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After absorbing the Dream Demon, I freely roamed through Bella’s happy dreams.

Naturally, I came to realize something.

The mansion on the hill where I had entered was a kind of repository, storing Bella’s happy dreams.

Each room in the mansion was one of Bella’s dreams. As I walked down the hallway, bright light seeped out from each room, as radiant as her happiness.

Perhaps the Dream Demon had planned to trap Bella in this mansion.

By merging with the demon, I could understand its plan.

Even now, a sinister energy was rising from beneath the mansion.

The “Hell” that would swallow this mansion was drawing closer.

Wriggle.

I could feel the Dream Demon thrashing inside me.

It must still be resentful of what I did to it, desperately struggling.

Of course, each time, I just pressed it down with “Patience.”

I went through the mansion’s rooms, waking Bella from her dreams.

Bella had been dreaming happily.

In her dreams, she always shone and was beautiful.

And in her happy dreams, Tristan was always there.

In every dream I encountered, she was consistently fond of Tristan.

To some extent, I had expected this.

The protagonist who was supposed to be with her was missing, let alone meeting her.

Meanwhile, her first love, Tristan, was gradually shedding his villainous image.

It was only a matter of time before Tristan’s presence grew in Bella’s heart.

Every time I entered her dreams, I could see how much she liked Tristan.

It hurt.

Knowing her feelings but being unable to accept them myself.

And I was afraid.

Afraid that she might get caught up in the doomed fate destined for Tristan.

I raised my wrist and checked the bracelet.

The red bracelet had long since turned more than half black.

Though time flowed slower in dreams compared to reality, I didn’t have much time left.

The lights in the mansion’s rooms flickered one by one.

Fragments of her memories were being collected one after another, gathering in a single room as I had planned.

And today, finally, all the lights in the mansion went out except for one.

I stopped in front of the door.

The light seeping through the crack was the brightest of all the rooms.

This was the room where all of Bella’s happiness was stored…

I turned the doorknob.

And stepped into her brightest dream.

Pat.

The first thing I felt was warmth.

Somehow, my body felt as light as a feather.

A cozy and snug feeling washed over me, making me drowsy.

It was like basking in the morning sunlight…

“……?”

No. It really was the morning sunlight.

When I opened my eyes to the blinding sunlight, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

I slowly pushed the blanket aside and sat up.

It was a modest bedroom, nothing compared to my room in the Ruelberta Mansion.

The furniture around me was rough, reminiscent of a countryside house.

Swoosh…

Perhaps we were near the beach.

I could hear the sound of waves breaking not far away.

“Hmm…”

This was quite different from the dreams I had entered before.

There wasn’t a single place in her dreams that I didn’t know.

As I was confused by the sudden turn of events, the blanket next to me wriggled.

Then, someone peeked their head out.

“Uung…?”

Her silver hair reflected the morning sunlight, sparkling.

“…Good morning, Tristan.”

It was Bella, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she spoke.

“Yeah…”

“Heehee…”

She smiled brightly.

Her pearly white teeth peeking through her lips were quite cute.

“Haum… I’m a bit tired. Last night was quite intense, wasn’t it?”

“……What?”

Intense what…?

For a moment, I thought I misheard and asked again.

Then, Bella slowly pulled down the blanket she had tightly wrapped around herself.

“Did you like this nightgown that much? I never knew you had such a… beastly side until last night…”

Bella was wearing a sheer nightgown.

Through the nightgown, her fair skin and black lace underwear were clearly visible.

Seeing her blushing face, I wondered if the “intense night” was what I was thinking… but surely not.

“…Stop sleep-talking.”

“Tch… You’re still not falling for it. Last night, there was a storm, and the lightning was so intense. I woke up several times… Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmph… Of course you did. I even wore this kind of outfit, and you didn’t even glance at me before falling asleep…”

“Bella.”

“What? You insensitive jerk.”

