There was a rustle, and a gentle breeze caressed Sunny's face. He awoke slowly, allowing himself to enjoy the sweet moments of comfort and peace that dwelled on the edge between dream and wakefulness. His bed was soft, warm, and cozy… today, it was especially hard to abandon its familiar embrace.
The moment the scene began, two figures shot to their feet in shock.
"Master Sunless!" Effie exclaimed.
"Teacher?!" Rain blurted out at the same time.
The other Saints turned to them, confusion flickering across their faces.
Effie furrowed her brows. "What does Master Sunless have to do with our lost memories?" Her voice carried a mix of intrigue and suspicion. Then, her gaze snapped to Rain. "And you—why are you calling him 'Teacher'?"
Rain stiffened under the sudden attention, shifting uncomfortably. "Well… he's my master. He's been teaching me how to fight."
A pause.
Kai's frown deepened as he exchanged a glance with Nephis. "Rain, don't you live in Ravenheart? And Master Sunless is in Bastion. How could he be your teacher?" He hesitated before adding, "Are you sure you're not mistaking him for someone else?"
Rain bit her lip, her eyes dropping to the floor. "I… I'm sure. But even I don't understand how he could be in Bastion and Ravenheart at the same time…"
A heavy silence settled over the room.
The Saints exchanged glances, their eyes narrowing slightly. What had initially seemed like a harmless viewing had now become something more—something layered with secrets they hadn't known existed.
Nephis exhaled, her voice measured. "There's no point in speculating now. We'll watch… and the truth will reveal itself."
At her words, Effie and Rain hesitantly sat back down.
The memory continued to unfold.
The sun was yet to rise, but the sky outside his window had already started to brighten. The wind blowing from the lake made the curtains flutter, filling the modest bedroom with the delightful smell of freshness. Even after all these years, Sunny was still sometimes startled at how clean and pure the air of the Dream Realm was.
He took a few deep breaths, rubbed his face, and rose from the bed.
Jet sighed. "Yeah… the Dream Realm's only redeeming quality is that it hasn't been tainted by pollution."
His room was not very large and not very luxurious. However, it was very cozy. There was a bed, a nightstand, a case with various books crowding the shelves, a writing desk, and a simple dresser. The furniture was made out of natural wood, crafted with affection and care. There were a few decorations added here and there, as well as plenty of signs of the room being well lived-in.
Well, of course it was. He had been spending his nights here for a long time, after all.
Rain thought, Well, this doesn't exactly look like the lair of the spirit of an evil god, right…?
Putting on simple clothes and summoning the Nebulous Mantle, Sunny yawned, tied his hair back, and left the bedroom. He splashed some water in his face, then went to the kitchen and brewed himself a large cup of strong, fragrant coffee.
Jet smirked a little. "I think I get it now—why it's called the Eye Candy Café."
Nephis tilted her head slightly. "Eye Candy Café… is that actually the name of the café?"
The others, including Rain—who was in no position to judge—sighed inwardly. How could someone so powerful be so dense?
Finally, holding the steaming mug, he left the house and sat down on the porch, intending to enjoy his coffee while watching the sun rise.
It was rather hard to get his hands on coffee beans in the Dream Realm, but today, Sunny wanted to pamper himself. It was his birthday, after all.
He was turning twenty-six.
…Of course, no one in the world knew that.
Well, that turned the mood a little somber. Rain's thoughts grew heavy. Does Teacher really have no one…?
The other Saints shared similar sentiments, a quiet unease settling over them
Taking the first sip of his coffee, Sunny smiled slightly and looked up. A few of the brightest stars could still be seen, shining in the pale lavender expanse of the morning sky. Just at that moment, the gentle sun finally crested the dark line of the distant horizon, imbuing the sky with a beautiful golden radiance. The soft twilight of dawn was imbued with a hint of bright daylight.
He watched the sun rise while enjoying his coffee.
Despite the beautiful sight, Sunny felt a bit of melancholy. He looked down with a wistful smile.
'...I am older than mom was when she passed now.'
As the soft glow of sunrise bathed the screen, the room fell into an unusual silence. The sight of Master Sunless—seated in quiet contemplation, watching the dawn with a melancholic expression—felt strangely… out of place.
Effie, who had been slouched in her seat, arms crossed, straightened slightly. "Huh…" she muttered, her voice quieter than usual. "Never thought I'd see him just… relaxing like this."
