"In addition to monsters that are born naturally, they can also be created artificially, or, to be more precise, they are cyborgs."
After reviewing Mosquito Girl's memories, Caelus realized that she had been artificially created.
"Is it possible that, if I rewrite a scientist's memories and make them believe from the bottom of their heart, or even their soul, that someone with their level of skill can create a device capable of crossing the universe and reaching the multiverse, then use the power of Finality to trap all the time from their birth until the present in an infinitely interlocking loop... under those circumstances, could that scientist rely on the unique nature of this world to create a single-use device capable of crossing universes?"
After pondering for a while, Caelus dismissed the possibility. After all, even the principles of an idealistic world could not extend beyond its own universe. Even if a so-called inter-universal device were successfully created, it might only be capable of traveling between parallel universes rather than crossing the multiverse in the true sense.
Caelus felt that, ever since arriving in this world, he had constantly come up with wild ideas he wanted to test. Had Nous's attack in the previous world interfered with him somehow, giving him an even stronger thirst for knowledge?
Calming himself and setting aside those bizarre and terrifyingly wild ideas, any one of which would have been shocking, Caelus opened the ancient book and began reading the history, myths, and even hidden knowledge recorded within it.
The next morning, Caelus woke up on time, but Cyrene was still sleeping with her head resting on his arm. Judging by her happy smile, she must have been having a sweet dream.
Caelus raised his other hand and gently stroked Cyrene's head. Using the knowledge of the Dream Path he had acquired, he looked into the sweet dream that had made her smile so happily, to the point that she almost seemed to be drooling.
In the dream, Cyrene had grown up and was wearing a crisp suit. She reached out and lifted the chin of Caelus, who was dressed in a pure white wedding gown. The entire scene resembled a shojo manga, with countless gorgeous flower petals floating around them.
Countless sparkling stars flickered in Cyrene's eyes as she spoke to the Caelus in her arms in a deep and affectionate voice.
"My Ah-Caelus, you belong only to me. Don't even think about escaping from my grasp, darling."
Her voice was low and magnetic.
Caelus blushed, and his eyes seemed to glisten with moisture.
"Oh, my love! You are so charming that I would willingly lose myself in your embrace!"
"...Have you been reading too many CEO romance manga lately?"
The Caelus who had been speaking in a girlish voice instantly lost all traces of shyness and embarrassment, returning to his usual cold and indifferent demeanor. Even his voice became completely emotionless.
"Oh! Partner! How did you get into my dream?"
Cyrene's domineering CEO persona vanished instantly. Her face turned as red as a ripe apple, and she shyly covered it with both hands. She curled up as though she wanted to find a hole in the ground and hide inside it.
Caelus looked down at the wedding gown he was wearing and snapped his fingers. His clothes transformed into a crisp black suit, while Cyrene's outfit changed into a wedding dress.
He stepped forward and pulled the embarrassed Cyrene up from where she was crouching on the ground. Then, with another snap of his fingers, the shojo manga-like surroundings instantly changed.
A pure white church stood behind them. Bells rang from above, startling a flock of white doves into flying across the sky.
Beautiful flowers of various colors drifted down from the heavens like confetti scattered by the sky for the ceremony.
Amid the beautiful shower of flowers, Caelus knelt on one knee before Cyrene. A diamond ring appeared in his hand as if by magic. He took Cyrene's left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger.
Cyrene's eyes widened. She stood frozen in place, unable to move, and could only watch as Caelus slowly placed the ring on her finger.
Once the ring was fully in place, soft piano music began playing around them. It was "All of Me."
Caelus lifted Cyrene's left hand, now adorned with the diamond ring, kissed her ring finger, and whispered,
"I vow at this moment that, whether in poverty or wealth, in sickness or health, in joy or sorrow, whether strong or weak, no matter how time flows or how the world changes, I will love only you. Not even death will separate us."
The sky turned pink, and shooting stars flew backward toward the heavens before exploding in midair, scattering points of light that formed countless beautiful flowers across the pink canvas.
"Although this wedding in a dream is still very simple, does not truly exist in reality, and is not the final version we will choose, it can serve as a rehearsal. Are you satisfied with this wedding dress?"
Caelus rose from the ground, held Cyrene's hand, and asked the girl who was still standing in a daze.
"Huh?"
Cyrene looked dazed and foolish, seemingly unable to figure out how she should react.
"Are you satisfied with the sweet dream I gave you?"
Cyrene looked at the diamond ring on her hand, then at Caelus standing before her. Her delayed emotions finally surged forth, and tears began falling uncontrollably from her eyes. She threw herself into the arms of the person before her and cried excitedly. These were not tears of sadness, but tears born from being deeply moved and from the pure, uncontrollable love she felt for him.
"Caelus!"
"I am always here. Although this is only an illusory dream for now, in the future, we will definitely hold a magnificent wedding that spans the entire galaxy. When that time comes, it will surely be even more romantic than this."
Cyrene shook her head. She looked up at Caelus, her eyes still filled with tears, and whispered,
"As long as I am with Partner, even the simplest wedding will be the most romantic one and the one I love most!"
Then, she took the initiative to stand on tiptoe and kiss Caelus.
When the sweet dream ended and Cyrene opened her eyes, she found herself lying in her lover's arms, her face still slightly damp. She raised a hand to wipe away the tears she had shed.
However, she discovered that there seemed to be something new on her hand. Looking closely, she saw a beautiful ring on the ring finger of her left hand.
"When the false is taken as truth, the truth becomes false. Even if it was only an illusory dream, why could it not affect so-called reality? Although that wedding was held only in a dream, this ring was able to cross from the dream into reality. Do you like it?"
"Partner, you're the best!"
Cyrene snuggled into Caelus's arms and rubbed against his chest like a clingy cat. She looked extremely excited.
Just then, a voice sounded in Caelus's ear.
["No way. I only went fishing for a little while. What happened? Why do the two of you look like you're about to merge into one person?"]
"Cyrene has simply been reading too many shojo manga lately and developed some fantasies, so I fulfilled her dream. She's just a little excited right now. She'll calm down soon. Did you catch anything?"
["Hmph! I'm not one of those fishermen who always comes back empty-handed. I've got a bite! Host, prepare yourself to receive the System's major mission!"]
[Confrontation Mission issued...]
[Confrontation Mission: Kill another System holder. Reward: 12,000 System Currency. Note: I! Am! Not! A! Fisherman! Who! Returns! Empty-Handed!]
(To be continued.)
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)