POV: Time Variance Authority

Dr. Morgan's words seemed a bit alarmist to Elias, yet he couldn't blame her for it. After all, he hadn't told her the full story—so, from her perspective, he truly did look like a patient suffering a severe delusion.

Elias felt that continuing the conversation further would be a waste of time. He decided to pose one last professional question:

"Dr. Morgan, I'd like to consult you on something. Is there a method—some way—to make me absolutely certain my dream world is fake… unreal… just a figment of my imagination?"

Dr. Morgan responded with an easy smile.

"Of course there's a way. It's actually quite simple. While normal people can't always tell they're dreaming when they are in the dream, in waking life, they almost never mistake a dream for reality."

She continued, her tone assured:

"The reason is: a dream typically features people you recognize in real life; you just need to compare their behavior in the dream with how they are in reality, and you'll know which is real. It's the easiest and most effective method."

She offered an example:

"Let me illustrate, Mr. Crane." Dr. Morgan lifted a pen from her notepad, gesturing at Gavin, who was seated nearby.

"Suppose one night you dream that Gavin has turned into a woman—insisting she wants to marry you. Would you have any doubts that the dream was reality?"

"Definitely not," Elias muttered, brows knitting together.

"That'd be a nightmare."

Dr. Morgan chuckled.

"Let's try another example: say you discover your company no longer produces cosmetics but is secretly building rockets and spaceships. Would you believe that's real?"

"Of course not… I'm not a fool."

At this, Elias felt a surge of understanding.

So that's how most people distinguish dreams from reality, he realized. They don't dwell on details like the moment of waking, pain, or gravity shifts. They simply wake, recall the people or events from the dream, and in the blink of an eye confirm it was just a dream—because it clearly contradicts known facts in real life.

But he couldn't do that.

Because in his dream world… he had never once seen someone he knew in reality.

He'd sensed this before, but at the time, it hadn't seemed significant. Now, it felt monumental.

Why did everyone else dream about people they recognized—while he never did?

For over two decades, not a single person in his dream had matched someone he knew from the waking world. Not even Gavin, his best friend since childhood. That, he realized, was the biggest absurdity of his dream realm.

Dr. Morgan turned to Elias, her voice gentle:

"Mr. Crane, have you truly never dreamed of any person you know—no family, no friends?"

Elias shook his head.

"Not even once… all of them are strangers."

Dr. Morgan narrowed her eyes, her gaze probing:

"You need to think carefully, dear. Is it really…"

She paused for emphasis, her voice lowering:

"…absolutely no one?"

Elias sank into deep thought.

No.

Truly none.

Not a single one.

From childhood until now—twenty-some years of continuous dreaming—he'd never dreamt of even one person from real life.

Not school friends, not coworkers…

Not even his closest family: his parents, grandparents—none had appeared.

"What about me, Elias?" Gavin piped up, tapping his own chest.

"Are you telling me you haven't once dreamed of me? We've known each other practically since diapers. Not even once?"

Again, Elias shook his head.

Gavin scratched at his temple, baffled. "I never asked you about it before, but now that I think about it, this is really strange. People say you dream about what's on your mind… and you can even dream about that new cat character from real life. Why not me? Am I less memorable than a cartoon cat?"

Elias made a dismissive gesture.

"Of course you're memorable."

Gavin snorted. "I dream about you all the time. We're always up to some mischief together in my head. Just a few days ago, I dreamed we hit the jackpot and went partying on a yacht—remember I mentioned that?"

Dr. Morgan paused her note-taking and gave Elias a curious look.

"Generally, while you might not dream of familiar faces every night, going two decades without a single real-life acquaintance in your dreams… that's extremely unusual."

"Even a coworker or someone you met just once—did they never show up in your dreams?" she asked.

Elias shook his head.

"Never."

"How about fictional characters, like those from movies or cartoons? Actors, celebrities? Did you dream of anyone from the real world?" Dr. Morgan pressed.

An extended silence overtook the room.

Neither Elias, Gavin, nor Dr. Morgan spoke. The air felt heavy with unanswered questions.

Eventually, Gavin cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension:

"Dr. Morgan, please don't misunderstand. It's not that Elias is refusing to cooperate. I've known him a long time—he's usually very rational. It's just… his condition is different, maybe more complicated. I swear he's not lying."

Dr. Morgan's expression softened. Setting aside her reading glasses, she polished them lightly, then looked on with motherly kindness:

"Don't worry, children, I believe every word you've told me. I've encountered several patients like Elias before. Based on my experience, if we want someone like him to clearly separate dream from reality—easing that burden of doubt—we need a breakthrough."

"And that breakthrough…" she resumed, gazing at Elias,

"…usually involves a memorable figure who recurs in the dream, someone they can't forget. A person who bridges the gap between dream and reality."

Dr. Morgan replaced her glasses and cast an encouraging smile toward Elias:

"So, Elias, you have to concentrate—think carefully, search your memories. Any tiny clue, any fleeting possibility, anything that even might cross the border between both worlds."

She laid a hand gently on the recliner.

"Is there anyone in your dream world who feels familiar… almost as if you've met them before?"

Gavin stepped closer, patting Elias on the back.

"No rush. Just take your time."

Elias bowed his head, pressing his palms against his face. He forced his mind to go blank.

A name rose to the surface:

Cipher.

His first thought was of the strange girl in the hero mask. He had no clue what she actually looked like, but her voice…

Something about it felt uncannily familiar—a tone he must have heard somewhere in the waking world. Possibly at some random moment or place, but it stuck in his subconscious all the same.

On any normal day, he would've dismissed it, since so many people in reality shared similar voices. But if Dr. Morgan was right—if he needed some cross-reality link—then:

That voice might be the only clue.

"I get it now," Elias murmured, lifting his head.

"If I absolutely had to pick someone… yeah, there's a girl whose voice feels strangely familiar. I'm almost certain I've heard it somewhere in real life."

He straightened, a new determination flaring in his eyes.

He knew exactly what he needed to do.

Tonight, when he returned to the dream, he'd find a way to remove Cipher's mask… to see who she really was.