*Crack!* A beam of orange light, crackling with a somewhat ominous vitality, projected from the screen, coalescing into a vivid holographic projection in the air before her— It was the phantom image of an incredibly exaggerated mask.
It hovered above the terminal, its mouth stretched into a grin that nearly reached its borders—a smile of eternal mockery—while its eye sockets were two bottomless black vortexes.
Swirling around this floating orange smiley face were illusory projections of playing cards, ribbons, and twisted toys dancing silently.
Immediately after, a voice erupted from the terminal.
It sounded as if it were echoing directly inside Stelle’s mind, a chaotic blend of countless voices layered over one another—the booming laughter of a man, the shrill cackle of a woman, the giggles of a child, and even a synthesized electronic chuckle.
Interwoven, they formed the signature voice of Aha, the Aeon of Elation: “Hehehe…
Congratulations on beating the game!
Congratulations!
Congrats to our dear, sweet, always surprising little raccoon—Stelle!
You’ve successfully gathered all seven Marks of Laughter, completing all the first-stage challenges of ‘Aha’s Super-Duper-Mega-Happy Treasure Hunt Adventure!'” The words were accompanied by sound effects playing in the background: popping balloons, grinding gears, and a studio audience’s applause.
Colorful confetti and glitter materialized out of thin air, swirling down like a miniature storm.
“Your loyal, great, joy-sharing partner—Aha—hereby presents your ultimate reward!
Do you like this little gift?
It’s way more useful than some shiny stone!
Hahahahaha!” Watching these flashy special effects, Stelle wasn’t frightened at all.
Instead, she placed a hand on her hip and let out a smug huff.
“Hmph, just as I expected!
Only a prankster Aeon like you would pull a stunt like hiding things all over the place for someone to find!” Stelle looked down at the terminal, then back up at Aha.
“So, you gave me this?” “Of course!
Aside from the great, joy-sharing Aha, who else would be so considerate as to prepare such a wonderful little gift to connect you back to your home?” Aha spoke in a theatrical, operatic cadence, the grin on the mask stretching even wider.
Stelle’s face remained deadpan, but a sly glint flashed in her eyes.
“Are you hiding in there?
Is it because you’re afraid of getting beaten up by the Express crew, so you only dare to show your face like this?” She even reached out a finger, trying to poke the holographic projection, only for her finger to pass right through it.
“Hiding?
What a boring word!” The voice from the terminal carried an exaggerated tone of grievance, which instantly shifted back to manic excitement.
“Aha is everywhere!
Especially wherever fun is to be found!
Like right now, right here!
Observing your Trailblaze has brought me endless amusement!
Your obsession with trash cans!
Your resolve when facing trolls!
And that level-headedness when confronting your heart’s desires!
Every single scene is prime comedy material!” The orange mask above the terminal wobbled slightly as it spoke, and the phantom playing cards around it spun even faster.
“So, as a reward for beating the game, in addition to this little communicator—” The voice from the terminal suddenly dropped, taking on a mysterious, conspiratorial tone, “Aha will give you a free piece of advice…
or perhaps, a spoiler?
“In this seemingly peaceful castle, a boring drama revolving around immortality and ambition is unfolding.
A soul has torn itself apart, latching onto another, yearning for that red stone you once thought was ‘shiny and warm.’ What a mundane desire, what a…
sick script!
Hahahahaha!” A burst of even louder, more chaotic laughter erupted from the terminal, making the device itself vibrate slightly.
Hearing this abstract description, Stelle wrinkled her nose and muttered to herself, *Speak like a normal person!
Riddlers, get out of Hogwarts!* “But to you, none of that matters!” The voice suddenly shot up in pitch, brimming with instigation.
“Continue your Trailblaze!
Keep searching for fun!
Keep digging!
Go spark some accidental chaos!
Go where the madness is!
Dive into whatever makes the least sense!
That is the true meaning of Elation!
As for those cliché villains and Savior scripts…
Pah, just act like they don’t exist!
Or, better yet, give them an Aha-style surprise when they least expect it!” With that, Aha’s projection began to blur like a television with bad reception.
Amidst crackles of static, one last loud cry echoed: “Remember!
Elation is eternal!
Aha is always with you—at least when you’re looking for fun!
Hehehe…” The orange mask flashed violently, letting out a long whine like an old television shutting off, and instantly vanished.
The orbiting playing cards and ribbons popped like bubbles, disappearing without a trace.
The terminal fell silent once more, as if everything that had just occurred was merely a mandatory holographic advertisement.
Only the tangible, warm communication terminal cradled in Stelle’s hands proved that Aha had indeed been there, leaving behind a…
well, very Aha-like farewell.
Or rather, an introduction.
Stelle looked down at the terminal, digesting Aha’s incredibly dense yet highly abstract advice.
A torn soul?
Latching onto another?
A red stone?
A mundane drama?
She blinked and reached a conclusion: “Which means I can ignore it for now.” She waved her hand, as if brushing all those complex conspiracy theories aside.
To her, getting in touch with the Express crew was ten thousand times more important than any quest for immortality or grand ambition.
Pushing Aha and his riddles from her mind, she focused all her attention back on the small device in her hands.
She cradled the terminal like a precious treasure, her eyes sparkling.
She settled back into the cozy corner of cushions and tapestries she had constructed, where the phantom fireplace still radiated silent warmth.
Taking a deep breath, filled with pure, unadulterated anticipation, she lightly tapped an application on the screen.
“Static…
Hello?
Hello?
…Can you hear me?
…Stelle?
Is that you, Stelle?!” March 7th’s lively voice, crackling with static, instantly shattered the silence of the Room of Requirement.
Stelle’s eyes lit up.
Holding the terminal close, she replied in her steadiest voice—though it carried a barely perceptible tremor: “March?”