As the darkness enveloped her, Iris suddenly lifted her head. A faint aura of Sidrain’s energy lingered in the air, a sign that he was entering the realm of dreams. Iris shut her eyes and focused, aware that her magical reserves were running dangerously low.
“Hurry… Please, hurry, Sid.”
Sidrain was more than just a rival to Iris; their souls were intertwined through their unborn child. She had managed to locate him within the dream realm. Now, she prayed that he would fully embrace this dream.
“Come on, Sid!”
In that crucial moment, Sidrain materialized before Iris.
“Sid!”
Iris rushed towards Sidrain.
However, she had overlooked one crucial detail: Sidraine was a man deeply sentimental about his work, and he possessed no wizardly powers. Sidrain had lost sight of her, clueless about her whereabouts. What would occur when he encountered her in her dream-like state?
“Town!” Iris exclaimed, her eyes widening. Sidrain embraced her tightly, their kiss ignited with an intensity born of desperation. Tears streamed down his face as he poured out his emotions, his actions guided by instinct. Their kiss spoke a language of its own. He was consumed with concern for her, and she was in the depths of despair. Their lips locked, and their tongues danced as if they sought to confirm each other’s presence. He continued to weep, repeatedly verifying that she was truly here.
In truth, when Sidrain first laid eyes on Iris, tears of sorrow cascaded down his cheeks. This was a dream, an illusion, and she was not truly present. “My lady, my queen,” he whispered as he kissed and caressed her, yearning to ensure her reality. Yet, in reality, she was absent. She had confessed that she was driving him mad. Should he refrain from awakening? Could they linger here forever…?
“Match!” A resounding sound filled the air as Sidrain’s cheek was struck, a harsh slap that left him momentarily seeing stars. Sidrain’s expression darkened as the stinging sensation radiated through him, marking the first time he had ever been slapped.
Iris whispered softly while gently caressing Sidrain’s reddened cheek, “Sorry, Sid. It was so urgent that I had no other choice.”
“…For the girl of my dreams, she seems almost too real,” Sidrain mused quietly, his gaze fixed on Iris. She appeared noticeably more worn than the last time he had seen her, yet her eyes still sparkled with an undeniable determination.
“Please?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, Sid. It’s me. I summoned you from the realm of dreams. I don’t have much magical power left, so our time is limited. I had to act swiftly. I expended a significant amount of magic to reach you. That’s why my reaction was so intense, and I’m truly sorry for the slap.”
In that instant, Sidrain gripped Iris’s wrist tightly, a mix of disbelief and hope coursing through him. Was it truly her? Was she really here? It felt as though the dark world had suddenly become a little brighter.
“Ris, is it really you?”
“Huh!”
Iris stamped her foot, her magic ebbing away rapidly. She had to speak quickly. Sidrain had arrived too late, and her magical reserves were now nearly depleted. Not entirely exhausted, but aside from the magic she needed to protect her unborn child, there was precious little left.
“Ris, it’s really you”
“Sid! It’s urgent!”
As Iris addressed him informally, Sidrain nodded in acknowledgment. He surveyed their surroundings, recognizing that they were in darkness, within the realm of dreams. He remembered the moments leading up to his slumber.
“Listen closely. The man who brought me here is the Marquis of Kurtlan in-Samain. I’m in Rosemary’s room.”
“Rosemary? That room adorned with an abundance of rose embroidery and pink lace?” Sidrain inquired, piecing together the details.
Iris nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of joy and apprehension.
“I’ve been in there?” Sidrain asked as he gently caressed Iris’s cheek. “I’ve seen it a couple of times. When she’s been alone. I thought it was rather tasteless. In any case, I believe I know where that room is. Are you alone in there? Is there a guard? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Sidrain believed it would be safer for Iris to attempt an escape on her own if she was alone in the room, rather than immediately involving the military. That would be a last resort, as Sidrain inquired further.
“I don’t know about that,” Iris confessed, shaking her head.
Sidrain’s heart sank. He gazed down at Iris for a moment before posing his questions slowly, deliberately, “Well, what don’t you know, Reese? Whether you alone? Whether there’s a guard or not?”
Could something be wrong? She could communicate her thoughts to him right here. No, there had to be…
Sidraine’s eyes widened, and Iris chuckled awkwardly as she sensed the fear in his eyes. Sid might not be thrilled about his predicament, but he couldn’t help but express it.
“I just woke up from a week-long slumber. I don’t actually know the condition of my body. I’m not sure if there’s a guard in the room. I can hear voices, but…the Marquis was very angry. I’m not certain what he’s done to me. I can’t get up right now. If there’s a serious issue with my body, waking up from the protective spell might prevent me from sleeping again…I’m sorry I can’t provide more details.”
“Oh my,” Iris muttered. Her body trembled, beginning to blur. Sidraine embraced her urgently.
“Ris, why are you fading? Risss!”
