Preparation

"That's all for today's lesson."

Sighing, she shoved a bottle of enhanced nutrient solution into Horn's arms, then Olive waved her hand. An irresistible force of thrust lifted Horn up and sent him out of the underground workshop, leaving behind only the instruction: "See you at the same time tomorrow."

The moment she issued the order to leave, the workshop returned to Silence, with only the faint clicking of machinery coming from the corner.

Olive gracefully sat back down in the large black leather chair in the workshop, swinging her legs. She picked up the teapot that was always kept warm at her side and poured herself a cup of [Veiled Goddess Lapsang Souchong] shipped all the way from Alexandria Port, taking a small sip of the astringent taste brought by the smoking process, as if savoring the pine-scented breath of a dragon.

And this rare enjoyment reached its peak when the symbols on the [Birdsong Tube] at her side began to glow and flicker.

"..."

"Mm, yes, I am. Right, I won't be participating, but I hope you can reserve a spot for the Ambrosial Cup a month in advance... Yes, I want it for my student."

"..."

"No, he doesn't need a direct pass to the finals, just a regular contestant spot will do... Right, and don't give him any special treatment. There's no need to mention me in his profile; I believe he has ambition."

"..."

"...No, I don't have a grudge against him. I don't have a hobby of tormenting students. Young people need more exercise; I just want to see where his limits are. Yes, that is all."

"That is all."

Hanging up the call, Olive, who could no longer hold back her smile, took a deep breath, the corners of her mouth slowly curling into a hopeful arc.

Heh, now there's going to be a show to watch~

"No way, buddy?"

"Are you saying that you had an exceptionally clear dream yesterday, dreamt of moonlight and a road, and then entered a forest shrouded in darkness?"

"Well, I didn't actually enter that forest; I just brushed past the edge. But I don't deny the earlier part of your statement."

A familiar place, a familiar room, even a familiar seat. Horn sat on the familiar sofa, watching the familiar black-haired girl in front of him lose her usual composure. She slammed down the Illustrated London News she was holding, pulled a crystal-clear monocle from her bosom, placed it over her left eye, and gently rubbed the metal frame of the lens with her fingertips, focusing her gaze on him.

A sense of being probed washed over him. Resisting the spontaneous Restlessness of the [Flame of Destiny], Horn maintained his upright posture, letting her look him up and down.

Upright and righteous!

After examining him three times with the [Lens of True Knowledge] and confirming that the guy in front of her was original and healthy from the inside out, Emma finally withdrew her gaze with a huff. She rubbed her eyes, which were feeling inexplicably hot, astringent, and dry, and sighed with a hint of irritation.

"How is it that your luck is constantly in a superposition of good and bad?"

"Superposition?"

Subconsciously curling his index finger, Horn tapped the glass surface of the coffee table with his knuckle and asked, puzzled.

"How should I put it? There is a saying that we must visit the Dream Realm—the dwelling above all dreams—at least twice in our lives, but I strongly suspect that is an exaggerated figure of speech. Besides, whether the Woodland belongs to the Dream Realm is also one of the puzzles that scholars love to debate... Oh, I've digressed again."

Rubbing her eyes fiercely once more and wiping away the physiological tears overflowing from her slightly reddened corners, Emma pulled the straying topic back on track while cursing the side effects of the [Lens of True Knowledge] in her heart.

"In short, if there were no interference from other factors, your situation counts as entering the Dream Realm without conscious intent. Even among transcendents, this is a very rare occurrence. Even when it does happen, it usually occurs in those who have already reached the peak of their path and have been stuck for a long time. To dream into the Woodland just after stepping onto the path of transcendence... I can only say—"

"It's very rare."

Who are you calling rare!

Absolutely unable to guess what abstract things the boy in front of her was thinking, Emma continued to explain.

"And fortunately, nothing happened, and you left safely. Goodness, I still remember how miserable I was the first time I traveled through the Woodland..."

"Is dream-entry that dangerous? And what is the Woodland?"

