Their business venture concluded, Spirit Force and Partitio head to Montwise to reunite with Darksquad and Osvald to witness the completion of the Astronomical Telescope that Regulus had planned to build after their first visit. Though it seems like there will be trouble first before they get the chance to see the stars.

"Nice to come back to this Library without looking for a mad scholar and his creepy lab." Mai said.

"On that topic, I'm glad you were able to save your daughter, Professor." Ace said. "But yeah, it will be exciting to see the stars through Regulus's new telescope."

"Oh, it sure will Ace." Partitio said. "Now let's see…Regulus's lab should be somewhere 'round here, I reckon."

"Mm… I wonder if he's completed his astronomical telescope." Osvald said.

"Hoo-ey! Let's stop in and have a drink with 'im!" Partitio suggested.

"As in…an alcoholic beverage?" Osvald assumed.

"Hehe, is there any other kind?" Partitio asked.

"Alcohol dulls the mind. If we have a drink, it should be coffee." Osvald said.

"Coffee! Just so you know, I take mine with plenty o' milk!" Partitio said.

"That's absurd… Milk blunts the bitterness from the beans…the very bitterness that stimulates the mind." Osvald said before he and Partitio were silent.

"To each their own." Simon said. "Though I suggest not drinking a blend our ally makes, his tastes are…unique."

"Yeah, no offense to Alphamon, but he's got bad tastes in coffee." Makoto said.

"I think it tastes good." Mai said.

"Of course you would." Kokonoe sweatdropped.

The group soon arrived at Regulus's laboratory and found said researcher lying on the ground.

"Regulus?!" Partitio asked as both parties ran over to him.

"Regulus, what happened?" Osvald asked.

"It better be you're just hungry again." Ragna said.

"My research… It's been stolen…" Regulus said.

"Oooh, that's bad…" Makoto said.

"And since you're here… Have you…anything to eat? I'm so hungry I fear I shall lose the power to speak…" Regulus said.

"Least I was right about something." Ragna said.

"Honestly he's so dramatic." Simon said, referring to Regulus.

Regulus was soon fed as he was able to standup.

"Good gracious, my first meal in six days, nineteen hours, and four minutes!" Regulus said.

"Glad to know you can still keep track of time." Kokonoe said. "So, you were saying something about your research being stolen?"

"Yeah, last time we saw you, you said your Telescope work was almost finished. What happened?" Rebecca asked.

"Everything was proceeding apace. I completed the astronomical telescope. But I had exhausted my funds, so I employed the services of a moneylender. And, well… Loans need collateral, so I handed over the telescope." Regulus explained.

"A loan shark?! Those are the worst type of people to get money from!" Simon said.

"And you sold your telescope to them?!" Weisz said.

"To my great shame…" Regulus said. "I proceeded to liquidate the money I borrowed, and well.. Here we are. I cannot so much as look at my telescope until I've returned the money…"

"Well that there's just awful…" Paritio said.

The group left Regulus alone and headed outside the library.

"I cannot fathom why a researcher would hand over the fruits of his labor." Osvald said.

"Well, at least he's okay. That counts for somethin', don't it?" Partitio asked.

"That sweetness of yours is impeding our progress." Osvald said.

"On the contrary, a bit o' sweetness helps everythin' along. As in coffee, as in life, partner." Partitio said. "We'd best talk to the loan shark first. Get 'im to give back the telescope."

"Conisdering he's a loan shark, he won't let it go so easily." Yuri said.

"Well, when youre us, its hard to say no to us. Let's go look for this loan shark." DW typed.

The group looked around Montwise for the Loan Shark's HQ. They soon found the house where a few people were talking, and listened in on their conversation.

"Hehe… That astronomer was a nice, easy mark."

"I can't believe he keeps givin' us money even though he's long since paid off his loan."

"Who'd-a thought the smart guy wouldn't know how to handle the money?" the first thug said.

"We should sell that tube he gave us. I'm sure it'll fetch a pile o' coin." the third thug said as all three of them laughed.

"Did you all hear that?" Osvald asked.

"I thought this whole situation seemed suspicious." 9S said. "Regulus didn't have to pay anyone back one any money after he finished his Telescope, those people just took advantage of Naievity."

