Chapter 25: Forest Dreams (3)
After I took refuge in a narrow alleyway, I leaned against the wall.
I closed my eyes while trying to catch my breath.
'... I have to find Selene's location fast while Cristo is distracting Althea.'
I thought as I gathered all my assumptions.
If I consider the fact that Selene's a witch and she is hiding the truth from outsiders that she's a witch, her house must be located in a secluded place for her witchcraft.
I continue my little journey as I walk to the back streets of Hulda while thinking about Althea and Directive Knights that might be patrolling here.
I looked around many times and sighed with relief when there was no sight of either of them.
'.. So far, so good. There are no Directive Knights here.'
After a certain walk, my eyes caught a house that is a bit far from the other houses in the neighborhood.
I observe it carefully.
The house's appearance is just like a normal house would have.
'... No matter how I looked, the house didn't have anything strange in style whatsoever.'
But if I still consider the range and distance from the other residents, I am really sure that the place is Selena's house.
Since I also didn't have any evidence that the house could be hers, I still hesitated a bit because it might just be another citizen's house.
'Better to knock and ask first.'
I thought beforehand as I decided to act upon it.
I hurriedly walked towards the front house.
After arriving, I dusted off my dress first for politeness afterward knocking on the door twice.
Seconds after I knocked, the door slowly creaked open.
I looked straight ahead as I was greeted by a young woman who was observing my sudden presence.
She looks around my age with a feature of violet eyes and messy long curly brown hair.
"May I help you?"
The young woman asked.
I was bewildered by how her tone gave off cheerful, friendly, and honest energy.
All of them match the bright wide smile that is plastered on her face.
'She's quite pretty.'
I gazed at her for a moment before realizing that I had just entered someone else's territory uninvited and so suddenly.
I sweatdrop a bit and started to regain my composure.
I looked at her in the eyes with a serious expression as I exclaimed,
"I apologize for the sudden intrusion. But are you a witch?"
I ask her straight to the point if she's a witch or not.
She looked at me with a tilted head.
Later on, she chuckled and smiled teasingly.
She shortly gestures her hand towards herself as she stands up proudly.
"Yes~ I am a witch."
I stared at her with an open-mouthed face.
I was unable to believe that she didn't deny anything.
Not to mention, she answers me without any hesitation and worries about her identity being exposed.
".. Why did you answer me that easily?"
I asked her surprisingly, but with a rather calm tone.
She nodded at my question as she raised her hand to her chin and formed an amused grin.
"Well, it will be easier that way. If you ask that kind of question, then you must be someone who is searching for a witch. That means you're searching for me. So here I am~"
I looked at her with a slightly uncomfortable expression.
It was weird, uncomfortable feelings that surrounded me.
'.. She's a bit.. weird.'
The witch claps her hands as she realized something.
She widened the door and took a step backward.
"Here, come inside. It's rude to keep a guest waiting outside."
She offered to walk inside her room as I slightly gulped and slowly walked inside her house as she locked it back from the inside.
When I look inside the house, it's surprisingly quite normal.
The rooms were like normal houses.
The witch herself was also like a normal citizen roaming the city.
I took a deep breath and looked her in the eye.
".. Are you Selene Cairo?"
I turned my head towards her as I was looking at her, waiting for her answer.
"Yes~ I'm Selene Cairo. If I may ask, what is your name?"
She asked me back with a slightly unnatural smile.
I don't know why, but.. her eyes reminded me of Azrael and Cristo.
They are completely lifeless.
'... But for me, her eyes were way too lifeless compared to them. It's like her eyes look like they are blind from emotion.'
They were unnatural.
"... My name is Dorothy. Dorothy Lucretia O'bell."
I answered her question after having those several thoughts.
Her eyes slightly widened before she let out a chuckle.
"Oh, my~ a royal family has visited my house. I am thrilled and happy to be this center of attention."
".. Lady Selene, I want to know something."
"Yes?"
She playfully titled her other head to the side, looking confused.
"As a witch, do you know something related to the Directive Order?"
Her smile never fades as she stared at me with her violet eyes.
"I don't know."
She bluntly answered without a change in her expression.
I admit I was a bit taken aback by the response.
"However.."
She narrowed her eyes at me and made an amused smile.
"There's someone I know that can answer your question. Just one question, though."
'One question... that's a bit troublesome. But it's worth to try.'
"Who is it?"
"... He has no name. But if you can reach him, then you'll get your answer."
"No matter what the question is?"