Feeling a bit panicked by Emma, who had suddenly started using an emphatic tone, Horn pressed for an answer.

"It seems you don't know anything at all."

Taking the [Lens of True Knowledge] off her face, Emma sighed in a mocking tone, pretending to be profound. Under Horn's inexplicably fearful gaze, she coughed in confusion and straightened her expression slightly.

"Let's start with the most basic concept: 'Spirituality'."

"Spirituality is a standard that is difficult to quantify, reflecting the state of a transcendent. It is closely related to one's current mental state, environment, season, and timing. Whether performing [Formless Secret Arts] or studying [Great Knowledge], the support of spirituality is required. The exhaustion of spirituality represents a deterioration in the transcendent's state—and perhaps some less common ailments are brewing."

"An Apprentice attempting to enter a dream for the first time needs at least a week of ritual preparation to stimulate their spirituality before they can attempt deep sleep and subsequently explore the Dream Realm with their spirit body."

"Generally speaking, an Apprentice of the First Seal explores for about fifteen minutes to half an hour, depending on the path taken and their current state. Exceeding this limit and being trapped in the dream without returning carries the risk of getting lost, or even leading to distortion and loss of control."

"After that, it takes weeks of rest to allow the restless and scattered spirit body to return to calm, so that one can enter the dream again."

Got it, exploration has a cooldown.

Looking at Horn, who wore an "I understand, I understand" expression, Emma shook her head and emphasized her warning.

"—That is only in the most ideal of circumstances."

"If you are influenced by a high-ranking entity while exploring the Dream Realm, or encounter a special secret realm, or are simply attacked by malicious natives... then the subsequent treatment and recovery will take even longer, and it may even endanger your life, or worse."

"The Dream Realm is higher than the Waking World, and both the opportunities and dangers far exceed it. As you delve deeper into your path, the power you can bring into the Dream Realm will increase, and the penalties for being injured or dying in the Dream Realm will also become heavier. In this regard, I suggest you ask Miss Veronica; she is also a master in the field of [Night Roaming Art] and is proficient in the techniques of entering the Dream Realm with a spirit body."

"As for ordinary Apprentices—especially those who lack strength or are not good at exploration—they will try every possible way to reduce the frequency of their dream-entry. However, because the promotion of a Seal requires passing through specific gates in the Dream Realm, true transcendents who aim for immortality view the climb through the Dream Realm as a challenge waiting to be solved."

"As for the Woodland..."

Patting her face with lingering fear, Emma Moore tried her best to push those unpleasant images out of her mind and described it concisely.

"She is a forest, yet she is not just a forest. The Radiance of the highest level of the Dream Realm cannot reach this place, so those gods who do not like the Radiance prefer this area. There are many monsters within, and even more dangers."

"I am very fortunate that I have already found the path upward from the Woodland, and no longer need to wander lost in the darkness. As for you, I have only one piece of advice."

Staring into the clear eyes of Horn, Emma let out a deep breath and whispered to him with a solemnity akin to praying in a cathedral.

"Do not turn on the lights. Do not carry any light source, and at the same time, do not approach anything that appears to be glowing. Darkness is the natural state of the Woodland, and only the most foolish Apprentice would personally experience the reason for that condition."

"Mm-hmm, understood."

Looking at Emma, who seemed to be holding back words and whose brows revealed a sense of world-weariness as if she had many stories to tell, Horn decided not to continue prying.

"Well then, although I don't know if this kind of unprompted dream-entering is the norm, as the old saying goes, 'it is better to guide than to block.' Here at the Prevention and Suppression Bureau, we can provide you with a more effective preventive measure."

Completely abandoning the thought of slacking off and looking at magazines in the temporary office, Emma stood up and instructed Horn.

"Stay here and don't wander off. Wait for me to file a report and fill out an application. Once it is approved, you will be able to use the Dream-Entering Chamber here to conduct relatively safe dream-entering with the assistance of a ritual."

"I wish you a smooth journey~"