Episode 78: Breakfast (2)
Just as Hwaryeong had said, a table had been prepared for them in the breakfast restaurant. Despite the early hour, the place was bustling with people dining. The food was freshly made, radiating a warm, savory aroma.
Sihyeon brought back a plate piled high with egg dishes, sausages, and salt bread. In his heart, he felt like he could devour ten plates. Hwaryeong returned with a single plate containing only desserts like cakes and cookies.
Only after both of them had filled their stomachs to some extent were they finally able to strike up a conversation.
“What exactly was that snake?”
“When you take a boat inside Mirage, a story unfolds. The story we visited had a snake as its theme. It was a story that ends once you defeat the snake.”
“Then, is that story completely over now?”
Hwaryeong took a bite of a macaron and frowned. Too sweet.
“The essence of a story is a dream. Among those, the snake is a nightmare, and nightmares repeat themselves.”
“…….”
“It’s the same. A story repeats itself after a certain interval of time. Usually, after a Divine Beast hunts it down and finishes it, the snake appears again after a few months, and the story begins anew.”
Sihyeon, who had been chewing carefully on a savory sausage, asked back in surprise:
“It repeats?”
“Yes. It repeats like a rerun. That's why there's a hunting season.”
Hwaryeong sipped her orange juice.
“Then, by any chance, are there other themes besides snakes?”
“Can you count the number of nightmares?”
…That means there are too many to count. Sihyeon widened his eyes.
Wait. If that’s the case?
“Is Mirage made entirely out of dreams?”
“Mm.”
Hwaryeong slowly blinked her crimson eyes.
“Everything beyond the Lake of Memories that we crossed consists of stories made of dreams. And that is merely a fraction of Mirage. However, as I mentioned earlier, nightmares are countless, and because they are constantly disappearing and being newly created, Mirage is in a state of continuous change.”
“It feels like the boundary between dream and reality is blurring.”
Hwaryeong acknowledged it.
“It’s bound to feel that way. Humans have no reason to go back and forth. You are a special case.”
“But why are you looking for a nest inside it?”
“Because once a story ends, it’s safe until it starts again. Baemsagol will remain peaceful for the time being, which is why it became a candidate for the nest.”
“So it only becomes a candidate after you defeat it first?”
Nodding at Sihyeon’s question, Hwaryeong suddenly wore an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have dragged you into my fight.”
“I’m fine. But if you don’t mind me asking, why did you want me to check the natural energy?”
“Ah, that.”
Hwaryeong set her juice glass down.
“When it’s time for a nightmare to change, fissures occur. To the Divine Beasts, the energy of Mirage is like air; we only feel that something is strange, but we can't pinpoint the specific location or size. We’ve always had to clean things up after an incident occurred. The intruder that appeared in the nest last time was also determined to be a nightmare. They said it was a zombie.”
Sihyeon frowned, recalling the grey-skinned monster.
“You mean the kind of zombie that turns you into a zombie if it bites you?? Those only appear in movies.”
“That’s because the number of people having nightmares has increased by that much. So a 'zombie' story was added to Mirage.”
Sihyeon paused while spreading butter on his salt bread.
“What if you fail to hunt it down? The story won't end.”
“Then the people having that nightmare will wake up every morning after being bitten to death by a zombie.”
“Pardon??”
Waking up every morning after being bitten to death by a zombie? Suddenly, his throat felt tight.
“That would feel incredibly unpleasant and unsettling.”
“It certainly won't be good if it continues.”
Hwaryeong split an egg tart in half, then covered her fingers with a cup and lightly scorched the surface of the tart. A rich smell of caramel wafted out.
“Incredible.”
“It’s truly convenient when a steak is undercooked.”
“Wow. It really would be.”
Hwaryeong extended one half toward Sihyeon.
“Oh. It’s delicious!”
The hotly scorched egg tart was crisp, and the custard was tender.
Munching on the tart with a satisfied expression, Hwaryeong continued her explanation.
“Let’s say, for example, it’s a dream where zombies appear. Since zombie media is popular lately, more people will dream of zombies, right? And nightmares are characterized by their tendency to leave a strong impression and repeat themselves. Assuming more people continue to dream of zombies, the zombies in Mirage will steadily grow stronger. And they'll become harder to deal with. It’s like a snowball getting bigger and bigger. Do you understand?”
