The Sea of Quanta defied description. Whatever words were used to speak of it, there were always more that could never be said. Its expanse was so vast that no one individual could ever hope to understand it in its entirety. It defied attempts to harness it and attempts at explaining the true depths it could reach and was home to an unfathomable amount of bubble universes, each one a unique existence with its own people. Many theories had been proposed to explain the nature of the Sea, but all ultimately remained speculation. To the man standing on the bridge of the battleship sailing through the boundless sea, the only theory that mattered was whether he could find the right bubble universe.

He wore the white uniform of a warship's captain. He stared outside the bridge and into the infinite worlds that surrounded their ship, the Hyperion. It was a vessel born out of the will of his own consciousness, and that will was currently failing him.

He looked away from the windows and to the monitor at his side. He pressed a few buttons on the terminal to adjust the parameters of the search it was conducting and waited another ten minutes before giving up. Ai-chan had promised him the program would be able to search the Sea for bubble universes with features that matched his needs, but so far, it yielded no world that did. It frustrated him to no end. All the trials and obstacles they had overcome together to get to where they were now only for him to be defeated by the same Sea he thought he had become accustomed to navigating. He wondered if the man who haunted his dreams ever had the same problems, and then he pushed those uncomfortable memories aside.

He would need to either settle for a suboptimal world or cancel his plans entirely. He quickly dismissed the latter option, but this made the former no easier. He continued to adjust and readjust the search program, so focused on it that he never heard the pair of footsteps that stopped directly beside him.

"You look uncharacteristically focused today, captain," the familiar voice said, causing him to turn to its owner. She was a short girl wearing a dark hood with two bunny ear-like extensions pointing up at him along with a matching jacket and shorts. She styled her hair into twin spiral curls dyed blue at the end. "At least, more than you usually are."

"Am I, Bronie?"

Her name was Bronya Zaychik, but those who knew her referred to her using her nickname. The Hyperion had discovered her adrift in the Sea of Quanta and rescued her from an untimely end. She quickly became an invaluable member of its crew owing to her skills with electronic devices and her uncanny ability to produce weapons from thin air whenever she required them.

Bronie flashed a mischievous smile. "You're usually focused on some important thing or other, but I've never seen you this frustrated before." She took a glance at the terminal. "Looking for another bubble universe?"

He pressed another button and sighed. "That's right. Only this one seems to not exist."

"What kind of bubble universe are you looking for? I could help you find it. It's my job as your electronics expert," Bronie offered. Without waiting for an answer, she reached over to the terminal and started to experiment with the program before hacking into it and seeing its inner workings. "Hmm…this is pretty advanced stuff. Why isn't it working for you?"

"I'm looking for a world that…" he said before trailing off. He looked around to ensure there was no one eavesdropping on them. "A world that has the sort of things they would enjoy spending a day in."

"Who's they?" she asked, although she already had a good idea who he meant. "Are they who I think they are?"

He did not hesitate to answer. "I want the perfect world for them to relax for a day after all that's happened. They deserve it…and for that matter, so do you."

Bronie laughed as she continued rifling through the contents of the program. "I'm sure we do. That's very thoughtful of you. Only it looks like there aren't any bubble universes nearby with flower gardens, restaurants, amusement parks, or lantern festivals."

He shrugged. "That's the problem. Bubble universes are endless in variety, and there should be more than enough with the features I'm looking for, but we seem to have reached a region of the Sea of Quanta without any bubble universes with them."

Bronie continued her work on the program, tapping away at the terminal with both hands and with the help of a few drones she manifested. She was as focused on her task as he had been when she found him. The minutes passed in silence before she finally stepped away and gave him a thumbs-up. "That should do it. I've reprogrammed the system from the ground up. Give it a try!"

He glanced at her for a second before turning to the terminal. He input the same search parameters he tried before. Instantly, it yielded the perfect result. It was a world that seemed tailor-made for the three of them.

