Crownblood: Novel's Untold Story-Chapter 30: The Golden Dunes

’Whisper of Lost, huh.’

From its description, I understood it was related to spirits.

How to progress it? I had no idea.

’I can ask Orran.’

But to be honest, I was a little hesitant to rely on him.

I indeed escaped because of his help, but his motives... were really questionable.

’A body, he said...’

With my knowledge of novels, which was aligned with this reality so far, I could find him a body.

But what would he do after gaining that?

’I hope he is not any mastermind planning to destroy the world.’

Because for him to suddenly appear at the same time as when I got into this world was just too much of a coincidence.

Cale had been there for a week... why didn’t he appear before then?

People like him were generally manipulative.

’He said it was my soul.’

What made my soul special? There was nothing like that in the status screen.

’Orran.’

[..]

I tried to call him, but he didn’t answer.

’Is he still fighting Dream Eater?’

After the escape, I hadn’t heard his voice.

And I wasn’t very eager to hear it either.

’But I do hope he comes back.’

He might be dangerous, but his presence could be valuable to me.

Especially his knowledge.

For now, I focused on the bond section on the status screen.

-------------------

[King of Nightmares]

Name: Orran

Fragments for summon: [1000]

Essence: King of Nightmare

Description: Nightmares are where dreams die... and truth surfaces, truth that many fear to acknowledge.

Class: Ocean

[Chalice of Life]

Name: Melissa Arkwright

Fragments for summon: [500]

Essence: Chalice of Life

Description: Behold the Chalice of Life, the promise of eternity, and the price it quietly demands.

Combat level: Awakener

-------------------

When we arrived here, Melissa’s condition was quite unstable.

Right now, she was with our best healer, Eris.

’I will check on her later.’

Once she woke up, we could contact her family and send her on her way.

There was not much information on bonds, just their essence and combat level, and fragments required to summon.

For Orran, I could understand; he was a spirit after all,

but there were fragments to summon Melissa, too.

’Why is that?’

And there was also something like a protagonist trademark [???] too.

I focused on that.

-------------------

[???]

Name: [???]

Fragments for summon: [5000]

Essence: [???]

Description: Then ??? said: [!@#$% You... and... me... always together.]

Combat level: ???

-------------------

A chill ran down my spine as I read that description.

’The hell is that?’

For some reason, it gave an ominous feeling.

And the essence for summoning is even greater than Orran.

I quickly closed the status screen.

An interesting thing was that none of these were there before I arrived in this world.

"Haa..."

I let out a sigh as I submerged my head just a little.

’Just how the hell did I get into this?’

It wasn’t long before I was drinking coffee in my humble apartment.

And before I knew it, I was at the death’s door, then to the other world.

Then all the crazy shit about spirits and dreams.

There were so many unknown things.

According to Rin, Cale left about a month ago.

What did he do this month? Even I didn’t know.

’Something must have happened that led to this chain of events.’

The memories of that month were missing.

What was he even doing in that dangerous place?

My head started to feel dizzy.

"Young master."

The Dream Eater spoke of some trial.

What could that be?

"Young master."

I didn’t know.

I knew nothing. And I didn’t care either.

I was already at my wits’ end.

My eyelids grew heavier.

"Young master."

Something soft touched my head.

I couldn’t hold it anymore.

"I...just... want to... sleep... and..."

Forget about everything.

"...It’s all right. I am here now."

And amidst that warm feeling, I drifted to sleep.

******

"Haa... Haa..."

I felt hot.

My bare feet sank into the golden sand, their soles burning with its intense heat.

In front of me was... sand.

Just sand.

Endless golden sand stretched beyond the horizon.

Heatwaves so strong, I could almost see the air dancing in front of me.

"Haa... Haa..."

The sound of my laboured breathing reached my ears.

I took another step.

Where was I?

A single thought crossed my mind.

Yet, my body didn’t stop.

As if pulled by the string of the unknown, I took another step like a stumbling puppet.

What was I?

What? Where? Why? That was the circle of my thoughts.

Only questions.

And my blank mind was unable to think of any answer.

Yet my body moved again.

Golden dunes rolled endlessly in every direction, glowing under the sun right above my head.

The sky was as blue as it could be.

I continued to walk.

My mind was empty, but it seemed my body knew something.

I was going somewhere. In a specific direction.

I don’t know why.

I needed to be there.

"Gulp..."

An audible gulp. My throat was dry like a vacuum.

The desert wind brushed past my face,

The sun climbed higher.

My shadow stretched thin behind me, then slowly curved, as if bending out of place.

Now and then, a faint mirage shimmered on the horizon: water, shade, a silhouette,

But it dissolved the moment I blinked.

I felt everything, yet nothing felt real.

I felt Like a moving dot in the painting of gold and fire.

Detached from the world, from any form of desire.

Except to reach the end of this journey.

The world around me blurred, edges softening in the heat haze.

I moved on, step by step,

Wandering deeper into the brilliant void of the desert.

Slowly, the sun started to settle down.

A chilly air brushed past my skin.

I knew it, without anyone telling me.

I was getting closer.

"Just hold a little longer, we are almost there."

A voice came from behind,

I didn’t know someone was following me.

"You are doing good."

A soft, feminine voice,

"Orran."

I was not... alone.

And then, I woke up.