C.S.O - Chapter 34 [Dream World]

 What awaited Flamia was a city. A bustling city that she was very familiar with.

"Isn't this where Kuro lives?"

She stood on a street. Having passed through before, she was familiar with the ins and outs of the area. She could even see Kuro's house, which stood out compared to the others.

The question was, why was she there?

Flamia then walked towards Kuro's house, which had also become her second home. As she opened the door, suddenly the door swung open, and two young children ran past her without a care. Yes, they passed through her as if she were a ghost. But that wasn't what caught her attention right now.

"Wasn't that Kuro just now?"

A dark-haired little boy and a straight-haired little girl. Although they were smaller than the figures she knew, she couldn't possibly not recognize them.

"Where are the two of them going?"

Flamia then chased after them.

She found them in a city park. There, they were not only playing together but also accompanied by another girl.

"Chiaki?"

Big or small, Chiaki's gaze and aura remained unchanged. It was Kuro and Ruko who seemed different.

Compared to the Kuro and Ruko she knew, their small figures were so cute and adorable. Flamia couldn't resist the urge to pinch them and take them home.

The peaceful and enjoyable sight made Flamia smile to herself.

"..."

But after observing for a while, she understood one thing. Kuro smiled more often when he was with Chiaki compared to when he was with Ruko.

And there was an aura of jealousy emanating from Ruko's gaze.

Suddenly, the scenery changed. Flamia was on a hill near the city. There, she saw a small shack that served as Kuro and the others' secret headquarters.

Having been to that place before, Flamia knew how important it was to Kuro. But she saw a surprising sight. In that place, Kuro and Chiaki were intimately kissing like adults, even though they were still children.

Shortly after, they stopped and went back to behaving as usual.

"..."

From that sight, Flamia understood. Kuro and Ruko may be engaged, but the only person Kuro truly loved was--

(So it is. I am truly a ruiner.)

She knew that since she tried to get close to Kuro and even proposed marriage. At that time, as long as everyone was happy, she didn't care.

But was that true? Wasn't it just her assumption?

Even though they smiled in front of her, were those genuine smiles from the depths of their hearts?

The scenery changed once again. This time, she was in an unfamiliar room.

From the size of the bed and the objects inside, she knew it was a child's room. And from the photos on the wall, she knew who the room belonged to.

"Oh, right, I've never been inside Chiaki's room."

She glanced around. Then an album caught her attention.

She picked it up and opened it. Most of the photos were moments of Kuro and Chiaki together. They were playing and looked very happy.

"!?"

But when she turned to another page, she saw photos covered in black scribbles. More precisely, the scribbles were covering a figure.

"Ruko?"

She looked at other photos, and if there were photos of Ruko, there would always be the same scribbles.

Why did Chiaki do this?

(No. What if everything I've thought about the three of them all this time is wrong?)

In her eyes, Kuro loved and cared for both of them (including herself), but what if Kuro actually only loved and cared for one person among the three of them?

Flamia knew who that person was, but she felt something was amiss.

"They told me that Ruko and Kuro got engaged because of an unavoidable tradition. It was all for the sake of continuing their lineage, which had the ability to be possessed by other beings. But if that's the case, shouldn't Father and Mother have forbidden me and Chiaki from being involved with Kuro? Besides, it's just a matter of time until we have children with Kuro. Hmmm... Thinking is not my strong suit."

Flamia sighed deeply.

"But still, there are so many things bothering me about this. Ruko said that Kuro was born as a demon due to some side effect or something, but doesn't that mean he doesn't need to be possessed by other beings anymore? Yet they still do it. Hmm..."

Flamia moved left and right as if she were very serious.

"Demon... God Slayer... Split Personality... Tradition... Ugh... I don't understand at all... *sigh*"

Flamia's head was spinning. She realized she was starting to grasp something important, but for some reason, it felt like it was slipping away from her.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Flamia's solid ground disappeared. She found herself in a white room with nothing in it. Empty.

Then she landed on a soft bed. Her armor was replaced with pajamas that she always wore when sleeping with Kuro.

She turned to the side and found Kuro smiling at her.

"Kuro?"

"Why do you look so surprised? Did you have a bad dream?"

Flamia nodded.

"Yes. A very bad dream... I dreamt that you became someone I had to kill. You became someone who killed everything for your selfish desires. I had to obtain the only weapon that could defeat you. And now I've done it."

Ahaha... Kuro chuckled softly.

"Do I look that selfish to you? You seem to portray me as a Demon King who needs to be defeated by a hero. Did I become a Demon King who is not only cruel but also enjoys doing indecent things to helpless women? Like this... Hora... Eyy..."

"Ahaha... S-stop, Kuro. You know I can't stand it when you tickle me."

After a few minutes, Kuro stopped.

"... I'm truly happy with you, Kuro."

"Me too."

