Chapter 50: Sweet Dreams

Chapter 50: Sweet Dreams

"Aurelia... why are you here?" Acier couldn't hide the surprise in her voice as she and Sebastian stepped into his study. Dorothy had called them back roughly two hours after they'd parted, only for them to find Aurelia seated at the table.

And it wasn't just Aurelia's presence that caught her off guard. Amara, Alfred, Jeeves, Hilda, Nebra—holding Noelle—and Solid were all gathered there as well.

Sebastian peeked over Acier's shoulder, shooting a questioning look at Dorothy. His words came out more like a statement than a question.

"You called them here?"

Dorothy nodded, but before she could explain, Aurelia cut in.

"She did." Her voice drew everyone's attention as she continued. "She called us all here and gave us a rundown of what you're planning."

Aurelia narrowed her eyes at the couple, her tone sharp. "But I still want to know what happened. What brought this on? Why are you digging into your own minds and pasts? Are you fighting again or something?"

Acier's expression darkened as she fought off a twitch. "Please don't curse our marriage, Sister. Nothing of the sort is happening."

The fact that Acier didn't address Aurelia by name made her irritation clear. She wasn't pleased with the question—or at least with how it had been phrased. She deliberately ignored the looks of relief that flashed across Nebra's and Solid's faces at her response.

"Ack." Amara's hoarse cough cut through the tension, pulling everyone's attention to her. She raised a trembling hand and pointed it at Sebastian.

"What are you trying to do...? I don't like the idea of my daughter having a stranger poking through her mind."

Her gaze flicked to Francois, the look on her face saying, No offense.

Francois gave a polite nod. "None taken."

It would be stranger if anyone was comfortable letting a loved one lower their guard like this. Allowing an outsider to probe through one's mind was dangerous—leaving them completely vulnerable. If Francois had ill intentions, he could cripple them, kill them, or even take control of them, turning them into puppets.

Of course, Francois wasn't that kind of person. But no one could give him the full benefit of the doubt, not entirely. The temptation to enslave the leaders of a royal house wasn't something the average person could ignore without some shadow of a dark thought stirring in their soul.

Although Amara often mused inwardly about the idea of House Francois delving into her daughter's mind to uncover the root of Acier's unhealthy obsession with Sebastian, that was nothing more than a fleeting, darkly comical thought. It wasn't something Amara would ever seriously entertain—she would never put her daughter in a vulnerable position.

The worry and concern she felt were evident on her face as she locked eyes with Sebastian.

Sebastian folded his arms at Amara's probing and sighed, ready to give his mother-in-law a reluctant but acceptable answer. However, Acier silenced him by pressing her index finger to his lips.

Turning her attention to her mother and sister, Acier smiled. "If Dorothy has already given you the rundown, then you should know this is between Sebastian and me."

She resisted the urge to call him Sebby in front of Francois. Not that Sebastian would have minded—he actually felt more awkward hearing her call him by his actual name these days. There was something forced and unnatural about it when she said Sebastian, though she seemed unaware of his thoughts.

Her smile didn't falter as she continued. "This is a private matter between my husband and me. We don't need to explain our reasoning or thoughts to anyone else."

Amara and Aurelia's eyebrows twitched at her words, while Alfred, Hilda, and Jeeves—the three servants—tried to shrink into the background, minimizing their presence in the room.

Acier crossed her arms and spoke again in her sweet voice, though a hint of annoyance slipped through.

"Now I'll ask again: Mother, Sister, why are you two here?"

Her gaze shifted to the servants. "And you as well?"

"It's because I need them for the spell!" Dorothy shot up from her chair, raising her arm like a guilty child caught in the act. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she blurted out the confession.

Acier's sharp expression softened as she turned to Dorothy. Her voice became genuinely sweet, almost tender.

"Dorothy, honey, could you explain?"

Amara and Aurelia's brows twitched simultaneously. What are these blatant double standards?!

Dorothy let out a relieved breath, placing her hands on her hips and regaining her composure. She even looked a bit smug as she spoke.

"I've figured it out—how to do exactly what Dad asked!" She nodded toward the five in question. "And they're going to play a big role!"

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, scratching his chin as he mulled it over. To connect others' subconscious...?

Amara, Aurelia, Alfred, Hilda, and Jeeves had all been present in some capacity since the very beginning of Sebastian's and Acier's relationship. The first four especially had seen it unfold closely. Their perspectives would provide exactly the kind of insight Sebastian needed to piece together a complete picture of how their bond had formed.

