“Are you trying to be funny?” Luo Tianchen sighed, pulling out a chocolate bar he had intended for dinner from his pocket. “This is all I have for now, I don’t know if you need it… Hey, are you a cat?! Don’t suddenly pounce like that! And don’t gnaw on it with the wrapper still on!”
After considerable effort, Luo Tianchen finally managed to peel her off him and settle her back into her seat. He watched as she happily munched on the chocolate bar, and even after finishing, she extended her tiny tongue, licking her fingers like a contented kitten.
“Ah, I’m saved. Thank you for the food!” She flashed him a wide smile.
‘This one truly is just a child after all…’ Luo Tianchen gave a wry smile. ‘Please, could you not act so innocent? It makes me, who’s so wary of you, look like a fool, doesn’t it?’
“So, you said you wanted to warn me. Warn me about what?” He asked, feigning nonchalance, yet his eyes were fixed on her every movement.
The Loli seemed oblivious, then suddenly exclaimed as if jolted awake, “Ah, I almost forgot if you hadn’t mentioned it!”
‘You little rascal…’ He found himself increasingly perplexed, unable to discern if she was truly just a child or merely putting on an act.
“My apologies, my apologies. What I actually wanted to say is that you arrived too early.”
“Too early?” He immediately latched onto a specific word in her sentence. ‘Not that I shouldn’t have come at all, but that I arrived too early?’
“Yes, you came too early.” The Loli nodded vigorously, adopting a sagely, world-weary demeanor as if lecturing on grand affairs. “If we compare all of this to a game, according to the script for a perfect walkthrough, you should have first visited three other locations. There, you would have gathered sufficient information and experience, gaining ample opportunities to learn how to control your eye. Only then should you have come here to face this challenge, clearing it in your optimal state to acquire the crucial details of the event. Instead, you came directly, like a Level 1 hero attempting to challenge a Level 999 final boss demon king.”
“Oh? So nuns play games too, huh?”
“Don’t interrupt!” The Loli said, spreading her hands. “In short, you’ve gotten yourself into serious trouble.”
“Oh? Can I leave first then?”
“It’s too late.” “As you previously surmised, this is indeed a special space, existing between the third and fourth dimensions. Originally, you wouldn’t have been able to enter; you would have merely circled back and been forced to investigate other locations one by one. However, under the interference of ‘a certain existence,’ you’ve now entered. Your only choices are to remain here indefinitely or to find the mechanism that leads to the final boss stage. There is no option to escape.”
“‘A certain existence’?”
“It means ‘an unknown entity.’ It could be a witch, or perhaps another kind of monster. This world is far more complex than you imagine; witches might even be considered among the kinder types.” “For them, seeing the future and manipulating fate is as commonplace as breathing. But for you, it spells serious trouble.”
“That powerful?” If it were something tangible, even a god, he would have the confidence to contend with it. However, when it involved such ephemeral and indistinct entities, it was truly beyond his comprehension.
“More powerful than the strongest being you could possibly imagine.”
“Then you didn’t just come here to mock me, did you?” Luo Tianchen said, utterly unfazed. By now, he had gradually grasped some techniques for communicating with her. The first was to always have food ready. Once she started seriously trying to scare him, it invariably meant she already had a solution prepared.
‘There’s a subtle sense of familiarity about this…’
“…Tch.” Perhaps dissatisfied by his lack of a panicked expression, the Loli clicked her tongue in annoyance. “You’re right, I do have a way, but this time, it won’t be free.”
“Huh? Didn’t I just give you a chocolate bar?”
“That was an offering! It’s completely different from the price you’ll have to pay!”
‘Tch, what a greedy little thing.’
“I’m kindly trying to find a solution for you, so why am I suddenly getting scolded?!”
‘Ah, she’s bristling.’
‘Could her true form actually be a cat? Like a cat god or something?’
“Yes, yes, yes. So, what do I need to pay?”
“Hmph, I’ll let you off the hook for now.” The Loli said huffily, though she looked more adorable than intimidating. “What you must pay, is everything.”
“Everything?”
“Precisely, everything. Your memories, your soul, your thoughts, your destiny, and so on.”
“Wow… you’re really asking for the moon, aren’t you?” Luo Tianchen had no doubt she possessed the ability to seize all of these. If he were to casually agree, treating her as just a normal little girl, he likely wouldn’t even know how he died.
“You get what you pay for, and I have no intention of swindling you.” “This merely explains the scope of the transaction. If you ever need anything else in the future, you may call upon me. Ah, and of course, if you ever fall into despair, I will also appear before you. For this particular instance, you only need to pay a small amount.”
“Oh, do tell?” ‘Come to think of it, she hasn’t forgotten about me treating her to dinner that night. A slight tremor ran through me. Could I have inadvertently set a flag then? Perhaps I could dismiss her with an excuse like, “That wasn’t truly me back then”? At most, I’d just have to compensate her with a little more food. He seriously considered this possibility in his mind.’
“You’re not thinking something rude in your mind, are you?”
