I Became a Fortune Teller in the Game My Little Sister Made – Chapter 196

Gate “Dream Within a Dream”.

The gate was a space devoid of monsters, filled entirely with vibrant rainbows.

Interestingly, once you step inside the gate, an overwhelming drowsiness washes over you, and if you surrender to it, you can experience a lucid dream. This has led to its use for psychological therapy and related purposes.

Thus, when we arrived at Dream Within a Dream as part of our class, there were scientists researching the gate and various psychotherapists stationed there.

“………Did they all withdraw?”

“Yes, it seems the gate started showing abnormal phenomena some time ago and the entrance has completely closed off now….”

“How long has it been?”

“Ten days. It wasn’t this bad back then, but the entrance has been blocked since three days ago.”

Lucas’s gaze sharpened.

Even though Dream Within a Dream was a gate without a single monster, you never know what kind of danger might arise, so there should always be management personnel stationed.

There should have been personnel mainly composed of job holders capable of handling sudden monster waves or calming down a runaway gate.

But right now, there was only one management person sweating nervously in front of Lucas.

“I remember there were over ten people last time.”

“Well… it’s vacation season these days….”

“Even so, you left everyone else on vacation and only kept one person behind? Ha.”

I don’t blame him for feeling that way. Since there were no issues in Dream Within a Dream, it’s natural to think that a little absence wouldn’t cause any problems.

But something indeed went wrong, and this management person was unable to respond properly.

If the entrance to the gate is closed, it could be an emergency situation where the gate disappears entirely or monsters could spawn within.

“Surely you reported this to the higher-ups?”

“Uh….”

“…Don’t tell me…?”

“W-was there a big deal? After all, it’s just Dream Within a Dream….”

“…………….”

Lucas glared at the foolishly smiling management person with disdain and turned his head sharply.

Although that kind of expression had reduced recently, Lucas was fundamentally a meritocrat who valued only the abilities of others.

Thus, a management person who couldn’t even fulfill their duty properly and was merely incompetent wouldn’t sit well with him.

‘Right, a competent management person wouldn’t be stationed at such a gate.’

The management personnel made up of job holders primarily had a job of simply smashing things physically. Monster waves and runaway gates were resolved just by these job holders rampaging about.

So, there was no way a proper management person would be stationed at Dream Within a Dream, as it would be seen as a lowly position.

In reality, the management person was a <Swordsman>, but given their age and weight gain, I questioned whether they could even handle a single monster.

Turning his back on the management person without a second thought, Lucas approached Namgoong Min, who was staring at the closed entrance of the gate.

“I can’t get any useful information from that incompetent fool. Namgoong Min, do you have any ideas?”

“……This is likely the Principal’s doing. It coincides with the management’s testimony that abnormalities started ten days ago.”

“If something like this is possible within Dream Within a Dream… damn, that’s certain. She hasn’t been sleeping.”

If she’s having a lucid dream, there’s no way it would affect the actual gate.

However, if such a thing is possible, it means she’s somehow holding back sleep within Dream Within a Dream.

For a moment, Liu, who had been silent, glanced at the tightly closed gate and then made a stunned expression.

“So, how are we supposed to break through this? We didn’t bring an artifact that affects space since they’re massive.”

“Well… we have to break through by force.”

“Force? Like that monster instructor?”

‘Monster instructor? Ah, you must be talking about Scarlet Redfield.’

If there was a teacher to be called a monster, it could only be Scarlet Redfield. The world’s top <Swordsman>, he shook the gate itself with just one swing of his sword during the last class.

But how could those gathered here possibly──

“Rain? Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Well, if Namgoong Min asks, I suppose.”

“……Rain?”

Rain, who was called by Namgoong Min, stepped forward.

Could Rain do something like what Scarlet Redfield did?

‘I heard her psychic powers had grown…’

Still, it should be impossible to affect space…

Thud thud thud thud!

“……What?”

As Rain activated her <Superpower>, the tightly blocked entrance of the gate began to twist with a grotesque sound.

An overwhelming power was compressed and projected, warping the surrounding space and causing countless cracks to appear, thumping against the gate’s entrance.

Even while doing all this with one hand, Rain didn’t break a sweat.

Instead, she calmly twisted her hand, further warping the gate until finally.

Crash!!!

“I did it, Namgoong Min.”

“As expected from Rain. I knew you would accomplish it.”

Having successfully pried open the entrance to the gate, Rain approached Namgoong Min with a smile, and he responded with a grin, as if he had always known she would pull it off.

It was quite a cringeworthy scene, but the rest could only remain silent.

The management person who had been grinning, the Crown Prince who was looking flustered, the Hero who still had a blank expression but with slightly sharper eyes, and Liu, who was gnashing her teeth in disbelief.

And Lucas, who realized he hadn’t known at all about his younger sister’s strength.

In front of the now larger wreckage of Dream Within a Dream than the original entrance.

Only the two of them were smiling.

*

Ah, truly, the Psychic is an overpowered job. Just leveling up job skills alone makes one the strongest in the world, huh?

‘It was like a cheat key even during playthroughs.’

Although it’s not as definitive as the Hero’s <Absolute Good>, which guarantees victory, or the Saint’s <Holy Radiance>, which can skip battles entirely, there’s no one who could defeat a Psychic in a fair fight.

Especially considering that Rain, thanks to my guidance (?), possessed specs that would normally be gained around the third year.

‘But still, it seems like she’s way too strong….’