"Even though I have to share this happiness with Ruko and Chiaki. It's okay."

"Ruko? Chiaki? Who are you talking about? Are you still having a bad dream?"

"... Huh?"

"You're my only wife. I don't know them. Are you suggesting that I should cheating? I'm sorry, but I could never do that."

"Kuro, are you kidding? Aren't Ruko and Chiaki my- eh? Who are they?"

She felt like she had forgotten something important, but she couldn't remember. Both names were familiar to her, but now they sounded like the names of strangers.

"See? You don't even know who they are. Everything you see is just a bad dream. But did you dream that I cheated? Don't you trust me?"

Kuro's shoulders drooped with a disappointed look.

"N-no. I never thought like that. But I don't want you to look at other girls besides me. You belong only to me, understand?"

"Alright, alright. But maybe I will-"

Flamia threw another pillow at Kuro to make him stop talking.

"I will kill you 100 times if you do it!"

She felt nothing but happiness. She truly enjoyed her moments with Kuro.

But somehow, she still felt like there was something important she had forgotten.

"What should we eat today?"

Flamia peeked into the kitchen while Kuro was preparing lunch. They woke up quite late, so they didn't need breakfast and went straight to lunch.

"I'm making soup. I think it will be suitable for such sunny weather."

"Heh, I already smelled the delicious aroma in the air. I can't wait."

Kuro tasted the soup to see if the seasoning was right.

"Isn't it your duty as a wife to prepare lunch? You seem like you need to learn how to cook."

"Yes, yes, I know. But you know, whatever I cook always ends up burnt. Maybe it's because I'm a fire element user, so I have trouble controlling my magic, ehehe."

"Ahaha... That's funny. You speak as if you're a fire witch. I didn't know you had such a good imagination."

"Pff... I'm not imagining things. Don't you remember I'm a Valkyrie Maiden whose duty is to defeat the Demon God? I can't believe you forgot that."

"That's really good, Flamia. It seems you have a talent for writing novels. Listen, Flamia, there's no such thing as magic in this world. Let alone Demon God or Valkyrie Maiden. If all of that were real, I'm sure we wouldn't be able to live peacefully like we are now."

"..."

"Now we should eat. Isn't it a date after this?"

Flamia could only nod. She spoke the truth, but Kuro talked as if everything was just a dream.

No. What if all of this was just a dream?

She was one of the chosen ones to defeat the Demon God. If that were true, she would have already done it by now, but she was currently enjoying a happy time without any battles.

She even tried to use her skills, but they never worked.

(Was all of it just a dream?)

While thinking about it, Flamia enjoyed her lunch with her beloved husband.

But then she remembered something important.

"Kuro, don't you have to go to school?"

"School? Oh... I do have to go to school, but you remember, right? School can be done without actually going to school now. We just have to study, and as for exams, we only need to solve the government's questions through the computer. Don't you already know that? Why are you still asking?"

"Hmm... Maybe because I haven't fully woken up yet?"

"So, is this the dream world now?"

Flamia couldn't answer.

She didn't know what was reality and what was the dream world. In the end, she could only enjoy the happiness she felt at that moment.

After lunch, they prepared themselves. They showered together, and because they couldn't resist, they did it.

Then, they took a train to the place of their date, an amusement park.

"This place is always crowded as usual. Flamia, what do you want to try first?"

"How about that?"

Flamia pointed to the ride she wanted to try.

"Downfall, huh? That's not bad. But how about we start with a less extreme ride first? Consider it a warm-up."

"Alright. That's not bad either. Besides, the queue is still long."

They rode the Towel Of Love, Ghost Hunt, Shooter, and Basketball, and tried other light rides with excitement. Of course, they didn't forget to try the most challenging ride, the Super Jet Coaster.

Kuro felt nauseous and almost threw up, but luckily he managed to hold it in. Flamia laughed softly when she saw that.

Their date ended with the ride they initially wanted to try, Downfall.

"Whooaa... That was fun."

"Y-Yeah... But I don't understand how you could endure everything. You seem to be experienced in this, ugh..."

Kuro's face turned pale, even bluish. He looked pitiful, but because he kept acting calm so as not to lose his cool side, it impressed Flamia.

That was the Kuro she knew.

"Before we go home, how about having dinner?"

"Don't you want to go home and rest directly?"

"I'm fine. Besides, this is still nothing compared to fighting hungry monkeys."

"?"

They had dinner at a simple restaurant before heading home. On the way, they stopped at various places to enjoy the night view and the starry night.

Happy times. It all felt like a dream.

"I love you, Flamia."

"I love you too. Why did you suddenly say that?"

Kuro smiled.

"I just wanted to. Now let's go home. Oh, right, tonight I think three times is enough."

Flamia's face turned red because she understood what Kuro meant.

"A-Aren't you tired? Why can't you control yourself?"

