章節 74: Finally back

Adrian moved closer to the Ninefold Tome and addressed it with a sense of authority, making his intentions clear.

"I know you're aware of my presence. You can't pretend to be oblivious. I'm renowned as the most brilliant detective in the West, and my ascent to greatness will be so illustrious that others will try to extinguish my light out of sheer jealousy."

"...."

Emilie couldn't quite decide whether Adrian was being genuinely foolish or simply shameless. However, as she pondered this, her attention was suddenly drawn to the visible leakage of aura from Adrian.

It was not a small amount; rather, it contained something that appeared highly ominous and dangerous to her.

'Oh my god, he's being serious about all this.'

Emilie was undoubtedly shocked by this extraordinary occurrence, as she understood that such incidents were not a commonplace phenomenon in the outer world.

Despite her astonishment, she refrained from stopping Adrian, hoping that his audacious attempt would result in swift disappointment and that they could leave. Yet, as often happened, reality didn't conform to their desires.

It was an event that unfolded rapidly. The pen quivered in Adrian's hand, and the Ninefold Tome's pages began to flutter, almost as if it were trying to convey, 'Hold on, let's have a discussion.'

However, Adrian paid no heed to these signs, as he was evidently reveling in the moment. His aura continued to grow denser, hinting at something significant occurring.

The table bearing the book began to emit creaking sounds, signaling that it was under considerable stress. Witnessing this, Emilie sighed in resignation, uncertain of what to make of the situation.

Then, all of a sudden, she beheld something that she knew would forever be etched into her memory: the pen was abruptly engulfed by the tome.

The visible shock on Emilie's face was so pronounced that she wouldn't have admitted to it, even if someone were to present her with a picture as evidence. She marveled at the unexpected agreement of the Ninefold Tome.

Adrian, ever the showman, continued with his theatrical display, adding a hearty, sinister laugh. "Do these relics truly believe they are greater than I am? With the support of Mother Gaze, all of you, relics, are nothing more than worms. In fact, in my eyes, everyone is a worm,"

He declared with a self-assured air, prompting a faint twitch at the corner of Emilie's mouth.

Emilie, growing increasingly exasperated with Adrian's eccentricities, spoke up: "If you're finished with your antics, can we please leave now?"

Adrian took heed of Emilie's words and recognized that he had perhaps indulged in his antics a bit excessively. Simulating a few coughs, he nodded in agreement with Emilie.

The two of them jointly decided to conclude their journey for the time being, recognizing the need for some much-needed rest.

Emilie took a step forward and grasped Adrian's hand, closing her eyes as she concentrated on their home. Although it wasn't as effortless as she made it appear, Adrian refrained from interrupting her.

Before long, he sensed the colors around him beginning to shift. The vibrant and heightened colors of the dream realm gave way to a more mundane and subdued palette, which seemed somewhat dull to Adrian in comparison.

Adrian was overwhelmed with nostalgia as he breathed in the familiar scent of his home after such a long absence. Despite all his previous claims to Emilie about not missing this place, returning home made him feel like he was in the right place, and he couldn't deny the sense of belonging he felt.

Emilie examined her cores and noticed that two of them were nearly depleted.

She sighed, acknowledging that her efforts had been expended. Nonetheless, her mood brightened when she considered the fact that now she had two fully intact cores than the previous one and a half.

Emilie glanced around and spotted Adrian comfortably seated in his favorite chair, his legs casually stretched out on top of a table, appearing utterly carefree and relaxed, without a worry in the world.

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about what Alaya might be scheming?"

Emilie inquired as she made her way to the kitchen to retrieve her beloved chips, a snack she had sorely missed for quite some time.

Despite being able to eat chips while she was away, she had a deep-seated affection for the leisurely experience of lounging at home and indulging in chips all day.

Emilie's question prompted Adrian to slightly part his eyes, allowing him to peer out of the window at the world outside. He observed cars and people bustling about, which brought him a sense of relief and reassured him that they were back in their familiar environment.

'Dream realm was weird indeed.'

When Adrian didn't respond, Emilie chose to remain silent and simply turned on the TV. She also found solace in the tranquility of their home, having just emerged from a particularly taxing journey.

Unlike her previous visits to the dream realm, which had been relatively uneventful, this time had been far more intense. She noted that the abundance of monsters in the dream realm during this trip had been unusually high, which added to the overall complexity of the experience.

Adrian suggested that the reason for the heightened monster activity might be Emilie's status as a dream diver, as records indicated that these creatures had a particular fondness for her kind.

However, Emilie pondered why she had been safe during her previous visits to the dream realm. She found it strangely comforting that these questions remained unanswered, leaving a sense of mystery around the whole situation.

Just as she was about to give a rare, satisfying smile in happiness, a sudden knock on the door was heard.

Emilie turned her gaze toward Adrian, who still had his eyes closed. Adrian, as if sensing her scrutiny, spoke in a languid tone,

"Just leave it. It's Selena. If you want to greet her, feel free to open the door."

After uttering these words, he closed his eyes once more, dismissing his immediate surroundings from his thoughts.

Emilie contemplated the situation for a moment but ultimately decided to get up and welcome Selena, knowing her to be a gentle and friendly presence. Selena had frequently spent time with Emilie and even played with her.

Initially, Emilie suspected that Selena might be trying to win over Adrian's affections, but as time passed without any such developments, she surmised that a more extended observation period might be required to reach a definitive conclusion.

Emilie approached the door wearily and swung it open, revealing Selena's astonished expression, as if she had arrived with the expectation that they wouldn't be present.

"Oh, hey Emilie! When did you get back? I've been visiting you guys for so many days!"

Selena exclaimed with a friendly tone, clearly delighted to see her.

Selena's enthusiastic greeting was so warm and genuine that Emilie momentarily questioned the reality of the situation. However, it soon dawned on her that she was no longer alone; she had a few people who genuinely cared about her.