Tivian North Suburbs, Green Shade Town.
Early in the morning, the rising sun slowly ascends from the eastern sky, casting its warm rays across the land. The chill of the early hours gradually dissipates, and the dew on the grass blades reflects the morning sunlight.
Inside Green Shade Town No. 17, Dorothy, who has just woken up, sits on her large bed and stretches with a big yawn. After rubbing her sleepy eyes, she gets out of bed, puts on her slippers, and shuffles to the bathroom. After washing up in front of the mirror, she returns to her bedroom, changes out of her pajamas, and puts on a beige dress and white socks. She then heads downstairs to the entrance hall.
Here, Dorothy changes into her small leather shoes, picks up a yellow soft hat from the rack, and puts it on. After yawning, she pushes the door open and steps out into the morning streets.
As usual, Dorothy heads straight to a local restaurant for breakfast. After ordering her meal, she sits in a window booth, watching the students on their way to morning classes while pondering the events of last night’s dream.
“I never expected to run into Gregor in my dream this time. What a coincidence. From what he said, the Serenity Bureau also has missions in the Dreamscape... something about hunting? Hunting those so-called Dreamscape creatures? Or hunting the Dreamscape mimicry of other Beyonder organizations?”
Dorothy thinks to herself. At this point, she still doesn’t know much about what Dreamscape creatures look like. The dragon aura of her dragon mimicry seems to have scared off all the Dreamscape creatures in the area, turning it into a forbidden zone. In the eyes of Gregor and that little fox, it seems to have become her territory.
“No wonder I can’t find anything in the Dreamscape. It’s probably because everything’s been scared off... The dragon mimicry is powerful, but the uncontrollable dragon aura is also a drawback. I can’t even find any creatures to fight.”
“And the dragon mimicry seems to drain a lot of energy. Using it, I can only stay in the Dreamscape for less than half an hour each day... That’s way too short. Last night, when that little fox and Gregor were talking to me, they didn’t seem rushed at all. That means they probably had plenty of time left in the Dreamscape. And Gregor mentioned he was on a mission for the Serenity Bureau in the Dreamscape, which means he’s been in the forest for quite a while.”
“This suggests that... perhaps Gregor and the little fox’s more normal Dreamscape mimicry consume much less energy, allowing them to stay active for a long time. They have more time to explore the forest and encounter more things…” Dorothy ponders this. If this is the case, then if she wants to explore and find something in the forest in the future, relying solely on the dragon mimicry won’t work. Not only does it scare off other Dreamscape creatures, but the exploration time is also too short.
Each person’s Dream Cocoon has a fixed location in the Dreamscape. Every night, Dorothy emerges from her Dream Cocoon, but with only half an hour of exploration time, her range is limited to a large circle around her starting point. This is likely the origin of the so-called “Dragon Territory” and “Forbidden Zone.”
It’s not that Dorothy prefers to stay in one area after transforming into a dragon; it’s just that her exploration time doesn’t allow her to go further. She can only wander around her starting point in the Dreamscape.
“Sigh... It seems I’ll need to get some other mimicry spells if I want to explore more.”
Letting out a long sigh, Dorothy murmurs softly. At this moment, the breakfast she ordered is finally brought to her table by the waiter.
A plate of fried eggs, some sausages, three slices of bread, and a glass of milk—this simple breakfast combination is one of Dorothy’s favorites. After adding a few sugar cubes to her milk and asking the waiter for a copy of today’s Tivian Morning Post, Dorothy begins to eat her breakfast while reading the newspaper.
“Without a phone, the newspaper is the only thing that can pass the time…”
Taking a sip of her sweetened milk, Dorothy eats her sausages and reads the newspaper. In this era without smartphones, her daily entertainment, aside from outsmarting other Beyonders and secret societies, is reading books and newspapers. And during this time, she has to control her abilities to avoid finishing everything too quickly.
Enjoying her breakfast, Dorothy reads today’s newspaper, which mainly covers local news from Tivian, as well as some national and international news.
