It was Peace. Adult and baby Peaces had taken over in front of the nursery. Most were in ethereal form, but I saw a couple full-grown adults. A little pack of Peace cubs rolled around in a group. How cute… Up on the building I also saw five Noahs patrolling. One was in prehistoric beast form. Maybe someone is dreaming of Soyeong.

“I wonder if the Haeyeon Guild has dozens of Yuhyuns running around.”

…That sounds like fun. Yerim’s dream-self would be dozens too. Nearby, I might sneak a peek. Guildmaster Sesung’s dream would have dozens of Seong Hyunjaes; the Breaker Guild’s dream dozens of Hyunahs; in each office dozens of Director Songs. Even if blurry, they’d flaunt variety.

Clearly it was a dream. Dreams are delightful—except for mine. Seeing them swarming like this felt creepy. I put on the sunglasses, mask, and hat I’d prepared and got out of the car.

“Hello~.”

A Han Yujin who met my gaze greeted me with a bright smile. Far too sociable. I slipped past the purring Peaces, heading for the market. Two Han Yujins were shopping inside. They loaded ingredients, cold medicine, and other necessities into carts and rolled them out. Weaving between them, I reached the building’s entrance.

“…Huh.”

I saw a familiar back standing at the door. Familiar yet strange. It was Yuhyun, but taller and bigger than I remembered. Since it was someone’s dream, it wasn’t odd—but still, my eyes kept drifting.

“Yuhyun.”

My voice slipped out unknowingly, and Yuhyun slowly turned. Those dark, sinking eyes fixed on me. A pale smile crossed his expression, then he vanished.

“…So it really is a dream.”

He was making a strange atmosphere with my little brother. People can dream whatever they wish, but please stop dreaming of my brother! Muttering, I pushed the cart into the building. Inside was…

“An SS-rank weapon for you.”

My comrades stood there. Myungwoo presented equipment solemnly to each Hunter. The Hunter hugged their new weapon with a blissful face. Ah… these were scenes Hunters imagined in their dreams.

“Master! Please!”

I saw a foreign Hunter clinging to Myungwoo. Since the forge isn’t shown publicly, everyone convened in the lobby to see him. Poor Myungwoo has a hard time.

“Make my SS-rank gear right away!”

Meanwhile, some brat was barking orders at Myungwoo. Are they doing in their dream what they’d never dare in reality? I tried to brush it off—after all, it’s a dream—but seeing Myungwoo cower made me furious. I hurled a supplement bottle from my cart at the brat.

Thud!

“Oof! Who—”

I whipped off my sunglasses and said to the turned-around figure,

“Get out—now! You’re banned for life!”

“No—”

“Won’t leave? Huh? I’ll call the Haeyeon Guildmaster!”

I bashed his head with a packaged green onion. Scram, scram, scram. Even in a dream, this kind of behavior means you can’t enter my building. The terrified Myungwoo vanished, and the brat stomped off in annoyance. I wheeled my cart past a Hunter praising Myungwoo.

“How much do dreams influence reality?”

By now I was starting to worry. Though they’re just dreams, they could embed unconsciously—like dreaming of a huge fight with a friend and waking up uneasy. Usually we laugh it off, but there is some effect.

If good, it’s fine; if bad, that’s a problem. I took out my phone and messaged Yerim: “It’s a dream, but please be kind to people—there are real people behind these dreams.”

Once I passed through the building, it suddenly became quiet. Few can come here this way; I think it’s only ever been broadcast once. I hope I can meet my kids even in dreams. Daddy’s doing okay…

“…What’s that?”

It was a castle. Where the nursery should’ve been stood a storybook-like castle of colorful ice cream, snacks, chocolate, and cotton candy. Cute as it seemed, wasn’t this supposed to be my home?

“…Is it Byul’s dream?”

I’d never seen the building itself change like this in a dream. Dreams set in non-existent backgrounds are common, but usually only the dreamer sees that changed scenery. This castle before me was vivid and lifelike.

I approached the castle in confusion—and then was shocked again.

“…Seong Hyunjae?”

“Guarding the gate.”

“Guard, really, Xiao Jin.”

