A cold, empty sensation embraced his body as he fell through a dark hole made from nothingness.
But during that sequence, he was half asleep and half awake. Only by slamming onto a bed of soft flowers did he wake up from his sleep, and no, it wasn't one of those tis when he would jolt up from the fake sensation of falling.
Here, he was truly awake, more than he had ever felt before, as if he was a free ghost that road everywhere or he felt like he could fly from drunkenness.
Before him was a vast land dotted with white flowers that whistled under a calm breeze, producing waves of fluttering patterns.
A literal sea of flowers.
And gazing over that sea were auroras stacked tightly like lasagna, just as infinite as the land they watched over.
. . .
Ferris quietly took in the sight of an alien-like world, and after finding nothing around him except flowers and auroras, he shifted his gaze to scan his periter.
I hope this isn't so blessing user I have to deal with... Ferris sighed. He wanted to sleep for just a bit more and relish it, to avoid the thought of sleeping on the streets due to his financial situation.
As he stayed in the space longer, Ferris slowly felt a sense of nostalgia, as if he had been here before.
Ferris focused his gaze on the scenery. No.
I've been here before, but I've never seen this place before.
[You have always been here, have you not?]
The woman's voice called out to him.
Ferris instinctively turned his gaze toward the source, which wasn't too far from him.
Flaming bush?
[...]
There was no reply, but Ferris felt a disappointed sensation around him. Perhaps it was no longer appropriate.
After realizing that he wasn't in any imdiate danger, he walked toward the source and spotted it quickly.
A flower that has not yet blood amongst infinite blood flowers around it. A tiny bud that had yet to awaken. One could wonder what it would look like, or what it could beco.
I wonder what that even ans... Ferris thought as he rubbed his finger along its stem, finding it just as delicate as any other flower.
Then he continued what he was previously doing and lay beside the bud, even attempting to sleep in the center of such a pleasant space.
"This is much better than so dark forest. The scent is also amazing," he said, closing his eyes to analyze the sweet sll of the flowers.
. . .
The bud swayed side to side in the breeze and laughed softly. [I would agree as well.]
Ferris raised an eyebrow. "You didn't make this place?" he asked.
[No, I created this place a long ti ago.] the woman answered.
[It's just different for everyone. Judging by how the environnt is different for you now, you must've had a change in apprehension.]
Ferris opened his eyes. "aning?"
[This is how your mind is comprehending this place, since you've grown stronger, of course.]
Comprehension? Ferris wondered what it ant. He had only just unlocked his 9th layer back when he saw this place as a dark forest.
To test her answer, Ferris sat up in a lotus position and silently focused on his essence core to view his 9th layer.
The bud swayed. [My, so impatient...]
He saw his 9th layer, glowing dimly and nearly empty of essence, which concerned him. He should've restored at least a bit. This was far lower than normal.
Ferris began to fear that he had pushed himself too far and ruptured his 9th layer. That would an starting all over again.
But there was another explanation.
A full glass of water would only seem empty if it were poured into a larger glass or bottle.
Behind his 9th layer was a dimly lit haze, almost impossible to detect, but Ferris knew what it was.
A second layer. An 8th layer!
Back in his old world, only essence prodigies could accomplish this feat!
The drear could feel Ferris' storm-like emotions and swayed vigorously. [Easy there, knight of prophecy.]
Ferris breathed in and huffed out, as if he were about to laugh. "My apologies. I couldn't contain myself."
He steadied himself and straightened his posture. There were plenty of places and ti to celebrate this achievent, certainly not in this strange flowery land, and certainly not in front of the mysterious drear.
Now that his mind was completely awake and had moved on from the battle before, he considered the most important question.
Why did the drear et him again?
Of course, she ntioned that she would bring him to her when sothing interesting happened, and granted, many interesting things had occurred.
But the question still stood. Why?
The drear already knew his question and proceeded to answer without Ferris asking.
[You did a great job disturbing the continuity of this world.]
Ferris didn't know what continuity ant in this context, but he continued listening carefully, looking down at the bud in front of him.
[That Asmadeas girl said sothing about a good vision, right?]
Ferris nodded.
[That vision of hers never ca to be.]
It didn't happen? I'm sure it ant sothing like a good ending, but a good ending did happen, didn't it? In the end?
No... there could be sothing like a greater vision. Ferris thought, then felt ashad of his potential narcissism.
But whatever happened, Ferris had indeed broken the prophecy. He rejected it.
