Chapter 51

Chapter 51

***

There was a dream I had.

There, I was standing alone on a parched land. The ground was cracked and split apart, which made my throat dry just from looking at it. I licked my dry lips and looked around, but not a drop of water was in sight.

My body sagged with exhaustion, but I walked anyway. I felt like I had to get out of this place if I wanted to quench my thirst.

I aimlessly walked and walked, until finally, two paths appeared before me.

‘Which way should I go?’

There were no signs. But the two paths were clearly different to the eye. The left path was a sunny road covered in flowers. Fragrant petals danced in the air, and it looked like there must be cool, refreshing water waiting if I went that way.

The right path, on the other hand, was a road of complete darkness. Dreary and rough shadows sprawled across the ground, nothing was visible, and it even looked dangerous. Certainly no water there.

Anyone standing at a crossroads like this would choose the left path without hesitation. But strangely, I hesitated.

Even though I knew the flower path was the one I should take, my body flinched every time I tried to move toward it. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the dark path.

‘Why…?’

It felt stupid to waver when the answer was so obvious. I didn’t know what to do, unable to go either way, I just stood there, and my throat grew even drier, like it was going to crack apart. Thinking I couldn’t stay like this any longer, I braced myself to run toward the flower path, when a cool breeze swept in from the direction of the dark road.

The breeze carried a familiar scent and soothed my parched throat just slightly.

It was as if the wind was saying, ‘This is the way.’

Yes, maybe the obvious choice was the trap all along. Don’t be deceived by appearances. That thought suddenly struck me, and I took a step toward the right path. There was nothing but darkness, and yet… I didn’t feel afraid.

In fact, it felt familiar.

Though the wind held a chilling cold, and the air made my skin crawl, there was a strange sense of comfort in it. I walked through the darkness, on and on, until I came upon a cliff.

I hadn’t had any water, but the thirst had disappeared. Black raindrops were falling from the sky. The surroundings were bleak. Not a blade of grass grew, only a desolate, lifeless scene.

It looked like it was all because of the black rain falling from above.

‘Strangely… I feel energized.’

It was a strange sensation. I didn’t know what it meant, but I felt like this dream wouldn’t end until I reached its destination.

‘And realizing I’m dreaming… that’s strange, too.’

Thinking what a bizarre dream this was, I began to ponder where to go next. As soon as I did, another fork appeared before me.

One was a transparent staircase that led up into the sky. The other was a ladder made of rope, hanging precariously over the cliff’s edge, as if it could drop you any second.

‘Is this meant to be climbed down? Or is it just saying fall already?’

Logically, there wasn’t even a decision to be made. But even with such an absurdly obvious choice, I boldly chose the rope ladder. The staircase, bathed in warm, twinkling sunlight, looked like an invitation. But my heart didn’t lean toward it.

Besides, why was it a staircase going up into the sky?

‘It feels like… like I’m dying and going to heaven.’

It felt better to fall. I once heard that if you dream about falling, it means you’re growing. Who knows? Maybe this suspicious, unexplainable dream was just a metaphor for my own growth.

I clumsily grabbed the rope and started climbing down then paused.

‘Hmm? Don’t I have to actually fall for that to work? Does climbing down slowly count?’

The thought made me peek downward. Just like before, I saw nothing. I had no idea what awaited below.

‘Mhm, it’s a dream. Who cares?’

I decided not to overthink it. It’s a dream so I wouldn’t die from falling. Thought and action became one. I let go of the rope.

‘Aaaahhh!’

The fall was terrifyingly fast. Even knowing it was a dream, my heart jumped, and I could feel my organs lurching. The terrifying sensations were vivid enough to make me squeeze my eyes shut.

Honestly, I was a little scared.

SPLASH.

With a massive impact, I plunged into water. Is this what it feels like to hit water with a bare body?

‘Gah!’

There wasn’t a single part of me that didn’t hurt. The pain, even in a dream, was so  intense that I clenched my teeth. Damn… should I have taken the stairs?

No. If I’d slipped climbing them and fallen, it might’ve actually killed me, it wouldn’t be just pain. Maybe… maybe I would’ve suffered even worse pain.

