Light appeared. Just a small light. Seeping out from Sangatsu Nanoka's fingertips. It happened in the moment when the other self was about to speak the next words. The light began to take shape. A thin, gleaming plate. One piece, then another. Floating in the air. The moment Sangatsu Nanoka understood what it was, their throat moved. Photographs taken with a camera. All of them, crystallized into light, lined up before their eyes. Silver Wolf waving a game controller around in the Astral Express lounge. Black Swan reading a book with a small yawn. That blurry shot from when they first tried to photograph the depths of space. ——That one photograph of Kafka sleeping on the sofa. A tired profile, all composure gone somewhere. All of them were there. Even without memories, Sangatsu Nanoka finally understood why they'd kept taking photographs all this time. They didn't want to forget. Because of the missing memories, even more so. They wanted to preserve what was precious, so they kept pressing the shutter. That was all. Nothing complicated. Just that. But that simple thing——was all real. The crystallized photographs began to push back against the ice barrier. Cracks ran through the white wall. Crack, crack, the sound echoing. The other self retreated. Sangatsu Nanoka took a step forward. "[serious]You are my past" Their voice was trembling. But their eyes didn't look away. "[serious]I'm scared. I know I'm scared. If I really was the one who froze Yaluiro-VI, then that's absolutely terrifying. I'd want to run away" The other self's ice-like eyes wavered. "[serious]But——it's me who decides who I am now" A quiet statement. Not a shout. But its weight reached straight through the white world. The other self's outline shook. A massive crack split the ice world. From ceiling to floor, in a single line. Light leaked through from the gap. Not white light. Warm-colored light. The cold radiating from Sangatsu Nanoka's entire body changed. Not the cold of destruction. A cold that gently wrapped around them, a cold for protection. A different texture. A different color. The collapse of the dream realm stopped. The white world began to melt. ——The real world. Kafka's fingertip was suspended just centimeters from Sangatsu Nanoka's forehead. Complete memory sealing. That power was gathering at the fingertip. If used, it would end. The rampage would stop. Sangatsu Nanoka would lose all memories of time spent with Kafka. The white frost overflowing from Sangatsu Nanoka's body receded by the second. The ice on the bed frame thinned. The frost on the floor disappeared. The pattern on their forehead faded. Kafka couldn't move that fingertip. Couldn't use it. Just watched. And then——Sangatsu Nanoka's eyes slowly opened. "[gentle]……Kafka" It was a hoarse voice. But unmistakably, it was Kafka's name. "[gentle]I'm back" Something glimmered in Kafka's eyes. Just for an instant. Really just an instant. Then the usual smile returned. "[gentle]……Welcome back. Don't worry me like that" The usual tone. But just slightly lower. Just slightly faster. Sangatsu Nanoka noticed it. Kafka themselves might not have. "[laughing]Yeah, seriously, I'm glad" Silver Wolf said it while dropping a tablet onto their lap. Unusually, their voice trembled just a little. Black Swan glanced briefly at Sangatsu Nanoka's forehead. Their crimson eyes narrowed. "[serious]……It hasn't completely disappeared. Traces of the pattern remain" A voice without emotion. Just facts. ——Beep beep beep. Silver Wolf's terminal chimed. "[scared]This is bad. Somniguard——the dream guardians of Penacony, the Family's direct security unit——they've entered the corridor. All units deployed and ready" Star-shaped golden eyes alternated between the screen and the door. The usually carefree face carried an unusual tension. "[serious]The hacking rewrite's at its limit. Two, three minutes tops" Kafka turned toward Sangatsu Nanoka. A composed smile. But now there was something behind it. "Run? Or——" Sangatsu Nanoka sat up. Still a bit unsteady. But their eyes were focused. The camera was placed beside the bed. They reached out and picked it up. Pointed the viewfinder at Kafka. Click. They pressed the shutter. Kafka's face became completely unguarded for just an instant. An expression that was neither exasperation nor surprise——rare. "[surprised]……You just took a photo?" Sangatsu Nanoka lowered the camera. "[serious]I'm not running" They looked at Kafka. At Black Swan. At Silver Wolf. "[serious]If I can protect everyone here——I can prove I'm not something to be afraid of" "[sarcastic]……Nah, you were literally just taking photos and now you're suddenly cool" A quiet aside. "[cold]Be quiet" Cut down in one word. Silver Wolf said "Roger" and turned back to the terminal. The atmosphere shifted. All four faces changed at once. ——Footsteps echoed in the corridor. Heavy. Multiple. A rhythmic, orderly pace. Somniguard. The door was kicked open. Sangatsu Nanoka stepped forward. Cold radiated from their fingertips. Sliding across the floor to the far end of the corridor. A thin sheet of ice deployed in an instant. The weapons of the rushing unit froze one after another at their feet. Gun triggers. Blade hilts. Quietly, precisely, without hurting anyone. Completely different from when they were rampaging. That was destruction. This was control. Beautiful, sharp, cold for protection. Kafka turned toward the unit commander. Silver eyes glowed quietly. The power of mental manipulation flowed into the commander. "[cold]Order all units to retreat" The commander's voice became distant. "All units……retreat……" The unit's movements stopped. In that gap, Silver Wolf's tablet erupted. Fingers moved across the screen like a storm. "[excited]Hotel security completely rewritten——emergency exit electronic locks, all disengaged!!" Black Swan stood up. Not fully recovered. Their complexion was still poor. But they quietly checked the rear corridor and said, "I'll watch the back" The four's roles finally meshed perfectly. They ran. Down the corridor. Down the stairs. Through the emergency exit. As Sangatsu Nanoka ran, they looked at their own hands. Cold still clung to their fingertips. The sensation of fear——wasn't there. The sensation of having protected——was so much larger. They kicked the door open. Outside air hit their face. It was night. Penacony's night sky held a strange color mixing orange and purple. In the distance, the lights of the Golden Hour entertainment district sparkled. The night of the dream planet never slept. The moment all four stepped outside. Silver Wolf's terminal chimed again. "[serious]……Ugh" Unusually, their voice dropped in tone. They showed the terminal screen to Sangatsu Nanoka. 【ALERT: Penacony Family Executive en route to scene. All units on maximum alert status】 "[sarcastic]Rank went up. In game terms, we went from mid-boss to final boss" A bitter expression. Only half of their usual carefree smile remained. Kafka glanced up at the night sky. Then made eye contact with Black Swan. No words were exchanged. But something was confirmed between them. Sangatsu Nanoka looked between the three of them, camera still in hand. They were exhausted. Battered. Black Swan's complexion was still poor. Silver Wolf's fingers gripping the terminal were red. Kafka's black hair still bore the marks of disorder from the earlier skirmish. But no one was stopping. Sangatsu Nanoka touched their own forehead. The faint traces of the ice pattern remained. Just as Black Swan had said, the seal wasn't completely restored. If another trigger was pulled, what would happen next——no one could know yet. A Penacony Family executive. Direct deployment. The next stage was about to begin.