Chapter 3

This was a dream.

Yu Yesung couldn't help but think so as he looked at the small scene unfolding beneath his feet.

Below was the interior of a castle, lavishly and extravagantly decorated.

Judging by the sofas, tables, and the ostentatious interior, it seemed like a reception room or a place to welcome guests.

People who appeared to be the master couple were sitting and drinking tea, while an employee poured tea with measured movements.

In the corner of the floor, Arenheit was lying down drawing a picture, making the scene look like a perfect snapshot of a family's daily routine.

Except for the fact that Arenheit drawing the picture appeared to be at least a teenager, not a 5-year-old.

-It's clearly another failure.

-Don't say that. There must be places we haven't looked.

-But is it really meaningful to keep pouring money into this?

The middle-aged man seemed distressed.

Sitting across from him was a woman slightly younger than the middle-aged man, elegantly setting down her teacup.

-There's no rush. If we can't find it, it means others can't find it either.

-I...

-I can feel it. 'That thing' still sleeping somewhere, undiscovered by anyone. It's just not the right time yet. Stars need time to align properly.

'That thing?'

Yu Yesung pondered deeply.

If these were the people with Arenheit, they would be the former ducal couple, but scenes of them having such conversations were never shown in the novel.

After all, by the time the novel properly unfolded, the couple was already dead.

-I won't give up. Money is trivial and laughable if it's for fulfilling Hartmann's secret wish.

-As time passes, it might become harder for Arenheit.

-This child was born through the womb I dared to lend. Has he ever said it was difficult?

The woman flicked her hand.

It was as if she was calling an animal.

Despite it being such a light gesture, Arenheit, who had been clumsily drawing, immediately rushed over at her signal.

A hand adorned with thick pearls and emerald rings caressed the pale, white, soft cheek of the child.

-Tell me, Arenheit. Does your mother make things hard for you?

-No, Mother.

An immediate response.

Without even a second's hesitation, Arenheit was smiling abnormally brightly.

The woman, smiling in response, continued her questioning.

-Then have I ever asked you to do something too demanding?

-No, Mother. I'm trying hard to be a good child. It's not difficult at all.

-That's right. As you grow up, you'll become part of a grand plan. Perhaps you'll become even greater than what your mother has shown you.

-If I'm a good child?

-Yes, if you're a good child. Now, pick up all those papers lying around. We'll have many guests today.

-Guests?

-You know what to do, don't you?

Arenheit rolled his light brown eyes.

-What kind of guests? Are they 'bad guests' or 'good guests'?

Yu Yesung felt a moment of unease.

-What should you do if they're bad guests?

-Bugs! Bugs must be eliminated before they lay eggs!

-And if they're good guests?

-Be nice, smile for them!

-You know well. You there, come here and take the young duke to get him ready.

A maid rushed over and paid her respects to the Duchess.

Although Arenheit was a head taller than the maid, he followed her like a child, holding onto her apron.

It was a strange sight.

Honestly, Yu Yesung was speechless.

Treating a grown child like a baby wasn't what normal parents would do.

And a child displaying behavior inappropriate for their age was also not a proper stage of development.

What kind of family was Hartmann again?

His vision moved like a camera.

The three people inside a shabby hut were ones he knew well.

Arndt was kneeling in front of Arenheit.

-Young Master, please, just eat one bite. Please?

-I have to go to Mother.

-You can't go right now. I'll definitely take you there later.

-I have to go to Mother.

-Young Master!

Arenheit was muttering like a broken doll.

Even at a glance, his condition wasn't good.

Arenheit's gaze aimlessly swept around the room before subtly shifting to Leandros.

-Leandros. You know.

-...

-Take me there.

-It's not the time yet.

-Why?

-That was the very order given by the Duchess.

Arenheit's blank expression and Leandros's tightly clenched fist overlapped.

Yu Yesung was confused by the scene he'd never seen before.

Why was he seeing this?

As soon as he had that thought, an idea came to him.

【Plunder. Robbery. Memory. My body. Possession. Omnipotence. Opportunity. Future. World. Mother. Star. Orbit. Me. My body. Right. Loss. Defeat. Powerlessness. Cruelty. Hope.】

Thoughts that weren't his own hit him all at once.

A small boat in a vast ocean during a storm.

That was how he felt right now.

Just before being swept away by such immense thoughts, someone whispered.

"If you're going to handle my body, you must also handle my destiny."

Who?

With that question, fragments of scenes, like broken glass, shattered and fell.

The largest fragment brushed past his face.

A large candlestick.

The scream of a sharp piece of metal.

A man fallen with blood flowing from his head.

A hand extended with the reassurance that everything would be okay.

Yu Yesung woke up with a start, taking a deep breath.

