Chapter 45

Episode.45 Dream Within a Dream, Inner World

I feel like my body is floating.

When riding a roller coaster at an amusement park, there’s a sensation in my abdomen that feels weightless.

But right now, I feel like not just my abdomen, but my whole body is floating.

I’m drifting as if I’m a balloon filled with helium.

Gradually, my eyes start to open, and light fills them.

The scenery faintly visible is a blue pasture.

A flat land filled with green hues. And on that plain, there stands one strange, singular tree that could be called the World Tree.

That tree is immensely gigantic.

I couldn’t really tell if it is the World Tree or not.

The mention of the World Tree reminds me of elves from fantasy novels.

The tree was about 100 meters away from where I was lying.

‘… Am I lying down?’

I pushed myself up with my hands on the ground and my knees.

‘Ugh, where is this… Chaewon?’

In a moment of confusion, I called out for Chaewon first.

I thought that having her, who I can comfortably talk to, is essential in this situation.

I stood up straight and looked around.

As expected, the surroundings were flat land with nothing around.

Only a large tree stood alone on the pasture.

“Ah…”

Upon closer inspection, there are people underneath the tree that looks like the World Tree.

And it’s not just one person.

From a distance, it was hard to tell.

I decided to head toward the shade under the tree to meet those individuals.

But where exactly is this place?

Why am I… in such a place?

What was I doing before losing consciousness?

Why did I lose consciousness in the first place?

‘I can’t remember.’

Whenever I try to forcibly recall, it’s as if important parts are obscured, like mist clouding my mind.

If I keep going like this, I’ll end up staying up all night over trivial memories.

Still, because of my wandering thoughts, I was able to arrive at the shade of the gigantic tree much faster than expected.

‘Indeed, it wasn’t just one person.’

There were two individuals enjoying the cool breeze in the shade.

‘Huh? A cool breeze?’

It seemed like it had been winter before I passed out.

As I began to dissect the contradictory points in my memory based on this, I gradually started recalling the events leading up to my arrival here.

Harin, she is an S-rank healer who takes care of everyone like a benevolent saint despite her uncomfortable eyes, and the only position of that high rank.

Of course, her way of caring for others was flawed.

Anyway, I seemed to have met her after a long time, met with the Association President, and came to my house for some reason.

When I coughed up blood at that house, she quickly recognized that I was coughing up blood and used her healing techniques on me.

However, even with her overwhelming healing skill, I didn’t get better; the symptoms of the disease simply weakened a bit and didn’t fully heal.

Perhaps displeased with that, I think I heard that they put me under anesthesia for an intensive treatment.

The last scene I clearly remember is getting anesthetized in the house.

So, is this my dream world?

Is this a world where memories fade upon waking?

“Finally, you’re here. Aren’t you keeping a little kid waiting too long?”

“This guy is the one you’ve been waiting for… Wait, how did you know without me even explaining?”

“Well, it’s obvious at a glance. In this vast inner world, excluding the tree, there are only three beings that can be called life forms. And above all, that guy, I’m familiar with him. It’s like looking in a mirror.”

What are they talking about?

One person was sitting on the ground, using the tree as a backrest, wearing a plain white mask, while the other was… the figure of someone familiar.

That familiar person was definitely not human when I met him.

He was clad in an alien black armor.

Just approaching seemed to send a chill down my spine.

I readied myself to draw my sword from my inventory.

But the system didn’t activate.

I stood there maintaining only basic vigilance.

The two didn’t seem to harbor hostility toward me, but I thought it would be best to confirm.

“Who are you… and where is this place?”

“Hehe, you really know nothing, do you?”

The one in the white mask stood up, brushing off his behind.

He took off the mask and said, “How should I explain it… First, this is your inner world. And I’m a dragonkin who came in with that dark-skinned guy.”

“Dark-skinned? You don’t have the right to call me that.”

I clearly remembered that the one called ‘dark-skinned’ was a dungeon boss in the Black Gate, swarmed by skeletons.

In that place, he was just a boss with only bones left, but here, he had flesh on his face.

That ‘dark-skinned’ one, clad in black armor, pulled his helmet down, covering his face.

“Inner world? You’re a dragonkin?”

“I’ll explain. First, I wonder if you remember me.”

I nodded as a sign that I remembered.

“Do you remember? That’s good, it looks like the explanation can speed up.”

“Is this foolish fellow my junior?”

The one introduced as a ‘dragonkin’ put the mask into a spatial storage.

That definitely was an inventory.

Did that dragonkin also possess a ‘system’?

‘But my system doesn’t work here…’

“I’m already a body that doesn’t exist.”

“What do you mean, a body that doesn’t exist?”

“Our homeland was destroyed long ago. Just like you extinguished my life.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“Didn’t I tell you before? My reality has long since ended. I’m merely a phantasm created from your memories.”

“Okay, let’s assume that’s true. Then what about that self-proclaimed dragonkin?”

“Me? I’m real. I’m still alive.”

Then how did I get here?

You mentioned the inner world… does that mean I can freely enter the inner worlds of others?

“I can clearly see your confusion. You still seem like a noob; I wonder what made you think you could enter a place like that.”

The dragonkin seemed to mock me.

“Don’t be flustered. You’re not that kind of vessel, right? This is like a dream within a dream.”

Can my confusion be that visible…?

“No, wait a minute. I want to ask that dragonkin, not you, a lot of things.”

By the way, the term ‘dark-skinned’ refers not to skin color.

In fact, his skin is quite light.

His nickname seems to have come from his obsession with the intensely black armor he wears.

