Ebner watched as the mirror continued to rub against his feet, his mouth twitching slightly. He couldn't help but wonder if the terrifying scene he had witnessed upon entering this nightmare had been nothing more than an illusion.
What the hell is going on? Isn't this mirror something manifested from Lady Nasali's nightmare? Why is it acting like an abandoned pet… and even trying to act cute?
Since when do "Nightmares" have such a strong survival instinct?
With that thought, he ignored the mirror's "pleas for attention" and mercilessly simulated a Holy Light to purify it.
However, as the grand, pure radiance engulfed the mirror, a simple, cartoonish "comforted" expression briefly appeared on its reflective surface. It quickly seemed to realize its mistake, wiped away the expression, and then hurled itself onto the ground, shattering into pieces.
What just happened? Did it just… comfort itself to death? Or is this thing faking? But if it really 'died,' then why does it seem like this nightmare is about to end…
Ebner was utterly baffled by the mirror's bizarre reaction. Losing interest in playing along with Nasali's nightmare, he simply allowed the dream to collapse, sending her back to reality.
Meanwhile, Dunn stared blankly at the empty dreamscape that should have belonged to Siltana, a member of the Demon Hunter squad. As a Nightmare himself, this was the first time he had entered someone's dream only to find no dreamer inside…
...
In an ancient castle bathed in twilight, Siltana, her longsword at her waist and a bottle of liquor in her hand, followed behind a "true" giant who was half a head taller than both her captain and the senior deacon. They passed through the grand hall, crossed a long corridor, and finally entered a reception room. There, she saw a man wearing a silk top hat and a black formal suit. He had a medium build, bronze skin, and deep, weary eyes.
Siltana's eyes widened in shock. She recognized this man. He was the one who always appeared in her drunken dreams, chasing away a nightmare from her youth…
She had often joked that he was exactly her type, which was why she had fulfilled the famous saying of Emperor Roselle: "What you think about during the day, you dream about at night."
But now, it was clear that this wasn't just her imagination… Had this man been living in this dream-locked ruin all along? Had she truly been dreaming of him all those times?
Just as Siltana's mind spiraled into speculation, the giant respectfully bowed to the man before silently exiting the room, leaving only the two of them.
"So… um, how should I address you?" Siltana finally broke the silence.
The man didn't respond immediately. He scrutinized her carefully, his expression turning distant, lost in thought. Only after a long pause did he say in a deep voice, "You may call me Mr. Azik."
Azik… Siltana repeated the name in her mind but couldn't recall any notable figure associated with it. After a moment of hesitation, she cautiously asked, "Mr. Azik, why did you summon me here? Is there something you need?"
"A friend of mine told me that there was a lady who resembled me. That piqued my interest, so I decided on a whim to meet you," Azik chuckled before continuing, "I know your name is Siltana, but I don't yet know your surname."
Resembles you? Don't tell me… you lost a daughter and are searching for her?
But I'm absolutely certain I'm my parents' biological child, and my parents were definitely the biological children of my grandparents… You must be mistaken.
Still, could there be some deeper mystical connection between us? Otherwise, why would I keep dreaming about him?
Despite her internal grumbling, Siltana chose to answer honestly, "My surname is Sterling…" Pausing briefly, she then added a tactful clarification, "Though my parents have passed away, I remember them clearly."
Sterling… I recall using that surname in one of my past lives…
And if my memory serves me correctly, Silica… she should also have the surname Sterling!
Azik immediately understood the underlying meaning in Siltana's words and smiled. "Did your family move to Indore Port from Conston in Loen?"
"How do you know that?" Siltana was visibly surprised. Her mind quickly began turning over possibilities. Is he a distant relative from Loen? Is this a long-lost family reunion?
"Why did your family leave Loen?" Azik's next question pulled her out of her thoughts.
After pondering for a moment, she answered uncertainly, "It was around four hundred years ago… My family moved to Indore to escape an old enemy. They relocated entirely and established numerous businesses here…"
She sighed, her expression tinged with melancholy, as she continued, "But even so, the family failed to thrive. By the time my father's generation came around, we had lost everything. That's why he had no choice but to become a fisherman. In the end, twelve years ago, he stumbled upon a skeleton inside these ruins and went mad before dying…"
"My mother passed away soon after due to mental illness. I was only twelve or thirteen at the time. Luckily, my captain—who was investigating my father's case—took me in and protected me. That's how I eventually became a Beyonder and joined the Demon Hunter squad…
"Heh, for the longest time, I thought my father had simply witnessed Lord Panin fighting a high-sequence Corpse Collector Beyonder, which drove him insane. But just this morning, I found out that Lord Panin never actually fought that person… My father really did stumble into these dream-bound ruins."