“Wow.”
Sihyeon nodded with his mouth slightly open.
“That’s why the story must be put to an end.”
“…Cough. It’s not easy for the Divine Beasts either.”
“Nothing in life is free. Since we possess special power, obligations follow.”
“To think that a nightmare is a real, physical space. It’s truly chilling and fascinating.”
Hwaryeong replied:
“Mirage is complicated, so even I don’t know all of it. Right now, I’m only explaining what I know.”
From the adjacent table, the chattering voice of a young child pointing at Hwaryeong could be heard. ‘Mom. Fire came out of that noona’s hand.’, ‘Woo-joo, you shouldn’t say things like that, and it’s rude to point at people.’, ‘But fire really came out.’, ‘Do you really want to get in trouble?’
Sihyeon bit his lip firmly, holding back his laughter.
“But why does the ferryman keep telling me to discard my memories?”
“Because memories become the ingredients for nightmares. So, don’t dwell on bad memories. If you keep thinking about them, they’ll show up in your dreams, and then a story about you might form in Mirage.”
“Pardon?”
Hwaryeong, whose face had been consistently expressionless, slightly crinkled her eyes.
“It’s a joke.”
Sihyeon was lying on a picnic mat spread out over the grass in the yard.
The autumn sky was exceptionally blue and clear.
“The weather is nice.”
For someone who had just recalled a memory of self-detonating with his master, his mood wasn't all that bad. Perhaps it was because it was a memory from the past, providing a sense of distance, and even though it was a futile conclusion, he had saved Elder Gerdin and exacted his revenge. Ideally, it would have been better to survive and end it rather than self-detonating. Then again, if he had done that, either his master or the wolf might have escaped.
Sihyeon stretched his hand out long. Sunlight streamed through his long fingers.
“He was jealous of me…? What did I lack?”
For the master of a great Druid, a man who received all sorts of lavish praise from the world, to be jealous of someone who was a mere orphan. He had even told him to come to the laboratory every single day just to make him do all kinds of menial chores. Had he kept him closer just to monitor him?
Come to think of it, he had also scolded him in the past, telling him not to go to Elder Gerdin's Medicine Hall. He should have taken Gerdin as his master instead, just as Gerdin had suggested.
“Ugh. Idiot.”
Sihyeon ruffled his hair and kicked the air. Even while thinking that he shouldn't dwell on it as Lady Hwaryeong had advised, whenever he had a spare moment, he found himself throwing punches or kicks into the empty air. Aimed toward his foolish past self, that is.
Though he had been deeply startled, what he gained from Mirage was certain. He realized that as his memories returned, the cracks in the vessel Sihyeon possessed had almost completely fused back together. He had originally chosen this body because its inherent vessel was large, but now that it was fully mended, he knew for sure. Theophilo and Sihyeon had vessels of very similar sizes.
And that meant he could regain his past power.
Although it was a pity that he couldn't receive the blessings of the spirits, once he regained his strength, it would become possible to expand Orin’s territory to a far wider range than now. He could afford to dream a slightly bigger dream.
“Nnnngh.”
Sihyeon stretched, opened his water bottle to take a sip, and popped a Shine Muscat grape that was next to him into his mouth. It was part of a fruit basket that Lady Hwaryeong had packed for him from the hotel, and this seedless green grape was so large and delicious that it made him want to try cultivating it.
Meow—
After playing in the yard, the cats approached Sihyeon’s side.
“Geum-Eun-Dong.”
Two of the rascals began mewing loudly as they claimed ownership over Sihyeon’s right toe. Meanwhile, one of them rubbed its head against Sihyeon’s palm. It was a sign demanding to be pet. Soft fur wound around his palm. The strength with which it pressed against him had increased quite a bit.
While playing with Dong-ee in a half-reclined position, Sihyeon jolted upright because the little guy nipped his finger. That hurts, you rascal. When he pushed Dong-ee's head away with a finger, the cat pounced right back, thinking it meant they were playing more.
“No.”
Simultaneously, Sihyeon blocked Geum-ee from jumping toward the Shine Muscat grapes.
“They say cats shouldn't eat grapes. It’ll make you boo-boo.”
