Translator: SumTLMan
According to Freud, this social butterfly possesses not only exceptional social skills, but also a remarkable ability to handle affairs with a broad perspective and a unique set of interpersonal skills. Her rise from an insignificant country to the upper echelons of a leading nation stands as testament to her capabilities.
However, even considering her extraordinary abilities, Angel had no intention of sharing the powers of the Gatekeeper with her.
After all, matters concerning the core of the Wilderness of Dreams were too sensitive to be shared carelessly.
Yet, whether this woman could ultimately become the acting city lord of Initial Heart City was something Angel did not interfere with. He trusted Freud’s capability and judgement of character. Moreover, now that Initial Heart City was gradually settling onto a stable path, there was indeed a need for competent individuals to assist Freud in its management.
The Wilderness of Dreams was vast, there was absolutely no need for Freud to waste time on these trivial matters. These mundane affairs could simply be left to mortals to manage.
“But speaking of which, if others truly gained powers, does that mean this is a law system exclusive to the Wilderness of Dreams?” Freud pondered, rubbing his forehead with his finger.
“You’re overthinking. The powers of the Wilderness of Dreams are actually illusory. They may be more aligned with the system of the Dream Realm, but they aren’t particularly useful,” Angel countered, using the ‘Creation of Heaven and Earth’ phenomenon in lucid dreaming as an analogy to the powers in the Wilderness of Dreams. Finally, he added, “You’ll understand once you have the opportunity to gain such powers.”
After briefly explaining the powers of the Gatekeeper, Angel sighed, “Still, there’s no way to recover my strength in the Wilderness of Dreams. It seems the Infinite Alchemy will have to be postponed.”
After integrating the Gatekeeper’s powers, he had perceived the main body of the Nightmare Domain. If he wished to merge with new powers, he would probably have to wait until he advanced to a formal wizard.
Whether he could perform the “Infinite Alchemy” at that time remained an uncertainty.
Angel had also considered that he did not necessarily need to master all powers. The Wilderness of Dreams was different from other Nightmare Domains—it was so vast that it could almost be described as a domain.
In such a case, it had countless powers. Angel had merged with two powers up to now: the Gate of Dreams and the Gatekeeper.
A blunder, a lapse in judgment, ended up providing the Wilderness of Dreams with a power.
In total, three such powers had been stripped away.
Yet, the luminescent orb barely shrank in size, indicative of the vastness of its endowed powers.
If Angel were to solely acquire all the powers, even if he ascends to the realm of Legend, he might not be capable of controlling half of them. That is, of course, under the precondition that he can actually advance to such a realm.
Therefore, Angel has considered distributing some of the power.
For instance, delegating lesser important powers to others for management. It would resemble a nation where different departments handle various responsibilities: agriculture, finance, education, health, and medical care…
However, before distributing any power, Angel must first acquire the most central power from the main body of the Nightmare Domain – the supreme jurisdiction.
Without acquiring this core power, Angel dares not distribute any of the powers recklessly. If it ended up with him being controlled by others, he would find himself in a predicament he could not extricate himself from.
However, what the main body of the Nightmare Domain’s most central power is, and how he should acquire this core power, remains a mystery to Angel at the moment. Thus, considering the distribution of power is still a distant objective.
Yet, the notion of sharing power has already made its way into Angel’s contemplations.
His ultimate goal is not the Wilderness of Dreams. He has once observed a broader world from the perspective of the Wilderness of Dreams, to many potent and influential entities, the Wilderness of Dreams was but a miniature landscape in a diorama.
Hence, to tyrannize over a single Wilderness of Dreams, controlling a multitude of illusory powers, might be seen as a mere jest in the eyes of these truly powerful beings.
In the blink of an eye, thoughts within Angel’s mind emerged and perished. By the time he collected himself, the flurry of thoughts had settled down quietly, awaiting the arrival of an opportunity someday.
“By the way, have you noticed any changes in the Wilderness of Dreams recently?” Angel asked Freud.
“Changes? Lord, are you referring to the fact that you’ve brought in some items with the Dream Conch?” Freud queried in confusion.
Angel shook his head, “I’ve not used the Dream Conch recently due to certain matters. The changes I’m referring to concern the transformations in heaven and earth, the changes in laws.”
“Lord, are you referring to the previously lost power?”
Angel gave a slight nod. In the past, while experimenting with the “dissolution” model of the green rune, he had conferred a certain power to the Wilderness of Dreams. As for what this power specifically was, he remained clueless to the present moment. His only hope was that the Wilderness of Dreams could exhibit some changes of its own accord.
Lost in contemplation, Freud seemed to have grasped something after a while, he voiced out hesitantly, “I haven’t noticed any major changes so far, but there is one detail, though I am unsure whether it qualifies as a ‘change’.”
“What detail?”
“Has Your Excellency ever carried out any physiological relaxation…um…metabolism of a physiological nature in the Wilderness of Dreams?”
Angel was silent.
Observing Angel’s silence, Freud seemed to realize what he just mentioned. He coughed twice and elaborated, “I mean, for instance, going to the toilet and so on.”
Following a moment of silence, Angel shook his head.
“Neither have I, nor Sunny, nor Alda.” Freud paused before continuing, “However, all those who have passed away in reality are able to carry out normal eating, drinking, excreting, and sleeping here.”