Kai, who had been watching thoughtfully, frowned. "Did you hear what he just said?" His voice carried an unfamiliar weight.
Rain, looking uncharacteristically solemn, repeated in a whisper, "He's… older than his mother was when she died?"
Nephis' expression remained unreadable, but her fingers curled slightly against the armrest of her seat.
Cassie lowered her head, a pensive look crossing her face. "Even though we don't remember him… why does this feel so heavy?"
Jet exhaled, shaking her head. "Because whoever he is, he's lived a life we should have known about. And from the looks of it, not an easy one."
The weight of those words settled over them as they turned back to the screen, watching the lone figure drink his coffee in silence.
It was a strange feeling. When Sunny was a child, his mother was the definition of an adult to him, and adults were magical creatures who possessed wondrous and incredible powers. But now, he was an adult himself, which was why he was able to realize… that his mother had been a kid herself.
She was gone, but both her children were alive and doing well. There was precious solace and consolation in that fact, so Sunny did not feel too sad.
Well, alive was a given, but he wasn't too sure about doing well. During these last four years, he had gone through a long rough patch… and had even done a few very stupid things. Still, it was looking better now.
This revelation caught them all off guard. Sunny's thoughts clearly implied he had a sibling.
Rain felt a sudden chill. Her mind reeled back to a moment she had dismissed before—when she had once asked her teacher who he truly was. His answer: "I'm your long-lost brother."
At the time, she had laughed it off as one of his eccentric remarks. But now, knowing he was forgotten by everyone, that memory struck her like a blow to the chest.
Could it be true?
Guilt clawed at her heart. Had she really forgotten her own older brother…? Yet, amidst the sorrow, a flicker of warmth bloomed within her.
Even after being forgotten, he still cared for me… watched over me…
The rest of the cohort were equally stunned by the revelation of a sibling, but their focus locked onto a chilling realization:
Four years.
That meant this memory was from after their Third Nightmare.
There was no longer any doubt. The incident that erased Sunny from their lives had happened in the Tomb.
This early in the morning, however, most people were still asleep, which was why Sunny was able to enjoy his coffee surrounded by peaceful silence.
…Oh, he owned a house in Bastion as well. More than that, it was a house many would be jealous of.
Although not as prestigious as being able to live in the castle itself, his property was on the very shore of the lake, with its back windows opening straight to the water.
It was an elegant one-story cottage, which was seemingly built from brown bricks, with a sloping tiled roof and a tall chimney. There was a small garden in the back and a neat lawn in front of it, with herbs and flowers growing in ceramic pots.
Since it was situated at the end of the street, few people ever passed by.
If they did pass by, however, they would have seen a modest sign hanging above the door of the cottage.
It read:
"Sunny's Brilliant Emporium: Café & Memory Boutique"
[The 1st memory has been viewed]
[The viewers will now view the 2nd memory]
[A Cripple – The beginning of the forgotten one's journey.]
Rain muttered to herself, "So Master runs a café and a boutique now?"
She shuddered at the mental image of Sunny in an apron, cooking and serving customers with a polite smile. The horror...
But then, a strange, simmering irritation crept in. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Wait a minute… was Master enjoying a peaceful coffee break while I was out there risking my life against Dormant beasts?!
She clenched her fists, scowling at the screen. Unbelievable.
Effie turned to the group and declared in a loud, confident voice, "This man has made the best food I've ever tasted. For that alone, I swear I'll watch every single memory and try to remember him—so he can cook for me again!"
The others let out a collective sigh.
Jet, visibly unimpressed, smacked Effie lightly on the back of the head. "Can't you be serious for one moment?"
Effie, unfazed, put on an exaggeratedly cute anime face. The result? A visible shudder from nearly everyone.
"Please never do that again," Kai muttered.
Nephis cut through the banter with her usual calm authority. "Enough. Now that the first memory has been viewed, we need to focus. The second memory's title, Cassie, what do you think it means?"
Cassie frowned thoughtfully. "The title mentions 'the beginning,' so it likely shows us his first Nightmare. But the word 'cripple'… it makes me wonder—was he disabled in the real world? Like Effie?"
Effie blinked. "Oii!"
Kai raised a hand, speaking before the debate could begin. "Well, we won't know the truth until we watch it. Let's get ready."
With that, they all settled back into their seats. The black screen flickered to life once more.
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The 1st reaction is finally done! The next 1 or 2 chapters will focus on the 1st nightmare, but after that I have not decided what they will react to next so if you have any suggestions please let me know.
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