NOVEL ONLINE FREE Ch64 - Dream Eater ★
Chapter 64: Dream Eater ★
I’ll post the next chapter
I originally intended to post it all together today, but it became too long to finish writing, so I divided it into two parts.
The daytime bustle gradually quiets down, and a peaceful evening descends upon the city of Rachelle.
The traditional streets, inherited from long ago, are dimly illuminated by the lanterns hanging from each eaves.
The Rachelle nightscape is dimly lit, and both residents and tourists have returned home early to relax.
The Rachelle way to enjoy the evening is to return home early, prepare a slightly elaborate dinner, and enjoy a leisurely meal with the whole family.
Although it’s a famous tourist spot, it’s quiet at night.
The well-behaved Rena and her party, of course, returned to their inn in the evening.
The receptionist, who has become quite familiar with them, recently teases Rena, saying things like, “Red Queen, can I have your autograph?”
Ignoring the joke with an ambiguous smile, Rena and her companions hurry into their room.
Removing their equipment and changing into comfortable clothes, she exhales deeply.
She speaks to Hamaru.
“…Before making dinner,
let’s have Har-kun check the dreams you’ve stored! Please.
I hope I can successfully retrieve some seasonings from my homeland…”
“Hooray! Hooray!”
“Yes, as you wish, Rena-sama!
I’ll do my best!”
“Indeed. …Very well.”
“Why is Lily puffing out her chest? Hehe, that’s funny.”
In a peaceful atmosphere, everyone focuses their attention on the Dream-Eating Sheep, Hamaru.
Even with the attention, the [Insensitive] Hamaru doesn’t get embarrassed and stares into space as if thinking about something.
His slightly larger cotton-cloud tail sways gently.
Within it, several stars shimmer.
“…Um…
Maybe… the green light is Slime-senpai’s dream, and the red one is Lily-senpai’s dream.
The platinum star is Luca.
Rena-sama’s dream seems to be orange light this time.”
“I see. I wonder if the color of the star is related to the content of the dream?”
“That’s probably the case.”
Lucas Tias is a truly convenient young man.
He readily begins instructing them on the new skill.
Everyone is already used to this development and doesn’t seem surprised.
“Hamaru, close your eyes and focus on the light in your tail.
Focus on just one… and try wishing to see its contents.
Then you should be able to interfere with the dream.”
“Ooh, as expected. I’ll give it a try!”
“Okay.”
…Hamaru closes his eyes and starts to doze off.
When Rena and the others look at Luca questioningly, he nods, so apparently this is correct.
“To ‘retrieve an item’ with [Dream Release], you need solid, detailed information.
Which item to retrieve. What its appearance and function are like.
Because you need to select it, you have to devote most of your consciousness to peeking into the dream.
I think he’s sleeping to concentrate.
If the dream’s content is vague, he can probably only release ‘the phenomenon itself.’
For example, things like being caught in a heavy downpour… or being able to dance very well.
These can be used for attacks or to confuse opponents.
Even when awake, Hamaru should be able to understand the general content of a dream.”
“Wow. So, for example, if you [Dream Release] a dream about dancing, Har-kun will start dancing?”
“If the dream’s content is ‘everyone danced,’ then the people around him would start dancing too.
That’s roughly the correct understanding.”
It’s a truly amazing skill, now that they think about it.
Used incorrectly, it could cause a disaster… but it also seems usable for a wide range of fun events.
Rena giggles, imagining people holding hands and spinning around Hamaru, confused but dancing.
The senior familiars chat happily around the sleeping Hamaru.
“I wonder what Kuu and Iz’s green dream was about? I’m curious!”
“I feel like I vaguely remembered it right after I woke up, but I’ve already forgotten.”
“…Dreams… you forget them quickly, don’t you?
If it’s a happy dream, I want to remember it clearly forever…”
“That’s right! Sometimes, when I wake up, my heart feels warm and fuzzy, right?
I think I must have had a nice dream, and it makes me sad to forget it.”
“I know!
I try to sleep again to see the continuation of the dream… but I can never see the same dream again. It’s frustrating.
But a dream that makes you happy is probably one where you were eating delicious food on Rena’s lap, right?”
“Hee hee! …That’s actually possible.”
The seniors, who were peering at Hamaru’s sleeping face, turn around and jump onto Rena’s chest as she starts to cry from the cuteness of her children.
