Chapter 138 : The Sea of Dreams
Chapter 138: The Sea of Dreams
Leave this island?
Looking at the boundless sea before him, along with the countless “Dream Worlds” scattered across it like stars, even Levi hesitated somewhat.
However, someone quickly spoke up before Levi could.
“May I give it a try, Mr. Levi?”
“Miss Branson?”
Levi was momentarily taken aback as he looked at Annie beside him, while the Cheshire Cat let out a soft giggle.
“Of course you can. Dreams are whatever you wish them to be. Your thoughts are the world's thoughts. Your order is the world's order. Your rules are the world's rules. You may do whatever you want.”
“If you want to try, then go ahead.”
Levi was curious as well, so he nodded at Annie.
Then he watched Annie close her eyes.
“Mmm...”
Very soon, the air before them began to tremble.
Levi saw an enormous shadow gradually materializing out of thin air. At first, it was nothing but a few lines, like a sketch. First came the outlines, then the frame, then the colors...
It was none other than the Polar Star.
“———————!”
However, just as the ship was about to fully take shape, Annie let out a muffled groan and collapsed onto the ground.
At the same time, the enormous Polar Star vanished like a bubble.
“Are you alright?”
Levi hurried over and asked in a low voice. Annie was clutching her head, looking as though she had a terrible headache.
“I... I'm alright... Mr. Levi...”
“What just happened? It looked like you were about to succeed.”
“I was imagining the Polar Star just now, and I did successfully recall what the ship looked like, but...”
“But?”
“I suddenly realized that I don't know how many people are required to operate the ship, or what each person is supposed to do. The moment that thought appeared, everything I was imagining collapsed...”
How should he put it?
It wasn't beyond Levi's expectations.
He had long since realized that Annie was the type who obsessed over details. She could recite every kind of data flawlessly and explain it at length.
But on the other hand, if there was something she couldn't obtain precise information about, she simply couldn't get past that mental hurdle.
“Hahaha, because this is the Dream World, Miss.”
The Cheshire Cat burst into laughter.
“Dreams don't require that many reasons. If you believe it can be done, then it can be done.”
“How can that be...”
A rare troubled expression appeared on Annie's face.
It seemed forcing a materialist to embrace idealism was still far too difficult.
“In that case, I'll do it.”
Levi sighed before walking over to the shore and looking out at the sea.
This sea was even more beautiful than the one he had seen aboard the Polar Star.
Countless points of starlight shimmered across its surface, making it look like an ocean of stars. Endless dreamlights drifted upon the water, covering the entire sea with a gentle radiance.
It truly was a dreamlike landscape.
Seeing Levi walk to the shoreline, both Annie and the Cheshire Cat watched him curiously, eager to see what he intended to do.
Actually, Levi had plenty of ways to leave this island.
However, considering that the mysterious Cheshire Cat was still beside him, he decided not to reveal too many of his trump cards just yet.
He tilted his head slightly and thought for a moment.
Then Levi reached into his coat and took out a ——— bottle.
It wasn't an ordinary bottle.
Inside it was a ship floating upon the tiny sea contained within the bottle. Levi held it up against the horizon, making it appear as though the ship inside was sailing across the ocean before them.
Then he pulled out the cork and tossed the bottle directly into the sea.
Plop.
The bottle sank into the water and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
“…………………?”
A trace of confusion appeared in Annie's eyes, but she didn't ask anything.
She simply watched the sea quietly.
A few moments later...
An astonishing sight unfolded.
The seawater before Levi suddenly split apart, opening into a gigantic square-shaped gap.
Immediately afterward, a two-masted square-rigged sailing ship burst upward like a breaching whale.
Its long bowsprit sliced through the sea like a blade, cleaving the waves as the enormous vessel crashed heavily onto the water.
“Splash!!”
The waves surged in every direction, forcing everyone to instinctively step backward.
Only Levi remained standing where he was, nodding in satisfaction as he looked at the warship before him.
Although the ship's deck was rather high, Levi had already chosen a rocky platform before summoning it, one that was almost level with the deck.
With a light leap, he landed aboard.
Then he extended his hand toward Annie.
“After you, Miss Branson.”
“……………”
Annie looked at the ship before nodding.
She placed her right hand into Levi's palm, allowing him to help her aboard.
“Mr. Levi, this appears to be a sailing ship?”
“Yes.”
“But... wouldn't a sailing ship normally require more than one person to operate?”
To Annie, sailing ships weren't unfamiliar.
Before the Steam Revolution, the Empire's primary fleets had all consisted of sailing warships. Even now, several of the former Royal Navy vessels were still preserved as historical memorials.
