Chapter 83: Riven and the Town of Nightmares

I managed to talk my way through it, but now what?

"Uwaaaaah!"

She was crying her heart out against my chest, as defenseless as could be. What on earth happened? From what I knew of her, she seemed like the type who could swallow most things without breaking down. Was she really pushed this far? If so, I must have arrived just in time.

"...Guess I should be grateful."

I muttered under my breath. Did Rosalind know this would happen? She’d probably be smiling in satisfaction if she saw it.

Should I ask what happened? No—that would only wound her further. What matters now is making sure she sees me as someone she can trust. After all, for her to say something like that, this dream must be unbearable.

"That’s enough crying. Let’s figure out a way to get out of this dream."

"...Uuuh. You don’t know how?"

"Right. From what I’ve heard, to wake up, we need to wake up the person who created this dream."

Since we’re sharing this state, that means there has to be another human at the center of it. If we wake them, we’ll wake too—or at least, that’s what Rosalind says.

"I already have an idea of who made this dream. Let’s go find them."

"Find them… you mean, walking around? Outside?"

"Yeah, that’s the plan. What’s wrong?"

The moment I said "outside," Charlotte’s whole demeanor changed. Her face went pale, her hands trembling. She was terrified.

"—Don’t worry. I’ll protect you."

I wasn’t sure what the right thing to do in situations like this was. But I remembered Rosalind calming me when I was terrified of the dark long ago—placing her hand on my head and smiling softly. I did the same now. I wonder—did I pull it off?

"Ah…"

Some color returned to her face. A faint blush warmed her cheeks.

"Stay behind me. Whoever or whatever shows up, I won’t let it reach you."

"B-but…"

"Trust me. I’m on your side. Or… don’t you believe in my strength?"

I let the last words carry a hint of a joke. It seemed to work.

"...All right. Please… I’ll rely on you."

She didn’t laugh it off. Instead, she nodded and clung to the back of my clothes like she was holding onto a lifeline. She must be really close to breaking down.

"Got it. But just in case, let me confirm something. Are you okay? If anything’s wrong, tell me right away."

When I pressed her, she hesitated. Why?

"Could you…"

"Could I?"

"Could you say it one more time? That you won’t betray me. That you’re on my side."

So she’s still anxious. If that’s all it takes, I’ll say it as many times as needed.

"I’ll say it a hundred times if you want. I’m on your side."

"You’re not just saying that, right?"

"Of course not. Want me to pinch your cheek so you’ll know it’s real?"

"N-no thanks. That sounds more painful than doing it myself."

She pulled back a little at that. But the fact she still clutched my clothes meant she wasn’t running. Still, I’d been careless. If I’d spooked her enough to bolt, it would’ve been bad. I should avoid joking too much.

…What is this feeling? Maybe it’s inappropriate, but part of me is actually glad for this situation.

As far as I’d explored in this dream so far, there was no one else here but Charlotte. Maybe that’s why I didn’t feel much tension. I’d just run through the streets and followed the sound of voices until I reached this place. That’s all.

Wait. Voices?

"...Charlotte."

"Yes?"

"Crouch."

"Huh?"

I drew my blade and swept it around in a wide arc as I spun. I hadn’t sensed anything. It was pure instinct.

The blade passed just above Charlotte’s head—she barely managed to duck in time—and though nothing was visible, I felt the distinct resistance of something being struck.

"What the hell are these things?"

Keeping their presence hidden, the things had turned invisible. Their twisted shapes looked like someone had tried to sculpt a human out of clay and failed. Their half-transparent bodies, clouded in a murky blue-green, were like the surface of a filthy pond.

I’d definitely felt the blade bite into them, but the cut surfaces writhed and instantly fused back together. They were almost amorphous in nature.

"Hhh…!"

The moment she saw them, Charlotte’s whole expression changed. Fear spread across her face. So—they’re the cause of this.

"Charlotte! We’re running outside!"

"H-h-hii!"

Even with my shout, she froze and didn’t react.

