After sending the troublesome guest to the swamp, Nirva shifted his gaze toward the remaining scraps, the Library Keepers firing precise artillery shots from far away.

Their power gradually increases as time passes.

This is how the immune system created by the Sacred Library in the middle layer of Dreamland works.

If the opponent is strong, it raises its output accordingly.

It's just that right now, this side is quietly enduring while only defending, but if he starts to counterattack, they will make massive changes based on that data again.

More upgraded library keepers would appear and launch attacks.

The library keeper is just a part of what this landscape has created.

No matter how many of them he eliminated, stronger and faster ones will be endlessly produced from somewhere.

"I absolutely hate such troublesome things."

It wouldn't be impossible to deal with them but Nirva didn't come all the way here to fight this irrational system.

He showed his hand in an attempt at negotiation, but Rudger rejected it outright.

So it seems fighting is the only future ahead.

Rather, that's for the best.

Nirva thought this as he raised his head for a moment.

What he saw was not the ceiling of the library but beyond it.

Golden shimmering eyes flashed, and a rough map of the middle layer unfolded before his eyes.

Countless guests, no, sacrifices moving through the middle layer.

Among them, he focused intently on those who could potentially greatly interfere with this ritual.

To Nirva, even such people are no different from insects.

But there's a clear difference between a harmless fly and a bug with at least one sharp stinger hidden.

Nobody wants to experience something painful and annoying, even if it won't kill them.

And he couldn't simply dismiss them as mere bugs.

All five of the minions he had sent were defeated.

That was the worst possible outcome, something even Nirva hadn't anticipated.

"Among them, the one I should be most wary of is, let's see..."

Nirva's golden pupils thoroughly scanned the entire middle layer.

Dream Walkers who freely move through Dreamland, Theon’s teachers moving with those Dream Walkers.

A swordsman and a beast-person with unusually strong life force, and even a small group of gathered magicians.

There were quite a few noteworthy ones, but among them, there was someone who particularly irritated Nirva's nerves, Zero Order.

Once an apostle who served a god, now a man called a demon.

And even now, forming a secret organization, secretly creating chaos in the world from behind the scenes—a great evil.

If it's the one Nirva knows, he would be secretly plotting some sinister plan somewhere even at this moment.

Surely, he would have done the same if he were in that position.

"Your personality has changed quite a bit. Surna."

The great demon Surna recorded in the ancient scriptures of the Bretus Holy Nation.

Said to have been slain after the battle with Saint Arkenis, he now lives as Zero Order.

During his time as Surna, he was different from now.

He used his powers more actively than anyone else, crushing the paladins and priests of the Lumensis Order head-on.

Back then, Zero Order was the apostle who stood in the opposite position to Nirva, who was sneaky both then and now.

"Should I be disappointed about this, or should I welcome it? You were truly brilliant back then. I thought you would become the one to fulfill the wishes of us apostles."

Hence, he was given the title of Great Demon.

At that time, there were three apostles moving under Surna's command.

Basara was one of them.

"You, who were like that, have now fallen to a state similar to mine."

However, looking at that appearance, he felt neither regret nor joy.

Rather, Nirva realized that the changed Surna was now the most threatening enemy.

The lion who once pushed everything through with power has now awakened to cunning.

During the hundreds of years that he slept, Surna had accomplished much, operating covertly behind the scenes of the world.

But is that really all?

His apostle powers are the kind that become more beneficial the more time he has.

It would be reasonable to assume that Surna's own strength has become much stronger than before.

"So that's how you intend to bring down Lumensis."

I commend that determination.

Unfortunately, it won't come to pass because it will be my role to foil Lumensis' plans.

This was a struggle for dominance.

Though they shared the same enemy, the two demons would never join hands because their methods were so different, like parallel lines.

From now on, only fierce competition remained.

"I don't know how you recruited the proud and haughty dragon princess, but you should have been more cautious."

Because you've given this side a reason to be wary.

