五月天激情片

“Welcome back. What about the laptop? Did you manage to buy one?” Yoo Yeonha asked while observing Kim Hajin’s blood sample.

“Yes,” Rachel replied as she hung her robe on the coat stand.

“Please hand it over. I need to analyze the poison’s properties.”

Rachel widened her eyes and ran over with a look that seemed to say, Are you serious?

“I infused my electricity into the blood sample and it showed some reactions. I recognized the poison almost immediately since it’s quite famous,” Yoo Yeonha nonchalantly said.

Rachel stiffened at those words. A poison would only be famous for two reasons. One, people commonly encountered or used it. Two, it was one of the most lethal poisons out there.

“This poison is called Empty Dream,” Yoo Yeonha informed her.

“Empty Dream…”

“It’s a very rare and unique poison.”

Empty Dream required extracts from all sorts of rare ingredients and could be considered one of the most lethal poisons. However, it couldn’t directly kill the victim. Rather, it forced its victim into an eternal sleep that they would never wake up from.

“This is dangerous… very dangerous…”

“It’ll take some time for him to wake up.”

Rachel looked serious, but Yoo Yeonha only flashed a bitter smile.

Yoo Yeonha had always considered Kim Hajin to be much stronger than Kim Suho. He might’ve lost his passion and dropped out of Cube, but she firmly believed his toughness remained over the years.

“He’ll be fine. I’m certain he’ll wake up.”

“…”

Rachel weakly nodded in agreement, but still had a hard time composing herself.

“Anyways, don’t be too worried. Dreams are meant to be woken up from.”

Yoo Yeonha took the laptop and sat in front of the desk.

Rachel watched her type away before suddenly thinking of a brilliant idea. The Empty Dream made its victim dream, but she recently experienced sharing dreams with Kim Hajin for some unknown reason.

That means…

Rachel snuck under the sheets and lay next to Kim Hajin. She brought her face as close as possible to his.

“Hey Rachel, come take a look at this… W-What?!” Yoo Yeonha exclaimed in surprise when she turned around and saw the situation. She stuttered in shock, “W-What do you think you’re doing?”

“Who knows… this might work—” Rachel replied, but Yoo Yeonha immediately ran over and pulled her away from him.

"It looks too indecent!” she exclaimed.

“What do you mean by indecent? Let go of me. I have to sleep here to—”

“Get out this instant! Right now!”

“But it’s not what you think… Tsk…”

Rachel glared at Yoo Yeonha after being dragged out of the bed.

Yoo Yeonha’s face flushed red. “W-What do you think you’re doing when the sun is still up? Why are you doing this? Have you gone crazy? Are you insane?!”

“No… it’s not what you think…”

Yoo Yeonha kept chirping like a bird all worked up. Only after she calmed down did Rachel finally explain her plan.

***

Rachel experienced her first dream in the same familiar, yet unfamiliar space. She felt certain that Kim Hajin lived in this house and finally mustered the courage to open the bedroom door, which she failed to open last time. A man slept on the small bed.

Rachel silently observed him and he slowly opened his eyes as if he noticed her. She woke up from the dream the moment he woke up.

She dreamt her second dream at the Hampton Palace.

Kim Hajin found her this time and he placed her younger self on his shoulder as he ran away from the palace. She could feel a strange sense of warmth from him.

Then she woke up from that dream when the surroundings cracked and turned into a white space of nothingness.

Rachel’s third dream took place at Kim Hajin’s house again, but they could look at each other now. He lay in bed as she stood there, but she suddenly woke up. Oddly enough, she couldn’t recall their conversation.

After that, she dreamt her fourth, fifth, and sixth dreams…

The two of them shared their past. Their dreams grew longer and clearer the more she dreamt. They gradually reached the depths of their consciousness.

“You’re putting in quite the effort.”

Yoo Yeonha looked at Rachel, who just woke up and rubbed her eyes.

“Did you share dreams again?” Yoo Yeonha asked her.

“Yes, but I can’t remember our conversations…”

The results kept turning out the same. The vivid dream grew vague after she woke up and her memories from the dream scattered away.

“Then, shall we go for a stroll?” Yoo Yeonha suggested.

“…”

Rachel silently looked at Kim Hajin still under the Empty Dream.

