I dreamed again.

  I had a similar dream.

  I dreamed of that grassland.

  The weather was the same as last time.

  However, there was no cloud. It was a clear blue sky. There was no unusual patterned cloud.

  In that dream, I ran, I jumped, and I rolled around.

  After I enjoyed myself to the fullest, I stood up.

  I thought of that rock formation. I thought of that rusted iron sword.

  Thus, I tried to walk to that rock formation.

  However, I was unsure of the direction. I just let my instinct guide me.

  I walked and walked. For how long, I did not know.

  I could not find it.

  After I got tired, at the moment I was about to give up, I spotted a silhouette.

  It was a silhouette of a woman. She was the person I saw last time.

  When I realized that, I ran toward her. However, no matter how long I ran or how fast I sprinted, I could not get close to her. Instead, I got further and further.

  Our distance kept growing.

  Realizing that it was a fruitless effort, I gave up chasing her.

  As I stopped to catch my breath.

  I saw her standing in front of me.

  The distance was shorter than when I was chasing her. Yet, it was far enough that I could not see her face.

  She stood there in silence, looking at me, catching my breath.

  After a while, she said to me.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  Although I should not have heard her at that distance, strangely enough, her voice was clear and loud enough for me to hear.

  It felt like her voice vibrated through me as if she were talking directly to my mind.

  “That was the choice you made. Please don’t regret it.”

  I could feel her sadness hidden in that line.

  Did I make a choice? I did not know. Was she referring to that time I woke up? All I did was sleep, wake up, read a book, and write a diary. After that, I fell into a coma. Yet, she said, I made a choice. It was incomprehensible to me.

  Then, at that moment, I felt like her image changed. It was out of nowhere. I saw her hugging a sword. That was the iron sword I saw. Yet, just a moment ago, I saw her holding nothing. Yet, suddenly, I saw her hugging that sword.

  When I was about to ask her about that sword, she cut me off. “You no longer have to take the test.” I saw her tighten her embrace of that sword.

  Seeing that, I asked her. “What test?” I really did not know what kind of test she was talking about. I really did not understand why I needed to take that test.

  Yet, she did not answer my question. Instead, she turned back to me. "You don't have to know. You are no longer qualified to take the test." Her voice turned cold.

  It sent shivers down my spine. It was a sharp contrast from before. I could not feel her warmth. I could not feel her friendliness.

  All I could feel when looking at her back was indifference.

  It was as if she lost interest in me.

  As our distance grew further and further, I decided to reach out my hand to her. At that time, I could hear her voice in my head, “This is our farewell.”

  Looking at her back, I knew that it was our last meeting. I will never meet her again. Then, I tried to chase her.

  However, I could not.

  The moment I took a step forward, I found myself falling again.

  Everything was falling apart.

  For how long, I wonder, I kept falling in that darkness.

  It was so dark. It was so cold. It was so lonely.

  Then, I began to feel warm. It was the warmth I found solace in.

  I enjoyed that warmth.

  Then, I fall asleep again with that warmth.

  That time, when I woke up, I found that it was night. I could not see any moon. I could not see any stars. It was pitch black.

  I tried to look at the entrance, yet I could not see anything.

  All I could do that night was blankly stare at the empty space until I fell into a coma again.

  And after that time, I no longer dream.

  I could not see that dream again.

  I felt empty whenever I thought about it.

  I never told Duke Raven about it.

  He would tease me again if I told him.

  That was why I tried to distract myself by writing this diary.

  I also tried to read the books.

  The books my helpers prepared for me kept increasing.

  At first, it was only one book. Then, each time I woke up, I found another book neatly placed next to the previous ones.

  They also replenished the writing utensil. It was not fancy. It was just a cheap one, yet I always found it was easy to use.

  I could see that my helper did not have strong financial power. However, they love writing.

  That was why they could find this good piece.

  Yet, they still found their way to prepare it for me.

  It made me want to meet them more and more.

  Who were they? Were they young or old? Was it a man or a woman? Were they tall or short? What kind of books do they like?

  Judging by the genres they prepared for me. They may be a cheerful, lively person, since all the books they prepare are in the comedy or stress-relief genres.

  I really want to meet you, my helper.