Since they’re all still small, the sound effects are also cute.
Rena hugs her cute little ones tightly.
She nuzzles them with her wet cheeks, and the familiars squeal.
“Rena! What’s for dinner today?
We love Rena’s cooking!”
“Master! I… I want a little bit of that lovely dessert…”
“Okay, okay, I’ll make you a delicious meal. Leave it to me!
I’ll decide on the menu after Har-kun’s [Dream Release], but I think I’ll use pork, which everyone likes.
Luca-san is going to help me too, so let’s make a lot!
For dessert… jiggly panna cotta made with fruit jam, whipped cream, and slime jelly powder.
I prepared it in the morning, so it should be set by now… Let’s have Izumi chill it and then we’ll all eat it together.
Look forward to it, Lily-chan!
Today, I’ll feed everyone myself…”
“Yay!”
“…Rena, that’s not allowed.
Sigh. You’re spoiling them again.
The familiars are practicing how to use forks… If you don’t educate them properly, they’ll never learn to eat with anything but spoons.
You need to be strict.”
“Ugh… …Just today! Mama Rena will be serious starting tomorrow!”
“……”
Luca, the most sensible and responsible member of the party, looks troubled.
The familiars inch closer and closer to him.
“…By the way, it’s Kuu’s turn to request tomorrow’s menu, isn’t it?”
“Yes, yes, Kureha-san. So, what are you planning to request?”
“I’m thinking of requesting French toast for breakfast.”
“Whoa! With lots of eggs. …That’s Luca’s favorite, isn’t it?”
▽The familiars’ little devilish temptation!
▽Ultra-super lovely upward gaze deployed!
“………Ugh… …You’re going to eat properly by yourselves starting tomorrow…”
▽Luca has fallen.
“Yeees!”
He’s so easy.
Rena watches the golden-haired brother avert his gaze awkwardly, a crescent moon-shaped smile on her face…
“Fufufu.
The swamp of delicious food is deep, isn’t it? Irresistibly comfortable.
And our children’s requests are incredibly cute!
You should just give in and fall deeper, Luca-san!”
“I’ve already fallen… I feel like I’m melting with happiness.”
“Gooey goo!”
“Blurp!”
▽The familiars’ funny face attack!
▽Luca is defeated and collapses face-first onto the fluffy bed.
He’s so easy.
It’s heartwarming to see everyone getting along so well.
Luca is the most sensible and responsible member of the party, but from a worldly perspective, he’s definitely the funny man and the punchline.
Let’s explain about Luca helping with the cooking.
Since it’s difficult for Rena to prepare meals for six people every time, she recently started asking the older brother, who is old enough to handle a knife, to help her.
The familiars’ small hands are still too clumsy to hold knives safely.
Luca, who relies entirely on his companions for daily life, is working hard every day to contribute to the party in any way he can.
He’s naturally dexterous, so he’s learning quickly, and the head chef seems satisfied.
He’ll probably be able to cook decent meals on his own soon.
Everyone kept their voices down so as not to wake Hamaru.
…About 20 minutes after he closed his eyes, his white sheep ears started twitching.
His long eyelashes tremble, revealing his night-sky blue eyes.
Perhaps he was sleeping in a special state. He closes his eyes tightly a few times… and finally opens them wide.
Then, as usual, he sleepily closes his eyelids halfway.
“…Munya…”
“Good morning, Har-kun.”
“…Yes, Rena-sama. Good morning.
My consciousness has returned.
Rena-sama in the dream was cooking in the kitchen.
It was a place with lots of tools I’d never seen before, so I thought it was probably a scene from your homeland… ?
I turned into my human form and asked, ‘Excuse me, could you spare me some seasonings from this country?’
Rena-sama in the dream didn’t know me at all and was surprised, but… she was kind, as always.
She actually put several seasonings in a basket and gave them to me!”
“Ooh! Dream-me, nice…！
And Har-kun’s cuteness is as expected!”
“Hee hee, please tie me up and step on me later.
Now, for the [Dream Release]!”
“Hooray!”
Rena, hearing “step on me” for the first time, worries if there was a brother in her dream or if she had somehow negatively influenced Hamaru.
…But right now, the seasoning set is more important.
