Chapter 581: On the Eve of Entering Dreams
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After leaving Sara Mel’s grand mansion, Lucretia chose not to head straight back to her own home within the city-state. Instead, she made her way to the Bright Star, her ship currently moored at the harbor.
The ship was alive with the aftermath of a celebration; colorful confetti danced across the deck, weaved through the corridors, breezed over the bridge, and even made its way into the captain’s quarters. Stepping out of what seemed like thin air, Lucretia appeared amidst this festive chaos, nonchalantly setting down a glass of spiced wine on a small cabinet next to her. She then proceeded toward her dressing table, where a crystal ball awaited her attention.
In the room’s cozy corner, a sizable rabbit plush toy suddenly moved, which had been lying inert on the bed. It twitched before energetically leaping up and bouncing towards her. “Mistress! You’ve finally returned. Rabbi was growing so terribly bored alone on this ship…” it exclaimed.
Lucretia, casting a brief and somewhat wary glance at the rabbit doll, replied, “I’m here just for a short while. I plan to head back to the city later.” She then inquired in an offhand manner, “Has anything out of the ordinary happened on the ship?”
“All is perfectly fine, wonderfully fine!” came the chipper response from the doll, the voice of a young girl emanating from within, clearly eager for commendation. “Rabbi has kept everything as immaculate as when the mistress is here!”
“And what of last night?” Lucretia pressed on, “While we were docked, did you notice anything peculiar happening on shore?”
The mention of “onshore” made Rabbi pause, its previously animated voice losing some of its enthusiasm as it registered Lucretia’s serious tone. “There was… nothing amiss onshore, but then again, Rabbi wasn’t exactly vigilant in observing the shoreside activities…” it admitted sheepishly.
Lucretia’s expression turned more thoughtful, her brows knitting together as she queried the rabbit doll a bit more. Eventually, she gestured dismissively, “That will do for now. Stay here—later, you and Luni will accompany me to the city.”
“To the city?!” Rabbi couldn’t hide its excitement and surprise, “Are you really taking Rabbi with you? Is it going to be an adventure?”
As Lucretia reached for the crystal ball, she paused for a moment upon hearing Rabbi’s enthusiasm. Touching the orb, she responded coolly, “Perhaps for you, it will be quite the adventure.”
Delighted, Rabbi made a jubilant leap back to the bed, settling down in its original position, eagerly waiting.
The crystal ball began to emit a soft glow, buzzing gently. After a short while, a figure started to materialize within its luminescent depths, gradually becoming more distinct. It was Tyrian, his image sharpening amidst the light and shadows.
“Lucy?” His voice emanated from the crystal, “Ah, I’ve been tied up with some merchant representatives and didn’t notice the crystal ball. How are things on your end?”
“I’m okay,” Lucretia said, her gaze fixed on her brother’s image in the crystal. She noticed the signs of fatigue on his face, which was borne from waiting too long, “You seem to have been quite busy lately, barely getting any rest, have you?”
“The current situation is actually an improvement from before. At the very least, I now find the time to sit down and have lunch at the dining table,” Tyrian responded with a light shrug. However, his eyes soon darted past Lucretia, scanning the background as if searching for someone. After a brief pause, he ventured, “Is Father… around?”
“He’s not here at the moment; he’s preoccupied with other matters,” Lucretia informed him, adding to ease his evident nervousness, “Don’t worry so much, Papa has been incredibly busy these days.”
“Oh,” was Tyrian’s simple acknowledgment, his voice still laced with hesitation. He proceeded cautiously, “And how have things been for you lately… with him? Any problems? Is there anything I might be able to assist with?”
“Everything’s been fine,” Lucretia assured him with a nonchalant tone. She then paused thoughtfully for a moment before deliberately positioning her head so that the light caught a silver-white hairpin adorned with a feather ornament, allowing it to gleam into view. “He finally handed over this hairpin he’s owed me for a hundred years. Surprisingly, it’s still as pristine as ever.”
Observing from the crystal ball, Tyrian was visibly taken aback, his previously concerned expression freezing over in shock. He stared at her for a moment, his face a mix of emotions, before managing a bewildered, “…Ah?”
“He didn’t bring you a gift?” Lucretia inquired, her voice now serious.
Tyrian seemed to reflect for a brief moment, his hand automatically moving to his forehead as if to emphasize his resignation, “24 pounds in sixteen rounds, 32 pounds in three, and I didn’t even count the 12 pounds…”
As Lucretia watched him silently, a thoughtful expression crossed her face. After a short pause, she spoke softly, “You initiated this.”
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“…Is this the reason you contacted me out of the blue?”
“Of course not,” Lucretia responded, shaking her head before her tone turned grave, “I need you to be vigilant about certain… developments recently, and to get in touch with me immediately if anything arises.”
Tyrian’s demeanor shifted to one of seriousness, “Be vigilant about what, exactly?”
“Elves. If I’m not mistaken, Frost should have a number of elves who’ve made it their home for some time now,” Lucretia explained calmly. “The ‘Cooperative Surveillance System’ involving the Churches, the Explorer’s Association, and the city-states has just been set up. It seems it hasn’t picked up on anything yet, which is why I’m reaching out to you directly…”
…
At 99 Crown Street, which was secluded by dense bushes and a high fence, adding to its dreary atmosphere, a sudden eruption of fire expanded into a luminous gateway. Duncan and Alice emerged from this fiery portal.