The issue was... Dorothy shouldn't have known that.

Sebastian turned his attention to Nozel, raising an eyebrow at his eldest, who sat beside Dorothy.

"Were you the one who suggested she summon them?"

Nozel gave a cool nod. He had.

Not long after Dorothy's sudden "moment of realization," she'd asked him who had seen the most of their parents' relationship. Besides himself and his late grandfather, these five were the names that had come to mind.

Sebastian had been little more than a ghost in Nebra's and Solid's lives until recently. They knew little of their parent's bond and dynamic. Over the past few years, however, Nozel had seen more of Sebastian than almost anyone else, even their mother. They had met frequently as Nozel began his upper education and prepared to take on his role as heir.

Nozel, more than anyone, understood the shared connections that had shaped Sebastian's and Acier's lives. These five had been constant presences in their parents' story—at least until Amara and Aurelia had moved into House Vermillion.

That didn't negate all the time before that, though, when Amara and Aurelia had spent significant moments with Sebastian, whether intentionally or not. And those earlier years were what concerned Sebastian most.

A quiet moment passed before Acier caught on to what Dorothy was trying to do. Ignoring her mother and sister entirely, she gave an apologetic look to the three senior servants of House Silva. The servants responded with short, respectful bows, acknowledging her unspoken sentiment.

Amara and Aurelia's expressions darkened further as they shot Acier pointed, unamused looks—looks she dismissed without a second thought.

Turning back to Dorothy, Acier smiled warmly. "Well done, honey." Her head swiveled toward Francois, who sat across from Dorothy. She dipped into a graceful curtsy.

"And thank you as well, Lord Francois. I'm sure this wouldn't have been possible without your expertise and professional input."

Francois instantly flushed, scrambling out of his seat and waving his hands as if to ward off the compliment. A Duchess curtsying to someone of his rank? It was enough to make his heart race in panic. But more than that, he couldn't accept credit that wasn't his.

"N-no, Lady Acier, absolutely not!" he stammered. "T-this has nothing to do with me... this was all thanks to Miss Unsworth!"

"Hmm?" Acier straightened, her gaze shifting back to Dorothy. Only now did she seem to notice Dorothy's smug, almost gleeful expression.

It was as if Dorothy's nose had grown an inch with pride as Francois continued.

"We were all completely lost—no idea where to even begin with Lord Silva's and your request. I was, quite frankly, ready to give up. But Miss Unsworth, under what I can only describe as a sudden stroke of genius, came up with a viable method to make your wish a reality."

Acier and Sebastian stiffened almost imperceptibly. Sebastian coughed into his fist and turned to Dorothy.

"You said 'sudden'—as if the idea came to you out of nowhere?"

Dorothy, hands still firmly planted on her hips, nodded proudly and threw up a playful peace sign.

"Hehe, this is what we call enlightenment." My genius, it's almost frightening!

Although Sebastian and Acier had anticipated this possibility, seeing their suspicions come to life still sent a chill down their spines. The idea of having their lives and destinies manipulated was no pleasant thought, though they masked their unease behind stony, impassive expressions.

Fortunately, the attention didn't linger on them for long, as it shifted to the Silva heir.

"Clap, clap, clap!" Nozel smiled fondly at his fiance, encouraging the moment by offering a slow round of applause, clearly stroking Dorothy's ego further.

Solid blinked, baffled by the sudden display. Are we clapping now? After a moment's hesitation, he joined in.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

The room stilled for a moment before Noelle began giggling in Nebra's arms.

"Aga... aga... aga!" She squealed happily at Dorothy and slapped her chubby baby hands together in an attempt to mimic the clapping.

Apparently, that was the signal everyone had been waiting for. Francois and the servants joined in with polite applause. Even Amara and Aurelia exchanged a reluctant glance before adding their own slow claps.

Dorothy was absolutely on cloud nine, her face flushed—not from embarrassment, but from the sheer satisfaction of basking in the praise.

Acier caught Sebastian's eye and sent him a silent message. You were right.

Sebastian nodded back at her. Both of them carefully masked their pity as their scrutinizing gazes landed on Dorothy.

Honey, that was probably not your idea, Acier thought.

