My prediction that this would become a terribly persistent nightmare was precisely correct.

I tried every possible method to wake up from this nightmare, but it was all in vain.

Thinking I might be able to return to reality if I died here, I even attempted suicide, but dying itself was impossible.

I couldn’t die no matter what – jumping from high places, stabbing myself with knives, or throwing myself into flames.

In this peaceful yet dreadful fantasy world, I was immortal.

An immortal not even allowed to escape through death.

It was on the fifth day of being trapped in this nightmare.

In the midst of an already terrible situation, something even more horrific occurred.

“Yulia, I came because I was worried.”

Ernant came looking for me.

With a face full of concern, he came to the Schnesturn manor to find me and continued:

“I heard you’ve been saying some strange things lately… They say you think you’re trapped in a fantasy world right now?”

“It’s not that I think so, it’s actually true.”

I explained to Ernant, who was likely just another illusion like this world:

“This world is fake. When I entered the black sphere that suddenly appeared on the island, I was subjected to a mental attack, which is why I’m seeing this illusion.”

“…”

“This world, the people, and you are all fake. That’s why I’m looking for a way to return to reality.”

As I revealed the truth in a resigned state of mind, Ernant’s expression hardened.

He looked at me with a face tinged with sympathy and muttered:

“I heard from the Marquis of Schnesturn that your condition was serious, but… it’s really serious. I never thought you’d develop mental problems. Was it because you overworked yourself too much with monster subjugation?”

“I don’t care if you think I’m crazy or not. Think whatever you want. You’re fake anyway.”

“…”

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going now. I’m planning to jump off a cliff today. Yesterday’s attempt to slit my wrists with a knife failed, but who knows, I might finally die if I fall from a cliff.”

Although not certain, I thought that if I died here, I might be able to return to the real world.

There were two reasons for thinking this.

First, for some reason, I kept coming back to life no matter what I did here.

Perhaps the being who trapped me in this world with their ability was preventing my death.

Why prevent it? It wasn’t difficult to guess the reason.

Because if I died here, I would return to reality.

So that unknown being who trapped me gave me immortal life to prevent me from escaping through death.

The second reason: I had read about it in a book a very long time ago.

It said that if you don’t wake up from a hallucination even after inflicting pain on your body, you can return to reality by committing suicide within that hallucination.

Although it wasn’t verified information and couldn’t be fully trusted, I clearly remembered reading such a passage.

So today I was going to try dying again by going to a cliff, but suddenly Ernant grabbed my wrist to stop me.

“You’re going to jump off a cliff? Are you out of your mind?”

“…”

“Please come to your senses. This isn’t a dream world like you think. It’s reality.”

“Reality…”

I postponed my departure for a moment and faced Ernant.

“If this were truly reality, they wouldn’t be missing.”

“What wouldn’t?”

“My husband and child.”

I spoke to Ernant, who wore a blank expression.

“In the real world, I married Your Majesty’s brother, Duke Martin von Habicht, and even had a child. But here, neither my husband nor my child exist. That’s why this place can’t be reality for me.”

“Married to my brother… What brother are you talking about? I’ve been an only child from the beginning.”

Yes, that was the setting for Ernant in this fantasy world.

A setting where he was born an only child without any siblings, became the crown prince, and then emperor.

In other words, a person named Martin didn’t exist at all in this place.

Anyway, not wanting to waste time, I shook off Ernant’s hand and tried to head towards the cliff.

“Wait a moment! Then I’ll help you!”

Help me? I stopped again upon hearing Ernant’s words.

Meanwhile, he blocked my path and said:

“I think I understand what you mean. So, you don’t like this world right now, and you want to return to reality, right? That’s why you’re trying to take your own life. Is that correct?”

“…”

“I’ll help you die.”

Offering to help me die.

Unsure whether to call it kind or insane, I spoke with a slightly uncomfortable expression:

“There’s no need for you to help.”

“You said you couldn’t die even when you slit your wrists with a knife. Maybe you can’t die because you’re trying to do it alone. Suicide requires tremendous resolve, after all.”

“No, it’s not a matter of my resolve—”

“You might be able to die if I help you. I’ll gladly help if you want. But, there’s a condition.”

Thinking I might as well listen, I quietly asked:

“A condition?”

“Stop trying to commit suicide for one week.”

Ernant reached out and grasped my wrist.

Then he examined the inside of my wrist.

There, the wound I had inflicted with a knife to die was still red.

“I’ll make you happy for a week. To the point where you won’t want to leave this place.”

“…”

“If you still want to die after a week, then I’ll take responsibility and kill you, so please don’t do this for one week.”

His voice was desperate, as if pleading.

So I couldn’t help but let out a faint laugh.

“This must be a dream after all.”

“Huh?”

“The real you I experienced in reality was a terrible bastard.”

Feeling my heart ache sorrowfully, I spoke again.

“You’re this kind because this is a dream.”

Impossible things often happen in dreams.

Like dead people coming back to life.

Or becoming best friends with someone you’ve fallen out with.

Or a person who treated me worse than an object becoming this gentle.

Such impossible things happen, which is why people sometimes fear dreams, and sometimes long for them.

However.

“In the end, it’s all an illusion.”

“…”

“You must help me in a week. To die.”

“… Alright. I promise.”

Ernant promised in a subdued voice.

That he would surely kill me.

As he said, if I were killed by someone else, I might be able to truly reach death here, so it was worth pinning my hopes on.

At first, I thought time might flow faster here than in reality because it was a fantasy world.

But I was wrong.

Whether it was a fantasy world or not, the flow of time was the same.

So a week didn’t pass quickly, and in the meantime, I met Ernant again.

As if to prove his words about making me happy weren’t empty, this time he invited me to his villa.

It was a white villa located by the sea.

Reluctantly enduring the hassle, I made my way there with difficulty, and he called me to the villa’s terrace.

While I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful white sandy beach visible from the terrace, Ernant came beside me and asked:

“The view here is quite nice, isn’t it? If you like it, I could even give you this villa.”

“No thanks. It would be useless anyway once I die and return to reality.”

Hearing my words, he remained silent for a while.

Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy the refreshing sound of the waves.

It would have been nice if I had come with Martin. As I was thinking this, Ernant spoke:

“You might not want to go back. You might want to live here forever.”

“…”

“I’ll give you anything. If it makes you happy.”

His attitude was so kind it almost brought tears to my eyes.

If only the real you had been this kind of person, our relationship wouldn’t have ended up like that.

I let out a small laugh as I recalled the real Ernant.

The man who was arrogant, insane, and selfish.

Suddenly overcome with anger, I looked at the fake Ernant beside me.

“Will you really give me anything?”

“Of course. Do you want the villa? Or I could make this entire area your property.”

“No, I can’t be happy with such things.”

Smiling at him as pleasantly as I could, I said what I truly wanted.

“Would you find me a man?”

“… A man?”

“I want a tall man with black hair and golden eyes. I suddenly feel like spending an enjoyable night with such a man.”

Ernant’s expression, which had been bright until just now, quickly darkened.

As if he had been hurt.

There was no need to mention that his face gave me a sense of satisfaction.