Benadetto, her projection sustained by firelight, watched Nash Narte standing before her. The last ruler of the Violet Kingdom, the final "holdover" after the dream had ended, the powerful King of Mages stood quietly beneath the night sky. Distant starlight passed through his somewhat insubstantial form, forming a hazy, dim radiance around him.
That radiance was the blessing bestowed by the Night Sovereign—the tolerant ancient god had allowed the last resident of the dream to continue being willful, allowing a subject who should have returned home to remain at the Dreamscape Boundary. It was hardly any burden to so powerful a god, but Benadetto always felt... Nash had somewhere he ought to go. Lingering in the real world like this was not a wise choice.
"Everyone has already awakened from the dream, and the Night Sovereign is gradually returning as well. Wouldn't it be better to return to the night?" Seeing that he said nothing, Benadetto could not help continuing, "The night is your homeland. In Lady's realm, there is a warm and eternal long night. For Shadow Dwellers who have awakened from the dream and remembered their true nature, life should be more comfortable 'over there'..."
"Perhaps. I'll probably go back someday, but the time has not come yet. After all, you know... going back is easy, but coming here again would not be so simple," Nash finally exhaled and said slowly with a smile. "Besides, don't you think it's good for me to stay here? At least there's someone to help you put on those 'haunted castle' routines..."
"Ha..." Benadetto sighed, her voice sounding somewhat weary. "You don't seriously think a Tower Spirit can feel loneliness and isolation, do you? I've been operating in this tower for who knows how many years, and it's not as if I