#tyltyl

"No. I tried, but I couldn't meet him.", said Nonoo Seika.

It was Sunday, September 24th. Like in the previous day, Asai Kei met up with Haruki Misora and Nonoo Seika at the park near the hospital.

"The old timer from the Stray Cat Manor lived in my neighborhood. His place was one of those 100-year-old Western-style houses, that had become a den for street cats. But when I got there, his house was missing."

"What do you mean by missing?"

"The literal meaning. It had been turned into a parking lot. Because in the real world, his house had been demolished about 5 years ago. Not much surprise on that front." 

"Do you have any clue where this old man could be?"

"None. I spent my day yesterday wandering around in the dream. But he wasn't that easy to find. I had just blindly assumed he'd be at his house.", Nonoo Seika told. "I simply couldn't imagine him being anywhere other than the mansion."

"Got it."

Kei nodded. He imagined it was a similar case to Nonoo always being found in the mountain shrine. It felt wrong when she was anywhere else. But, as reality was proving in real time, she was capable of standing at the park.

Haruki Misora was confused.

"Nonoo, do you not have the perfect ability for searching for someone?"

She had the ability to share her consciousness with any cat in Sakurada. She practically had countless eyes all over the city.

But Nonoo disagreed.

"It's pretty difficult to use my ability in the dream world. They don't mesh well."

(I can see why.)

To use her ability, Nonoo needs to reach a state so absentminded that she forgets her own existence. The easiest way to accomplish that is falling asleep. But the dream world has different rules. Sleeping in that world causes her to awaken in the real world, banishing her from the realm of dreams.

Haruki had another suggestion. She was more proactive than usual, presumably because she was talking to Nonoo.

"Then how about you wait at the dream hospital?"

The idea seemed reasonable at first glance.

People don't sleep forever. When they wake up, they're sent back to their original world. Then, when they enter the dream world again, they must pass through the entrance of the hospital. This should also apply to the old man.

But Nonoo shook her head.

"I feel that would just raise the likelihood of us missing each other. I'm just as susceptible to getting kicked from the dream as I wake up."

(There's a decent chance of that.), Kei thought. (People spend more time awake than asleep. The time she'd have to stand guard at the dream hospital is pretty limited.)

She'd be sure to get there eventually if she could lie in wait for multiple consecutive days, but that was the last day the Bureau gave them permission to enter the dream world. She should prefer a more reliable method.

"So, Asai, can I get a stupid conversation in the dream? I need that idle and pointless chatter to let me forget myself.", Nonoo continued after a large yawn.

Nonoo's ability could also be used while she was awake. All she needed to do was forget herself. Doing so, she could search the person she was looking for through the eyes of every cat in Sakurada.

But Kei promptly refused.

"I like the sound of that, but I know another ability that can search the man more efficiently."

Murase Youka. She could find him more reliably than the cat eyes.

(I've been so dependent of her lately… Well, her ability is just that useful for pretty much anything. Besides, she never says no when asked for help, unless she's seriously busy.)

Nonoo peered into Kei's face.

"Would this person come all the way to the dream world if you asked?"

"I think she would, but that's not necessary."

The trio would likely be sent to the same sickroom as yesterday. Asking Haruki, Nonoo, and Murase to sleep on a single bed would be pushing it.

"If reality is being replicated exactly as is, we should be able to find her in the dream world. Let's enter the dream world first, and then request her help."

"Okay, thank you.", Nonoo agreed.

"Well, I'll just call her phone. If she's busy, we come up with something else."

(The most reliable option would be asking Tyltyl for help, but finding God should prove harder than find the old timer from the Stray Cat Manor. Factoring in how easy to contact she is, Murase is indeed the best option.)

They decided to enter the dream world before thinking about their next step.

—————————————————————————–

As usual, he couldn't fall asleep all too easily.

Kei meticulously, attentively avoided thinking about anything. It was like balancing himself atop an oiled up ball. With every slip, he was immediately drowning in a swamp of thoughts and worries.