“Why am I sleeping with you?”

At my words, Bella looked at me incredulously before bursting into laughter.

“Huhu. Really… You’re the one sleep-talking, aren’t you?”

Bella slowly approached and took my hand.

On our fingers were matching rings.

“We got married, remember?”

*

Outside the window, the vast ocean stretched out.

The smell of the sea wafted in with the wind.

No matter where I looked, there was nothing but the sea.

The house where Bella and I were staying was the only one on a remote island.

Yes. This was a deserted island.

“…You should let go now.”

“No. I won’t let go. Physical touch is essential in a marital relationship.”

“We’re not married.”

“But we’re ‘about to be,’ aren’t we?”

Bella hugged me tightly from behind, refusing to let go.

According to her, we had arrived on this deserted island last night.

We had abandoned our identities and fled to this deserted island, where no one could find us, to hold our “private wedding.”

No. This isn’t some Romeo and Juliet situation… What boldness…

Certainly, being the last remaining dream, it was different from the others.

If the dreams I had experienced so far were about the past, this one was about a possible future.

“Alright. Then let’s have the wedding today.”

“On this deserted island?”

“What’s wrong with that? We both like each other, don’t we?”

Bella rubbed her cheek against my back as she spoke.

It might have been my imagination, but Bella seemed bolder than usual.

No… perhaps she had dreamed of such a future.

“Let go for now. If you don’t, I’ll—”

“Ah…! Just try turning around! I’m still in my nightgown, you jerk!”

You said physical touch between spouses is fine, didn’t you? I wanted to retort but held back.

I knew there was no point in arguing over something like this.

Of course, it wasn’t because the sensation of her pressing against my back was distracting me.

By the way, the more I looked, the more modest the house seemed.

The two-person wooden dining table in the kitchen-living room, the dusty fireplace, and the old dishes. Everything was so ordinary, completely unbefitting of nobility.

“Bella… Did you plan to live here with me if we got married?”

“Of course. We’ve already abandoned our families. Going back would mean disownment. Even if it’s not disownment, it would greatly damage the Izakhel family’s reputation. It’s much better to disappear like this with you.”

Bella’s voice sounded a bit bitter, though I couldn’t see her face.

To her, the Izakhel family was synonymous with honor. Abandoning the family meant giving up everything she had.

“Hmph. I’ve already made up my mind. You just have to take responsibility for me.”

“…I can’t.”

“Huh? What did you say? Ah…! Wait! That’s unfair!”

Taking advantage of Bella’s loosened grip, I escaped her embrace.

I quickly draped the cardigan I was wearing over her shoulders and spoke.

“Listen carefully, Bella. I can’t marry you.”

“…Huh?”

Bella’s face froze.

It pained me, but there was no other way.

I had to wake her up.

Her trembling eyes asked me.

“Why…?”

“Think about it. This is your dream. It’s not reality.”

I explained as calmly as possible, trying to minimize the shock.

“…Ah.”

Bella let out a short sigh.

But contrary to my expectations, Bella calmly muttered.

“I knew it… Of course, something like this wouldn’t happen in reality…”

Bella, who had been so happy just moments ago, realized it was all a dream and entered a lucid dream state.

Even for Bella, it was inevitable to feel drained as she slumped into a chair by the dining table.

“Now I remember… Everything from the ball until now was just a dream…”

Not everything, though.

Some of it was based on her past experiences, with only Tristan’s actions altered.

Realizing it was all a dream, Bella looked somewhat empty.

“That’s right. It’s all a dream. It’s better for you to forget it quickly.”

Most of her happy memories were with Tristan. It’s unfortunate, but it’s better to just forget them.

I was about to plan how to escape this dream with her when…

“…Wait a minute, Count.”

“What is it?”

“You said this is my dream, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then… just for today…”

Bella hesitated, looking up at me with pleading eyes.

“Could you just play along with my dream for today?”

 

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