Yoo Yeonha bitterly smiled and tapped Rachel’s shoulder.

“It’ll be alright. I’ve already set up a powerful barrier here, so we’ll be immediately notified if something ever happens. Rather than that, don’t you think time travel is a rare opportunity?”

Yoo Yeonha seemed to be in a good mood.

Rachel looked out the window and saw the pleasant weather today. This type of weather would be rare even in the real England. The sun brightly shone and a cool breeze gently blew through the trees. The scenery outside looked picturesque.

“Just for thirty minutes,” Rachel muttered.

“Sounds good.”

The two of them went out to the bustling streets of England. Several families also came out for the weekend. Children’s laughter and smiling parents made for a beautiful sight under the sun and gentle breeze.

Had the atmosphere always been this pleasant and peaceful before the reformation? No, before the incident at the Hampton Palace?

“Wow, this looks exactly like what I saw in textbooks!” Yoo Yeonha exclaimed as she stood in front of a red telephone booth.

Rachel smiled as Yoo Yeonha excitedly posed in front of the booth. However, her expression suddenly stiffened when she saw Buckingham Palace in the distance. A chill went down her spine and a sense of anxiety stifled her.

Lancaster had recreated this old England. Did that mean people from the past also existed?

“Oh, Buckingham Palace is over there.”

Yoo Yeonha pointed it out and Rachel flinched at her words.

“Shall we go closer?” Yoo Yeonha asked.

Rachel profusely shook her head since Lancaster could discover them if they carelessly approached.

“Well, I’m glad you know where to go and where to not go,” Yoo Yeonha said with a smirk.

“…”

What the heck? Is she looking down on me? Rachel thought while pouting.

“Pfft! Just make sure nostalgia doesn’t get a hold of you. All of this is fake anyways.”

“Fake…” Rachel muttered.

As she said, this entire world was just a fake. Nothing but a copy of the original world… a world where souls gathered…

“Now, shall we roam around for a bit before heading back?” Yoo Yeonha asked while linking arms with Rachel.

***

“…”

Rachel woke up at the break of dawn.

Today had been no different. She couldn’t recall her dream again. Her head became a blank slate no matter how much she forced herself to remember.

She could only recall his voice ringing in her ears as he said something.

“Vice Leader.”

Rachel instantly turned to the familiar voice. Her body stiffened when she spotted the man hanging upside down outside the window like a bat with his head covered in a hood. He pulled back his hood and Rachel glared at him with visible anger.

Marcus had suddenly appeared.

“You!” Rachel exclaimed as she grabbed Galatine, but Marcus raised both his hands in surrender.

Rachel pointed at him with her chin as if to say he better spill the beans. Marcus looked around before coming in through the window.

“Are you living with him here?” He asked while looking at Kim Hajin on the bed.

“You little—!” Rachel exclaimed in anger.

Marcus immediately placed a finger to his lips.

“Shh! I barely managed to sneak out. Don’t cause a fuss. I have something to tell you.”

“Yawn?”

Yoo Yeonha woke up with a yawn. She looked at Marcus before rubbing her eyes in case she was still dreaming. It didn’t seem to be a dream.

“Get to the point,” Rachel curtly told him. She didn’t show any respect towards the traitor who betrayed his guild, country, and comrades.

Marcus simply nodded.

“I have no idea how you managed to come here, but Lancaster is plotting to sacrifice every citizen in England.”

Rachel grimaced in anger, but Marcus continued.

“Did you run into those mole monsters by any chance, Vice Leader?”

Rachel nodded when he asked about the monsters they faced in the underground passage.

“Those monsters are currently digging underneath this city. They’re carving a huge magic circle. I have a hunch that the same magic circle has already been created underneath our England back home.”

Marcus anxiously looked around.

“They’re planning to swap the real England with this fake England using that.”

Yoo Yeonha approached and said, “Don’t tell me you believe this traitor?”

“Yes, Lancaster had brainwashed me too. I thought everything was Vice Leader and England’s fault.” Marcus honestly admitted before shaking his head, “But Vice Leader bears no responsibility for that incident. We’re the ones at fault. I only realized that after spending time with you, Vice Leader.”

He continued with his passionate plea.