Hamaru’s dangerous remarks are nothing new. She’ll just poke him with her toe later.
What kind of seasoning set did the Rena in the dream give him?
Hamaru looks at Rena and swings his cotton-cloud tail.
“Skill [Dream Release]!
Target: Rena-sama’s cooking dream… come forth, ‘Okonomiyaki Set’!”
▽Hamaru’s [Dream Release]!
The orange light inside his tail disappears.
His cotton-cloud tail expands in size… and as Hamaru swings his tail, poof! a basket containing an okonomiyaki set pops out!
The contents: okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, dried seaweed flakes, and dashi stock.
All the necessary toppings are there. The dashi stock is probably a bonus.
The tail, having materialized the okonomiyaki set, returns to its original size.
It’s like a magic mallet.
“An okonomiyaki set, of all things.
…Hmm, cabbage and pork, and for the binder, I can substitute Aneese Kingdom’s Nuranura Yam.
I have plenty of cheese in stock, so let’s use it liberally.
Hehe, Ranache is great because cheese is cheap.
Everyone, tonight’s dinner is ‘okonomiyaki’!
It’s a dish where you mix cabbage, pork, and cheese with Nuranura Yam, cook it on a pan, and top it with delicious sauce.
Let’s thank Har-kun. Thank you.”
“Thank you!”
“Thank you, Hamaru. Good job.”
“Ehem! You’re welcome!”
Hamaru’s tail wags happily. It seems to react to his mood.
[Dream Release] consumes a considerable amount of magic power, so he [Dream Ate] the other dreams this time.
[Dream Eat] seems to not only fill Hamaru’s belly as food but also slightly restore his magic power.
Their current, somewhat expensive inn has small kitchens in each room.
Rena chops cabbage, mixes it with steamed and mashed Nuranura Yam, cheese, eggs, flour, and dashi stock, spreads the batter to the very edge of the frying pan, and cooks both sides.
Before flipping it over, she spreads pork on top of the batter, not forgetting to create an appetizing sear.
The familiars, in their toddler forms, add the toppings to the piping hot okonomiyaki.
They squeeze sauce from the bottle and spread it over the cooked batter with spoons.
They happily draw patterns with mayonnaise and get a little dejected when the bonito flakes cover them up.
Then they lick the sauce off their fingers with sparkling eyes.
Although the familiars have undergone class changes, the effects haven’t yet manifested in their human forms.
They’re about 100 cm tall, about the same size as children about to start elementary school.
According to Luca, because their class changes were unprecedentedly early, the world’s information processing hasn’t caught up, resulting in a growth time lag.
The other world, Ranache, is slow.
Interestingly, Lily is a young girl in her fairy form but a little girl in her human form.
She might suddenly grow a few years older at some point.
They need to dress her in lots of cute clothes before then… the two guardians are fired up.
They should be careful about overspending.
“Let’s eat!”
After everyone says the start-of-meal greeting, they savor the food in silence for a while.
The okonomiyaki looks so delicious that even the familiars declared they would eat the first one by themselves!
They stab a large piece with their forks and stuff their mouths full.
Being pampered and fed by their master is undeniably appealing, but this time, the savory aroma seems to have stimulated their appetites.
The taste of the sauce, unfamiliar to Ranache but nostalgic to Rena, makes everyone’s faces melt.
The sweet okonomiyaki sauce, the tangy mayonnaise, the subtly salty bonito flakes, and the aroma of dried seaweed flakes blend together for a delicious flavor!
The cheese melts and mixes with the substantial amount of cabbage, and the combination of the pork’s umami and fat is also exquisite!
Everyone finishes their large pieces in no time and takes another piece onto their plates.
The toddlers start playing rock-paper-scissors.
“The winner goes first, okay?”
“Rock, paper, scissors!”
“Ah… I win!”
“I lost… but I’ll win next time!”
Apparently, they were deciding the order for being fed.
The order is decided: Lily, Kureha, Hamaru, Izumi.
Each of them looks up at Rena expectantly.
Their clear, colorful eyes sparkle.
“Wait, aren’t these kids too cute…!?
Haa… so healing… Lily-chan, aaahn.”
“Ahm!”
“Yep, got a perfectly cute shot.”
As Lily opens her mouth wide, her slightly pointed canine teeth peek out.
Rena pops a bite of okonomiyaki into her mouth, and she starts chewing happily.