"I would become a wild beast when it comes to you. You know that."

"Mouu... You jerk!!"

The next day, they went to the shopping center to buy the supplies that were running low. They could have ordered them, but their real reason was simply to spend time together.

The following day, they went to a public swimming pool to escape the hot weather. Flamia attracted attention with her stunning beauty in a fiery red bikini. Kuro became jealous, and as a result, Flamia couldn't sleep well.

The next day, they went insect hunting in the mountains. Their main target was the giant beetle, which was rumored to be extinct. After a day of searching, they couldn't find it. However, they stumbled upon a couple engaged in a scandalous act behind a lush tree.

The next day, they attended a school baseball match in the vicinity of their home. The team they were rooting for lost, and since they had made a bet before the game, there was no intimacy for three days.

The following day, they went to the cinema and enjoyed a regular date.

The next day, they went out together again.

The following day was just like the previous one. They were always together, spending time together, being happy, and uniting their souls and bodies as proof of their love for each other.

And today, just like before, they went on a date. This time, their destination was Water World.

"Look, that's a lionfish. It's beautiful but deadly. Never try to touch it."

"I know. But I'm more curious about the hammerhead shark."

"Hammerhead shark...? Maybe we can't see them in the wild anymore. Due to global warming, many fish have died because of changes in temperature and water conditions in the sea. Well... There's nothing we can do about it. Flamia, let's go there."

Flamia nodded and followed Kuro towards another glass wall.

"Penguins..."

"Aren't they cute? But you're even cuter, so don't be jealous, okay?"

"How could I be jealous of them? Mouu... You're annoying. You know, penguins are one of Ruko's favorite animals. Huh... Ruko?"

Who is she? Why did she mention that name?

"Who? Is she someone you know?"

Flamia tried to remember, but she couldn't. She also felt like she had forgotten something important, but she didn't know what it was.

Suddenly, Kuro took Flamia's hand and held it.

"We should probably move on and see something else. It seems like you remember something strange if we stay here."

"Y-Yes..."

Flamia and Kuro walked away. But at that moment, Flamia glanced at something that caught her attention. It was a TV program showing the news.

Flamia suddenly stopped.

"The battle to prevent the resurrection of the Demon God. Isn't that the current mission in CSO?"

"You know a lot about that, huh? I just found out."

The screen showed the battle involving over a billion players. The fight showcased the relentless efforts of the liberators trying to break through the miasma wall and the sudden appearance of monsters from the shadows.

Two Valkyrie Maidens worked together with other liberators to penetrate the defenses of the Demon God, but their efforts were not very successful yet.

"Anastasia-oneesama, Astrea-chan."

"..."

"Kuro, we should..."

"What are we going to help with?" Kuro interrupted, placing a finger on Flamia's lips. "Besides, it's just a game. Why are you thinking about it so much? Let's go home and rest. You seem tired."

"..."

With a smile, Kuro pulled Flamia away from that place.

But Flamia stopped.

"Flamia?"

Flamia remained silent for a moment, then smiled softly.

"Kuro, isn't this enough?"

"..."

"Kuro, I'm really happy to always be with you like this, but for me, this isn't true happiness."

Kuro let go of her hand.

"Are you trying to make me forget about them? Well, I did forget, but the bond we have is not something that can easily be broken with the fake happiness you're showing me."

"So, all of this is fake? Including me?"

Flamia shook her head.

"No, of course not. The only real thing in this world is you, right?"

Upon hearing that, Kuro's expression changed as if someone had caught them lying.

Then Kuro smiled and scratched his head.

"when did you find out?"

Kuro snapped his fingers, and the scenery they saw shattered like glass.

"Ahaha... Of course, I can't have a husband who is less scandalous than you. You clearly showed that you're not just an illusion. And finally, you showed me your battle. That became my biggest clue."

Kuro laughed along. They then revealed their red eyes, eyes that belonged to a monster.

"But I don't understand why you showed me all of this. Isn't it supposed to be a test for me?"

"Of course, because this is your dream, right?"

Flamia was taken aback. At first, she fell silent, but then she smiled.

"... You're truly... But why? Why did you...?"

"Why did I erase Chiaki and Ruko? Flamia, honestly, the world we're traversing is also my dream world. A world where I can be with the person I love without worrying about battles."

Kuro smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"But that can never happen, right? This world is truly abnormal. I am even one of its abnormalities."

Demons, angels, gods, ghosts, and all other existences that defy common sense were abundant around them. Yet they lived and made it a part of their lives without realizing it.

That's why the word 'normal' is difficult to achieve.

"Kuro..."

"Because I'm abnormal among the abnormalities, I have to be sealed away and only watch you all from a distance. Isn't that funny?"

"?!"

"Ah... You didn't realize? The person you see before you is the real Kuro Kanata. You could say I am the one who will awaken Shiro and Kuro no.2. Isn't that amusing? Just because they wanted power, they went through all this trouble."

