A Not So Friendly Brunch

The mask was made perfectly for her.

The holes for her radiant white eyes were exactly at the peak of the mountains, completing the painting on her mask fully.

Additionally, in the mirror, Dawn could see she was now wearing an elegant white one-piece dress that a noble might wear to a ball.

*WHOOSH*

Suddenly, the reflection of Dawn in the mirror blurred and began swirling around, forming a whirlpool of various colors.

Then, in the next moment, a familiar voice sounded through her ears.

[Blood-Moon Eclipser 8/8 has joined. Maximum capacity has been reached.]

"..."

Since she had entered the portal not even a minute ago, and the voice had just announced participant 8, she had to be number 7.

What did that mean?

Was seven a good...or bad number?

Bracing herself, she waited as the familiar voice sounded once again in her ears.

[Please enter when you are ready.]

Not skipping a beat, Dawn walked through the portal, her body disappearing within the mirror's whirlpool.

In the next moment, she found herself before a small glass chair with a circular seat, resembling one you might see in a cafe on Earth.

Around her was...nature?

An endless plain, filled with lush green grass, appeared, stretching on for as long as the eye could see.

There were no trees or hills blocking the view, just flat ground.

Can I just...run away?

Unfortunately, there was just one problem.

Shifting her gaze upward, her eyes dazzling with excitement, Dawn tried to look for the sun...but there was none.

Instead, a large artificial ball of light, the size of a wrecking ball, hung down above their table, illuminating the scenery around them.

Sighing, she looked down.

Below Dawn was a square-shaped strip of brick, contrasting greatly with the natural environment.

On the square strip was a small circular table, so small that Dawn could reach her arms forward and touch the other side of it.

Additionally, another glass chair lay opposite Dawn's, alongside a mirror.

As Dawn's gaze locked onto the other chair, only a step away from her current position, a single pale leg suddenly appeared before the portal opposite her.

A male, about the same age as Free, with curly blonde hair, teal-blue eyes, and a white collared shirt, walked through.

Pausing, Dawn ignored him and took a seat, running her fingers along the smooth glass surface of the table.

There was a small white plate with a single fork and spoon, far smaller and fewer utensils than Free and Dagr had received.

Not even noticing Dawn's presence, the boy seemed starstruck as he gazed around the beautiful scenery.

Dawn immediatly noted that his posture was slumped, his shoulders were slouched, and his hair was untidy, even though he should have had a considerable amount of time with a mirror.

Not a noble.

Sighing, Dawn leaned back and took a breath.

There was no innocence until proven guilty in this world.

The boy before her was her enemy until he proved he wasn't.

A dream with two conscious people was peculiar, but so was the moon they were under.

Are the other six Eclipsers going through this as well? Were the eight of us split into pairs of two? Are the pairs supposed to fight each other or work together against the others?

Countless questions flooded Dawn's mind, yet her external figure remained constant, her expression neutral as she gazed at the boy.

That was because she knew she had already won this day.

Against all odds, she had claimed a blood-red crystal, taking it away from the Star Emperor.

Was she worried that the Star Emperor would take precautionary actions and kill her with his army before she could complete the dream?

No.

After all, only eight people in the entire world had become Blood Moon Eclipsers.

He needs me.

At that moment, the boy suddenly spun around, noticing Dawn sitting before him.

With a red blush appearing on his face, the boy awkwardly scratched the back of his head before finally saying.

"Ah...didn't see you there."

Not wasting a moment, Dawn...cheerfully smiled?

A wide smile spread across her usually emotionless face, not seeming forced in the slightest.

Her cheeks even lit up a faint red, adding to the act.

"Hello, what's your name?"

Fumbling through his words like a child, the boy immediatly spat out.

"i-it's Loki."

Reaching her hand halfway over the table for a handshake, Dawn tilted her head with a smile and answered.

"You can call me Dusk. Nice to meet you!"

Loki's face immediately turned tomato red as he turned away, clearly an attempt to hide his expression, and slowly sat down across from Dawn.

Letting out a dry cough and taking a deep breath, Loki chuckled before pointing at the empty plate and asking in an overly sarcastic tone.

"Hey, waiter, where's the food?!"

Scratching his crown and turning to face Dawn, he smiled and continued.

"Ah, right; it's just us two!"

"..."

Dawn was simply at a loss for words, her act slightly breaking as her eyes rolled in confusion.

However, she quickly recovered by grasping her fork and answering.

"Well, technically, this is a dream, right? So...if we think of something, it'll appear!"

Loki's face immediatly lit up, an imaginary light bubble sparking next to his head, as he leaned down silently and began intensely concentrating.

"..."

Alternatively, Dawn's head was filled with chaotic thoughts, the smile on her face threatening to break.

How did someone like him not only find a blood-red light but also claim a crystal...

Something was wrong.

Sure, he might have been lucky enough to find a blood-red shard...but to have the courage to go under the moon and then claim a crystal?

That was too much.

Looking up, Dawn almost broke her fork as she saw Loki banging his forehead against the edge of the glass table, an attempt to...concetrate?

"..."

Sighing, she leaned back, looking to the right at the endless plain beyond the square-shaped brick strip they were on.

"What if we try to imagine our hometowns...? Maybe, this place will transform."