Chapter 133: The Dream Was Still Too Short

Next, Lu Mingfei spent a wonderfully happy time touring around with Furina, but what puzzled him was that Furina was always crying.

Perhaps she was shedding tears of happiness?

At this moment, he had already forgotten the past when he woke Furina up, forgotten that he could hear her sleep-talking, and even forgotten that he might be dreaming. Only a world within a dream could be this wonderful, right?

"She's in a bad mood, I should take her somewhere else."

Lu Mingfei looked at the tearful yet smiling Furina beside him, gently smoothing her light blue hair, and continued to ponder inwardly.

Furina loved desserts; she loved all kinds of small cakes.

Therefore, he brought Furina directly to a gorgeous and elegant dessert shop, enjoying this wonderful time in the most refined private room.

"Eat up, Furi, why aren't you eating? This lemon tart is also a very delicious French dessert. The acidity of the lemon balances the sweetness, giving just the right sensory experience. The tart crust is crispy and delicious, I'm sure you'll love it!"

Lu Mingfei asked, looking puzzled.

He had carefully researched that Fontaine, the nation governed by Furina, had cultural characteristics similar to France.

Therefore, when choosing desserts, Lu Mingfei leaned more toward French desserts that Furina would likely enjoy. To study these classic French delicacies and their descriptive vocabulary, Lu Mingfei had even specially applied himself to learning them.

Unfortunately, when he personally brought Furina to the dessert shop to chat, he was simply too nervous, so his description wasn't as perfect as he had imagined. If it weren't for his nervousness, he could have said it even better.

"I... I..."

Furina saw the scene in the dream, but being able to see and being able to eat were two different things. Right now, she could only look and couldn't eat. The gorgeously styled little cakes made her mouth water endlessly, yet she couldn't consume them.

Ah, ah! I can't take this anymore!

There's no way to live like this!

Filled with grief and indignation, Furina let out a helpless sigh and said, "I'm full, you eat. Just watching you eat makes me already very happy."

Although she desperately wanted to roar, burst out, and wake Lu Mingfei up right then and there.

However, would that really be good?

Lu Mingfei had pushed his limits using his limiter for a long, long time before, and on top of that, he had studied and practiced alchemy all by himself. He had literally overworked himself until he passed out. If she woke him up under these circumstances, he might just continue his grueling cultivation out of guilt.

He needed to rest more...

Idiot! Idiot! Big idiot!

"Swish!"

The Furina in the dream quickly stood up, walked over to Lu Mingfei, and began repeatedly hitting him with her soft, pink little fists, as if venting her emotions.

"Eh? Why are you hitting me? Stop hitting..."

"Beat you to death! Just hitting, just hitting, humph!"

"What on earth did I do wrong~"

"You still have the nerve to ask!"

"Ah, don't~"

On the Ferris wheel in the amusement park.

The setting sun cast its glow upon their backs, the golden light masking the blushes on their faces. They leaned against each other shoulder to shoulder, feeling the sensation of rising and falling, watching the changing scenery outside. Their fingertips met in a hidden corner, lightly touching, and then nestling together in a close embrace.

Time would flow, the sun would set, after the twilight came the night, twinkling stars would light up the firmament, and countless household lamps would illuminate the evening. In the star-studded night, an unreachable dream was as dazzling and brilliant as a meteor flying backward.

"This... is a dream, right?"

Lu Mingfei held Furina's slender hand, strolling along the nighttime street as he spoke.

"Huh, you noticed?"

Furina was somewhat surprised. To realize one's dreaming within one's own dream—it seemed Lu Mingfei was much smarter than she had imagined.

"Of course, because this dream has a very obvious flaw." Lu Mingfei slowly raised his head, looking up at the night sky above as he continued.

"What flaw? Is it too wonderful? Or is there something I didn't do well?" Furina asked with a smile. She admitted that she hadn't acted very well at first, because back then she really craved the little cakes and was immersed in the sorrow of not being able to eat them.

"Yeah... too wonderful..."

Lu Mingfei nodded deeply, his gaze falling upon Furina, specifically landing on a certain part of her body.

"Hmm?"

