Shared Dreams of Calamity

Sshwaaaak...!!

As the subspace vanished and they returned to the world amid a blaze of light, Bilsang looked at him with worried eyes.

"You're awake?"

"What about Norpa...?"

"Don't worry. He regained consciousness a bit earlier than you."

Fortunately, after some time had passed, Norpa Jeran had also awakened. He looked a little fatigued, but he had already risen to his feet.

"Are you alright?"

"...It was a strange experience, but I'm fine. What about you? I was worried—you were out cold for quite a while."

Norpa asked in a parched voice.

"Yes. It wasn't so much losing consciousness as taking a brief dip into the abyss. No need to worry."

"Hrm. I don't know what happened, but... something definitely feels different."

"And you, Norpa?"

Unlike with Rerto Karen, Norpa—who shared the same link—had also blacked out during the process of summoning the memory fragment.

"I had a dream."

"A dream?"

He furrowed his brow slightly at the unexpected answer.

'Can an NPC even dream?'

If it was just some programmed event, maybe... But the Memory Keeper title he possessed was something even he hadn't fully unraveled, so questions were inevitable.

"What kind of dream?"

"Well, it wasn't a pleasant one. A dream of the tower, after all."

"Hrm..."

The link between his memory and Norpa's was, as expected, the Destroyer. They had likely relived each other's memories of the Destroyer while summoning the fragment. If his own memory of the Destroyer was from the final battlefield, Norpa's would be from witnessing it in the tower.

"Bilsang, could you give us the room for a bit?"

"Understood."

Once Bilsang stepped out, Norpa spoke to him with a troubled expression.

"It was a horrific dream. Shameful, in a way... In my memory, the calamity on the tower's upper levels was sealed away. But in the dream, it broke free, passed right by us, and escaped the tower."

"...The seal?"

"All those artisans and seers there... They were paralyzed with fear, unable to do a thing but watch it leave."

Norpa Jeran's shoulders trembled like aspen leaves as he continued.

"..."

It was just like the scene from his own dream encounter with it.

'Not just my dream—his has changed too. Maybe his was close to a future vision as well. Up until then, he wouldn't have seen the seal break as it fled the tower... My memory must have influenced his dream.'

It was as if the two of them had shared one continuous dream.

'No—three?'

His own memory had been forcibly altered by external intervention from the Destroyer, with him not even as the protagonist.

But a question lingered. Why hadn't Rerto Karen shared a connected dream like this, even though he'd dreamed a future vision?

'Is there some difference between players and NPCs that I don't know about...?'

"You knew about the calamity, didn't you?"

Norpa Jeran asked as he pondered.

He nodded slowly.

"Humans were the only race never invited to the tower... And yet, they're the ones who know the calamity best of all."

He let out a low sigh.

"I don't know everything either. All I know is that the challenge your people faced in the past remains unresolved, carrying on to this day."

"Hrm."

Norpa Jeran stared blankly at the compass on the workshop table.

"Now, among the living, almost no one knows about the tower and the calamity."

He nodded in agreement.

'True. Even when I lived as Kal Hendrik in the dream, no one knew about the calamity until the oracle came.'

They'd tried preparing across multiple loops after that, but no matter how loudly they shouted about the future calamity, people couldn't grasp it easily.

'Meeting Norpa Jeran and learning of the tower's existence is the unique turning point I couldn't achieve in the dream—a stroke of luck for me.'

All this was possible because he was a free player, not the king of the Iron Kingdom. Starting as a kingdom's ruler offered much, but came with heavy constraints. As a player, he could gather allies to prepare for the calamity's future, unlike before.

"That's why I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠need your strength."

"Well... I don't know what help I can offer. I'm just the one who fled without even enduring the lower levels."

Norpa shook his head.

"Fleeing requires the will to survive. Me...? I couldn't even manage that."

"Hrm, is that from your dream?"

An NPC like him couldn't know about the real-world dreams he'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had.

"You could say that."

He gave a wry smile as he spoke.

"I've gotten permission from Duke Jahal for the Muhal fief. The official declaration as a private territory will come later, but to give people a place to live, I need the dwarves' help rebuilding Muhal."

With ties already forged to House Jahal, and no other dukes starting a war over just Muhal, immediate danger was off the table.

He planned to restore Muhal as much as possible in the given time.

"Why not gather the dwarves still in the duchy and build a new workshop in Muhal? I'll procure any materials needed from Obela."

"Bilsang mentioned there are many dwarves not affiliated with any ducal house... It shouldn't be too hard. But will the other ducal houses just sit by if we open a new workshop?"

He nodded, acknowledging the concern.

"For now, we'll back it with House Jahal to establish Muhal. But we can't fully affiliate with them. We'll offer some benefits, then play the three dukes against each other once self-sufficiency arrives."

"I'm worried we can survive in their crossfire."

"Have confidence. Dwarves have always been equals in the duchy, providing magitech engineering—not their property."

