Merlina stood close to Akira in her human form, right in front of the white castle gates.
She shook her staff with a puzzled look.
Merlina: "So, what are we going to do now, freshman?"
Akira sat before the gate, polishing his uchigatana with the power of his will. In the Dreamscape, one could polish any weapon beyond its enchantments and inherent strength. It didn't grant any grand advantages, but Akira took every chance he could get.
Whether it was the fists of a monk or the hands of a witch, a weapon—be it sword or claw—could become stronger through a combination of the memory of the blade that the wielder consumed, the power of its enchantment, or the willpower polishing it. It was as if faith in one's weapon forged a powerful bond between warrior and trusted arm.
Akira: "Merlina... I think Nishioka is in big trouble in the real world. Here, he may be able to hide and conceal himself, but my father has started a manhunt out there. His life might be in real danger."
She shook her head.
Merlina: "Not a moment of peace for us, I presume?"
She gave a nervous grin.
Akira: "It is what it is."
He sighed.
Akira: "So, how was your day with your new... owner?"
Merlina: "Owner? Nobody owns me, my dear lad! Still, Liza turned out to be not that bad of a person—better than I initially considered her to be. Though I didn't like that part when you both called me—ANNOYING!"
Akira giggled.
Akira: "It is what it is..."
Merlina: "Watch it, freshman!"
Akira: "We need to enter the castle. I'm going to use a shrine."
Merlina: "Oh."
Akira stood up and focused on the yellow iron gates of his white Castle in the Clouds, which opened in an instant.
Merlina stepped forward.
Merlina: "Clouds even inside."
They both passed through the gates. As Merlina had pointed out earlier, inside, the courtyard ground was made of the same soft, cloudlike fabric of reality as the world outside. Directly across from the entrance stood a strange shrine, perfectly aligned and framed by a small arched gateway. The far wall of the shrine displayed a shallow relief carving of a bearded man's face. From his mouth, a prism-colored liquid spilled forth in a quiet, steady stream. Below it stood a statue of a woman, graceful and composed, holding a wide plate in both hands. The liquid flowed into the dish, gathering briefly in a thin pool before draining through a small hole at its center, disappearing into some unseen hollow beneath.
Standing right in front of the shrine, Akira drew his sword and cut his finger.
Merlina: "You know I hate it when you do that."
Akira: "Yeah. I don't like it either."
He let a few drops of blood fall into the pool. The prism-colored liquid in the plate began to swirl rapidly, releasing sparkles just above the water. The ritual Akira was performing would empower him—both in his pocket plane and the Dreamscape—for several nights to come. However, it came at a price.
That price was a piece of his memory, specifically the memory of time spent with his mother. After all, it was her statue standing before him, holding the plate.
Merlina: "Our situation is that dire, eh?"
Akira: "I'm not giving up much blood. I need to be ready for anything, as usual."
Merlina sighed.
Merlina: "As usual."
Akira adjusted his sword around his belt and gave the command.
Akira: "Follow."
He paused briefly, glanced at Merlina, and added.
Akira: "Going to stand there forever, panther?"
Merlina rolled her eyes, curtsied, and said.
Merlina: "I'm here to serve, my liege!"
Akira chuckled.
Akira: "Very funny. Let's go."
Merlina comically hurried after him as he picked up the pace, leaving the castle behind.
Merlina: "Look, freshman, are you going to try to find Ranger in there?"
Akira shrugged as he passed through the gates.
Akira: "I don't know. Hard to even tell how the place is going to shift this time—after that explosion last night."
Merlina: "I actually saw it, right before getting here."
Akira: "So, how is it?"
Merlina: "It's almost the same."
Akira: "Uh-huh."
Merlina: "What?"
Akira: "Let's see for ourselves."
Merlina gave a slow, sarcastic clap.
Merlina: "Trust issues?"
Akira: "Sure..."
He focused his will again, conjuring a purple portal before the white castle gates.
Merlina: "Wait for me!"
After Akira stepped into the portal, Merlina jumped in right behind him. As reality shifted around them, passing through the chaotic space in between, they returned to the Dreamscape, as usual.
Standing before a chaotic version of Mrs. Mariko's apartment complex, Akira froze, stunned by what he was about to witness.
His father rode the same storm cloud as the day before, flanked by his "pets" in their true forms — Behemoth and Leviathan — seemingly bent on obliterating this version of Ryoto from existence.
