Chapter 115: Encounter (1)
【There’s no real time limit, you know… If it’s nice in there, why not just live in the dream forever?】
‘Ridiculous. That’s never going to happen. But more importantly…’
The clothes were truly strange.
The pants had an odd bulge at the knees, almost like riding attire, but they lacked the elegance of true equestrian wear.
Soft, blue fabric covered his legs, and his top was made of the same material, also blue. A strange metal-like line ran across the middle—something Leopold had never seen or heard of in his world.
But his attire wasn’t the concern.
If this was the dream world Astie was trapped in, he had to find her quickly and bring her back.
He had to find her.
‘This place… is strange.’
Towering buildings, far taller than even the Imperial Palace, lined the streets. Some were simple rectangles, while others were painted in bright colors, unlike anything in Einthafen.
The streets were teeming with people. There were even more than in the heart of the Empire’s busiest capital district, all bustling toward unknown destinations.
On the roads, iron carriages with wheels sped past, moving without horses.
‘Carriages moving without horses…? Is this a land of highly advanced magic? Why is Astie dreaming of such a place?’
Everything was different from Einthafen.
The streets, the clothing, the buildings—nothing was familiar.
Fascinating, yes, but that wasn’t what mattered.
Astie.
Where was Astie?
That was the only thing Leopold cared about.
‘Where should I go?’
He had been dropped into an unfamiliar world with no clue where to begin.
But standing still wouldn’t solve anything.
Leopold decided to walk.
There was a subtle pull, a direction that felt right.
【Don’t worry. You’ll meet naturally.】
Veracien had smirked as she said that.
Leopold didn’t trust demons, let alone succubi, but for now, he had no choice.
After all, if entering a dream was possible, then—
Perhaps Veracien’s words were, too.
***
She—Astrid—had left work early, her mind too clouded to focus.
She hadn’t exactly gotten permission, but she left nonetheless.
Copang Logistics Center was in a remote location, but a taxi to the subway station made getting home easy enough.
‘What do I do? How do I get back? And why am I in Astrid’s body?’
Questions spun in her mind, circling without answers.
In her memories, she had been a man.
That much, at least, was undeniable.
And the world she now lived in wasn’t any different from the one she had known as a man.
Even though those memories had been overlaid with a life as Astrid—a woman—when she really thought about it, she knew. She had been a man.
So why was she back in Astrid’s body?
Why hadn’t she returned as herself?
And why did she retain divine power?
‘Is the real Astrid okay?’
She found herself worrying.
‘Why do I keep thinking about Leopold…?’
She found herself remembering him, again and again.
Nothing made sense.
‘Well, at least I made it back.’
The subway car rattled as it sped along the tracks, its vibrations lulling her into a doze.
She had woken early that morning, so the rhythmic motion made her eyelids grow heavy.
“Mmgh.”
She dozed off, but the station announcement jolted her awake.
Even though it was midday and there weren’t many commuters, there were still enough people in the subway car.
Judging by the stares, her drooling, half-asleep state had made for quite a sight.
Wiping her mouth quickly, she realized she had attracted some attention.
Embarrassed, she wiped her sleeve across her lips and hurried out as soon as the doors opened.
A quick pat of her pockets confirmed she hadn’t left anything behind. Her wallet was still there, and though her phone’s screen was cracked, it was intact.
‘Ugh. Why do I always drool when I sleep…?’
She wiped at her lips again, just in case, as she walked toward the exit gate.
Or rather—
She tried to.
A hand clamped down on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.
“Astie.”
A clear, familiar voice.
Astrid’s entire body stiffened.
That voice—
She knew it better than anyone.
Yet, until just yesterday, she hadn’t even remembered who it belonged to.
She turned.
Golden light.
Beneath that golden glow, a pair of blue eyes shone.
Around them, passersby paused to watch.
“…We should move somewhere quieter.”
He had recognized her instantly.
How could he not?
Leopold had simply followed a feeling, walking blindly wherever his instincts led him.
Despite the strange structures, despite the underground stairway that had seemed so foreign, he had descended without hesitation.
Because he knew.
Because he felt it.
Astie is here.
He couldn’t explain how.
But he knew.
And then—
He found her.
And he understood.
A massive, dull silver carriage—larger than anything Leopold had ever seen—pulled in without a single horse leading it.
The doors swung open, and the moment they did, a woman rushed out.
Even from behind, he knew.
Astie. Astie.
His Astie.
She was there.
No matter how plainly she dressed, no matter how she hid her golden hair under a strangely shaped hat, Leopold recognized her instantly.
That woman was Astrid.
Astie. My Astie.
The moment he reached out and grasped her shoulder, she turned in shock—
And at last, it was her.
***
"Looks like they’ve met."
Veracien smirked as she peered into the crystal orb.
She had been watching Leopold and Astrid’s unconscious forms lying side by side on the bed, but the moment she moved to approach, a warhammer blocked her path.
"Don’t come any closer, demon."
"Oh my, demon? I am a succubus, you know."
Ashray’s scarred nose twitched slightly.
From the very beginning, he hadn’t liked this succubus.
His sister and his brother-in-law were both vulnerable, lost in deep sleep, and he was the only one who could protect them.
Now, with this succubus trying to approach them, Ashray had no choice but to stand guard with his life.
"Succubus or not, you’re still a demon. So don’t come any closer. Who knows what you’ll do."
"I’m not going to do anything. But if I’m going to bring those two back, I’ll need to go in, don’t I?"
"…That’s not what you said before, demon."
Veracien had claimed that once Astrid decided to return, she would wake on her own.
Yet now, she was changing her story. Ashray tightened his grip on the warhammer’s handle.
If anything seemed even slightly off, he would strike immediately.
"Smarter than you look, big guy."
"Stop calling me that."
"Still, aren’t you even a little curious?"
"There’s nothing for me to be curious about."
"Hmm…"
Veracien studied Ashray’s firm expression and let out a knowing chuckle.
She was a succubus, and not just any succubus—one of noble standing.
A creature that seduced, deceived, and led humans astray, feeding on their desires.
"Are you sure there’s nothing you desire? Didn’t you have feelings for your sister?"
"No. I’ve never harbored such emotions."
"Yet… you do seem to have some kind of longing, don’t you?"
"…I have never seen my sister in such a way. She has His Highness. I would never dare."
The more someone spoke, the closer they were to being cornered.
Veracien smirked slightly.
This was getting interesting.
She could tell that something fun was about to unfold.
"Alright, I won’t take another step forward. But think about it carefully. If I wanted to, I could ever so slightly… just a little… make your sister fall for you."
"Don’t be ridiculous. I am a man of House Miterien."
"And what does that have to do with anything?"
Veracien couldn’t understand why House Miterien had anything to do with achieving one’s desires.
Ashray’s words made no sense to her.
"Love is something you must claim for yourself. If a man can’t even fight for his own love, then what kind of man is he?"
Seeing that Veracien had backed off, Ashray lowered his warhammer.
But his guard remained up.
"Besides, isn’t it said that true happiness is being with someone who loves you back? I already have a lady who cares for me. My sister will find her own happiness, and I will find mine."
"…There’s a woman out there who likes you?"
"Stop calling me a big lump already!"
Ashray finally snapped, frustration clear in his voice.