The sound of waves rolled in through the cloudy sky.
Swoosh—
"..." "..."
The waves that had reached our feet receded again, leaving behind only foam as they returned to the blurry horizon.
As a few more waves came and went, Frida-sunbae smiled once more and spoke.
"This isn't 'my' world. Since Selma and Nina also came from the same place as me... this strange place must be Clara's world, right?" "..." "At first, I didn't even realize anything was strange... But then, as I was drawing flowers, I noticed that they looked different from the ones I knew. The more I observed, the more things I noticed that were different from what I knew." "..." "And then... at some point, I figured it out."
True to her keen observational skills, she seemed to have recognized the sense of unease that came from being in a world she didn't belong to.
'I was fumbling around awkwardly. Perhaps it's because 'his' soul still lingers in my heart.'
Is that why I created this dream in the form of modern Korea?
Out of longing for my past life?
'No...'
Rather...
'As Clara,' I pretended not to notice, wanting to stay with my sunbaes.
"..."
I had felt the unease countless times already.
This place was the world of the selfish and weak man, 'Kang Jinsu.' A world divided by irretrievable oblivion and death.
"..."
The lovely girl 'Clara' lives in the academy city.
There's no way the three sunbaes could live in the same house as me. There's no way student life in this world could be so free. This world doesn't allow people to live doing only what they want.
And in the world where the academy city exists, there are no conveniences of modern life. There, enemies must be fought with one's life on the line.
"..."
This place...
A clumsy yet beautiful dream, woven together from the best parts of my past and present lives. A pitiful hope of someone who had lost another self to oblivion.
"..."
Frida-sunbae laughed softly at my serious expression.
"This is such a fascinating place. There were so many things I didn't know, so many friends... It was so much more comfortable and livable than the academy city." "..." "And the sea was close enough that I could see it whenever I wanted."
She slowly approached, with the cloudy sky behind her.
"Thanks to your dream, I was happy until now, and I am happy even now." "...I was happy to meet you sunbaes again, too." "In this place, we're not sunbaes, but sisters." "Even as sisters, I was happy." "...I see."
Frida-sunbae nodded and said.
"So, can you let go now?" "What...?"
She reached out and hugged me warmly. The warmth pierced my heart.
"You can go where you need to go. You've always been a child who adventures in worlds beyond our imagination." "..." "That's why, from the moment you arrived, you were our dream and our pride." "..."
The tears that had been trickling from one eye now started to flow freely. The more Frida-sunbae praised me, the more I felt sorry.
'Due to the Prophet's control, dimensions have split apart. Even if we defeat the dragon, I don't know if the unstable World Tree will return... or if the sunbaes who have become echoes will come back.'
So I hugged Frida-sunbae tightly. Her yellow hair brushed against my cheek, tickling it.
As I embraced her petite body, which smelled of daisies, it felt like hugging a hedgehog—painful.
My heart ached.
"...I'm... I'm sorry."
It's my fault.
If I had lived as Clara a bit more quietly, the sunbaes might have graduated by the time the original story began. Maybe they would have safely gone out into the world.
'If only I had just stayed quiet for a few more days.'
Because I failed to do that, I crushed Frida-sunbae's dream.
"Because of me... you all disappeared. I'm sorry."
But at my words, Frida-sunbae laughed so hard that she even spat a little. She was genuinely smiling, full of joy.
"Pfft...! Haha...! Oh, Clara, were you still sad about that? Hmm?" "...Sunbae?" "I told you! Call me sister!" "...Sister."
Frida-sunbae, still holding me tightly, called out to Selma and Nina-sunbae. They quickly turned their heads from far down the beach.
"Hey, come over here for a minute!" "Huh? Why?" "Oh, wait... Is Clara crying?"
Selma-sunbae, who was always teasing, rushed over when she saw me crying. Nina-sunbae followed behind her, looking confused.
"Why? What happened?" "Hehe..."
Frida-sunbae, still hugging me, patted my back and said.
"Just imagine~ If our Clara were so beautiful that some bad person said, 'Please let me marry your little sister!' and caused us trouble... Would you hate Clara for it?" "..."
Selma-sunbae looked at Frida-sunbae with an exasperated expression.
"Hey, Frida. Why are you talking about that when she's crying?" "A~nswer." "..."
Frida-sunbae never let go when she was serious. Knowing this, Selma-sunbae sighed and answered.
"It would be the bad guy's fault, not Clara's. Why would we hate her?" "Yep, exactly!" Nina-sunbae chimed in with a bright smile.
"Clara is our pride!"
Frida-sunbae smiled and said.
"...Did you hear that?" "...Yes." "You're our pride." "...Yes."
So...
Don't be tied down by us.
"Move forward." "...Yes."
As I nodded at those words, the once-calm sky began to tremble.
Rumble—
In the distance, everything began to blur. The horizon and the skyline merged, becoming muddied.
Seeing this, Selma and Nina-sunbae had expressions as if they had just realized something.
"...I see." "...It was nice~" "Because it was Clara's dream, I was an unsuccessful novelist." "Haha, I don't think that's the reason..."
The sunbaes all laughed and patted my back.
"Thank you, Clara." "You still remembered us."
I responded reflexively to their words.
