Chapter 304

Chapter 304

Within the confines of my dream, I found myself staying in the guest quarters of the Blandoga family, surrounded by absolute opulence.

Every single meal served was a lavish banquet featuring the finest delicacies from land and sea alike.

Both Alfredo and Ransi showed me the highest degree of reverence, treating me with the same deference they would offer to the family patriarch himself.

Yet, even surrounded by such luxury within this dream, true happiness remained out of my reach.

And the reason for that was simple…

Strips of cloth wrapped tightly around my blinded eyes, while a horrific scar, resembling a burn inflicted by hellfire, stretched across my chest.

Who could truly find joy after having their sight ripped away and their very soul left shattered?

But perhaps because this was nothing more than a dream?

As I stared at my own reflection in the mirror with flawless clarity, a voice suddenly echoed through the room.

“Tsk, what a pathetic sight. To think a grand archmage would be wandering around in such a battered state…”

Turning toward that familiar tone, the surroundings began to warp and shift, uncovering an entirely different setting.

I was now standing in the Gran Bosque, and the person speaking was none other than…

“Shine?”

“Indeed, it is me.”

I tilted my head in confusion.

Shine stared intently at me with eyes that seemed to burn like fire, though I didn’t feel even a shred of fear.

After all, this was merely a creation of my own mind.

Wait, was it really just my dream?

For some strange reason, my fist was itching to strike.

Shine’s voice cut through my thoughts right then.

“Don’t even contemplate it. You aren’t wrong that this is your dream, but this realm doesn’t belong solely to you.”

“It’s not mine?”

Shine gave a nod in response to my query.

“Are you familiar with the concept of ‘Dream Illusion Magic’? To put it simply… I am sharing this dreamscape with you.”

“Therefore, this area belongs to you, but it belongs to me as well.”

“Is it like a vampire’s power, resembling some sort of covenant?”

“Yes, that’s a straightforward way to look at it. I discovered it quite recently, and it’s rather convenient, despite a few limitations.”

I watched Shine’s reaction with intrigue. Dream Illusion Magic… It made sense why everything felt far too vivid to be an ordinary dream.

Be that as it may.

“Do you mind explaining why you would do something so dreadful?”

Shine tilted his head, perplexed by my question.

“Dreadful?”

“Never mind if you don’t grasp it.”

My point was that splitting a dream with him was an awful experience, but there was no need to spell out the details.

In any case.

“What brings you here? You didn’t summon me just for a casual visit, did you?”

“Ha, as if I’d drop into your subconscious just to look at your face. You took another severe beating, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, something like that. But…”

“How did I know? I took a peek into your dream world, and the signs were obvious. After all, the subconscious never lies.”

Was it because my thoughts had drifted to the Blandoga family?

Just as that realization struck me, Shine’s whisper sounded right beside my ear.

“It’s tough, isn’t it?”

“It’s not…”

Though his tone carried a teasing edge, a genuine sense of concern managed to slip through.

Yet, unlike his worry, I remained completely unfazed.

‘Getting thrashed isn’t exactly a rare occurrence for me.’

I hadn’t brought it up, but back during my days as a “Troubleshooter”, getting beaten up was almost a daily routine.

Compared to those times, my current situation was actually an improvement.

“Anyway, what was it you wanted to discuss?”

“What I mean to say is… I intend to leave the Segundos Barrios Marginales Blancos y Negros for a while.”

“Is it for the sake of your clan?”

I was subtly asking if he had uncovered the heritage of the vampire clan, but Shine shook his head.

“It’s not entirely separate from that, but my primary goal is training.”

“Training?”

“Yes.”

Shine nodded, coming to a halt as he held his hands out toward me. Moments later, a murky crimson mist began to emanate from his form.

“Do you perceive it?”

I nodded in affirmation.

“It feels different.”

Even within the bounds of this dream, the energy vibrating from Shine felt bizarre. It wasn’t ether, nor could it be classified as mana.

“Up until now, I have been forcing it to convert into ether, but that approach has its constraints. My volatile state of transcendence is likely a consequence of that.”

“So you require conditioning?”

Shine nodded once more.

Still, I found it hard to picture. What sort of discipline would allow someone to control such a foreign energy?

“Is there an actual method for this?”

“What do you think? I’ll have to throw myself into combat. Mastery over these forces is forged in the heat of real battles.”

Simply put, he required actual life-or-death engagements.

Shine interrupted me before I could voice my thoughts completely.

“To begin with, I will temper my physical vessel. I plan to lock away all my supernatural abilities and focus entirely on adapting to my raw body. I have no desire to rely on your assistance only to end up in a wretched state.”

I see.

So he didn’t place much faith in my capabilities.

Regardless, Shine had made it a point to give me fair warning before departing from the Segundos Barrios Marginales Blancos y Negros.

There was absolutely no reason for me to object.

‘After all, he claims he will return much more powerful.’

In the past, the idea of a parasite growing stronger would have troubled me, but at this point…

Both of us desperately need to attain greater strength.

But hold on a second.

“Am I… truly alright?”

“No, I mean, having your eyes gouged out and your core utterly smashed.”

“You seem perfectly fine to me.”

“Can you see that from here as well?”

Shine nodded at my inquiry.

“Altering things on that level is bound to manifest in the subconscious. Yet, you appear unscathed.”

“Is that so?”

Hmm… what exactly was happening here?

He certainly didn’t strike me as someone who would readily grant clemency.

As I tilted my head in deep confusion, Shine’s voice reached me once more.

“Anyway, my departure is imminent. I felt you ought to know. Since I’m passing through, I might as well oversee the training of Astaroth and Leraji.”

“Do you have any estimate of when you’ll return?”

“Who can say… we shall see.”

Shine’s voice trailed off, unable to give a definitive guarantee.

