The Bookkeeper-Chapter 74: Dream 3

The full moon blazed with unusual intensity, and Raiden found himself standing in a smoky mist that shrouded the entire landscape. The wind itself seemed touched by the same mystical quality as it caressed his skin. All of it—every sensation—made him feel like he’d finally come home.

He started looking down at himself, seeing the dark lines on his hands transform into something he knew completely.

Dark line tattoos glowed across his hands, tracing up his knuckles and wrapping around his wrists, maintaining the previous pattern. The markings on his fingers flowed smoother, like veins of energy, while spherical lines emerged on his neck, curving from his jaw down to his collar and covering every inch of skin.

He couldn’t see his face, but he could feel something there as he reached up in confusion. A dark, large sigil marked his forehead—symmetrical and arcane, like a rune with wing-like extensions spreading across his brow. Sharp, angular tattoos stretched outward beneath both eyes, resembling stylized lightning bolts.

His hair had transformed entirely to pure white, radiant as light itself. It appeared wild yet peaceful, fluffy and free-flowing as it spiked loosely in every direction with a flame-like texture. The full moon’s glow made its brightness impossible to ignore.

A faint, mist-like aura emanated from his entire body. Raiden couldn’t understand what was happening, though he felt like he’d experienced this place before.

Normally, smoky corpses would have been trying to devour him by now. He instinctively spun around, looking for any sign of them, but found nothing. The place was surprisingly peaceful compared to his previous encounters.

However, as he stood there, eyes darting in confusion and wondering what was happening, he noticed a dark mist swarm concentrated in one specific spot, unlike the other areas.

He felt an irresistible urge to approach it, and without hesitation, he began running toward the mist. As he drew closer, he paused and caught sight of a shadowy figure.

It had the shape of a child, and he couldn’t shake the sense of familiarity. He observed it from a distance, his eyes widening instantly as realization hit him.

"Ash?!" He rushed over to check on her. His heart began pounding as he reached out to touch her, but the figure was nothing more than smoke.

His eyes continued darting around in confusion and growing frustration. He started stepping backward, mouth slightly agape, as each retreat seemed to thicken the mist around him. novelbuddy-cσ๓

What was going on?

This wasn’t his first time experiencing this, he realized. But where was he? And why did he feel like Ash had been there?

As confusion washed over him, the mist surged around him, and before he knew it, he was being consumed entirely.

He jolted awake, panting as sweat streamed down his face. He found himself in the library, slumped over the desk. It was a dream again. He examined his hands to see that the dark lines on his body and his mysterious white hair had all disappeared.

He smiled. He could remember this dream now. The confusion still lingered, but after struggling with this for so long, he could finally recall it.

However, his sense of victory was short-lived as he suddenly remembered Ash. She was there. He looked around for her and spotted her lying on the desk, sleeping while releasing low, smoky breaths.

Raiden smiled again and leaned back into his chair. He now understood why Ash had been leaving smoky stains on their sheets. But he still needed to understand what was happening.

Where had he been? Since Ash could materialize darkness into chains, was that place somehow her domain?

He attempted to reason through it, but each answer only led to more questions until Ash finally stirred awake.

[Bloom, Papa.] Her voice resonated in Raiden’s mind, pulling him from his thoughts.

Ash’s voice sounded tired and weakened, but what she said perplexed Raiden more than anything, though he dismissed her hoarse tone as the result of sleeping too long.

"Huh?" He asked, confused.

[Bloom.] Ash repeated.

"Bloom?!"

The instant the words left his mouth, half of the library transformed into smoky darkness—the seats, desk, and even the shelves. It lasted barely a second, but Raiden saw it. His eyes widened in shock and confusion.

He needed to see it again, so he repeated himself. "Bloom." The darkness appeared once more, confirming what he thought he’d witnessed.

Raiden looked at Ash to ask her questions, but it was too late; she had already fallen back asleep.

He sat there, torn between being glad that Ash was finally displaying the traits of a powerful dragon and dwelling on the fact that he didn’t understand anything.

After a moment of thought, he decided to let it rest for now. Ash had only asked one thing of him: to get stronger. Though he had yet to attain the strength required of him, she had been generous enough to grant him her soul and heart, and now this—bloom.

Though the confusion and unexplainable pains had been overwhelming, he had to stay calm and focus on getting stronger. The last time she spoke before today, she sounded desperate—like she was running out of time.

But regardless of what it was, he had to comply and get stronger. It would help him either way.

It was still dawn, and Raiden needed sleep since the coming day would bring psychological stress. He pushed through the endless thoughts and managed to sleep.

Before long, morning had arrived. Raiden stood at the ceremonial balcony within the palace, Ash resting on his shoulder, alongside King Hannes and the elders, while thousands of citizens gathered in the courtyard below, awaiting the king’s royal speech.

Using the king’s royal call, which he used to address the kingdom directly from the throne room and hold confidential meetings, they projected the meeting across the skies. Green screens hovered above and throughout the entire kingdom for those who couldn’t attend.

Raiden wasn’t comfortable with this. Publicity hadn’t been common before, and considering their current situation, it was reckless. But he wanted the elders to grovel before him. The satisfaction he would get from watching their faces as they addressed the kingdom and apologized for branding him a traitor was all he wanted.

Soon, King Hannes spoke up, and with the royal call’s assistance, everyone could hear him perfectly as the crowd rejoiced upon hearing their king’s voice.

"These have been challenging years for our kingdom, and though not all of you were directly engaged in addressing our troubles, your devotion and steadfast support meant more to this realm than you could know."

Raiden maintained a hollow smile, but his focus soon wandered elsewhere. The events of dawn still churned in his mind, and despite his decision to let the matter rest, he found himself unable to dismiss it entirely.

He observed each elder and the king in turn as they made their statements, offering apologies and warm words in his direction. Yet he derived little satisfaction from what he’d anticipated enjoying—his mind was elsewhere, consumed by his own thoughts, and soon the entire royal address began to feel unsettling.

Luckily for him, the proceedings soon drew to a close. He released a deep sigh. It was finished, yet something far more daunting awaited him—the ceremony.

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