NOVEL NEXT Ch32 - Dream
Chapter 32: Dream
Carrying the results of their hunt, Lena and the others stopped by Patricia’s home. They were surprised by the charming exterior of her house.
Her family home, a small house with the classic white walls and red roof typical of Toyria, had an adorable touch with Tyrolean patterns painted on the window frames and vibrant flower pots adorning various spots. It had an extra touch of whimsy compared to the other houses in the area. Apparently, this was her mother’s hobby. Patricia, being particular herself, has continued to plant the same kinds of flowers in the same spots her mother did.
“I water them every morning before heading to the guild,” she said, looking away with a slightly shy, yet pleased expression. Seeing no trace of sorrow on her face, Lena felt a sense of relief. A year had already passed since Patricia’s parents had passed away, and although she still clung to some lingering grief, she seemed to have come to terms with her emotions in her own way. However, she still grew somewhat agitated when talking about the Adventurer’s Guild — understandable given the circumstances of her parents’ death.
The inside of the house, like the outside, was decorated with a whimsical style. As the sole resident, Patricia seemed to struggle with cleaning, and a light layer of dust coated the corners of the floor and knick-knacks on the shelves. Her busy adventuring schedule had also contributed to the lack of upkeep.
Noticing Lena’s gaze linger on the dusty spots she didn’t want her to see, Patricia looked a bit uncomfortable, almost as if bracing herself for scolding. Her mental conditioning had become quite developed by now. Lena, however, puffed up her chest and smiled.
“Patricia! Before we start cooking, would you like some help with cleaning? I don’t mean to intrude, but—”
“Oh… um. Really? That would help a lot, but… are you sure? Sorry, I’ve just been so focused on my quests lately. I really only come home to sleep these days…”
“I see. Thank you for working so hard. Ahem! Here we go — Green Magic [Clean]!”
Lena, eager to try her new magic, looked thrilled as she cast it.
Lena used Green Magic [Clean]!
As she chanted the spell loudly, a gentle green glow filled the room. Countless specks of light floated through the air, clinging to the floors and walls, making dirt and grime vanish in a sparkle. In about five minutes, the entire room sparkled clean. Lena, however, had overdone it a bit, using more magical energy than expected as she had imagined the dust disappearing from every corner. With a sheepish smile, she noted it down in her status research notebook. Still, she was happy with the effect, and Patricia was quite impressed by the finesse of Lena’s cleaning magic.
“Whoa…! Thank you so much! Lena, your cleaning magic’s visualization is amazing. The whole room is so spotless. This really helps!”
“Oh, it was my first time using cleaning magic, but I do love cleaning, so it was easy to imagine! I’m glad it worked well! Now, shall we get cooking?”
“Yes! Let’s get started!”
“Let’s have Kureha and Izumi help us too.”
“’Leave it to us!’”
Even the slimes had learned new magic as they leveled up — Heat Magic [Heat] and Ice Magic [Ice]! Lena’s idea was to put these new skills to use in the kitchen.
Since Patricia wasn’t very skilled at cooking, her task was to roughly cut the meat. The kitchen, long unused, resounded with the robust sound of knife meeting cutting board as Patricia, not exactly adept at fine control, chopped the lamb with sheer strength. The jagged cuts would actually help the marinade absorb better, Lena reassured with a chuckle as she sliced garlic and green onions, mixing them with salt into the meat to complete the prep for grilled meat.
“Izumi, could you use [Ice] and roll this around to cool it?”
“Right away!”
Lena pulled out thick cream and homemade berry jam bought at the market. She measured them and tossed them into bowl-shaped Izumi. With the ingredients safely inside, Izumi started rolling on the table, wobbling around, sometimes nudged by Lily and Hamal as if they were playing. The result was a quick, firm ice cream, which would soften perfectly by the time they finished their meal.
Kureha stretched into a disc shape and used Heat Magic [Heat], turning into a hot plate as efficient as one from Earth. As they grilled the marinated meat, the room filled with a savory aroma. The scent wasn’t overwhelming and would only lightly linger, which made it ideal for indoor grilling.
First, they grilled a set amount for everyone. Kureha, in human form, enjoyed the first batch before turning back into a hot plate, officially kicking off the barbecue party.
“Cheers!”
“Let’s eat!”
“Enjoy!”