"There's no way I could forget you, sunbaes." "Haha, that makes me happy. But I think it would make me even happier if you called me sister~" "..."
Frida-sunbae was strangely stubborn.
Rumble...
The cracks that had started at the horizon and skyline slowly approached us. We braced ourselves for a true farewell, feeling each other's warmth.
"...Frida-sunbae." "Would you please call me sister until the end?"
That stubbornness seemed like it wouldn't disappear, even in a dream.
And somehow, that made me even happier.
"...Frida-sister. I have a question." "What is it~?" "The picture book. The one you said had the sea in it." "Yes." "I want to know the name of that book."
If I ever make it out into the world again, I decided that I would visit the places mentioned in that picture book first.
"..."
Frida-sunbae, as if understanding my resolve, nodded and said.
" The Story of You and Me Meeting ... It's a story about a man who teaches a girl about the colors of the sea and the sky. It's an old story that's been passed down for a long time... I really liked it." "That's a nice title. ...And a nice story." "Isn't it? When you hear about colors, you can't help but love painting~"
The Story of You and Me Meeting.
It was a phrase that felt strangely familiar.
"Like the flower that bloomed when you and I met..." Perhaps when Frida-sunbae talked about the 'spiral,' she was inspired by the title of that picture book. Somehow, it felt like I had heard the story that defined the life of the girl named Frida.
"I see."
Rumble—
Before I knew it, the cracks had reached us. Frida-sunbae gave one last bright smile and said,
"Nina and Selma liked that story too. I hope you'll like it as well." "I'm sure I will."
Because it was a story loved by the people I love.
Crack—!
And then...
The world began to disappear into darkness.
The sea, the sunbaes, the buildings, the people... everything in front of me.
Everything disappeared as if it were all a lie.
Just like a dream.
... ... ...
No.
It was a dream from the very beginning.
"..."
I opened my eyes again.
The clothes I had worn in modern Korea were nowhere to be seen, replaced by the torn uniform of the <Central Prism Academy> due to the aftermath of the fight. Even my once-bright pink hair had faded slightly.
Even the tears I had shed there had already disappeared.
"..."
What unfolded before me was darkness. An endless expanse of darkness.
'Except for my own appearance, I really can't see anything.'
The abyss of the world. A place where countless echoes and souls sink endlessly downward.
This place was practically the underworld of this world.
But now, due to the Prophet's control, it was also a space where those trapped in happy dreams were sleeping.
"..."
I lifted my head to look up.
It was an awkward expression, given that there was nothing to 'see' in this space filled with only darkness. But I could definitely feel something flowing beyond my sight.
"..."
Perhaps it was the same as those who, like me, had been trapped in happy dreams.
Even I, whose consciousness had wavered back and forth due to the remnants of two souls, had wanted to stay here. It would be difficult for others to escape on their own.
'So, I guess I'm the only one who can move here—☆' ... So what do I do now?
'Hmm... usually, after a scene like this, you'd expect to be thrown right in front of the final boss—☆'
Instead, I'm stuck in a place like this, a dummy space created by a server lag...
I tried using [Bifrost] several times.
"Kkyoop—☆"
But it didn't work.
"..."
This place was connected to the World Tree... No, it was practically the World Tree itself. Space movement didn't work here.
"..."
It felt like I was trapped in the trunk of a truck driven by the Prophet. To make a move, I'd first have to escape this place.
As I thought about that and struggled to move forward, a creepy sound echoed from the distance.
Tsutsutsut—
The sound of many legs moving. Like a centipede crawling nearby. A massive black silhouette swam through the darkness and approached.
And something large, long, and black greeted me.
An old man's voice.
[It's been a long time.] "Oh, oh my...☆" [When one transcends death, even enemies seem pitiful. Valkyrie, who struggles halfway through the loop of fate. My mortal enemy.] "Oh dear...☆" [Keke...]
It was an annoyingly familiar voice.
Shwaa—!
From the darkness, four massive wings unfolded. A gigantic centipede, adorned with hundreds of horns, coiled around and approached.
[To be a watchdog overseeing those who couldn't fall asleep properly... It's a truly nasty job, but it's the first task I've been given since transcending death. I can't trouble the other priests who are finally resting. This old man must bear it willingly. Haha.]
The way he explained his situation in a tedious manner was also annoyingly familiar. This was definitely [The Priest of Erosion], Grafvolund.
"Ah...☆"
I felt a cold sweat trickle down my back.
Ah. Hold on. This isn't right—☆
And just as I was raising my guard to the highest level, I heard the sound of wings flapping rapidly nearby.
Sharak—!!
What emerged from the darkness was a mantis-like foreleg, sharp and green. It was another giant creature, adorned with hundreds of horns.
It was [The Priest of Conflict], Othnir.
[Kahahaha!! Old man! Are you trying to get yourself killed again?] [Silence. You wicked creature. You tormented women and children while I was gone.] The gigantic centipede and mantis bickered, but they approached steadily, controlling everything within their range.
[This damn pink girl, it looks like she's bound by [Fate] to be here!! Did she trick me even though she didn't know anything? Thanks to her, I died in vain—!!] [Keke... Your eyes are as good as wood knots. Serves you right, you fool.] [Shut up, you old geezer who died first!]
Hey. No way, this can't be right.
Why would they trap me with the guys I killed—☆