『 "That is why you were able to win. Fortune and strategy—both are indispensable."
"And in your grand design, the IPC is always the winner, even if you lose in the end… For the Family, the life of an envoy is quite a hefty price to pay." 』
『 ....』
〘Boothill〙: Heh, this is just like Aventurine cutting open a wound on the Family, and those IPC sharks coming right over at the scent of blood.
〘Stelle〙: Simple and easy to understand. As expected of a Galaxy Ranger.
....
『 "A massive gamble, isn't it?" Aventurine smiled. "But allow me to point out one mistake: the IPC doesn't have a guaranteed victory. On one crucial matter, I indeed had no backup plan."
"Detonating a Stellaron… Haha, I can't do something like that. The Aventurine stone is already too shattered, unable even to protect me so I can retreat from the stage unscathed."
"If you hadn't drawn that blade in the end… Heh, I would have lost the entire game." 』
『 ....』
〘Qingque〙: It's a gamble, my friend!
〘March 7th〙: A shattered Aventurine stone, and the Family's curse—under these two negative statuses, he could still tank Miss Himeko's orbital strike. If the Aventurine stone hadn't been shattered, I wouldn't even dare to imagine.
....
『 "Discussing 'what ifs' is meaningless. You won, and you have won yourself a ticket to that deep sea." Acheron shook her head, then looked into Aventurine's beautiful eyes, as if she had long seen through everything about him. Then, she changed the subject: "And after this, whether you can return from the abyss… will be your next grand gamble."
After saying this, Acheron fell silent for a moment, then slowly asked: "…Have you never hesitated?"
Faced with this question, Aventurine's expression remained unchanged. With a faint smile on his face, he slowly replied.
"Hesitated… Of course. But I can only believe in my good luck. Because other than that, I have nothing."
Acheron silently closed her eyes. After a moment, she gently turned around and said.
"…Wake up from this dream and go where you ought to go. Your gamble… is not yet over."
Watching Acheron's departing figure, Aventurine first let out a sigh, then slowly said.
"…Before we part, can you answer one more question for me? As someone walking on that path, can you tell me…"
"Why are we born into this world only to die?" 』
『 ....』
〘Black Swan〙: Death is the destination for everyone, and on the path to that destination, there will be countless precious memories—happy ones, sad ones, angry ones. No matter what kind of memories they are, they all share one thing in common: they will not be erased by time.
〘Seed〙: Just like Seed Sr. said, life is a circle. As points on it, we will always have a day where we intersect.
〘March 7th〙: I can't say things as philosophical as you guys. I just think that in this life, we've got to record something, leave something behind.
....
『 "I have never thought so. And neither do you." Acheron turned around and said.
Aventurine turned to look at the black hole. "—But it is still there."
"If the dice of fate have always been loaded, and that is our destined end… why must we struggle against it?"
"…My answer may not necessarily dispel your confusion, because it has accompanied you all this way and has long become a part of your life."
Acheron slowly walked forward, standing beside Aventurine as she looked at the black hole.
"But you said, 'Sleep is the rehearsal of death.' Why does life slumber? Because we are not yet ready to welcome death."
With that, she slowly turned her head to Aventurine and continued: "So you must also understand why we want to be prepared." 』
『 ....』
〘March 7th〙: It's this question again. @Gallagher, do you have a standard answer?
〘Gallagher〙: No. No one knows what that old guy was thinking. Even I don't know.
〘Hotaru〙: I'm actually looking forward to the Watchmaker's own answer to his question.
〘Stelle〙: Given his experiences, it will probably be a very positive answer. After all, he is a senior pioneer of the Trailblaze.
....
『 "Even if the ending is already written, it doesn't matter. There are too many things that people cannot change."
"But before that, on the road toward the end, there are just as many things that people can do."
"And because of that… the 'ending' will reveal a completely different meaning."
"Look in your pocket. Your friend has already given you the answer. Good luck."
After Acheron finished speaking, she slowly disappeared from this space.
Hearing Acheron's words, Aventurine took out the bottle Dr. Ratio had given him from his pocket.
After opening it, there was only a neatly folded slip of paper inside. Aventurine took it out, unfolded it curiously, and his gaze fell upon the words.
Doctor's Advice
The impossible in the Dreamscape is not 'Death,' but rather 'Slumber.'
Do stay alive. I wish you the best of luck.
After reading it, Aventurine tucked the note away and let out a soft laugh. 』
『 ....』
〘Pela〙: I'm going to faint.
〘Castorice〙: Adding this to my writing materials.
〘Griseo〙: Adding this to my materials too.
〘Sunday〙: To be able to deduce this far without any information… It seems I underestimated you, Professor.