He smiled at Bronie. "Thank you so much, Bronie…this means so much to me."

"Of course it does because now you owe me," she replied.

He should have anticipated this. Bronie was a mercenary in the Arc City bubble universe she came from. Money meant a great deal to her, although its importance had lessened since she joined the Hyperion where most things she needed were provided for her free of charge.

"Of course, Bronie."

"Not in that way," she said. "I'll let you know when I'll come to collect. Enjoy your date." With that, she turned away so he could not see the satisfied smile on her face. The program she developed for him would be useful.

Johann watched her leave, feeling immensely grateful. The hacker deserved anything she would ask for later. But for now, he had three others to meet.

...

The room was the one next to his, although he had temporarily moved out from the captain's cabin and into a smaller guest room for the time being. The occupant behind the door had insisted on this for his own safety. After he knocked, she told him to come in.

It was a small and simple cabin with a few decorations she found pleasant enough to keep. She knelt on the floor, focusing intensely on the game of xiangqi she was playing against herself. In lieu of her usual clothing, she had put on the dress she wore on the night of Qixi they spent together before disaster struck. It was a dark dress ornamented with white orchids and a blue collar around the neck, which went well with her silvery hair and bright blue eyes. The memories it brought back were both painful and pleasant, but he remained silent as he stopped in front of her.

She seemed to take no notice of his presence as she picked up a pawn and obliterated her imaginary opponent with it. "It's your move," she said once she was done.

He knelt down opposite her. He examined the current game state. Her opponent had little hope of victory. Even when he had started with a fresh game board, he could never defeat Zhuge Kongming, the former Grand Seeress of Emberya. Her gaze was still lowered at the game board, waiting for him to move. After several minutes of careful thought, he made one.

"That was the best move you could have taken under your circumstances. Impressive," she said. "But not impressive enough." Within the next few turns, the only pieces that remained on the board were her own. She looked up and smiled. "Well played, Mr. Assassin."

"As always, you're the best at this game," he smiled in return. "I'm not sure if I could ever manage to beat you no matter how much I practice."

"You managed to save me after trying and failing more times than you could remember. That means more than a game of chess."

He would always remember the pain he felt during each death she suffered. Her departure from the world was something he adamantly refused to accept. Only with his willpower did he finally discover a way for Kongming to live. The game he had just played with her was proof enough.

"Yes, Kongming. How…how are you feeling? So much has happened in so little time. I wanted to see if you needed anything."

"I'm doing as fine as you might expect," she replied. "There aren't many immediate threats nearby, meaning I'm able to relax with a game of xiangqi every now and then. How are you liking your new room?"

After their most recent adventure in Soukai City, Johann had moved out of his previous room, the captain's private quarters, and into a small guest room beside the storage room. "It's the guest room, meaning it's small but still comfortable. I have no complaints."

"That's good to hear. I would have moved into your room, but…" Kongming quickly changed the subject after she noticed herself blushing. "I'm sure you're here for more than just a game of xiangqi, so do tell me the reason."

He sat up straight. "Kongming, after everything that's happened…after everything that happened to you…I want to ask you to a bubble universe I've found where you can find the time to relax and be yourself. You've gone through enough trouble for one lifetime, and I hope to be able to enjoy a night of gazing at the stars in the sky and at the flying lanterns one more time with you."

She did not outwardly leap at his offer, instead choosing to let the feelings of warmth and joy within her grow strong before she accepted his offer with a smile. "What sort of bubble universe did you find, Mr. Assassin?"

"You'll find out very soon, but I promise that you'll find it to your liking. Bronie helped me find it, and I trust her skills with my life."

Kongming thought to herself that Bronie rarely performed favours for free and wondered what that girl could possibly want in return. "I trust her as well. When will we be arriving?"

"We still have a few hours before the Hyperion arrives, so we have time to prepare. I will see you on the bridge.

"Then prepare I will."

He rose and left her room, leaving Kongming to her anticipation.

