『 [ Why are you still here? ]
Aventurine gazed at "Harmony Aventurine," finding him exceptionally wildly unpleasant to the eye.
[ You knew long ago: if the Family truly extended tolerance to every family member seeking aid, why would they need to build their walls so high and their moats so deep? ]
[ But people don't think that way. After all, the taste of the syrup of Sweet Dreams is simply too enticing. ]
[ You are isolated and helpless in Penacony, trying to topple these high walls with nothing but your own strength… How is that even possible? ]
[ So, the moment you stepped into the hotel, you took off your hat of superiority and began begging everyone you met… ]
[ Just like a hyena scavenging for food in the desert. ]
[ Because you know that opportunity is fleeting. ]
Harmony Aventurine's words were blunt and grating.
[ When you put it like that, even Ratio's 'Attini Peacock' analogy sounds pleasant. ]
Aventurine sneered.
[ You know I rarely speak from the heart, so I advise you to listen well. ]
[ It is fitting that you mentioned the Doctor—I particularly enjoy what you two have in common: conspiracies and calculations… ]
[ Especially that finale… a magnificent betrayal! ]
[ …When everyone believes it to be real, who would suspect that it is merely another trap you have meticulously set? ]
Harmony Aventurine smiled inexplicably.
[ ... ]
Aventurine fell silent upon hearing this.
[ Did I hit the mark? ]
[ That is the kind of person you are: cautious to a fault, yet self-deprecating. You've won so much, yet you fear losing more than anyone else. ]
[ People only see you throwing away thousands of gold on the table, but they don't know about the other hand beneath the table, clutching your chips, trembling uncontrollably… ]
[ Impressive. No wonder the Tavern sent you an invitation. ]
[ You were born to be a great actor… ]
[ Not only are you an expert at deceiving others, but you are even better at deceiving yourself. ]
Harmony Aventurine continued to speak words designed to inflict maximum emotional damage on Aventurine.
[ The most brilliant way to ensure you don't slip up in front of others is to deceive yourself first. ]
Aventurine retorted calmly.
[ Haha, of course. I know you too well… ]
[ However, it is truly strange. Why did you refuse that invitation? ]
[ You clearly had the chance to embrace Elation. Isn't that what you wanted most? ]
[ Yet you still chose the IPC's gambling table… ]
[ For the Preservation? ]
[ Hmph, I don't think so. ]
[ Do you have even the slightest connection to the Preservation? ]
Harmony Aventurine asked this question with genuine curiosity.
[ I thought you knew… ]
[ Don't you understand me perfectly? ]
[ Enough. Either shut your mouth now, or vanish from my sight immediately. ]
Aventurine had no desire to look upon Harmony Aventurine's ugly countenance any longer.
[ No problem. ]
[ However, the one who is about to vanish from here—who will it be, really? ]
Harmony Aventurine left behind one final sentence, temporarily fading from the spot.
[ …At any rate, it won't be me. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "This Harmony Aventurine's aggression is off the charts, huh?"
Stelle: "Every word he says is practically stabbing Aventurine right in the heart!"
Stelle: "Though, there's one point I don't agree with!"
Stelle: "What does he mean by 'taking off the hat of superiority and begging like a hyena'?"
Stelle: "Was what Aventurine did before called begging?"
Stelle: "Directly scheming against me—is that the attitude of someone begging for help?"
March 7th: "Uh… that definitely doesn't look like begging."
March 7th: "Calling it exploitation would be more accurate."
Furina de Fontaine: "Perhaps, in Aventurine's eyes, the very fact that he needs to use others to achieve his interests is already an insult to himself?"
Silver Wolf: "Good lord, what kind of 'looking down on everything' capitalist mindset is that?"
Xiangling: "Put that way, Aventurine's persona seems to have become unlikeable again."
Aventurine: "I say, friends, those words did not come from my mouth."
Aventurine: "That newborn spawn of the Harmony speaks like he's spewing hot air, and you believe him?"
Aventurine: "With all due respect, his words truly don't sound as pleasant as the Doctor's!"
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "You are correct."
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "When it comes to getting under your skin, he is far superior to me."
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "I can only say, it is indeed true that one knows oneself best."
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "He clearly knows exactly what words will deal the most critical damage to your heart."
Dr. Veritas Ratio: "In this regard, I am far inferior to him."
Stelle: "LMAO. Before, Dr. Ratio's words didn't break Aventurine."
Stelle: "Hanabi spoke so harshly, and that didn't break Aventurine either."
Stelle: "But now, the words of another Aventurine have actually caused him emotional damage!"
Stelle: "Does this count as 'the only one who can defeat me is myself'?"
