Volume 2 – Chapter 28: Like a Dream

The noonday sun fell upon the young man’s face—ticklish, warm, pleasant. It nudged him gently, as if urging him to wake.

His eyelids felt as if they had been sealed with glue, impossible to pry open. Sunlight spilled across his lashes, casting golden hues.

His eyes shifted beneath his lids. Slowly, the young man pushed them open. The blazing sunlight made him instinctively raise a hand to shield his vision. His body felt limp—perhaps due to lingering weakness from crossing dimensions. He couldn’t even straighten his back.

He caught an idle glimpse of the clock on the warm-toned wall. That alone snapped his dazed consciousness fully awake. The familiar layout and furnishings told him he was in his room in Crown Manor—Dylin’s room.

Once awareness returned, the flood of memories followed.

He… had returned?

He looked in disbelief at the familiar room around him. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was being in that palace built on the Golden Sacred Tree, tormented by a fat cow demon wrapped in the guise of a holy Elf girl.

He had assumed that the demon would hold him captive a while longer to feed her empty sense of amusement and twisted pleasures. He never thought she’d let him go this easily?

Dylin stared at his hands. For some reason, he felt like his body had subtly changed since returning—but he couldn’t pinpoint what.

Looking back at everything that had happened in the secret realm, it felt like waking from a dream. A long dream… and now morning had come.

He rubbed his forehead. The weakness had mostly faded. His gaze drifted toward the bedside table—where sunlight glinted off a butterfly-shaped hair ornament, reflecting golden rays.

The Golden Chalice Butterfly was beside him. Nothing gave him a greater sense of security.

As he held it in his palm, he could clearly feel the weakness in his body vanishing rapidly, even his mental fatigue dispersing. It felt like this hairpin was an extension of himself. He had never realized how much it meant to him until they were separated.

Truly, it was like a dream. Maybe it was just a dream?

He tried convincing himself of that… until his eyes lowered and his expression froze.

He wanted to believe everything in the secret realm had been a dream, but the clothes he was wearing right now shatter that illusion.

He wasn’t in pajamas, but in the same elven-styled midriff-baring feathered outfit from the secret realm—paired with a short green skirt and white stockings adorned with star-shaped ornaments.

This must have been a fresh outfit Bilodis dressed him in after he passed out. The old one had already been...

Just recalling those cringe worthy memories made Dylin’s face heat up.

The design was the same as before, but the color was different—he could tell.

Why had that cow demon let him go? Was she forced to? Or did she have other motives?

No—now was definitely not the time to be thinking about that!

He tugged at the outfit, surprised and somewhat disturbed to realize that he no longer felt any aversion to wearing women’s clothing. It felt… like just clothes. Nothing more.

He rubbed the collar fabric. The material was pretty decent—it’d be a shame to throw it away. He’d just keep it for Teresa as casual wear.

A guy in a short elven skirt and midriff top? He didn’t even want to imagine what that would look like.

As he walked to the mirror, ready to change, he froze.

Reflected back at him wasn’t the face of a grown man, but a girl with shoulder-length hair.

Pale skin, arms and legs free of any hair. Though a bit thin, the delicate features and the outfit easily made one mistake him for a girl.

Dylin stared in disbelief. Was this really him?

No—it was. The face and body hadn’t changed. But his skin was paler, smoother… and his frame had taken on a distinctly more feminine delicacy.

He’d always looked somewhat androgynous, and now—with these features and the outfit—it wasn’t surprising if people mistook his gender.

He pinched his cheek. He couldn’t believe a trip through the secret realm had given him a full makeover. His skin practically glowed.

Before, as a newcomer with no official status, he often went hungry. Malnutrition had made his skin rough and sallow. Now, even the freckles on his face had vanished.

What was going on?

Then it hit him—the Sacred Tree. Spending time near the life-rich Sacred Tree of the Elves had affected him, especially since he’d drunk quite a bit of the Sacred Tree’s sap. The improved skin was… understandable.

Crap!

Dylin smacked his forehead and turned to the clock again. The hands were nearing two o’clock.

Even with the difference in time flow, he had stayed too long in the Sacred Tree’s realm. It was already afternoon here in Kaleburn!

Luckily, Bilodis had sent him straight back to the manor—gotta give her a little credit for that, at least.

He had never slept this late before. After changing and tucking the hairpin into his pocket, he opened the door—only to see an amber-colored silhouette pass by.

“Good morning, Mr. Dylin.” Felicia Zorsha turned to him with a knowing smirk. “You and Miss Teresa didn’t show up for breakfast. Slept in the same bed, did you?”

“Please, Princess Felicia, don’t tease me,” Dylin replied wearily.

“How mean~ I even covered for you at breakfast—said I saw Miss Teresa leave early, and you stayed up too late in the library and probably wouldn’t wake until afternoon. I was risking my own reputation, you know. And not even a thank you? I’m about to shed a tear.”

Watching her pretend to pout dramatically, Dylin could only sigh.

Was it just him, or did everyone feel more annoyed after he came back from that place?