Tyltyl, Mytyl, The Blue Bird, the One-Handed Eden, Monster, sour grapes and sweet lemons, Souma Sumire, Haruki Misora—-

It was only after dispelling everything concerning those subjects that Kei entered the world of dreams.

His eyes opened to find the same unchanged sickroom ceiling. Kei raised himself and opened the curtain surrounding the bed.

He was expecting Mytyl to visit his sickroom again, but it didn't happen. The only ones there were Haruki on the other bed and Nonoo on the folding chair. The two were much better nappers than Kei was.

Kei put on his socks and sneakers, and got on his feet.

"Sorry for taking so long."

"No problem. Let's get to business."

"Yes. I'll give Murase a call."

He took his phone out of his pocket, but something happened when he was about to dial Murase Youka's number.

His phone started vibrating despite being set to silent mode. The screen read "Tyltyl". A row of asterisks occupied the place where his numbers were supposed to be.

(Is he watching us?)

Despite his suspicions, he didn't see any point in checking his surroundings. Tyltyl was God in this world now. Anything was possible, coming from him.

Kei pressed the green button and put the phone to his ear.

He heard Tyltyl's voice.

"Hey, there. Rise and shine."

"I've just went to sleep."

Tyltyl laughed from the phone.

"This side is practically reality from my perspective. Hence, the wake-up greeting."

(Good point.)

"Then I'm up and about, Tyltyl. I'd like to see you, if that's possible. Would you mind talking face to face?"

"We will, in time. But not yet."

"Why?"

"I have no reason to see you. Besides, you're busy with something else. You need to help the girl find the old timer from the Stray Cat Manor."

(He knows what we're up to?)

"Yes, we've been having difficulties."

"I'm sure you are. After all, no one can see the old timer without my permission.", Tyltyl heartily laughed.

(Why? Is this an order from the Bureau? I can bet it is.)

The Bureau didn't let people get too close to the dream world. The only exception Kei was aware of was the old timer from the Stray Cat Manor. The Bureau considered him special.

And, naturally, Tyltyl was in no position to disobey the Bureau. He was God in the dream world, but the world's creator was Katagiri Honoka, never to wake up from a hospital in the real world.

(If the Bureau happened to move Katagiri Honoka outside Sakurada, this world should return to nothing. With the Bureau mobilized in the real world, Tyltyl will have no means to resist them. If the Bureau forbids meeting the old timer, we're in a rough spot.)

Deceiving Tyltyl in this world would prove challenging. The old timer could be found in the real hospital, at the very least somewhere near Katagiri Honoka, but approaching him through that route was likely to be stepping on the Bureau's toes. With that in mind, requesting Murase's cooperation was no longer an option, and getting too close to him started looking like a bad idea even for Nonoo.

"Could you authorize us to meet the old timer from the Stray Cat Manor?", Kei resumed the conversation.

(I obviously don't think he will, but it never hurts to try.)

And yet, Tyltyl's answer was effortless.

"Sure. Fine by me."

"Seriously?"

"Well, yes. That's what I called you for. I'm a pretty nice dude, don't you think?", he snickered before continuing. "Pay his old home a visit at 3 PM. I trust you know where it is. The tall Western-style house with the tall fences, where the street cats settled down."

"I hear that place is a parking lot now."

"Never was. The house had been there the whole time. It just tends to look like a regular parking lot to the unattentive eyes. You can go inside and still not tell the difference. But actually, the house is still there. And today, from 3PM to sunset, it will regain its original form."

(What is he getting yet?)

"Dreams don't need to play by any rules.", affirmed Tyltyl.

Kei decided to take his every word at face value for the time being. God can do anything. Doubting that wouldn't get him anywhere.

"May I ask one question?"

"What is it?"

"What's the old timer's ability?"

The only plausible reason for the Bureau to give him special treatment would be an ability.

"Ok…", Tyltyl answered without hesitation. "His ability is to transcribe The Script. He never stops writing his manuscripts. All alone, in that house no one visits, or even knows exist."