Not just Shine Muscat grapes, but all fruits like grapes, green grapes, and Kyoho grapes were strictly forbidden. Sihyeon cracked open a snack can for the constantly lingering cats and divided it precisely into three portions. The rascals wrinkled their noses and vigorously munched on their treat, making smacking sounds.
Kyaoo—!
In the midst of this, when he pulled away Geum-ee, who had left his own food alone to thrust his head into his younger sibling's bowl, the guy threw a brief tantrum before burying his head back into his own bowl. Times like this, he looked like nothing short of a wild beast.
Watching the three fluffy behinds, he felt a relaxing sensation gradually wash over his mind.
But then.
“You guys. You’ve grown quite a lot, haven't you?”
“The time has come, I tell you.”
Nurse Saetbyul pumped her fist tightly.
Sihyeon handed over a carrier and spoke.
“Then I’ll leave them in your care. They're a bunch of wild wildcats.”
Nurse Saetbyul accepted the carrier with a resolute expression. The carrier was rattling wildly due to the three little fierce beasts making a ruckus inside.
“Still, they’re on the well-behaved side compared to most. That’s just how cats are, after all.”
The two of them nodded simultaneously, sharing an understanding that only cat owners could grasp.
“The surgery will be over quickly. Even so, it’s best for them to be hospitalized for a day.”
“Yes. I’ll do that. By the way, how is Heemang doing?”
“Perhaps it’s because she drank the tea you gave her. She sleeps quite well. These past few days, she’s been sleeping without waking up even once.”
A comfortable smile appeared on Nurse Saetbyul’s face.
“That’s a relief. If you ever need more, please let me know anytime.”
“Thank you. I will repay this kindness for a long, long time. Hoho.”
“Oh, please. Instead, you look after Geum-Eun-Dong for us. Just a few days ago, you watched them for two whole days.”
“Anytime. Ah, make sure to see the Director briefly before you leave.”
While sitting on the waiting chair, Hodu brushed past his legs. Showing off his sleek, glossy fur, he lay down on the sofa and let out a massive yawn. Sihyeon checked his phone while kneading Hodu’s plump belly fat. The cat let out loud purrs, dozing off continuously.
Sihyeon’s turn was now just two people away.
Jingle.
A student holding a large birdcage entered the clinic.
The student walked straight to the reception desk and asked in an urgent voice:
“Excuse me. This is an exotic animal hospital, right? Do you treat birds too?”
“Yes, of course. Please register and take a seat.”
“Ah. Thank goodness.”
The student set the birdcage down on the floor and diligently filled out the first-visit form as instructed by Nurse Saetbyul.
Caw.
“Hmm?”
Sihyeon looked over at the birdcage and locked eyes with a pair of pitch-black eyeballs. The creature's entire body was covered in black feathers. Was it a crow?
To a Druid, crows were familiar beings. Because they were among the smartest of birds, they were frequently used as scouts or to deliver letters, and they were incredibly nimble. For that reason, quite a few Druids used crows as familiars. Whenever they marched to war, crows and hawks adorned with jewels would perch majestically on a Druid's shoulders.
However, some people seemed to view them as greedy and ominous creatures, perhaps because of their color. Right now, that lady over there had a very strange look on her face.
“Oh my, what kind of person raises a crow?”
A poodle with its ears dyed pink barked loudly from the lady’s arms. The student moved the birdcage inward as if to protect it, and the spot happened to be right next to Sihyeon.
Caw.
“Goodness. Listen to that sound. If a bird is going to cry, the sound should at least be pretty.”
Just as the student was about to snap back, Nurse Saetbyul chimed in.
“Oh. Bibi’s mother. Plenty of people raise crows these days. They're smart, so they follow their owners well, and they don’t cry very often either.”
“Oh, well, even so. Crows are just a bit much.”
“Bibi’s mother? Kkami can hear everything you're saying.”
While Nurse Saetbyul skillfully handled the customer, Sihyeon gently stroked the beak poking out through the gaps of the cage. How did you end up here?
“Um, excuse me.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I did that without thinking.”
Sihyeon apologized, realizing he had touched an animal that belonged to someone else.
However, the student’s expression was peculiar.
“Excuse me, but by any chance…… didn't you appear on Animal Farm?”
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