The investigation on the first day had temporarily come to an end.
But rather than conducting an investigation, Sylvia had thoroughly indulged herself in the Golden Hour.
While there, she also kept an eye on the members of the Bloodhound Family patrolling the streets.
Yet, she didn't spot anyone matching the sketch.
As for Sparkle—after Sylvia gave her a proper 'punishment for a cheeky brat'—she never showed up again.
This came as a relief to Sylvia. If given the choice, she much preferred interacting with more... normal, lovely young women.
Take Black Swan, for instance. Beautiful and elegant as she was, beings like Memokeepers always left Sylvia feeling a tad insecure.
And as for a Masked Fool like Sparkle? Well, no need to elaborate. It's genuinely hard to relax around someone whose main goal is seeking amusement in real life.
As for Robin's side.
She made a visit to the Family's headquarters, leveraging her status for convenience, and subtly inquired around.
No target was found there either, for now.
Though the first day yielded little in terms of results, neither Sylvia nor Robin felt discouraged. After all, there was still time.
--+--
Upon waking from the dreamscape and returning to the Reverie Hotel, Sylvia immediately ordered room service.
Not long before, Robin had gently reminded Sylvia that even though one could eat and feel full in the dream, the physical body in reality still required nourishment.
She urged Sylvia not to forget her real-world body while immersed in the dream.
When Sylvia heard this, she paused for a moment before realizing Robin was referring to her.
Yesterday, Sylvia had left the hotel without having a meal there.
Perhaps the hotel staff, noticing Sylvia's room hadn't been opened all day, had reported it specifically to Robin.
How amusing.
According to Robin, the room service at Penacony's hotels was quite luxurious, and she encouraged Sylvia to indulge a bit.
So today, Sylvia decided to dine in.
Admittedly, Robin wasn't wrong.
The dinner delivered by the Reverie Hotel was not only exquisite but also generously portioned.
After enjoying a hearty meal, Sylvia decided to order an extra portion for Acheron.
Well, of course she'd remember Acheron when there was good food—after all, promises were meant to be kept.
So she called room service and ordered another meal.
Sylvia took out her phone, trying to reach Acheron.
"I hope she gets the message this time."
[Sylvia: Hey hey hey! Free to come back for a bit? I've got some tasty treats for you.]
Several minutes passed after sending the message, and it still showed 'unread'.
By the time it finally switched to 'read,' the hotel staff had already delivered the steaming-hot dinner to her room.
Sylvia promptly took a photo and sent it along.
[Sylvia: [Photo]]
[Sylvia: Should I bring it back for you? The Reverie Hotel doesn't exactly have a place to rest.]
Whoever designed the Reverie Hotel in Penacony clearly had odd priorities—they included a dream pool but didn't bother with a proper bed.
[Acheron: Okay.]
Seeing Acheron's agreement, Sylvia wheeled the entire meal cart straight through the portal, sending it back to their residence on The Blue.
She then removed a few pieces of jewelry from her person, storing them in her personal space, keeping only the ring that matched Acheron's.
Only then did she summon Acheron back.
But the moment Acheron materialized, Sylvia couldn't help but furrow her brow.
"Ugh… what on earth is that smell?"
A rather peculiar scent wafted from Acheron the instant she appeared.
It wasn't exactly foul, but it was definitely pungent.
Acheron, who had been carefully observing Sylvia, blinked in confusion at her words.
"Really? I passed by an oceanic planet earlier today. The water there had a strange odor."
Acheron lifted her hand to her nose and sniffed, but clearly detected nothing.
"Go on, go wash up quick! Don't let that smell ruin my food!"
Sylvia swiftly pulled back her hand, which had been about to lift the lid of the meal tray, and nudged Acheron toward the bathroom.
"You think I stink?"
"…Where'd you pick that up from."
Sylvia shot Acheron a sidelong glance. Had this woman's personality been gradually opening up lately? She then glared at her pointedly.
"That's right! I do think you stink! Now go wash!"
Thump—
With that, Sylvia pushed Acheron by the shoulders, ushering her into the bathroom, and slipped in after her.
--+--
After finishing their wash, Acheron emerged wearing clean pajamas and took a seat at the dining table.
Sylvia sat across from her, propping her chin on one hand as she watched Acheron eat.
Then, as if still unconvinced, she leaned toward Acheron, wrinkling her nose as she sniffed a few times.
"Tsk, now I get why you wanted to come back so early today. That smell is intense—I still feel like you didn't wash thoroughly enough."
"Give me a break. You practically scrubbed a layer of skin off me."
Acheron swallowed her food and let out a helpless chuckle.
She genuinely couldn't smell anything at all and had no idea why Sylvia was reacting so strongly.
In the bathroom, Sylvia had taken a scrubbing ball and vigorously rolled it over Acheron's body multiple times.
Sylvia's hands were far from gentle—she even managed to wear out a perfectly good scrubbing ball before finally letting her off.
"By the way, how much longer until you reach Penacony? The Charmony Festival isn't too far off now."
In the storyline, by the time the Astral Express crew arrived in Penacony, there wasn't much time left before the Charmony Festival began.
The Astral Express group should be heading to the Xianzhou soon by now.
Sylvia couldn't help but complain inwardly.
How was this woman still not there after traveling alone through the cosmos for so long?
Didn't they say she even took out the Duke of the Annihilation Gang and his crew along the way?
Could it be that the Annihilation Gang hasn't even set out yet?
"It's fine, there's still time. Honestly, I'm really starting to enjoy traveling lately."
If the old Acheron traveled simply to avoid crowds, now—with her memories no longer fading—she was gradually developing a fondness for all sorts of bizarre and wondrous sights.
For places that were easy to document, Acheron would snap some photos and send them to Sylvia. For those less convenient, she'd mark down the coordinates, hoping to take Sylvia there someday.
"Never mind… as long as you're happy."
Sylvia sighed. Ordinary people traveled to popular tourist spots, but this woman seemed to prefer wilderness survival adventures.
Watching the shifts in Sylvia's expression, Acheron felt the already delicious meal tasted even more delightful.
Was this what Xianzhou natives often called 'a feast for the eyes'?
Since Sylvia seemed quite fond of Xianzhou culture and style, Acheron had recently taken to browsing Xianzhou social platforms in her spare time, picking up bits of their culture along the way.
"Today's meal was delicious… Hmm, in the past, I probably never gave much thought to the taste of my daily meals."
As she spoke, Acheron's expression softened noticeably.
Seeing this, Sylvia smiled in satisfaction.
"Really? Glad you liked it."
"So, let's start today's combat training right away. I've noticed high-pressure battles seem to suit you quite well."
The smile on Sylvia's face froze instantly.
"…"
"Get out of here!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.