Once again…
For the young girl, this was yet another time…
That same sensation—cold.
A bone-deep, soul-piercing chill that made her entire being shudder.
And with it, that feeling of floating, adrift in an endless, white void.
Silent. Empty. Cold. Alone.
Last time, before stepping into this dream, at least…..
At least she had been in her sister's arms.
At least there had been warmth.
A place to lean on. A reason to keep going.
But now?
There were no arms around her.
No warmth.
Only an emptiness, quietly blooming in her heart.
So she let it be.
Let her body drift aimlessly through this dreamscape, like a leaf falling with no wind, like a soul untethered.
She thought it would remain like that forever.
Until—
A faint tremor rippled through the space.
The dreamworld around her quivered, as if the veil of reality had been pulled aside.
The infinite void began to waver, strange ripples echoing back into her mind.
A familiar feeling—far too familiar.
Just like last time.
Just like the moment she had touched that strange orb.
Back then, and now—
Her consciousness, already faint, grew even more blurry.
Gradually… dissolving into nothingness.
"..."
....
A brilliant sun hung suspended in the deep blue sky, gently casting its light upon the world below, indifferent yet tender.
The sunlight, radiant but not harsh, warm yet gentle—
Seemed to stroke the world with fingers woven of gold.
Each ray quietly etched a golden shimmer across the pavement, heating the black asphalt with a mischievous glow.
And not just that—
The light reflected off tall buildings clad in glass, panes so clear they mirrored the sky, catching the sun and returning it as glimmers of gold.
From afar, the entire area seemed wrapped in a metallic light, fresh, modern, yet intricate
As if a world suspended between reality and a dream, sculpted by human hands.
And amidst that scenery—
A faint figure of a girl stood there, dreamy and dazed, as if not yet fully awakened from a long, endless slumber.
In her subconscious, the space she had just been in had been a void—silent, cold, and empty.
But now—
The girl flinched.
A gentle warmth touched her pale skin, like sunlight whispering life back into a tired soul.
That warmth, from the fragile sunrays, slowly seeped into her frozen body.
And more than that—
There was wind.
Not the piercing gusts from frozen wastelands, but a soft, refreshing breeze, brushing against her, teasing her hair into a quiet dance.
Then, into her ears came sounds.
Not howling winds, not roars of beasts.
But a strange harmony—chaotic yet vibrant, echoing from every direction.
And so, the girl slowly opened her eyes in confusion.
Sunlight flared, forcing her to squint and rub them gently as her jade-green pupils adjusted.
And at that very moment—
Her dreamy gaze suddenly sharpened.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"This… this is…" she murmured, voice trembling as if questioning her own senses.
Where she stood—Was just like that dream she had last time—
A place where "beasts" clad in glossy armor, raced across black roads at terrifying speeds.
A place where towering buildings pierced the skies, as if trying to stab through clouds.
A place filled with dazzling lights and unfamiliar sounds, from objects she couldn't even name.
And a place...where strange people dressed in bizarre clothing, holding glowing devices, slid their fingers across them as though casting some kind of spell.
The maiden stood there, dazed, her eyes still wide with disbelief in this unfamiliar world.
Then, as if snapping back to herself, she instinctively drew a deep breath, then patted both cheeks in an attempt to regain clarity.
And at that very moment, Kyouno froze in shock—
"Um... that kind of... hurt?!"
Kyouno halted.
Huh?
She... could feel pain?
In a dream?
No... that couldn't be. That made no sense.
Wasn't it said that:
When you're inside a dream, your body doesn't feel real pain or physical sensation anymore?
Finding it absurd to the point of frustration, Kyouno furrowed her brows, then decisively raised her hand—
"Smack!"
A sharp slap landed squarely on her left cheek.
"!!!"
She stood frozen.
This time, unmistakably, a stinging pain, vivid down to every cell, spread from her cheek.
Not an illusion. Not a figment of her imagination.
It was real.
Kyouno's body stiffened, her mind blank.
She couldn't comprehend what was happening.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from ahead, pulling her back to the moment.
She looked up.
A group of weird-looking people was walking toward her, chatting animatedly, right in her direction.
"Um... excuse me, misters—"
The maiden blurted out, hoping to get some help.
But—
In that exact instant—
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Kyouno froze in horror.
She watched—those people approached, showed no sign of noticing her, and then....walked right through her.
Yes, through her!!!
No pause. No glance. Not a single hint that they sensed her presence.
She just stood there, passed through as if she were nothing more than air, a transparent, invisible wisp of mist.
Not a single eye met hers.
No reaction.
No reply.
"…H-huh…?"
Kyouno's voice caught in her throat.
Each word slipped from her pale lips, trembling.
Her entire body turned ice-cold.
....