“I’m helping Vice Leader and England with my own methods. I stole everything in our safe to obtain Lancaster’s trust. Also, I purposely let our guild members chase me to the secret passage so you would be able to come here.”

He didn’t give Rachel a chance to respond.

“I’m not asking you to fully trust me, but Lancaster will activate the general assembly’s miracle at the Hampton Palace on that day.”

Marcus looked at her with sorrowful eyes.

“I will open the door on that day. It’s impossible to stop them alone, so I hope Vice Leader will help stop them too.”

He lowered his head after finishing his monologue and weakly added, “I’m sorry…”

Rachel couldn’t tell if he told the truth or not. Should she trust a subordinate who already betrayed her once? She sat on the bed and observed Marcus. Suddenly, a breeze blew from the window and his body turned into fine particles that dispersed into the air.

The sun rose on the horizon and the first rays of sunlight shone on the sleeping Kim Hajin.

Rachel gently patted his head while thinking.

Will he be able to wake up before that day?

***

Rachel immersed herself in training after Marcus’ visit. She wanted to perfectly harmonize her spirits with her sword to stop what would happen that day. The clock was ticking and every second counted.

“So… you only remember what happened, but not the specifics?” Yoo Yeonha asked.

Rachel also trained her mind to remember her dreams as much as possible. However, that proved even more difficult than harmonizing her sword and spirits.

“Yes…”

“You can’t remember even the tiniest detail from your conversations?”

“They’re all vague…”

“How are they vague? Tell me whatever you can recall.”

Rachel tightly closed her eyes and focused on Yoo Yeonha’s words.

Ughh…

She racked her brain until she felt a splitting headache and finally recalled a single word.

“A… pocket? Pouch? Pocket mouse?”

“What? A pocket mouse? You mean a mouse with a pocket?” Yoo Yeonha frowned.

Rachel sighed, “I have no idea…”

“Tsk… Forget it. Anyways, shall we eat something?”

“Sure…”

They sat in front of the table and ate pork kimchi stew for breakfast.

“It turned out quite nice today.”

Yoo Yeonha complimented her own cooking and Rachel nodded in agreement. It didn’t taste as good as Kim Hajin’s, but she did a fairly good job.

“Eat slowly.”

“Okay.”

“I said eat slowly. You’re eating too fast.” Yoo Yeonha suddenly slammed her spoon on the table as they enjoyed their meal.

Rachel froze in shock at her reaction. Did Yoo Yeonha get mad because she ate too much?

“Ah… Don’t tell me… he meant my pocket?!”

“P-Pocket?”

Yoo Yeonha didn’t bother explaining and ran to Kim Hajin. He still wore the same clothes since the water spirit took care of cleaning him and washing his clothes.

Yoo Yeonha rummaged through his pockets. She started with his pants, his inner pockets, his coat pockets… but he simply had too many pockets.

“Ehem… Ehem…” Rachel faked a cough as if to say she didn’t feel comfortable with Yoo Yeonha touching his body so freely.

“…”

Yoo Yeonha ignored her and continued searching.

“Ehem! Ehem!” Rachel faked a cough again and Yoo Yeonha became annoyed.

“Alright, I’ll be done soon.”

Rachel went over and began searching his body as well to speed things up.

Then, Yoo Yeonha placed her hand in one of his pockets and felt something.

“Huh? What’s this?” she muttered and took it out.

The beautifully crafted necklace brightly shone the moment sunlight reflected on it. The necklace looked so beautiful that even Yoo Yeonha, more well-versed in jewelry than anyone else, had never seen such a beautiful piece before.

“I’m jealous…” she grumbled and tossed the necklace to Rachel.

Rachel somehow caught it. The necklace felt smooth to the touch and sparkled like a mirage.

“What is it? I thought he had an antidote or something… Geez… This is so frustrating…” Yoo Yeonhwa grumbled and pouted when she realized that Kim Hajin prepared a gift for Rachel and passed it along in his dream while on his deathbed.

Rachel’s cheeks flushed red as all sorts of thoughts went through her mind. She wondered why Kim Hajin would gift her such a beautiful necklace.

“Huh?”

One of her spirits appeared by itself as Rachel became lost in her fantasy.

Yoo Yeonha looked at the spirit and Rachel with a serious expression.

The spirit and the necklace began resonating with each other.