(Transcribe… the Script?)

Asai Kei remembered things.

─ "What comes to mind when you hear the word transcription?", Sakuin said.

─ "Pay attention to the No. 407 of The Script.", was Souma Sumire's message.

The two dots suddenly connected. Kei didn't understand the link, but it clearly existed.

"Bye, then, Asai Kei. Let's chat again if we get the chance.", Tyltyl greeted from the phon.

"Wait. Please tell me, what does 'transcribing the script' mean?"

But Tyltyl didn't answer. All Kei could hear was mechanical beeping. The call was already over.

(You've gotta be kidding me.), he mentally groaned. (Since the old man gets special treatment from the Bureau… Since they instructed him to not let anyone get near him, then meeting him is, by itself, a potential issue. Now I'm starting to think I need to keep Nonoo away.)

Despite his conscious thoughts, the unknown phrase "transcribes The Script" was in control of Kei's actions.

"What's the matter?", Nonoo asked.

Kei returned his phone to his pocket and asked her a question.

"Nonoo, do you know the old timer's ability?"

"No, never heard of it."

"From what I hear, his ability is to transcribe The Script."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know either. Does it ring any bells at all?"

Nonoo squinted, then answered.

"It does. He was always writing. No idea what, though."

"Yeah, that checks out.", Kei nodded before continuing. "I imagine the Bureau won't like the idea of us getting anywhere near the old timer. Do you still want to see him?"

Nonoo nodded with no signs of hesitation or discouragement.

"Yeah, I do."

Kei didn't know what her relationship to this old man was like. He has only known her for two months himself. But despite his lack of genuine familiarity to her, her strong desire to meet someone felt natural to her personality. He could tell how rare and special this feeling was.

"Asai, will you try to stop me?", she raised her eyebrow, mildly concerned.

Kei shook his head.

"No, I'll go along."

It wasn't just for Nonoo's sake.

With Souma Sumire's designs involved, he needed to know what it meant to transcribe The Script and what was written in No. 407.

—————————————————————————–

(As far as I know, my ability originated from a fixation to life.), thought Souma Sumire. That was the thought that crossed her mind while she lunched chicken sauté in a small restaurant filled with accessories from various countries.

Souma Sumire almost died upon birth.

Since she was in the womb, the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, and she couldn't get any oxygen beyond the necessary. By the time she left her mother's body, she was already on her last legs.

She didn't believe she already had what could be called a real intellect at that point, but, presumably through her instincts, she knew she was going to die. She knew, and it frightened her. She wished for a proper chance to live her life.

And then she gained the ability of precognition.

Basically, she tried to use the little time she had before her life slipped away from her baby hands to peer into the distant future and experience decades worth of simulation. Her life was going to end shortly after birth, and she wanted it to have the same worth as a life fully lived to a typical length.

(No, there's no way my mind was complicating this so much. I just wanted to live. I just wanted to see the future.)

That's how Souma Sumire gained the ability to see the future from birth. She saw the future through her mother desperately screaming her name. She didn't remember it anymore, but she was sure that's how it went.

The future she saw as result of it could be described as anticlimax, as Souma Sumire ultimately didn't die.

(And the fact that I… I mean, the real Souma Sumire… wanted to live so bad, then threw away her own life in a summer two years ago feels a sick joke.)

She brought a small bite of chicken sauté to her mouth. She didn't pay attention to the flavor. She felt a hint of guilt. Did someone who chose to die have the right to eat living beings? She swallowed that foolish sentimentality along with the meat. Working under the excuse that the world was a dream.

That was when the restaurant's door opened.

The bell on the room rang, sounding like echoes in a deep cave. It was an old, rusty bell, resembling the type cows wore on their necks.

From the door, entered light and a girl with a blue bird atop her head. The brightness was uncomfortable to Souma's eyes.

"Sumire."

The girl dashed straight to Souma and jumped to her chest. The blue bird flew into the air in a hurry.

