Sweet Dreams Are Real

In Pritz Harbor, after buying a second-class ticket for the White Agate, Klein returned to the inn and treated himself to the city's most famous dish—fried fish.

"The taste isn't bad… but if I had to eat this all the time, I don't think I could handle it."

"Come to think of it, I kind of miss the cooking of my one and only 'true devotee,' Shoko… But even if I'd stayed in Backlund, I wouldn't have been able to eat her cooking again anytime soon."

"She seems to have closed her shop and gone into hiding with Lina… After all, Prince Edessak is now publicly declared dead—he can't show his face anymore…"

Just as he was sighing over this, Klein suddenly heard a faint, illusory voice of prayer in his ears. He hurriedly finished the fried fish in a few bites, returned to his room, and ascended above the gray fog.

"'Tower' is asking where Miss 'Judgment' is? What's this… another round of 'Fool Navigation'?" Klein muttered to himself. But considering the contributions Mr. Tower had accumulated, he still decided to connect the two of them and relayed the meeting location.

After wrapping up that task, Klein was about to return to the real world when he noticed that the crimson star representing Miss Daly was still flickering incessantly—it was clear she hadn't given up on praying to the Fool.

He had actually planned to share the result of his divination regarding Dunn's current status with her last week, but the Great Smog incident that followed had drained so much of his attention that he'd nearly forgotten about it. Seeing Daly's star shining now reminded him.

He tapped the edge of the ancient bronze table with a finger, then manifested paper and pen, wrote down a few lines, and performed another dream divination to determine Dunn's whereabouts.

—Since Ebner's "Clown Mask" was still in Dunn's possession, and it had previously entered the Source Castle weekly, it had naturally formed a close "connection" with Klein. As a result, the quality of the divination was very high.

"He moved from the North Borough to the St. George District? Hmm… The St. George District borders the factory and docklands, and was one of the areas hit hardest by the smog…"

"So the captain chose to live there to help those afflicted by the plague?"

"Now that he's a Soul Assurer, he probably also plans to perform ceremonies for the dead and use that to aid his role-playing…"

"But the latter is likely secondary. With the captain's nature, his true motive is probably to help the poor of the factory and dock areas."

His thoughts spinning rapidly, Klein also performed a divination to check whether Daly was in any danger. After confirming she wasn't, he extended his spirituality to her crimson star and passed along both the previously divined image of Dunn touching her photograph and the latest vision of Dunn's current residence.

…

36 Riverside Street, St. George District.

After parting ways with Xio, Ebner took a carriage to the address given to him by Bishop Utravsky and arrived at a somewhat dilapidated house.

He simulated the ability of a Faceless and changed his appearance into that of "Doctor Strange," then reached out to press the doorbell.

A long moment passed before the door opened, and a "strangely familiar" unfamiliar face appeared before him.

"Unfamiliar," because Ebner had never actually seen this face in person.

But "familiar," because he had come across it in documents—it belonged to a Nightwatcher named Adelaide, father of Miss Rosanne, a clerical staff member at Blackthorn Security. He was also one of the souls "stitched" into Dunn's mind.

—As a transmigrator who had once carried out a mission for Lilith in Tingen, how could Ebner not have researched all the relevant details? He recognized the man instantly.

"Mr. Adelaide?" Ebner didn't call out Dunn's real name, instead posing a tentative question.

Dunn also recognized the "Doctor Strange" face. Somewhat surprised, he said, "How did you find this place?"

He didn't wait for Ebner to answer, but instead stepped aside to let him into the living room.

"After all, you were resurrected by the Mother Goddess herself—finding you wasn't difficult." Ebner casually answered Dunn's earlier question as he sat down.

Dunn poured a cup of tea for Ebner as he nodded, accepting the explanation. Clearly, he had already considered that possibility.

After all, he had lived alongside a Blessed of Mother Goddess Closfia's for so long. From the scattered clues she'd let slip, Dunn had already guessed the true identity of the vampire who had "bitten" him in the Rafael Cemetery back then—it was either an Apostle of the Earth Mother, or her divine descent! Either way, it was a being fully capable of representing the Mother Goddess's will.

Although he still didn't understand why the Earth Mother had personally crafted a "Stone of Life" to resurrect him, in a mysticism sense, he now had a connection to that true deity. If She wanted to locate him, it would be child's play.

"Why are you wearing your old subordinate's face? Won't that arouse the Church of the Evernight's suspicion?" Ebner took a sip of tea and asked curiously.

"You're really familiar with the Tingen Squad…" Dunn sighed as he finally took a seat. "If a Spirit Warlock can't even pacify the 'spirit' within his own mind, how could he possibly soothe others' souls..."

"You still have spiritual instability? Closfia didn't fix that?" But that "Slothful" lady, despite her usual laid-back style, was quite reliable when it came to actual work.

Rubbing his temples, Dunn explained, "Even ordinary people can have mental issues. Miss Closfia merely helped me patch up the hidden dangers caused by stitching souls together—at least enough so that I won't lose control upon advancing… But the risks are still higher than normal. That's unavoidable. I can only rely on myself to make up for it."

So you're impersonating Adelaide to fulfill his last wish, and in doing so, completely pacify his spirit? Hmm… I remember one of the souls you stitched in was a girl named Dawn… Maybe next time I'll get to meet her?

While Ebner's thoughts were drifting in that direction, Dunn clearly didn't want to continue the topic. He cut straight to the point: "You came to see me specifically—what's the matter?"

Ebner snapped back to attention and nodded. "There's news about the 'Spirit Witch' potion formula you wanted."

The deep gray eyes behind Dunn's "Jester mask" lit up sharply, and he asked in a low voice, "What's the price?"

"Same as what you promised last time… the Beyonder characteristics of the 'Astrologer' and the 'Rose Bishop'." Ebner paused for a moment before adding, "The formula will be delivered either tomorrow or the day after."

According to Xio, Fors had already decided to make a trip to Pritz Harbor tomorrow.

"I'll be staying here all week," Dunn said after a moment of thought.

"Good. I'll come back when I have the formula." Ebner gave a slight nod, then rose to his feet.

The reason he'd come today to meet Dunn was precisely because he feared that in a couple days, Dunn might move again—and he'd end up with nothing but a locked door.

Now that they had an arrangement, Ebner didn't linger. After a few more pleasantries, he said goodbye and left Dunn's residence.

After sending off "Doctor Strange," Dunn had originally planned to return to the sunroom and read for a while—that had been Adelaide's old habit…

But just then, the doorbell rang again.

Dunn frowned slightly, put down the book, and walked unhurriedly to the door. He pulled it open.

And then, reflected in his gray eyes, was the figure of a woman who had haunted his dreams.

She gazed into his eyes without wavering, then broke into a charming smile. Her voice trembled slightly as she said:

"You still owe me a dance…

"Can I finally receive that invitation now?"

(End of chapter)