...

He stepped into the hallway. He was relieved at how well Kongming was re-adjusting after her recent capture and imprisonment. He had another crew member to thank for that, he was sure. She and Kongming sometimes fought, but they eventually became genuine friends. Her room was adjacent to two guest rooms, which were now home to two of the Hyperion's newest crew members. He knocked on the door in the center.

"Come in," replied Rita Rossweisse.

When he stepped into her room, he was greeted by the familiar fragrance of flowers in bloom. A large variety adorned her room, not limited to the flowers from which she gained her epithet. The violet rosemary flowers shared an existence with roses of every kind as well as a number of equally beautiful plants he had yet to learn the names of.

A woman wearing a dark violet dress was tending to them with the utmost care. Her long, brunette hair swayed back and forth as she went from one flower to the next. She watered each and every one of them, taking care to not exceed the limit where a healthy amount of water became harmful. Only after finishing did she turn to him and meet his gaze with captivating eyes.

"Are these flowers to your liking, captain? I care for them not just for myself, but everyone aboard the Hyperion."

It was true; her flowers could be found in many other areas of the ship, including his own cabin and the guest room he moved into. She gifted them to him long ago.

"Always," Johann replied. "They're the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen. I've never known anyone as skilled at horticulture as you, Rita."

"Not even in all of the bubble universes you've visited? But these words from you must be true," Rita said with a quiet laugh that filled the room with energy and him with happiness. "Now that we have the time, perhaps you would care to learn more about caring for them? I have no doubt that you can help them thrive."

He stepped closer to her. Rita watched him approach her. "We have the perfect opportunity for that," he told her. "I've located a bubble universe I'm confident you would enjoy visiting. It has a large botanical garden with many plants you'd recognize and certainly plenty of rosemary. You can tell me all about them once we visit."

Rita's face was usually gentle and relaxed, but he had never seen her with a smile quite like this one. "My my, is my captain asking me out on a date? To a location he knows I would certainly enjoy spending a day there with him? You know me too well, Johann."

"I wanted to put everything that's happened recently behind us. We've spent so much time worrying about the many problems we were faced with. Now that we have the time to relax, I want to use it wisely by spending it with you, Rita."

Rita turned away to gaze at one of her flowers. A red colour showed up on her face before disappearing so quickly he may have only imagined it.

"Of course. As I'm sure you already knew, my answer to you is yes. I'd welcome a day at a garden with my captain," she demurely said.

He smiled in return. "The Hyperion will be arriving within a few hours, so we have time to prepare. I will see you soon, Rita."

"I'll use this time wisely. Until then." Rita turned back to her flowers. She reached out to a rosemary and gently stroked its violet petals.

...

One more room remained for him to visit. It was situated beside Kongming's, and it was the room he was the most familiar with because it used to be his own. He was more than willing to lend it to its newest occupant for the time being, however. Kongming had insisted on it.

He walked down the corridor he had walked down countless times in the past and stood in front of the same door he used to enter and exit each day. He was about to knock when a voice spoke from behind it.

"Come in, human. I've been waiting for you."

How did she know I was here? Of course; she has an excellent sense of smell.

He opened the door and walked into the room he was so familiar with. Just as familiar was the woman sitting on the bed. She wore an elegant red and black dress that contrasted perfectly with her long hair as silver as moonlight. Her blood-red eyes were focused not on him but on the storybook she held in her arms. Though she had changed much since their first meeting, she was still the same person he made his promises to. No longer a petite and frightened girl, she had grown into a confident and mature woman over the course of ten millennia she spent alone wandering in an empty void.

You will never be alone again, Luna. I swear it.

Luna turned the page of the storybook but did not begin reading it. "Human, please sit and read this with me."

He sat down on the bed beside her. She rested the book on both of their laps. He vaguely remembered this one. He hoped she enjoyed the stories within.

