"This is probably a dream. Though my surroundings look quite beautiful, I am not fond of heights!"
Having looked around long enough, Sekishiki concluded that the place he was in was temporary, and that he would wake up in a few minutes or so, saying goodbye to the beautiful, dream-like environment before he even could.
"Alright, I'll make use of this. I'll just wander around a bit, then wake up. It's kind of a pain that I fell asleep after a really good run. Or was it even real?"
Sekishiki started to walk around the place. This kind of dream felt too realistic to be one, yet he believed it was anyway. The place looked like the generic medieval world you would see in fantasy stories. People with pointy ears, and people who looked both wolf and human, lived in this dreamland. Of course, humans existed here too, but he rarely saw his own kind.
He kept walking, admiring giant birds and dragons above, both saddled and mounted by those who were probably adventuring. The sun glinted off the dragon scales, making them shimmer like molten metal. The scent of blooming flowers mixed with the tang of smoke from distant chimneys, creating an oddly comforting yet unfamiliar aroma. Cobblestone streets rattled beneath his shoes, worn smooth from generations of footfalls.
The town itself was bustling. A baker carried a tray of steaming pastries, and children with fox-like tails darted between the market stalls, laughing as they chased each other. A bard plucked a lute under a wooden archway, singing a tune that was lively yet melancholic, and the sound seemed to pull at Sekishiki's chest in a way he didn't understand. He tried to take it all in—the sights, the sounds, the smells—but the strangeness of it made his head spin slightly.
Then—
"Ah!"
"Hey, watch yer step, kiddo!"
"Apologies, that was my fault. Shall I kneel down on the ground and ask for your forgiveness, kind sir?"
"What the hell are ya sayin', kiddo? Ya tryin' to mock me or somethin'?"
"Eep!"
Sekishiki, having accidentally bumped into someone while carelessly walking, felt his body chill from head to toe. The man's appearance mixed a human body with a wolf's head—a werewolf. He carried two blades that could definitely cut him into pieces.
He had tried to imitate the speech of those in fantasy light novels. Since this was a fantasy world, he assumed that was the universal way of talking. But that completely backfired on him during his first interaction.
The man gazed up and down, observing Sekishiki's appearance. Unlike the man, who was muscular and large, Sekishiki looked comparable to a ten-year-old. His body looked light. He had messy jet-black hair, hazy brown eyes, and wore an unusual outfit.
"Hey, my bad, kid. Are you lost? What kind of outfit is that?"
"Where did that come from?!"
Sekishiki jolted, raising both arms up to ear length. The man's way of speaking suddenly changed. Sekishiki was surprised that he was assumed to be much younger, even though he was often taller than most his age.
The man gave a worried look, furrowing his eyebrows. He thought Sekishiki was a lost child. So, he did what anyone reasonable would do when finding a lost child and empathizing with them.
"Come on, kid. If yer lost, just say so. Let's go report this to one of the guards."
"W-wait!"
The man started pulling Sekishiki, trying to find a guard to supposedly 「help him」. Sekishiki was lost indeed, but it was not like this place was permanent. He tried to let go, but it was no use—the man's grip was so tight he couldn't even open one of his fingers.
Sekishiki started to panic. At this rate, he wouldn't be able to savor the wonderful dream. He wished he could've at least tried mounting one of those giant birds, maybe explored the far mountains, but no—he was being dragged by a werewolf who mistook him for a lost child.
He tried to glance around as they passed through the streets. Stalls lined the sides, selling trinkets and strange fruits he'd never seen before. Lanterns swung gently in the evening breeze, casting long, golden shadows that danced across the cobblestones. Somewhere, a bell chimed, echoing through the air and making him shiver slightly. Even in this chaos, the dream felt almost tangible.
"Hey! You, I need yer help right here! I found a lost kid at the market!"
"Huh? A lost kid? You mean that skinny boy behind you?"
"Ouch! I have ears, you know!"
"Apologies if that hurt your feelings."
Dressed in knightly attire—not the kind where they wore full metal armor—a cape trailing all the way to the ground, bearing the symbol of a woman with a hatchet who seemed to devour the sinful. A sword unsheathed faced down. Hair colored silver, and eyes the same hue as the blue sky. Sekishiki's eyes widened at the radiance and authority this person carried. No doubt, he thought.
"So, this is one of the royal guards? Looks too handsome to be someone in battle, no?"
The knight turned to Sekishiki, who was responsible for the comment. His eyes slightly widened upon seeing Sekishiki, observing him like the wolf man had.
"Interesting. So, where are you from? You don't look like you're from Merope."
"Merope? Is that what this place is? Uh, I'm from Tokyo, Japan."
"Tokyo, Japan? Never heard of that before. Where is that exactly?"
"The very east of Asia! Not too hard to spot, as it's slightly disconnected from its neighboring countries!"
The guard gave a confused look, raising one eyebrow and tilting his head. He tried to remember if there was any other land far east, but nothing clicked.
"I'm sorry, I don't think there is an 「Asia」 anywhere east. We'll have to keep you at the inn for a while until we can find out where you actually live."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Huh??? Asia what? Where is that, kiddo? Are ya bluffing or somethin'? Did you hit your head?"
"No! Nevermind, forget it. I want to explore! I'm not lost at all, totally! This is such a waste of time."
Sekishiki was finally let go from the man's grip. He shook his right hand, slightly red from how tight it had been held. He gave an annoyed look and turned back.
"I'm going now, okay?"
"Wait."
As Sekishiki was about to leave, a voice spoke, halting him.
"I'm assuming you do not have a personal home. It's almost curfew. It's best if you stay at the guards' inn only for tonight."
"Ha? Curfew? What time is it?"
The guard reached for something in his pocket. He took out a small clock from his right pocket and showed it to Sekishiki.
"It is seven in the afternoon. Curfew is in an hour or less. It's wiser if you stay at the inn until morning."
"Is that—a clock?"
"It's seven already?! Yer kiddo, I can't make it back home. Let's both stay at the inn."
Sekishiki didn't respond. His eyes focused only on the clock, which ticked near eight. He stood there for a few seconds, then spoke:
"It's not distorting, is it…?"
"Ha?! Have you never seen a clock before? Come on, let's head inside before we get into trouble."
Sekishiki's face went pale. Not only did the clock not distort like in dreams, but he could also see his own reflection in the glass.
It's rare to see a clock in a dream, and even rarer to see a perfect one without any shifting—complete with a flawless imitation of his reflection.
"Hey, mister. Can you punch me real quick?"
"Huh? Are ya crazy, kid? What's gotten into you?"
Sekishiki started breathing heavily, unease flooding him. He did not know why the clock looked so real.
Questions began to flood his mind. Is this whole other world actually real? How did he get here? What was he doing here?
He tried to remember past events, but nothing came to mind. He couldn't recall.
"What... is going on…?"