I watched him without uttering a word.

We hadn’t always been joined at the hip, but this marked our very first open-ended parting.

‘Is this what a master experiences when granting freedom to a servant?’

A peculiar wave of nostalgia washed over me.

“Very well, have a safe journey.”

“Take care of yourself as well. Stop letting people beat you up, and stay safe.”

I firmly gripped the hand holding mine. With that, the fabric of the dream world gradually began to disintegrate.

“Ah, one final thing: let me offer you a piece of advice.”

“Advice…?”

“Yes, some guidance.”

Shine nodded.

“Aebiron of the Decullan family, Grand Duke Muspellun… You’ve gained significant insights from dealing with them.”

That was undeniable.

From Aebiron, I realized how lacking my individual might truly was; from Lord Muspellun, I saw the flimsiness of my organizational support.

“As for your personal strength… Honestly, that’s an obstacle you cannot overcome in a single evening. Perhaps not even in a lifetime. Though I highly doubt you will remain inferior to them indefinitely, it’s not something you can remedy this very instant.”

“And what about it?”

“Expand the influence of your Torre Mágica.”

Shine spoke, his gaze gleaming intensely as he locked eyes with me.

“As I’ve mentioned previously, stop trying to carry the weight of the entire world on your shoulders. You aren’t required to shield every single person. Ensure that the Torre Mágica shields you, just as you stand guard over it.”

It wasn’t an easy concept to wrap my head around.

Making the Torre Mágica defend me, in the same manner that I defend it?

Did he sense my hesitation?

Shine pressed on.

And his words addressed a straightforward reality that had completely eluded my consideration.

“Step out into the open world. Establish the Torre Mágica as an ally of Lortel, secure the backing of Grand Duke Muspellun, and let your individual capability reach the realm of transcendence.”

To put it another way…

“If concealment is impossible, make it completely public?”

“You truly possess a knack for cheap metaphors.”

“And you are unnecessarily long-winded, aren’t you?”

Shine let out a sharp laugh at my retort and waved his final farewell.

“Farewell, you clever rogue.”

“Don’t go starving out there, you parasite.”

Amidst the dissolving scenery, Shine released his grip on my hand and turned around, walking away into the distance at a leisurely pace.

I silently watched his retreating figure, and for some inexplicable reason, a bizarre conviction settled in my mind.

An open-ended goodbye…

Yet, there was no question that our paths would cross again.

As time marched forward, we would inevitably find ourselves face to face once more.

…And with that, I snapped awake from the dream.

“Are you conscious?”

“…Shit?”

I spat out a curse upon recognizing that all-too-familiar voice.

I forced my eyelids open, but absolute darkness met my gaze. No, it wasn’t just the lack of sight.

A burning sensation stung my eyes intensely.

This can’t be happening… for real?!

Fortunately, I hadn’t actually lost my vision, nor had my core been suppressed.

After splashing water to rinse the toothpaste out of my eyes, I found Leodis waiting for me right there in the bedroom.

“Did you enjoy that?”

Damn it, is that even a serious question?

I desperately wanted to glare holes through him… but I held back. Ultimately, he was my close friend’s father.

Treating him with blatant disrespect would be…

Absolutely out of the question, not that I was making excuses.

“T-thank you…?”

“For what exactly?”

I gestured toward my eyes.

“Ah, that. Think nothing of it. If it hadn’t been for Chenbi, I would have gouged them out myself.”

“Chenbi?”

“Yes, the good kid.”

Was that how it played out?

Sacrificing Chenbi just to ensure my safety…

“Oh, Chenbi is perfectly alive. Hmm, did that sound wrong? In any case, both Chenbi and Miss Evelin are doing just fine.”

Something major must have transpired.

My immediate instinct was to go see them, but instead of rushing out, I took a seat directly across from Leodis.

“Quite composed, aren’t you?”

Naturally, there was no reason to lose my head.

Regardless.

“What brings you to my quarters…?”

“Oh, nothing of great consequence. Damian wishes to extend an apology, so… speaking as his companion, I wanted to ask for your forgiveness. Will you grant it?”

I gave a nod of assent.

“Of course.”

Definitely not out of sheer terror. Most certainly not.

But wait.

By mentioning he wanted to apologize to me “as Damian’s friend”… it felt as though he possessed some insights regarding my alternate identity as well.

A wave of deep apprehension washed over me.

Unsurprisingly, my dark intuition proved to be entirely correct.

“The light of healing. Mind if I inquire about its source? I do have a suspicion…”

“Hmm.”

I pondered the situation in silence.

Option one: keep my mouth tightly shut regarding my allegiance to Henji.

Option two: double-cross Henji and drag him down into the depths of ruin right alongside me.

Truth be told, the choice was already obvious.

“Henji…”

“No, never mind. There is no need to disclose the source. The critical matter lies ahead, doesn’t it? Why the strange look? Have you lost your mind?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Experiencing an uncomfortable wave of relief, I cleared my throat to shift the atmosphere.

But then.

“You mentioned that what lies ahead is what matters…”

“I am contemplating offering you an opportunity.”

“A chance?”

Leodis nodded in response to my question.

“Under normal circumstances, I would restrict your core and place you under confinement, but keeping my pledge to Damian in mind… we might both find a mutual benefit here. Any thoughts?”

“Otherwise, binding your core remains a valid alternative.”

I fell silent.

Leodis remained quiet as well.

I finally broke the quiet.

“…Should I address you as father?”

“Father?”

“Or… father-in-law?”

Ah, scratch the father-in-law part. If it came down to marriage, it would involve the daughter of Leodis’s brother…

“I wasn’t suggesting that you integrate yourself into the Blandoga family.”

“Ah, of course.”

I offered an awkward grin.

I swear, I am not cowering in fear. Absolutely not.