Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: My Throat's Dry from Eating Only Cake
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When was the last time I came here?
It was before enrolling at Ruidel, so nearly two months ago.
This time, just like before, I was suddenly dragged here without any warning.
‘There has to be some kind of trigger.’
I racked my brain, thinking of common points between then and now.
‘Last time, it was during a holy power treatment, and this time, Mine’s holy power was still lingering in my body.’
That was the only commonality I could think of.
I didn’t know the reason, but whatever triggered me coming here seemed to be holy power—or Mine herself.
But that didn’t explain the time I died to Barhatan.
At that moment, Rene’s voice echoed in my head.
『It’s nothing new, is it? Our meetings have always been sudden.』
She stroked the sheep at her feet as she spoke.
『I didn’t expect these little ones to drop here either. Eight of them? Isn’t that a bit much?』
Even at her joke, my mind was a tangled mess.
『What am I supposed to do with all these?』
This space was still full of mysteries.
Who was Rene, and what exactly was this place?
Especially, why had those sheep suddenly appeared?
I looked around, hoping to glean even a scrap of information, and noticed something different from last time.
‘It’s warm.’
The chill from before was gone, replaced by a cozy warmth, like someone had just started living in a long-abandoned space.
Looking closer, I spotted an old bookshelf next to the throne that hadn’t been there before.
One familiar book caught my eye on the shelf.
[Alan’s Journal]
The contents were identical to the one I’d seen in the Doll Dungeon.
I knew the original had been submitted to the imperial family through Adelin, so why was this here?
Pushing aside my doubts, I picked up another book beside it.
As I flipped through the pages, my eyes stopped on one entry.
[March 3rd, 21:12]
Haribal Belder was struck by [Hundred Knives] in battle against [Boss] Jester - Marias Geren and died.
My brows furrowed.
What was written there was none other than my kill log.
From the very time period erased by Rene’s power, no less.
Rene poked her head out from between the woolly sheep and added,
『Oh, that one’s personally fun to read.』
Other pages detailed my battles with Barhatan, Alan, and Roze & Lirian in full.
‘What the hell is something like this doing here?’
Confused, I shoved the book back.
There were more differences.
Behind the throne, next to Barhatan’s statue, a new statue had appeared: two women seemingly mid-dance.
Probably Roze and Lirian.
Rene’s words from last time came back to me.
『Next time we meet… I hope something fills that spot too. When that happens… maybe I’ll have more to tell you?』
The condition had been met.
No point racking my brain over it—I’d never unravel this space’s secrets that way.
So I asked her directly.
“So… do you have more to tell me now?”
Only then did Rene stop petting the sheep.
『My recovered memories are still incomplete, but it might be a satisfying answer for you right now.』
She flapped her angelic wings, and the sheep bleated in resonance.
『What does this space look like to you?』
“A temple.”
Instant answer.
Altar and throne. No other word fit this place better than temple.
『A temple… not wrong. But I think there’s a better way to put it. Nothing else come to mind?』
‘Not a temple?’
Images flashed through my mind: spaces that looked like temples but weren’t.
No way?
“A… dungeon?”
『Exactly. A dungeon existing within your mindscape. If we had to name it, maybe the Haribal Dungeon?』
Rene spread her arms wide, gesturing to the bizarre space.
I followed her motion and scanned the surroundings again.
No entrance, no exit.
No monsters, no magic.
How could this be a dungeon? It lacked everything a dungeon should have.
『Don’t look at it that way. Dungeons come in all shapes and sizes. You might find one like this if you looked.』
“What does ‘existing in my mindscape’ mean?”
『Just what it sounds like. This place is in your mindscape. Everything here is connected to it.』
Rene snapped her fingers, and a small cheesecake appeared in the air.
It was the one from Cafe de Amang.
She took a bite and smiled in satisfaction.
『Mmm, yeah. This is definitely delicious. My favorite thing here.』
‘It was tasty.’
『Things you strongly imprint in your mindscape seem to accumulate here one by one, like this.』
If her explanation was right, I could guess the origins of the books and sheep.
The books chronicled my strong impressions of ‘deviations from the original story’ and ‘my deaths.’
The sheep were from those I desperately counted before falling asleep.
So, did that mean anything I thought of would appear here?
What if I imagined ultimate gear?
It’d be handy to adapt my body to it in advance.
『Probably won’t work that conveniently. You can’t take items from here outside anyway.』
“‘Probably’? So even you don’t know for sure?”
『I told you. Not all my memories are back. Thanks to you filling that spot, I can piece together the fragments I have.』
Her answer left my questions unresolved.
Fine.
Let’s concede this was my mindscape.
Then what was the point of this space?
Especially since it only existed in my mind.
Sensing my doubt, Rene walked toward Barhatan’s statue.
- Baa!
The eight sheep followed her.
Did they mistake her white wings for their mother’s?
Rene placed her hand on the statue and said,
『If this space has a purpose, maybe it’s something like this?』
As soon as she finished, a black shadow of Barhatan materialized behind me.
It didn’t move, but its presence matched the real thing from back then.
“This is…”
Amazed and caught off guard, I watched as Rene clapped her hands.
Barhatan began to roar.