With gleaming eyes, the familiars, in their human forms, filled their mouths with lamb meat, their faces beaming with delight. Patricia and Lena toasted with beer and berry juice. Their table was adorned with thinly sliced rye bread, a simple vegetable salad, and the freshly grilled lamb. Patricia’s mood lifted as she sipped her beer, feeling utterly cheerful, though she resisted the urge to throw her arm around Lena in excitement.
Lena also savored every bite, clearly enjoying the food. Watching her, Patricia thought Lena looked delightful as she ate.
“Everyone’s gotten stronger!”
“Are you impressed?”
“Have my stats improved? Master, show me!”
“I want to see too!”
“Alright, alright.”
The familiars gathered around their master, peering over the guild card. Checking a card during a meal might be a bit improper, but with their hunger mostly satisfied and just waiting for the ice cream to melt a bit more, a little breach of etiquette could be excused. Kureha cleaned up the scorched spots on the hotplate and then transformed into her human-like form, just as Izumi did. As Lena tapped on each familiar’s name, their detailed stats appeared.
Kureha
Species: Mini Jewel Slime (Red), LV. 13
Affinity: Red Magic [Heat]
Health: 33 (+3)
Intelligence: 25 (+4)
Agility: 33 (+2)
Magic Power: 22 (+2)
Luck: 14
Skills: [Dissolve] +1, [Ultra-Hardening], [Flexible Form]
Gift: [Complete Status Resistance] ☆4
Title: Demon Tribe
Izumi
Species: Mini Jewel Slime (Blue), LV. 13
Affinity: Blue Magic [Ice]
Health: 31 (+2)
Intelligence: 25 (+4)
Agility: 35 (+3)
Magic Power: 22 (+2)
Luck: 14
Skills: [Dissolve] +1, [Ultra-Hardening], [Flexible Form]
Gift: [Complete Status Resistance] ☆4
Title: Demon Tribe
Lily
Species: Dark Fairy (Young) ♀, LV. 11
Affinities: Black Magic, Yellow Magic
Health: 18
Intelligence: 19 (+3)
Agility: 20 (+1)
Magic Power: 41 (+6)
Luck: 15
Skills: [Illusion] +1, [Bloodsuck], [Charm], [Black Mist], [Red Mist]
Gift: [Fairy Eye] ☆4
Title: Demon Tribe
Hamal
Species: Golden Sheep ♂, LV. 15
Affinity: Black Magic
Health: 33 (+2)
Intelligence: 27 (+3)
Agility: 21 (+5)
Magic Power: 21 (+1)
Luck: 25 (+2)
Skills: [Body Transformation], [Sprint], [Deep Sleep] +1, [Aura Effect] +1, [Leap]
Gift: [Thick-Skinned] ☆5
Title: Demon Tribe
Each familiar had gained new spells and skills, promising to be even more helpful in future battles. They began to review the details of the new skills:
Flexible Form: A passive skill allowing for more fluid transformations, enhancing the range of stretch and contraction.
Black Mist: Summons a vision-obscuring black mist, with range and density controlled by the user’s intention and magic.
Red Mist: Conjures a blood-colored mist that induces “panic” in those within. Range and intensity vary with the user’s intent and magic.
Leap: Enables higher and farther jumps, but repeated use strains the legs, temporarily lowering stamina.
Lena had also leveled up, reaching Monster Tamer Level 9, which boosted her health, intelligence, and agility by one point each. Her new spell was Green Magic [Clean]. Although modest compared to her familiars’ abilities, she was still making steady progress.
In Ranasch, both ancient interspecies friendships and differences in creation styles contributed to a lack of racial discrimination—demon tribes tended to master long-honored techniques, while humans were known for innovation and creating trends.
As Lena contentedly reviewed her enhanced stats, she carelessly held her open guild card for all to see.
“Huh… Lena, these stats…? They’re off the charts! I mean, not Lena’s stats exactly, but her familiars! What is this!?”
“A-ah! D-Don’t look!”
“Kyaa! How rude!”
“Don’t say that, or you’ll make me look like a criminal!”
…The sight of Patricia, who looks like a young boy, paired with the adorably beautiful child-like slime can sometimes create quite the risky impression, depending on the conversation… Hang in there.
“Hey! Patricia… I’ll have to bind you with a restriction, okay?”
“Go for it, Senpai—!”
Lily, flashing the threat of a fairy contract, and Hamal, egging her on.
