The Morning That Never Came
Even with my eyes closed, everything was white...
Empty and weightless, as if I was floating aimlessly in a space where nothing was real....
Captain, please open your eyes.
It's morning. It's time to wake up.
Seira...
But I don't really want to wake up...
...I'm sorry. It's my fault.
But I made a promise to you, remember?
A promise to wake you up without fail when the morning came around.
Did you... now?
Yes. So please, wake up already...
Mm...
As I finally opened my eyes, I saw the bright moon hanging in a sky deep with night, as well as...
Captain...
...
...I... I don't know... what to do...
Seira looked troubled, her expression clouded with confusion.
Forcing my heavy eyelids open, I followed her out onto the streets of NOA...
Captain...
Most of the shops along the road... were closed...
Even the few lit ones were seemed utterly devoid of life...
Are you feeling sleepy, Captain...?
On every park bench, people lay sprawled out as if they had simply collapsed asleep...
Please, Captain... don't fall asleep.
Even the usually bustling theater was quiet and deserted...
Captain, Captain...
...
Captain, take my hand.
Through my fading consciousness, I felt Seira's feather-light fingertips brush against mine.
You'll be fine if I hold your hand.
As long as I hold onto you... you'll be safe from the dream.
My hand may be cold... but reality will always be warmer than a dream.
True to Seira's words, the warmth from her hand spread through me, clearing my head bit by bit.
How could something like this happen...?
...The entire city has fallen asleep...
It's all... because of me...
The succubus... I finally found you!
I turned around to face the familiar voice shouting out from behind us.
Finally... That butterfly...
That butterfly...
It was the man who called himself a hunter, now holding a harpoon in his hand.
He blinked sluggishly, staggering toward us.
...
...Judging by his dull gaze, he was barely keeping himself awake.
Seira and I hid ourselves and quickly slipped away, and I was about to figure out how to turn things around when...
*Splash*
The hunter suddenly splashed water onto his face and advanced again with renewed fury.
Succubus... Do you know how long I've been searching for you?
I've wandered across the entire Lavistar continent...!
His eyes burned with madness, and I tightened my grip on Seira's hand.
The dreams I had for days were so beautiful... I can't forget them...
Please... I don't need fleeting half-dreams anymore...
I'll destroy that butterfly...
Des... destroy...
He staggered again, dousing himself with more water to stay awake.
Destroy that butterfly, and lead everyone into dreams forever!
No one appreciates what you're trying to do anyway!
...But without them, everyone will fall into an eternal dream...!
That's right. An eternal dream! That's what I want!
Please... take me into the eternal dream...
With this...
The man hurled his harpoon.
I'll usher everyone into the eternal dream!
Seira!
Instinctively, I threw myself in front of her.
Captain!
Seira reached out to stop me, and the butterfly resting on her fingertip fluttered into the air.
The blue butterfly drifted gracefully through the air... Then shattered to pieces after being struck by the man's harpoon.
Hahaha! Yes! The way to the eternal dream is open!!
N-no...!
And from the pieces of the shattered butterfly... a white light began to spill out.
...
I don't know how long I've been here.
A place without time or space.
Only darkness, endless and deep...
Where the only feeling left was the sensation of falling.
Take my hand.
A hand brushed against mine, cold yet quietly brimming with warmth...
Featherlight, but real—anchoring me to the world once more...
As long as I hold onto you... you'll be safe from the dream.
My hand may be cold... but reality will always be warmer than a dream.
That warmth, it felt so familiar...
Seira.
Captain!
The hand that had caught me from falling tightened its grip, pulling me upward with all its strength.
You're awake, Captain?
It's morning...?
The sun's already high.
You really are a sleepyhead.
...
To be honest... you were asleep for so long...
I was really... worried about you.
How long was I out?
What about that man? The hunter?
...
Seira only smiled softly and took my hand, leading me outside.
Ugh... my whole body's sore...
What time is it...?
I don't know. I must've dozed off somehow...
Oh dear, did we fall asleep right here? Unbelievable...
The maids, who'd fallen asleep all over the training ground floor, began to wake one by one.
...What was I... doing...?
The hunter who had chased Seira woke up as well, and was looking around in utter confusion. But finding no answer, he trudged out of Candle Square in the end.
Everything's all right now.
What happened, Seira?
I'll take that bad dream you just had.
Now, you'll be able to dream of something nice again.
The words sounded familiar, like something I'd heard long ago.
Remember what I told you before? A dream ends when you wake.
It's fine even if you don't remember anything.
...Seira's clear smile looked as gentle and as lonely as ever.