Furina was slightly puzzled. Following Lu Mingfei's gaze downward, her eyes rested on her own chest, and then she slowly raised her head, asking, "Why are you looking there? Is there something special about me?"

"That's the flaw."

Lu Mingfei said with certainty.

"Huh?"

Furina didn't understand. She tilted her head slightly, confused as to why he would say her chest had a flaw at night. Could it be... because he had perceived her inner thoughts and thus grasped the fundamental nature of the dream?

"Humph, humph."

Lu Mingfei smiled proudly and said, "The Furina I know is flat. A curve of this magnitude only appears in dreams. If reality were this wonderful, that would be great."

"..."

Furina fell into a deathly silence, and the look she directed at Lu Mingfei gradually turned unkind. The anger in her heart was reignited, and she clenched her fists tightly, entering a state of readiness for combat.

Sensing that something was amiss, Lu Mingfei instinctively gave two light coughs and continued, "Now, this is my dream. In my dream, your figure has such dimensions, which means that in my impression, this is the kind of person you are. After all, a dream is a reflection of a person's subconsciousness; it can't be fake."

Furina slowly relaxed her fists, feeling a bit more at ease.

So, in his heart, I'm this kind of person...

Although this guy hasn't carefully observed me on the surface lately, his instinct has actually completely memorized my current appearance.

In reality, however, that was not the case. The reason Furina's appearance in the dream approached her real-life form was simply because, as she conversed with the dream version of Lu Mingfei, fragments of reality were occasionally transmitted into the dream, causing it to change to a certain degree and become closer to reality.

A person's dream is not static; changes in the surrounding environment alter the content of the dream. At the very beginning, the dream Furina was completely flat, fully matching Lu Mingfei's basic impression, but after a while, her figure began to fill out.

Perhaps the only thing unchanging about Lu Mingfei in the dream was his strong desire to survive?

"Furi, this should be your first time seeing our side of the world, right? How does it feel?" Lu Mingfei asked as they walked, changing the subject.

"It's a pretty good world, I've experienced many, many unexpected things. It's just a pity that they are all illusions, dreams without real tactile sensations," Furina sighed and said.

The reason she could witness this world was actually because her heart and Lu Mingfei's heartbeats were linked, allowing her to see it from a god's-eye view. Her ability to control her body wasn't true control either; rather, her inner voice and feelings were transmitted to the depths of Lu Mingfei's heart, where they were correctly interpreted, thereby generating feedback and altering the dream version of Furina.

"Right, we've walked for so long, and I haven't seen what your home looks like yet. Can you take me to see it?" Furina asked with a smile.

"Home?"

Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment, instinctively thinking of the hotel where he and Furina had gone out together. But that hotel obviously wasn't his home; it was just a temporary place where he stayed, and as for his home...

He fell silent, lowering his head slightly as he said, "The place you're talking about isn't my home. It's just a place I used to live in. I don't have a home of my own in this world yet."

"Aren't you wealthy? Why not buy one?" Furina felt a tug at her heart and continued to ask.

"Because there's no need. How can a place where one person lives be called a home? It's just a dwelling. If it's just a place to stay, what difference does it make from a hotel?"

Lu Mingfei paused slightly and continued, "I have many things to do now, and countless things to learn. I have no time to waste on meaningless things like buying a house. Even if I bought a house, I wouldn't feel any special sense of accomplishment..."

"Because... that's not what I pursue."

"Is that so."

Furina replied softly. Looking at this young man gazing up at the night sky, she suddenly recalled his initial appearance.

He had truly changed. The current him possessed a clear belief and goal, completely unconcerned with things that ordinary people deemed useful, nor swayed by the values of ordinary people. He had already established a unique set of values belonging entirely to himself.

Suddenly, Furina felt a bit puzzled again and asked, "Then why do you think about making money? Don't you not care about it?"

"Yeah, I really don't care..."

Lu Mingfei answered softly, his gaze gradually shifting to the Furina beside him, flashing a bright, sunshine-like smile as he said, "But what if you came? What if one day in the future, you arrived just like you did today, and I had no money—how could I lead you to experience the beauty of the world?"

"I can not care, but I cannot have nothing, because I will definitely need it in the future. Even if it's not important right now, I must prepare it in advance. I don't want to regret it again due to past confusion."

