With Noxana’s appearance, Franz's eyes widened.
It was the same for the others.
The goddess had revealed herself.
Although not in her true form, but an avatar modeled after a human appearance.
But that alone could not deny that there was room for dialogue with them.
"Child. So what do you want from me?"
Noxana showed a benevolent smile.
There was no sign of contempt or ridicule from a divine being toward humans.
It wasn't just a matter of not being able to read her inner thoughts by looking at her.
Literally, her emotions toward them were imbued with a mother's affection for her children.Affection, huh.
Rudger let out a bitter laugh at that fact.
Yes. Gods are truly arbitrary.
Even the act of trying to put everyone in this world to sleep in dreams was, after all, an act stemming from Noxana's affection.
The love of gods was naturally like that.
Because it was so vast and high-dimensional, it was difficult for humans to even understand.
But that's that, and now was the time to utilize the opportunity that had finally been caught.
"Could you please stop?"
"Stop?"
Noxana tilted her head as if she didn't understand what Rudger was asking her to stop.
But she was, after all, the goddess of dreams.
Soon after understanding Rudger's meaning, she smiled as if finding it amusing.
"Do you dislike dreams?"
"No one would dislike dreams. But a life of only dreaming is not right."
"Why? In dreams, you can obtain eternal happiness and peace. A perfect utopia without pain, sorrow, or despair. Isn't that what you children most desire?"
Utopia.
Who in the world would refuse that?
Honestly, Rudger too would want to live in such a place if he could.
But
"A utopia created by someone else is not true happiness."
Opportunity and happiness are not given.
They are things one must seize for oneself.
"What difference is there between simply relying on that and being a pig raised for slaughter?"
"Interesting analogy. Wouldn't the life of a happy pig be much better?"
"We are humans."
"That's right. That's why you're struggling so hard. But would all humans really think that way?"
That wouldn't be the case.
While there are people like Rudger who maintain their beliefs without compromise,
There would also be those who compromise at every moment for the sake of immediate peace and comfort.
Rather, in terms of proportion, the latter would overwhelmingly outnumber the former.
From the perspective of people in this world, Rudger was the most peculiar one.
"To a day laborer who doesn't have money for today's food, can you boost their motivation by saying their dreams can come true if they work hard?"
"......"
"To a child who grew up in an orphanage without parents, can you assure them that they'll become a great adult if they study hard?"
"......"
"Or, since you're a teacher, you would know this. Can you tell a student who lacks talent in magic that they can become a historically significant magician if they just try hard enough?"
No, he couldn't.
Because in reality, there are countless walls.
In the end, only a very few people could pick the fruits of success.
But in dreams, it was different.
Everyone could become what they wanted.
Everyone could achieve what they desired.
Perhaps the world Noxana was trying to create might be the happiest world.
If asked whether it's the right world from a macroscopic perspective, a hundred out of a hundred would say it is.
"Is there... value in happiness achieved that way?"
The happiness of all cannot be realized simultaneously.
Suppose there is a rich person.
He would want to be the wealthiest person in the world. Dreamland would then give him the position of the wealthiest.
But what if someone else also wants to be the wealthiest person?
What happens then?
If they both have equal wealth, can they be called the 'wealthiest' person?
Relationships with others are the same.
If a man dreams of loving a beautiful woman, it will come true.
But what happens if that lover dreams of loving another man?
The best way to realize everyone's happiness is for everyone to live in their own dream world.
Not seeing each other, living in separate dreams, each in their own ideal.
Is that really real?
In dreams, is it true happiness when things happen just as you wish and desire?
At first, they would be happy.
What will happen next?
People want greater happiness.
If one earns 100, they want 1,000, and if they get 1,000, they want 10,000 - that's human nature.
Is there happiness in just continuously fulfilling desires?
Rather, a world where one can do anything would only give humans endless tedium.
The enthusiasm and desire to achieve something would be removed.
Development would disappear.
In the end, the new world Noxana wanted to create was not much different from the world Lumensis desired.
It's just that the cage has been changed to an aquarium.
It's just that kind of world.
"Child. You seem to dislike that."
"If one is buried in a life without deficiencies, do you think they can feel the concept of lack? It's because something is lacking and insufficient that people earnestly desire it, and by obtaining it, they feel a sense of achievement."
What value is there in something easily given without any cost?
At first, it might be good, but people will eventually lose interest.
"There has never been a child like you. You've really worked hard and done well. But I'm very worried about how long that can continue."
"No one knows that."
"Yes. Even I, the goddess of dreams, don't know. But must you live carrying those wounds?"
Noxana's voice was tinged with regret.
For her, who embraces humans with a benevolent heart, Rudger's stubbornness while being wounded must have been more than just heartbreaking.
That's why she wants to wrap him warmly and heal his injured body.
Of course, the fact that Rudger has the qualification as [Holy Grail] would have no small influence.
But at least the heart driven by goodwill was an unfiltered truth.
"I can erase your past. All your failures, wounds, pain. I can heal them all."