…
“Night Demon Strikes Again! Another Murder Case! Councilman Tanks Found Dead in Platinum District! This is the fourth murder case in and around the Platinum District. Platinum may no longer be safe. Police Commissioner Jackson holds a press conference, vowing to catch the culprit within two months.”
Flipping through the newspaper, the first thing that catches Dorothy’s eye is the bold headline. Seeing this, Dorothy frowns slightly and thinks to herself.
“Murder cases in the Platinum District? I think I saw something about this in the papers before. It was the third case back then, and now there’s another one?”
Dorothy thinks to herself, then carefully reads the details of the report to get a better understanding of the situation.
This series of murders seems to have started three months ago. So far, four people have been killed in the Platinum District. The victims include nobles, officials, and politicians. Due to the high-profile nature of the victims, the cases have attracted widespread social attention, which is why this new case has become the headline news.
So far, the perpetrator of these murders seems to be a single individual. To attract readers, some newspapers have even given the killer a nickname: the “Night Demon.” The police have been under a lot of pressure for failing to catch the culprit.
“The Night Demon, huh? Heh... Back in Igwynt, I committed four or five incidents, killed dozens, and caused quite a stir, but no one gave me a nickname... The reporters in the capital are on a whole different level. Look at this writing... It’s not even comparable to the small-town papers in Igwynt.”
Looking at the news, Dorothy thinks to herself. She doesn’t pay much attention to this case, which has nothing to do with her, and instead moves on to the next article.
“Princess Isabella Holds Public Speech at Obelisk Square, Officially Calling for Public Attention to Moonflow River Pollution and Air Quality Issues, Hoping for Swift Passage of Relevant Legislation. The Event Was Packed, Police Were Overwhelmed... This is Princess Isabella’s second public statement since her article on workers’ issues two months ago. Although she still has many supporters, her social activities have decreased recently. Some commentators suggest this may be due to pressure from within the royal family...”
…
“Princess Isabella? Hmm... I’ve seen reports about her in the papers before... A young princess from the royal family, dedicated to environmental governance and improving workers’ conditions.”
“According to the papers, her activities used to be quite frequent, but they’ve slowed down in recent months. It seems there’s some disapproval within the royal family regarding her actions... That makes sense. As a member of the royal family, it’s best not to express political opinions too openly.”
Looking at the news in the paper, Dorothy comments to herself. She gazes at the photo of the princess in the newspaper—a beautiful young woman in an elegant dress, with short hair and a sweet, innocent face that makes her look like a porcelain doll.
“But I have to admit, the princess is quite beautiful. She’s young and from the royal family. I wonder if these political opinions are her own or if someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes…”
Thinking this, Dorothy flips to the next page of the newspaper, where her eyes are drawn to a large, framed advertisement.
“Soaring Theater! Special Performance Tomorrow Night! Starring the Famous Dancer Adèle Briouze, with Many Other Shining Stars Joining. An Unprecedented Spectacle...”
This is an advertisement for a theater performance. The large photo in the ad features a woman in slightly revealing attire, with wavy long hair, a stunning figure, and a captivating, alluring beauty.
Looking at the photo of this woman, Dorothy pauses for a moment. The woman in the photo is indeed exceptionally beautiful. Even Dorothy, who has been a girl for quite some time now, can’t help but be momentarily captivated. If the princess could be described as pretty, this woman is the kind of enchanting beauty that would stir the desires of most men.
“Wow... That figure. I think only Nephthys could rival her, and her face might even be a bit better than Nephthys’s. Plus, she’s a famous dancer. She must be quite popular…”
Dorothy thinks to herself. The fact that such a large advertisement could be placed in the newspaper suggests that this dancer, Adèle, must be quite popular in Tivian and is the main attraction of this performance.
“After my promotion, I might as well relax a bit. If I’m in the mood, I could go downtown and check it out.”
Dorothy continues to eat her breakfast while reading the newspaper. After finishing the local Tivian news, she finally comes across some international news.
“Preparations for the World Expo Are Progressing Smoothly. The main structure of the Expo has been completed. Over 30 countries will participate. However, due to recent disputes over the New Continent, some members of Parliament in Falano have proposed boycotting the event. In response, our special commentator, Mr. Eisen, states...”