Under the creaking sound of her chair, Souma pondered on whether or not to deliver a lecture on the dangers of jumping on a person holding a fork and a knife. She turned her gaze to the blue bird and decided she shouldn't bother, as the girl already had someone else to be her tutor. The blue bird landed on a corner of the table.

She put her knife and fork on the table and used her free hands to pet the girl's head.

"It's been a while, Mytyl. How have you been?"

"Great. And you, Sumire?"

"Fairly alright. Feeling like a morning glory?"

"Morning glory?"

"That flower that's always withering then blooming again."

(I guess it'd be more accurate to say I planted my seed to grow another one of the same flower.)

Mytyl didn't get it, but decided she didn't care, and randomly pointed to the air.

"Why are you here when you could have come to see me?"

Souma traced the path of Mytyl's fingers, despite knowing it meant nothing. A speaker was installed on a corner of the ceiling. She hadn't paid attention to it until now, but it produced a strange, lax rhythm. Souma guessed it was a Bohemian folk song.

(Why, though? I'm not exactly familiar with Bohemia. Naturally, I don't know their folk music. Am I actually thinking of bohemianism??  If I recall correctly, bohemianism is something like being a wanderer. This jumbled mess of a store certainly has wanderer vibes.)

"Hey, are you hearing me? Why didn't you come see me?"

Hearing Mytyl's annoyed voice, Souma nodded.

"I was going to, after eating this chicken."

"Is the chicken more important than me?"

"No. I realized just now that the chicken didn't matter much."

(I've got no appetite. At all.)

"Will you also eat?"

Souma offered her a menu.

"Ice cream, then.", Mytyl answered, taking the opposite seat.

Souma opened the menu and checked the dessert list.

"They've only got vanilla ice cream and chestnut gelato."

"Hmm, I'll take the vanilla, I guess."

"But the chestnut gelato is September's monthly special."

"What item is limited doesn't matter."

Souma swiftly raised her hand to call the waiter. She added a vanilla ice cream to her order and asked to take away the uneaten half of her chicken.

"Throwing away food is bad.", Mytyl reacted to what she saw.

"Even in the dream world?"

"Huh? Does this work different between dream and reality?"

After some thought, Souma asked a new question.

"Mytyl, why do you think wasting food is bad?"

"Because Tyltyl said so."

"Ok, I get it now."

(This wasn't about the lives of the ingredients at all. Kei wouldn't be saying that throwing away food is bad in this situation. Forcing yourself to swallow food is not that different from dumping it in the trash. I don't believe that eating every part would make the chicken more content with its murder. If there's one thing you should be criticizing me for, it's ordering food without being hungry. If I had never ordered anything, we might have had one less chicken killed by humanity.)

Mytyl leaned toward her.

"I met Tyltyl, and when I did, he told me Sumire was here."

"Oh, I see. Still in good terms with Tyltyl?"

"Obviously. We're Mytyl and Tyltyl."

Tyltyl and Mytyl—the protagonists of The Blue Book. The brother Tyltyl always protected his little sister Mytyl. With love absolute and unconditional.

"Say, Mytyl, are you satisfied with your world?"

The waiter brought a vanilla ice cream and a hot coffee. The coffee comes with the chicken sauté Souma previously ordered.

Mytyl scooped some ice cream using one of the accompanying wafers.

"Satisfied? Why wouldn't I be? No world is happier than this one."

"Happy, is it?"

"Yeah, duh. I can walk, run, and eat ice cream. Tyltyl will protect me from anything. What else could I want?"

(Sweet lemons.), Souma blurted in her mind.

Yesterday, Kei told Mytyl what that was.

People convince themselves that what they got is a sweet fruit. This faith protects their hearts.