Shirley, who had been enjoying the sun in the backyard, leapt to her feet and started to dash towards the house. However, she had only taken a few steps when Duncan’s voice stopped her in her tracks, “Where do you think you’re going?”
Shirley halted abruptly, looking momentarily confused, then sheepishly scratched her head, “Yeah, why am I running?… Sorry, Captain, it was just an instinctive reaction…”
Duncan looked at Shirley with a hint of concern, “Always jumping at shadows,” he remarked, clearly worried about her nervous reactions, “Has Lucretia returned yet?”
“Not yet,” Shirley replied, shaking her head to confirm Lucretia’s absence. “But Vanna and Morris have just got back. They’re in the living room now.”
“Alright,” Duncan acknowledged, his voice steady and decisive. “Let’s go join them and find out what they’ve discovered.”
“I need to drop this off in the kitchen first,” Alice interjected, her arms cradling a hefty wooden basin brimming with exotic ingredients gathered from their latest venture. “How about fish soup for dinner tonight?” she suggested cheerily as she made her way to the kitchen.
Duncan cast a contemplative glance at Alice, the automaton who maintained a surprising level of calm and routine no matter the circumstances. Within the confines of her mechanical mind operated a precise logic tree, enabling her to adapt seamlessly to daily life’s ebb and flow. Whether it involved returning from their otherworldly travels with fresh fish or preparing a meal, she managed these tasks with unwavering focus. Duncan mused over the possibility that even in the face of catastrophic events, Alice would likely maintain her composure, perhaps even inquiring about dinner preferences amidst chaos.
Yet, he didn’t view this as a negative. In a world rife with unpredictability, Alice’s steadfast concern with the evening’s meal offered a comforting constant, a reminder of the normalcy they all yearned for.
Soon after, Duncan entered the living room to find Vanna and Morris ready to debrief him on their latest findings after a day spent gathering information in the city.
Taking on the demeanor of an experienced investigator, Vanna began to share her observations. “It appears that the anomaly last night didn’t spare anyone in the city-state, affecting elves and other races alike. There wasn’t any discernible awareness of the event. Those who were on duty through the night exhibited a kind of ‘mental fog’…”
She paused, choosing her words with care, then added, “I spoke with several mechanics who had just ended their overnight shift at the steam pump room. They couldn’t recall the specifics of their work from last night. They insisted everything was normal, despite not being able to remember their tasks. It was as though they were caught in a ‘lucid dream’.”
Duncan, absorbing Vanna’s report, found himself puzzled by the implications. “So, are you suggesting that those who slept through the night didn’t dream at all, while those who were awake lost chunks of time but felt nothing was amiss?” he questioned, trying to grasp the situation fully. “Did you look into their deeper psychological states? Are there any indications of mental interference or manipulation?”
Vanna confirmed her approach, “I utilized some magical techniques from the Storm Church, though I was careful not to probe too deeply,” she explained, indicating a respect for the privacy and well-being of those she examined. “After conducting an initial examination, I didn’t find any evidence of mental contamination among the individuals. It appears they have ‘naturally developed incorrect cognitions and memories’ without external interference.”
Deep in thought, Duncan rubbed his chin as he processed this information. After a brief moment of contemplation, he lifted his gaze towards Morris, who was seated comfortably on another couch.
“I’ve reached out to several old acquaintances to spread the word about last night’s peculiar event. The academy has already begun its investigation and is working on potential countermeasures. Should things progress favorably with Miss Lucretia, Wind Harbor’s entire official response mechanism will be mobilized,” Morris shared, his tone indicating a blend of hope and concern. “Yet, given the current circumstances, as the ‘Dream of the Nameless One’ phenomenon grows more potent, it’s likely to affect every resident of the city-state. It seems that only you, along with those of us aligned with you, will maintain clarity and the ability to act, whether within the dream or outside of it. The efforts of the academy and city-state officials might encounter significant obstacles.”
Morris then shifted the conversation to a topic of profound curiosity. “I’ve also consulted with scholars who specialize in elven lore and myths, specifically regarding the demon god Saslokha, the World Tree Atlantis, and the ‘Dream of Creation.’ During my research, I stumbled upon something… quite intriguing.”
Duncan’s interest was piqued, “Oh? What’s this intriguing discovery?”
“Ah… right,” Morris responded with a nod, his expression one of solemn intrigue. “Within some obscure narrative poems, I found verses that offer a fascinating insight—
‘Saslokha forged the first dream of our world, yet was oblivious to the nature of dreams.’
‘Humans deemed it a dream, leaving Him in a state of bewilderment.’
‘Thus, in His confusion, the Dreamless came into existence…’
That last part is quite confusing…
guess it is, ill reedit it and post the new version in a bit
Is clearer now, thanks
try clearing out your browser cache to see the new version
[In a world rife with unpredictability, Alice’s steadfast concern with the evening’s meal offered a comforting constant, a reminder of the normalcy they all yearned for.]
I think the primary reason that Zhou Ming was brought to this world as Captain Duncan and given the powers he has was to bring normalcy to a world of unpredictability that was falling apart.
There is a lot of foreshadowing from Chapter 1:
[His plight was akin to a grotesque dream—except Zhou Ming had painfully ascertained that he wasn’t entrapped in some nocturnal fantasy. He was the unwilling inhabitant of an alternate, uncanny world that defied any rational understanding—a sentient captive in a reality warped beyond comprehension.]