〘March 7th〙: What's going on?
〘Herta〙: Very simple. There is more than one mute. There is another person who fits this definition.
〘Stelle〙: The Duke?
〘Herta〙: You'd better be playing abstract.
〘Kiana Kaslana〙: Oh oh oh oh, I've got it! It's Miss Hotaru! As expected of this lady.
〘[Bronya Zaychik]:〙: Silly Kiana, anyone could see that.
....
『 "Oh?" Hanabi looked at Aventurine playfully, sneered, and said, "And what if I say 'no'?"
"Thank you. That's the first time that word has sounded so sweet," Aventurine nodded and sighed.
Hanabi showed an amazed expression and clapped her hands. "Not bad, I underestimated you." Then she blinked and laughed, "But what use is that?"
"Let me tell you—the 'mutes.' Originally, there were two people who fit that definition. But Robin is dead, and the other… 'she' is still in Penacony, but I'm afraid you'll never find her again~"
Hearing Hanabi's words, Aventurine revealed a confident smile. "Fool, now I can be completely sure that I have been walking on the right path from the very beginning, without ever deviating."
"I'm only missing two things: first, the meaning behind the truth; second, the method to reveal it."
Hanabi clutched her stomach and laughed for a while, then looked at Aventurine and said, "How impressive! That's quite a fancy way of saying "I haven't learned anything so far."
After speaking, she wiped away the tears of laughter from her eyes and continued, "Don't you still know nothing?"
"No, no," Aventurine shook his head. "I have already proven through various signs that it indeed exists, and that is enough. As for the answers to these two questions, seventeen… no, sixteen system hours are enough for me to settle everything."
"Oh? Sixteen system hours, is that really enough?" Hanabi looked at Aventurine, who spoke with such confidence, and revealed that inscrutable smile belonging to a Fool. "Then let me add some fuel to your fire."
"Here, for you."
Hanabi pulled out a button heavily decorated with Sparkle-themed elements, and then explained.
"This is my treasured 'Mutually Assured Destruction' button. I have an identical one myself. As long as one of us presses it, the other will immediately go up in smoke along with the entire Penacony!" 』
『 ....』
〘Stelle〙: Really? What if I don't play by the rules and just blow up with you right away!
〘Hanabi〙: Oh my god, little grey hair, you are so to my liking.
〘March 7th〙: I always feel like if Stelle keeps chatting in this chatroom, she'll embark on the Path of Elation sooner or later.
(Too bad she already did)
....
『 "If you really want the IPC to take over Penacony, want it so bad you can't stand it…"
Hanabi shook the button in her hand, then made a fake pressing motion.
"Then flipping the table isn't a bad way to go."
Hanabi made an exploding gesture, showing a wild smile. "At worst, we just start all over again!"
"That's what the IPC is best at, right?"
After speaking, Hanabi bowed and handed the button to Aventurine, who took it.
Looking at Aventurine as he accepted the button, Hanabi smiled and said, "Very well, when you find yourself with no way out, just press it."
"And of course, feel free to reach out to me for my 'hospice care' too!"
Aventurine toyed with the button in his hand and looked at Hanabi. "So dangerous… I guess the Family didn't take your words seriously at all, did they? Otherwise, how did you smuggle it in?"
"I have my own ways. That's all you need to know~" Hanabi said proudly with her hands on her hips.
Then, Hanabi showed a surprised expression because Aventurine handed the button back. After receiving the button, Hanabi looked at Aventurine in confusion.
"I'm afraid I have to decline your offer. Who knows if this little toy of yours actually works? By the way, I don't plan on looking for that 'other mute friend' you mentioned either, though I am glad to hear this person is still in Penacony."
With that, Aventurine turned around, his back to Hanabi, and continued, "I will handle the rest myself: I will prepare a grand opening performance for the downfall of the Family."
"When the climax arrives, the high walls will collapse, people will wake up, and those who cannot speak will find their voices again—"
At this point, Aventurine turned his head to look at Hanabi, "—And when that time comes, please press the button and set off a grand firework display to cheer me on. See you around, Fool."
Watching Aventurine walk away, Hanabi smiled first. "To have the mind to boast at a time like this… but, it's a deal."
Seeing Aventurine's figure completely disappear from her sight, Hanabi's smile did not fade as she muttered to herself.
"You'd better not disappoint me, okay?" 』
『 ....』
〘Sunday〙: Hmph, a Fool who claims to be neutral, yet ends up favoring one side in the end.
〘Hanabi〙: Can't help it, who told you to make the little peacock look so miserable? I call this balance~
....
『 As the scene transitioned, a blonde youth appeared on the screen. It was a young Aventurine, but at this moment, his hair was dull and lifeless, he was trapped in a cage, and his expression was completely devoid of vitality.
Looking at his neck, there was a string of red code, still steaming, looking as if it had just been branded on.
He wore a gray garment, if it could still be called a garment. The fabric on his left shoulder was almost entirely gone, exposing his injured left shoulder, while the right shoulder was slightly better, showing only a few burn marks. This garment was meant to be pure white, but now it was tattered and ruined, just like its owner… 』
『 ....』
〘Qingque〙: So pitiful…
〘Jing Yuan〙: The Xianzhou alliance has always banned the slave trade, but the universe is vast, and there are always star systems that still retain this system.
....
『 A mocking, sneering male voice came through.
"You're back, Number 35. Like your new lucky charm?"
A man dressed in fine clothes, with a decent face but giving off a treacherous and cunning vibe, leaned against the bars of the cage. He took a drag from his cigarette, blew the smoke toward Aventurine, his eyes filled with disdain and mockery.
"Can a 'commodity code' also be considered an amulet?"
Even though Aventurine was extremely weak at this moment, the sarcasm in his words deeply angered the man outside the cage.
"Shut up. I didn't give you permission to speak, you Sigonian hound." The man's roar echoed through the room, his eyes filled with anger and authority.
Aventurine only panted angrily, his lips trembling slightly, but he chose to remain silent. One must bow one's head when under another's roof.
After his roar, the man took a deep drag of his cigarette, calmed down, and looked at Aventurine. "Those guys in suits didn't say much, so I don't know what kind of tricks you used to save your little life in that massacre back then."
"But I think you're lucky, so I bought you. From now on, you and your luck are my assets, understood?"
At this point, the man took another drag of his cigarette, then issued his command to Aventurine: "Your first task is simple: besides you, I also bought thirty… well, thirty-four other slaves."
He lowered his voice and said darkly, "Go play a 'game' with them—survive for two days, and come out alive to prove your worth is genuine."
Hearing this, Aventurine sneered, "You're crazy."
The man tossed away his finished cigarette and sneered for a while. "Heh, just testing the goods."
"Aren't you afraid your money will be wasted?"
"I have plenty of money, little blondie. The Interastral slave market has no shortage of self-righteous brats like you." The man's tone was full of disdain.
But then his tone shifted, "But you have a decent face, so quite a few guests have placed their bets on a skinny kid like you."
"Go on, don't disappoint your master." 』
『 ....』
〘Dr. Ratio〙: Alas, a plucked peacock is still a peacock. The day will come when it spreads its feathers.
〘Topaz〙: And when that day comes, I'm afraid this person is going to be in big trouble~
〘Sushang〙: If someone like that appeared in front of me, I would have slashed him with my sword long ago!
〘Guinaifen〙: Mmhmm, I know, just like the day we first met.
....