(But not everything can go your way. It's natural to envy what others have and you don't. Look no further than myself, here to eat chicken sauté despite not having an appetite. But I didn't get any satisfaction out of doing something I already knew would be a complete waste of time. Who could have guessed? Sigh, deceiving your own heart is so difficult. There's no one in the world harder to fool than yourself. My lies can't swindle me…)

Souma looked out the window. There were crumbled streets outside. Last night, Monster destroyed a portion of the town, and it haven't been cured yet.

Mytyl, with a spoon in hand, gazed into her face.

"What's wrong? You're weird today, Sumire."

"I was just taking in the facts. This place is as happy as you say."

With this answered, Souma poured milk into her coffee. Black and white stir and come together at the center of it.

(But this happiness can't save you.)

"Hey, Mytyl, do you ever meet the old timer from the Stray Cat Manor?", Souma changed the subject.

"Who?"

"You know, that old man who is always alone, transcribing The Script."

The only real person living in this dream world, aside from Mytyl.

"Oh, I've heard about him. But I don't care."

"Why?"

"That's my question. What would I meet some old man for?"

(To have a nice talk, for one.)

But before Souma could answer, Mytyl let out a little shout of surprise.

Souma found a spoonful of ice cream on the girl's chest. Seems like she dropped it.

"I'll get that washed.", she groaned.

"Sure, go ahead."

Mytyl got off her chair and trotted to the restaurant's bathroom.

Souma turned her eyes to the little blue bird perched on the table. But she didn't say anything. The blue bird talked first.

"I don't want you talking to Mytyl about the elder."

Tyltyl's voice. He made the ice cream fall to remove Mytyl from scene so he could have a private conversation.

Souma Sumire didn't accept the request.

"Why? The old man is the only one who can save her."

It could be anyone, in fact, but he was the only one in this world.

The bird shook its head, in an eerily humanlike gesture.

"Mytyl is afraid of the elder. I must protect her."

Souma had strong opinions on this matter, but didn't protest.

"Ok, you do you."

But of them were true cowards.

Outside the manor, the sun was already hanging considerably low.

It was almost 4 PM. Daytime hinting at its own end this early would be a sign that autumn was in full effect. But they were not there yet. The sun still marched toward its finish line.

Asai Kei looked at Ukawa Sasane, who walked next to him.

"You wanted to know about the differences between the dream world and reality, was it?"

They had agreed to report a second time that day.

But Ukawa refused.

"No, I don't care anymore."

"Why?"

"I've been walking around the city the whole day yesterday. Then today, the Bureau told me about Mytyl and Tyltyl. That's pretty much all I needed to know. I got my answer."

Ukawa lowered her eyelids. She didn't fully close her eyes. Instead, she watched her own feet.

"Asai, do you think this is a proper world?"

He wasn't expecting this question from her.

Ukawa Sasane usually made every decision by herself. She had the strength of will to trust her own heart. She never asked for anyone else's opinions.

Mulling over these thoughts, Kei had an epiphany.

(Oh! She already knows my answer.)

She hadn't opened herself to dialogue. It was unlikely she even intended convince him of her reason. This was merely the first step of the announcement.

"I don't. It could be a mistake. But I don't believe it's the kind of mistake strangers like us can arbitrarily take away from her.", Asai Kei answered.

A One-Handed Eden.

A cheap idea of happiness.

A world where dreams come true. People who lack the strength to live fulfilled lives in the real world can escape to this palm-sized paradise where they're granted a replica of joy.

That was indeed what Mytyl—Katagiri Honoka—sought.

Ukawa Sasane disagreed.

"I hate this world. This whole time, I've been thinking about why I do."

"Did you find an answer?"

"There's this poster I saw a long time ago. It had that round Earth drawn on it, surrounded by a ring of people joining hands. My heart decided that's how things should be."

Kei had also seen that poster before. Many variants of it, actually. It's an easy template, used for also sorts of different campaigns.

"But, look at that, this world—Katagiri Honoka—is not joining hands with anyone."

"So you take issue with secluding yourself in your own world and making your own God?"

"Yeah. It's like spending your whole life alone in your room playing with dolls. She's avoiding everyone, lying to herself, and closing all doors."