In the end, after seeing Lena’s ★7 Gift, Patricia had no choice but to accept the restriction, resulting in the lily marks on her wrist increasing to two. While her shoulders drooped with a sense of melancholy, she did break the unspoken rule among adventurers about not peeking at others’ guild cards without permission, so it couldn’t be helped. The restriction this time, as with last, was imposed by Lily, the manager fairy. Her own lily marks were combined into a single white lily crest on her chest.
“Ugh… I’m sorry, alright? It’s not much, but you can look at my card as an apology.”
With a playful yet slightly ceremonious gesture, Patricia offered her guild card to Lena. Though she was joking, her demeanor was clearly changing… As an adventurer, she seemed somewhere between a beginner and an intermediate.
Guild Card: Rank F
Name: Patricia Nature
Class: Swordsman, LV. 15
Equipment: White Shirt, Pants, Lace-Up Boots, Fireproof Cape, Yellow Iron Sword
Skills: Blue Magic, Yellow Magic
Stats
Health: 51
Intelligence: 30
Agility: 42
Magic Power: 25
Luck: 20
Skills: [Weight Shift], [Quick Slash], [Heavy Slash], [Step]
Gift: [Strong Arm] ★3
Titles: Youth, Survivor
“Wow… you seem really dependable! So strong!”
“You could say it straight up if you want—‘a muscle-brain’.”
“W-what… no way…”
Patricia looked like she’d resigned herself to something. Lena, asked for her opinion, awkwardly averted her eyes from Patricia’s titles. Even so, with her high health stat, her [Strong Arm] Gift, and the [Youth] title, Patricia’s character was hard to miss.
She retrieved her guild card from Lena’s hands, glanced at it with a complex expression, then tucked it back under her clothes. Lily, sitting on her master’s lap, kept a close, observing eye on the downcast Patricia.
“…Your soul wavered just now. Why? Is there something bothering you? Or are you… not satisfied with things as they are?”
“!”
Patricia’s shoulder jumped slightly, as if the abstract question from the fairy hit close to home. She returned a tense stare to Lily, but the whimsical fairy suddenly looked away.
“Oh! The ice cream! It’s perfect now! Master~!”
Lily was too carefree. Was it intentional? Patricia, watching the fairy’s doting voice as she headed for the ice cream, collapsed onto the table in exasperation.
Later, as they finished their meal and the young familiars, back in their magical forms, started nodding off, Patricia and Lena toasted together for the second time, and a more subdued conversation began. This time, the “youth” girl spoke first. With a bit of alcohol loosening her usual sharpness, she spoke more openly than usual.
“You know… Lily asked if I was struggling, right? But I wasn’t struggling. I thought I wasn’t even regretting anything… It’s about my ‘Swordsman’ class. There was… just another class I had a bit of interest in, that’s all. Like, just a little bit of lingering attachment.”
“Mmm-hmm. You can’t hide anything from Lily, can you? Mind if I ask about that little attachment?”
“That, huh. Lena, your familiars are way too sharp… I thought nobody would ever find out about this. It’s a boring story, but you really want to hear it?”
“If you’re alright with it, I’d love to hear everything you’re willing to share!”
“…ugh. Well, you see—”
▽Patricia is blushing fiercely!
▽Lena is encouraging her, clearly enjoying the moment.
▽Patricia Can’t Escape!
With a blush, the boyish-looking girl began to speak hesitantly.
“…So, yeah. The reason I became a swordsman is because my Gift and predicted skills were just too combat-oriented, you know? I was almost destined to be one. Both my dad and mom were adventurers, so I played with wooden swords as a kid. Everyone expected me to get strong, so I kept saying I’d be an adventurer someday because it made people happy… But, actually, I… I kind of… well, really like cute things! I look like this, and I ended up as a swordsman because I said I’d be an adventurer, but I actually had a different dream job.”
“Is that so?”
Rena was genuinely surprised, but she didn’t exaggerate her reaction, simply watching the boyish girl with calm eyes.
Not being laughed at seemed to put Patricia at ease. She took a sip of beer to moisten her lips, then slowly continued, gazing wistfully at the lily mark on her wrist.
“…I wanted to be a florist. I dreamed of living surrounded by the beautiful, cute flowers I grew, owning a shop, and selling my recommended flowers to customers. I wanted to make stunning bouquets that would make people smile… Just a little dream, really. The older I got, the more I found myself liking cute things, probably because I didn’t get to be around girly things when I was little? I used to feel embarrassed by girly stuff like flowers and dolls, but now I can’t stop thinking about them… And now, at this age!? Argh, curse you, me!”
“Hey, watch your language!”
