"I am a dream demon. Weaving and interpreting dreams is my profession."
However, the scale of this dream is so vast that it would be no exaggeration to say it is unique and unprecedented.
"No, it should be said that this is something that can no longer be encompassed by the concept of 'dream'."
This is closer to a parallel world reconstructed based on dreams.
Ritsuka Fujimaru silent for a few seconds.
He took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.
"So, the one who created this dream is the source of the anomaly we're trying to correct this time?"
"Most likely."
"After it brought us in, it just left us there?"
Merlin tilted her head again.
"That seems to be the case. They didn't attack us, they didn't set traps, and they didn't send any defensive forces."
They just threw us into this perfect dream world and then left us there."
This shows that it has no hostility towards us.
Or rather, in its understanding, bringing people into this wonderful world is not an attack, but a "gift."
Ritsuka Fujimaru nodded.
"The most important thing now is to gather intelligence. We need to figure out the structure of this dream, find its creator, and then figure out a way to correct it."
"Agreed."
Merlin closed the parasol and slung it across her shoulder.
"Let's explore this world first. Maybe we can find some clues."
The three left the lawn and walked into the streets of the town of Trifas.
The Trifas in my dream was almost identical to the one in reality, only cleaner, brighter, and more full of life.
The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted from the bakery by the roadside.
The owner of the grocery store is wiping the shop window.
A little boy ran past them, leading a golden retriever on a leash.
Everyone looked happy.
But in Merlin's eyes, all of this felt subtly out of place.
It's like a meticulously crafted painting, where every stroke is just right and every detail has been calculated.
But it's precisely because it's so perfect that it feels unreal.
The three walked around the town for about half an hour.
Then Mash noticed something.
"Senior, there's a kindergarten over there."
At the street corner, there is a low house painted light yellow, with rainbows and suns painted on the walls.
The iron gate was half open, and the sounds of children chattering and laughing could be heard from inside.
Merlin suddenly stopped walking.
She looked up, and her nose twitched slightly.
"It has the aura of Servant."
" Servant?"
"It's inside this kindergarten."
The three of them pushed open the iron gate and went inside.
There is a small lawn playground in the yard, with slides and swings.
A dozen or so children were playing in the yard.
And among the children.
A woman wearing a light green apron-style dress is squatting on the ground, helping a little boy tie his shoelaces.
It has long, light green hair and two fluffy, sharp ears standing upright on its head.
Atalanta.
After she tied her shoelaces, she stood up, brushed the dust off her skirt, and a little girl ran over and hugged her leg.
"Teacher! Xiaohua took off my hair clip!"
"She snatched my crayons first!" another little girl rushed out from behind.
Atalanta's ears were slightly flattened to the sides, but the corners of her mouth were turned up.
" Xiaohua, give the hair clip back to Xiaomei. Xiaomei, give the crayons back to Xiaohua. Can you two make up?"
"Don't want!"
"No!"
The two little girls spoke in unison.
Atalanta sighed.
Then she looked up and saw three strangers standing at the gate of the courtyard.
A black-haired boy wearing a white uniform.
A pink-haired girl holding a shield.
A white-haired woman holding a white lace parasol.
Atalanta's ears perked up.
The aura of Servant.
She didn't know these three people.
However, her instincts as Heroic Spirit allowed her to instantly identify that at least two of the opponents were Servant- level beings.
Who are you?
Ritsuka Fujimaru raised her hands, making a gesture that said, "We mean no harm."
"Hello. My name is Ritsuka Fujimaru, and I'm from Chaldea. This is Mash, and this is Merlin."
Atalanta frowned slightly.
Chaldea? Never heard of it.
"Well, it's normal that you haven't heard of it; we come from another era."
Atalanta stared at him for a few seconds.
What are people from another era doing here?
Ritsuka Fujimaru glanced at Merlin.
Merlin took a step forward.
This world isn't real.
Atalanta's ears twitched.
"What's the meaning?"
It means exactly what it says.
This whole world, this small town, this kindergarten, the blue sky and white clouds overhead—it's all a dream.
