I looked up in confusion.
A huge hole appeared in the clear sky, and a white dog's paw, like that of a giant beast, pierced through it. As the shadow that was growing larger in the field of vision slowly approached, it seemed to want to put the whole world under its grasp.
The wind howled past me, but the intense pressure imprisoned me, rendering my body completely immobile. I could only stand frozen in place, blankly watching the unfolding events.
Just then, the dazzling light suddenly lit up from the side, and a girl with sparkling light emanating from her body stumbled out from it, reaching straight for my right hand that was holding the pen, and then gripping it tightly.
"Mr. Yumi!"
She lifted her head from my arms, her face filled with anxiety as she called out a name that felt both unfamiliar and familiar to me: "Wake up! Don't let those hallucinations affect you!"
Hallucination? What is she saying?
"What you just saw wasn't your life, but the spirit of the painting attached to this brush, her past!" she continued. "Don't be deceived by memories that aren't yours! Have you forgotten? You still have so many things you want to do, so many promises you made to me that you haven't yet fulfilled!"
What I want to do...
I glanced at the paintbrush on my hand, now stained with vibrant colors, and then looked at her, puzzled.
Isn't that what I want to do now—to bring the images in my mind to life on a canvas?
"Even a fool like me can see that that's not what you really think! You've just been influenced by the painting spirit. Remember! The game you were playing before you left home has only just begun, and it's waiting for you to come back and finish it!"
She wrapped one arm around the back of my neck and suddenly pressed her forehead against mine. Then, taking advantage of my inability to resist, she slid her hand down my ear and jawline, gently stroking my cheek with her cool palm.
Her long, light golden hair danced wildly in the wind, mingling with my slightly longer, dark sideburns, occasionally brushing against my cheeks and passing near my nose, bringing with it a fresh, delicate floral and fruity scent. A shimmering light scattered from the corners of the girl's eyes, her anxious emerald eyes fixed intently on me, as if trying to imprint my entire existence into them.
[Light, dispel illusions! Illuminate the way home for the lost!]
A gentle yet firm voice chants the words that guide the lost out of the illusion, transforming into a clear, warm spring that swirls around them.
I gazed silently into those eyes.
The handsome figure reflected in the depths of my eyes was also calmly watching me.
Yes, I knew from the beginning that I was not Aisha.
I am Yumi.
The one who came to call me was Hikari, the silly girl I'd been worrying about all the way here, and who's now worried about me.
Her eyes were slightly red, and she was biting her lip, but it was only to put on a brave face and not let herself appear too weak.
"I'm so sorry I hurt you..."
I murmured to myself, feeling the warmth of the girl rushing towards me, the slight weight I felt on my body, and the faint dampness on my shoulders, and slowly closed my eyes.
If doing this will make you sad, then I will come back.
Having completed the role-playing, we've gathered all the necessary information, and it's time to end it.
The crisp sound, like thick ice cracking or glass shattering, echoed in my ears.
Time in the old illusion was severed from this point on.
When I opened my eyes again, the dazzling starlight, like a hallucination, filled every corner of my vision. A girl's small exclamation rang in my ears, and she suddenly jumped off me, not bothering to wipe away the tears glistening in her eyes, and curiously looked around.
"Mr. Yumi! Where is this place! How come there are so many beautiful stars twinkling and winking at me!" As if she had instantly forgotten all her worries and sadness, Hikari stared wide-eyed in surprise and quickly chased after the stars that were flying by in the distance, but she always missed them by a hair's breadth and could not bring them into her arms.
"Didn't you come here before?"
I first asked a question in return, then waved my hand to reveal a white table and chair set with three lounge chairs. Turning my head, I gave a polite greeting to the last guest I had brought over:
"Welcome to my little garden, or rather, the space between reality and illusion, Miss [Aisha]."
"...I never thought that after so many years, I would still hear this nostalgic name."
A slightly older woman, looking somewhat weary, stood quietly in place, making no further move. Her figure appeared somewhat ethereal and frail, and faint traces of paint stained the edges of her dirt-resistant travel clothes.
"Unfortunately, I am not the one who bears the name Aisha. At most, I am just a laughable remnant of hers left in this world, which happens to be attached to that paintbrush."
I smiled, pulled out a chair for her to sit down, picked up the extra tea set on the table, brewed a cup of still-steaming black tea, and gently placed it in the appropriate spot: "Since you already know what kind of being you are, then I will not say anything more. However, if you want to find a suitable name to use as a title, upon careful consideration, perhaps this is the only one that can be used."
The weary woman remained silent for a long time before nodding slightly. "Alright, just call me that." She then shifted her gaze from the calm surface of the red tea. "You weren't actually under my illusion before, were you? Why didn't you break free beforehand? Since you've seen through it, you're perfectly capable of breaking free of the illusion and leaving directly."
"No, to my shame, I was initially fooled for a moment, and even received ridicule from my dear voyeur mentor for it." I felt as if someone had lightly patted the back of my head, and could only spread my hands and laugh helplessly. "But soon, I realized that this was a complete illusion, so I wasn't in such a hurry to leave."
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