Rena gave a slight smile at Patricia’s choice of words, patting the ‘girl’s’ back as she chugged her beer in embarrassment. Unexpectedly, Patricia choked as beer went up her nose, and her eyes teared up. Rena apologized, saying, “Sorry about that,” and popped some half-melted ice into her mouth. With the sweetness easing the mood, Rena whispered softly.
“…I’m sure your parents would be happy to see you doing what you truly want, Patricia. They probably would now too. And so would Mr. Goldaro and the others. They welcomed you as an adventurer because they didn’t know you wanted to be a florist, right? People won’t know if you don’t say anything. Especially if you keep it hidden, it’ll be even harder to notice… If you keep hiding it and later regret it, both you and everyone else might end up feeling sad. I think everyone would want to know what you truly want to do. Why not open up to them? If you talk to them about your dream of becoming a florist, I’m sure they’ll cheer you on!”
“I said I don’t regret it! You’re such an idiot, Rena. I’m not saying anything…”
“Oh? Well, that’s not what it seemed like to me, you know. Hehe. Why not just say it?”
“No way!”
The summons were polite enough to ignore Patricia’s “idiot,” though a vein was visibly pulsing on their foreheads.
“I don’t want to say it now… It’s embarrassing, and they’ll all laugh. Besides, a year ago, I made it my dream to reach the same adventurer rank as my parents. That way, I’d feel like I could keep all my memories of them close, you know? It scares me, feeling like I forget something every time I fall asleep. Right now, I need something to hold onto.”
“…Is that why you’re an adventurer? I think the dream of becoming an adventurer of the same rank as your parents is wonderful. But you could die from sleep deprivation if you keep taking jobs in that mental state…”
“What? Are you worried about me?”
“Of course! We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“Ha! Friends! I’ve never had a girly friend like you before, Rena. Drop the formal speech—just talk normally, yeah? I’ll never tell anyone but you about the florist thing.”
“Oh, you’re so stubborn, Patricia.”
“Ahaha! I like being called Patricia! Makes me feel cute!”
With her blush, Patricia laughed boldly, drunk enough to break the somber atmosphere, jokingly calling out, “Rena-chan!” before dozing off, still seated and with her brows knit in discomfort. It was clear she wasn’t sleeping peacefully, likely due to her fear of sleep, as the dark circles under her eyes suggested she hadn’t slept well in a long time. Rena sighed softly.
“Oh, you’re so stubborn. Kureha, Izumi, could you take Patricia to bed? Ha-kun, activate your [Peaceful Sleep] skill.”
“Yes, yes, sir!” “Alright!”
The loyal summons, who had somehow woken up, quickly followed their master’s instructions, cleaning the dishes and tidying the kitchen while the slimes carried the girl away.
“…You’ve already been found out, Patricia. Your ‘big sister’ heard everything, you know?”
“Sorry, Rena! My girl got all clingy and troublesome again!”
A dancer-like woman from the Goldaro party appeared behind Rena with a wry smile. She had pink hair and wore an outfit that emphasized her curvaceous figure.
“Lulu-san.”
Of course, it was her.
Called by name, Lulu’s red eyes narrowed in a cheerful half-moon as she looked at the sleeping Patricia in the bed, chuckling softly.
“She wanted to be a florist, huh? I never had a clue… Thanks for getting it out of her, Rena.”
“You’re welcome.
…Is it okay for me to ask? I was just listening to the story Patricia-chan wanted to share. I think her feelings of longing to be a florist and her thoughts about her parents were really strong, so it must have been tough for her to carry them alone. Maybe it was about time she wanted someone to listen… I hope that talking about it this time helped her relieve some of the pressure in her heart.”
“Hehe♡ You really care about your friends, don’t you? You could become a mental health doctor!
Patricia has the skills of a swordsman, but lately, her fighting style seems a bit dangerous. It seemed like she couldn’t sleep without drinking alcohol… I was worried. I’ll suggest she switch careers to being a florist, in a subtle way♪”
“Thank you so much!”
“Oh my, you’re the one thanking me? Hehe.”
Rena, who bowed her head vigorously, caused Lulu to burst into laughter, genuinely amused. As she gazed at Lulu, Rena hesitated before speaking.
“…By the way, Lulu-san, why are you in Goldalo’s party? I noticed you even changed your speech style, so I thought you might have some circumstances, but I didn’t want to pry… You weren’t at the inn last night either… Ah, it’s okay if it’s hard to talk about.”