Unable to entirely reign on Dorothy's parade, Sebastian decided it was time to move on. He coughed into his fist and echoed Acier's words. "Well done, Dorothy."

Dorothy flushed even brighter, practically glowing as the applause came to an abrupt halt. Everyone stopped in unison—everyone except Noelle, who continued clapping blissfully, oblivious to the silence.

"Aga! Aga! ...aga?" The baby's clapping slowed as she noticed everyone watching her. After a moment, she seemed to decide she'd had her fill and stuffed her tiny hands into her mouth instead.

Sebastian exhaled quietly, folding his arms behind his back as he addressed Dorothy again.

"Dorothy, why don't you give your mother and me a rundown of that plan of yours?"

Dorothy hesitated, then smiled. She moved to stand behind the chair she'd previously occupied and gestured for Nozel to do the same.

"Mom, Dad, why don't you sit down first?"

Sebastian and Acier didn't argue. Sebastian reclaimed his seat, Nozel standing dutifully behind him, while Acier settled into hers with Dorothy taking her place at her back.

But Dorothy had other plans. After a moment, she strolled away from her mother-in-law, rounding the table and making her way to the large window behind Sebastian's desk. Without a word, she slid into his chair, slouching back as though she owned the place.

Sebastian's mouth parted in stunned silence as his daughter-in-law made herself comfortable. He inched forward, about to speak, but no words came. Is she serious right now?

And then she kicked it up a notch—literally. Dorothy propped her legs up on his desk, casually shoving stacks of neatly arranged papers aside. His fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to say something. Instead, he placed his hand over his mouth, feigning deep thought to hide the quiver of his lips.

Sebastian wasn't obsessive, but he did have a certain... system. Why is it so hard not to scream? Dorothy's actions tested the limits of his restraint, and the stifled laughter of his family didn't help.

Thankfully, Dorothy broke the silence, twirling a strand of her short hair around her finger as she addressed the room. "Alright. Let's make sure we're all on the same page here." Her tone was as casual as her posture. "Mom and Dad want to relive their memories from their first meeting to about two weeks ago, right?"

Everyone nodded—even Noelle, who probably had no idea what was going on but clearly didn't want to be left out.

Dorothy turned to Francois. "To make that happen, we've enlisted Lord Francois." She gestured dramatically to the reserved mage seated nearby. "He'll use his Memory Magic to dig up and piece together those buried and likely imperfect memories."

Then she pointed to herself. "Meanwhile, I'll use my Dream Magic to take those core memories and weave them into a dream Mom and Dad can relive. Understand?"

The room nodded again, though Amara and Aurelia blinked at Dorothy in surprise. So that's what her magic is called.

Nebra, Solid, Hilda, and Jeeves didn't bat an eye. They'd seen Dorothy's magic in action plenty of times since she'd entered House Silva. In fact, Dorothy had taken Nebra and Solid into Glamour World to "play" on more than one occasion, leaving the siblings-in-law thoroughly impressed. It was no wonder they'd warmed up to her so quickly.

Sensing the duo's gaze, Dorothy flashed them a smile before addressing Aurelia and Amara.

"Aunt Aurelia, Grandmother, we can discuss the full extent of my magic another time. But for now, you need to know one thing: one of my abilities allows me to pull others into my dream."

She paused, letting that sink in. "An endless, infinite space where I can essentially do as I please."

The two blinked again, nodding stiffly as Dorothy's smile widened—though it quickly turned serious.

"However, I'm not omnipotent in that space, and Glamour World has its limits. Its inherent purpose is to lull people to sleep, which is... a bit of a problem here."

Aurelia raised a brow. "Why?"

Dorothy folded her hands on the desk, her expression grave. "Because falling asleep in Glamour World means entering eternal sleep. So naturally, I can't let Mom and Dad fall asleep there unless I want to kill them."

"Oh." The pair blinked, faces blank as realization dawned.

Dorothy nodded with a sigh. "Exactly."

"Because of this, I originally assumed my trump card—my greatest spell and ability—was crippled or useless, leaving me with no way to accomplish what Mom and Dad were asking." Dorothy's voice softened as she glanced down. After all, without Glamour World, I'm pretty much useless.

"But..." Her lips curved into a playful smirk as she lifted her gaze. "...I realized that wasn't the case."

The room fell silent, everyone waiting for her to continue.

Dorothy rested her hands in her lap, speaking with a light, casual tone. "You've all seen me do something like this before, haven't you?"