Akira raised his hand and parted his lips in disbelief.
Akira: "Almost the same... You said? Who's got trust issues now? Whisker of deception."
Merlina startled and scrambled to explain.
Merlina: "I swear, freshman — I was here just moments ago. Everything was fine... Allah be praised! Is he really trying to destroy the whole city?"
A thunderous roar erupted from Leviathan's gaping maw as the two colossal beasts tore through the chaotic structures with reckless abandon. Though the Dreamscape copy of the city itself was empty, its corners could still trap slumbering people inside it, just as it had trapped Liza the night before.
Todo's summons reveled in destruction, while his father soared below dramatic purple clouds, over the smaller copy of Ryoto.
Todo Yamauchi: "COME OUT, COME OUT, YOU LITTLE RAT!"
Akira could hardly believe his father sounded like an absolute Duke or a King of the Dreamscape — mad, furious, and godlike.
From both Akira's and Merlina's perspectives, the sight was terrifying.
A massive pyramid floated ominously in the sky. Its apex glowed white like a beacon, illuminating the surrounding Dreamscape like a colorful painting. To the left lay a blurry image of the Frozen Citadel; behind Ryoto, a vague vision of verdant forests and two large medieval castles connected by twin spires appeared; to the right, scorched mountains and wastelands stretched out in another blurry, harsh landscape.
Right in the center of it all, above Ryoto, Todo Yamauchi rode his thundercloud, his furious gaze cutting through the chaos like a wrath carved from the sky, with his monstrous pets rampaging below. Behemoth was a massive hippopotamus-like creature. Its heavily textured skin and thick legs gave it an immovable, monstrous presence. Leviathan coiled like a serpent, resembling a dragon with shimmering scales and razor-sharp teeth visible in its half-open jaws.
Merlina pulled him back, clinging to his clothes.
Merlina: "We gotta get out of here, freshman!"
Akira: "And I gotta stop him right now, Merlina! Are you blind?! We can't let this madman continue to destroy this place every night..."
Merlina barked as she tried to be louder than Behemoth and Leviathan's roars combined.
Merlina: "You know we cannot defeat him now!"
Akira hesitated, holding his sword in both hands.
Akira: "I've got to do something!"
Merlina: "By killing yourself here? We need to hide, and I know just the place..."
Akira turned his head to Merlina.
Akira: "What are you—"
Merlina struck the ground with her staff, and golden particles soared into the air. She struck again; then, an amber crack in reality consumed them both, taking them to the safe place Merlina had mentioned.
Akira landed hard on his side, just before Merlina fell on top of him from above with a squeak.
Akira: "Enjoying your new pillow, Sensei?"
Merlina tried to stand up, leaning on her golden staff.
Merlina: "Enjoying it pretty much, my boy."
Akira: "Where are we? It's darker than the Stygian river."
Merlina: "Fancy words you use, freshman. Got that smart by spending the day at your university, huh?"
Akira couldn't see Merlina's face right now, but he could definitely sense a foxy grin on it.
Akira: "I actually read about Stygia long before we ever entered RIU, Merlina."
Merlina fell onto his chest again.
Merlina: "Well..."
Akira: "Like I said. Enjoy your pillow. Nice teleportation, by the way."
Merlina: "Grumpy Beaver returned to ruin someone's day again."
Akira: "Can you at least try to use a light spell or illuminate this place?"
Merlina tried to stand up again.
Merlina: "I'm on it, freshman."
At last, she stood. Her staff struck the ground, scattering golden dust. A few small wisps of light flared into being, gently illuminating the surrounding space.
Merlina: "Welcome to our friend's pocket plane, freshman! She is sleeping in the corner, by the way."
To Akira's surprise, they had been teleported inside the cafe around the corner, called "Barghest," or "Black Dog." Yet the environment of this place was entirely different, darker, and even more gothic-like. Small tables and stools were everywhere, with a big black sofa behind them, and a towering cuckoo clock the size of a wardrobe stood right in front of them by the wall.
Merlina: "And before you ask—IT IS NOT the place around your house, Akira boya."
Akira stood up as well, trying to adjust his sword to float behind his back.
Akira commanded.
Akira: "Stay."
He scanned the room and finally spotted Liza, who was snoring softly while sitting on a stool by the cafe table.
Akira raised his hand, fingers spread wide.