So cute.
Rena, smiling and diligently cutting the next bite with a fork, Luca, engrossed in taking pictures and videos, and Smartphone-san, perfectly focusing the camera.
No one comments on the scene.
They enjoy a lively dinner and fill their bellies.
They’ve also obtained a new set of seasonings, and their hearts are full of happiness!
Rena plops down on the fluffy Hamaru cushion and decides to call Patricia to invite her to the Spirit Festival.
She picks up Smartphone-san and speaks.
“Smartphone-san, Smartphone-san,
I’d like to talk to Patricia-chan, can you connect me?
…Ah, but she might be having dinner now…”
“Ah, it seems okay? Good.”
Such a capable Smartphone-san.
Good on him for being willing to expose a friend’s private life for his master’s sake.
His master bias is severe.
“
A semi-transparent, rectangular window appears in the space above the smartphone.
The words
Patricia’s androgynous voice echoes softly in the room.
Perhaps considering that they’re indoors, the volume is initially low.
“Patricia-chan! Long time no see!”
When Rena cheerfully calls her friend’s name, a slightly sulky voice replies.
“
Lately, Rena hasn’t called me at all…>”
“Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I’ve been a bit busy and tired.
Did you worry about me?”
“
“Q-Quite a bit? I’m sorry.”
“
I was a little lonely.
…No, really, I’m fine…. …Rena, brace yourself.
The other two are… dangerous.>”
“Huh!?”
…This seems ominous.
The other two…?
Rena’s expression stiffens as she guesses who the two are and imagines them being “dangerous.”
“
You’re going to get a huge lecture later, Rena. Good luck.>”
“Eek!? W-Why…!?”
“
there was a wanted poster all over the Aneese Kingdom for a nasty sorcerer in Rachelle, right?
We were all worried about you guys, and then we heard that the [Red Queen] and her group defeated the sorcerer after a tough battle!
Oh, this is inside information that Lulu got, not publicly available.
The talk was that [Red Queen] is Rena’s title, right?
And it actually was, wasn’t it?
Mosura suddenly learned some dangerous skills. I was surprised.
…Mosura, not being called for backup even though her master was struggling, started silently training her body, and Alice started collecting cursed magic tools while laughing ominously… my stomach hurts….
I was a little angry that you didn’t call Mosura when you were in danger, but their intensity made my anger disappear.
Honestly, that’s scary.>”
Rena turns pale.
“U-Wahhh!?
No… it’s not that I didn’t call Mosura because she’s unreliable!?
See, Mosura’s monster form is quite conspicuous.
I didn’t want to cause trouble by summoning her recklessly when her residency status and position in the Aneese Kingdom are still unclear….
Besides, if Mosura was attacked because she was mistaken for an enemy, even if it was by allies, I, as her master, would have to retaliate.
That would be really bad too.
…When I was fighting the sorcerer, I was thinking of blowing the whistle if the Macho Man Seed didn’t work!
Please tell Mosura and Alice-chan that…！
My best friend, Patricia-chan. Please!”
“
Well, I thought it was something like that.
Alice and Mosura are both smart… I feel like they’ve already figured out how you feel.
So, there’s a high chance they’re angry despite knowing that… scary…>”
Rena is defeated… it seems there’s nothing she can do.
The little familiars pat Rena’s head as she buries it in Hamaru’s golden fleece.
Luca remains silent, knowing that speaking up would only make things worse.
The conversation with Patricia is being broadcast because Rena has turned off the telepathy mode so everyone can hear.
Patricia, realizing that Rena must be feeling down because she hasn’t responded for a while, offers a small lifeline.
“
That should make a big difference… probably.
Also… she looks fine, but she’s lonely.
Even if you don’t have anything specific, call her with the whistle soon.
The bond between a familiar and master is quite special, right?
Alice is also Mosura’s master, but her feelings for you are different… it’s like… adoration?
Mosura is busy with all kinds of steward duties, but I think it would be good for her to take a break and see her other master sometimes.
That’s what I think.
Alice has given her permission to travel, so don’t hesitate to call her.>”
“…You’re right. She’s been working hard.
…Okay, I’ll call her soon.
Of course, we miss Mosura too.
Since Mosura’s demon form is an adult, we tend to forget to pamper her, but we have to praise her a lot next time we see her!