Still, Felicia had helped him out. No one questioned Teresa vanishing in the morning anymore—that was expected. But Dylin never missed Wenfu’s breakfast table. Without Felicia’s cover story, and no one answering his door, things could’ve gotten messy.

“Thank you, Felicia...”

Before he could finish, Felicia’s soft white fingers touched his lips, silencing him.

“I told you, drop the ‘Princess’ part.”

Now that she believed Dylin was a girl (at least, that’s what she thought), Felicia had become much bolder in her behavior. Before, she’d held back due to their ‘gender difference.’

“...Anyway, thank you for covering for me,” Dylin said, stepping back slightly.

“No problem. You’d do the same for me, wouldn’t you?” She smiled, even more radiantly as she noticed his discomfort.

Somehow, Dylin seemed easier to tease than Teresa.

And besides...

Was it just her imagination, or had Dylin become... even more appetizing overnight?

“Mhm.”

“If you really want to thank me, skip the words. A real gesture would be more sincere.”

“Like what?” she said, one hand on her waist, the other leaning on the doorway, her amber twin tails cascading down her chest as she boxed Dylin in.

“…Is your ‘Dragon Fever’ flaring up again?” Dylin asked flatly.

“Good eye, Mr. Dylin. That’s right. Until I resolve my level-leakage issue, these flare-ups will keep happening,” she said with a brilliant grin. “So, if you’re so grateful, help me deal with it?”

“Of course. Wasn’t I already planning to take a trip to Ruglian again?”

“No no, I don’t mean that kind of trip.” She smiled mysteriously.

“What do you mean? Don’t you want a long-term solution? ‘Fast food’ won’t fix anything permanently.”

“But when you’re starving, a quick snack isn’t so bad,” she said, licking her lips and adding a glossy sheen to them.

“I see. Then let’s go to the training grounds for a quick fight.”

“You misunderstood. That’s not what I meant either~”

“…What do you mean?” Dylin frowned.

“You really don’t get it, huh?”

“Get what?” Something about the way she was looking at him felt predatory, like a hungry beast eyeing prey.

“There are lots of ways to deal with Dragon Fever. It’s not just about fighting.”

“Okay… like what?”

“Any kind of activity that gives me a nice~ little rush of pleasure and release will do~”

“So basically still fighting?” Dylin leaned against the wall. That only encouraged Felicia, who leaned in even closer, her dazzling face inches away.

“Mr. Dylin~”

“…Hm?” Her voice had taken on a suspiciously seductive tone.

“You promised to keep my secrets, right?”

“Yes, just like you covered for me.”

“We’re comrades. Teammates.”

“Have been from the start.”

“You know all my little secrets and won’t tell anyone else, right?”

“Correct. Why?”

“Then… it has to be you.”

“What has to be me?” Dylin’s brows furrowed. Felicia wasn’t acting quite like usual. She had always been assertive—but never quite this aggressive.

Judging from her gleaming eyes and that almost obsessive lip-licking, she was definitely in a state. She didn’t look at him like a person—but like a delicious dessert.

Dylin sighed. Looks like her Dragon Fever needed to be addressed soon. Otherwise, his “purity” was in serious danger.

“Can I step on you?”

“No.” Dylin flatly refused. “Go step on some demons instead.”

“Then… Can I put a chain around your neck?”

“Even more of a no.” His face darkened. What kind of request was that? If anyone saw them, his dignity would be in ruins. He was still, at least publicly, the captain of Clarity of Sun and Moon and a Divine Child.

Figures it was Felicia—even her stress relief was eccentric. Who else came up with this kind of nonsense?

“Just to lead you on a little walk.”

“Just to lead me on a walk??” Dylin gave her a weird look. “Felicia, you really think this is a normal request?”

Felicia didn’t respond. She just stared at him. After a moment, she let go of his arms—but kept her gaze fixed on him.

Dylin sighed again.

Her Divine Authority may have been powerful, but its side effects were equally troublesome. No amount of willpower could fully stop the weirdness.

Maybe he should fight her here and now—let her vent a little and cool off.

“Fine, but—”

“Ugh?!”

The unexpected sound drew both their attention. They looked toward the third-floor stairwell, where a wisp of silver hair fluttered around the corner.

No need to guess who had been eavesdropping.

“Miss Astrid, something you need?” Dylin offered her a graceful out.

At his words, Astrid slowly stepped out from behind the corner, her cheeks visibly flushed.

Dylin frowned.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen this expression on Astrid’s face—usually when he was with other girls on the team (including Teresa).

Wasn’t this normal behavior? Why was she blushing?

“No… nothing,” Astrid shook her head, quickly turning to leave—only to be stopped by Dylin.

“You do have something. What’s that file you’re holding?”

Reminded by his words, Astrid blinked. Right—she had come to see if Dylin was awake.

But the moment she reached the third floor, she overheard snippets like “our secret,” “step on you,” “walk with a chain.” Her imagination had instantly filled in the blanks with countless unspeakable scenarios.

Her face turned scarlet in a heartbeat.

And somehow, even though she knew eavesdropping was wrong, she couldn’t stop herself. There was something oddly addictive about it...

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