* * *

"Young Master!"

"The correct term is 'Your Grace,' Arndt."

"Is that important right now?"

As he blinked, the softly brightened ceiling and the faces of two people came into view.

"You collapsed in the courtyard, and we were worried. You almost got hurt because of what you were holding."

"I did?"

"Perhaps recent exertions were the cause. You weren't feeling well at the royal palace either."

"Ah."

He had heard that Arenheit had been ailing even during his short stay at the royal palace.

Somehow, he had dreamed a strange dream.

As he buried himself in the moldy bed, Arndt brought a meal as if he'd been waiting.

It was a meat soup soaked in a worn and rustic bowl.

"Arndt."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"That..."

Would anything change if he mentioned it?

It was just a weird dream, after all.

In the end, he swallowed what he was about to say and accepted the bowl.

"I'll eat well."

Arndt's satisfied smile followed behind the spoon.

Well, this would do.

Following the advice of Arndt and Leandros, he decided to refrain from going outside for the time being.

This body might be in an extremely weakened state.

In the end, hunting was entrusted to Leandros, while Arndt and he walked around the inside of the castle, carrying out repairs and maintenance.

As for maintenance, all he did was walk around with Arndt and offer advice when asked.

Since Arndt did all the actual labor, he had free time.

On the day Leandros went out for his second hunt, Arndt and he were repairing the banquet hall of the duchy.

"What shall we do with the hall?"

"It doesn't seem like we'll be using it anytime soon."

"But we never know what the future holds."

"It's fine to just clear away what's broken."

While giving perfunctory answers to Arndt's words, he looked around the hall.

The hall was completely empty, with a few tables of unknown purpose lying fallen.

This must be the end for all collapsed noble families.

'Damn. There's nothing worth any money.'

The problem was that it was too empty.

He had thought that there would be at least something to sell since it was a castle, but that was a misconception.

People can't just live by eating meat.

How many essential items does one need to use and consume?

And the primary means to obtain them had completely collapsed.

"Ah, du-ya..."

"Pardon? What did you just say?"

"Nothing."

What to do.

While he was pondering, Arndt was diligently moving around, cleaning dust, wood chips, fallen stone fragments, and more.

The banquet hall was wide, and it would be a lot for one person to clean, yet he moved so industriously.

He wondered if he should tell him not to overexert himself, considering the castle was already in ruins.

He was about to turn away to look at other places when it happened.

A strange sense of déjà vu.

Feeling a force gripping his ankle, he looked back at Arndt.

Arndt was removing dust and debris from a crushed window frame.

At a glance, nothing seemed unusual, but his gaze shifted higher than Arndt.

A candlestick.

A candlestick precariously hanging on the wall.

The candlesticks, densely set in the walls and pillars of the hall, were gleaming brightly despite the long passage of time.

Why did he suddenly recall the dream?

Why did he think the man in the dream was Arndt?

"Arndt!"

"Yes, Your Grace. Do you have a command?"

"The, the banquet hall seems too large, so shall we start with a smaller room?"

"But earlier, you said you wanted to see the larger places first."

"I changed my mind."

Arndt seemed puzzled by his capriciousness.

Eventually, unable to resist his insistence, Arndt began locking the door of the hall with him.

"There's not much in the hall, so it seems like we don't need to lock it."

It was meant to be a light-hearted remark.

But at that moment.

Clang!

A sharp sound was heard.

When Arndt flung the door open in surprise, a candlestick was rolling on the hall floor.

The visibly heavy candlestick, sharply sculpted, looked like it would cause serious injury if someone were stabbed with it.

Arndt sighed in relief, seeing that it wasn't an intruder.

But he, on the contrary, felt a chill down his spine.

That candlestick had been right above where Arndt was standing.

If it had hit Arndt's head, he might have been seriously injured.

"It's not a big deal. When we do repairs, we should also secure the candlesticks more firmly."

"..."

"If Your Grace hadn't called me, I might have had my head split open. I was lucky."

"...No."

"Pardon?"

"It wasn't luck. I saw it somewhere."

His mouth went bone dry.

Arndt's eyes gradually widened.

"What do you mean you saw it, Your Grace?"

"In a dream."

What exactly was that dream?

The content of the dream was now blurred, but the eerie and shocking emotions remained vividly clear.

It was something that, if heard by others, could only be explained as madness.

I.

What had he seen in the dream?

"Your Grace."

It was a slightly trembling voice.

Arndt had turned pale.

But on that face, various emotions were also painted.

Fear.

Awe.

Doubt.

Wariness.

Speculation.

Arndt's hands trembled minutely.

His voice came out hoarse.

"For the first time, you've dreamed of a revelation...!"