Akira: "So that's your plan, cat? Keep dragging Liza into this? She already got enough trouble because of us yesterday!"
Merlina shrugged.
Merlina: "Well, actually, it was we who saved her, Akira boy."
Akira narrowed his eyes and rolled them.
Akira: "I just can't believe it!"
He barked loudly, surprising even himself.
Poor Liza was calmly snoring just in front of them both, appearing cute and harmless as she was, in her maid uniform.
Liza: "GUH! WHO THERE, I'LL SHOW YOU TROLLS!"
Merlina pulled a goofy face at Akira.
Merlina: "As you can see, she is ready and willing to fight. Even trolls, hehe."
Akira rubbed his forehead irritably.
Akira: "Am I guessing it right..."
Merlina: "We are in Liza's pocket plane, freshman! Voula! Eureka!"
Akira: "I'm going to kill you, cat!"
Akira made a goofy expression himself, trying to reach for his sword to punish Merlina once and for all.
Merlina: "You're not going to strike a poor old lady, are you?"
Akira: "You're not a lady! You are a menace... and a cat!"
The last one sounded like an insult.
Liza: "Will you guys just shut up!"
Liza appeared as if she had only just woken up, but it was her own pocket plane. She slammed her fist on the table like a drunken sailor.
Akira: "I wonder how you can even sleep in your pocket plane."
Merlina crossed her arms, still holding her staff.
Merlina: "Our girl is full of mysteries, and like she said... a few other things."
After Liza gave her eyeballs a good scrub, she finally recognized Akira and Merlina standing in front of her.
Liza widened her eyes.
Liza: "Guys? Senpai?! What are you doing here?"
A few moments passed as Merlina told her everything, both about their plans to save Nishioka from Akira's father in the Dreamscape and how they got into her dream.
Something felt a little off with Liza, as Akira sensed she wasn't quite herself.
Liza groaned, keeping the expression of a drunken sailor.
Liza: "Wooooow. You guys are nuts! Though Merlina promised to make an excuse to invite you here, Senpai."
Akira's face darkened as he looked toward Merlina.
Akira: "What the actual f..."
Merlina: "Akira boy, I can explain!"
Akira: "You're dead, cat."
Merlina raised her hands.
Merlina: "But we hugged each other just a moment before!"
Akira: "That was in the past."
Akira figured out what was off: Liza was drunk. Just like someone had explained before — everything is possible in the Dreamscape, but this situation, in particular, was something Akira faced for the first time in the role of an Ars Goetian. He never asked himself this question, but what happens if a person gets drunk and enters the pocket plane, just like Liza right now?
Liza: "Don't fight, guys, peace!"
She tried to make a goofy peace salute but fell onto the table, lacking strength.
Akira again made a dark expression, raising his hand to his face.
Akira: "How did you let this happen, Merlina?"
Merlina: "I didn't do anything! I told you, it was this wench, Marya!"
Akira corrected her instantly.
Akira: "Maria."
Merlina pointed her finger at him.
Merlina: "Aye! Maria, the wench! It was all her fault!"
Akira: "I can't believe you three. Two grown-up women and one girl—what could possibly go wrong? How did Liza even get drunk in the first place?"
Merlina: "Look, Akira boy..."
Akira: "Shut your trap, cat."
They made a dramatic pause.
Merlina: "So, are you going to ask questions and let me speak, or..."
Akira: "Let me think for a moment what to do next. While I'm at it, you can explain how Liza ended up drunk..."
He made an expression like he was about to burst, but held himself back. He hissed loudly.
Akira: "IN HER OWN POCKET PLANE, YOU GREMLIN!"
Merlina: "So rude, freshman. You know I actually hate gremlins—nasty little things..."
Akira still spoke in his whisper-scream intonation.
Akira: "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU LIKE! Just like you said to me yesterday — DISASTER! Merlina! ABSOLUTE DISASTER!"
Merlina: "So, you want to hear the explanation or not?"
Akira: "I am! Just make it quick. I need time to think."
As Merlina began explaining herself, Akira only just noticed the 'cuckoo clock' cabinet leaning against the wall behind him.
Occasionally, a small owl toy would emerge from the cabinet, demanding attention.
Toy-Owl creature: "Alarm! Alarm! Attention! Attention!"
Akira shook his head.
Akira: "What now?"