The brave knight rescued the princess from the grasps of the monster that imprisoned her in its castle. They were soon married with many children and lived happily ever after. In another tale, the monster was an evil witch who cursed her to fall into an eternal sleep. A brave prince rescued her, and they lived happily ever after.

There were several more stories to be found in the book, but the one on the pages in front of them was about a vampiress who lived alone in her castle because she was too scared to step into the world outside. There were monsters outside, she had always been told. But because she never left her castle, she never knew about the villages nearby. The villagers lived in fear of the vampiress who they believed would come to feast upon them at night, and they longed to be rid of her. One day, a brave youth decided to venture into the castle on his own to vanquish the vampiress once and for all. Instead, he found a girl who did not wish to harm anyone, who only wanted to live alone in peace. Even though she thought he was a monster, she asked him why he was there, and he said he had come to kill her. When she asked him why, he told her he wanted to save his village from her. The vampiress only sighed and said she had not ventured out from her castle for millennia, and that all he heard were myths and legends. When he raised his sword at her, he found himself unable to move against her. He lowered his sword and asked her her name.

He spent the next few weeks at the castle with her, learning everything about her there was to learn. In turn, he told her about his village and the rest of the outside world. They both learned that there were no monsters to be found in either the castle or the village. Before long, they fell in love, but because he had not returned home to his village, his fellow villagers became convinced that she had killed him. Enraged, they gathered their weapons, stormed the castle, ignored the protests of the young man living there with her, and killed the vampire girl who had finally found the one who made her realize she was never a monster.

The two of them lingered on the final words of the story. They stared at the body of the vampire girl lying in a pool of her own blood.

Luna closed the book and set it aside. Her eyes were closed. "Monsters never have happy endings in fairy tales," she said solemnly. "Especially vampires."

I told Luna should could read any of the books in this room, but I forgot about this one…

Johann hated how he had made her feel unhappy. Even if it were only a fairy tale, it was uncomfortably similar to her own past.

"Luna…this was only a story. You aren't a monster. You never were."

"Even after all the things I did? All of the people I hurt? One of them was Kongming, and I know how close you are to her. I could smell your scent outside her door. You must have entered her room to comfort her."

Luna's remorse could nearly be felt. He reached over and gently took her hand. Luna opened her eyes and looked down.

"Human…?"

"Luna…you've more than made up for your past. You helped us defeat the Ferryman. You were able to make things right. Even the Theresas you kidnapped were because you believed you were doing the right thing. But now you can put all of that behind you. Now, you can focus on your future."

Luna brushed aside her tears. "Yes. I have given a lot of thought to my future, even though I don't know it yet. Whatever it will be, I know that I will always wish to spend it with you. Will you do this with me?"

Johann smiled. "I do. And I know exactly how to begin. I've found the perfect bubble universe for us to visit. We can spend a day there looking at all the things it has to offer. We'll be arriving soon."

"Does it have a restaurant? And an amusement park? And places for us to spend time together alone?"

"It has all of that and more."

Luna's smile was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. "It is perfect, just as you say. I will spend the perfect day with you there."

...

Kongming finished dressing herself in preparation for her date with the man she so fondly addressed as Mr. Assassin. She originally meant it when they first met, but it eventually became her term of endearment for him.

She thought back to their first meeting. It was nearly a thousand years ago for her, but to him, time had less meaning. She remembered the adventures they shared as well as the thousand-year wait for him to return to her. Only through sheer willpower did he find a way for her to be with him now.

She finished by placing the ornaments in her hair. She picked up her fan, which was decorated with an image of a swan in flight. She left her room and stepped into the hallway at the same time her counterpart did.

Kongming crossed her arms over her chest. "And what are you doing here?"

Luna looked at her dismissively before she continued walking. "I'm heading to the bridge. And you?"

This raised Kongming's eyebrows. "How coincidental. I was heading there myself."

"Then I'm sure it's for a very important reason."

"It is. You wouldn't understand."

She followed Luna to the turn in the corridor before they encountered a third woman.

