Ironclad Group Chat: Red and Black Lists Engraved with Heroic Epics

Dahlia retorted to her old friend's sarcasm, "That's why I said... you just think you understand me. Think about it carefully, as a Star Core Hunter, didn't I do my best to make the Fireflies stop and get closer to the truth?"

"As an ally of the Dream Master, I also assisted him in monitoring the dreams. When a hunter infiltrated Pinocchio, I took the opportunity to disguise myself as her companion and trapped her in the memory realm."

"I also burned away any doubts about the robin he chose as his singer, to ensure that nothing went wrong."

"Like destruction, betrayal is but a fleeting moment. And before it arrives, whether it's Lord Netherfire, Gopherwood, or Firefly... I didn't pretend; I genuinely became their companion for the time being."

[Hanabi: That's true. As an undercover agent sent by the Dream Master, I practically knew everything about him, down to the color of his underwear. Before even acting with the Black Swan, I burned the Robin's memories, as a way of giving the Dream Master some closure. I took on jobs from both sides, and did them both brilliantly, with a very clear division of responsibilities, almost like two separate people. This double agent was incredibly diligent and hardworking, almost on par with Lady Hanabi.]

[Star: So you really love what you do, huh? No wonder she gets along so well with Black Swan. She'll take on any job.]

[Black Swan: Please don't compare her to normal agency. As for my old friend, well, how should I put it? To paraphrase a Pinocchio proverb: Dahlias can only be rented, never bought.]

Black Swan frowned slightly; she surprisingly had no reason to refute it.

Except for one...

"And the robin? Don't you think that spark that burns away memories too much?"

Dahlia glanced at her and then recounted another story from the past.

A dim, yellowish filter, representing memories, enveloped the screen.

On the rooftop at the edge of the golden hour, the fake Sambo, who was about to leave, was stopped by her.

But Hanabi, who had just committed a major murder, was very relaxed: "So, tell me, what do you want from me...?"

Dahlia smiled sweetly: "Don't worry, I just went with the flow and slightly suppressed her power so that you could succeed so easily."

"I believe...you must be a grateful person, right?"

[March 7th: Good heavens, it's you!]

[Star: Good grief, it was a group operation? Cough cough, I believe... the Japanese aren't the type to hold grudges, right?]

[Fireworks: Oh? Little gray thing, you're so naughty, but I like you more and more.]

[Sunday: Is it vindictive? Of course not! My judgments are always based on reason, evidence, and fairness.]

[Black Swan: Darling, I wonder if you're mentally prepared to experience another profession, like... a prisoner of order?]

"..." In reality, Dahlia's expression was unusually tense, and the smile on her lips was visibly unnatural.

I never imagined that I would end up like a black swan, shooting myself in the foot.

Fortunately, she had a talisman.

[Dahlia: Hehe, my dear, don't forget. I was instructed by the Dream Master to stop the Robin from investigating further. In truth, I was merely an executor of his ideas. If we're talking about judgment, hehe, I'll naturally share the punishment with Mr. Dream Master Gopher.]

[Sunday: ...This will not be repeated.]

[Star: Goodness, Prison Flower truly lives up to her reputation for surviving fourteen chases; her non-stick pan skills are even more professional than Prison Goose's.]

[Hanabi: Hey~~ You can't say that. Although Black Swan has low evasion points, she has high tankiness! She can withstand being plucking feathers by Yomi without any problems. With so much health and high defense, how can that not be considered a survival skill?]

[Black Swan: ...Please focus on the important matter. What the dahlia took from the fireworks is clearly more important, isn't it?]

[March 7th: Oh right... wait, what's there to steal from fireworks? We can't just take the Fool's Mask, can we?]

[Fireworks: Grab it, grab it, grab as much as you want!]

Dahlia had clearly done her homework. Unlike when she spoke to Black Swan, this time she didn't even bother with the verbal sparring to reveal her identity. She went straight to the point: "There's something called a 'script' that I'm quite interested in—a collaborator of the Star Core Hunters."

Dahlia learned everything from this and transformed into Firefly's close collaborator.

As she finished reminiscing, she smiled meaningfully: "Soon, the robin will know the true meaning of that spark and thank me for it."

Before she could finish speaking, she changed the subject: "I can't wait. Even if I'm not a Star Core Hunter, this time... I might have a chance to [defy fate]."

Dahlia smiled with great satisfaction. In such a short time, she had experienced so many roles, which was incredibly enjoyable for her.

Coming to her senses, she said to her old friend, "So, stop thinking you understand me—I just don't want to miss any possibility of living."

She pressed her hand to her chest and sincerely revealed her true feelings: "My nature is not to betray, but to be greedy."

Upon hearing these seemingly candid words, Black Swan's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at her old nemesis: "Darling, are you fatally wounded or terminally ill? I don't believe you'd be so honest unless you were on your deathbed."

Dahlia wasn't offended: "I might let you off the hook, but for most people, I certainly don't want them to remember."

[Fireworks: Pfft~~ I can't stop laughing. Black Swan's serious yet adorably clueless expression, coupled with those words, is truly hilarious. I declare that Black Swan has won a round!]

[Sambo: Dahlia's reply was also full of affection. My goodness, what a wonderful understanding these two ladies have of each other!]

[Yao Guang: Hmm, how should we evaluate it? Leaving aside the form of expression, Ms. Dahlia's philosophy of life is truly unique. And for those of us who are living our own destinies, these seemingly strange ideas might just unleash some great potential.]

[Silver Wolf: Tsk~~ You're absolutely right, that's quite impressive! A player who collects all routes in the Universe Online game, huh? At least Eriol's original form only wanted to find a happy ending route. If she were to one day become some kind of weird star god out of nowhere, she'd probably be even more ruthless than the Last King, determined to experience all the bad endings as well.]

[Star: Stop talking, stop talking. It reminds me of my miserable life. Even a world weightlifting champion can't keep adding weight plates to my load!]