Chapter 156: Shattering the Illusion
"Then we'll handle it swiftly."
The attendant said this and departed.
Tina was about to speak up, saying she wanted to meet the suspicious intruder, but Dretsch opened his mouth first.
"Haha. Don't worry too much about it. It's not like this is the first time it's happened. It's all because the princess is so beautiful—nothing to feel bad about as a father."
"……Yes."
"However, it is certainly troublesome if this keeps happening. Well then, now that the empire is stable, I'll look into some suitable marriage prospects."
"……Yes? Father, I'm still……."
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility and find you an excellent candidate. Hmm. I seem to recall hearing good things about the second son of the Denning Duke family."
"Father. But."
"Tistania."
Dretsch's voice lowered slightly, and the air inside the carriage grew heavy.
"You're acting very differently from usual. Since when does my daughter question my words?"
"……I'm sorry, Father."
"Haha. Yes, yes. Be more careful from now on. It's only been a short time since you awoke from that dream, so that's probably why. The pilgrimage will be quite long, so keep your wits about you."
……Is that really all it is? Is she truly just acting abnormally due to the aftereffects of the dream?
If so, how would her normal self have behaved?
"……."
Memories slowly began to surface.
One year ago, a group called the "Wisin" appeared out of nowhere and invaded the Arkram Empire.
They were merciless and overwhelmingly powerful, but humanity's greatest hero, Arkram Dretsch, stepped forward, and the Wisin crumbled without a fight.
A perfect victory. Not a single Wisin survived.
Dretsch became a hero once more, and the gossips claimed that humanity would prosper under Saint King Dretsch for at least a thousand years.
And she, as the daughter of this flawless emperor, had to follow her father's will.
Yes, reality was settling back in. As the empire's princess, she must obey the emperor's commands.
How could she dare raise an objection to Father's words? Why had she done something so foolish?
"It would be good to enjoy some delicacies tonight. Yes! This region is famous for its fish, so steamed fish sounds perfect. What do you think, Princess?"
"As you wish, Father."
"Haha. An excellent answer. As expected of my princess—you're such a good girl. Very well, then……."
A peaceful nation guaranteed prosperity, smiling citizens.
A strict yet benevolent father.
Luxurious, beautiful clothes and all manner of delicacies.
A truly perfect world.
Tina closed her eyes gently, grateful to have been born into such a world.
But.
'Why does it feel so suffocating?'
An inexplicable sense of alienation and discomfort swirled through her body.
And when the attendant reported that the intruder had been chased away, that feeling doubled.
Why on earth?
Tina ended the first day of the king's pilgrimage without resolving that question.
The next day.
Dretsch and Tina boarded the carriage once more and set out on the pilgrimage. As they passed through each city, countless citizens praised Dretsch's achievements.
"Haha. So peaceful. The people's faces are full of smiles."
"It's all thanks to your reign, Father."
"Thank you. Shall we continue yesterday's conversation? About your marriage prospects……."
It was then.
The attendant reported from outside the carriage door.
"Your Majesty. Word has come that yesterday's intruder has appeared again."
"……Again? The same person?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"He hasn't learned his lesson even after being thrashed. What a fool."
Dretsch furrowed his brow slightly, displeased.
"The intruder's skills are quite formidable……."
"Hm. He must have some skill, then. Inform the Royal Guard to handle it. Make sure no more news of this rogue reaches my ears."
"My apologies, Your Majesty. I'll relay the order immediately."
"……."
Upon hearing the attendant's report, something boiled up inside Tina, but she barely managed to suppress it.
And just like the first day, the intruder was turned away without even approaching the carriage.
The next day again.
"Your Majesty. The intruder has struck again……."
"Infuriating. Chase him off at once!"
And the day after that.
"Your Majesty! This time, he got very close……."
"What are the Royal Guard doing?!"
Every day, reports of the intruder's attacks continued, and each time, the emotions building inside Tina grew stronger.
I want to meet that intruder.
A vague sense that meeting him would resolve the suffocation in her heart.
And the next day.
"Your Majesty. I hate to say it, but today as well……."
"You incompetent fools!"
"The intruder's power is so overwhelming……."
"Must I handle this myself?!"
At the report of yet another intrusion, Tina's emotions finally exploded.
"Father."
"Oh dear. I've made a fool of myself in front of the princess. Don't worry too much. That threat to you, I'll handle personally……."
"That's not it."
"……What?"
Dretsch raised an eyebrow at Tina daring to interrupt him.
Tina instinctively shrank back at his demeanor.
Have I lost my mind for a moment? What could I possibly say to Father?
The urge to apologize surged up. And just as her head began to bow reflexively—
"Tina!!!"
A man's shout came from outside the carriage.
The moment she heard that voice, the unpleasant alienation spreading through her body vanished in an instant, and her lowering head stopped.
"……Do you have something to say?"
Dretsch's low, heavy voice.
