Chapter 824 – #172_Purple Rose(4)
#818
1.
Two people, Siwoo and Eloa, stood on the research table, holding hands and breathing softly.
If one didn’t know they were under a spell, they would look as peaceful as if they were in a very deep sleep.
“Why do I have to be here? There’s nothing I can do anyway.”
While the lovers paced around with worried expressions,
Gretel grumbled, sipping her black tea.
It wasn’t a lie to excuse her from the bothersome situation.
If one was so immersed that the autonomous defense was activated, it was impossible to even peek into their dreams.
Wasn’t that why she could spy on everyone else’s dreams except for Duke Tiferet’s?
Either one person had to dive in and bring them out,
or manipulate the time ratio within.
“I told you, nothing’s going to happen.”
It wasn’t a battle-oriented killing spell, nor a vicious mind control or curse.
Yet, they insisted she had to watch over them.
Under the pretext of providing emergency treatment, they wouldn’t let Gretel leave.
Gretel found the lovers’ overreaction extremely annoying.
“Must one go in alone?”
“More than two is impossible.”
“Hmm, how unfortunate. This one was also very interested in the Pink Duke’s dream… *hic*….”
Dorothy quietly covered L’Riel’s mouth as she yawned, bored.
She prevented the somewhat careless L’Riel from making an unintentional faux pas.
“Your Majesty, Duke Tiferet, well, perhaps…”
“Oh…”
L’Riel became somber after hearing the details.
“That is truly unfortunate…”
Having lived only in a submarine since childhood until recently, she was unaware of the situation.
This was especially true given her personality of not paying much attention to those around her.
But after hearing it, it was a sad story.
L’Riel decided to forgive the Pink Duke, whom she had planned to scold later.
Tormenting someone who was hurting was beneath the dignity of a queen.
“Anyway, Witch of the Ghosts, if even the slightest problem befalls this one’s consort and the Pink Duke, this one will not stand idly by.”
“Whatever.”
“Whatever? Did you just say ‘whatever’ to this one?”
Just as L’Riel was about to get angry at her truly impolite way of speaking,
-Thump!
Suddenly, the research table where the two were lying shook.
-Wooooooom!!!
Just like when the Red Branch was aimed, an autonomous defense was generated around Eloa.
The difference was that this time, it included Siwoo, who was lying next to her, holding her hand.
“What’s going on?”
Amelia asked, startled by the sudden phenomenon.
“W-what is it?”
However, Gretel, who should have been the one to answer, was the most surprised.
She had never seen such a phenomenon in her research data.
“You’re rushing your death.”
So startled that she dropped her teacup, Gretel felt a cold sensation against her neck.
A Japanese sword, which emitted a sharp aura that felt like it could cut through skin without even touching it, was pointed at Gretel’s neck.
“Stop it right now.”
“I! I don’t know! It wasn’t me!”
“You expect me to believe that nonsense? You must think I’m a fool.”
“I’m a doctor! Even with a knife to my throat, I wouldn’t harm a patient! And am I crazy? Why would I do something like that when you’re all watching me with your eyes wide open, and I’m the only suspect?”
Gretel shouted through gritted teeth.
She had been careless because she had seen such absurd things in the dream, but her opponent was the ‘Witch of the Sword.’
She might really cut her head off.
“Rinne, calm down. Gretel, if you want to prove your innocence, find a way.”
Dorothy didn’t think Gretel was lying.
Witches were a species that valued their lives above all else.
If anything happened to either of them, Gretel wouldn’t survive.
As if afraid that Dorothy might change her mind, Gretel approached the two to pretend to do something.
2.
No other method came to mind.
Even if she revealed the truth, they wouldn’t listen, they wouldn’t even try to.
If only she could see her teacher’s stubbornness, but all Siwoo could do was watch Eloa’s tears as she trembled with sorrow.
At this point, there was only one solution Siwoo could think of.
To destroy the lotus, the source of the distortion, with the Red Branch.
In fact, there was no clear evidence to confirm that the lotus was the source of the nightmare.
It was just a hunch.
But dreams were a passage to the unconscious.
The materials that made up a dream were created using the unconscious as a base.
Thinking this way, it was embarrassing as the person involved…
Amelia’s dream took place in a cabin.
It was a space where her happiest and most painful times coexisted.