Rudger knew those words were sincere.
That's why he was grateful, and for a moment, his heart wavered.
Perhaps this was indeed the best option.
Later in the future, when reflecting on this moment, there might be times when he'd want to go back to this time.
Even so.
"I can't."
Noxana's hand on Rudger's shoulder trembled slightly.
"Why?"
"Because that's all of me."
Rudger looked down at his hand.
Beyond the glove wearing [Rip Van Winkle], that hand was one with calluses and minor scars.
Rudger didn't simply see it as it was.
This hand had a lot of blood on it.
And this hand had missed many things.
A hand that couldn't grasp precious things in time, that let them go foolishly, that became empty like that.
"Past failures, pains, wounds. All of that has made me who I am today."
-Crunch.
Clenching his fist, Rudger gazed at Noxana with resolute eyes.
"So, thank you for your offer, but I'll have to decline."
"I see."
Noxana lowered her eyes glumly.
Removing her hand from Rudger's shoulder, Noxana turned around and slowly moved away.
"Child. Do you intend to fight till the end? Against me, that is."
"Yes."
"Against a being far superior to you? Even though I could annihilate all of you with just one finger?"
"I still won't stop."
"I see."
With her back turned, Noxana's expression wasn't visible.
But Rudger vaguely thought she was smiling.
He didn't know why. It was just a feeling he had.
'But Noxana, who was trying to escape from the seal, won't stop just because of these words.'
Rudger thought about releasing the sealing technique he had prepared for the very last resort.
That's when the goddess' main body began to move.
"Wh-What...?"
Franz, freed from the oppressive pressure, gasped for breath.
Noxana's aura, which had seemed about to strangle them, not only weakened but was completely pushed back.
It was evident that Noxana herself had withdrawn her power.
The dream sand that had spread beyond Leathervelk to nearby cities stopped.
Eventually, as if turning back time, the dream sand was sucked back toward Leathervelk in reverse.
"It's, it's stopped?"
"More than that, the sand is returning!"
The same was true for the people fighting the creatures.
The teachers and Dream Walkers defending the battleship that had reached its endurance limit were perplexed when the creatures suddenly retreated.
"This, this can't be. Why! Why is this happening!"
Nirva, bloodied and sprawled on the deck, cried out in a voice full of despair.
"Goddess! Why are you giving up when the grand plan is right in front of us!"
He believed without doubt that Noxana, who had awakened from her long sleep, would finally reclaim the world's authority from Lumensis.
That everything in this world would be covered in dream sand, and people would dream happy dreams forever.
He believed it without question.
But with just one step left, Noxana chose to stop of her own accord.
Contrary to when she was trying to escape the obelisk, she crouched down and lay with her two arms propping her chin.
The goddess of dreams, awakened from her dream,
Once again fell into a dream from which she might never wake.
"This can't be, this can't be!"
Nirva, squeezing out all his remaining strength, flew up into the sky.
With wild eyes, he glared at the Dream Walkers before flapping his wings and flying far away.
"That birdbrain is escaping!"
The Dream Walkers could only watch as Nirva fled.
They wanted to catch and kill him right away, but after the long battle, they too were almost at the point of exhaustion.
But more important than the escaped Nirva was the fact that Noxana had gone back to sleep.
"Is it over?"
"We won! We've won!"
Everyone hugged each other and rejoiced as if they could fly at the realization that they had won.
Selina, who had merged with the spirit, also let out a sigh of relief.
It was her first spirit fusion, but she was finding it burdensome to maintain this power any longer.
Selina's hair returned to its original pink color.
No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the time when it was black was her original hair.
Selina, with a vague smile at that thought, spoke to the black furry spirit approaching her.
"Thank you, Sister Esmeralda."
Let me know if you ever need help.
There wasn't a direct answer, but that sentiment was vividly conveyed to Selina.
'Professor Rudger. You did it.'
Selina gazed beyond the barrier that was still being maintained.
"The goddess, she withdrew her will?"
Franz muttered in disbelief.
Noxana could have covered the world in dream sand right now.
It was literally one step away from the conclusion of everything.
But Noxana chose to retreat instead without even fighting, just after a few words of conversation.
"But, why?"
Just as Franz was surprised, Rudger was equally puzzled.
While it was vaguely felt in her actions and tone that she treated humans with goodwill, it was hard to understand why she would easily give up something of this magnitude.
"Why did you do it?"
Rudger asked the avatar of Noxana that was still present.
The avatar turned back to the question and showed a benevolent smile.
"You ask a strange thing. You who dream, are no different from my children."
"Wasn't what you wanted to reclaim the world from Lumensis?"
"We originally made this world for everyone to live together. Naturally, the owners of this world are the children who pursue their intense lives here. It's not Lumensis', nor is it mine."
"For such a reason..."
"Isn't it you who has fought for 'such a reason' more than anyone else?"
"......"
To the speechless Rudger, Noxana smiled and said,
"How could a mother win against such lovable children?"