Can't

70

◆ Ikana Village ◆

It was a nostalgic scene with greenery and fields everywhere. In front of my house, my mother is beckoning me. No matter how much I wanted to, I could not get back to those days, but now they are here. When lunch is ready, and she stops me from playing, she is always wearing an apron.

「 What's the matter, Ryua, come here. 」

「 Mom... 」

Tears streamed down my cheeks as the voice I had heard ten years ago called me softly. Every time I took a step closer to the house, my mom smiled.

「 Mom, you're alive... 」

「 Mmmm, come here. 」

I thought I would never hear that voice again, let alone touch it. I could see my mother, whom I thought I would never see again. That alone gave me the urge to break down and cry. Just standing here now is all I can do. I want to go there and be hugged with all my might.

But I was satisfied with just hearing her voice. I can't give in to such temptation.

Because this is not Ikana Village.

◆ Mist Village Abandoned Village ◆

I clapped my hands as hard as I could on my cheeks, and the surrounding scenery changed completely. To be precise, nothing has changed since the beginning, but I was the only one who could see it. Originally, there was no mother. There is no Ikana village. All that's left are ruins that were destroyed by floods.

I wondered if this Fog, which Shinbu had referred to as a man-eating Fog, was the one that had shown me those things. Of course, I understand the meaning of the analogy. Right now, in front of me is a wall of a house that looks like it's about to rot away, and a bottomless swamp ahead of it. If I had continued on my way, I would have been stuck in the swamp and would have died without waking up from my hallucination.

I have no intention of dying for that, but the hallucination I just had accurately reflected my memories. I wondered if this Fog was a natural occurrence.

「 Ryua-chan, where did you go? 」

Roel was calling me from the other side of the fog. The reason why Roel seemed to have disappeared on the way was because I didn't see her anymore. I want to say that I'm glad that she's okay, but for a moment, I'm disoriented by this fog.

If something happened to Roel during that time, it would be too late. I can't underestimate the power of a dungeon like this. I have to be more and more cautious. I must become stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger so that I will never be fooled by this Fog again.

「 There you are! Thank God...I couldn't catch up with you because you suddenly started running...Ryua-chan, were you crying? 」