In that cabin, Amelia saw her teacher off and was left alone with Siwoo.
She sublimated the guilt and resentment she had towards her teacher, and it was Shin Siwoo who filled that void.
That was the interpretation.
Then what about the lotus that resurrected Lapi at the cost of a huge sacrifice?
There was no way that the core material of this world had no role assigned to it.
It seemed worth investigating.
However, Siwoo’s attempt was immediately stopped.
There were clearly no other surveillance devices, but Eloa, who should have been asleep by now, was following Siwoo.
His heart sank, but he was certain.
If the reason she felt an obsessive aversion to the brooch was because it was a ‘device to remove Shin Siwoo from the dream.’
Then the reason she showed a strange obsession with the lotus would be similar.
“Siwoo, give me that brooch.”
While he was thinking, Eloa held out her hand.
Her expression and tone were very firm.
This brooch was an escape device for when one was caught up in excessive immersion.
It was something he couldn’t give her.
“Teacher, as I said, this is something I was going to give to Sharon. I’ll give you something else.”
“Is it difficult even if I ask you earnestly?”
“…Yes, I’m sorry.”
But.
He had to think about it here.
Whether he was taking things too lightly.
Eloa spoke calmly.
“As I expected. You are now bewitched by the Whispering Witch.”
And the moment he looked at his teacher, he realized.
Something was seriously, really seriously wrong.
“Teacher, what do you mean…”
-Whoosh!
The identity of the sword that was swung fiercely was Tiferet’s artifact, the ‘Contract Sword.’
If he hadn’t reflexively dodged, the brooch he had attached to his chest would have been shattered.
His spine tingled.
This brooch was an escape device.
What would happen if the brooch broke?
Would he get caught up in this dream like Eloa?
“Teacher!”
Her eyes were now dripping with pink sparks.
Her eyes were filled with will and fighting spirit.
“Some parasites manipulate their hosts’ behavior. They make their hosts drown or get eaten on purpose. The Whispering Witch does something similar. She makes you rush towards destruction without even realizing you’re being manipulated.”
Why was he so sure?
That the teacher in this world would act exactly like his real teacher.
Wasn’t a dream a space where not only desires but also repressions were released?
The teacher here was his teacher, but a different being from the teacher Siwoo had always known.
“What are you talking about! I had no contact with the Whispering Witch!”
“You tried to destroy the lotus. Can you be sure that was truly your will?”
“No! It was for investigation…”
“Then why are you trying to fight me?”
Siwoo was startled and checked his condition.
His body was now covered in shadow armor.
The Red Branch was in his gauntlet.
It was a change that had occurred unconsciously, regardless of his will.
“If you are bewitched by the Whispering Witch, it will be difficult to make normal judgments. You won’t be able to tell what is true and what is false.”
“Teacher…”
“This is definitely not a dream, Siwoo.”
Then the one who caused this change was Eloa’s confirmation bias.
She had manipulated reality itself to lead the situation to her advantage.
If the two tried to resolve this conflict with force, Siwoo would never be able to defeat Eloa, and Eloa would be able to enforce her will.
“I contract.”
With Eloa’s incantation, an alternate dimension spread out.
The scenery seen through the window of the spiral staircase slowly distorted.
He saw her grip her sword tighter.
“Take up your spear.”
He finally understood.
He was so pathetic that he couldn’t even lift his head properly.
His teacher, who was always noble, righteous, and proud.
Siwoo had only seen the aspects of Eloa that were visible to his eyes.
But Eloa’s true feelings, which he belatedly learned, were still festering.
“I’ll adjust my strength so you don’t get too hurt.”
Enough to point a sword at her beloved disciple.
Enough to desperately deceive herself and ignore the truth.
Enough to take on the most painful role in a dream where everyone could be happy.
Saying he didn’t know it would be this bad was just an excuse.
It was clearly his own pathetic fault for not seeing through his teacher’s pretense of being strong, even as he called himself her lover.
“I understand what you mean.”
Loving was not the only role of a lover.
To accept the resentment, the grief, the sorrow.
Sharing the pain of the person he loved was also Siwoo’s responsibility.
“You said that swordsmen speak with their swords, right?”
And it was also Siwoo’s role to grab the hand of his lover when she was about to go down the wrong path.
“Bloom.”
Siwoo raised his spear.
