Little Alice realized that Mary was her second personality. Alice did not dare tell her mother, afraid that it would make her worry.
The two personalities lived together harmoniously and protected each other. Once, an adult in the village criticized Alice's appearance and made the little girl burst into tears. Mary's strong personality appeared, scolding and driving that person away. Thanks to Mary's lively and confident nature, more and more children and teenagers began gathering around Alice.
Their favorite place was the riverbank. Alice would gaze at her reflection in the water so she could see Mary's confident smile. With a sad expression, Alice complained to Mary:
"Mary, I don't understand. Why do people start creating standards and restrictions once they grow up? Staying a child forever would be wonderful…"
Then, in the reflection on the water, Alice smiled in a strange, wicked way.
It was Mary.
"Alice, I agree with you. The children in the village are truly kind. They even praised me and made me their empress! It feels wonderful!"
The face in the water suddenly grew thoughtful. Alice murmured longingly:
"I want to create a world where we can remain children forever…"
That face curved into a broad, delighted grin again.
"Alice, this time, I totally agree with you. If such a world existed, it would be wonderful!"
The little girl did not know that their conversation had been overheard by a stranger. It was Jacob, an S level criminal, sprawled arrogantly atop his AI Witch, Bakky. He slowly approached Alice.
"Little girl, you have such an unusual personality. I would also like to build that world with the two of you. I have the power to create such a world!"
With that, the AI Witch Bakky brought Alice into a dream illusion. There, for the first time, she met Mary—a girl of peerless beauty and overwhelming presence. Jacob smiled sinisterly.
"I have separated your personality, Mary, into this dream illusion. From now on, the two of you can talk to each other as much as you like!"
From that day on, Alice loved dreaming, because it allowed her to meet the beautiful Mary, whom she proudly regarded as her second personality.
Then, one day, Alice heard sobbing coming from the living room. She opened the door slightly and saw her mother, Claire, holding a picture of Alice's late father and crying bitterly. Alice's heart sank, and she asked:
"Mom, what's wrong?"
Claire turned away to wipe her tears, then quickly turned back to Alice with a forced smile.
"It's nothing. Some dust just got in my eyes. Go to sleep, all right? I love you, dear."
Claire's act could not fool the sensitivity of a growing little girl like Alice. Troubled, Alice told Mary everything. Mary stood up.
"Adults are truly pitiful. Why do they suppress emotions that are perfectly normal for human beings? Besides, they are the ones who contribute greatly to the difficulties we suffer—work, appearance, judgment, painful emotions…"
Mary rose to her feet. She hesitated for a moment, then turned to Alice.
"We will free them from those emotions. They deserve to rest, and the younger generation should no longer have to endure this."
Alice asked in surprise:
"But how?"
Mary explained her plan to turn adults into monsters, releasing the bubbles of suppressed emotion so the younger generation could use them to level up. The adults would rest forever in reality, free from worry. Jacob laughed with delight. To him, this was perfectly ideal for his dark dream.
Alice trembled in fear, her mouth stammering:
"No… please, I'm begging you. Don't do this, Mary…"
Alice tried everything she could to stop Mary. Mary wavered for a moment, struggling within her own thoughts, but Jacob kept whispering temptation into her ear.
"Mary is absolutely right. Adults are the root of painful emotions, and they impose those emotions on us. Besides, we are not harming them. We are merely opening up the emotions they have suppressed so they can finally rest. This is a great and humane plan, Empress Mary!"
Hearing that, Mary became even more determined, despite Alice's desperate efforts to persuade her. In the end, Mary ordered Jacob to use his magic to seal Alice away.
She stood atop the castle, looking down with unwavering conviction.
"I will build a world without suffering—the Dream Realm of Mary!"
*******
Back at the battlefield, Mary lay motionless, her eyes staring distantly up at the sky of the Dream Realm.
Not far away, Long had fainted, his ring cracked, leaving Mai and Dreamy filled with worry.
I cannot lose like this. I am the undefeated empress of the Dream Realm. I must find Jacob and Bakky and ask them for help, Mary dragged herself out of the rubble with heavy steps.
