"Oh, what a shame! I was really looking forward to seeing how Stelle would deal with that terrifying King of Trash…" Sampo muttered incessantly, his face full of regret.
At this moment, Stelle stood with her hands on her hips, confidently replying, "No need to watch at all! I can solve it with just one punch."
"What a pity! Such a wonderful and profound dream was forced to end because of Miss Robin's sudden intervention…"
Sampo sighed and shook his head, then said thoughtfully, "…I've always been curious to see what kind of expression would appear on your face when you discovered the truth of the matter."
As soon as he finished speaking, Robin, who was standing beside him, subtly changed her expression, but Stelle, who was talking to Sampo at the moment, didn't notice anything unusual behind her.
"Expression? No, it should be revelation…"
"The truth about 'Beautique Town'—aren't you looking for it? Don't be fooled by the beautiful scenery, my dear. A comfortable environment breeds blind people."
"Don't you think this dream bubble is very similar to the current Penacony, hmm?" Sampo hinted, "A group of people with ulterior motives, squeezed onto a small stage, none of them wanting to be exposed to the spotlight, so they push the poor Xiao Hui Mao to the front—"
"Dreams are not your own bathtub, but an unpredictable deep sea. If you want me to be clearer—don't be deceived by the alluring glow. If you fall into the hands of such a guy… I would be very, very disappointed."
Himeko: Compared to simple joy, this Masked Fools seems to want to hint at something to you. "Alluring glow," could it be referring to Miss Robin?
Stelle: Oh my! It's getting more and more complicated. Why can't you just be bystanders and enjoy the show? Why all the riddles!
"Glow?" Stelle murmured to herself.
"—Do you see if that little girl is still there?" Sampo reminded her.
Stelle quickly turned her head to look, her heart suddenly jolting. Unbeknownst to her, Robin, who had just been by her side, had quietly left, disappearing without a trace.
"She claims to be a local of Penacony, but knows nothing about the insider ways—yet she's quite adept at petty theft. Who exactly is she? My dear, did you never suspect her for a moment?"
Stelle: But she's really so cute.
Sampo smiled and swaggered away.
After watching Sampo's figure gradually walk away, Stelle's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
What did Sampo mean by those words? Was Robin hiding something from her all along? A series of questions flooded her mind, and Stelle felt she had to find Robin and get a clear answer.
So, she began to search for Robin's figure everywhere, thinking that she shouldn't have gone far…
After Stelle hastily chased for a distance, she found Robin by the flowerbed, staring into the distance in a daze.
"Phew…" She took a deep breath, as if releasing the pressure in her heart, then turned sideways, looking into the distance, as if avoiding Stelle's gaze. After a long moment, she turned back and spoke softly.
At this moment, Robin looked pitiful and wronged. When Stelle saw her like this, her heart immediately softened, and she quickly shook her head to indicate that she didn't mind.
"It's okay, you don't need to apologize to me. I've never doubted you," Stelle comforted her gently.
"…Thank you." Her eyes shimmered with genuine light. After a soft thank you, she seemed to find it difficult to speak, but still gathered her courage and continued, "I… I did hide some things from you…"
Stelle watched her quietly, saying nothing, waiting for her next words.
"For example, I am indeed not a 'local,' and the Hound Family hunting me down is not without reason… And accompanying you actually has some other reasons…" Her voice grew softer and softer, as if she was afraid of hurting the person in front of her.
"…But thank you for your help, I truly mean it." She raised her head, her gaze fixed on Stelle, "Longing to be a Nameless is also true. You have been to so many worlds, seen all kinds of people and things, and every new day is full of the unknown and anticipation…"
As she spoke, she unconsciously placed her hands on her chest, as if wanting to grasp that distant dream.
Stelle felt the deep yearning in her heart, smiled gently, and then suggested, "You can also board The Train and explore those mysterious worlds with us."
Robin only shook her head slightly after hearing this. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke:
"I want to take you to another place, okay? This time it's not a tourist attraction, quite the opposite… Perhaps it could be considered my 'secret hideout.'" Her eyes revealed a hint of anticipation, and a little nervousness.
"There, I will tell you everything I know… as much as possible."
"Okay, I trust you," Stelle replied without hesitation.
"Thank you."
Stelle followed Robin closely, walking together on this street bathed in golden light. Just then, an unusual sound came from not far ahead, as if someone was shouting for help.
"Tick-tock! Help! Help me!" Accompanied by crisp and urgent bell sounds, a peculiar creature resembling a Clockie but with limbs shouted at the top of its lungs, "Someone's going to die! Quick, someone help!"
Hearing the sound, Stelle suddenly stopped, staring at the strange existence with a puzzled expression. After a long while, she finally asked, "What… are you?"
Being asked this, the Clockie-like little fellow was clearly annoyed and retorted indignantly, "Hey! I'm a genuine Clockie, not some 'thing'! " However, as soon as it finished speaking, it seemed to suddenly come to its senses, blinking its eyes, and asked blankly, "Hey, wait—can… can you see me?"
Robin: Is this Clockie? Does Clockie really exist in the dream?
Seele: This is the Clockie that was mentioned before… It does look quite cute.
At the same time, Robin, who had been walking silently beside her, also stopped and came closer curiously, asking in confusion, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Stelle turned her head, explaining to Robin with a slightly surprised expression, "I saw a… Clockie with hands and feet."
"Could it be… you really can see me?" The mysterious Clockie widened its eyes, looking at Stelle in disbelief.
Then, he said happily, "Tick-tock! This is great! This is great! Misha is saved!"
"Oh, sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet!"
"I'm Clockie, the big star of Beautique Town, Penacony! My friends and I protect the peace of this town—they are Hanu Brothers, Mr. Soda, Origami Bird, Hamster Ball Knight…"
"…And Misha! Misha is in danger—tick-tock! Help! Help!"