"They're just begging to get their sorry assess whupped." Simon said.

"Lemme handle these bozos, fellas." Peacock offered, stepping up to the thugs line of sight alongside Partitio.

"Who the hell're you?"

"Hey Partitio, lemma ask y'something. These cups of joe need any milk or sugar?" Peacock asked.

"Aw now see, it pays to be discernin'. Coffee this bad doesn't need sweetenin'... It needs to be thrown out." Partitio said before taking a stance.

"So you've got taste after all." Peacock said, tipping her hat. "In that case, I'd be happy take out the trash."

"Will somebody shut these two up already?!"

One of the thugs made their move and tried to slice Peacock with a sword, but she made her quick escape by suddenly slipping down into nowhere in the ground.

"What the-?!" the thug who attacked her asked in surprise.

"Here, catch!" Peacock said, tossing out a george bomb which the thug caught, barely having anywhere to throw it as he juggled it in his hands before it exploded in his face, knocking him out.

"Why you little-!" the second one said as the third charged in, grabbing Peacock by the arms, but she was able to twist her metal arms and flip out of the hold. She then drew her pistol and then gave the thugs each one knockout shot. One received a baseball to the head, the other was knocked out cold by Peacock's handheld cannon as he got a cartoon cannonball to the gut.

"Ridiculous, but otherwise effective." Osvald said as they approached the house. "Let's keep going."

"You got it, partner." Partitio said as they barged in to the house.

"Who are you, and what've you done to my guards?" the Moneylender asked.

"Oh, those fellas saw we were just passin' through and kindly let us in." Partitio said.

"We're here about Regulus's debt." Osvald said.

"Heh, what about it? If you're looking for remorse, you won't find it here. All I did was slightly rewrite the agreement to include a little more coin for yours truly. That man may be an astronomer, but he's clearly no good with money… Which has helped me make a lot of it off him, in turn!" the moneylender said.

The group prepared to attack, which the Moneylender noticed.

"Heh! Don't take me lightly, friends. There's two things I can't abide: fools who can't pay, and intruders." the Moneylender said as his three thugs readied themselves.

"Okay, we all know this is probably gonna end up in a fight, but first, a question. Any of you guys like coffee?" Weisz asked.

"I adore coffee. Nothing better than a good brew, black as night." The Moneylender answered.

"That so? Then I reckon it's your lucky day. 'Cause I got a nice big ol' cup of the bitter stuff for ya!" Partitio said.

"What he said. Prepare for a beating." Osvald added.

"Heh. Get 'em, gang!" The Moneylender said as the thugs charged.

"So predictable. Homura?" 9S asked.

"Of course." Homura said, drawing her Soul Blades and entering Leopard Stance. "Warrior Maiden Dual-Sword Attack: Leopard Rain!" she called, holding both Ether Swords in reverse and slashing all three thugs in an instant. They were non lethal strikes, and after all three were knocked down, they bailed.

"C-curse you!" the Moneylender said.

"Guess it's down to you and us. Mind giving us back our friend's telescope?" Ragna asked.

"I…I don't know what you're…" the Moneylender try to feign.

"Don't try t'deny it, it's pretty obvious you've got it." Peacock said. "I bet you're not willing to give it up easy though, but that's an easy fix. Ozzy, I think this is your department, ain't it?"

"Indeed it is. Just leave him to me…" Osvald said as he soon mugged the Moneylender, retrieving the telescope.

"Heh, I'll look the other way this once, partner." Partitio said.

"Hmph. I owe you one." Osvald said. "Now, you're going to keep clear of Regulus. You hear me?" he asked the Moneylender.

"Y-yes… Have mercy…!" the Moneylender pleaded.

The group soon returned the telescope to Regulus as it was set up.

"Ohh… You recovered it! The pinnacle of my research! My greatest achievement! Oh, thank you all! I swear to the stars I shall never forget what you have done for me!" Regulus said.

"Just promise me you'll look at yer next contract as hard as you look at them stars." Partitio said.

"I second that." Osvald added.

"I…I'll do my best… Now then, everyone! The sun is primed to set. And once it has, my telescope will reveal to you…the mysteries of the night sky!" Regulus said.

It was later in the night that the group took turns using Regulus's telescope to look at the stars in the sky.