"Rita? It's wonderful to see you," Luna said with noticeably more enthusiasm. She and Rita had quickly formed an odd friendship of sorts.

"I certainly can say the same for you," replied Rita. "I was heading to the bridge, so if you'll excuse me. I wish you both a wonderful day."

Kongming had a begrudging respect for Rita as well, so she turned her attention away from Luna. "You're also heading to the bridge? Luna and I were doing the same. What reason could there be for all three of us to be there at once?"

Rita glanced between the two of them. She made a small smile. "How strange indeed. Perhaps we'll learn once we arrive." She continued walking.

They followed her until they stepped into the bridge of the Hyperion, the heart of the entire battleship. Here, plans were made, executed, and then made again. Here, their captain awaited them. He was dressed in a fine uniform complete with the cap that signified his rank. Although years had passed since he worked for the organization known as Schicksal, he insisted on following many of its traditions. One of them was to greet his colleagues with a salute as they came into view. Kongming had always enjoyed that, although not as much as spending time with him alone on the bridge in silence as they watched the sea fly past them. The presence of Luna and Rita made that impossible.

"Kongming, Rita, Luna. I'm happy to see all of you," Johann greeted.

"All of us?" Kongming repeated, lingering on the implications. "I'm not sure what you could mean by this…"

"Human…" Luna said, stepping forward. "You asked me to meet you here. Did you ask them as well?"

Rita only gave a small laugh. "It seems that he has. Our captain always has a plan in mind. I'm sure he would be happy to explain his intentions to us. Wouldn't you, captain?"

"Did you invite the two of them to our date?" Kongming and Luna both said at once, finally realizing the truth.

Johann appeared only slightly guilty as he picked up the terminal at his side and showed it to them. It was a diagram of a bubble universe. "Yes, you're right," he began. "I have invited all three of you to the same date in the same bubble universe. This one is one I think you'll all enjoy. It has a botanical garden for Rita, restaurants and amusement parks for Luna, and of course a lantern festival scheduled to take place tonight. Kongming, that is for you. But most importantly, these are for all of you."

The three of them examined the bubble universe before looking up.

"But why? Why all three of us? Would it not be easier to take us there one at a time?" Kongming quietly asked. Luna's face showed that she had the same question.

He surprised her by placing his hand on her head. "Kongming, I cherish you. I will do anything for you. I want you to be happy for the rest of your days." He lifted his hand and moved it onto the top of Luna's head. "Luna, I cherish you as well. After everything that's happened, you deserve to not worry about anything." Finally, he stopped in front of Rita. "Rita…we've known each other for so long…from even before I knew you. You have always been here at my side. You have always done everything you can for me. For this, I want to thank you."

He stopped back and looked at them one by one. "I cherish all of you, and I want all of you to be happy. This means that you also need to learn to cherish each other. We'll all be living together in this battleship for the foreseeable future, and any crew must learn to cooperate and get along. What better way to do this than spending a day together? Kongming, Luna, Rita, what do you say?"

Rita's answer was already obvious enough, but Kongming and Luna made awkward glances at each other.

Kongming knew he was right. She knew his feelings were true. All of them meant the world to him, and he would never abandon any of them. This extended to their dates. Kongming still had not completely forgiven Luna for her actions, but could sense the woman was truly remorseful and wished to put them behind her. She was no longer her enemy. She was to be her fellow crew member, and there could be no infighting if they were to make this work. Luna felt the very same.

Kongming relaxed. She looked once again at the diagram, and she knew her answer. "Mr. Assassin…you always have a way to surprise me. But feel no worry. I'm very moved by your thoughtfulness for us. I'd be happy to spend a day not only with you, but with these two as well. I'm sure we'll get along. Won't we, Luna?"

Luna concurred. "As long as I can be with you, I have no complaints. I also have no wish for Kongming or Rita to feel sad because they've been left behind."