‘No matter—’

“Don’t call me dark-skinned.”

“Hehe, humans are really fun, aren’t they?”

So, I asked the self-proclaimed dragonkin many things.

Although I doubted his willingness to answer, all I could do was trust those words.

The first question was whether living beings could appear in another’s dream.

I asked how one could enter the inner world.

The answer is simple.

“What? Hehe, this is why I like humans. It’s amusing, isn’t it? It’s not like I cast any magic. All you have to do is think you want to enter. Of course, I’m a dragonkin, so I’m adept in magic, but entering someone’s heart is as easy as breathing. Ah~ I remember an old mage in my homeland who devoted his entire life to research just to enter someone’s heart. He also had quite a few secret preferences—”

Though he rambled excessively, there was some useful information.

Useful information…?

It became clear that he was just a cantankerous being boasting gifted abilities.

Next, I asked about the dragonkin.

“How can you have a human form if you’re a dragonkin? That’s a stupid question. I didn’t expect such a low level of inquiry. Honestly, it’s getting a bit boring. Polymorph, poly-mor-ph.”

Then I asked about the relationship with the ‘dark-skinned’ individual.

“Ah~ we can call ourselves enemies. Right, dark-skinned? You’ve been teaching me swordsmanship since I was little.”

“… That’s right.”

“Why did you work so hard back then? I’d like to know the reason.”

“I had no particular reason. If I couldn’t become the pinnacle, I wouldn’t have even started.”

“So you trained with that resolve, huh?”

There was nothing but incomprehensible words.

I felt like I had seen the last words in a betrayer’s oracle.

Regardless, to understand those words…

The last thing I should probably ask again is what the dragonkin mentioned earlier.

The content is…

– ‘I can clearly see your confusion. You still seem like a noob; I wonder what made you think you could enter <that place>?’

Where is ‘that place’? I inquired.

“Well, you know? That… toxic green place where the poison flows like lava, complete with extra legs. You obtained your ‘system’ from there, right? The system is expressed in a way each person enjoys the most, and is considered the most popular entertainment of that era. Hmm… In that case, you might be familiar with the term ‘EX-class dungeon,’ right?”

A shiver ran down my spine.

I felt like I could discover everything I’ve been curious about in this realm.

“Ah, is it already time to go back…”

“What? Going back already? I still have many questions to ask!… Well, I would like an explanation about that EX-class dungeon and the system.”

“Kid. It’s best if you figure that out on your own. It’ll be more fun that way. Oh, before that, there’s not much time left until you wake up, so I think I’ll use an interesting spell before you go. This is a new magic I just discovered. How about it? Would you like to try it?”

Thinking it might be an opportunity to learn about the system and EX-class dungeon… EX-class Gate? I nodded in response to the dragonkin’s proposal.

But as soon as I did, pink.

Pink smoke billowed up, twisting and swirling around me.

“What’s happening? Explain this immediately.”

“I can’t explain in detail because there’s no time. This is your love story. Dark-skinned, you should check it out too.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Upon hearing those words, the figure in black armor showed interest.

“You’re foolish enough that even in death, you won’t be able to close your eyes.”

“Is that an experience talking?”

I asked the dragonkin if that was a personal experience.

“Yeah. If whatever side you choose results in a bloody hurricane, it’s better not to choose at all… or even avoid it.”

“I’ll take that as a piece of advice.”

I didn’t understand what he was saying.

If I asked again, I felt like I’d receive some really harsh words.

“Hey, kid, what do you want to do?”

I couldn’t answer that.

Because the inner world was starting to close.

In other words, it means I’m about to wake up from a dream.

It indicates I’m returning to reality as the anesthesia wears off.

I could no longer speak in this dream within a dream.

It was as if my eyes were closing from a needle’s sting here as well.

When I opened my eyes next, it would surely be…

The real world.

“Kid, the next time we meet… we probably won’t be able to have such a leisurely conversation.”

– Thud.

My field of vision went completely dark.

I blinked my eyes.

“Where am I…”

“Can you hear me? You’re awake?”

I heard Harin’s voice.

This time, unlike before, I was lying on a mattress covered by a blanket, not using someone’s lap as a pillow.

But the problem was that I wasn’t wearing any clothes at all.

I wasn’t even wearing my underwear.

“Harin, what did you do to me?”

【I-I’m out of my mind… It’s all over for me.】

‘Chaewon?’

【Eek! N-No, I didn’t see anything, I swear!】

‘What are you talking about? You were watching, right? Hurry up and explain what happened.’

I shifted my body a little toward Chaewon.

【D-Don’t come any closer! You beast! Ah… How did it come to this! It shouldn’t have happened to a pure girl like me…】

‘W-What are you talking about?’

【I can’t get married now.】

Chaewon was saying things I couldn’t understand.

“Can you cough? How’s your body feeling?”

“Um? I’m not sure yet… But what did I go through?”

“Hehe… It’s not that you were ‘subjected to’ something but rather you ‘shared’ something, right? Saying you were subjected to something is a bit too much.”

“Shared…? Where did all my clothes go?”

Harin, while adjusting the collar of her fallen coat, said.

“Is that the important thing? What’s important is that the treatment was successful.”

【I can’t believe I witnessed something like that… My purity is over…】

“You said next time we meet on the bed, I wouldn’t show it to you, right?”

I don’t know.

I can’t remember.

I don’t even know when I said something like that.

“Ha… Now, whether I like it or not, you have to take responsibility.”

Your Honor.

I didn’t do anything.

I woke up to find the situation already decided.