“But you only say ‘maybe,’ don’t you? You’re not certain. Doesn’t that mean our bodies might not change after all?”
“What?”
“I’m going to stay here. If we return to our original bodies, then I’ll think about it. Find the way to save that dimension over there—in that dimension. Don’t keep crossing over to this one.”
I was pretty sure we parted on good terms last time, when we agreed not to switch souls.
But either I had been overly greedy for what originally belonged to me, or Idana had no intention of giving up even a single thing.
“Half-bloods will die too.”
I decided to use the last resort.
“Your parents will die as well. Of course, they’ll be resurrected, but according to Kang Yedam, their memories from that time remain vivid. They’ll never forget that terrible pain for the rest of their lives.”
“…You can take care of your boyfriend yourself.”
Even as I said that, I could tell she was wavering.
She hadn’t paid much attention when I talked about many people dying or getting hurt, but the moment I mentioned the half-bloods, she wavered.
“I want to stop talking now, so I’m leaving.”
Idana brushed past me, plopping down on the sofa.
She had no intention of continuing the conversation; she even turned on the TV and completely ignored me.
Seeing that left me speechless.
Everything Idana was enjoying now was something I had built up before the possession.
And yet, she did nothing, lived off these things just because her soul had changed, and now she dismissed the fact that a disaster was coming to her original dimension?
I had worried that Idana might be greedy for what originally belonged to me, but I never expected such a total lack of understanding.
“Don’t rely on her humanity. She doesn’t even make sense.”
When we talked about the half-bloods and the possibility of this kind of situation, someone suggested we should at least expect some humanity from Idana.
But seeing how she seemed utterly devoid of it, I felt even more disheartened.
I was just about to grab her and threaten her, thinking this was do-or-die.
“…Aya, Dana!”
I thought I heard my mother calling me from afar.
Clinging to the hope, I grabbed Idana and shouted,
“Even if you stubbornly resist, I’ll find a way to switch our bodies! Say you’ll change while it’s still good! If not, don’t expect any help when you end up living in this dimension in your original body.”
Apparently, people don’t listen when spoken to nicely.
Only when I threatened her did Idana’s pupils suddenly tremble wildly.
She was probably just stubbornly refusing after only hearing the status window, but there was no guarantee the body wouldn’t change, so she must have been anxious.
And since I had said I wouldn’t help her settle if I forcibly crossed over to this dimension and switched bodies, her shaking was understandable.
“Dana!”
My mother’s voice grew louder nearby.
Not knowing when I’d dream this dream again, I desperately shook Idana by the collar.
Because I was much shorter than her, the sight was somewhat comical as I grabbed her collar.
Just as I felt my whole body begin to float, as if waking from the dream,
“…Give me a little time to think.”
“What?”
Is there really time to think now?
I asked in disbelief, and Idana looked at me with tears brimming in her eyes.
“Please give me time to say goodbye to the life I lived in this body.”
“Say goodbye…? There’s no time for that…”
I was shouting in frustration, but my words began to buzz and scatter.
Then Idana’s face gradually blurred and her eyes snapped open.
“Dana! Why is she sleeping like this, coming through the window? Go wash up and go to bed!”
Seeing me bolt upright, my mother slapped my back and scolded me.
Watching her leave the room, I buried my face in my hands.
“Ahhh… No…”
Who knew when I’d dream about crossing to that dimension again, and yet I had come back without achieving anything.
‘I should’ve told them I came through the window later.’
I’d messed things up by making Sahin and Red tell my mom.
Of course, even if my mom hadn’t woken me, Idana would probably have kept dragging things out, asking for time to say goodbye, but it was still disappointing.
[What’s wrong?]
Sahin, sitting beside me, saw me clutching my head and asked.
“I went to the other dimension in a dream, but I couldn’t switch bodies.”
I spoke in a despairing voice, letting my hands drop on the bed.
Sahin studied me thoughtfully, then said,
[It’s probably best to stop pushing your body so hard. Whether it’s a lucid dream or something else, try another method.]
“That sounds better.”
I couldn’t keep doing this anymore.
Even if I crossed dimensions through sheer exhaustion, it wasn’t a proven method, and I couldn’t keep abusing my body like this.
It was better to follow Sahin’s advice and find a lucid dream or another way.
‘Maybe I should visit a fortune teller.’
Though I wasn’t the type to believe in such things, I was tempted by the idea that they might know how to travel through dimensions via dreams.
‘No, a fortune teller probably doesn’t know how to cross dimensions.’
This wasn’t an ordinary matter.
Crossing the boundaries of dimensions wasn’t something a fortune teller could know.
No matter how I thought about it, skepticism was the only conclusion.
‘Still, I should try everything.’
Next time I dream, I hoped Idana would make a decision and agree to switch bodies.
Without any religion, I silently prayed to every deity I could think of as I headed to the bathroom to wash up.
***
After that dream, I decided to tell the half-blood everything right away.
So even though it was late at night, I used shadow form and headed toward the half-blood’s house.
‘It’s the first time I’m meeting Eunhyeol in shadow form.’
Because I had to sneak out without my parents knowing, I had no other choice.
As I neared the half-blood’s house, I increased my speed.
I worried there might be some security devices to stop monsters escaping from Dungeon Break, but thankfully, there was nothing.
I passed through the front door safely and went up to his room.
Thanks to the message I sent in advance, the half-blood was waiting for me on the sofa.
‘Does he always have that expression when waiting for me?’
I slipped in through the window into his room but didn’t release my shadow form.
In shadow form, I just stared silently at the half-blood.
He sat cross-legged on the sofa, resting his elbow on the armrest and his chin on his hand like a meticulously carved statue.
I was somewhat used to his face from seeing it nearly every day, but seeing that expression on him was rare.
He looked both excited and calm, as if trying hard to suppress his emotions and manage his expression.
This was definitely not a look he often wore.
I had no idea what he was thinking, but the moment I entered, he glanced at the table with a distant look and then suddenly blushed.
Yes.
Though he now sat with a proud chin-up posture, a moment ago his atmosphere was definitely different.
‘Is he trying to act aloof on purpose because he’s excited to see me?’
No matter how much I thought about it, that was the only logical conclusion.
While I was absentmindedly watching his complicated expression,
“How long are you going to stare?”
He suddenly turned toward me and spoke, making my heart drop.
“How did you know?”
I released my shadow form and awkwardly smiled, sitting next to him.
I never expected him to notice me in shadow form immediately.
I thought to myself that being the number one ranked was different—no more letting my guard down.
“Yes. I detected the magical power of the spirits you spilled at the incinerator, so this level is basic.”
When I asked in amazement, he answered with a smug tone.
“Oh, really?”
I purposely didn’t reply much.
Embarrassed, he cleared his throat and looked at me.
“But why did you come here at this hour?”
Since I hadn’t explained why I came yet, he knew nothing.
The moment I heard that question, my expression darkened.
Seeing that, the half-blood raised his eyebrows and asked with a clearly uneasy voice,
“Don’t tell me you went to that dimension in a dream?”
I nodded silently.
Just from that, he guessed the outcome and ran his hand through his hair in irritation.
“He wants time to think? No, he wants time to say goodbye to his body. I guess he needs time to say farewell to all the things he’s been enjoying.”
“What nonsense is that?”
I had the same reaction.