Rita ended the matter by saying, "There is no better opportunity than the bubble universe you've found. I look forward to teaching you everything I know about the flowers we'll find."

Inwardly, Johann relaxed. This was easier than he had anticipated. "I thank you all for being so understanding, and I promise this to the three of you: we'll have no regrets about today. But Rita…"

"Yes?"

"You should be thanking Bronie, not me. She found this bubble universe using her program. I'll need to find a way to thank her for it after we return."

Once again, Kongming wondered at Bronie's intentions.

The Hyperion sailed through the Sea of Quanta, drawing closer and closer to its destination until at last, they had arrived.

...

Johann sat down on a park bench in between Kongming, Luna, and Rita. The park was where they found themselves after entering the bubble universe, and there could be no better location to begin. It was an expanse that stretched on for as far as they could see. There was no end to the cropped green grass beneath their feet or the paved trails to walk on. The were sculptures and statues, some of which seemed familiar to him, ornate fountains gently sending up streams of water into the air, and a large city visible in the distance.

The entire scene seemed familiar, but he could not say how.

The four of them were content to enjoy the afternoon's tranquil serenity, so none of them spoke for several minutes after sitting down, satisfied with watching the slow drifting of the clouds across the sky. Only when Kongming tugged on his sleeve did he leave his reverie.

"Mr. Assassin, this is a very beautiful world you chose for us. Thank you."

"Yes, human, thank you," Luna said. "The daylight isn't too bright for me. It's just right."

"I brought along a parasol for you just in case. I'm glad we won't be needing it," he said. "And Kongming, you're welcome. But I would leave the thanks for after the lanterns are released tonight. We have a few hours before then. I'll leave it to you three to decide where we should visit in the meantime."

Luna placed her hand over his right. The next thing he knew, Kongming had placed hers onto his left.

"Luna, where would you like to go?"

"Hmm…now that I think about it, I am quite hungry…"

Kongming squeezed his hand slightly harder.

"So am I. There are several restaurants in the city. We can go to any you'd like," he told her.

"That would be wonderful. But I think Rita should be the one to decide. I waited ten thousand years for this day. I can wait a little while more."

"Thank you, Luna," Rita said. "This botanical garden is one of the largest in any bubble universe. I'm sure we'll all have a positive experience there."

She stood up. Johann rose to his feet in turn and began walking. "Rita?" he said as she held onto his arm with both of hers.

She said nothing and only smiled as they continued walking. Behind him, he could hear Kongming and Luna pouting before they too started to follow.

They strolled through the park, pointing out anything that caught their interest. There was a statue of a man guiding people onto a ship as the waves crashed toward them and threatened to drown them all. There was a statue of the same ship adrift on an endless sea. The fountains grew larger and ever more ornate with each they saw. There were countless things to find in the park, but the one thing it lacked was a single other person besides themselves.

This puzzled him. In every bubble universe he had visited in the past, there was a sizeable population living in them. Not a single one was completely abandoned like this one. Not one bubble universe was this…lifeless.

"Perhaps it's simply a slow day," Rita said when he brought this to her attention. "Or perhaps this particular bubble universe simply never had many residents to begin with. We have seen stranger things before, haven't we?"

"We have," he admitted, "but this doesn't feel right. Maybe we'll meet them in the garden or the city."

Behind them, he was relieved to hear Kongming and Luna quietly speaking to each other, although about what, he could not say.

As the minutes passed, the buildings in the distance grew larger so they could be viewed in detail. The botanical garden was the centerpiece of the vast park that surrounded it. It was a large complex of buildings formed out of glass. Their domed roofs caught the sunlight that was vital for the flora growing within them. There were several areas open to the sky, microcosms of the park that surrounded it, complete with fountains of their own and ponds teeming with koi.

When they walked up to one of these ponds, however, it was empty. No fish swam in them, and moreover, there were still no other people in sight.