Under this annoying ambient noise right behind his back, Merlina began explaining how Liza ended up drunk in her own pocket plane. The story was short and simple, like a story of three dummies sharing one bright idea. Maria invited Liza to drink liquor for the first time, right after work, as Merlina said—it was Maria's idea. Merlina herself was against it, but the evil influence of Maria ended with poor Liza getting drunk, and the only way Merlina was able to save the 'poor' girl was to leave her in her pocket plane just as she was now.
Akira sighed with a sarcastic grin.
Akira: "Magical."
Merlina: "Always told you, this Maria girl is an absolute..."
Akira finished her sentence.
Akira: "Disaster. The three of you—absolute disaster."
Merlina went silent.
He shook his head again, sitting on the cafe stool and leaning on his sword.
Akira: "So, how are we going to get her sober now, huh, Sensei?"
Merlina finally dared to answer.
Merlina: "I don't know. Maybe she just needs a few minutes of sleep, and that's it?"
Akira responded sarcastically.
Akira: "Uh-huh."
Merlina: "What?"
Akira: "Pretty sure we've had this kind of talk already today, huh?"
Merlina shrugged and blinked at him.
Merlina: "Maybe."
Akira gave her a tired eye roll.
Akira: "Whatever. Now, just answer me this... Does your purification spell work both on people in reality and in the Dreamscape?"
Merlina: "It works perfectly fine here!"
Akira: "I asked about the real world, too."
Merlina: "Well..."
Akira: "Well, what?!"
Merlina: "Possible."
Akira sighed.
Akira: "Possible. Shmosible."
Merlina: "Don't be like that, my boy. I can try if you want me to."
Akira: "I am. Let's try to purge it like poison or something. Alcohol's poison for your mind, after all..."
Merlina giggled.
Merlina: "Spoke like a true sober man!"
Akira shot her an executioner's glare.
Merlina barked.
Merlina: "Fine! Don't look at me like that."
She started channeling her golden light toward Liza's head.
Merlina closed her eyes under her pointed hat and grimaced a couple of times.
She turned her head back to him.
Merlina: "Voula, freshman! Although, like I said..."
Akira stood right in front of them both, leaning on his sword with both hands.
Akira: "...She's your natural enemy. I've heard that a few times before, thank you."
Liza groaned.
Liza: "Woah. Who turned on the light?"
She tried to raise her head, narrowing her eyes as she was still sleepy.
Akira: "Liza, hello again."
Liza: "Senpai... Am I... dreaming about you now, huh?!"
Merlina barked again with laughter.
Akira gave her another dark look and turned back to Liza.
Akira: "Sadly, it's part dream, part reality, if you can say it."
Merlina waved at her.
Merlina: "Hello again, sweetie!"
Liza's eyes, previously narrowed, snapped open as wide as they could go.
Liza: "WHAT?! Again? Where are we, guys?!"
Akira: "It's your own pocket plane, Liza. Figures it will be 'Barghest'."
Liza turned her head back and forth.
Liza: "I remember falling asleep, but only that. What happened before that, Mel?"
Merlina: "There was a moment when your lady in charge gave you something to drink..."
Akira finished instead of her.
Akira: "...And that SOMETHING was alcohol. Liza, do you realize that what you did with Maria was illegal?"
Liza widened her eyes even more. She was sitting on her stool in her maid uniform, still striking, but somewhat looking like she was not sitting in her pocket plane, but under interrogation.
Liza stumbled.
Liza: "Well, I, I, I, I don't remember anything. Senpai, I swear I didn't do anything illegal, don't be mad at me, please!"
Akira chuckled under his breath.
Akira: "I'm not mad at you, Liza. I'm just asking you a question. Although, understandably, it was all Maria and Merlina's fault."
Merlina barked.
Merlina: "Hey!"
Akira: "Don't 'hey' me, you disastrous whisker! You were supposed to look after her while I was away. I can't be everywhere."
Liza: "So it's jail for me now, huh?"
Akira snorted.
Merlina: "Obviously no, dear. No one will ever know."
Akira: "Let's hope so. I also need to talk to Maria tomorrow."
Liza squeaked.
Liza: "No, Senpai, don't. She's going to kill me!"
Akira sighed.
Akira: "Fine, but now we need to figure out what to do next..."
Toy-Owl: "Alarm! Alarm! Attention! Attention!"
Merlina turned her head, the tip of her pointed hat twitching slightly, as the odd little creature popped out of the cuckoo clock.