Ukawa abruptly turned to Kei.

"My heart's verdict: this is disgusting."

She judged Mytyl, Katagiri Honoka, and the world she created to be her paradise, as disgusting.

Kei would have preferred if she had said it with a glare. There is a cure for aggressive malice. But instead, she gazed at him with quiet eyes, devoid of strife, as she usually did.

Ukawa Sasane did not perceive her destruction as tyrannical. She was not delicate enough to realize that her words could hurt others.

Kei looked as far as he could beyond the horizon. To get a proper grasp of the world he was in. He watched everything attentively, from the blowing winds to the falling leaves.

"Avoiding everyone… lying to herself… closing all doors…"

All repudiating words. Not the correct thing to say.

"I don't think it's right to badmouth people doing what little they can to make their lives better."

(Sometimes sour grapes and sweet lemons are the only things that can protect someone's happiness. The strong don't have the right to disregard the ways the weak fight.)

Ukawa Sasane awkwardly frowned.

"C'mon, you don't have to get so mad. Have a Snickers."

Signs pointed to chocolate being the cure for depression in Ukawa Sasane's belief system. Kei sighed as he watched Ukawa dig through her backpack for some chocolate to give him.

"I'm not mad, I just think you're not understanding her unique circumstances enough."

(If everyone in the world were Ukawa Sasane, world peace could have been achieved with just chocolate.)

Ukawa Sasane had too much faith in people.

She was convinced that anyone could be as strong as she was.

Kei accepted her Snickers offering, but couldn't find the will to rip the wrapper. The combination of peanuts, caramel, nougat, and chocolate was too much for casual snack. He put the bar in his pocket for later.

"I'm not very approving of this dream world either. I noticed the girl who is always alone, and I agree she should make some friends. But I don't think walking to her and crushing her dolls is the right call."

"Then what do you think is the solution?", she asked, taking a bite of her own Snickers bar.

"First, I want to have a nice, good talk with Mytyl. If I can be her friend, she won't be alone, even in this world."

"I don't know. I also met Mytyl, but we couldn't get a proper talk. The answer is the same no matter what I say. 'It's fine, I can ask Tyltyl later.' Tyltyl is willing to give her chocolate, friends, happiness, and anything more she could want."

"Only at first. This could be solved with time."

"It's not looking possible so far. Mytyl is too dependent on this world. She forgot she's Katagiri Honoka, and lives ignoring reality. You can't convince me to accept that."

Kei disagreed.

"This world is all Ms. Katagiri has. If she can't wake up in the real world, she has to make her life here good."

"You don't get it. Even if the dream world is her only option, it doesn't have to be like this. I'm not against the ability to create a dream world. I'm against creating Tyltyl and becoming Mytyl. That part is creepy and disturbing.", Ukawa licked the remains of the Snickers bar off her fingers. "If the doll games are becoming an issue, then yes, we have to crush those dolls to dust. There's no reason to hesitate on that."

"The decision to get rid of the dolls needs to come from her."

(Happiness is not a mass-produced, cookie-cutter product. It looks completely different from one person to another. What's wrong with dolls being what makes someone happy?)

"You're always such a cruel guy, Asai.", Ukawa smirked.

(Look who's talking.)

"When you say I'm too strong, you're describing yourself. When you say I have too much faith in people, you're also describing yourself. People can't do what's right all the time. Some lessons need to be taught by force. That's why us heroes need to fight. Mistakes can't be fixed through dialogue."

Kei disagreed.

"I understand your point. But we don't know if this case that needs force."

"I do. This world is begging to be saved."

"What makes you think so?"

"If it weren't, Monster wouldn't be destroying the city every night. I believe it does it because Katagiri Honoka also hates the world she created."

Ukawa Sasane grabbed a blocky iron ring from her pocket.

"Wait.", Kei begged.

"I won't.", Ukawa Sasane answered.

The ring went into her left little finger. It was tight, entering with some struggle, but her push was forceful.