“Ah? …You want to hear my night story? It’s going to be a long one, you know?”
“I’d like to skip that part, please… More than that, I want to know the reason you were at the party.”
“That’s fine♡”
Then the succubus began her story. It was a memory of her and Patricia’s parents before Patricia was born.
Patricia’s father, a mid-level adventurer, had received a commission request from a local noble and was visiting the inn for a meeting. Patricia’s mother, who was then his girlfriend, became angry upon misinterpreting the situation. She caused a scene at the inn’s reception, crying and furious with her boyfriend for not informing her about the visit. Both the father, who failed to give prior notice, and the mother, who jumped to conclusions too quickly, were at fault. Lulu, who intervened, then became friends with them.
Since then, Lulu occasionally participated in Goldalo’s party for a change of pace. Her role was to provide support from the backline using her specialty in enhancement magic. The change in her speech and attire was apparently to immerse herself in the adventurer role and enjoy it. Worried about the orphaned Patricia, the succubus had mostly been active as the dancer Lulu during the day lately. When she met Rena as an adventurer, she kept her distance, thinking there might be circumstances behind it.
Both of them had been reading too much into things.
The small beast tamer and the succubus exchanged wry smiles as they gazed at each other.
“We really were overthinking it, huh? Can I talk to you normally during the day from now on?”
“Of course♪ That would make me happy too. To be honest, I was feeling lonely!”
“Fufufu!”
That night, Lulu said she would stay at Patricia’s house, so they parted at the entrance. It seemed a familiar beastman was substituting at the reception.
…The succubus gazed at the girl, who was peacefully sleeping with a serene expression, with very gentle eyes. She stroked the girl’s forehead and used her [Dream Weaver] skill. Normally, this skill forces the target into a deep sleep with pleasant dreams, but she skillfully controlled her magic to provide only the slightest comforting influence.
Even so, it would have been toxic for the former Patricia. She might have been trapped in sweet dreams, remaining bedridden.
Now that she had opened her heart to her friends, Lulu was confident that she would wake up properly. When she peered into Patricia’s dreams, she saw a young Patricia wearing a cute dress made by her mother, happily laughing while holding hands with her parents. Next to them were the current members of her party and Rena’s group as well.
“Good night, have sweet dreams. Patricia… there are many people who care about you, you know? Hehe♪”
Wrapping the clumsy girl in warmth, the night slowly deepened.
The next day, Patricia woke up in shock. The room was filled with all kinds of beautiful bouquets of flowers.
“What is this…?”
As she sat on the bed, stunned for a while, the front door suddenly opened, and Goldalo and the wizard Jean popped their heads in. They were holding huge bouquets in both hands.
“Hey! Did you wake up, Patricia? You were more of a sleepyhead than usual today. Hahaha! I hear you want to become a florist. Here’s a little farewell gift from us!”
“Wow, I’m surprised. I think it’s a good idea to be a florist. You never let the flowers in the flower bed wither, so I think you’re suited for it! When you open your shop, I’ll come by to buy flowers. Even though I don’t have anyone to give them to…”
“…Wait. Why do you guys know about that?
~Rena!!!”
Patricia shook with rage, her face turning red as she called out her friend’s name. As expected, Rena peeked her head from the entrance.
“I’m angry!” she glared sharply, while behind Rena, her familiars pressured her, making her flinch.
What a persistent daughter. The dancer Lulu also appeared with a cheerful smile.
“See? Lulu-san, don’t you think this sudden surprise was a bit too much for her? She’s blushing red from embarrassment!
Oh, good morning, Patricia! Just so you know, I didn’t tell everyone about the florist thing!”
“I had to be extreme to get through to that stubborn Patricia! I’ll keep pushing until she’s honest♪ Good morning, Patricia!”
“I’m not embarrassed, I’m angry!”
““Oh, come on now♪”
“…You guys are surprisingly close, huh?!”
This morning was as noisy as ever around Rena.
And smiles filled the air.
Patricia, embarrassed to the point of blushing, ultimately closed the front door and retreated inside. However, Goldalo and the others showed no signs of stopping and continued to laugh joyfully.
“Hahaha! Patricia, we’ll bring more flowers tomorrow too!”
“…Stop it already?!”
The unexpectedly shy Patricia would receive bouquets continuously for several days until she honestly expressed her true feelings.
Looking at her beautifully adorned home, her now-deceased parents would surely be happy.
▽Next! Patricia and her florist business