Merlina: "I guess we need to talk to a little hooter right there."
Liza stood up, glancing at the clock.
Liza: "What's that?"
Akira: "Funny how you don't know that it is, Liza, it is your pocket plane after all. I don't remember you having this clock in reality inside the 'Barghest'."
Liza: "You're right! Maria put up a little old cuckoo clock today—one she brought from Sweden!"
Merlina raised her hand to her chin.
Merlina: "Very interesting."
Akira: "Yeah, well, very interesting, Merlina. Now, can you please explain what this thing is doing inside Liza's pocket plane?"
Merlina gave him a knowing smile and a pointed look.
Merlina: "You forgot the magic word!"
Akira: "Brainless Mouser."
Merlina blinked twice, disappointed.
Merlina: "Very funny."
Akira: "I'm guessing getting any valuable information from you today is a fool's errand."
Merlina: "More like fool errant, my boy."
Akira: "Bah!"
Akira got closer to the cabinet with a toy owl jumping from it.
Toy-Owl: "ALARM! ALARM!"
At the same moment, it jumped from the cabinet. Akira caught the little owl and gave it a curious look.
Surprisingly, Toy-Owl kept yelling like nothing happened.
Toy-Owl: "ATTENTION! ATTENTION!"
Akira: "I already heard that, thank you. What are you? What are you doing in Liza's pocket plane, bird?"
Liza made a step toward Akira and leaned on his back.
Liza: "He's so cute!"
Akira felt a bit shy but shook off the embarrassment in an instant.
Merlina stared at the little owl behind Akira's shoulder.
Merlina: "A toy guardian—very interesting indeed."
Liza glanced at Merlina.
Liza: "A guardian?"
Akira made an expressive side look.
Akira: "At last, our walking encyclopedia let the cat out!"
Liza slightly dug her nails into his shoulders.
Merlina: "Extraordinary and intelligent joke, as usual, my pupil. A guardian, Liza, is an embodiment of knowledge, ancient wisdom, and power here in the Dreamscape. This one in particular is trying to tell us that something important is about to happen, if not happening right now."
Akira mumbled.
Akira: "Like we don't already have our hands full..."
Liza: "Yeah, but how did you guys end up here in the first place?"
Akira: "Merlina already told you, but you were drunk, Liza."
Liza: "Oops! How come I don't remember?"
Liza gave her a frustrated glare, still leaning against Akira's back.
Merlina: "What?"
Liza hissed at her with a knowing smirk.
Liza: "Mel, you promised!"
Merlina grinned slyly.
Merlina: "And I did exactly what I promised you."
Akira caught the hiss behind him, shot them a sideways glance, but didn't say a word. He remained focused on the toy owl, giving it a curious look.
Merlina told Liza the entire story again.
Liza: "Ah. Well, now I remember!"
Tiny Owl once again tried to yell with his unnatural wooden tone, trying to free himself from Akira's grasp.
Tiny-Owl: "ALAR..."
Akira gave the poor hooter a big shake in his hands.
Akira: "Quiet, bird. Tell me—what is this about? Why do you call an 'alarm'?"
Toy Owl tried to free itself again.
Toy-Owl: "Frozen waste, make haste, no time to waste!"
Merlina: "I'm guessing it's about the distant planes of the Dreamscape—the icy wasteland just behind your Ryoto city, Akira boy."
Akira: "We're already busy."
Merlina: "We can't go back to the Ryoto now! Maybe if we listen to the guardian, it will somehow lead us toward the solution?"
Akira: "Uh-huh. Another coincidence..."
Merlina: "Can you stop whining already, listen to the guardian, you numbskull!"
Akira: "Whatever. Just say it plain, toy-guardian, what is it in this frozen waste we need to find?"
Toy-Owl: "No time! No time! Make haste, make haste, toward the vault and frozen waste! Beyond the ice, behind the seal—There waits a friend you must unseal!"
Akira: "A friend?..."
Right behind that, another dimensional crack started to spawn. Portals—like those Akira and Merlina used, but made of icy sparks—appeared, this time summoned by an owl. They felt the chill coming from the dimensional crack.
Liza: "What the... Ah!"
She got pulled in, along with Merlina, into the portal.
Akira glared at the tiny owl toy one last time.
Akira: "What did you do, you hollow log!"
Just like that, all three of them were consumed by the portal.