Atalanta glanced down at the little girl who was clinging to her leg.
The little girl looked up at her, her big eyes full of dependence.
"Dream?"
Atalanta looked up at Merlin again.
"It doesn't look like it at all."
She reached out and patted the little girl's head.
"Her body temperature is real. Her hair is real. She just cried because her hair clip was taken away."
"Can a dream achieve this level of detail?"
Are you guys really serious?
Merlin didn't rush to argue.
She bent down slightly and gently touched the tip of the parasol to the ground.
Then she released an extremely faint burst of magic from the tip of the parasol.
A small crack appeared in the ground.
You can see what's below through the crack.
It's not soil.
It's not a rock.
Instead, it was a void, a purplish-black space.
It's like standing on a painting, and then someone pokes a hole in the canvas, allowing you to see the emptiness behind the canvas through the hole.
Atalanta's pupils contracted sharply.
The crack healed automatically in less than two seconds; the dream world's self-repair mechanism filled the small gap.
But those two seconds were enough.
Atalanta's ears slowly drooped down.
She remained silent for a long time.
"What you're saying is true."
"Um."
"This really is a dream."
"Right."
"And these children."
"It's true," Merlin said. "They are children in the real world who are truly trapped in a dream."
Their consciousness was drawn into this world. Therefore, they have body temperature, they can cry, and they can laugh.
"But their bodies are asleep in the real world, and the cost of maintaining this dream is consuming the life force of the entire planet."
Atalanta raised her head.
Who did it?
"That's exactly what we want to investigate," Ritsuka Fujimaru said.
You are Servant, and it seems you've been in this world for some time. Do you have any clues?
Atalanta shook her head.
"I don't remember."
Don't remember?
"I don't remember how I got here. When I woke up, I was already in this kindergarten, wearing this outfit, surrounded by a group of children."
She paused.
"I've taken some time to explore this world before. I traveled a long way, but didn't find anything unusual. It's just an ordinary, peaceful world."
"I can try to help you recover your memory."
Merlin walked up to Atalanta.
Your memories have likely been erased by the power of dreams.
But erasure and elimination are not the same; the memory remains deep within your Spirit Origin, only sealed with a shell.
"I am a nightmare demon. It is my job to dismantle this kind of shell."
Merlin reached out and gently touched Atalanta's forehead with her fingertips.
A pale golden light seeped from her fingertips into Atalanta's Spirit Origin.
Atalanta's body trembled slightly.
Then the memories came rushing back like a flood bursting its banks.
Trifas's family restaurant.
The aroma of bagels.
The temperature of the soup.
The blonde girl in the white hoodie sitting opposite me Mukuro Hoshimiya.
The truth behind the Great Holy Grail War.
The Holy Grail is merely the Third True Magic; the Servant are bait, tricked into joining.
"Your wish is too great; it cannot be fulfilled by the Holy Grail alone."
The battle that night.
The clash between Heracles and Karna.
He stood atop the withered tree, bowstring taut, but never launched a serious attack.
The longsword that appeared in Heracles' hand was entirely golden.
That solemn and dignified chanting.
Your name is Michael.
The golden sword struck Mukuro Hoshimiya.
Then her body changed.
The pink cheongsam disappeared, replaced by a purplish-black Astral Dress.
That's no longer an angel.
A round, black demon doll covered in chains.
Born from the shadow left by Mukuro Hoshimiya.
Then.
I don't remember anything.
Atalanta suddenly opened her eyes.
Her breathing became rapid, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
"You remember now?" Merlin withdrew her finger.
"I remember now."
Atalanta's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"I remember everything."
She looked at Ritsuka Fujimaru.
Complex emotions surged within her green eyes.
"I know who did it."
Then Atalanta told the three Chaldea everything she knew without reservation.
From the beginning of the Great Holy Grail War.
Until the True Name Release of the Michael.
To Heracles's golden sword.
To that demonic doll born from the shadows.
Every detail, every turning point, every scene she witnessed.