A strange phenomenon appeared in the sky. Dozens of black portals crowded the heavens. From those portals emerged monsters of various forms. They walked slowly, without the slightest hint of murderous intent.
One person in Mary's group stared in shock.
"Could it be… those are the villagers, just like Robert said…"
In the eyes of the adults, when they looked at the children in Mary's Realm, they saw monsters covered in magical weapons. They hesitated for a moment, then sensed something familiar.
"Are those… our children, just like Jen said…"
The monsters on both sides stared at one another for a long time.
Then they began slowly moving toward each other.
One monster raised its hand. The other side flinched in fear, but then realized there was something familiar about the gesture—and no killing intent behind it.
The two sides began to embrace.
Suddenly, the magic was undone, and they returned to the forms of each other's loved ones. A child clung to his father and burst into tears.
"Dad, It's really you! …I'm sorry! I was so scared! Let's go home together, Dad!"
The father hugged his child tightly.
Seeing that, the crowd began embracing one another, forming glittering points of light. Their human forms gradually reappeared. The sound of crying occasionally rose, while reproach and regret blended with laughter and tears.
Mai's eyes filled with tears at the moving reunion. She asked Dreamy:
"Why was the magic dispelled?"
Dreamy sighed, then turned to look at the Staff of the Ten Thousand Gods, which Long was still clutching tightly while unconscious.
"This staff has broken the magic of this Dream Realm!"
Ti Ni had also been freed from Jacob's magic thanks to the staff's strike. She supported Alice and brought her to Claire. Claire pulled Alice into her arms.
"Oh, my Alice, you're here. My child, don't be afraid. I'm here with you. Even if you turn back into a monster, I'll still stay by your side!"
"Alice, this is not your fault. Don't blame yourself. It was because my shoulders were too small to protect your innocence!"
Alice burst into tears and threw herself into her mother's arms. She told Claire everything—about her sorrow and her second personality. Alice was filled with remorse. Claire looked at Alice, gently cupping her cheeks with both hands and wiping away her tears.
Witnessing Claire embrace Alice, Mary felt a sudden pang in her heart. She dragged her heavy feet forward, wanting to leave this place as soon as possible.
"Mary… is that you? Are you the second personality my Alice has always kept hidden from me…?"
Mary suddenly froze. The bells on her anklets fell silent. She did not turn around to see who was speaking, because to her, Mother Claire's voice was far too familiar.
"What did you come into this Dream Realm for? Out there in reality, you would not be in danger, and you would have the whole world. Without us, you would no longer have to work so hard…" Mary questioned her mother without turning back.
"I came here because… to me, you are already my whole world!"
Mary heard Claire's words, but she did not answer right away.
Mary began to waver. Her eyes widened and grew blurred.
From within the crowd, she suddenly heard several voices rising from the villagers.
"Dad, when we return to reality, I'm going to pursue my dream of becoming an outstanding race-car driver!"
"Grandma, I really don't want to inherit your restaurant. I want to become an adventurer with my AI Witch. Please don't force me anymore!"
The villagers' reproaches and confessions cut into Mary's heart like knives. Her hand tightened around her greatsword, then began to tremble.
She began questioning her own ideal: was this world truly what the children wanted, or was it only her own ambition?
Mary suddenly panicked and dropped her greatsword. She covered her face, then stared down at her own hands. The villagers' words overlapped chaotically inside her mind.
She stood frozen, murmuring:
"Impossible. My ideal world cannot be wrong!"
Claire and Alice ran over and embraced Mary, comforting her.
Suddenly, Jen appeared in the air and shouted:
"Everyone, hurry and escape from the Dream Realm! Jacob is here!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a pentagram appeared in the sky. Jacob descended on the AI Witch Bakky, wearing an extremely friendly smile. He placed both hands against his cheeks, acting so cute it sent chills down the spine.
"Time's up. Well, well. It's quite lively here!"
Long was still unconscious when a strange phenomenon occurred with his ring. The crack in the EN-containing ring suddenly sealed itself, and its pure blue color turned dark.
No one sensed Long awakening.
He abruptly opened his eyes wide. They were glossy black, without visible irises.
The stone on the Staff of the Ten Thousand Gods darkened as well.