Chapter 64 : Bones

There are all kinds of monsters.

It’s a mystery how the ecosystem is still functioning properly in a world like this, but let’s set that aside for now.

Anyway, among the many types of monsters, there are also ones called succubi.

They’re an all-female species, so I guess calling them “guys” isn’t right—should I call them “gals” instead?

They have powers related to dreams and sleep, such as entering others’ dreams to play tricks or drain their energy.

There was once someone who took an interest in those traits and studied them.

I wonder what kind of person that was?

Succubus experiments might sound perverted at first, but the subject he researched was actually quite wholesome and beneficial.

Healing the mind through sleep.

Unlike physical ailments, mental health has always been tricky to treat, but this opened a new path.

His field of study gradually evolved and grew in size, and today, it’s known as “Dream Therapy.”

Though to be fair, it’s still half a folk remedy and not quite a professional medical practice.

“You said you just learned this recently?”

[Yeah. Dream Therapy is basically a branch of Sleep Magic, after all.]

You’ve been showing interest for a while—maybe you’re interested in medicine?

Though it’s more like psychological therapy.

Well, as someone who benefits from it, I can’t complain.

“Is there anything I need to prepare?”

[First, you need to relax your body and mind. Since this is mental therapy, the patient shouldn’t be anxious.]

Do I look anxious?

Well, I guess I’m not in the best condition right now.

I exaggeratedly took a deep breath, puffing up my chest in front of Teferi.

[Uh… that’s fine too, but there’s a better way. Have you eaten anything?]

Hmm, just a little alcohol and snacks?

I don’t eat much to begin with, and today I barely ate enough to stay alive.

I looked around and pulled out a flower-patterned cup from a messy cupboard.

Drinking tea should help, right?

As a noble, I was always told I needed to know how to drink tea properly—it was drilled into my ears.

It smells nice, but it’s bitter, so I rarely drink it.

I added some tea leaves and poured hot water, and soon the room filled with a fresh scent.

The lavender aroma reminded me of home.

I placed it on a saucer and took a sip.

Warmth spread through my body.

It felt a bit pretentious, but I looked pretty classy sipping tea.

Well, if you ignore the massive amount of sugar I dumped in.

Teferi scooted over and took a sip from my cup too.

She even licked the spoon I used to scoop the sugar.

Her lips touched the same spot on the cup as mine, but hey—it’s just between girls.

The cup was small, so the tea was gone in no time.

After finishing, she continued explaining while leading me to the bed.

[Normally, you’d have to take off all your clothes, but… that’s a bit much, right?]

“Of course. The person who came up with this must have been a pervert.”

How is that therapy? That’s just visual harassment.

If anyone else besides Teferi had tried this Dream Therapy, something bad might’ve happened to me.

How lucky I am.

I changed into simple pajamas with buttons and lay down on the bed.

It had been days since I last lay in a bed, so my body was stiff as a board.

The sensation of the blanket against my skin felt unfamiliar.

Teferi saw me and chuckled, covering her mouth.

[What are you doing? Just relax a little. You don’t need to use the bathroom first?]

“No, I’m fine.”

[…Really? Ah, you might sweat a bit. Want to lay a towel underneath, just in case?]

“Sweat? Towel? Nah, it’d be too uncomfortable.”

[It’ll be a hassle to clean later… fine.]

Funny.

Even if it needs cleaning, I’d be the one doing it—not you.

What, are you worried I’d make a guest clean up my sweat?

While we talked, my body naturally found a more comfortable position.

I’d been up for three nights straight, so the moment I lay down, my eyes felt like they’d shut on their own.

Teferi sat right beside me and began chanting a spell.

A soft green glow, like a lamp’s light, surrounded me.

Good thing the bed’s big.

Watching her earnestly chant made me feel a bit indebted.

[Once you close your eyes and open them again, your body and mind will feel much better. I hope it works well—it’s my first time.]

Honestly, ever since I became more sensitive, I’ve been waking up more often at night.

And I’m always tired in the mornings.

“Sorry for the trouble. And… thanks again, as always.”

[Don’t be. I should be the one saying sorry and thanks.]

“…Sorry for what?”

[B-Because this is my first time! Technically, you’re my first test subject.]

Ah, that’s all?

It’s not even dangerous—I can do that much.

We’re friends, after all.

Not sure how we ended up in this kind of relationship.

When I muttered that, Teferi echoed me, saying, “Yeah, we’re friends.”

As she chanted, my body grew warmer and I felt like I was floating.

Like lying on a waterbed.

My eyelids slowly closed, and soon, everything went dark.

Unlike usual, I didn’t feel anything around me—this might be the first time I could truly sleep.

Just like Teferi explained before, someone could carry me off and I wouldn’t even notice.

As I’ve said before, I’m the type who rarely dreams.

Actually, I heard that everyone does dream while sleeping.

So maybe I’m just the type who doesn’t remember dreams?

This time was the same—I didn’t remember the dream, only the fact that I had one.

I feel like I had a deep sleep for the first time in forever.

Did Teferi leave already?

Looking around, I seemed to be alone in the room.

Thankfully, nothing happened while I slept—none of my organs were stolen or anything.

I got out of bed and took a step—and instantly felt the difference.

The throbbing in my head was gone, and the fog in my mind had lifted.

This is amazing.

Well, this kind of clarity does come after a good night’s sleep, but this feels even better than usual.

Must be Teferi’s hard work.

Only problem is, as Teferi said, my clothes were soaked with sweat.

Especially areas like the chest and inner thighs where skin touches skin.

Oddly enough, the bed sheets were perfectly clean.

Anyone would think I’d changed to a fresh set.

Judging by the time, it was already well past noon—maybe 3 or 4 PM.

A fitting wake-up time for a jobless bum on vacation.

Still, I didn’t feel guilty or ashamed like yesterday, when I wasted the whole day.

Sleep really is the best medicine.

How long has it been since I slept this well?

I wonder if I could get another session of Dream Therapy today.

I should thank Teferi and ask.

But first, I need a shower.

My body smells… kind of weird.

“Told you it works like magic, didn’t I?”

What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Oh my, pretending not to know. A saint like me can tell what’s going on just from the scent, you know?”

What the hell is she talking about?

After meeting Teferi, it was already evening.

Did the day really fly by so quickly?

The good news is, Teferi promised to continue the therapy for the next three days, until the academy resumes.

With Arwen gone, I guess it’s fine for me to visit someone else’s dorm late at night?

Later, I went out to grab a bite, but couldn’t find a good place—so I went back to the same bar from yesterday.

Sure enough, Haila was there.

Just like before, I naturally took the seat beside her.

The moment she saw me, she started saying weird stuff again.

“You’re not pretending—you really don’t know, huh? What did I say yesterday?”

“Something about… pleasuring oneself alone in a room, or spending time with a lover…”

“Ah, that’s right.”

I snapped my fingers and nodded at her words.

Precious…