That feat alone was worthy of pride, and he smiled to himself in front of the bud.
"Thank you for telling , Drear." Ferris said his gratitude.
The bud swayed in response. [You accomplished that, albeit with the help of that Judas and a few other characters... but well done, though.]
Ferris nodded, but suspicion lingered. The drear had only ntioned Judas as one of his companions. Why not Elizabeth? Or even the S-rank hero prodigy prince?
The thought crossed his mind, but the drear shifted topics.
[You also threw hands with one of "his" seeds.]
The person controlling Kerio's corpse?
"His." Ferris lingered on the word. He rembered the Drear warning him not to get himself involved with "him" during their last eting.
As I thought, it's easier for to just call him a degenerate and be done with it. It would be great if he knew his na, though.
Ferris was eager to ask that, but he was stopped again.
[Anyways, that doesn't matter.
Since you did well, and to not let that elf girl beat , I'll also reward you!] she praised.
Reward? Ferris suddenly got goosebumps.
What could a being like the Drear reward him with, and since the Drear hadn't shown any evil tendencies, he was confident that this wasn't a sort of devil's deal.
[I will answer three questions.]
Questions, answered by a being greater than himself. That was better than a new sword, or even a boost to the 7th layer.
Ferris jumped to his important question. "Who is 'he,' the person controlling Kerio's corpse?"
[Okay, except that question.]
What a scam!
The Drear felt his rage and swayed away from Ferris. [Urgh... you can get that answer later by yourself. Don't waste your three questions.]
. . .
Ferris sharpened his gaze at the Drear.
"Who is Judas?"
[...]
Ferris sharpened his gaze even more. Surely she wouldn't double back twice in a row.
A gust of wind ripped through the flowers around them, causing so of the flowers to be blown upward.
[Fine... I'll answer.]
Ferris sighed. To be honest, he was on the verge of slapping his forehead instead of being angry.
The Drear went silent for a mont, and Ferris patiently waited for her answer.
[The Judas you an is a fragnt. Each fragnt has different nas and forms.
They are not human, but if you want a comparison, they are closer to what you call an aberrant.
That's all I'll say to you.]
I guess I tend to et strange people... Ferris observed.
But an aberrant? I didn't sense any putrid essence from him.
"What's an ab—
Ferris paused. The Drear stayed silent.
I have two questions left. Is it worth it to ask this question?
He hesitated for a second, then picked his decision.
"What are the true nature of aberrants?" Ferris said, choosing his words carefully.
[As you've beco one with essence before, when you were Felix, you know what it ans to influence the world with your essence. The power you wielded, and how you could change the very laws of reality with such powers.
Essence here is affected the sa way. People fear things, and they create negative essence. Those negative essences manifest themselves into the real world.
People are also happy for things, and those positive essences balance out the negative essence.
But so people dread things, and those easily slip through into reality.]
[Take, for example, death, war, hunger.]
The Drear stopped answering, leaving Ferris in thought.
If there is extre negative, then there is extre positive. Would Judas be considered one of them?
Ferris wanted an answer to that question, but since this was his last question, he wasn't going to jump the gun yet.
I don't have any other questions I can co up with... or I have too many questions...
Ferris thought long and hard, but eventually decided on sothing else entirely.
Sothing a bit more personal instead.
"Is Eos alive?"
The Drear went silent for even longer than with his first question.
The bud swayed. [Oh, you poor thing~ Need closure on your first crush?]
"Answer it, Drear." Ferris looked away in sha. There was a big difference between true love and re infatuation.
The Drear laughed for a couple of seconds before rembering that she had a question to answer.
[If Eos would laugh, then so would Evening. If Eos would cry, then so would Evening.]
It wasn't a direct yes or no answer but the Drear separated Eos and Evening clearly in her answer.
The true Eos died a long ti ago, but Evening carried her legacy and very being.
I see... Ferris bowed again, thanking the Drear for answering his questions.
"What else are we supposed to do now?" he asked.
[Hmm... nothing much. Looks like this'll be it, unless you have further questions that I may or may not answer?~]
Ferris rubbed his chin. "If I asked who you truly are, would you have answered?"
The bud remained steady. [No~]
[But, perhaps you'll know when we can et face to face.]
He had nothing to say to the Drear after that, but he shrugged it off as her teasing him.
[That's enough for now. You have to wake up now.
She's waiting for you on the other side~]
"Who—?
Snap.
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