As the darkness enveloped her, Iris suddenly lifted her head. A faint aura of Sidrain’s energy lingered in the air, a sign that he was entering the realm of dreams. Iris shut her eyes and focused, aware that her magical reserves were running dangerously low.
“Hurry… Please, hurry, Sid.”
Sidrain was more than just a rival to Iris; their souls were intertwined through their unborn child. She had managed to locate him within the dream realm. Now, she prayed that he would fully embrace this dream.
“Come on, Sid!”
In that crucial moment, Sidrain materialized before Iris.
“Sid!”
Iris rushed towards Sidrain.
However, she had overlooked one crucial detail: Sidraine was a man deeply sentimental about his work, and he possessed no wizardly powers. Sidrain had lost sight of her, clueless about her whereabouts. What would occur when he encountered her in her dream-like state?
“Town!” Iris exclaimed, her eyes widening. Sidrain embraced her tightly, their kiss ignited with an intensity born of desperation. Tears streamed down his face as he poured out his emotions, his actions guided by instinct. Their kiss spoke a language of its own. He was consumed with concern for her, and she was in the depths of despair. Their lips locked, and their tongues danced as if they sought to confirm each other’s presence. He continued to weep, repeatedly verifying that she was truly here.
In truth, when Sidrain first laid eyes on Iris, tears of sorrow cascaded down his cheeks. This was a dream, an illusion, and she was not truly present. “My lady, my queen,” he whispered as he kissed and caressed her, yearning to ensure her reality. Yet, in reality, she was absent. She had confessed that she was driving him mad. Should he refrain from awakening? Could they linger here forever…?
“Match!” A resounding sound filled the air as Sidrain’s cheek was struck, a harsh slap that left him momentarily seeing stars. Sidrain’s expression darkened as the stinging sensation radiated through him, marking the first time he had ever been slapped.
Iris whispered softly while gently caressing Sidrain’s reddened cheek, “Sorry, Sid. It was so urgent that I had no other choice.”
“…For the girl of my dreams, she seems almost too real,” Sidrain mused quietly, his gaze fixed on Iris. She appeared noticeably more worn than the last time he had seen her, yet her eyes still sparkled with an undeniable determination.
“Please?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, Sid. It’s me. I summoned you from the realm of dreams. I don’t have much magical power left, so our time is limited. I had to act swiftly. I expended a significant amount of magic to reach you. That’s why my reaction was so intense, and I’m truly sorry for the slap.”
In that instant, Sidrain gripped Iris’s wrist tightly, a mix of disbelief and hope coursing through him. Was it truly her? Was she really here? It felt as though the dark world had suddenly become a little brighter.
“Ris, is it really you?”
“Huh!”
Iris stamped her foot, her magic ebbing away rapidly. She had to speak quickly. Sidrain had arrived too late, and her magical reserves were now nearly depleted. Not entirely exhausted, but aside from the magic she needed to protect her unborn child, there was precious little left.
“Ris, it’s really you”
“Sid! It’s urgent!”
As Iris addressed him informally, Sidrain nodded in acknowledgment. He surveyed their surroundings, recognizing that they were in darkness, within the realm of dreams. He remembered the moments leading up to his slumber.
“Listen closely. The man who brought me here is the Marquis of Kurtlan in-Samain. I’m in Rosemary’s room.”
“Rosemary? That room adorned with an abundance of rose embroidery and pink lace?” Sidrain inquired, piecing together the details.
Iris nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of joy and apprehension.
“I’ve been in there?” Sidrain asked as he gently caressed Iris’s cheek. “I’ve seen it a couple of times. When she’s been alone. I thought it was rather tasteless. In any case, I believe I know where that room is. Are you alone in there? Is there a guard? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Sidrain believed it would be safer for Iris to attempt an escape on her own if she was alone in the room, rather than immediately involving the military. That would be a last resort, as Sidrain inquired further.
“I don’t know about that,” Iris confessed, shaking her head.
Sidrain’s heart sank. He gazed down at Iris for a moment before posing his questions slowly, deliberately, “Well, what don’t you know, Reese? Whether you alone? Whether there’s a guard or not?”
Could something be wrong? She could communicate her thoughts to him right here. No, there had to be…
Sidraine’s eyes widened, and Iris chuckled awkwardly as she sensed the fear in his eyes. Sid might not be thrilled about his predicament, but he couldn’t help but express it.
“I just woke up from a week-long slumber. I don’t actually know the condition of my body. I’m not sure if there’s a guard in the room. I can hear voices, but…the Marquis was very angry. I’m not certain what he’s done to me. I can’t get up right now. If there’s a serious issue with my body, waking up from the protective spell might prevent me from sleeping again…I’m sorry I can’t provide more details.”
“Oh my,” Iris muttered. Her body trembled, beginning to blur. Sidraine embraced her urgently.
“Ris, why are you fading? Risss!”
