Whispers in the Dream

As our carriage moved along, the coachman named Brian started chatting with me so we wouldn’t get bored.

“So you’re the ronin?”

“Just call me Rei.”

“Alright then, Rei. Where are you from?”

“A small village in the east.”

“Wow, you’ve traveled quite far. Are you a hunter?”

Hunter? Maybe I could get some information from him.

“People say that, but I don’t really know what a ‘hunter’ is. I’m just a wanderer.”

“That’s surprising. Well, as you know, there are many cruel bandits and powerful monsters in this world. An organization called the ‘Guild’ was formed to recruit strong people to deal with them. Those people are called ‘Hunters.’ I hear they make a lot of money, especially from monster materials. Even their fur or teeth are valuable.”

“…”

“How much does a hunter usually earn?”

“Hmm… honestly I’m not so sure, but I heard their income depends on their rank. The lowest is Class F, and I think they get around five to ten gold per mission.”

Gold! The most valuable currency here. I could become rich if I became a hunter. But I had to set that aside for now. Finding the Eternal Flower was more important.

The sky grew dark and strong winds blew against the carriage. It looked like rain was coming soon.

“Brian, is there a village nearby where we can stay? It’s getting late, and with the rain coming, we should rest for the night.”

“I understand. Up ahead should be the village of Wampsh. It’s not very big, but I heard they have a good inn.”

“That’s good news. Let’s go there.”

“Haha, alright.”

Brian flicked the reins.

“Hyah!”

The horses neighed and galloped harder. The sound of hooves grew louder, the carriage wheels spun faster.

We arrived at Wampsh just in time before the rain poured down, soaking rooftops and streets. Brian took us to an inn, though he refused when I offered him a room. He chose to stay and guard the carriage instead. But the real problem came after that.

“I’ll sleep with Rin.”

Silva, who had been quiet during the trip, now insisted on keeping Rin with her. I didn’t really mind. Even if she was insane, it was better for two women to share a room. But Rin refused, insisting on staying with me.

“Rin, I know this crazy woman is dangerous, but she’s right this time. Don’t worry, Wufy will stay with you.”

“Woof!”

Rin looked gloomy but obeyed me. Silva, on the other hand, looked delighted, her face shining. I raised my hand at her, signaling that I was watching her.

After that, I went to my room, set my things on the table, and lay on the bed. It was comfortable enough even if not luxurious. I hoped Rin would be fine with that woman.

My thoughts drifted to Baba Laurence’s prophecy about me being involved with the Empire in their war against the Alphenian Kingdom. Should I head to the Empire after this? Do they already know I’m supposed to come? What if they don’t, and treat me as an enemy? Damn it… I don’t know anymore.

The reason I came to this world. The reason I was bound to this katana. The reason the great ronin Miyamoto Musashi vanished mysteriously. There was still so much I didn’t understand about this world. After thinking about it for a long while with no answers, I decided to sleep and hurry to search for the Eternal Flower tomorrow.

I closed my eyes. The sound of the rain faded away. Darkness pulled me into silence.

“Rei…”

That voice…

“Rei…”

It was pitch black. I couldn’t tell where it came from.

“Rei…”

Suddenly, a white light shone. I found myself in a pure white space. I could see my feet stepping on something, but there was no floor beneath me. Was this a dream? It felt too real.

In front of me, a small crack appeared. I could faintly see someone inside, though the image wasn’t clear.

“Come closer…”

“Who are you?”

“Hurry… I don’t have much time.”

I hesitated, but my feet moved on their own, drawn by some unseen force.

Now I could see his face, partly hidden by a cracked mask. As I approached, his eyes glowed gold, showing me fragments of his memories. He was facing King Rapo XI. I saw a terrifying demonic figure, humanoid but massive like a spiked giant. Its head bore two sharp horns, and it was surrounded by monsters with glowing red eyes. The demon’s gaze fell on me, and it grinned menacingly.

“Rei!”

That voice jolted me awake.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Rei! It’s morning! Are you still asleep?”

Morning? Already? That dream felt so short… yet so much time had passed.

“Rei!”

Put that dream aside for now. I rose from bed, walked to the door, and opened it. Rin stood there, looking fresh and lively. Thank goodness she had slept well with Silva.

“What is it, Rin?”

“Nothing… it’s just unusual for you to wake up late.”

“Haha, I guess I was more tired than I realized.”

“I see… oh, the innkeeper has prepared breakfast downstairs. You should wash up first, and don’t push yourself, okay?”

“Eh? Alright.”

Rin smiled, then went down first. I was surprised at her maturity. Where did she learn to speak like that?

As she said, I quickly washed and joined the others at the table. Everyone was already there, including Brian.

“Well, Rei! Did you sleep well last night?”

“Pretty well… though I’m more curious how you manage to sleep so comfortably in a carriage.”

“Hahaha, I’ve been used to it for years!”

I glanced at Silva and Rin. I didn’t know what happened between them, but they looked close now. To someone seeing them for the first time, they might seem like sisters. No, no… Rin mustn’t turn out like that crazy woman.

“Woof!”

“Oh, Wufy, good morning.”

I patted Wufy’s head and started eating the meal prepared for us.

“Brian, how much farther to Mount Kathu?”

“Not too far. By noon we should be there.”

Suddenly, the innkeeper came over.

“Did I hear you talking about Mount Kathu?”