After murmuring this, Nirva soon wore a smile of satisfaction.

Found it.

Traces of Zero Order, Surna, remained in the middle layer.

As expected, the guy didn't leave Dreamland right away.

He had stayed briefly in one place, though very slightly.

Looking to see where that was, he saw sacrifices gathered nearby.

"Hmm?"

The number isn't that large.

At most, around twenty people.

Moreover, they looked young, appearing to be Theon's students.

What is this?

Nirva thought Zero Order had made contact with a blade meant to stab him.

But those students didn't look like such blades. Young and naive, most of them were terrified right now.

It didn't seem like those kids could do anything significant.

A mere coincidence? Or Zero Order's scheme to distract this side?

Frowning, Nirva raised his hand.

"I'll need to concentrate a bit more."

Simultaneously, golden sand swirled like a storm from all directions, erasing all incoming artillery fire.

The library keepers sniping Nirva with pinpoint accuracy from afar were shattered into pieces by the sandstorm.

They would soon be replaced by new ones anyway, but at least he could buy some time.

During that time, Nirva focused more energy to closely examine the gathered students.

"...Oh?"

And he was able to discover one thing.

It was a female student with ash gray hair.

From her, a very faint but not-to-be-dismissed energy was flowing.

Though he couldn't be certain what it was, Nirva was convinced that this woman was the reason Zero Order had stayed there.

At the same time, he had such thoughts.

Zero Order wouldn't have moved without knowing this. He made contact despite knowing that this side could read his traces?

In some ways, it could be a well-made bait, or perhaps a trap.

Nirva pondered briefly, but making a decision was quick.

Even if it was a trap, this is Dreamland.

There was nothing he couldn't do here.

Moreover, upon closer inspection, that girl had more peculiarities.

Part of her memory is sealed. Unlike others, she had several years of memory completely cut off.

Could this possibly be a normal person?

Nirva felt curiosity more intense than wariness.

This is strange.

To feel such an odd attraction from that girl.

Nirva stretched out his hand.

And in one grasp, he seized the girl and her surroundings, composed of golden sand.

* * *

After finishing her surroundings exploration, Rene returned to her original position.

"Did something happen?"

"No. Nothing happened. The surroundings are safe, senior."

Despite Rene's words, Freuden couldn't shake off a suspicious feeling.

But he couldn't force her to tell him the reason since she wasn't talking, so he just nodded instead.

Rene sat down appropriately and recalled the conversation they had just had with the man who introduced himself as Surna.

-I'm not interested at all.

Rene rejected Zero Order's proposal immediately.

It is true that she's curious. How could she ignore it when it's related to herself, not something else?

But that's one thing, and joining hands with that suspicious-looking man is another matter entirely.

Zero Order, as seen through her judgment eyes, seemed like a person who had brought the world's darkness straight with him.

During their conversation, he didn't show any hostile emotions toward her, but his very existence is harmful to the world.

He was a being that shouldn't even be allowed to come close.

-Alright. If that's what you say, then I suppose that's how it is.

Despite having his proposal rejected, Zero Order didn't seem to have any lingering attachments.

-Normally, we would continue our conversation slowly over time, but since the situation isn't favorable right now, I'll stop here. But we will meet again.

Now that he realized the owner of the judgment eyes actually exists, there was no need to delay anymore.

The only reason he was staying still right now was because this is Nirva's domain, Dreamland.

He didn't know what that sneaky Nirva would do the moment this side revealed its true colors.

-No. Perhaps he's already caught on.

“Pardon?”

-Nothing. Just talking to myself.

This is something he's been waiting for hundreds of years.

Waiting a few more months from here wouldn't be a big deal.

-Well. I've heard your rejection of my offer. But I'd like you to know that this offer remains valid indefinitely.

“...You're lying.”

-Whether it's a lie or the truth, you should be able to judge for yourself, right?

Rene gulped at those words.

This man really does know about her eyes.

“...Still, that won't happen.”

