“Pardon?”

I asked back with a surprised face at his unexpected words.

“What, what should I say?”

“You said it yourself—that imagination needs room to grow. So let me try to imagine. Tell me about your happiest moment.”

Is he serious?

I stared at him intently, trying to gauge his sincerity.

Cardien was looking at me with the most serious expression I’d ever seen.

Only then did I realize he was being sincere.

Along with surprise, I found him hard to understand.

I voiced my confusion.

“Why are you going to such lengths?”

Cardien quietly looked at me, then answered plainly.

“Because I don’t like it.”

“What?”

Surely not me, right?

Then Cardien stared at me intently.

No, if he does that, it really seems like he doesn’t like me.

Fortunately, or perhaps not, he soon averted his gaze and answered.

“Your ability.”

“My ability?”

He nods.

“Yes. I don’t like it.”

“……”

I was at a loss for words at his unreasonable statement.

He doesn’t like my ability.

‘While you’re the biggest beneficiary.’

Although he said it was my ability, I felt wronged as if I had been insulted.

But with his next words, I could fully understand what he meant.

“The fact that you can change others’ dreams, but can’t change your own when you have nightmares.”

“……”

“I don’t like it. That’s all there is to it.”

“……”

The funny thing is, I found myself agreeing with him.

I didn’t fully understand how terrifying and horrible it is to only have nightmares.

‘You start to refuse to sleep more and more.’

Knowing that you’ll inevitably have nightmares when you fall asleep, your mind rejects sleep.

Unable to sleep, your physical condition deteriorates and your overall state hits rock bottom.

‘Plus, I’ve been suffering more recently trying to decipher Jeffrey’s diary.’

When was the last time I slept without nightmares?

‘And I want to have happy dreams too.’

Even if it’s borrowing someone else’s dream.

I looked at Cardien.

‘Honestly, it’s unexpected.’

I didn’t expect Cardien to make such a proposal first.

Perhaps he was concerned about my condition in his own way.

Finally, I nodded with a determined face.

“Then, I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“Alright.”

“Um, then first……”

It was my first time borrowing someone else’s dream, so I pondered for a moment what to do.

That’s when Cardien asked.

“When was the happiest time for you?”

“My happiest time……”

I thought for a moment.

When was I the happiest?

Then, a memory naturally came to mind.

A memory that brought a smile to my face just by thinking about it.

“When I was 9 years old.”

“When you were 9.”

“Yes. It was my birthday, but my father wasn’t home due to a business trip. My mother passed away when she gave birth to me, so my father is my only family. But when I thought that my only family wasn’t there on my birthday, I suddenly felt sad.”

“I see.”

He nodded slowly.

I looked at Cardien with surprised eyes.

I thought he wouldn’t be interested in others’ stories, but he was a better listener than I expected.

“So I cried and cried, and fell asleep late at night when suddenly the lights turned on. I woke up startled to find my father there. Holding a large gift box.”

He nods.

I was already immersed in the memory as I spoke.

“But I was already in a sulky mood then. I thought, what’s the point of celebrating my birthday now that it’s already passed?”

“Childish.”

“Right, childish indeed.”

I nodded with a small laugh.

Even without dreaming, just talking like this made me feel better.

‘Though it’s surprising that the conversation partner is Cardien.’

“Keep talking.”

“Are you imagining?”

“I’m trying.”

“Okay, then……”

Cardien closed his eyes, perhaps in an effort to imagine.

Somehow, it felt like I was talking to someone who had fallen asleep, which made me feel more at ease.

“Where was I?”

“Where you acted like a child.”

“Ah, right. So as I was throwing a tantrum, my father took down the wall clock and brought it to me. He said it wasn’t past 12 o’clock yet. And indeed, it was 11:50 PM. The funny thing is, seeing that made my anger disappear.”

“……”

“My anger subsided and I felt happy, so I held the box in one hand and my father’s hand in the other as we went to the fireplace. We decided to have a small birthday party before the day ended.”

Recalling that time, I closed my eyes too.

I was only 9 years old then, but the memory of that day is still vivid.

“The fireplace was really warm. It was very quiet since it was night, and the sound of burning wood made me feel at ease.”

“What was the gift?”

“A doll. A pink teddy bear. A common gift for children.”

“How did you feel at that moment?”

“Feel……”

I lowered my gaze.

I answered quietly.

“I wished that moment would last forever.”

“……”

“And I thought it would be nice to keep having these last-minute birthday parties in the future too.”

I didn’t know then.

That my father would take his own life, that our house would be sold, that I’d become terminally ill.

“May I ask a few more questions?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“What color was the sofa?”

“Pardon?”

“The sofa. Wasn’t there a sofa in front of the fireplace?”

Surprised by his unexpectedly detailed question, I answered.

“Green. A green sofa with silver trim.”

“Your pajamas?”

“A sky-blue dress.”

“What was your hairstyle like?”

“Um, it was probably the same as now. Oh, back then, I always wore a sky-blue ribbon when I slept.”

“What did your father look like?”

“He had the same dark brown hair as me. His eyes slanted downwards, giving him a gentle impression, and his eyebrows were notably thick. The corners of his mouth were always turned up, and he had a high nose with a round tip.”

“……I see, what about the rug color?”

“You’re surprisingly… very meticulous.”

“Just answer.”

“Um, I think it was dark brown.”

“I see.”

Cardien suddenly opened his eyes.

Startled by the sudden eye contact, I stepped back.

I had been leaning too far towards him, engrossed in the conversation.

“I’ll do my best to imagine it.”

“……”

“Try using that ability. This time, for your own sake.”

“……”

It’s strange.

‘Cardien used to be the epitome of coldness.’

He was the definition of chilliness, of indifference.

But the Cardien in front of me now…

‘Why does he feel so warm?’

Is it because of the warmth of the greenhouse?

Or is it because his gaze feels a bit different?

“Aren’t you going to do it?”

“Ah, yes.”

Coming to my senses, I quickly placed my hand on his forehead.

Cardien slowly closed his eyes.

I looked at his face for a moment, then thought to myself.

‘Let him dream of me being happy in the way he imagines.’

And at that moment.

Flash-

A light more intense than ever before leaked out.

The light instantly filled the greenhouse, and I lost consciousness for a moment.

And when I regained my senses.

“Look, tutor.”

Startled by the sudden voice, I slowly opened my eyes.

A warmth slightly different from the greenhouse.

The glow of light spreads in a circle from the fireplace.

The occasional sound of burning wood.

And……”

“Ah……”

Two figures were visible beyond the sofa.

A dark-haired girl happily holding a pink teddy bear from the box, and a dark-haired man watching her fondly.

“The faces were hard to imagine. So just look from behind.”

Cardien spoke in a low voice beside me.

I stared blankly at their backs, too stunned to respond.

Suddenly, Cardien asked.

“How is it? Is it similar to your happiest moment?”

At his words, I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“Well……”

After teasing him with a slight nod, I soon turned to Cardien with a small smile.

The firelight reflected in his purple eyes.

It’s the first time. That his eyes felt warm.

I gazed at them for a moment, trying to engrave them in my memory, then slowly bowed my head.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“……”

“A happy dream really is happiness.”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

I finally burst into laughter at his mood-breaking response.

And for a while, I couldn’t escape from that dream.

Cardien silently stood by my side.