In fact, Freud, Sunny, and Alda were all deceased. Yet, they had entered as souls and could also exit as souls. Hence, they were Distinctly Different from others who only retained their spiritual light.
Angel queried, “You mean to suggest that those who have become residents of the Dream Realm, have gained physiological metabolism?”
Freud gave a slight nod, “Indeed, that is the case.”
“Do they have desires?”
“Yes, all sorts of physiological desires are manifest in the Wilderness of Dreams.”
Angel pondered for a while, “Could this be an effect unique to the residents of the Dream Realm and might not be related to that missing power?”
Freud shook his head, “I can’t be certain, but the only difference I’ve observed is this one.”
“Let’s continue to observe then.”
Freud ventured a question, “Shall we consider adding some living specimens to Initial Heart City?”
The inhabitants of Initial Heart City, with the exception of Jon, were all deceased in reality, thus prompting Freud’s inquiry.
Angel dismissed the suggestion with a shake of his head, “Not until we have full control over the core power.”
After Angel dismissed Freud, he found himself pondering over the future of the Wilderness of Dreams. He allowed Freud to introduce these individuals into Initial Heart City primarily to gather a more extensive range of experimental data, providing evidence of Jon’s suitability to exist within this space.
But what about the future? What plans were there for the Wilderness of Dreams?
Angel mulled over the question.
If Jon were to truly remain in the Wilderness of Dreams as a resident of the Dream Realm, Angel would likely foster a more diversified society, if nothing else, to alleviate Jon’s solitude.
Subsequently, Angel planned to use the Wilderness of Dreams as a medium to long-term research project. It would not only allow him to conduct real-world experiments but also delve into the study of “Infinite Alchemy.”
As for inviting other transcendent beings into the Wilderness of Dreams when the time comes…Angel had no such plans at the moment, akin to the delegation of power, it was a bridge he would cross when he came to it.
…
As Angel exited the Azure Tower, he noticed individuals tasked with resource collection passing by the entrance with their boxes and goods.
Amongst them, a few were carrying wooden barrels, the intoxicating fragrance of liquor filling the air, causing those around them to inhale involuntarily.
“It seems like rum made from rye, I yearn for a sip,” a man smacked his lips, expressing his desire.
“Let’s see if they’re willing to distribute more next time. Actually, I know how to brew liquor as well, but I seem to be unable to find the raw materials and tools in Initial Heart City…”
Upon hearing the conversation behind him, Angel made a mental note of it.
At present, the sustenance and hydration within Initial Heart City, in actuality, stem from the resources Angel coaxed into the realm via the Dream Conch from reality. Little had he anticipated then, that such nourishment and water could genuinely cater to the denizens of this dreamscape.
“It appears, henceforth, the question of food supply must be addressed.”
On the matter of hydration, Angel harbored few qualms. The conundrum of a long-term food solution, however, presented itself as a formidable challenge.
As Angel mulled over these minute conundrums, he found himself standing at the threshold of the Ocean Theater.
Earlier, he had sensed Jon’s presence within the theater.
Upon entering the theater, Angel immediately spotted Alda, wrestling with a look of exasperation before the piano, receiving a tutorial on basic fingering from Jon. Sunny, perched atop a raised section of the stage, hummed along to a melody whilst casting cheerful glances at Alda.
Observing Alda in his state of near-despair, scratching his head in frustration, Angel found himself drawn into the annals of his own past. This was how Jon had treated him during his own childhood – despite knowing his mediocre talent for the piano, he was nonetheless pressed to learn a piece or two.
As Alda stood on the verge of tears, he unexpectedly spotted Angel, and cried out as if sighting a beacon of salvation: “Lord Pat is here!”
Jon, puzzled, followed Alda’s gaze and saw Angel seated beneath the stage.
Just as he was about to greet Angel, he heard a rustling sound behind him. Turning around, he found Alda diving headfirst into the stage curtains, hoping to make his escape through the backstage.
Noting the time and the fact that Alda had been practicing for over three hours, Jon conceded, “Alright, Sunny and Alda, you two take a break. We’ll resume in our next session.”
Sunny cheerfully agreed with a simple “OK”, while Alda stammered, “There won’t be a next time… There’s no next time… I won’t come back…”
By the time Sunny and Alda had bid their farewells, Angel finally stepped forward. “Tsk, tsk, such a lovable child Alda is, yet you’ve subjected him to such torment…”
But Jon only raised a sly grin, “Don’t you think his gloomy expression just makes him even more adorable?”
Angel: “…”
Doubt crept into Angel’s eyes as he peered at Jon. Could it be that in his younger days, Jon had the same twisted pleasure when he forced him to practice the piano? Angel didn’t voice his speculation but he had a hunch that the answer was affirmative.
Brushing aside Jon’s perverse amusement, Angel approached the subject at hand with all seriousness, “Mentor, how have you been finding life in Initial Heart City these past few days?”
Jon: “Rather pleasant, I must say. Free from the pressures of the World Will, it feels as if I’ve been granted a second lease on life. The Wizarding World is indeed a fascinating place. This world that straddles the boundary between dreams and reality is something I’ve never envisioned before.”
Seeing that Jon approved of his life in Initial Heart City, Angel felt the time was ripe to reveal his true intent, “Mentor, would you mind if I entrust your physical body to someone else for treatment?”