episode_0009

“First, let me explain what kind of being Leruye is.”

Ms. Erica picked up a twig and began drawing on the ground, scritch, scritch.

“Wow, you really can’t draw.”

“I believe you just had a very rude thought.”

“Ah, please explain quickly!”

“…”

Ahem.

Clearing her throat, Ms. Erica drew a large city and two tiny humans.

Pointing to herself and me with an arrow, she drew something gradually rising from behind the city and said, “The city we’re in—or rather, the kingdom. Its name is Leruye, the same as her name, but the reality is horrific.”

“Ohh.”

“It wasn’t a city, but a ruin—no, a trap that snared the souls of the dead and lured those who sought the truth, like myself.”

“A trap?”

How frightful.

“She approached me, promising all the knowledge in this world—knowledge, ways to restore humanity’s power, even the weaknesses and ecology of Outer Gods. She tempted me and pressured me to stay here.”

“And Ms. Erica promptly accepted, didn’t you?”

“…It wasn’t just me. All humans who reside here are like that.”

I, too, had come here guaranteed various benefits… not exactly social security, but still.

“Everyone was an ordinary human. But due to their contract with Leruye, they’ve now been stripped of their self and reduced to puppets.”

How terrible.

“It’s said that when she loses interest and we lose even the slightest usefulness, our bones will be extracted by her disgusting tentacles and our souls sucked dry. Even I could end up like that.”

“…Is that true?”

Sweat trickled down my forehead at the surprisingly chilling truth of Leruye.

I wasn’t scared; it was just that Ms. Erica, lecturing passionately while leaning slightly against me, was as hot as a stove.

“Whether you believe my words or not is entirely up to you. Didn’t you say so yourself?”

So, Leruye had such tastes. My vision went dark at the employer’s shocking identity.

Even so, extracting bones is a bit… gruesome.

“She seems very fond of you, but the interest of an Outer God is unpredictable. Even if I were to die tomorrow, I would accept it.”

“Why accept it? You should survive by any means necessary.”

“Wouldn’t that be better than having your soul extracted, swept away by the turbid memories of countless deceased, unable to maintain your self, and suffering eternally?”

Who in the world would suffer such a thing!

“Even in this shitty world, it’s better to live! In my hometown, we even have a saying: ‘Even if you have to wallow in a field of dog shit, it’s better to be alive in this world!’”

“Is that so…”

A gleam entered Ms. Erica’s gray eyes at my inspiring proverb.

“I believe that the moment I lose my reason and my sense of self is swept away, that is no longer me.”

“What am I? What is ‘me’? I don’t even know that myself. How can I be sure that the ‘me’ standing here right now isn’t the ‘me’ I remember?!”

I didn’t even know what I was saying, but I figured Ms. Erica would understand.

Just live.

—Scritch, scritch…

“Well said.”

She understood?!

“Leruye’s greatest interest right now is you. Seeing her contact friendly Outer Gods and fuss over you to keep you from leaving… you should be safe for a while.”

Ah, I was okay?

“However, even if you are satisfied, I wish for you to escape this place and experience the freedom you yearn for. Even if this place has been turned into a wasteland by Outer Gods… originally, it was a paradise-like world.”

I perfectly understood Ms. Erica’s words.

The beings called Outer Gods, including Leruye, were like people living in the apartment complex next door, casually wrecking the playground in Ms. Erica’s complex as they pleased.

And while enjoying themselves, they even stopped me from going to the playground.

I didn’t know she was that kind of person. What a disappointment.

“Anyway, now that I’ve told you Leruye’s truth, be careful. You must never reveal what happened today to anyone, and don’t even let her sense it. No, just forget it. Just forget what you heard today and remember that you need to get out.”

The shadow spreading next to Ms. Erica, who was delivering a terrifying warning, undulated like tentacles.

“How can I remember if I forget? Ms. Erica, you’re quite unexpectedly eccentric.”

“That’s how important today’s story is!”

Ms. Erica shouted, veins bulging in her neck. She looked as gentle as a well-bred young lady, but she secretly had a temper.

“Yep!”

I mimed zipping my lips and gave her a thumbs-up to show she shouldn’t worry. Ms. Erica made a grumpy face and also gave a thumbs-up, mimicking me.

“And if you ever want my help again, try to fall asleep at the same time tomorrow.”

“Actually, I just fell asleep, and we met by coincidence.”

“…That’s surprising in its own way. Well, I’m satisfied with today’s meeting. I’m human too, and I was missing human conversation.”

Ms. Erica slowly stood up and looked at me with a pleased expression.

“Ah, it’s time to wake from the dream.”

Ms. Erica pointed to the bright cave exit and told me that I would wake up from the dream the moment I stepped out.

—Scritch, scritch…

I left the ground I’d been scribbling on as I pleased and got up.

Though it wasn’t entirely satisfactory, I put effort into it, seeing as it was a gift for Ms. Erica. I drew Ms. Erica enjoying her leisure and myself chatting with her. And since I wanted to introduce her to a friend, I added Naia too.