Silver Wolf: "To me, it looks more like Aventurine has simultaneously become the Strongest Shield and the Strongest Spear, and then started flaming himself."
Silver Wolf: "In the end, whether the shield bends the spear or the spear pierces the shield, the one out of luck is him."
Hu Tao: "Put that way, Mr. Aventurine really is quite miserable."
Hanabi: "I can't really feel the misery, but I can see that this has excellent theatrical effect!"
Hanabi: "Little Peacock, I look forward to your wonderful performance later~"
....
『 [ Ah—do you want to play hide-and-seek? ]
[ I'm the best at this— ]
[ Now it's my turn to hide—I bet you definitely won't find me. ]
Aventurine continued to pursue the figure of Kakavasha, but Kakavasha began to play hide-and-seek.
[ Hide-and-seek… truly a sweet childhood memory. ]
[ On the day you said goodbye to Mom, how many Katica people were chasing behind your ass like jackals? ]
[ I bet you definitely can't forget their shrill laughter. ]
[ To make yourselves disappear from right under the noses of those savages, you and your sister could only roll around in blood and mire, ruining the only piece of clothing Dad left behind… ]
Harmony Aventurine appeared again to fiercely stab at Aventurine's heart.
[ It wasn't ruined, I've kept it safe all this time! ]
In response to Harmony Aventurine's claim, Aventurine instinctively shouted a rebuttal.
[ That's just a tattered rag; you can never wear it again. ]
[ Now you don't need to hide anymore, you even have the leisure to be disgusted that your expensive outfit got wet in the rain… ]
[ Your status has truly changed, hasn't it? ]
Harmony Aventurine continued his mockery.
[ ... ]
[ I have never changed! ]
Aventurine's expression grew increasingly angry.
[ No, you have changed… ]
[ You have now become the one doing the chasing. ]
[ The final game of hide-and-seek… enjoy it well. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Eula Lawrence: "This Harmony Aventurine really has no bottom line with his words!"
Eula Lawrence: "To think he would say such things out loud."
Hu Tao: "I think he's just dying to anger Aventurine to death sooner so he can completely take over his body."
Lumine: "Uh… that really is a malicious newborn consciousness."
Paimon: "Aventurine actually still keeps his dad's keepsake…"
Paimon: "He really cares about his family."
Aventurine: "If I don't care about family, what else can I care about?"
Aventurine: "Unfortunately, just as he said, I can only care about… the last things left behind by my family…"
Stelle: "Friend, stay strong!"
Stelle: "I think if your family knew you were doing so well now, they would definitely be proud of you!"
March 7th: "That's right, a super elite of the IPC! That status ranks highly across the entire universe!"
Aventurine: "Is that so… Pity… that to me, it isn't all that important…"
Lumine: "Mm… yeah, how can these empty titles compare to the importance of family?"
Zhongli: "Alas, the word 'family' carries the weight of mountains…"
....
『 [ Is that child… inside here? ]
Aventurine arrived inside the theme park and began searching for Kakavasha.
[ This is… ]
[ Topaz? Why is it here… ]
Aventurine suddenly discovered a Topaz stone on the ground, which left him extremely surprised and shocked.
[ Ugh… ]
Aventurine's head began to throb with pain again.
[ What, does her Cornerstone make you that heartbroken? ]
Harmony Aventurine had barely been quiet for a moment before appearing again.
[ …I am merely curious why it is here. ]
Aventurine explained indifferently.
[ Perhaps that wing-head left it here deliberately to mock you. ]
[ Just to make you understand that the grand magic show you painstakingly arranged is nothing but a death struggle. ]
[ The Cornerstone's luster is identical to the light of Qlipoth's body… I can't believe you came up with such an absurd excuse. ]
[ If he had even a bit more sense, your lie would have collapsed at the first touch. ]
Harmony Aventurine ridiculed.
[ This is just bait. ]
Aventurine raised an eyebrow.
[ Of course! ]
[ That is why you listed Dr. Ratio's betrayal as a key link in the plan. ]
[ I must say, that Professor's acting was extremely realistic. ]
Harmony Aventurine offered a compliment to Dr. Ratio.
[ Perhaps he wasn't acting at all? ]
Aventurine said, his tone eerie.
[ Ha, wouldn't that play right into your hands? ]
[ That meticulous Oak Family Head has a near-paranoid desire for control. You had to let him grasp enough information, yet not let him detect any flaws… ]
[ …So you let Ratio find him and deliberately leak the plan. ]
[ To prevent the other party from getting suspicious, the content you confided to Ratio was entirely true, and he relayed it to Sunday exactly as it was. ]
[ Finally, through the bait you laid out, this Family Head found another Cornerstone just as he wished. And thus— ]
[ —Everyone's distracted enough for you to steal the third stone (Aventurine), right out from under them. ]
Harmony Aventurine detailed Aventurine's true plan in full.