He had seen this exact same motion two years before. It's the gesture that triggered her ability.

Her ability changes the world. It doesn't work on living beings, but it can reshape literally anything else. It can produce objects from nothing and delete pre-existing ones.

But to do so, she needed to envision the altered form for almost a whole minute. If her concentration was disrupted, she needed to start over from the top. Furthermore, her ability loses effect after she completely forgets she altered something. 

That's why she puts on rings one size too small when using her ability. The physical discomfort at the base of her fingers blocked off distractions, allowing her to focus on her vision of the altered world.

"We're done talking. I'll correct this world. Destroy everything in it, wipe the slate clean."

"And then what?"

"I'm hoping that seeing her fake Eden in shambles will remind Mytyl that she's Katagiri Honoka. From there, she just needs to make a better world."

Ukawa Sasane closed her eyes.

She was imagining the world fall apart.

"Ukawa, I respect your strength. But I never found you righteous. You never once felt you knew better than, say, Haruki Misora.", Kei declared.

Kei knew nothing more ideal that delicate girl Haruki used to be two years ago.

(And Haruki would never destroy the world so irresponsibly.)

"Asai… Sucks to tell you, but…", Ukawa Sasane spoke, still with her eyes closed. "I trust my own heart a lot more than I trust yours."

Asai Kei was at a loss.

He only had one minute to act.

He could delay Ukawa Sasane's ability from activating by punching her. Maybe shouting on her year could get the job done. As long as he could interrupt her focus in any way, Ukawa Sasane would be unable to use her power.

But there one clear reason to hesitate.

(Considering Tyltyl is God here… if he really is omnipotent here… he should have this under control. Everything must be proceeding according to his plan.)

He had a prediction. One he wasn't all too confident on.

The thought couldn't escape his mind.

(Considering that Souma saw this future… Or that the future is predetermined by The Script… Then what happens is set in stone. What decision will I make? What line of reasoning will get me there? …That's a dumb question. It doesn't matter.) 

The clouds blocked off the sun.

The wind blew, tickling his nose.

At the last few seconds, Kei had his answer. He'd take the easy way out.

(I'll let Ukawa Sasane have her fun.), he decided, biting his lips.

Ukawa Sasane opened her eyes. That's when it happened.

Every man-made object disappeared from the dream Sakurada.

—————————————————————————–

Tyltyl was in the sickroom Mytyl used as her bedroom.

Mytyl was asleep. Tyltyl watched her as she curled herself into a ball atop the white bed.

She's the only person allowed to sleep in the dream world. Or, looking at it from the opposite angle, the only forbidden to wake up in the real world.

Mytyl furrowed her brows, as if she was having a sad dream. Tyltyl gently held her hand, but that didn't soften her expression. He knew it couldn't. Tyltyl's hands can't save Mytyl.

He recalled Souma Sumire's words.

─The old man is the only one who can save her.

The old timer from the Stray Cat Manor.

But that elder was Mytyl's greatest fear. He had been living in the dream world since before Tyltyl's origin. In other words, he knew Mytyl back when she still was Katagiri Honoka.

At the time, the Bureau was still unaware of Katagiri Honoka's ability. No employee made any attempt to examine the girl who would never wake up, and no incident involving her caught the eyes of the nameless system.

Katagiri Honoka was still not kept in isolation, and the people in the neighboring sickrooms could enter the dream world.

Back then, Katagiri Honoka was the god of this world.

She was the custodian of Paradise, offering unconditional salvation to every visiting patient.

When Katagiri Honoka became Mytyl, she discarded all memories of her godhood. Tyltyl, on the other hand, inherited them all.

Much like every other patient, that senior citizen—the old timer from the Stray Cat Manor—knew nothing about this world during his first visit.

Katagiri Honoka, still a god, asked him the exact same question she asked every patient.

"What do you wish for?"

This whole time, she kept granting people's wishes.

Yet, the elder was the only one who never wished for anything. He stared God in the eye and desired nothing, despite knowing fully well anything could be granted to him.