She snapped her fingers, and the ink bottle on Sebastian's desk vanished in a swirl of purple and blue hues.

Sebastian's jaw tightened ever so slightly, his teeth grinding in silent protest, but the others nodded in recognition.

Dorothy spread her arms, her knowing smile growing wider. "Where did it go?"

"To Glamour World!" Solid called out excitedly, drawing a satisfied nod from Dorothy.

"And what does that signify?" she prompted, her gaze sweeping the room.

A few blank stares greeted her, but Nozel—who already knew the answer—spoke up in her stead. "It means your spell, Glamour World, isn't a creation-type spell."

"Exactly," Dorothy said, her smile widening as Nozel continued.

"You're not creating it from scratch every time you pull someone into your dream. Glamour World exists as a separate space, and your spell merely grants you access to it and control over it."

"Precisely!" Dorothy clapped her hands together. "I hadn't thought about it before, but the fact that I can transport things into—" she snapped her fingers, and the ink bottle reappeared on Sebastian's desk, perfectly intact—"and out of Glamour World, even when I'm not inside it or actively using the spell, proves it's always there. Always existing. Always active."

"Honey..." Acier's voice was soft, her thin smile patient but curious. "Where are you going with this?"

Dorothy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "It means..." She paused for effect, her grin turning smug. "I don't have to be inside Glamour World, to use its abilities, be it for myself or for anyone else."

To demonstrate, she snapped her fingers again. A swirling vortex of pink and purple hues appeared, but this time, instead of something vanishing or reappearing, the mist cleared to form a window of sorts.

Through the translucent screen, everyone could see it—Glamour World in all its fantastical, surreal glory. Random objects of varying shapes and sizes floated through the endless space, some resembling ordinary household items, others like they'd been plucked from a child's imagination.

"This is Glamour World's current state," Dorothy explained, her voice ringing with authority as her gaze lingered on Aurelia and Amara. The mother-daughter pair exchanged a glance before nodding, their doubts seemingly quelled.

Dorothy pointed to a massive floating teddy bear within the dream realm. "This bear is something I created. It's not a physical object from our world. So normally, even if I brought it into reality, it would dissipate immediately."

As if on cue, the bear floated through the cloudy threshold, crossing from Glamour World into the office.

Noelle's eyes lit up as she reached out from Nebra's arms. "Fwuffy!"

But before she could grab it, the bear bulged and burst into countless drops of pink and purple light, raining colors across the room.

Noelle squealed in delight, clapping her tiny hands as Nebra chuckled, pinching the girl's cheeks affectionately.

Dorothy didn't miss a beat. "That's how it usually works," she continued, licking her lips thoughtfully. "When I'm outside Glamour World, all I can do is summon physical objects from it into this world." She gestured to the dissipating sparkles. "And when I'm inside Glamour World, I can't interact with or affect the outside world unless I teleport back out."

She raised a finger, her tone turning mischievous. "In other words, about 90% of my abilities are tied to Glamour World. So uptill now I thought that meant unless I'm in Glamour World, I can't do much at all."

A pause, her grin growing wider as her eyes gleamed with excitement. "But!" Dorothy's voice rose with renewed energy. "I've figured out a work-around."

Dorothy gestured back to the window, and everyone turned their eyes to it. A new figure came into view—petite, purple-haired, and wearing the same witch hat as Dorothy.

It was another Dorothy!

Except this one's eyes were closed, with a bubble of snot comically inflating and deflating from her nose.

"Or rather, it won't be enough, to attain the most sought after results" He added after a brief pause, a faint sigh escaping him.

Before Him, the plain black-covered book materialized once more, its pages flipping at an impossible speed—millions, perhaps billions—until it stopped at the next blank one. Oddly, although He had written in it just two hours ago, countless pages of new text had appeared in between, as if someone else had been recording their own entries.

His last contribution was no longer the latest.

Even now, as He observed the book, its pages continued to fill themselves with the same mysterious hieroglyphic script, independent of his actions.

The figure extended His right hand, and a quill pen appeared within it. With a deliberate motion, He drew a rectangle near the bottom of the blank page, spanning half its length.

"This space is mine," he declared.

Miraculously, as the self-writing text approached the designated area, it skipped over the rectangle entirely, continuing seamlessly on the next page—one the figure hadn't even turned to.

