I was having a dream.
In the dream, I was flying while holding
My consciousness was hazy, but for some reason, I had the unmistakable sensation of flying.
The scenery before my eyes was changing at tremendous speed.
I was soaring up, down, left, and right, moving erratically—as if I'd become light or sound itself.
I had no idea why this was happening.
The only thing I was certain of was that if I let my guard down—no, even if I didn't—I would eventually lose speed and fall.
I focused my consciousness.
Among the dizzyingly shifting scenery, I had to find a relatively safe spot and land.
If you asked me why, I couldn't tell you.
I just had a premonition that if I didn't, I would die.
But it was too fast. The scenery before my eyes was changing at a speed that made slot-machine timing look like nothing in comparison.
I focused my consciousness. I poured magic power into my body.
For a single instant, my speed slowed.
This is bad—I'm going to fall.
The thought had barely formed when I caught sight of the ground. Flat land.
The ocean would be bad, mountains too, forests were dangerous, but flat land—maybe...
Hoping against hope, I descended.
Somehow managing to slam on the brakes, I crashed onto the reddish-brown earth.
My consciousness went dark.
--- The moment I opened my eyes, I was in a completely white space.
An empty void with nothing in it.
I knew immediately that it was a dream.
A lucid dream, perhaps.
Even so, my body felt unbearably heavy.
"...Huh?"
I looked down at my body and my eyes went wide with shock.
It was that form—the one I'd grown accustomed to over thirty-four years.
At the same time, memories from my previous life came flooding back.
Regret, inner conflict, pettiness, childish thinking.
These ten years now felt like a dream, and a wave of disappointment surged through me.
I'm back.
I understood it instinctively.
And I accepted that reality with surprising ease.
So it really was a dream.
I'd thought it was a long dream, but it had been far too happy for the likes of me.
Ten years born into a warm family, spending my days alongside a wonderful girl.
I'd wanted to enjoy it more.
So that's how it ends...
I could feel my memories as
Dreams—once you wake from them, they feel so hollow.
What had I even been expecting...
A life that happy and smooth was never something someone like me deserved.
--- When I came to my senses, there was someone there.
A man with a smooth, featureless white face, smiling warmly.
He had no distinguishing features whatsoever.
The moment I tried to register any specific facial detail, it slipped from my memory.
I simply couldn't remember it.
Because of that, it was as if his entire figure was covered in a mosaic.
Still, I got the impression that he seemed like a calm, gentle person.
"Hey there, nice to meet you. Hello, Rudeus."
While I was wallowing in disappointment, this obscene mosaic fellow had spoken to me.
An androgynous voice—I couldn't tell if it was male or female.
With the mosaic effect and all, maybe assuming it was female would at least be more pleasant.
"You can hear me, right?"
Of course I can.
Yeah, yeah, hello.
"Mhm, it's good that you can greet people."
I hadn't spoken aloud, but he seemed to understand me anyway.
I'd just keep the conversation going as-is.
"That's good—you're adaptable."
Not at all.
"Hehe. Of course you are."
So—who are you supposed to be?
"As you can see."
As I can see?
I can't really see anything through the mosaic...
The Indomitable Warrior Spellman?
"Spellman? Who's that? Do I look like him?"
Yes, the fact that I can't see anything through the mosaic makes you two exactly alike.
"I see, so your world has something like that too."
No, it doesn't.
"No? ...Well, whatever. I'm a god. The Human God."
Ugh. The Human God...
"That's a rather lukewarm response."
Well, I was just wondering why a god like that would bother talking to me.
And aren't you a bit late to show up?
Normally, wouldn't you appear much sooner?
"Sooner...?
What do you mean by that?"
Nothing. Please, continue.
"I've been watching you, you know. You've been living quite the interesting life!"
Stalking sure is entertaining, huh.
"Yes. Interesting. That's why I decided to keep an eye on you."
Keep an eye on me.
Well, thanks for that.
How condescending.
And there's something really irritating about the way you're looking down on me.
"That's cold.
I thought you were in trouble, so I reached out."
The kind of person who shows up only when you're in trouble is never any good.
"I'm on your side."
Ha!
My side!
That's a real knee-slapper.
Back in my life before this, there were guys who'd sidle up and say exactly that.
I'm on your side.
Come on, let me protect you, just do your best!
They were irresponsible people—as long as you were out of the room, they figured everything would work itself out.
People who didn't have the faintest clue about the real problem.
Your current statement gives off the exact same smell.
Can't trust you.
"Hearing that really puts me in a tough spot...
Well, how about you at least let me offer some advice?"
Advice, huh...
"Whether you follow it or not is entirely up to you."
Ah, that type.
I've run into your kind before, sure have.
People who call it "advice" but really just push emotional arguments, trying to redirect my thinking from internal to external.
You really don't understand what matters, do you?
It's far too late for a positive attitude to make any difference.
The time when mindset alone could fix things is long gone.
The more positive I become, the more despair piles on top and comes crashing back.
Just like right now!
You showed me that dream—what the hell was that supposed to be?
Going on about some other world, making me feel good about reincarnation, then yanking me back at the perfect moment—is that how you operate?
"No, no, don't get the wrong idea.