Teyvat

The Doctor's Old Experimental Ground

"Is this the Doctor's old experimental ground? It looks so desolate and terrifying." Little Paimon floated behind the Traveler, placing one small hand gently on the Traveler's shoulder. Looking at the shifting environment around them, her body shivered slightly.

"..."

The Traveler didn't speak. She just silently observed the surroundings, looking at the dried blood-like stains on the ground and the blood-stained old utensils one by one. She felt as though she could hear grieving souls wailing.

The experimental ground was built beneath the suburbs of Fontaine. Had the Knave not willingly divulged the intelligence, it might have been impossible for anyone else to discover this hidden location.

It was too well concealed!

The Traveler gently pinched a speck of dust on an instrument, roughly estimating the time. This place must have been abandoned for a long time; the probability of finding evidence was not high.

Fortunately, this abandoned experimental ground didn't have too many puzzle-solving mechanisms. She didn't want to be bogged down by pointless puzzles for days on end.

Every minute the Doctor lingered in Fontaine added another layer of danger to the people of Fontaine. Having to solve puzzles at such a critical, life-or-death juncture would simply be too aggravating.

After investigating for a while longer...

"Let's go, Paimon, there are no answers we're looking for here." Lumine said with a hint of regret.

"Oh, then let's get out of here quickly. I always feel like this place is spooky, it looks so uncomfortable." Paimon quickly flew out of the experimental ground, breathing in the fresh air as if granted amnesty.

However, after she flew out, the Traveler didn't follow immediately.

Little Paimon turned around in confusion, only to find that Lumine was still lingering in place, staring blankly at a spot inside the experimental ground, lost in thought.

"What's wrong with you? Why aren't you coming out?"

Paimon flew back in, asking in bewilderment.

Soon, she too saw the spot where the Traveler was blankly staring. Within the previously empty experimental ground, a blonde youth had now unexpectedly appeared. He smiled at Lumine and said, "Long time no see, my sister, have you been well lately?"

"Who are you? The Doctor?"

Lumine drew the Dull Blade at once, decisively pointing her sword at the fake brother without a moment's hesitation.

"Th-this..."

Little Paimon's brain crashed on the spot.

"To be seen through by you so quickly, it seems pretending to be someone you're unfamiliar with is still a bit difficult."

A smile slowly appeared on the blonde youth's face. He let out a helpless sigh and continued, "Don't worry, I have no hostility toward you, I just want to chat with you."

"Why use my brother's appearance?"

The Traveler gazed at him and asked.

"Because... I also wanted to have a sister, even if it's just to experience that feeling. Who knows, it might be quite interesting." The blonde youth replied.

With that, he stepped closer and closer to the Traveler. The latter's vigilance increased step by step, and the Dull Blade seemed ready to thrust forward at any second to guard against the blonde youth's movements.

"Stop, just who are you!"

Lumine demanded again.

"Me?"

The blonde youth pointed at himself, a contemplative expression gradually appearing on his face. He stopped in his tracks, the smile fading from his face, and solemnly asked, "Have you ever heard of Nidhogg?"

"Nidhogg?" *(Note: Nidhogg/Nibelungen depending on translation, keeping Nidhogg/Nibelungen consistent with standard fantasy, using Nibelungen)*
"Nibelungen?"

The Traveler's expression changed drastically. The title of Nibelungen was extremely resounding; after meeting the Dendro Dragon Apep, she had already learned of the existence of the Dragon King Nibelungen. And now, in the Doctor's old experimental ground, a boy mentioning Nibelungen had appeared.

Could it be... that the Doctor had researched Nibelungen?

"Actually, I am Nibelungen. Are you willing to believe me? Traveler, Lumine, and cute little Paimon." The blonde youth asked with a smile.

"!!!"

The Traveler's expression shifted violently. She couldn't believe that someone claiming to be the Dragon King of Dragons, Nibelungen, had popped up in the Doctor's old experimental ground. If this guy was a fake Nibelungen, that would be one thing, but if he was the real deal... wouldn't that mean the Doctor had researched the existence of Nibelungen and even left this being behind within the experimental ground?

Oh no, things were getting more and more complicated!