Worse, he asked her this question: 

"What makes you a god and not a devil?"

(What a question to ask.), thought Tyltyl. (This inquiry makes Eden fall apart. It mustn't be said out loud.)

"Gods offer unconditional salvation. Devils offer power in exchange for your soul.", Katagiri Honoka answered.

The elder's laugh sounded like a coughing fit.

"But anyone who wishes anything upon you will eventually become your prisoner."

"Sir, I'm not taking anything from anyone." 

"When something is given, something is lost. It can be peace, it can be well-being, and it can be paradise. No one can break free from a free gift."

He described the dilemma labeled One-Handed Eden by the Bureau.

Before the Bureau had even discovered the dream world, this old man saw the issue with Katagiri Honoka's ability and pointed it to her.

"How is being unable to escape the paradisiacal cage granted by a god any different from having your soul stolen?"

Saying this made Eden fall apart. His words caused Katagiri Honoka's last hope to fall apart.

She couldn't admit to this accusation.

So she granted him a gift.

Everyone who wandered into this world wished for the same thing. A healthy body, forever unassailed by injury and disease. That's what she gave him.

And then she waited for him to manifest a deeper desire. She waited for the old man to grow dependent on her world, just like she was.

But he continued not to make any wishes. He locked himself alone in his manor, and never came out again. That's why Katagiri Honoka feared him. A man who can refuse salvation and live his whole life alone filled her with deep-seated dread.

Tyltyl gripped Mytyl's hand.

(It's almost time.)

His thoughts were interrupted by Mytyl's bed silently disappearing. And it wasn't just the bed. The ceiling, walls, floors, the whole hospital. Every man-made object in sight disappeared.

The sky covered his whole field of view. At the corners of his eyes, a wall of white haze enclosed the city.

Her sickroom was at the 5th floor. Tyltyl fell 5 stories, still holding on to Mytyl's hand. He landed quietly, embracing Mytyl so that the shock wouldn't wake her up.

He lay Mytyl down on the barren ground and let go of her hand. Mytyl continued to sleep with a furrowed brow.

Tyltyl closed his eyes.

He transformed into a little blue bird and took flight.

He flew in circles, far and high, moving beyond the white walls.

Mytyl would eventually wake up.

She'd wake up in the erased city and cry.

The blue bird also chirped in sorrow over it.

—————————————————————————–

Every man-made object disappeared from the dream Sakurada.

Asai Kei looked around him and saw just flat ground with a few trees planted here and there. Giant white walls enclosed the ended world, contributing to the apocalyptic imagery.

He heard many screams in the distance. The people were in panic.

He also heard screams nearby. Haruki, Nonoo, and the other people in the manor where collapsed on the floor. They suffered a decently large fall after the floor suddenly vanished on them.

Usawa Sasane's ability can control anything inorganic. There was a chance it had no effect in the dream world, but she proved everything still bends to her will.

"What's the big idea, Ukawa? Have you forgotten there's people living in tall buildings?"

"They've already tested this out. Hurting people in the dream doesn't hurt their real-life counterparts. Nothing bad happened."

Kei sighed. That was not what he was talking about.

Then he approached Nonoo, the person closest to his initial position, and helped her to her feet.

"What happened?", she asked.

"Ukawa felt like getting rid of every building."

"She's crazy."

While Nonoo grumbled, everyone else stood up. All except one, actually. The man with the fake smile kept his smile plastered on his face even as he was squished under a door. Kei didn't understand why only this one door survived the total annihilation.

He crawled from under it and sat atop the door.

"Talk about a fresh start."

"Oops, I forgot I'd be erasing those notebooks. Did you still need them?"

"I could've used some extra time with them, but it's no big deal. I would have loved if you kept the beds, however."　

"Do you genuinely believe this will improve the dream world?", Kei asked.

"No clue. If her next world is still weird, I'll destroy it again. And I'll keep destroying it until she gets it right."