With her abilities at this level, isn’t she about equal to Scarlet Redfield or the Principal? I heard she threw and smashed multiple buildings during an event while I was on a one-night trip…

Did I really try to confess my feelings to someone like her? It’s fortunate I didn’t get hit by a psychic attack there.

‘Whoever it is, they’d surely end up captured….’

I doubt I could even start a silly fight with my partner. How could I win against a Psychic who’s capable of smashing buildings and distorting space?

In many ways, I was glad that despite asking her if she liked me, I could still maintain a good relationship with Rain.

“Then… Liu?”

“……Oh? Ah, yeah, sure.”

“………? Where’s the artifact you prepared?”

“That? Of course, it’s right here.”

Thud thud thud.

As Liu poured out numerous artifacts from her possession, she picked one out and handed it to me.

‘Is this the Crown of Resilience?’

Among the artifacts that can be bought in her exclusive shop after Liu’s character event, there is one called ‘Crown of Unbreakability’.

This artifact can be equipped at the expense of headgear and provides absolute resistance against mental abilities, making it a top-tier artifact.

Naturally, its price is astronomical, and because of its limited quantity, I couldn’t buy many…

“Here, here, here, here.”

“……Liu, how many of these do you have?”

“Crown of Resilience? Probably over ten?”

“Ah….”

I remember this one was sold for many billions each? Huh? Now that I think about it, is this debt as well?

‘…No, if I return it properly, it should be fine.’

For now, we need to get into the gate.

After everyone equipped the Crown of Resilience, we stood before the unsteady Dream Within a Dream.

“Then, I’ll go in.”

Crossing the shattered entrance of Dream Within a Dream── the rainbow-colored space I had seen last time came into view.

I clearly remembered feeling drowsy the moment I stepped in here…

“……The artifact’s effect is definitely noticeable.”

“Well, of course. Still, you can’t hold out for long, so be careful.”

Thanks to the Crown of Resilience, no matter how long I waited, I didn’t feel drowsy at all.

However, the ends of the crown were gradually changing color, so as Liu said, I couldn’t hold out for much longer.

As I was about to move forward, standing at the forefront of the rainbow-colored space──

Whoosh!!!

“Kiieee!!!!”

“……Huh?”

“…Namgoong Min………fall back……….”

──With a speed unfathomable to the eye, the Hero in front of me slashed at something with a deafening roar.

Gripping his usual greatsword rather than the unfamiliar Holy Sword, he glared at the something that had been sliced in half.

“………A monster…?”

“It should’ve been a gate without any monsters inside Dream Within a Dream.”

“From now on… it seems that isn’t the case.”

That something, which didn’t fit at all with the rainbow-colored space, stood there.

Though it was mostly black, it was hard to distinguish its details, but half of its body appeared to be a mouth, and its small body was attached with disproportionately large and long limbs, suggesting it walked on all fours.

It resembled a spider yet looked like a caterpillar.

Even though it had been sliced in half, its bizarre and grotesque form was still wriggling.

Confirming that a gate existed within Dream Within a Dream, everyone moved hastily.

“Fortuneteller brat, catch this!”

<Protection of Light>, <Protection in Darkness>, <Absolute Defense>, <Cube>, <Excessive Regeneration>, <The Safest Bubble>.

Liu had already thrown numerous defensive artifacts at me.

“Namgoong Min, move to the back.”

“Be careful.”

Kim Sung-il, with an opened <Royalty> power like Eun-ha, stood on my left, while Lucas cast various defensive and interception spells on my right.

“I’ll take the front……….”

“Don’t worry, Namgoong Min.”

With his greatsword drawn, the Hero stood at the forefront, while Rain, who fully unleashed her <Superpower>, levitated in the air, scanning everyone.

We all came together around me, and amidst that, I stood in my bubble, protected by various artifacts and magic as if it were second nature.

In a situation where the next Emperor of the Daehan Empire and the head of the Arthur family were defending me── I just nodded, resigned.

“Please take care of this.”

Just, well.

Accepting that I was the weakest made it all easier…

Was that it?

“……Huh?”

In the distance.

In the shimmering rainbow area where distance couldn’t be grasped properly.

There’s something there.

What had appeared to be a black dot gradually turned into a line and began to take shape.

“Kiaaaaaaa!!!!!”

“……Is that all?”

“………It’s definitely a monster……….”

The spider-like monsters that the Hero had just sliced through came charging like a horde.

The rainbow was now almost covered in black.

While the sheer number was enough to understand how unreasonable it was, everyone else remained calm.

“Quite a few. With a number like that, it has to be related to the Principal.”

“The Crown Prince should be fine, but… Liu, how about you?”

“Lucas, didn’t I tell you to stop meddling? Of course, I’ll be fine, so don’t worry.”

“……For now……… I’ll……break through……….”

“Hero, don’t let slip that Namgoong Min gets hurt.”

“Then……Namgoong Min. As the leader of this gathering, issue the command. For now, you’re not the Crown Prince of the Daehan Empire, but just the job holder, Kim Sung-il.”

“………Understood.”

After glancing back and forth between Liu, who had equipped various artifacts, and Kim Sung-il, who was loosening his fists, I faced the horde of encroaching monsters.

Honestly, facing a number like that was terrifying, and my hands trembled.

But, all I could do here was trust everyone.

“We advance until we see the Principal…!!”

Towards whoever might be beyond those monsters.

We simply broke through everything.