With precision, He inscribed a single line of hieroglyphic script within the rectangle. Its meaning could be deciphered as follows:

Time shall now freeze in the Primordial World.

—

And so, everything—life, matter, and even the intangible forces—came to a standstill across the world.

The Clover Kingdom, Heart, Diamond, Spade, Elysia, the Witch's Forest, and Hino—every realm froze as time itself was brought to a halt.

Birds hung suspended in the air. Waves froze mid-crest. Volcanic ash from the Yultim Mountain Range ceased its descent, locked in place.

All life, all non-living things—everything was frozen in time.

Well, almost everything.

Within the Aqua Deer base, Julius stood abruptly from his desk, leaving behind the paperwork he had been working on. He tilted his head back, gazing at the ceiling.

Anyone who saw him now would hardly recognize him. His eyes swirled like twin vortexes, a black sun mark gleamed ominously on his right temple, and his hair was split evenly—half blonde, half black.

Then he smiled.

No, Lucius smiled.

It was a twisted, unsettling grin, one that oozed malice.

"I see you," he said, his voice lilting as if singing a dark melody.

The sound alone would send shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it.

—

In the seventh and lowest level of the Underworld, the three Dukes of Hell sat with contrasting expressions.

Seated on the third branch of the Tree of Qliphoth was Megicula, a petite female devil adorned with curved, ram-like horns jutting from her head, a thinner pair pointing upward from her forehead, long wavy hair, bat-like wings, and three eye slits rimmed with dark markings. Her long ears twitched as she furrowed her brows in confusion.

"What happened?" Megicula squinted, her tone laced with unease. "Why can't I communicate with Vanica right now? I can feel her... but she's not responding."

In the second seat of Qliphoth sat Beelzebub, a towering figure cloaked in shadow. With pointy ears, four horns—two small ones pointing up and two larger ones curving outward—and hair splitting like a black river down his head, Beelzebub trembled.

One of the three rulers of the Underworld, the devil of space and a being of the highest order, was trembling in fear.

He lowered his head, as though afraid to meet someone's gaze, as though terrified of drawing attention to himself.

And then, at the deepest depths of the Underworld, seated upon the first branch of Qliphoth, was Lucifero—the undisputed king of the Underworld. A monstrous being with four bat-like wings, long, light-colored hair, pointed ears, and sharp teeth. Four upward-curving horns jutted from his temples and the sides of his head.

From his lonely throne, Lucifero's slitted dark sclera and crimson irises stared upward. His gaze pierced through all seven levels of Hell, traversed the Primordial World above, ascended billions of light-years, and locked onto Heaven.

There, it found the Mysterious Figure.

"Enoch," Lucifero spat, his voice dripping with derision and disdain.

"I see you."

"Enoch."

Both Lucius and Lucifero spoke their words with malevolence, their voices resonating through the cosmos.

The Mysterious Figure remained cloaked in radiant white light, their features obscured. As their head tilted downward, the light masked their face, but an undeniable intensity emanated from their unseen eyes, as though locking gazes with both beings.

In a tone as emotionless and ancient as time itself, the Mysterious Figure spoke—not to either being, but to someone else.

"Uriel."

—

Far to the south of the temple where the Mysterious Figure knelt, a clear and pure waterfall cascaded into a serene river. Behind the rocks near the water, an artist's setup was nestled—a canvas on a wooden stand, brushes and paints scattered nearby.

Seated on a stool was a figure, a man with a beauty almost otherworldly. Though unmistakably male, his slender build, spotless skin, and lack of facial or leg hair gave him an ethereal elegance.

The man painted with practiced precision, though his color choices were unusual. Instead of the natural blues and greens of the scene before him, his painting burned with warm hues—the river glowed yellow, the grass blazed red, the waterfall shimmered orange, and the sky swirled with a fiery mix of them all.

As He painted, the Mysterious Figure's ancient yet youthful voice resonated in His mind, calling his name.

"Uriel."

Uriel paused, setting down his brush. He leaned back in his chair, golden eyes lifting to the starry sky. His tunic billowed gently in the wind.

With a sigh, Uriel spoke, His voice dashing yet tinged with irritation. "Very well, but this is the last time. Do not bother me again."

Without waiting for a reply, a radiant halo manifested above His head, glowing like a miniature sun and casting beams of light outward.

Fiery wings unfurled from His back, their feathers blazing red, orange, and yellow like a phoenix reborn.

