The Dreamer's Epilogue-Chapter 37: Depart

Chapter 37 – Depart

"How to join the Ascendant House?" Jurkil asked innocently, drinking his cup of milk mixed with honey and cinnamon cutely.

Ah well, as cute as a 40-year-old man could be. The sight should be horrific, yet it was strangely peaceful and pleasant when it was Jurkil Julaibib.

But at that instant, none cared about such a thing. All the people in the tavern — people who knew well Jurkil, the Lost Soul, for months now — looked incredulously at the handsome man.

"Why?" The silver-haired woman bartender inquired, more curious than anything. How could she not be? Jurkil never displayed any other envy towards something except going towards his sister.

So what was happening?

"Why?" Jurkil tilted his head slightly to the left. "I.."

His words slowly came to a sudden halt, finding the words he wished to speak lost in his memories. His brows furrowed, looking at the drink before him, before smiling once more.

"This drink is for me?" He asked with sudden joy, snapping his head back to the bartender. Receiving a stiff nod from her, he beamed joyfully and began to drink again.

The people looked at him, faces creased strangely — a crease born from helplessness. Helplessness in their inevitability of helping someone who deserved to be helped.

It hurt. And they were ashamed.

"Dreams...Dreams...Dreams..." Jurkil muttered, this time loud enough to be heard by those around because of the loud silence.

Unable to stop herself, the bartender spoke, her voice dry yet poking at something.

"Do you wish to join the Ascendant House of Dreams?"

Jurkil paused for a brief instant at that, lifting his eyes to stare at her, then nodded.

He felt a sense of urgency at the word ’Dream’ inside of him. The same sense when he thought of his sister.

"Yes, I do, gentle lady."

"Why?"

"I don’t know. But I want to."

"Will you find your way towards it?" She asked again, unmistakably worried. She had been secretly hoping that Jurkil would always stay with them, and they would take care of him until the day he was no more.

They wanted to protect the child inside the body of an adult. A child who had forgotten everything except his goal to save his sister, his name and tribe.

Jurkil was no longer able to form new long-term memories.

That thought always flooded her with sadness, for she knew when he would go away, he would forget her despite the time passed together.

’How cruel...to live in this world without the ability to form memories. To live alone, with the past as your present and your future. He lives in a haze, lost in a time he doesn’t belong.’ The bartender painfully thought.

But despite all that, she couldn’t help but be hopeful. Now, Jurkil wished to do something. It didn’t matter if it was to join an Ascendant House — a place of never-ending trifles, schemes and battles.

At least, his Lost Soul was guiding him towards something. And she would definitely help.

"My way...?" Jurkil’s voice interrupted the restless thoughts of the bartender. She shook her head, looked at him, and nodded with a sad yet happy smile.

"Yes, your way. Will you not be lost?"

"Well... I may not know or remember the road, but I remember where my heart is going." He answered, smiling. "I will not be lost."

The bartender and all the people inside smiled, then suddenly erupted in a frenzy of cheers.

"THEN SHALL WE NOT GIVE A FAREWELL PARTY TO JULAIBIB?"

"YESS!!!!!"

"IT’S EARLY! BUT FUCK ’EM ALL! LET’S DO IT!"

"YESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!"

Jurkil watched the scene with excitement, clapping and laughing with them. But then—

CRASH—!

They all turned their heads, and saw a big fat hairy man on the ground with the splintered wood of a broken table all over him.

"Oops~" Fatty said with a flushed embarrassed face, lips greased with too much food.

The bartender’s face went red, veins popping on her face.

"Vorn take you, damn idiot. You are fat, why are you standing on top of a table? Is this guy retarded?"

"Lady Christelle is angry now! Damn Fatty!"

"Vorn’s breath, he ruined the whole mood!"

Jurkil watched with amusement befitting an innocent child. He turned his head towards the bartender — Lady Christelle — and saw her with angry furrowed eyebrows noting something inside a...notebook?

His eyes immediately went wide, his mind and heart and even soul feeling a strong sudden urge that consumed all of him.

He thrust his head in front of Lady Christelle, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"Wait, what are you doing, Jurkil?"

"This!" He yelled with a big smile, pointing at the notebook. "Please give me this!"

Lady Christelle’s brows arched in confusion. "Notebook? Why?"

"Write it down!" He said, nodding to himself, seeming to remember whispers inside his mind. "I want to write down everything worth it before I forget!"

At his words, Lady Christelle’s eyes widened, her heart balling into a fist. "How...how did you think of it?"

Jurkil’s answer came faster than anyone could have expected.

"Big brother!" He said, laughing, a hazy figure of a young man spawning inside his mind, smiling down at him.

"Big brother told me to write it down!"

...

Simultaneously, in the Tower of Self, on the first tutorial floor, Emrys, Victoria and Old Navy stood at the Tistis tribe’s entrance.

"Well, lad, lass, be careful, I advise you." Old Navy said, smoking. "I will protect the tribe until then."

"Don’t also forget the plan and what we have prepared." Emrys added, sparing a glance at a rod deep into the ground. "We must at least try it and see if it’s still possible. We already got Elder and Healer’s secret consent."

"Will definitely do." Old Navy said, nodding. He turned his attention next towards Victoria, giving her a smile.

"Lass, protect well this rude lad, okay?"

Emrys’s lips twitched, irritation flashing briefly in his eyes. He said nothing, finding the situation inadequate for it.

Victoria, meanwhile, was laughing awkwardly. "We...we will protect e-each other!" she said, balling her fist in an encouraging manner.

Her hound, Raya, shook lightly her head, disappointed by her master’s lackluster attitude.

The farewells were made rather quickly.

Before going, Emrys saw from afar Meadow beside Elder and Healer.

She waved him goodbye cheerfully. Beside her, Healer looked at her with frowning eyebrows.

Still, Emrys answered with a nod coupled with a faint smile.

Soon enough, he and Victoria went away, leaving behind Old Navy to protect the tribe.

[Remaining Time: 4 days.]

—End of Chapter 37—