[ …Stop rummaging through my brain, you bastard. ]
Aventurine was extremely displeased with Harmony Aventurine's act of voicing his plan.
[ Your brain? ]
[ It is our brain. ]
[ You are me, and I am you; there is no distinction. ]
[ The most brilliant way to ensure you don't slip up in front of others is to deceive yourself first… ]
[ If you ask me, you can't deceive yourself at all. ]
[ Count yourself lucky you succeeded this time. ]
[ This is the other Cornerstone in Sunday's hand. ]
[ A quite beautiful green, just like you—smooth, cunning… ]
[ Tell me, what is its name? ]
Harmony Aventurine took out another Cornerstone and asked Aventurine with a playful look.
[ Why bother asking me specifically? ]
Aventurine refused to answer.
[ Hmph… ]
[ Then I will personally make you remember. ]
[ Aventurine is the stone of luck and trickery… ]
[ When you received this stone, that is what she said, right? ]
[ This type of stone is not rare, but its luster is very close to a certain gemstone, so it is often used as a substitute for the latter. ]
[ And that more expensive gemstone… ]
Harmony Aventurine stopped speaking at this point.
[ ... ]
[ Is called Jade. ]
[ Even that Sunday failed to tell the difference. It seems Jade is not incapable of replacing Aventurine. ] 』
『 ....』
—✦Omniscient Viewer's Chat Lodge✦—
Stelle: "??? There's actually such a pro move?!"
Stelle: "There's a third Cornerstone?! Aventurine, are you insane?"
Stelle: "You guys are using three of such important items as props?"
Furina de Fontaine: "Three chips are sufficient… All, or nothing!"
Furina de Fontaine: "So, the thing Aventurine was muttering about from the start referred to these three Cornerstones?!"
Hu Tao: "Using such precious items as chips to gamble—Aventurine's persona as a gambler really lives up to the name!"
March 7th: "I say, is the relationship between you Ten Stonehearts really that good?"
March 7th: "Cornerstones are the kind of thing you can just borrow like that?"
March 7th: "Aren't they afraid you'll actually lose the Cornerstones?"
Acheron: "Evidently, they trust Aventurine greatly, believing he will not lose the bet!"
Qingque: "A gambler who has never lost… Can such a person really exist in the world?"
Qingque: "If he came to play Celestial Jade, wouldn't he be invincible?"
Paimon: "Aventurine and Dr. Ratio really were acting before!"
Paimon: "I said it was impossible for Dr. Ratio to just betray Aventurine so casually."
Lumine: "But, their scheme probably didn't completely fool Mr. Sunday, right?"
Lumine: "Aventurine coming to Clock Studios Theme Park seems to be the result of Mr. Sunday's deliberate guidance."
Stelle: "Tsk, they're all old schemers, each one trying to outdo the other!"
Stelle: "I can't imagine if they're going to pull out some even more heavyweight plays next."
Welt Yang: "The Jade stone… that is the Cornerstone held by the one known as Jade!"
Welt Yang: "This means that this time, the IPC has dispatched three of the Ten Stonehearts to reclaim Penacony?"
Welt Yang: "This lineup is truly staggering!"
March 7th: "Plus Dr. Ratio, that makes four elites."
March 7th: "It really is a huge scene!"
Himeko: "Then the question arises: that Ms. Jade has not shown herself from the very beginning."
Himeko: "So where is she right now?"
Fu Xuan: "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. The one who plans the deepest often appears last."
Fu Xuan: "This Jade is evidently preparing to be the oriole, or perhaps the fisherman reaping the benefits."
Amber: "The water has deepened into an ocean!"
Amber: "This is really giving me a headache!"
....
『 [ Aventurine, Topaz, Jade… ]
[ Three elites, three Cornerstones. For a tiny Penacony, you do not hesitate to bet your everything. ]
[ You are even more united than the Family. ]
Harmony Aventurine spoke with a sigh.
[ I said it long ago: three chips are sufficient—all, or nothing. ]
[ Will it be the former or the latter? ]
[ Ha, we will see the truth soon enough. ]
Aventurine smiled, a rare occurrence.
[ So, where is the real Aventurine stone? ]
[ Bring it out and let's have a look. ]
Harmony Aventurine proposed.
[ Heh, do you not know where it is again? ]
Aventurine sneered.
[ I just want you to say it out loud yourself… ]
[ After all, its current appearance truly suits its owner. ] 』
『 ....』