…And apologize sincerely…”
“
Patricia laughs cheerfully, imagining Mosura being pampered.
She then explains that Mosura has already obtained residency in the Aneese Kingdom as a special case, and information about her monster form is starting to become widely known.
Apparently, the Toyria lord worked hard to make it happen.
It seems there’s no problem with her rushing to Rena in her Giant Butterfly form.
She has permission to fly over the Aneese Kingdom, and once she leaves the country, she can fly high enough that few people would notice her.
[Child of the Sky] can fly freely anywhere in the sky. She’s not affected by bad weather.
Normally, only the officials of the organization or guild to which a demon belongs are aware of their monster form.
It’s quite rare for information about a monster form to be widely known to the residents, as in this case.
The Giant Butterfly is simply enormous, so if she takes her monster form, she’ll inevitably be seen. This measure was taken to prevent any confusion.
Some residents were uneasy about a powerful new monster being in the city, but… once the beautiful steward Mosura smiled in the city square, everyone accepted his presence.
Mosura has somehow acquired the title of [Charisma].
His appearance walking around town with his beautiful young mistress Alice is quite a sight and has become a hidden attraction of Toyria.
Hearing this, Rena nods in relief and finally gets to the main topic.
“By the way, Patricia-chan, are you busy on the day of the Spirit Festival?
I was hoping we could enjoy the festival together.”
“<…Oh dear. Hmm, let me see.
…Sorry! That’s the opening day of the flower shop, so I probably won’t have time. I think I’ll be really busy.
It doesn’t seem like I can make time to go to Rachelle, and even if you came to Toyria, I don’t think I’d be able to spend time with you.
I’m sorry I can’t make it, even though you invited me…>”
“I see. That’s too bad, but I understand.
If I remember correctly, the day of the Spirit Festival is the most auspicious day in the Aneese Kingdom… right?”
“
Plus, there was an announcement that the spirits would be visiting the city this year, right?
It’s going to be even more special!
I can’t show the spirits shoddy work, so I have to work hard to fill the shop with beautiful flowers.>”
“I’m rooting for you!”
“
“Oh, right. I’ll tell Sylphinesia-chan and Sylphine-san about
“
…Patricia holds her head in her hands after hearing the details of Rena’s extraordinary recent experiences.
She’ll beat up any sorcerer who targets Rena.
Befriending spirits, securing a large number of capable followers, meeting with the King of Aneese, and on top of that… Rena’s rare class-change constitution is what raised Great Spirit Sylphinesia?
What a crazy life she’s living…！ Patricia is beyond surprised; she’s speechless.
Incidentally, during this unbelievable conversation, Smartphone-san thoughtfully switched Patricia’s reception to telepathy mode.
He’s truly considerate.
…Before they know it, they’ve been talking for quite a while.
The familiars start dozing off and rubbing their eyes.
Lily with her tiny hands, Hamaru grooming his fleece, and the slimes relaxing their bodies with a boing.
Luca telepathically tells Rena, “(It’s a little chilly today, so I’ll borrow some blankets from the reception desk),” and quietly leaves the room.
He lets out a small yelp as he touches the doorknob and gets a static shock.
Rena asks Patricia to convey a message: “I’d like you to select some red equipment for me.”
It’s a little scary to ask at this time, but the recipient of the message is the genius buyer, Alice Stuart.
There’s no one more trustworthy when it comes to choosing items.
She explains about the Red Blessed Equipment.
She says that high-quality items that are red and have magical effects are more likely to receive blessings.
The payment will be slime Star Jewels.
Patricia, a commoner, cries out “Eek!?” upon hearing their immense value.
Alice’s commerce exam is right after the Spirit Festival.
It’s better to prepare the equipment early, but if it’s a burden for Alice, Rena asks Patricia to wait until after the exam to relay the message.
It seems she didn’t call Alice directly for this reason.
If selecting equipment would be a good distraction for Alice, Patricia will convey Rena’s request.
If Alice seems stressed, Rena will tell her directly after the exam.
Collecting magic tools and valuable items is Alice’s hobby.
She had already asked to be contacted if Rena found any rare items.
Looking forward to the special Spirit Festival, Rena and her party rest their heads on the golden cushion, wrap themselves in warm blankets, and sleep soundly until morning.