Chapter 117 - [Bonus ] Invasive Entity

"Aren't you a little too mature for your age?"

A girl sat in a wheelchair. Her face was a little hazy and could not be clearly seen. But one thing is clear, her long silver hair along with her clothing that doesn't seem to be just a simple patient gown.

"But I think eleven years old is already mature?"

A boy with brown hair sat on the edge of a bench near the girl.

"Ah? Hahaha, of course not."

"Then what age should one be matured?"

"Hm... let's see... I'm not that old so I don't know."

"How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen."

"Umm... is it okay if I ask a personal question?"

"Fufu~ see? Kids your age would just ask right away but okay, as long as I can answer it."

The snow dropped slowly in front of them. Snow mountains on top of land covered in snow were behind the wall of clear pane glasses. In a supposed lobby, only two people sat and looked at this tranquil scene.

"How long have you been in that wheelchair?"

"I don't think that's a personal question because I've been sitting here for as long as I can remember."

"Hm... I'm quite strong, do you want to try standing up? I'll support you."

"Eh...?"

"Ah, is that bad for me to say?"

The girl laughed.

"No, I'm just surprised by your suggestion. But there's no need to be concern about me. Even though I can't move my body, look."

The girl raised her arm but it rather seemed uncanny as if she was just a puppet with string pulled up.

"I thought you can't move your body?" was the boy's first question upon seeing this.

"Yeah, I can't move my body in a traditional way. Must be weird hearing that, right? Truth is, I'm a..."

"Hm?"

The girl suddenly stopped. At first, she didn't move as if time stopped. Before long, she looked around.

"Hello?"

"Teren?"

The girl suddenly spoke differently from before. This did not make the boy confused, what puzzled him was-

"H-how'd you know my name? Except for my father here, no one should know my name."

"Hm? Is this really happening?"

The girl suddenly stood up. Her movements were different from earlier too. The boy was further struck dumbfounded.

"Teren, you're a little boy!? This is you dream, right!?"

"... dream?"

"Of course, you wouldn't know it! Is this one of those weird dreams or... dreams about the past?"

The girl cheerfully went out and looked at the land filled with snow.

"Wow~~! This is creepy, look! Once you look over the edge of the scene, it's just void!"

"W-what are saying? Who are you?... and a dream?"

The boy frowned and began thinking.

"Yeah! But... this doesn't seem to be my body at all." the girl looked around, "I want to see the girl from Teren's past. Mirror... mirror- there! A mirror!"

Spotting a convenient mirror on the wall not far away, the girl began running towards it.

"Let's look who it i-"

"Stop!" 

The boy's voice rang and immediately, the surroundings crumbled akin to ashes taken by the breeze.

"S-so cool and scary! Now, it's just infinite darkness!?" the girl jumped around.

"Who are you?"

Soon, the girl stopped and saw the boy. However, the boy was now taller and looked older. No doubt, it was the present Teren.

"You... turned to normal Teren."

"Yeah, I began lucid dreaming when I became aware that this is a dream."

"Is that how lucid dreaming works?" the girl sat opposite Teren across a table. The furniture came out of nowhere but since this is a dream, the girl didn't question its appearance.

Teren breathed deeply. His troubled face turned milder as he calmed down.

"Who are you and how did you get into my dream?"

"Ah... I'm kind of shy to say who I am right now so I'll just answer the second part." the girl no longer has the long silver hair. Instead, she just became a silhouette as Teren wanted to.

"I recently tamed something called a Spirit last night and got this ability. Hehe... my ability is specifically to enter Teren's, your dream, no one else." the girl continued.

"..."

"I actually don't know what to do. I was skeptical to try it. Unless this is just my dream or I really entered yours! But since that scene earlier, I don't recall, it means this is yours."

"Yeah, it's mine."

"Uh-huh..."

"..."

The silhouette scratched her head. She was unaware that Teren was thinking if his Spirit of Sensitivity was not working in his dream or this invasive entity just have no malice from the start.

"This... this is getting awkward. I don't really know what to do. I just thought I want to enter your dreams and it worked."

While the girl was talking, Teren's frowned deepened. Just now, he used a Spirit of Traveling which would let him teleport. However, he did not. In other words, Spirits don't work in this realm so he wouldn't know if this entity has malice or not.

"I'm surprised." Teren said as if admitting defeat, "I didn't know that there are Spirits which let you enter one's dreams. I don't have a countering Spirit for it."

"Eh? Hahaha, does that mean I gained an advantage without knowing? But don't worry, I don't really mean harm, I just want to talk to you."

"Sure. But know one thing." Teren raised his finger, "I will find you in the real world." his eyes showed conviction, suggesting that he's not lying.

"Ah... now I'm scared of telling my name. Seriously, I don't intend to harm you."

"You would tell me your name if that's true."

"No no! You'll definitely kill me now once you've found me!"

"I guess that's true. So what do you want to talk about?"

"... your shifting of the topic is kinda disturbing but I don't know. I just want to know the life of the man who understands me."

"Hm... I wouldn't talk about my life to an unknown entity to you and I'm sure you wouldn't talk about your life too since I'll use it to pinpoint your identity."

"You revealed my thought, hehe! But that doesn't mean we have nothing to talk about. Let's just talk about something we like and don't like, like that, small talks, nothing personal!"

"I'm waking up." Teren sighed.

"Eh? You can intentionally wake yourself up? Wait!- tsk, no, it's not like you won't eventually sleep again so I'll see you again, Te-"

...

Teren eventually opened his eyes and didn't see the ceiling of the tent but instead a face of another girl.