“How could you know… this name?”
Lan said calmly, “Although I was born here, it doesn’t mean I know nothing about your world. I wonder if you’ve heard of the ‘Realm of Consciousness’… or the ‘Source of Magic’?”
Roland immediately thought of the information Kabradah had revealed. He ignored the shards of the porcelain cup on the floor, rushed to the table, and asked Lan in a deep voice, “Is she in the Realm of Consciousness?”
“Of course not, but the Realm of Consciousness remembers her—anyone who gains enough power will leave a trace there.” Lan paused, “I know what you’re thinking. You want to ask about the specific method and then try to solve this problem yourself. Even your attitude towards ending the Divine Will Battle is no exception. But I must tell you, time is running out.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Realm of Consciousness is not a suitable container for a long stay. The longer you delay, the weaker her consciousness will become, until it completely dissipates. This process is irreversible, so even if you know the method, you may not have time to implement it. And that's not the worst part.”
“What’s the worst part?”
“The existence of the dream world has seriously hindered the will of the gods, and they won’t allow this momentum to continue. In other words, when the gods believe that all measures have failed to bring the situation back on track, both worlds will be destroyed—this deadline is probably more pressing than you think, which is why I’m determined to persuade you.” Lan said word by word, “Child, helping me is also helping yourself.”
“Sounds like it,” Roland said noncommittally, “But you just said that only what I personally understand is the true answer. That means everything you’ve told me could be a lie… including resurrecting Ashes.”
Lan sighed and leaned back in her chair. “You’re not wrong to understand it that way, because I don’t want you to think I’m deceiving you until the very end—putting it up front is also proof of my sincerity.”
Roland fell silent.
Without a doubt, this was a dilemma.
From the known information, he couldn't find too many loopholes in her words—such as the threat of the dream world, which he had heard more than once from magic creatures. Although he didn't know how he had provoked them, the hostility shown by those monsters was real. If combined with Lan's information, it also meant that magic creatures were the "subordinates" of the gods.
But it would be too rash to believe everything she said based on this alone. After all, Lan had the final say on what information would harm the gods. If he deduced based on the wrong clues, the conclusions he reached would undoubtedly only be more wrong. The safest method was to verify everything bit by bit himself.
The problem was time.
Without being able to judge the condition of "time is running out," choosing stability was also a risk.
As long as he closed his eyes, the image of Tilly crying in his arms would reappear in his mind. Even though she had now suppressed all her grief in her heart, the look in her eyes, compared to the very beginning, was ultimately missing a bit of brilliance, like jewelry covered in a thin layer of dust. Some people often say that this is proof of maturity, that only by experiencing loss can one learn to cherish. Roland scoffed at this kind of self-help. Never losing is the choice of the mature. As for pain, let anyone who wants to experience it do so.
Now that there was such a possibility, he couldn't remain indifferent.
Roland tried his best to suppress the violently fluctuating emotions in his heart, pretended to be reluctant, and sat down across from Lan again.
“But I can’t agree to your request so easily. Tell me about the method, how can I bring her back to that world?”
“This matter doesn’t conflict with the help I need, or rather, the two are the same thing.” Lan replied slowly, “First, you must find the Realm of Consciousness, and then enter it—and this step must be done simultaneously in both worlds, otherwise there is absolutely no chance of success.”
Roland asked in surprise, “Two… worlds? Wait, are you saying that the Source of Magic ‘actually’ exists?”
“That’s right, it’s not some ethereal thing, but a tangible entity that can be seen and touched, completely different from the voids caused by erosion.”
Lan nodded, “In fact, it’s right next to the northern end of Dawn, which we call the Bottomless Land.”
His heart skipped a beat. This word… seemed familiar.
“But the north has been occupied by demons—you know demons, right? They are the enemies in this Divine Will Battle.”
“I can’t help you with that world—interfering in the Divine Will Battle is an absolute taboo for the gods, and you can only solve this yourself.” Lan said frankly, “Defeat them, fight your way out, and then reach the Bottomless Land. If you can’t do that, nothing can be discussed.”
So that’s why she said that even if he knew the method, he might not have time to implement it…
Roland pondered for a moment, “Okay, let’s say you didn’t say anything. I was going to drive the demons out of Dawn anyway. How can I reach the Realm of Consciousness from the dream world… Since it’s fictional, it shouldn’t be that troublesome, right?”
“Before I answer you, I’d like to ask a question.” Lan looked out the window, “Do you really think this world is fictional?”
Roland paused, and involuntarily followed her gaze—the peak hours of school and work had passed, and there were fewer people hurrying back and forth on the street. The stall owners finally had time to rest. Some were counting their early earnings, their faces full of joy; others lit a cigarette and sat at the entrance, reading the newspaper.
Replacing the students and office workers were the old men and women who lived here. They carried shopping baskets and shuttled through this slightly narrow street. When they passed Rose Café, they would give it a disdainful look, or whisper a few words to their companions, as if mocking the owner's taste.
Roland knew that if he went out and argued with them, he wouldn't get the fixed lines he expected, but a barrage of angry insults that would demonstrate the exquisite use of language, and they would retort ten sentences for every sentence he said. The other stall owners wouldn't show a nonchalant attitude either. They would most likely form a row, cheerfully watching this battle of kings… or chickens pecking at each other.
Faced with such a world, he suddenly found that he couldn't simply say "yes."
“How does one define reality and fiction?” Lan murmured somewhat absentmindedly, “Does one have to have a physical body to be a real life? If a mind has joy, anger, sorrow, and joy, and has self-awareness, just because it is shapeless or exists in the form of an energy body, doesn't it count as truly alive?”
“Uh… I think it should count.”
She retracted her gaze, “Then you have to protect this place. Once it is destroyed, trillions of lives living in this world will also disappear, and the loss can be said to be even more devastating than the outside world. If you lose it, the Realm of Consciousness will be closed to you forever.”
“Could it be… is the entrance to the Realm of Consciousness in this city?”
“To be precise, this is the Realm of Consciousness.” Lan corrected, “You are now in the Realm of Consciousness.”
Roland's eyes widened in surprise.
Does that mean that his main body is still asleep in Neverwinter, but his soul has crossed thousands of miles and is in the Bottomless Land at the northern end of the continent?