The Future

Night in the Sea of Ruins was a dream shared by everyone.

So when Neph opened her eyes and found herself facing a sprawling complex resembling the Black Monastery, the Giant King's Court frozen in twilight, and Cattleya on a nearby boulder, she understood that she had awakened within this invaded dream.

Cattleya wore a black classical robe with a distinctly mystical air. Neph walked to the foot of her boulder, gathered her strength, and jumped up.

"Where's your mom?" she asked, crouching down to look at Cattleya, who sat hugging her knees.

"Mother..." Cattleya's voice sounded like a murmur in her sleep. Neph watched the confusion in her eyes turn to defiance. "Who cares about her!"

Like a little girl going through her rebellious phase... Ha, Huang Jiajia, you really do take after Huang Beibei, who raised you.

Neph shook her head, jumped off the boulder, and looked toward the Giant King's Court, which she had seen not long ago.

She had no interest in exploring this dream. Neph knew all too well how many dangers lurked here, so she simply gazed toward the Giant King's Court, raised a hand to trace an inverted cross over her chest, then sat down where she stood and closed her eyes, leaning against the boulder.

That was how she spent most of the following week. In the dream, she leaned against something and rested with her eyes closed. Outside the dream, she hid among the flowers and rested with her eyes closed. As for passing the time, she still had the books she had memorized from Moon City's library in her head.

Neph was not sure what day of the week it was when she saw the Future. After the Crystal Ball brought another message from Cattleya, it was not long before