“So, everything in Sylvestria is just a dream…”

The words taste bitter as they leave my lips, disbelief clinging to every syllable. How could something that felt so vivid and alive be just a fabrication of my mind? The people I met, the battles I fought, the weight of my decisions—all of it—reduced to nothing more than a dream.

I glance around the dim, familiar confines of my apartment. The peeling wallpaper, the worn-out couch, and the quiet hum of the refrigerator—this was my old life, my reality before everything shifted. And yet, now that I'm back, a strange mixture of emotions is flooding through me. A deep, suffocating sense of loss mingles with an unexpected relief.

How can something that felt so real be nothing but a figment of my imagination? Did I truly imagine it all? The friendships I cherished, the dangers I faced, the sense of purpose... were they just the idle wanderings of a sleeping mind?

But as I stand here, in this dingy apartment, I feel...free. Cozy. Safe.

It's an odd contradiction. Why do I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders? Am I relieved because I’m back where I belong, back to the mundane safety of Earth?

I can't quite put my finger on it—this gnawing feeling pulls me in two directions simultaneously.

Suddenly, my memory sharpens. The last thing I remember in Sylvestria is the blinding light, the sharp pain of the stone spear piercing through me, Arthur’s panicked voice fading into nothingness, everything slowly slipping away.

I was dying...

That’s right—I was the one who sought danger. I pursued the path of the Stargate Raider, thinking I could make myself stronger and more capable of handling the chaotic future events foretold in the web novel. I thought I was preparing myself for the worst.

But as that spear tore through me, a realization hit: I could’ve just taken refuge.

Sylvestria’s capital cities are nearly impenetrable, fortified with magical defenses capable of fending off even the greatest threats. I could’ve hidden, depended on others to keep me safe... but I didn’t. I chose the most dangerous path, and in the end, I paid for it.

Is that why I feel relieved? Is that why I feel... safe and cozy now? Because I’m back in a world without monsters, without Stargates, without magic, without worrying about the future chaos of Sylvestria hanging over my head?

I don’t have to worry about any of that anymore. I’m back on Earth.

I take a deep breath, feeling the tension in my body unravel, but something doesn’t sit right. Even though I should be comforted, I can’t shake this strange emptiness. I miss them.

Arthur, Lumi, André, Celine, Maurice, and…Clark. They were more than just characters in a dream. They felt real, and leaving them behind felt like a hole in my chest that won’t heal.

I glance at the door to my apartment. Why is it so quiet? Usually, there’s noise—something. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I step forward, slowly pulling the door open. The hinges creak, but the kitchen and living room are eerily still. There’s no sound. No movement.

“Where are… Mum and Dad?”

Unease blooms in my chest as I call out, half-expecting an answer. They’d normally be in the living room now, scrolling through job listings or catching up on the news. The quiet in the apartment feels unnatural and oppressive.

I push through the growing sense of anxiety and head toward the living room.

-Thump!

"Ouch!" My foot collides with the corner of a table. The pain shoots through my toe, and I kneel, rubbing the sore spot. "I forgot how cramped this old apartment is."

Creak!

The sudden sound of the door opening pulls my attention. I spin around, and standing awkwardly in the doorway is someone I never expected to see outside of Sylvestria: Dominic. He looks as confused as I feel, his black hair slightly tousled, and those sky-blue eyes hold the same bewilderment I must be showing.

“You… what are you doing here?”

The words slip out before I can catch them. How is Dominic—the Dominic—here? If he's real, standing right before me, then was Sylvestria real, too? My mind spins, struggling to make sense of the impossible.

Dominic scratches his head, just as perplexed. "Oh... hey," he greets, his tone wary, cautious.

I stare at him. My thoughts race, crashing into one another. If he’s here, did we switch places? Was it some kind of cosmic exchange, with him now stuck in this world while I was in Sylvestria? The weight of this realization presses down on me, but there’s another, more immediate concern—where are my parents?

“While you’re here… have you seen a middle-aged man who looks like me, and a middle-aged woman with black hair and eyes?” I ask, almost desperately, hoping for any clue about their whereabouts.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Yeah, they, uh... called the police on me.”

I blink in surprise. “...They what?”

“They thought I was some random guy sneaking around the apartment, so yeah... called the cops.” His tone is so matter-of-fact like it's no big deal, but the absurdity is too much.

"...Where are they now?"

"They mentioned something about going to a job interview."

The revelation settles heavily on me. So... my parents finally found a job after all this time. But then, will they even remember me? How do they process the loss of a son who’s now standing before them in some weird cosmic twist of fate?

As I process this, something catches my eye—a small black shrine in the corner of the room. My heart skips a beat as I approach it, kneeling before a picture of me... a thin trail of incense smoke curls upward, and a jar sits beside it—holding my ashes.

I stare at it in shock. Tears sting my eyes as reality sinks in.

“They do remember me…”

My parents had built a shrine for me, honoring my memory. It’s proof that I was gone, and I’m back, somehow. It also means Sylvestria wasn’t just a dream. I was there.

"Uh, are you okay?" Dominic’s voice pulls me back to the present. There’s a cautious concern in his tone.

I quickly wipe my tears away and stand up, trying to compose myself. “Yeah... don’t worry.” But my voice betrays the heaviness in my heart. How could I be okay?