To meet faraway, this place would be good. I looked proudly at the drawing, which perfectly depicted even the outdoor scenery.

By the way, it felt like days had passed, but it was just a dream. As I headed out of the cave, Ms. Erica, standing in the cave, merely waved from afar and didn’t follow.

“Aren’t you coming out? Let’s go together.”

I extended my hand, but Ms. Erica trembled slightly, tightly closed her eyes, and shook her head.

She was gently enveloped by the shadow that crept towards her, backing out of the cave, looking as comfortable as if she had returned to her original home.

“You go ahead. Time here flows differently for each individual.”

“Please at least accept my good morning greeting tomorrow!”

If you gasp again, I won’t let it slide.

And so, I woke from the dream.

Erica extended Snowden’s emblem towards the shadow creeping up the cave wall.

The disgusting tentacles of the cephalopod, burned by the mark, recoiled in surprise, but the shadow filling the vast cave incessantly stretched towards her.

But isn’t that too much? Calling me disgusting tentacles and a cephalopod? It hurts my feelings to be treated like such an insignificant creature, you know?

“Get out of my head, you monster!”

Didn’t you call me first? After calling my name so desperately, now you tell me to leave. No matter how fickle humans are, that’s too much.

“How utterly repulsive. To bear the same name as your stronghold and draw power from it.”

The natives sure had a knack for thinking that way: names hold power. You wouldn’t know how pleasant it feels, that sense of elation that warmly envelops my entire being every time I’m called.

Erica gritted her teeth, which were trembling, and slowly backed away.

If only she could get out of here, she could live. Time in the Dreamland flowed differently, so if she could just find the former ruler and Snowden’s domain… she would surely survive.

Let’s not be pathetic now, after we’ve resigned ourselves.

Erica denied it. He was the one who had told her this, the toy she cherished so much. He had told her she could live, that she didn’t have to give up, and that’s why she had decided to.

Calling me a toy? Don’t be hurtful. He’s my guest. I’m just trying to give him a little help so that he, who came from outside, can realize his destiny.

Only then did Erica realize the truth of Yuseong. One who came from outside. In that case, she couldn’t lose him. She had refused his outstretched hand, fearing he might get hurt, but if she’d known this, she would have taken it.

[Oh, I’m tired of this now. Your mind is disgusting, damp… and cramped. The canvas he paints is as vast and comforting as the sea, so why is your brain so tiny, like a pea?]

“How ugly your jealousy is, befitting a stinking bitch. Don’t you not even have a pea-sized brain, resorting to sucking on human brains? Ah – is that a noble hobby of yours?”

[…You really shouldn’t have said anything. You could have just comfortably… learned all the secrets and merged with me, satisfied.]

“This isn’t your playground, you harlot!”

[Everyone says that. What does it matter if I’m someone else’s toy and want a playground of my own?]

Splosh, splosh, splosh, splosh, splosh, splosh.

Erica stumbled as the shadow engulfed the cave.

Truly the fate of a foolish human who walked into a trap of her own accord. She merely wanted to know.

To reverse the fate that humanity faced, to enjoy the freedom we were granted from primordial times—

Erica decided to etch their memories into her mind one last time.

The memories of them chatting quietly, sitting on a small stone she used as a chair.

She had meddled, and now she faced this death, but she didn’t regret it.

The most important thing for a scholar was new knowledge. He was new knowledge to her. Erica loved knowledge.

‘That’s…?’

At that moment, a crude scribble caught Erica’s eye.

A clumsy scribble, crudely drawn next to the elegant diagrams she had drawn.

A figure sitting in a rocking chair, leisurely exploring knowledge with a gentle smile—if Ms. Erica’s lifelong dream of freedom were rendered in a painting, wouldn’t it look just like that?

Though it was a scribble, the sentiment contained within was so warm.

The unreserved concern for a human, depicted by an artist who had offered tribute to an Outer God.

A fitting offering for the guardian deity who protects humanity.

“Ah, O Snowden…!”

Erica, bathed in ecstasy, welcomed ‘Me.’

[Ah, how disgusting.]

The cave being bathed in light was a response to your praise and your faith.

Erica, you are worthy. Without falling for that disgusting harlot’s trick, you will fully enter My domain with the knowledge you rightfully gained.

[Don’t follow her. She’ll also extract your soul and make you participate in her banquet!]

White waves swept through the cave.

The ecstasy and emotion that every human dreams of sucked her soul in.

But her pure soul, once without a single blemish, was sullied by a tiny speck of dust.

A strong desire to reunite with the human who received the Outer God’s protection and love.

It was a soul too early to be invited to the banquet.

There is a place befitting you. An adversary, hoping for another reunion, will greet you in the palace.

The soul that My adversaries and My prey took interest in naturally drew My own interest.

‘Me’ left the cave along with the white waves.

The dream ends here.