I asked curiously as Selena nodded.
"Yes. You can ask him whatever question you have. Easy, hard, or even beyond our logic, he'll answer it for you. After all, his eyes were supposed to see everything and it was supposed to know everything."
She explained it thoroughly.
I was impressed by the power he has.
The curiosity inside me grew as I'm now interested in finding him.
"Do you know where he is?"
"If you want to meet him... are you ready to lose your life?"
My eyes went wide.
I didn't expect such things.
".. What?"
"I can send you there because I'm a witch. Only witches can send someone there. But, it's unsure whether or not Your Highness can come back alive."
She was chuckling like she was telling some kind of joke.
I ignored the consequences for now.
I looked at her again.
"... Where and what is that place?"
"It's a place called Forest Dreams. The place where you need to be accompanied by a witch to go there. This is actually fortunate because I'm right here~ So, what do you choose?"
To be honest, it was hard for me to choose.
'One question, one answer. I have to risk my life for that to happen. Another thing I'm worried about is that I don't know what kind of place Forest Dreams is. All of these are unfair and not worth the cause.'
I looked back at Selena after many thoughts about the journey.
".. I deeply apologize, but... I want more rewards. If I happen to survive and get my answer, will you give me anything in return?"
She fell silent.
But her lips soon curved into her usual unnatural smile.
"Very well. I will give you what I want to give you."
I raised my brow.
"What..?"
"Don't worry~"
She waved her hands around.
"It's going to be worth it if you come back alive."
She sounded so calm and relax as if she's saying something normal.
I pressed my hand against my head as if I have a headache.
"..What are you going to give me? Please say it specifically."
".. Let's see~"
She put her hand on her chin as she was thinking about the answer to my question.
"Oh! If you manage to survive, I will become your vassal. How is that?"
'Vassal? The same case as Cristo?'
I thought of the prize as it was also something that I want to achieve and Selene would be very useful.
That is to make Selena an underling.
"It's worth for the consequences, right?"
Selena smirked victoriously as I looked at her in disbelief.
"Why though?"
"Well, just because."
"..."
I looked at her with a slight annoyance.
It reminded me of the encounter I have with Azrael before.
"Well then, are you ready?"
My eyes widened.
"What?"
"You're going right now."
I didn't expect to go now since I don't have the time with Althea trying to find me.
"... What about the time--"
"I know and don't worry. If Your Highness spends 1 day in Forest Dreams, then 10 seconds will pass here. Even if you were to spend three weeks there, it only took 3,5 minutes here."
I was bewildered by how space and time work differently.
".. How can I return here?"
"Your Highness can return if Your Highness successfully meets and asked him what Your Highness needs."
I stood in my spot.
I gulped and was almost hesitant to ask more about it.
"If I don't?"
"Death will come for Your Highness."
Selena answered lightly.
With every second I practically felt the rise of my blood pressure, but I knew that this was the least of my worries.
After deciding what I should do, thinking about this Kingdom and my responsibility, I let out a long, heavy sigh.
"... Alright. I am ready."
'If she said were true, I might die there. But I have no intention to die there either. I just hope Azrael and Cristo find me here, or at Forest Dreams, if it's possible.'
After hearing my agreement, Selene snapped her fingers as a magic circle formed below me.
It has a star inside the circle.
"That's all settled now. Enjoy your time at Forest Dreams, Your Highness."
After she said that with a gentle smile, a bright white light enfolded me.
'Now that I think about it, how does Selene did all of this without mana? Does she also have mana? Or it's just pure witchcraft? To be honest, this is scary and impressive.'
After that bright light disappears, it changes my scenery into a forest.
A really beautiful forest.
The sun was bright, the sky was clear, and the breeze that passed the tree was gentle.
However-
The air is different.
Too different from what I imagined and doesn't match the current place I'm in.
There is a smell that bothers me so much that it's too sickening and disturbing, similar to the smell at the Center Directive.
When I slowly turned my gaze downwards, my eyes grew wider.
There was a white patch in the dirt, as an off-white stone.
However, I immediately notice it.
Frightened by the sight, I took in a sudden intake of breath and stumbled backward as my shoulders shook in fear.
'.. Is this.. bones?'
There are a few bones that were scattered on the ground.
I couldn't even recognize if it's the bones of humans or animals.
Fright consumed every cell in my body, swelling them with terror.
I turned my head to look at my surroundings more clearly as I was completely clueless about the place I was sent to.
"... What is this place-- Forest Dreams...?"
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone