"Haha, Pitch-Black 7th."
Stelle laughed as she looked at March 7th, who had switched to her Evernight form.
"So, what kind of enemy did you guys run into?"
"The enemy was the past, but... it's not a problem."
The corners of Evernight's mouth curled up slightly.
"..."
Stelle observed Evernight carefully and finally reached a conclusion:
This must be March, because she's just as wise-looking yet foolish as March.
On the table, the miniature Jarilo-VI continued to rotate slowly, and the ice and snow on the planet had begun to melt.
If it hadn't been placed inside the device, the planet would be facing a flood.
"The ecological environment is recovering faster than expected." Welt walked to the table and looked down at the miniature planet. "At this rate, it should reach habitable standards in another two days."
"Hmm... the planet can be put back very soon."
Dan Heng pressed the observation button, and various data projections appeared before them.
"..."
— — —
"Sister Natasha! I want to go out and play!"
"Hook, it's better to stay in town for now."
A helpless smile appeared on the green-haired woman's face.
"Your daddy still needs your care, and your little friends in The Moles need you, Boss Hook, right?"
"Ooh... okay then."
The little girl dejectedly drew circles on the ground in front of the clinic.
She didn't know what happened yesterday; they said Amber Lord had manifested?, and then everyone suddenly moved from the underground to the surface...
Hook wanted to go outside and see more interesting things!
"Uncle Sampo!"
Hook's eyes lit up instantly when she spotted a blue-haired wild man.
Sampo breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was Hook.
"Are you being chased by Sister Seele again?" Hook's innocent words made Sampo a bit embarrassed.
"Aha, not really. After all, I haven't done anything bad lately." Sampo gave a dry cough.
Mainly, Sampo sensed that something wasn't quite right today.
He felt a prickling sensation on his back, as if someone had been voyeuristically staring at him while he worked.
Standing at the clinic entrance, Sampo appeared to be talking to Hook, but his eyes were actually darting around everywhere.
That feeling of being watched was still there.
As an excellent Masked Fool, Sampo naturally had plenty of counter-reconnaissance experience and keen perception. But today, he could clearly feel someone watching him, yet he couldn't find where the monitor was.
This was a bit eerie.
"Uncle Sampo? Are your eyes uncomfortable?"
"Ahem, no, I just have something to do. I'll talk to you later—"
Sampo walked very fast, as if someone were chasing him from behind.
Hook tilted her head, watching Sampo's back disappear around the corner, then boredly went back to drawing circles.
Sampo turned into an alley, looked around vigilantly, and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
That feeling was back.
It was like a pair of eyes—no, countless pairs of eyes—staring at him from all directions, from the cracks in the floor tiles, from behind the pipes overhead. But when he suddenly turned his head or looked up, there was nothing but dusty walls and dripping pipes, not even a ghost.
"Who is it? Aidan? Is it you? If you're there, make a sound."
"Squeak."
"Ah—! You really are there."
Sampo shuddered. Once Aidan appeared, that feeling of being monitored vanished instantly.
"So it was you watching me. You scared me to death... Hmm? Why is the Path on you so messy? Do you change your Path every day?" Sampo was a bit puzzled, but then he had a sudden realization. "I see what's going on. You're from equilibrium!"
That explains it. That explains it.
equilibrium, right? They're all Pathstriders with multiple Paths. No wonder Aidan didn't know how to use the power of Elation when they first met. It turns out he had just obtained the power of Elation back then.
Aidan's phantom leaned against the mottled brick wall of the alley, his starry-colored arms crossed over his chest, with four colored light spheres rotating leisurely around him. He watched Sampo's self-justifying act, not contradicting him, but simply nodding.
"You could say that."
"Right, right!" Sampo stepped closer, rubbing his hands, his eyes sparkling with shrewdness. "But brother, following me around while invisible in broad daylight... surely you haven't taken a liking to my outfit? We're friends, aren't we? If you need anything, just say the word. As long as the price is right, there's nothing Sampo can't get done!"
Aidan extended a finger and lightly tapped the air.
"You are very equilibrium."
"I'm equilibrium? Brother, are you saying I'm fair and just? Or that I have a stable temper? If it's the former, I'll take the compliment. If it's the latter... hehe, you've got the wrong person."
Sampo spoke with an air of unwavering conviction.
"I, Sampo, am a person of Elation for a day and a person of Elation for life. How could I just switch to equilibrium? If you want me to betray Elation, unless you... ooh! Money! Exactly, I knew you were someone who understood me, brother."
Sampo pocketed the Credit Points, and his respectful attitude toward the Aeon of Elation vanished instantly.
"Alright, now I'm a person of equilibrium. Starting now, I'll believe in equilibrium for one day."
"One day?"
"One day." Sampo said righteously. "I'm a man of integrity. When I say one day, I mean one day—not a minute more, not a minute less. This time tomorrow, I'll be a Masked Fool again."
"Then how do you see Aha now?"
"Aha is nothing more than a dog on the side of the road."
Sampo crossed his arms and showed direct contempt.
"Actually, I've had a dream of joining equilibrium since I was a child. It's just that due to certain special reasons, I was forced to join Elation in the end..."
Sampo spun a vivid story while catching the Credit Points falling from the air. At the emotional parts, he even squeezed out a couple of tears and wiped them with the back of his hand. Of course, Sampo's stories are just for listening; although Sampo is honest with all customers, that's limited to the elderly and children—he cheats everyone else.
"Nice acting."
"Hehe, you flatter me."
After counting the Credit Points and stuffing the money into his bag, Sampo immediately switched to a serious expression.
See, this is called being professional.
"Boss, you can tell me whatever work you want me to do today. As long as it's something I, Sampo, can do, I'll do my best! Of course, I, old Sampo, still won't do those kinds of heartless things."