Dreamland's Clearance Conditions
I'd half-expected the conditions for clearing Dreamland to involve Donnesia somehow. The first was avoiding the bad ending, the second was awakening her special stat. So the hidden third condition was probably escorting her back to the Logres Ducal Estate.
That was going to be my plan—to wrap things up by taking her there. But now it looks like I don't need to.
I wasn't worried. Even if Donnesia headed to the Logres Ducal Estate alone right now, there wouldn't be any issues. She's stronger than me at this point, with two irregular spirits under her command.
Sanco is powerful enough to call it Donnesia's exclusive skill. And Rosidante might be a scaredy-cat, but it's a top-grade spirit with every element at its disposal.
Even if my stats put me at level 40, without sword aura to take down spirits, I couldn't beat her. That's how ridiculously strong she's become.
Plus, the enemies on the road to the Logres Ducal Estate are only levels 10 to 20—not very tough—and there are no gimmicks like that cursed magic stone necklace to screw her over. So yeah, she has no real threats left.
But...
I stared at the last part of the notification window. This world had veered slightly away from the DLC path.
I remembered the Dawn Star Academia DLC as an IF story the developers released later: "What if there was no heroine?"
I played it once, and to sum it up in one word: Fucked.
The male leads never rallied around the heroine as their focal point, and without her genius talent for resolving incidents, all the events the protagonist fixed in the main story piled up unresolved, leading to the world's destruction in a grim tale.
That's why I keep saying the protagonist is crucial. In short, this world is locked into a bad ending. Fucking bullshit.
I thought saving Donnesia had fixed it, but that "slightly" deviated line nagged at me. If we'd fully escaped it, great—but "slightly"?
To avoid the DLC story, you need the protagonist. But Donnesia dodged the bad ending. Meaning the DLC condition—the protagonist's presence—is resolved... right?
Yet it's only "slightly" off? Doesn't that mean the screwing over of Donnesia isn't done yet?
She's untouchable for the early game now, but the academy's late-game final boss fights—who knows what bullshit awaits there.
My plan was to hole up in the north, letting the academy kids handle it while I chill. And another issue: Ian doesn't even appear in the game, so I'm not sure if I can even go to the academy.
Fuck, nothing's going right.
"You okay?"
As I clutched my helmet like my head hurt, Donnesia approached with a worried tone.
Oh yeah, there's the issue with this girl too.
Dreamland cleared means everything resets to normal. In other words, we're parting ways here.
I hadn't noticed on the way in, but this dungeon was pretty long. We had plenty of time to chat on the walk out.
Donnesia chattered happily about her friends back home—stories of a reckless young noble lady from her childhood. It didn't take long to realize she was that lady.
I listened, all while mentally rehearsing farewell lines, scrapping them, and starting over.
Of course, it wouldn't be forever—she'd definitely end up at the Logres Ducal Estate. But to her, it would feel eternal.
The one there would be Ian, not Quixote. And that knight would break his promise to see her to her destination.
How do I explain the Northern Duke's son, who should be far north, suddenly being here? She wouldn't buy it.
So let's say it was the wandering knight Don Quixote who saved her, not Ian de Logres.
At least we'd only known each other a day or two, and I'm the lunatic who challenged a goblin to a duel. She thinks so too.
With such a short connection, parting shouldn't be too hard.
You're not leaving, right, mister?
"Anyway,"
Her stories kept going until the entrance came into view up ahead.
The moment we pass it, I'd revert to Ian de Logres, second son of the Logres family, and Donnesia would be alone again, trudging north.
Whether she knew it or not, she didn't stop talking the whole way out.
"Um..."
"I've decided."
I was about to give my farewell right before stepping out, but she cut me off, smiling as she looked my way.
"You're a knight, right?"
I nodded.
"Even if you take me all the way, you won't have anything after that anyway."
Take me all the way. The words tugged at me, but I kept a straight face and nodded.
"So I'll hire you."
"What?"
"As my knight. You don't have anywhere to go, right?"
Her offer made me snort in disbelief. The future adopted daughter of Logres hiring the actual Logres son as her knight? What a joke.
Still, not a bad deal. If this weren't Dreamland, it might even be fun.
"Sorry, no charity work."
"Hmph, can't even talk nice. You'll regret it later!"
She puffed her cheeks like a capybara, and I nearly cracked up.
Just steps from the entrance, I stopped.
"Mister?"
"Dorothy."
"Why the sudden serious face?"
I silently placed my helmet on her head as she turned.
The helmet's view outside would be narrow. Without system effects, it'd look that way to her—and she wouldn't see me vanish.
"Hey, that's yours! What're you doing giving it to me?"
"Just keep walking forward. Don't look back."
"Why? What's behind?"
Relax. There's nothing behind you.
"Nothing."
There never was. The mad wandering knight Don Quixote who saved you was never here to begin with.
Yeah, that's it. A dream encounter we'd never have had without the Dreamland Invitation.
So just keep going forward. Don't look back.
I pushed her back gently—but maybe too hard?
"Hey, why push... me?"
She yelped and turned naturally, her eyes locking on my face.
The slit's narrow; how'd she see? I hadn't meant to show it.
Too late—I'd revealed my face.
But I felt it was cowardly otherwise. Hiding my face and vanishing like it was nothing.
Even if it was a Dreamland fluke. Even knowing we'd meet again someday.
Just sneaking off because I might not keep my promise—and hating to see her mad about it—that's not knightly.
Deep down, maybe I wanted her to turn.
Silence hung for a moment.
"Mister, you're scarier-looking than I thought."
She spoke first.
"I get that a lot."
"Is that why you hide your face?"
I nodded silently. Then—pfft!—she burst into a grin.
"You've got a cute side, mister."
"First time I've heard that."
Did she sense the mood? We were steps from the exit, but her feet stayed planted.
"Mister."
"Yeah."
"You're hiding something from me, right?"
Her face hardened slightly. Seeing it, I said,
"Sorry, but I can't keep that promise."
"Huh?"
I pushed her back as she stared in confusion.
Her foot crossed the dungeon shadow into sunlight.
"Mister?"
"Sorry, Donnesia."
I apologized again, calling her real name—the one I'd pretended not to know.
Hearing it made her eyes widen in shock. As she panicked, I tried to give her my real name.
But.
It didn't reach her. Time cruelly declared we'd had enough—my vision went black.
You have cleared Dreamland!
You have successfully altered the past—5 years ago!
As my vision cleared, I found myself back in my room at the Logres Ducal Estate—the exact spot where I'd torn the ticket.
"Should've given a proper goodbye."
I'd see her soon enough, but she wouldn't remember.
The Logres Ducal Estate had Ian de Logres, not the mad wandering knight Don Quixote.
With a bitter expression, I glanced around.
It'd been at least two days since I tore the ticket... right?
Something felt off. It was too quiet.
No mess from a search, no investigators. Even for a second son—not the heir—two days missing should cause a stir.
Face full of confusion, I opened the door.
My body froze.
"You're already inside, Ian."
And there, right in front of my door,
"Ian, I came by because I had some business today."
was the protagonist herself, Donnesia.