A Note on Going Premium
Um... it's gone premium.
I feel like I should say something... but it seems there's nothing much to say.
In any case, I won't play the sympathy card, whip everyone into a frenzy, or share my inner thoughts.
All in all, there should be three updates today... The update schedule will be the same as usual, though there may be more depending on the situation.
If you like this story, then let's continue reading it together.
There's still a long way to go in this story, so please look forward to it.
Section Forty-Four: What to Do When the Time Machine Breaks?
The girls looked at each other.
She looked at you, and you looked at her.
In the end, Miss Surtr was the first to react—she moved off Yelena and, without even standing up, sat down on the grass beside her. Her entire person seemed unusually dejected as she spoke.
"Ask whatever you want to know."
However, the woman's first concern was always unexpected.
"Your horns are gone." This was what Yelena noticed first. Then she touched the two rabbit ears on top of her own head. "But my ears are still here."
"Because this isn't Terra." Miss Surtr answered listlessly, drawing out her words a little. "You can think of this as another world, or perhaps a dream world. Whenever I fall asleep, my consciousness reaches a foreign land, and then I go through an adventure here..."
She saw that Yelena looked thoughtful.
"...You understand?"
"Mm." Yelena's response surprised her—again. Her explanation afterward, however, made everything clear.
"I once met a Sami shaman in the northern reaches of Ursus. She told me some stories. One of them mentioned that by consuming special spices and arranging a ritual, one could enter an illusory wasteland known as the 'Imperial Consciousness.' There, one would experience all sorts of strange things and see many sights no one had ever heard of—does the dream world you're referring to mean something like that?"
I see, so it's based on Integrated Strategies? In that case, the journey through the dream world really is somewhat similar.
Wasn't that why I called this place the dream world in the first place? Yet the facts proved that the dream world and the real world weren't the same. Their greatest and most obvious difference was that no outside force in the real world could affect the dream world, whereas the Imperial Consciousness wasn't like that.
Cerberus could be awakened by Gavial punching her, but I was different. Time had no meaning between the two worlds. Entering and leaving the dream world happened in the same instant, while all the time in between was true sleep. In other words, even Persephone couldn't use Death Return to drag me out of the dream world. She couldn't make the event of 'I died while still in the dream world and didn't return' happen.
But there was no need to explain all that in such detail right now. I could tell Yelena about it slowly later.
Thus, Miss Surtr nodded.
"Yes, although there are some differences, you can understand it that way. But there's a small problem... We have no way to return from here for the time being." She concealed some of the details that might cause concern. "I can't take you back directly. Perhaps... we need to find another way."
"Then we don't have to hurry back." Yelena blurted it out instinctively, then suddenly flushed and turned her gaze slightly aside. "I... I mean, since it's a dream, waking up is only a matter of time, right? Amiya said she'd wake me tomorrow morning. So..."
The problem is, if I can't figure out a way to take you back, then even if we stay here for ten thousand years, only an instant will pass over there! My dear big sister! This world could be destroyed at any moment, and I don't know whether you'll be able to revive or return to the real world if you die here!
Death Return can't pull a lost soul across a universe! At least, I don't think it can!
"Mm." Miss Surtr nodded. She realized that, in the end, she still had no way to view this world through an entirely different lifestyle. The circumstances were unusual, after all, and this wasn't the time for leisure or entertainment.
Secrets can't be kept forever. You'll find out sooner or later.
But before that happens, Yelena, I'll protect you.
And so she made up her mind.
She shifted the subject slightly to avoid discussing too much and giving herself away.
"I came to this world a long time ago. I did some things and learned some things. There are many places, things, people, and objects here that are different from Terra. For example, the humans here don't look quite the same as those on Terra. And for example..." She glanced at the staff in Yelena's hand. "There's no Originium here."
Yelena's eyes suddenly lit up—but quickly settled back down. She nodded and gently rubbed the staff in her hand and the lingering ice crystals. She had brought Originium with her; she had just used it to cast Originium Arts.
"That's a wonderful dream." She spoke in a low voice, seemingly hinting at something without deliberately making herself clear. "I understand."
She seemed to have noticed something. At the very least, she had realized that Miss Surtr hadn't said everything—this red-haired Sarkaz had never known how to hide her thoughts. And that was precisely why this blockhead attracted people to her.
She wouldn't say it, just as Surtr wouldn't say it. Because this was respect. And because... this was a wonderful opportunity.
Sorry, Talulah, Alina, and Miss Amiya, whom I only met today. I'm going to keep this all to myself.—The Frost Maiden's heart was filled with tangled fantasies.
And naturally, the blockhead failed to notice any of it.
"A sweet dream?" Miss Surtr murmured those words, but her heart was filled with helplessness. Compared to the waning age of fire in Dark Souls, Terra's current environment couldn't be considered particularly terrible. It was merely that Dark Souls had a solution, while Terra was still searching for one.
"Every world has its own difficulties, Yelena... Come on, there should be someone here who knows what's going on. Through her, we can learn about the problems this world is facing. Do you want me to help you up?"
Yelena shook her head and braced herself against the ground to stand. However, halfway through the movement, her brows furrowed again. She pressed her lips together, as though she wanted to say something but it remained stuck in her throat.
"Did you twist your ankle?" Miss Surtr asked, lowering her gaze. The girl's snow-white feet immediately entered her view.
She saw Yelena's feet tremble as though they wanted to pull back, but Yelena forcibly held herself still and didn't move.
It doesn't look like she twisted anything.
But she's dressed so lightly... Right, she isn't afraid of the cold.
Her thoughts turned and churned. She lifted Yelena's ankle and examined it carefully. The skin she herself had washed not long ago naturally bore not a speck of dirt. She saw the snow-white foot gradually flush in her palm. After taking off the short boots she had changed into while sitting in the office, her delicate toes were held tightly together, motionless.
She didn't quite understand why Yelena was so nervous, but she went ahead and massaged the area around the ankle.
The feel was excellent; "white as mutton fat jade" wasn't an exaggeration. Everywhere her fingertips touched was soft and smooth. The Frost Maiden's skin was unexpectedly firm and elastic.
But what mattered now was staying completely focused.
"Does it hurt?" she asked. She really couldn't see any sign of a sprain or injury.
"A little... I can't really put any strength into it." Yelena's voice was soft and weak, with a hint of guilt.
This only made the other woman even more confused. She thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"If you don't mind, I can carry you on my back for now," she said, but after looking at the knight's armor that came with the coffin on her body, she amended it. "Or I can carry you in my arms first. There's a Firelink Shrine up ahead. It should be warmer there, with somewhere to rest, and someone who can take a look at you."
She thought the invitation might be somewhat abrupt. In her mind, she had already prepared herself for rejection and was considering an alternative plan.
However.
"Mm." The girl responded even more quickly than she had expected. With movements that seemed even more nimble than when she had dodged the attacks earlier, she picked up the Coiled Sword that had been set aside. "I'll carry your sword."
Yelena's voice was even softer than expected—but clear. Then, as swiftly as a little bird, she curled up while hugging the Coiled Sword, which had returned to its icy chill.
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