Although Annie had been born after the Empire had fully transitioned to steamships, making sailing vessels obsolete, she still knew a fair amount about them.
“No matter what, let's try it first.”
Levi walked to the helm at the stern and grasped the wheel.
Then...
“Whoosh!”
The furled sails suddenly dropped on their own, unfurling and filling with wind.
The side sails extended as gracefully as seabirds spreading their wings.
The ship then began gliding across the dreamlike Sea of Stars.
“My... how fascinating...”
At some point, the Cheshire Cat had sprawled herself across the deck.
Her eyes widened with curiosity as she licked her lips.
“Mr. Levi, how did you manage that?”
Annie was utterly baffled.
When she imagined the Polar Star, she had become completely stuck at precisely this step.
So why was Levi able to operate this sailing ship so effortlessly all by himself?
“Even if you ask me, I can't really explain it.”
“Because that's simply how it's designed.”
Levi offered no further explanation.
This ship came from a game whose setting claimed it could travel across heaven and earth.
Inside that game, the player only needed W, S, A, and D to accelerate, slow down, turn, or stop.
As for how it actually worked...
Who knew?
Levi certainly didn't care.
After all...
Every game handled vehicles that way.
It was simply “how things worked.”
“Designed?”
“In any case, I can't really explain it to you.”
Levi knew Annie well enough to realize she would definitely keep asking until she reached the bottom of the matter.
Since he himself didn't know the answer, he simply changed the subject.
He turned toward the Cheshire Cat.
“Alright.”
“Tell me where my companions are.”
“We've already set sail.”
“Don't tell me you've suddenly lost track of them.”
Otherwise, Levi would have no choice but to forcefully leave the dream.
“Of course not.”
“Just keep heading this way.”
“The nearest soul is over there.”
The Cheshire Cat pointed north.
Levi immediately turned the helm and steered in that direction.
“Splash... Splash...”
Unlike the real ocean, where waves constantly surged and tossed every vessel about, the sea of the Dream World resembled a perfectly still lake.
The ship glided across it as though it were sliding over the surface of an immaculate mirror.
If not for the gentle ripples spreading behind the hull, one might not even realize it was moving.
Annie stood beside Levi, quietly admiring the scenery.
Honestly...
This place truly was perfect for a date.
It perfectly matched every romantic fantasy a young girl could have.
Provided, of course...
That they weren't suddenly killed by something leaping out at them.
“Over there.”
“Turn.”
After an unknown amount of time, the Cheshire Cat spoke again.
Levi saw that not far ahead stood something resembling a portal upon the sea.
Beyond it, some kind of scenery could vaguely be seen, yet everything remained blurred, like a mirror covered with winter frost.
“Are you sure?”
No matter how he looked at it, charging straight through didn't seem like a wise decision.
“Absolutely.”
The Cheshire Cat smiled.
“Or... do you have a better suggestion?”
Naturally, Levi had none.
So he turned the wheel, aimed directly at the portal...
And rammed straight through.
“Boom—————!”
The next instant...
The sailing ship smashed through a wall.
Collapsed an entire building.
Then slowly came to a stop like a whale stranded upon a beach.
Levi walked to the bow and looked ahead.
There...
A wedding ceremony was taking place.
The bride and groom stood facing one another upon the platform.
A large crowd of guests sat nearby.
The priest acting as officiant held the Holy Scripture aloft.
Everything seemed to have reached the most important moment of the ceremony.
The groom was about to place the ring upon the bride's finger.
Then they would exchange their vows.
However...
At that exact moment...
A sailing ship crashed into the venue and ruined everything.
“Uh... did I arrive at the wrong time?”
As Levi leaned over the bow, he discovered that everyone had turned to stare directly at him.
It looked exactly like an uninvited guest barging into someone else's wedding banquet to eat and drink freely.
Just then...
The groom looked at Levi and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Mr. Levi!”
“Help me!”
“Please save me!”
“So it's Mr. Joe.”
Just by looking at the enormous muscles stretching his suit to its limits, Levi immediately recognized him.
Still...
Why was he shouting?
Wasn't getting married supposed to be a pleasant dream?
Only then did Levi get a clear look at the bride.
She was none other than the archaeology team's other female member—
Lavinia Godney.
At that moment, she stood beside Joe with a sweet smile on her face before drawing a knife from beneath her wedding dress.
“Joe, I love youuuuuuu!!”
Shouting at the top of her lungs, Lavinia raised the knife and viciously stabbed toward Joe!
(End of Chapter)