces were etched with profound shock.
Robin stared at Sunday in utter disbelief.
Sunday stared at Robin in utter disbelief.
What did my brother just say?
What did my sister just say?
After three seconds of frozen silence, they finally processed it.
"Brother, the crisis to subvert all of Penacony... it's—" It's you?
"Robin, the important person you mentioned... it's—" It's not me?
In the ensuing silence, the atmosphere between the siblings became dangerous.
A few minutes later, news spread from the Oak Family: Robin was focusing on rehearsing for the Harmony Festival and would not be making any further public appearances.
Only those within The Family knew the truth: Miss Robin had been placed under house arrest.