Realizing that she had spoken far too much, Siltana suddenly snapped to attention. She fixed a wary gaze on Azik, her voice sharp with suspicion, "Did you just… use some kind of mental suggestion on me?"
Azik nodded at first, then shook his head. "I didn't influence you… but my power does linger within your spirit. That's why you naturally feel a sense of closeness toward me, which led you to speak so freely."
"My spirit carries your power?" Siltana didn't doubt his words. First, given his demonstrated abilities, he had no reason to lie. Second, in all those drunken dreams of hers, there had always been a man resembling him who drove away her nightmares… Maybe it really was because of his power that she had those dreams.
"Yes… Your father and mother likely died from the lingering 'mental plague' of the Mind Dragon. Twelve years ago, it had just died, and no one had yet claimed its characteristics. That dragon was slain by me, and my power had already tainted it. I suspect that your father didn't immediately mutate upon seeing the dragon's remains precisely because of this… Unfortunately, he was far too close to a mythic creature—even if it was just a skeleton! You, however, were lucky. The 'contamination' your father passed onto you was not only weak but also contained a portion of my power." Azik looked at Siltana with a trace of pity as he explained.
"So that's what happened… But then why did my mother…" Siltana trailed off, realizing she had already pieced together the answer from his questions and explanations.
"Because she wasn't my blood descendant… My power couldn't protect her," Azik finished the thought for her.
Siltana fell silent for a long time before finally saying, "Mr. Azik, do you have any liquor?"
"This is still a dream, and in dreams, such things are never lacking." Azik nodded and, with a wave of his hand, conjured a barrel of Sunia Blood Wine.
"This stuff is expensive… I've never even dreamed of it before!" Siltana's eyes lit up as she swiftly poured herself a cup and began drinking.
Sunia Blood Wine, brewed with the golden spring water of Sunia, was incredibly costly—far beyond what Siltana's salary could ever afford. To be honest, this was her first time tasting it.
Unfortunately, she wasn't in the right mood to enjoy it.
"Can you get drunk in a dream?" she muttered, already feeling a little lightheaded. Then, as if struck by a thought, she suddenly heard Azik ask, "Who was the enemy your family was fleeing from?"
"I don't know… But I secretly read some of my grandfather's journals… The records said we must never plot against our enemies or even think about them too much… Otherwise, they might sense our location…"
Before she could finish, she completely lost consciousness. The last thing she saw before drifting off was a tiny silver-winged bird hopping onto her head.
Azik pondered for a long moment before gently stroking Silica's little head and murmuring, "Audience… or Demon? Silica, do you think Siltana's family enemies are connected to your death?"
Silica tilted her head in confusion, her eyes filled with uncertainty…
Azik hadn't expected an answer from her. He turned to gaze out of the castle's window at the large collective dreamscape in the courtyard, muttering to himself, "It seems that Ebner's friend has succeeded… Well, it's time to clean up and completely seal off this nightmare island."
...
In Indore Port, inside the villa in the dock district, Ebner, Dunn, Jane, and Closfia all suddenly woke up, finding themselves back where they had started before setting out.
Closfia glanced at Ebner and Dunn before praising them, "You both did very well. I'll prepare an additional reward for you later."
Before they could decline, she added, "But I have some matters to deal with now. We'll discuss the details in the morning… Ebner, Jane, you can stay here for the night. Dunn, make the arrangements."
With that, Closfia hurried off to her room.
Miss "Sloth" seems to be in a real rush… Did something go wrong with the ritual?
Ebner instinctively wanted to activate his Pure White Eye to check, but his intuition warned him that doing so might lead to unforeseen consequences. He hesitated for a moment, then chose to drop the idea.
Following Dunn's lead, he arrived at the room prepared for him. Just as he lay down, intending to rest, a sudden knock echoed at the door.
A moment later, Miss Plant appeared before him, holding a mirror that looked oddly familiar.
"Sir… This mirror has something it wishes to tell you…"
(End of Chapter)