Seong Hyunjae and Hwangrim stood in guard uniforms before the gate. They were impossibly clear for a dream. Seong Hyunjae sneezing in Japan and a collared man from China wouldn’t appear here… but it was a dream, after all.

“How did you end up playing gatekeeper here?”

“I also cook and clean.”

said Seong Hyunjae. My goodness—someone actually dreams of hiring Guildmaster Sesung as a maid. That dreamer must be one of my kids… If it’s Gyeol’s dream, Hwangrim wouldn’t appear and Seong Hyunjae would be treated like a tiny toy.

Well, Gyeol must be quite close to them, especially to Seong Hyunjae.

“Keep… at it….”

Hwangrim, unable to hide his embarrassment, stepped through the gate. Beyond lay a bright meadow indoors. Under a sky as blue as the brightest day, baby monsters frolicked.

Song-i hopped ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) and head-butted Sorok-i, who was already larger than Song-i and caught him lightly. In the pond, Maru swam while Yerim floated gently above. Everyone looked so vivid—perhaps because Gyeol was a psychic fairy-dragon.

“Oh? Sir?”

Yerim turned to me with surprised eyes.

“You escaped again?”

“…Huh?”

Escaped? What—?

“Brother.”

Yuhyun’s voice came from behind. I turned to see him looking down at me with sad eyes.

“Why don’t you rest?”

“Huh? No.”

“That’s right, uncle. Rest a bit!”

“Wait, I—Oof, Yuhyun!”

Yuhyun scooped me up and rode the elevator upwards. Wait—where was this? It felt like home.

“Just rest, brother.”

The door opened to reveal a spacious room: a large bed, soft floor, armchair, a table laden with food, dolls, a TV, and beyond the big window a manicured garden and beach. And on the bed…

“…There are two of me.”

Yerim murmured. I lay sleeping there.

“That’s because, well, I—”

“You were twice at one point. Sleep deeply like that one. Don’t come out.”

Yerim set me on the bed and left. I ran to the door, but it was locked. What is happening?

“Hey, hey! Wake up!”

“Hmm….”

The me on the bed showed no intention of waking. Gyeol—did you always want to put me to sleep like this? I pounded on the door again.

“Gyeol! It’s Dad! I’m really Dad!”

Dad’s here! If I could use my inventory, I’d open this door in an instant. Instead, I grabbed a strawberry from the table and picked up a chair. I rained it down on the door.

Crash!

“Dad’s hereee!”

I never dreamed my children would lock me up too. The chair’s metal legs left marks on the wooden door. I lifted the chair again and focused on the doorknob. The sleeping me on the bed grumbled at the noise.

“My Gyeol, I’m sorry.”

For making you dream this. I drew a kitchen knife and widened the hole until my hand fit through. I unlocked the door from outside.

“The hallway’s our house?”

It was the same layout but longer, wider, and taller. I hurried down to the living room where the kids usually played. A huge dragon stood there.

It was the same round, little dragon, only the size of a car. In Gyeol’s arms, the black dragon and the creamy-furred beast slept. Seol-i and Byul-i. In the sunlit living room, their soft breathing resonated.

“…Gyeol.”

I gently approached and stroked Gyeol’s head. His round, large golden eyes slowly opened.

Gyeol shrank back to his usual small fairy-dragon form, half-lidded eyes drooping as he leaned into me.

“Yes, Gyeol. It’s Dad. We’re home.”

Though the house had changed somewhat. Gyeol yawned widely. He blinked a few times, then gazed at me with brightened eyes—then gasped in surprise.

“It is. We’re in a dream. But I’m real.”

“It’s a long story, but we all fell into the dream world. Uncle and Aunt are on their way home too.”

Gyeol looked startled but hugged me even tighter.

“We’ll be home soon, okay? You’ve been well?”

“Marie-ssi? She created this world. And then I think she went back to reality…”

The fairy-dragon nodded, tapping his tail with a serious look.

Gyeol hesitated, then frowned as he continued.

“What? For me?”

If Marie-ssa created this world, she’d be someone I was going to meet soon anyway, so it wasn’t bad news. I just needed to see her before the system applied.

‘And bring Yuhyun back.’

Once I retrieve my brother, everything will be over. There really isn’t much time left.