-Is that so?

Zero Order grinned.

Seeing that smug smile, confident in his own victory, Rene felt a queasy sensation in her stomach.

-Sigh. Still, I feel somewhat betrayed. I was told to search, so I sent him, but instead, he's been hiding you like this. That Rudger fellow.

“Teacher Rudger? Hiding? What do you mean?”

-Oops. Should I not have mentioned that?

Zero Order pretended it was his mistake and glossed over it ambiguously, but all of it was thoroughly calculated action.

Rene's expression noticeably hardened.

Her mind became complex at the mention of Rudger's name.

Though it was a brief statement, Rene wasn't dull enough not to read the hidden meaning within it.

She could infer that Zero Order knew Rudger Chelici and that they had some kind of transaction relationship.

And also that Rudger had been hiding something related to her.

Why on earth?

Rene's lips twitched.

She wanted to ask right away what that meant but she suppressed it with desperate patience. She instinctively sensed that she shouldn't be swayed by that man's words here.

Zero Order grinned at Rene's struggle.

The intention behind that smile was unreadable.

Whether he was enjoying seeing her in distress, or if there was something else.

-Well. I've said all I wanted to say, so I'll be going now. I think I've left enough traces as well.

With just those words, Zero Order vanished from his place like a mirage.

That was the end of the conversation Rene had with Zero Order.

'Does Teacher Rudger know about me?'

Thinking about it, there were plenty of clues.

He knew about the peculiarity of her magic power, and the same was true during the magic power summon class.

Considering all the other little help he had given, it was rather strange why she only realized it now.

No.

In fact, she vaguely knew.

Whenever she saw Rudger, she wondered if he might be connected to her lost past.

Nevertheless, the reason she desperately thought it wasn't the case and maintained this superficial relationship was out of fear, wasn't it?

The fear that when the truth is revealed, in whatever form, it would completely shatter their current relationship.

Rene carried a box in her heart.

That box was so tightly sealed that she didn't know what was inside.

All she knew was that her missing memories were in there.

And that something else dangerous was lurking alongside it.

When she opens it, would she be able to handle what comes after?

Wouldn't it be better to live just as she is now, without opening this box?

She had entered Theon, which she had so desperately wanted to attend.

She made good friends and met good seniors.

And she also got to know Rudger Chelici.

Her current life is clearly happy, if one can call it happiness.

Could she eliminate that, even out of curiosity?

"Haah."

Rene couldn't stop the sigh that escaped her unknowingly.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was sinking into a swamp.

Who knew that knowing something could be this painful?

It was better when she didn't know, but now she realized she could never go back to that time.

Even if this incident ends safely, when she sees Rudger's face, Zero Order's words will probably come to mind.

"Rene."

Freuden, who had been watching Rene's condition with concern, called her name as he couldn't bear it any longer.

Just as he was about to place his hand on the shoulder of Rene, who had her head bowed deeply, an anomaly occurred.

-Drrrr.

A vibration too small to be called an earthquake.

It was just enough to make the floor stones and dust tremble, but Rene instinctively sensed danger and quickly raised her head.

"Rene?"

"We need to escape!"

The scene reflected in her pupils was the surrounding ground being dyed in pitch-black darkness.

Despite her warning, it was already too late.

-Puhwak!

Golden sand erupted through the floor.

The number of giant sand pillars was 5 in total.

Like someone's hand, they swallowed the students, including Rene, all at once.

The screams they let out disappeared, consumed by the dream sand.

Eventually, when the sandy grip slowly disappeared as if sinking into the floor, nothing remained in that place.

* * *

"One mountain after another."

Rudger briefly closed and reopened his eyes at the scene unfolding before him.

It was an action hoping this was just an illusion, but what he saw was undeniable reality.

A reality within a dream, that is.

"I didn't expect to come here in this way."

A sky where all sorts of colors were jumbled together and even the familiar scenes he had seen twice before.

Rudger had fallen into the depths of Dreamland.