‘Ugh… No, this was the better choice.’

I lay there in the water, unable to move, stunned by pain. The agony felt real, but oddly, I could breathe underwater because it was a dream.

‘What kind of absurd dream is this?’

As the pain faded a bit, I could finally think again. The water was still completely dark. I was sinking deeper into the abyss, but strangely, it was peaceful. Every time the unbearable pain surged, it felt like the abyss was cradling me and protecting me.

—

[“My God! Really? I’m really going to have a child?”]

[“Yes, I’m glad I got to tell you before you left.”]

[“Haha! You really do surprise me every time. And now you tell me something this incredible, today of all days? That’s just cruel.”]

[“I only found out recently too. Arthur, please… come back safe. I’ll be waiting you with our child.”]

[“Of course! I’ll come flying back. Do you think your belly will start to show by then?”]

[“You’ll be gone briefly so it won’t look any different from now.”]

[“Cyrl… Thank you. I should be by your side now… but I’m sorry.”]

[“Even if we’re apart, I’ll feel like you’re always with me. Because you are, aren’t you?”]

[“Of course. I’ll be a father our child can be proud of. Yes! I feel it this time—I think I can really defeat the Demon King! Haha!”]

—

With my eyes closed, unfamiliar voices echoed in my ears. I couldn’t see them, but like listening to a radio, the sound gently filled the air, strangely nostalgic.

‘Whose voices are those?’

I didn’t recognize the man, but the woman’s voice… I’d heard it before. In another dream.

—

[“W-what are you saying? Arthur’s dead? Why? H-how?”]

—

The moment I heard that voice, I understood. It belonged to my mother, the saint, Cyril.

—

[“Something’s wrong. There’s no way… how could something like that happen to Arthur?”]

[“Cyril! Get a grip! This isn’t the time!”]

[“Lawrence, let go. I need to go to Alzahar and ask myself!”]

[“What good will that do?! Arthur’s already gone!”]

[“No! No!”]

[“Cyril! Please! They’ll need the saint’s power to calm the people. If Alzahar catches you like this, it’s over!”]

[“Nngh… Hic, no… no…”]

[“Think of the child, Siril. If you don’t live, the child won’t either!”]

—

It was Lawrence’s voice. For some reason, Lawrence was trying to calm Siril down.

‘Ah… that’s right. He traveled with the hero.’

And now I understood why they were having that conversation. This dream must’ve been similar to the ones I’d had before. Until now, my dreams were like animated versions of fairy tales I’d read but this was the first time I heard new dialogue that hadn’t been in the books.

But… I didn’t want to see anymore.

‘Can’t I just wake up?’

I was aware I was dreaming, but my body wouldn’t move. I could think, but I couldn’t act. When I had to choose paths, I was given options but now, I had none.

The voices were pouring in whether I liked it or not. And then, a brilliant light burst into the darkness. I blinked, and suddenly the dark abyss was gone. It was replaced by a lakeside surrounded by grass, where Cyril sat, staring blankly into the air.

I realized this wasn’t my perspective, it was someone else’s eyes. The pattern was the same as usual, but the viewpoint had changed. My earlier dreams had been through Lucifer’s eyes yet this was different.

The lake was familiar.

Yes… it was where Demon King Lucifer had first met the hero’s wife, Cyril.

—

[“Do you wish for revenge against the ones who killed your hero?”]

[“Would you even consider doing that for me?”]

[“You’ve caught my interest.”]

[“I thought you weren’t interested in killing humans.”]

[“That’s true. But I do have some interest in making contracts with them.”]

—

Lucifer crossed his legs midair as if seated on an invisible throne, looking amused. Though no chair could be seen, he sat with such dignity that anyone would feel compelled to bow before him.

Cyril stared at the Demon King, then bit her lip. Her small hands clenched on her lap, and her emerald eyes trembled. Her trembling fingers twitched as if they wanted to accept Lucifer’s offer.

The hesitation was long, but Lucifer waited patiently, never breaking his intrigued gaze.