MMM: Chapter Nineteen: Night Terrors
"Hugh, my son… You seem so happy now. You used to visit my grave every month. But now… I haven't seen you in eleven years. You've moved on from my death. Well, I shouldn't complain. As a father, I should be happy."
"Bah! You couldn't even stay awake through a fifteen-minute anime episode. Yet here you are, living in a fantasy world. You're so excited to learn magic in a few years. Tsk, tsk. You don't deserve it! I should've been the one to be reborn there!"
"Giselle! Don't shout at Hugh like that! It's not like he chose to go there. All this is beyond his control."
"Mother! There you go, defending him again! Didn't you see? He made friends with my namesake today. He's replaced me already! I want to replace him too. Mother, I no longer have a cousin like him!"
"Giselle! How can you say that?! Take it back!"
"But Mother…"
"Right now! Take it back, right now!"
Licht stood frozen, surrounded by people whose faces, voices, and mannerisms were breathtakingly familiar. His red, misty eyes glistened, threatening to overflow at any moment.
Deep down, he knew what he was seeing wasn't real—it was a dream. But it felt too real to dismiss. After all, while Giselle had been alive the last time he'd seen her, the same couldn't be said for the other two in the hospital room. He had attended their funerals. He had seen their lifeless bodies.
Yet here they were, vivid and tangible, as though reality had bent to fulfill a part of him that wished desperately for this moment.
The ward's door slid open, and a woman who appeared to be in her late twenties entered the room. She carried a small basket of strawberries and peaches, his favorites. Her hair was the same shade of blonde he'd had in his past life, but her eyes were a striking blue instead of green.
"Mother…" His voice cracked as he called out reflexively. Tears he had been holding back finally slipped free, cascading down his cheeks like a waterfall.
The woman smiled warmly, her lips parting to speak as she walked toward him, but the words she uttered didn't match the movements of her mouth.
"Young Master Licht…"
By the time she reached his hospital bed, her voice had shifted. It wasn't hers anymore—it was Ines'.
"Young Master Licht. Wake up."
His mother's form shimmered and dissolved, replaced by the familiar figure of Ines in her signature purple-and-white maid uniform.
"Young Master Licht!" she repeated firmly.
As if by some cruel design, his father, aunt, and cousin also disappeared, their forms morphing into Ines.
"Young Master Licht. Please wake up!" her voice echoed in every corner of the room.
Despite his desperate yearning to stay in the dream a little longer, to cling to the fleeting comfort it brought, Licht's body betrayed him. His eyelids fluttered open, and the dream dissolved entirely.
He sat up, disoriented, his breathing uneven. Around him, the room was dimly lit, with the three moons still hanging high in the night sky beyond the hotel window. Their soft glow illuminated the countless stars that twinkled like scattered diamonds.
"Young Master Licht! Thank goodness. You're finally awake."
Ines sat beside him on the bed, her tie-dye pajamas—swirls of brown, red, and yellow—looking oddly cozy for someone exuding such concern. In her hand was a handkerchief, which she used to dab away the sweat clinging to his forehead and neck.
"Are you okay, Master Licht? It seemed like you were having night terrors," she asked gently, her worried expression betraying her otherwise composed demeanor.
"Yes, I'm fine," Licht replied, taking the handkerchief from her and continuing to wipe himself off. His voice carried a heaviness, a weariness. "It was just a bad dream… It happens."
Ines sighed, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to press further. "Would you like some honey tea?"
"Sure," Licht muttered, slipping out of bed. He walked over to the window, gazing at the star-filled sky. His reflection stared back at him, eyes puffy and bloodshot.
Ines stood as well, lingering for a moment. A million questions danced on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them all, choosing silence. With a quiet nod, she exited the room to prepare the tea.
As the door clicked shut behind her, Licht drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His chest felt tight, the echoes of his dream lingering. Even in his waking moments, his tears hadn't ceased.
He knew Ines suspected the dream wasn't just some trivial nightmare. She was observant, always had been. But how could he explain it? The truth of his past life wasn't something he was ready to share, even with someone as loyal as her.
I'm not ready yet, he thought.
The sunrise crept into the room, bathing it in golden light. By then, he was seated at the small reading table, sipping the honey tea Ines had brought him. His pink hair, still damp from a shower, was slicked back—an unfamiliar style that reminded him of his blonde locks from his previous life.
"Sip." He closed his eyes, savoring the warm, sweet drink. "So good! Your honey tea just keeps getting better, Ines."
Her lips curved into a small, pleased smile. "I'm glad to hear that, Master Licht."
The two fell into easy conversation, avoiding the heavy topic of the dream entirely. She served him bagels alongside the tea, and the mundane routine of breakfast helped ground him in the present.
A knock at the door interrupted their moment.
"Who is it?" Licht asked, swallowing a bite of his bagel.
"Room service," came the polite response.
At his gesture, Ines opened the door to reveal a young woman dressed in the hotel staff's uniform. Her brown hair was neatly tied back, and the silver name tag pinned to her chest read "Jane D." in dark blue script.
"Good morning, sir," she greeted Licht with a professional smile, addressing him with a formality that belied his age. Her superior must have warned her about treating the young guests with respect.
Exchanging a few pleasantries, she busied herself tidying the room, her movements efficient and unobtrusive. Neither Licht nor Ines paid her much mind after that, confident their valuables were safely with his mother.
Once Jane finished, Ines began helping Licht dress for the day, a ritual she insisted on maintaining. She attempted to part his hair to the side, the way his mother preferred it, but Licht firmly refused.
"Not today," he muttered, brushing her hands aside.
Respecting his wishes, she relented and retreated to her own room to shower and change.
When both were ready, they made their way to the Northeastern Rosemary City Guard Barracks. The air grew tense as they approached, and the unease was palpable even before they stepped inside. Guards exchanged grave looks, and a heavy silence hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Licht frowned, his instincts on high alert. "What happened…? Was there an attack?"