Kukuku... Kuro laughed cunningly as if what the other two personalities did was foolish.

"They knew I would destroy the world if I were to awaken. I truly don't understand what they were thinking—eh? Why am I crying? I'm not sad at all. Eh... eh?"

Seeing that, Flamia could only remain silent as she didn't understand what was truly happening. But without hesitation, she tightly embraced Kuro.

"Kuro... This must be difficult for you. Why are you keeping this problem to yourself? We're here by your side. You know that, right?"

"..."

"There must be a reason why Shiro and Kuro (no.2) did this. They are a part of you, so doesn't that mean their desires are also your desires? Well... Even though I don't know your true desires, if you want to destroy the world, we will gladly stop you."

"Thank you. You truly are my savior. But there's one thing you should know... I am not the one you need to stop."

"Eh?"

Kuro released himself from Flamia's embrace and distanced himself.

"...What do you mean?"

"I don't know. But everything that's happening now is part of his plan. With my current power, I can't even defeat him. So you must be careful in making your choice."

"I don't understand at all. Who is that person? Who?"

"When the time comes, you will know."

The white world shattered like glass once again. Kuro slowly began to fade and disappear.

"It seems this is the limit of my ability to interfere in your world. Once again, I want to thank you, Flamia. I love you."

"Kuro..."

She wanted to say, "Don't go," but she knew they would meet again. This was only a temporary farewell.

"Oh, there's one thing you should know. To obtain what you're looking for, you must confront the figure that will appear. I hope you won't be too harsh."

With a smile, Kuro finally vanished. Together with the white world.

(It seems Kuro changed the path of dimensional transfer when I was about to meet my opponent.)

What Kuro did could only be done by someone with power equivalent to that of a god. But it seemed Kuro hadn't used his full power yet.

Flamia realized it was the power of someone they would face in the future.

But right now, Flamia was thinking about something else.

What did Kuro mean by "everything is going according to what that person planned"?

Many things made her head spin, but she didn't have time to think about it. Her current world was distorted and on the verge of crumbling. Suddenly, everything became clear.

She arrived on the rooftop of a palace. But it wasn't the palace of a king or prince. It was...

"Why did I come back home?"

Flamia's home.

Clap, clap, clap. The sound of applause could be heard. She turned towards the source of the sound.

"Mea?"

"I didn't expect it would be you, Flamia. It seems your power as one of the Valkyrie Maidens is not just a rumor."

Mea showed a cunning and sinister smile. She seemed like a different person than the one Flamia had known.

"Why?"

"Why are you asking? Weren't you going to obtain something?"

"Yes, but why are you..."

Mea smiled as if waiting for that question.

Then, from Mea's hand, a bright shining object resembling a sword appeared.

"A fragment of Longinus Light? Why do you have it, and how?"

"That's a secret."

Mea put it away again, and the fragment disappeared.

"If you want to obtain it, you know what you have to do, right?"

"But if you've already obtained it, why didn't you tell us? If we knew, we wouldn't have to..."

"No need to bother defeating Mikaku?" Mea sighed. "You're truly foolish. If I didn't tell you, didn't you already know the reason?"

Flamia's eyes widened. She wanted to deny the thought that came to her mind.

But Flamia remembered Kuro's words.

(Don't say...)

Was Mea the person Kuro was referring to?

Realizing that Flamia immediately drew Misteltein from its sheath. Then, she attacked Mea.

She knew that attacking a human-like Mea was akin to fighting an ant. But right now, Flamia had no intention of hurting her. She just wanted to ask.

But considering who Mea was, getting answers through normal means wouldn't work. In other words, fighting was the only option she had.

"I will make you tell me everything!"

Flamia attacked, but at that moment, a smile appeared on Mea's lips. Then, Mea disappeared from her sight.

"Try if you can!"

"Ugh!!"

She suddenly felt pain. When she looked at the source, she saw that Mea had struck her right in the stomach.

Impossible, but that's what happened.

Not only was it fast, but it was also powerful. Flamia's body was forcefully pushed backward, soaring towards the forest.

"What... What is actually happening...?"

Her HP bar decreased by 20 percent with just one strike. That was not something an ordinary human could do.

Flamia stood up. She saw an object flying towards her. No, it was more accurate to say it was a humanoid figure, but the bat wings on its back made it clear that it wasn't human.

"You're not dead, right? Uh... Or did I not hold back enough? My strikes shouldn't have been that strong."

"M-Mea..."

Besides the bat wings, a pair of large horns and a pointed tail grew on Mea. But what was even more shocking was that her attire had changed into some kind of extremely thin leather garment that made her appear almost naked.

Flamia knew only one monster that had such characteristics. But there was something that surprised her even more.

[Mea, Demon God Brides]

[Level: Unknown]