〘Aventurine〙: Professor, you truly live up to the name of 'Dr. Ratio.'
....
『 "…Then I should leave too." Just then, the sound of footsteps stepping on water came. Aventurine looked back and saw little Kakavasha appearing before him.
"Mister…"
"Are you leaving? In the end, did you still choose… to leave this dreamscape?"
Aventurine silently gazed into Kakavasha's eyes, as if wanting to imprint the look of those eyes into the depths of his soul. He knew this was probably the last time he would see these eyes without looking in a mirror.
After a long time, Aventurine took a deep breath and slowly spoke.
"…Yes. Because they aren't here… Dad, Mom, Sister…"
"Then where are they?" Kakavasha asked curiously.
Aventurine's tone was gentle and warm, like a spring breeze brushing past Kakavasha's face.
"They are in a place where everyone will eventually go—a very, very far place."
"Are you going there too?" Kakavasha first looked at the black hole Aventurine was staring at, then turned his head to ask him.
"I will get there one day. But not now."
Aventurine looked down at Kakavasha, his eyes flickering with complex emotions—anticipation for the future, and longing for the past.
"There will come a day when the rain falls from the sky again. I will hear the call of the Goddess and know that the destined moment has arrived, and I should go to reunite with my family."
Aventurine gently closed his eyes and placed his right hand over his chest. "So, before that moment comes… I must get 'ready.'"
"Ready for what?"
Aventurine showed a heartfelt smile. "Ready to face them, Kakavasha. To make them proud." 』
『 ....』
〘Mydei〙: People will eventually die, and all we can do is live on for those who have passed.
〘Phainon〙: Does the dictionary of Castrum Kremnos even have this phrase?
〘Mydei〙: ....
〘Honkai ·HSR· Welt Yang〙: Precisely because they have already passed away and cannot see the world changed for them, we must live well and see this beautiful world in their stead.
....
『 "I think you will do it. Keep it up." Kakavasha looked at Aventurine, a bright smile appearing on his face as he encouraged him.
"Of course. For I am a child who received the blessing of Gaiathra Triclops." But his voice trembled slightly.
Seeing this, Kakavasha couldn't help but laugh. "But you still look very nervous…"
"I seem that way because I am nervous. You know what? Maybe you can help..." Aventurine nodded gently, then stepped forward and suggested: "What do you say? One last time? Put our palms together?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Aventurine took off his hat, squatted down, and placed it on the ground. Then, he gently patted Kakavasha's head.
"Are you about to set off?" Kakavasha asked softly.
But everyone noticed something strange—Kakavasha's mouth didn't open. The voice seemed to come directly from the heart.
"Yes." Aventurine nodded again, slowly extending his palm. Kakavasha also extended his palm, pressing it tightly against Aventurine's.
Then, the two began to pray together.
"May the Mother Goddess thrice close HER eyes for you..."
"...keeping your blood eternally pulsing."
"May your journey be forever peaceful..."
"... and your schemes forever concealed."
After the high-five, Aventurine handed his hat to Kakavasha, then stepped toward the distant black hole.
Holding Aventurine's hat, Kakavasha watched Aventurine as he walked forward with his back turned, waving his hand. He silently offered his blessings.
"Our paths will cross again beneath Kakava's shimmering auroras."
Along with the smile and blessing, Kakavasha's figure gradually turned into points of light and dissipated. The hat in his hand, as if blown by a gust of wind, drifted into the darkness of the sky.
"Farewell, Kakavasha."
"With hope for the morrow nestled in my heart, I descend into the slumber of tonight. Until the denouement of all coming morrows kisses me, I have then embraced the quiet death."
But this man is different. He lives and breathes in the present. In every sinking night, by every daring gamble, no vision of morrow ever graced his dreams.
His life knows not quietude. His fate yet demands him to win them all, to weather tempests, one after another... til mire enshrouds his very breath.
And now, in the unfathomable depths of dream, the once falling die... has at last landed on its earthly rest.
Quietly, peacefully, it at last landed. 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Farewell, Kakavasha.
〘March 7th〙: Farewell, Kakavasha.
〘Topaz〙: Farewell.
〘Dr. Ratio〙: Gambler, you did well this time. Farewell.
〘Belle〙: Farewell.
〘Kiana Kaslana〙: Farewell.
〘Hanabi〙: Let us remember Kakavasha and observe three minutes of silence.
〘Aventurine〙: Hey, hey, hey, I'm not dead yet.
〘Hanabi〙: Well, the atmosphere was just right. How about it, are you still lost, little peacock?
〘Aventurine〙: Heh, who knows? But compared to before… I guess I'm a bit better.
....
(Aventurine Spotlight End here... Also, I didn't cry; you guys are the ones who cried)