Uriel stood, His golden eyes now blazing like twin suns. When He spoke again, His voice was no longer dashing but lofty, ancient, and absolute—a voice strikingly similar to that of the Mysterious Figure.

"And once again... let there be light."

His words echoed across all of Heaven, reverberating with a power beyond comprehension.

—

Above the Primordial World, a resplendent golden light flickered into existence. It was small at first, but then it grew—and grew—and grew—until it dwarfed the planet itself. The entire star system—Sun, Moon, and all—was consumed by its brilliance.

Everything turned white. The blinding light bathed every corner of existence. It was fortunate that all life on the Primordial World had been frozen in time because if not, nearly all would have been rendered permanently blind.

That's how glorious that light was.

Within the Aqua Deer Base, Lucius instinctively averted his gaze, shutting his eyes tight and tucking his face into the crook of his arm. Yet it didn't help. This wasn't a light one could escape from so easily.

It wasn't just his physical sight that was overwhelmed. Inside his mind—inside his very soul—he saw it. That same golden light. It engulfed everything, consuming his senses and smothering his precognition. His astral body curled into a protective ball, shielding itself as best it could.

I should be scared, Lucius thought. I should be trembling. But he didn't so much as flinch. Instead, he smiled. Because I know... I'm not today's target.

Deep in the lowest levels of Hell, Lucifero retracted his gaze the instant that sacred light reached him.

Light magic wasn't arcane—it had holy properties but lacked the raw purifying power of Saint Stage magic. Yet this? This wasn't magic. It was something infinitely more pure. Something sacred. The very bane of malevolence itself.

And Devils were malevolence incarnate.

Uriel might not have been the strongest Archangel, but he was the one Devils feared most. No matter how powerful Lucifero was, no matter what he had been before, he was now a Devil. And as such, even the mighty Demon King had no choice but to avert his gaze and lower his head.

Lucifero's throne crumbled beneath him, cracking into rubble under the sheer weight of his gravity and fury.

"...Uriel...!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Back in Heaven, the Mysterious Figure wasted no time. The moment Lucius and Lucifero looked away, He moved.

His head turned slowly, His gaze sweeping across the boundless expanse of the universe.

Within His eyes, the vast starry cosmos seemed to peel away, replaced by a boundless, infinite white void. Floating within this endless space were countless silvery orbs of light, their glow soft yet eternal.

The Mysterious Figure scanned the infinite expanse as though searching for someone. And then, as if finding what—or who—He sought, He spoke.

"Azrael."

—

A lone figure moved through the endless blank space, clad in a black robe that concealed their entire body. The fabric obscured even their face, leaving only the faint impression of a hooded silhouette. A scythe rested in one hand, though even the arm wielding it remained hidden beneath the folds of the robe.

Anyone who laid eyes on this figure would have thought they had encountered the Grim Reaper himself.

And they wouldn't have been wrong. This was Azrael, the Angel of Death—the guardian and retriever of all departed souls.

The space he walked through was the World Between Worlds, a vast expanse true to its name: a space of pure space. Countless silvery orbs floated around him, glowing softly, each one a soul of the deceased.

These souls came from every corner of existence—from humans to dwarves, elves to lizardfolk, insects to plants, devils, and even microscopic organisms. If it was alive, it had a soul. And if it had a soul, it was Azrael's responsibility to protect it until the Day of Judgment, when every being—whether the most depraved sinner or the purest saint—would stand before God for a fair trial.

That was Azrael's sacred duty: to scour every corner of the universe, collect the souls of the deceased, and bring them here for safekeeping.

As he moved through the infinite void, Azrael suddenly froze. A voice echoed within his mind, resonating with quiet authority.

"You know what I want."

The Angel of Death did not respond immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the countless floating orbs of light. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold yet carried an odd warmth, like the stillness of a winter dawn.

"It is your choice. None can force you."

Moments later, three of the silvery orbs shot out from the crowd, stopping in front of him. Slowly, they began to shift. Their glowing forms morphed into silvery astral silhouettes before solidifying and taking on color.

All three figures were men, their appearances starkly different yet undeniably connected.

The first was the oldest—gaunt and frail, with deep wrinkles etched into his pale skin. He was tall, with long silver hair and piercing silver eyes that glinted with wisdom.