I'm not talking about your previous life. I'm talking about now."
...Huh?
Then what's this body?
"It's your spiritual body. Your physical body is separate."
My spiritual body.
"Of course, your physical body is perfectly fine."
So this is just a dream?
When I wake up, I won't be stuck in this lousy body anymore?
"Yes.
This is a dream. When you wake up, your body will be back to normal.
Feel better?"
Yeah. I do.
So it was just a dream...
"Oh, but it's not just any dream.
I'm speaking directly to your spirit.
Surprising, isn't it, that your mind and body could be so different..."
Directly.
So what are you going to do about it?
Going to send me back to my original world because this foreign body is too much of a hassle?
"No way. Even I can't send you back to a world outside the Six-Faced World.
Don't you know even that much?"
Hmph.
How was I supposed to know what's "obvious" and what isn't?
"Fair enough."
Wait a second.
If you can't send me back, that means you didn't reincarnate me into this world in the first place.
"Well, no. For the most part, I can't reincarnate anyone.
That sort of thing is the specialty of the evil Dragon God."
Hmm.
The evil Dragon God, huh...
"So, how about it? Want some advice?"
......No.
"What?! Why not?"
Whatever the situation may be, you're suspicious.
I'm better off not listening to a single word from someone like you.
"Suspicious, huh..."
Yeah. Suspicious.
You reek of someone trying to scam me.
Just like those scammers I ran into playing online games.
The moment you hear what they say, you're already being manipulated.
"I'm not a scammer.
If I were, I wouldn't be going back and forth about whether you'll listen or not."
That's just part of the con too.
"Come on, give me a break."
For a god, what a whiny voice.
Besides, the god I believe in isn't you.
It's the one who actually granted me a miracle.
It's only natural to doubt some foreign god showing up out of nowhere spouting nonsense.
And anyone who goes around talking about "believe" or "don't believe" is a liar.
I read that in one of my favorite books, so it must be true.
"Oh, come on. Just one time—that's all I'm asking."
What's with this "just the tip" energy?
You're definitely trying to pull a fast one.
And besides, do you have any idea how many times I prayed to gods in my previous life?
Not once did they help me before I died, and now you want to offer advice?
"Well, the god of your previous world and I are different.
And besides, I'm saying I want to help you going forward!"
That's exactly why I can't trust you.
Words aren't enough.
If you really want me to trust you, perform a miracle.
"I am performing one.
Speaking to you through a dream—only I can do that."
Talking through a dream? You could contact me without the dream, no problem.
Send a letter or something.
"Fair point.
But even so, being told I'm not trusted...
If this goes on, you're going to die, you know?"
...Die?
Why?
"The Magic Continent is a harsh land. There's almost no food.
The number of monsters is incomparably greater than on the Central Continent.
You might understand the language, but common sense is pretty different too.
Do you think you can survive? Are you confident?"
Huh? The Magic Continent?
Wait, what are you talking about?
"You were caught in a large-scale magical disaster and teleported."
A magical disaster.
That light...
"Yes, that light."
Teleported.
So that's what happened to me...
I wasn't the only one caught up in it.
Are Ghislaine and Philip safe?
But
...What about them?
"You're going to ask me that and expect me to believe you?
Even though you won't listen to my advice?"
Fair enough.
You seem like you'd lie easy.
"All I can tell you is that everyone is praying for your safe return.
They want you to come home alive."
Well... anyone would think that, wouldn't they?
"Would they, though?
Somewhere in your heart, aren't you thinking...
that if you disappeared, all the others would be relieved?"
...
If I said I wasn't, that'd be a lie.
I spent my previous life as someone who was unnecessary.
I still carry that weight with me.
"But in this world, you're not unnecessary.
You have to get back safely."
Yeah. That's right.
"If you follow my advice, I can't promise anything, but...
you'll have a high probability of making it back?"
Wait.
Before that, I want to know your motive.
Why are you so fixated on me?
"Oh, you're so persistent...
Because it's interesting to watch you live.
Isn't that enough?"
Acting for the sake of "interesting"—there's never anyone worth trusting among that lot.
"In your previous life, was that the case?"
People who act because it's "interesting" are the type who enjoy keeping others in the palm of their hand.
"Maybe I do have a bit of that in me."
Besides, there's no way watching me would be entertaining.
"Interesting... or rather, fascinating.
People from other worlds are incredibly rare.
I give you advice, you interact with various people...
And I get to see what kind of results that produces..."
I see.
So you give vague instructions to a monkey and enjoy watching how it tries to clear them.
Quite the hobby you've got.
"Sigh... you know...
You haven't forgotten your first question, have you?"
My first question?
"Let me ask again. Are you confident?
Confident that you can survive in an unknown, dangerous land?"
......No.
"Then shouldn't you listen?
I'll say it one more time— whether you follow my advice or not is entirely your choice."
Fine.
I understand.
Do whatever you want with your advice or whatever.
You should've just told me and been done with it instead of dragging this out for so long.
"All right, all right.
Rudeus. Listen carefully.
When you wake up, find a man near you and rely on him.
And then, help him."
The mosaic god said only that much, then faded away, leaving an echo behind.