Kuuooooh——!!
I reached for my sword on instinct, but there was none at my waist.
Did I not value my sword as much as I thought?
Kwaaa!
As the merciless mace came crashing down, I rolled aside to dodge—then Rene clapped again.
Barhatan dissolved into shadow and vanished.
Panting raggedly, I stared at the statue.
『Get it now?』
Yeah. I got it. The meaning of this space.
In the original story, Demon God Dungeons couldn’t be re-entered after clearing.
“You can fight bosses you’ve already beaten again.”
『Of course, they’re not the real ones. Just recreations based on the power and memories recorded here.』
It reminded me of mentally simulating fights during Basic Fitness class.
But way more realistic?
“Any conditions to summon bosses?”
『Who knows. Isn’t your will the condition? As long as you want it, you can call them back endlessly.』
“What do you get out of it?”
『Nothing material—you can’t take it outside. But experiences etched into your soul? That’s different.』
Experience. That one word was enough.
No levels from kills here, but the combat experience soaking into body and mind counted as growth.
Essentially, this place offered infinite experience.
I eyed Barhatan’s statue again.
The despair of our first encounter, the razor-thin victory after two deaths.
How much stronger was I now?
No better stage to test new strategies and probe my body’s limits.
The issue: I couldn’t enter at will.
“Any way to come here when I want?”
『Who knows. To me, you’ve always entered by unlocking the door with a key.』
So I’d been entering myself?
The word “key” inexplicably brought Mine to mind. She was the only one called that in this world.
“What about the first time I came?”
『The empire’s saintess isn’t the only one called a key, you know?』
She meant me.
Come to think of it, I’d been called the second key once.
According to Rene, even without Mine’s help, meeting certain conditions let me enter.
『This is your mindscape space anyway. Why not make an entrance to it if needed?』
“……Yeah, guess I will.”
『So? Satisfied with the answers to your questions? I don’t know how this place was made either. But probably…』
Rene pointed to the empty space beside Roze and Lirian’s statue.
『…once something else goes there, I can tell you more.』
I nodded.
If she said so, what choice did I have?
This was more than enough.
Just one lingering question remained.
If this was my mindscape dungeon, why was there still one unexplained existence?
“Finally… Rene. So what are you?”
Her eyes widened slightly at my question.
“If this is my mindscape dungeon, and things I strongly perceive appear here… why were you here from the start?”
She gave a wry smile and clapped her hands.
In an instant, a familiar woman appeared beside her.
“…So even stuff like this is possible in the mindscape.”
It was Cecilia.
She stood frozen, serious-faced, hand outstretched empty-handed.
Clearly the moment we unleashed Dual Arts together. She was mannequin-still, just like then.
That scene was the deepest memory of her etched in my mindscape.
『To repeat, my memories aren’t whole. So I can only answer that very narrowly.』
“……”
『But one thing’s certain: I’m not here by my own will. I don’t know the details… but I think someone placed me here.』
Her smile looked somehow lonely.
I recalled the core of Cecilia’s nanny ‘Rene’ that she’d given me, and asked.
She’d been reading my mind so far, so this much should convey it.
“Any relation to that nanny?”
『Oh, that’s pure coincidence. Cecilia Ren’s nanny and I are just namesakes. No direct connection.』
“Then…”
『However… from what I know, humans put a lot of thought into naming children. Wishing luck and blessings upon them.』
‘Names carry luck and blessings…’
With that, Rene fell silent.
No point pressing further.
She’d shared everything she knew.
The rest was for me to uncover.
Then, like last time, my vision swirled dizzily.
Time to wake.
『Looks like our meeting ends here.』
Rene’s form faded, the gemstone temple bleaching white like morning sun.
She shed her lonely smile and spoke softly.
『But don’t worry too much. Keep going, and the path will appear someday. It was nice seeing you after so long, Haribal Belder.』
For some reason, an inexplicable question slipped from my lips.
“Anything you’re craving to eat?”
Rene’s eyes went wide, as if she’d never imagined such a question.
She stared blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing—pfft—and slowly replied.
“…My throat’s dry from eating only cake.”
This time, her voice came clearly from her lips.
“Confirmed.”
Amid the flooding light, I returned the words she’d once said to me.
“May your new choices brim with time’s blessings.”
Consciousness faded fast—I didn’t catch her expression.
⁎⁎⁎
I opened my eyes to early morning sunlight filtering through the window.
Aren was slumped asleep at the desk. He hadn’t been out long.
I quietly draped a nearby blanket over his shoulders and sat on the bed.
‘The Haribal Dungeon…’
My thoughts raced.
A dungeon in my mindscape. Who’d have thought that temple was such a place?
Why it took dungeon form was still a mystery. Needed more digging.
To do that, I had to clear the Undead Dungeon ASAP.
But my heart raced for another reason.
‘…This is definitely useful.’
I clenched and unclenched my fist.
A training ground to fight defeated bosses risk-free, honing myself to the limit.
A smile crept onto my lips.
The stalled path to growth was sharpening into focus again.
That was when it happened.
My Abyss Core vibrated with a message.
[Rene]
[Favorability Level: 2]
“?”
Even I hadn’t seen this coming.