"In Emberya, there are ponds much larger than this one with tens of thousands of koi swimming in them. They would all swarm up to me when I came to feed them. They could all recognize me," Kongming said. "I wonder what happened to the koi here."

Johann shook his head. "Let's go in."

The four of them passed through the front doors of the main building. The receptionist's counter was nearby but with no one to greet them. Rita walked forward and rang the bell. Several minutes passed, but none answered.

"...Should we still enter?" he asked.

Rita was quiet. "Admission to these gardens is free. Let's not worry about anything except for what we've come to see." She took hold of his arm again and led him deeper into the building.

...

The many exhibits within the garden took his mind away from his unease. The plant life contained therein, he had to admit, were the most beautiful plants and flowers he had ever seen. Rita seemed to know her away around the buildings by heart, leading them from one exhibit to the next and teaching him everything there was to know about the roses in full bloom, the ivy that grew through stone walls, the various cacti whose spines looked sharp enough to draw blood with a touch, and countless more. Rita's knowledge interested even Kongming and Luna, whose every question was answered by Rita with unerring ease.

"Rita, these flowers are so pretty, but how do they grow so big?" Luna said, pointing to a pond filled with pink floating flowers.

"Ah, you have quite an eye," Rita replied. "Those are Nelumbo nucifera, or the sacred lotus. It thrives in slow-moving water. As for why they can grow to this size? Why are some bubble worlds bigger than others? That's simply how they are. What matters is that they grow to be as beautiful as they can be."

When they stepped into a hall filled with rosemary, they grew quiet. He looked at the flowers that adorned her dress and her hair. Rita remained silent as she walked among them, reaching out to them and gently touching them with her fingers. She stopped in front of a row of several of them that grew onto the wall. Johann walked up beside her.

Rita's face was solemn, yet calm, and saddened, yet at peace. She leaned down and slowly breathed in the flowers' fragrance. "Salvia rosmarinus, the rosemary. It symbolizes remembrance. It is worn during funerals to honour the memories of those who have passed on. Johann, my captain, do you remember? What does the rosemary mean to you?"

He leaned down and breathed in the now-familiar scent of the flowers whose meaning went beyond their pleasing appearance. Of course he remembered. The rosemary had been the answer to that world.

"Yes, Rita. I remember," he said as he lightly touched one of them. "I remember the smell of the rosemary in the gardens of that mansion I was investigating during my time as Conan Doyle. It was one of the most difficult cases he had ever undertaken. At the time, he only knew you as Irene Adler, a famous opera singer. He…I knew little about you, but you did everything you could to assist me. In the end, was because of you. You were the one who preserved Seele's soul in the rosemary flowers and the one who made their happy endings possible. For that, I thank you."

Rita hummed softly. "I feel the same. I'm glad that the people in that bubble universe can now live better lives."

He continued gazing at the rosemary as he reminisced on all that had happened with him and Rita, all of it leading to this very moment, and he would not have changed a single moment they ever shared together. He looked down at another row. Only then did he notice a strange sight that should not have been there. He looked closer. There was a dark object hidden behind one of the rosemary flowers.

He reached for it and pulled out what appeared to be one-third of a black disc that could have comfortably fit in his palm. It was smooth to the touch with no trace of any detail on its surface. He inspected it more closely but was unable to discern what purpose it might have served. He showed it to her.

"Rita, I found this in the flowers. Do you know what it could be?"

She stared at it and then at him. "I do."

He waited for her to continue, but she remained silent.

"Rita, are you going to tell me what this is?"

Her face was unreadable. "I enjoyed our visit to these gardens, and I'm sure Kongming and Luna have, too. But Luna must be starving by now. It's time for her to decide where we should go next."

Rita turned around and walked away, leaving him holding the unidentified object. He asked Kongming and Luna if they recognized what it could be, but neither could answer, either. In the end, he decided that whatever the object was, he had more important matters to attend to, the first being Luna's growing appetite. He put the disc away in his pocket and soon forgot about it.