"But we can't deny the duchies took in the survivors of our fallen dwarf kingdom."

"Exactly."

He told him plainly.

"That's why, when I take the duchy, I'll try to minimize harm to its people."

"...Huh?"

"It's the bare minimum mercy a new lord can show."

Norpa realized he wasn't joking and swallowed dryly without thinking.

"...Show me something credible first. Pretend I didn't hear that."

"Of course. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so for now, I'll leave Muhal in your hands. Red Sickle will stay by your side—no need to worry."

"Hrm."

Norpa nodded at his words.

"Hm?"

He read the unexpected quest notification.

'A dedicated corps... A new magitech unit that hasn't appeared before?'

It was an enticing offer. Each of the three ducal houses' special units rivaled several knight orders combined. The power of a new one led by Norpa needed no explanation—it would be immense.

'Lucky break.'

To outsiders, basing in Muhal amid ducal houses and two of the Eight Great Clans gunning for him might look suicidal. But by using the dwarves—untouchable even by dukes and clans alike—as a shield, he could protect it.

'Plus, with Obela supplies via Norpa, I can clear the enemy tomb quest too.'

But it wouldn't be easy. Base city grades started at outpost, then village, small city, keep, fortress, castle—five tiers total.

'Keep is third. Normally takes months to a year...'

To grow without invasion in that time, he'd need factors to accelerate Muhal's growth and defenses.

'Relying on Obela alone might fall short for powering Muhal.'

He thought he should arrange a meeting with Yukdo Clan's Kwak Yeon soon.

'House Jahal needs players with the Eight Great Clans absent. Even ranked fifth domestically, Yukdo's potential is nothing to scoff at.'

And if Muak Clan cleared the Prispel quest and relocated to Muhal, they could form a force rivaling any Great Clan.

'Gotta head to the Deus Union sometime.'

Not just Muak—he needed to meet the three at the Huanrok Altar too.

"Ahem."

That's when Norpa Jeran cleared his throat, interrupting his thoughts.

"If I can have a workshop thanks to you, it's not a bad deal. Let's see what I can do. As for going to the mines with Bilsang, it was to find refining stones needed for the new axis using spider silk from the Myocheon Mahwi."

"Ah...!"

"Thanks to that, we've fixed the compass somewhat... Before the dream, I didn't know your connection to the calamity, but now I think you should be the one to use it."

He looked at the compass Norpa indicated on the table.

'As expected.'

He confirmed the description had updated with the partial repair. Question marks had filled in somewhat, but the final material remained unknown.

Kirrik—kirrik—

Unlike before, the compass needle now pointed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠firmly in one direction.

'So it is usable like this.'

He was curious where it pointed, but knew now wasn't the time.

'As the description says, it'll differ from a perfect fix. No point activating the item yet.'

Some items became one-use after activation.

'If the method's unclear, better wait until full repair.'

He stowed the compass in his inventory.

"For the final repair, we'll probably need a gnome artisan. The direction's right, but refining the needle's tip is key to opening the tower's door."

"I see. But with the Gnome Kingdom gone, how do we find one? No gnomes left in the human world like dwarves..."

"Hrm... Not necessarily."

"Pardon?"

"Even in ancient times, they hid themselves away. The kingdom's fall is just rumor—no one's confirmed it."

He listened intently.

"Do you know something about the Gnome Kingdom?"

"I told you—they hid even back then. I don't know much myself, but don't write it off ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as gone. Better to search."

His answer was a bit disappointing. Norpa Jeran, having experienced the tower, was no ordinary NPC.

'Well, getting Torong and fixing the compass is value enough...'

He'd hoped for more info.

"Do you know gnomes have a special knack for gemcrafting?"

"Yes. Gems they craft hold power—magical engravings, right?"

"Yes. But the gems they use aren't simple attribute stones mined like ours."

"Then...?"

"Special gems cultivated by fairies."

He caught Norpa's intent immediately.

"To find gnomes, follow the fairies' trail."

"Exactly. Though meeting the Fairy King is as tough as finding the Gnome Kingdom."

"The Fairy Kingdom..."

Knock-knock-knock.

"It's me."

Red Sickle's voice from outside.

"What is it?"

"A letter from Hamma. Seems urgent—I should deliver it."

"Hm...?"

He unfolded the note handed over. It held just one short line.

But that was enough. More than enough, even.

"Perfect timing."

A smile tugged at his lips as he read it.

"Luck's on our side."

Not just because of the Torong Clan in Muhama Plateau.

'The Fairy Kingdom, like the Gnome Kingdom, eluded me across dream loops. But unlike the gnomes, there's one difference.'

Earlier, chatting with Isabel Silver and Namgung Yun about jobs, she'd known about Mystic Seeker, one of the three hidden Pathfinder classes. She'd found its info in the forest library Geshutalt.

The repository of knowledge built by Fairy King Mirage.

It was in Muhama Plateau.