…
“The World Expo? Seems like a big event the Pritt government is organizing... With many countries participating... It’s supposed to be held in Tivian, but it looks like Falano might threaten to boycott due to colonial conflicts.”
Reading this news, Dorothy thinks to herself. Seeing this, she also notices that the situation in the New Continent colonies seems to be getting tense. Sure enough, after flipping a few more pages, she finds an article about the New Continent.
“Close Call? Falano Soldiers Invade Our Cold Creek Territory and Are Driven Out. Governor Mitchell states that in the New Continent, the threat from Falano has surpassed that of the natives...”
“It seems things are getting more unstable in the New Continent. I hope this doesn’t affect Capak and the others.”
After finishing this article, Dorothy is almost done with her breakfast. She wipes her mouth, sets the newspaper aside, and starts thinking about what to do today.
“I’m getting a bit tired of spending all day reading at the library. Maybe I’ll do something else today.”
“Speaking of which, I haven’t contacted Nephthys in a while. I wonder how she’s doing with the books I asked her to read. Her prayers to cleanse cognitive poison don’t seem very frequent. Could something have happened?”
“Hmm... I think it’s necessary to check on Nephthys this afternoon…”
Thinking this, Dorothy decides on her schedule for the day. She gets up and heads to the counter to pay.
…
East Tivian, mid-morning.
The rising sun has climbed halfway up the sky, casting bright sunlight over the bustling commercial streets. Pedestrians come and go, and the shop windows display a variety of exquisite goods.
Nephthys, wearing a sun hat, sunglasses, and a stylish outfit of long pants and a short-sleeved top, walks down the street with a bag slung over her shoulder. As she walks, she glances at the clothes, shoes, and cosmetics displayed in the shop windows, seemingly looking for something she likes. Her steps are light, and she seems to be in a good mood.
“Ah~ The weather’s nice, my mood’s great, and passing the makeup exam feels even better~”
Nephthys thinks to herself. Some time ago, she got caught up in the events related to the Eight-Spired Nest, causing her to miss a deferred exam from last semester. According to the rules, she was supposed to retake the course, but to her surprise, the academic office gave her a chance to take a makeup exam. Recently, while attending classes, she’s been diligently studying for the exam.
Now that the makeup exam is finally over, Nephthys feels a sense of relief. Today, she decides to reward herself in her favorite way—shopping.
Like many girls, Nephthys has always loved fashion and dressing up. Her comfortable family background gives her the means to indulge in this hobby. For the past few months, she’s been too anxious about the Eight-Spired Nest and the makeup exam to enjoy shopping. Today, she finally has the chance.
As she walks down the street, Nephthys browses the dazzling array of goods in the shop windows. Meanwhile, among the crowd on the street, another pair of eyes is watching her.
With her bag slung over her shoulder, Nephthys continues walking when a somewhat familiar voice calls out from behind her.
“Hey, boss lady!”
Hearing this, Nephthys pauses and immediately turns around. She sees a familiar young man smiling at her.
With short yellow hair, in his early twenties, and wearing a shirt and suspenders, it’s Mossance, the Beyonder thug who tried to follow her some time ago but ended up being cornered in an alley by Dorothy-controlled Nephthys, beaten up, and robbed of his belongings.
“You?”
Seeing the man, Nephthys immediately becomes wary, wondering if he’s here for revenge. To her surprise, Mossance looks at her with a cheerful expression and speaks.
“Ah, you remember me! That’s great. I was worried you might have forgotten me, boss lady!”
Mossance says warmly. His friendly tone makes Nephthys feel a bit strange, and after a moment of hesitation, she asks more cautiously.
“You’re... Mossance, right? What do you want?”
“Oh, nothing much. I just saw you on the street and wanted to say hi. Also, I wanted to ask you...”
Mossance glances around, then leans closer to Nephthys and lowers his voice mysteriously.
“I also wanted to ask if you’re interested in ‘The Crimson Dancer,’ Adèle Briouze?”
As he speaks, Mossance glances at a large poster on the street wall. It features a stunning dancer in a red dress, captivating the attention of many passersby.