"…Then follow me!"

"Ah—!"

With no other choice, I grabbed her arm and pulled her along. She stumbled, nearly tripping, but somehow kept moving.

When we burst out of the shop, a staggering sight unfolded before us.

Looking to the right, looking to the left—it was the same. They were even on the rooftops. Looking up made no difference either.

"…Yeah. This is a nightmare, all right."

The humanoid figures from inside the shop were outside too. And there were countless of them.

"No… stop! Stop it! It’s not like that! It’s not like that!"

"Charlotte!?"

The moment she saw them, Charlotte clutched her ears and crouched on the spot. In my rush, my grip slipped from her arm.

What’s going on? Ears? Is she hearing something I can’t?

I glanced around again. The things didn’t seem to be attacking right away. They just held a fixed distance, slowly encircling us.

What should I do? What’s the right move here? What’s my role?

"Charlotte!"

"I—I don’t want to!"

I seized her arm again and pulled her hands away from her ears so she could hear me. She resisted with everything she had, but the difference in our strength was obvious. Restraining her wasn’t difficult.

"Listen to me, Charlotte. Hear my voice!"

Our eyes met—those frightened eyes, overflowing with crushing anxiety. I was the only one here who could reach her.

"…The reason I came to this town was because, when I heard about the adventurer’s trade, I felt a spark of admiration."

"Eh?"

The words tumbled out—random, irrelevant self-disclosure. Of course she’d answer with a confused "Eh?" But since I’d said it, there was no taking it back. And confusion means curiosity, doesn’t it? That curiosity could pull her out of her spiral.

"I’ve told you I’m royalty, haven’t I? Honestly, I’ve thought more than once about throwing that seat away and running."

"Um, what are you even—"

"The truth is, I’m a coward. Acting confident is just a duty I force on myself. If I could run, I’d have run already."

Her terror-stricken face shifted to baffled incomprehension. Perfect. A faint smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

"Charlotte."

"Y-yes."

"Listen only to my voice."

That should be enough.

I tightened my grip on my sword and turned back toward the mass of figures.

"I’ll keep talking—as much as you need, even if it’s meaningless nonsense. So don’t listen to the noise. Focus on me, on our conversation."

That way, she wouldn’t have to hear what she dreaded.

"...You’re not running now?"

"Now? No, I’m not running."

"Aren’t you… scared?"

"Scared, huh? Hmm… yeah, I guess I am. There’s no such thing as a fight that isn’t scary, big or small."

She was engaging in conversation. Good. That was progress.

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"By now, you already saw me looking pathetic during the auction, didn’t you?"

"Don’t say it so confidently."

A laugh slipped into her voice. Exactly what I wanted.

I adjusted my grip on the sword, scanning the area, weighing which direction offered the best chance to break through.

"Like I said, I’m not running. You’re my important… comrade. I won’t abandon you."

"...Ahaha. Is that supposed to be a pick-up line?"

"—What if I said yes?"

The tone was light, teasing. Like chatting casually over drinks after a dungeon run—relaxed, easygoing, letting words flow naturally.

Alright, direction decided. Now I just need to figure out how to cut through while keeping her safe—

Wait. No response.

I turned to look.

"Hey, what’s wrong?"

"………Huh?"

There she was, Charlotte, her face flushed bright red.

"N-no, that was a joke, right? I get it, really. I just… got a little surprised, that’s all. You see, Riven… you didn’t seem like the type to say things like that."

Her words tumbled out in a rush, almost tripping over themselves.

How should I respond? No—better to think positively. She clearly doesn’t have the room in her mind to worry about anything else right now.

"Charlotte."

"Yes!"

"Stay behind me. We’re breaking through."

Right now, forcing our way past this horde of humanoids shouldn’t be a problem. I couldn’t waste the opening.

"Keep your speed steady, but push with everything you have. I’ll match you."

"Eh? Y-yes!"

"Let’s go."

With that signal, we charged into the crowd of twisted figures.