The second figure was younger, broader, and sturdier. Though his silver hair was shorter, his resemblance to the first man was unmistakable. Strength radiated from his steadfast posture, and he wore the House Silva attire with quiet pride.

The third was the most striking of the three. Though he appeared older than the second, he exuded a youthful vigor. His aqua hair was as vibrant as spring water, and his eyes gleamed a bright green. Draped in a cyan fur cape and carrying a royal cane staff, he looked every bit the eccentric aristocrat.

The two Silva men nodded in acknowledgment, their expressions cool and indifferent. The third man smiled warmly and returned the gesture with a bow.

Azrael remained still, his face unreadable beneath the hood. He didn't nod but simply waited.

Moments later, another orb of light broke away from the crowd and solidified into a figure. This one was younger, with golden-brown hair, a black birthmark on his lower lip, and a pale, nervous face.

The reactions were instant. The Silva men's expressions twisted into barely concealed disgust, though they made no further movement.

This man was Lux Kira.

Lux ignored their disdain and fell to his knees, clasping his hands in desperate supplication.

"Oh, great Angel of Death! If I help here, will my sentence be shortened?"

Azrael's gaze bore down on him, his voice cold yet gentle.

"You are already dead. The fact that you no longer possess a Grimoire is proof enough. Your sins and good deeds have been recorded in the Book of Life. All that remains is for you to stand trial on Judgment Day, where your actions will be weighed."

Lux's eyes widened in despair, his mouth opening to beg, but Azrael cut him off.

"However, God is merciful and forgiving. If you are willing to aid these two souls, even in death, the Lord will take note of your actions when your trial comes."

Lux froze, then nodded frantically. "Of course! Of course! My calling in life was to help others. Acier and Sebastian are dear friends—I'll do whatever it takes to help them!"

Azrael seemed unimpressed by his outburst. With a calm flick of his wrist, he spun his scythe. Lux yelped in fear, scrambling to his feet. Ignoring the disdainful looks from the others, he gave Azrael a nervous nod.

A sudden snap echoed in all four of their minds. Memories surged forth, fragments of Acier and Sebastian's lives and relationships flashing vividly. Orange dots of energy floated up from their heads and coalesced in the air before shooting out of the white space.

The glowing points of light hurtled across the cosmos, passing through the Primordial World, the Clover Kingdom, and finally reaching Castle Silva. They descended into Sebastian's study, where everything was frozen in time.

The dots merged with the spell Mémoire Absolue.

The resplendent light that had engulfed the world faded instantly.

Back in the Aqua Deer Base, Lucius raised his head and opened his eyes, gazing out the window toward the Royal Castle with a faint smile. He turned back to his desk as the sun mark on his right lobe disappeared. His hair turned fully gold, and his swirling vortex eyes shifted back to their natural purple hue.

Julius Novachrono had returned.

And just as he did, Julius froze in time.

—

Within Heaven, the Mysterious Figure etched another sentence into the black book, its meaning translatable as:

And Time in the Primordial World Begins to Move Once More.

—

In an instant, all of creation in the Primordial World stirred back to life. Time resumed as though it had never paused, with no one aware they had been frozen at all.

Within Sebastian's study, Francois and Dorothy remained oblivious to the four new memory fragments that had merged with Mémoire Absolue. Both had deliberately turned their gazes away from the spell to avoid glimpsing the memories within. Meanwhile, Dorothy's clone stood silently, its sentience restricted by design.

The clone had one purpose: to weave a dream from the memories for Sebastian and Acier. It would not speak, nor acknowledge the contents of the memories it handled.

This restriction was precisely the loophole the Mysterious Figure had exploited.

Francois finished severing the connection of the six others' subconscious minds to the couple. Their memories had fully transferred, their role complete. Now, the clone moved forward. With glowing purple and pink hands, it hovered over the heads of Sebastian and Acier, the spell nearing its final phase.

Dorothy, the real Dorothy, sitting at Sebastian's desk snapped open her eyes. Her lips moved softly, and she murmured two words:

"Dream Weaver."

—

Author's Notes:

[1] Sorry about no update yesterday, this Chapter was so long, and I had zero motivation to write or do anything whatsoever yesterday. I was just lazy.

[2] We have finally reached the dream, and I want to say, it will by far be the longest arc, not something that will be completed in a Chapter or two, so buckle up for a long ride.

[3] As always feel free to join the discord at: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8a