Terrifying, but Tina bit her lip and suppressed the fear.
She instinctively knew that backing down here would mean she could never escape this alienation.
"Father. I want to meet that intruder."
"……That's going too far with the jokes. I'll pretend I didn't hear that, so wait here."
"No. I'm going."
Tina slowly rose from her seat.
Her legs trembled, but the man's voice calling her from afar gave her the strength to endure.
Dretsch's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How dare you!"
"Tina!"
Dretsch bellowed like thunder, but the man's voice erupting at the same time erased her fear.
As the voice grew closer, other voices became clear as well.
"Tinaaa! Where are you! Come baaack!"
A child's whiny voice.
Hohoho! The dark knight has arrived to kidnap the beautiful princess! Only those who don't value their lives, step forward!
A hearty, friendly grandfather's voice.
And.
"Kyuu kyuu kyuu!"
The moment the very familiar animal cry reached her ears, Tina reflexively walked toward the carriage door.
At that sight, Dretsch's face twisted.
Surprisingly, it wasn't just a grimace—his human face warped into something grotesque, inhuman.
His voice changed too. The low, resonant tone vanished, replaced by a scraping, metallic rasp from Dretsch's mouth.
-Gaaah! You defy me! Everything you enjoy now is what I gave you!
"……."
Tina stared silently at Dretsch without responding.
He looked far more grotesque than the usual Dretsch, but now nothing about him scared her.
-Stay here! Then you can be happy forever! A peaceful world, smiling citizens—isn't that what you wanted most?!
Dretsch's words were right. The reason Tina admired knights was to protect her country with her own strength.
-Want to become a noble knight protecting your lord and people? If you desire it, I'll make it so! You'll be a knight writing legends. Anything else you want, I'll grant it! Just stay here!
Dretsch's voice brimmed with terrifying obsession.
-Just obey me. Think nothing, follow my words, and enjoy eternal happiness! Obey me!
"You might be right, Father."
Before feeling this alienation in her heart, she truly had been happy.
She had even thought of living forever in a world overflowing with smiling citizens.
But.
"Ignoring reality and indulging in false happiness isn't the act of a knight. The Wisin still remain."
-What does it matter! You're a princess, not a knight!
"No. I am a knight."
Before she knew it, Tina's attire had changed.
The princess's ornate dress had vanished completely, replaced by silver armor suited for the battlefield.
"I'm sorry, Father—no, Lord Dretsch."
Tina spoke her final words.
"I am not your doll."
She flung open the carriage door without hesitation.
-Nooooooo!!!
The Dream Demon's illusion shatters!
Tina escaped the Dream Demon's dream.
"Wh-what?!"
Carpe, suddenly ejected from the dream, shouted in confusion.
Tina's dream had been far more difficult than the others'.
Unlike the other retainers, who were doing predictable things in predictable places, Tina's whereabouts had been mysterious from the start.
He'd somehow figured out she was a princess after much searching, but what was this?
Tina was on a pilgrimage, escorted by countless soldiers.
For Carpe, who needed to pull her out of the dream, it was an extremely tricky situation.
He'd tried approaching several times, but the soldiers were numerous and powerful.
He'd failed repeatedly while trying to break through them, and only on the fifth attempt did all the retainers combine forces for a breakthrough!
And when he shouted her name at the top of his lungs near the carriage…….
"Suddenly bounced out of the dream……."
"My lord. Are you alright?"
"Huh?! Tina! You okay?"
Carpe was startled to see Tina speaking casually as if nothing had happened.
"Yes. Thanks to you, my lord, I'm safe."
"Thanks to me? I just called your name?"
"That was decisive for me. As expected of your skill, my lord."
"……What even happened."
At that moment, Cheonma spoke to the bewildered Carpe.
Prepare yourself.
"Huh? For what?"
Dream Demons hate it when their created dreams are destroyed. They see it as a denial of their existence.
Thus, Dream Demons have a habit of trying to erase from the world anyone who escapes their dreams.
In other words.
Boss fight incoming.
Ding.
Mid-level Dream Demon – Keaas is extremely enraged.
Keaas will never forgive you for interfering.
All of Keaas's illusions shatter as Keaas's true body descends into reality!
"……The audacity. Who’s forgiving who here?"
After being scammed on his gacha pulls, this thing dares get angry at him?
Carpe was angrier than ever.
My treasure! My boxes!
And the other retainers felt the same.
"……We must eliminate it."
Ahem. Ahem! Exterminating demons is the law of this world!
"Kyuu?"
Mirage and Gillian had created some deeply embarrassing dark history in the dream.
And the only ones who knew that dark history besides Carpe? Just one.
The Dream Demon!
They couldn't let Keaas live.
Mid-level Dream Demon - Keaas descends!
"Enemy of epic items. Die!"
"I'll kill it! Kill it dead!"
Demon! Take my greatsword!
The moment black smoke before them took form.
Carpe and the two retainers charged like lightning.