“Hahahaha, how could I be?”
“Don’t say that while laughing and patting my head! Honestly.” The Loli pouted and swatted his hand away, despite its remarkably soft feel. “What I need this time, is your love.”
“My love? What do you want with that? Don’t tell me…” ‘In an instant, he imagined a ten-thousand-word erotic novel.’
“It’s not what you’re thinking! It’s ‘love’ in the literal sense!” Her voice suddenly deepened. “In other words, once you agree to this transaction, you will forever lose ‘love’ as a human being. You will never love anyone again, nor will you ever be loved by anyone again.”
“That actually sounds pretty good. But wouldn’t I be at a bit of a disadvantage then?” He tried to haggle with her. “There are so many girls in the world who love me; if not thousands upon thousands, then at least a hundred or eighty. If, because of your words, I can no longer love others, wouldn’t all those girls cry themselves to death? That would involve far too many people.”
The Loli stared at him with an incredulous gaze, seemingly astonished that he could utter such words. Just as he expected her to blurt out, “I have never seen such a shameless person,” she sighed with a hint of resignation. “Alright, if that’s the case, I’ll take a step back. Not only this time, but I’ll assist you throughout the entire event. How about that?”
“Then let’s make the deal right away.” He said without hesitation, fearing she might regret her offer.
“…Are you truly not worried at all?” The Loli gazed at him strangely.
“What good would worrying do? Anyway, nobody really likes me, and I don’t plan on falling for anyone either. In that case, how would it be any different from now?” He said, shrugging his shoulders. “Exchanging something useless for my life? I’d say I’m making a huge profit, wouldn’t you agree?”
“…Liking and loving are quite different, you know.” The Girl said softly. “If liking is a chance encounter, then love is a destined fate. Once you choose this transaction, it means you will personally sever your own destiny and that of others. Not only you, but their lives too will undergo immense changes. Is that truly alright?”
For a moment, he wavered, questioning if doing this was truly acceptable. But his resolve immediately returned. “Tell me, is it you who wants to make this deal, or me? You’re not trying to back out, are you?”
“Aren’t you going to think about the girl who’s with you?”
He fell silent for a moment, then spoke with a self-deprecating laugh. “I merely appeared at the most opportune moment. In truth, even if it weren’t me, anyone else who had appeared before her at that time, she would have grown fond of them.” “That isn’t love; it’s simply dependence. One day, she’ll understand this truth. Besides, didn’t you say that after the transaction, I wouldn’t be loved by anyone again? In that case, she would naturally choose to leave me, wouldn’t she?”
“What about yourself then?”
“Me?” He paused, momentarily stunned. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me. More importantly, let’s just complete this transaction quickly. Do we need to sign some kind of contract? Like a blood oath or something?”
“…You truly haven’t changed at all.” The Loli smiled, her eyes seemingly concealing a profound, deep sorrow. Before he could fully grasp the meaning of her words, she tugged at his collar, rose onto her tiptoes, and a faint warmth touched his forehead.
‘He… was kissed again?’
Suddenly, a sharp pain flared in his mind once more. Yet, unlike the previous two times, this agony stemmed from the Loli, who, through some unknown method, had converted what should have been mere illusory experience points into actual information. A vast amount of knowledge, encompassing combat techniques, methods of application, self-control, and countless other things he couldn’t possibly learn in his current state, was forcibly crammed into his brain all at once.
“Then, the contract is complete.” The Loli released his collar. “Because it’s the first time, I only took a portion of your ‘love.’ As part of this transaction, I have bestowed upon you the experience points you would have originally gained after several battles.” “And the keyword to clear this stage is ‘Half-Truth, Half-Illusion.’ Our meeting ends here for now. Goodbye.” With that, the Loli hopped off the stool and headed towards the door.
“Wait, wait a second!” He hastily called out, not having time to fully process the influx of knowledge. “You haven’t told me your name!”
The Loli paused. “…I’m sorry, I have no name.”
‘No… name?’
“Not only a name, but even this appearance is merely borrowed. The me right now, I’m a ‘nihilistic faker’ with no reason to exist.” She said with a self-mocking laugh.
‘A nihilistic faker?’ He didn’t understand what she meant. However, given her words, he thought for a moment and said, “In that case, may I call you ‘Dream’?”
“Oh?” The Loli froze.
“Look, I can’t just keep calling you ‘hey’ or ‘you’ every time we meet, can I? It seems we’ll be seeing each other quite a bit more, and it would be very inconvenient without a name. If you don’t like it, I can suggest another…” ‘Damn it, I instinctively thought, “I must be dreaming right now, so I’ll call her Dream.” I really should think of a proper name.’
“No need, that name will do.” The Loli—or rather, Dream, he corrected himself—smiled and shook her head. “Dream… huh? One who knows not what is false, nor what is true, forever chasing after phantoms. I quite like this name.”
“Then… Dream?” He tried calling her.
“Mm.” “Well then, goodbye, Luo Tianchen. I hope you make a choice you won’t regret.”
Dream awoke.