"This is amazing! It's my first time using a telescope, and I'm blown away!" Mai said.

"The stars are incredible to look at. From this distance, or in space as we travel." 2B said.

"Hey, 2B, you've seen out into space a lot of the time right? Back when you were still living in your world?" Noel asked.

"Yes, on a space station where YoRHa oversaw all androids under its command before it fell." 2B said. "We would always see the stars from there or when traveling down to earth."

"I still feel kinda bad for you 2B. You, 9S and A2 fighting a war that had no reason to be fought in the first place…" Shiki said.

"Yes, that is true. But now that it is over, we have found our place among all of you, out of that neverending spiral of life and death." 2B said.

"Excuse me…" Natalie said, having taken her turn in the Telescope. "Does anybody know what sort of pattern these stars are making up there?"

"What kind of pattern, Nat?" Makoto asked.

"Some red and blue stars are positioned oddly in the sky. Like they're forming a unique shape…"

"Is that so? Let me see." Osvald said, switching with Natalie. "Fascinating. Those red and blue stars… They form a cross."

"A cross? Which ones?" Regulus asked as he looked in the telescope next. "Ah, those! That'd be the cross of Cetus, the Bearded Whale! But wait… At this time of year? It shouldn't be visible…"

"Whaddya mean?" Partitio asked.

"Well, Cetus circles the sky, as all constellations do. At this time of year, why, it should only be overhead during the day! I don't understand… How is this possible…" Regulus pondered.

"Sometimes we must alter our own conceptions of the world, Regulus. Suppose it is night now, when it ought still be day?" Osvald suggested.

"So, day became…night? Eh?" Partito asked.

"W-well…! It just so happens I've recorded the time of sunup and sundown for many years! And…it appears the daylight hours grew ever so slightly shorter for a time. I thought my mental faculties had declined, so I ceased keeping records." Regulus said.

"It seems you were wrong to doubt your own mind." Osvald said.

"Hmm…Regulus…would it be all right if I had a copy of your records? I just wanna check something." Mari said.

"Certainly, Ms. Mari." Regulus said.

"What's on your mind, Mari? Why y'wanna look at the records Regulus has got there?" Partito asked.

"What Osvald said…it may have merit but I won't know until I see for myself." Mari said as she was given the records. "Hmm…he's right…the day and night cycles are different. Its small but the day cycle has been getting shorter while the night is getting longer."

"So? It's probably just a natural thing, right? I mean, has Solistia ever heard of Daylight Savings time?" Peacock asked.

"There's a difference. Daylight savings is just something for farmers. It's only changing the clocks, not the actual day and night. No…it's as if the light of day is decreasing little by little each day." Mari said.

"Okay, I'm officially concerned." DW typed.

"I had a feeling my suspicions were right when we started this journey." Ace said. "So…what's the cause?"

"Honestly, that's the only thing I don't know." Mari said.

"Well, I think for right now, we should head to the Brightlands and meet with everyone." Ace said.

"That's not gonna be it." DW typed.

"Huh?" Ace asked.

"Jexi shot us a call earlier on those Zikan phone things. Apparently we're supposed to be meeting up in a campsite in the Leaflands. We were the last to know about it." Ragna said.

"A campsite huh? So he wants to celebrate…yeah…that sounds about right." Mari said.

"Where's this campsite?"

"Its outside Cropdale. Just south of it. Actually, from what you told us, you probably passed right by it when you went to Wellgrove." Natalie said.

"Hmm… I think I spotted it when we were on our way there, actually." Homura said.

"Why didn't you tell us?" X asked.

"I didn't think it was necessary to share at the time when we were so busy." Homura replied.

"True enough. We were busy doin my business. Why don't we hop on the Grand Terry together and make our way over? I'd love to see all yer friends and hear about their adventures. So whaddya say we get goin' Ace?" Partitio asked.

"Of course. I look forward to seeing everyone." Ace said.

"Yeah…one last adventure before we leave this split continent." DW typed.

Elsewhere…

In some old ruins stood Ori as she held a dagger and looked before a flame.

"Partitio…Ace…damn it…you two…better prove me wrong." Ori said as the only thing that could be heard was a stabbing sound as the flame went out.