I turn to him, feeling the weight of this bizarre situation. “But, Dominic, why are you still here if they called the police on you?”

Dominic looks sheepish as he rubs the back of his head. “Well… I think we should talk somewhere else, you know? Like... not here.”

He’s right, but planning a casual conversation after everything feels surreal. Still, the thought of staying in this apartment any longer suffocates me.

“Of course. If that’s the case, I know a café nearby.” I offered.

Dominic’s eyes light up like a kid’s at the mention of food. His entire face brightens, and there’s an almost infectious eagerness. He looks downright adorable, and I can’t help but chuckle inwardly. So, this is what André, Arthur, and Celine must’ve seen whenever they brought up food around him.

"Is the food good there? Is it expensive?" Dominic asks eagerly, his tone filled with hope.

"Well, it's cheap," I reply with a grin. "But I don’t know if it’ll live up to the standards of someone from Verdant Haven."

"Don’t worry! I’ve been here for a week now, and the food in this world is amazing. Japan, right?"

"Yeah, we’re in Japan."

Before we leave, I remember something. "Wait a sec, I need some cash."

I move toward a small cabinet by the corner of the room, one I know has some emergency cash stashed away. With some effort, I push it aside, revealing a hidden compartment with crumpled bills.

Dominic watches with curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Found it." I grab a handful of cash, stuffing it into my pocket before standing up. "Alright, let’s go."

Dominic’s smile widens as he follows me toward the door, his eagerness palpable. And for the first time since I woke up in this apartment, I feel like maybe there’s a chance to figure all this out. Together.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

As we stroll through the streets of Tokyo, the bustling city gradually fades into a quieter, more secluded neighborhood. Soon, we arrive at a cozy café tucked away from the main road.

“Let’s head in.”

-Chime!

The bell above the door rings as we step inside, and the warm, inviting atmosphere of the café washes over us. It’s quiet, with no other customers in sight, making it the perfect place for the conversation we need to have.

“Ohayō gozaimasu! What would you like to order?” the cashier greets us cheerfully from behind the counter.

“I’ll have a simple omelet and…” I glance over at Dominic, waiting for him to decide.

“I’ll have some… Maki, please,” he says, after a brief pause.

The cashier jots down our orders and smiles. “Anything else?”

Dominic looks about to say no, but then he adds, “And… a Strawberry Boba tea.”

I hand over the money, and the cashier returns the change with our order number. “Please wait a while; your food will be ready shortly.”

We find a table near the window, and I watch Dominic take a seat, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes.

“So, why did you stay at the apartment after the police were called on you?” I ask, diving into the heart of the matter.

“Well, after being questioned by the police, they declared me an orphan and were going to send me to a nearby orphanage. But your parents decided to adopt me instead,” Dominic explains, his voice tinged with confusion as if he’s still trying to wrap his mind around it.

I blink, momentarily caught off guard. My parents? Adopting someone? It seems so out of character, especially given how much we struggled financially when I lived with them.

“Why did they adopt you?” I ask, still trying to make sense of it.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Dominic admits, glancing out the window. “But I think they missed you. Maybe they saw me as a way to fill the void…”

A heavy silence settles over us as I process his words. My parents are adopting someone to replace me... It’s strange, but at the same time, it makes a kind of sense. Maybe the grief of losing their son drove them to open their hearts to someone new. Maybe they couldn’t bear the emptiness.

It’s both touching and bittersweet. The thought that my parents still loved me enough to try to fill the hole I left behind—it’s comforting, in a way. Yet, it also leaves a hollow ache in my chest. They moved on, but I’m still here, still connected to them in a world where I no longer exist.

“They must’ve really loved you,” Dominic adds softly, sensing the turmoil in my thoughts. “I think they adopted me because they couldn’t let go.”

I nod, lost in my own emotions. There’s a mixture of pride and sorrow swirling inside me—pride in the strength of my parents to open their hearts to someone new and sorrow for the life I lost with them.

“Anyway, how’s your life here been so far?” I ask, changing the subject.

“It’s been great! Even without magic, Japan is incredible! The skyscrapers, the technology… It’s all fascinating,” Dominic replies, his eyes lighting up enthusiastically.

His excitement brings a smile to my face. “Yeah, science here is like our version of magic. It’s amazing what humans have accomplished without it.”

Just then, the waitress arrives with our food. She sets the dishes on the table, and a rumbling sound breaks the silence.

-Growl!

It’s Dominic’s stomach this time, and he blushes slightly, rubbing his belly. “Hehe, guess I’m hungrier than I thought.”

I laugh, nodding toward the food. “Let’s dig in.”

We both clap our hands together. “Itadakimasu!” I say, bowing slightly.

Dominic pauses, frowning in confusion. “Eat a duck, I must?”

I burst out laughing. “No, no! Itadakimasu! It’s a Japanese phrase we say before eating. It means ‘I humbly receive’ or ‘thanks for the meal.’”

“Ohhh,” Dominic says, grinning sheepishly. “Itadakimasu, then!”

We begin eating, and as the food's warmth spreads through our bodies, I feel calm. The quiet clinking of utensils on plates and the soft hum of the café create a soothing atmosphere.