After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

Everyone's preferences are different.

For some, a beautiful dream is falling in love, but for others, it's piloting a Gundam—totally opposite.

Therefore, the contents of dreams can never be consistent.

Although he had never experienced it, Kagura Hikaru felt that Komori Ai's so-called "beautiful dream" must involve showing the target what they most desired to see, creating a dream that fulfilled their wishes.

If this guess was accurate...

Chiyoko Ayakoji, did she want to be his mother?

A chill ran down Kagura Hikaru's spine.

No, the kind of mother she wanted to be was different from the usual sense.

To be precise, she wanted to possess and imprison him.

He could feel the affection, but this kind of love was too burdensome!@@novelbin@@

A wave of cold swept over him.

It was like the first time he saw Kohinata Motoyo's curse-level yandere mind-reading.

In that mind-reading image, a magnified Chiyoko Ayakoji kept staring at her own infant self, with a focus on gaze and scrutiny, which seemed to hint at something.

Could it be that she came up here disregarding the risks just to keep him within her line of sight?

Speaking of which, after Chiyoko Ayakoji took the initiative to reconcile with him, he had indeed felt more gazes upon him.

He had been worried whether the Happiness Cult had secretly done something to Chiyoko Ayakoji to make her act so strangely, but it turned out to be such a pure reason.

So pure, that it was pitiable.

Chiyoko Ayakoji had changed.

Her ideals and rationality had been twisted since that breakup.

Kagura Hikaru had always thought that Chiyoko Ayakoji's indifferent behavior towards the failure of that relationship was due to her being more rational in love than Kiryu Hina, or perhaps Kagura Hikaru himself hadn't had such a big influence on her.

But he was wrong.

It wasn't that the impact was small, but that Chiyoko Ayakoji knew better how to hide herself, simply appearing indifferent.

And next to her, Kagura Hikaru hadn't felt it at all!

Her beautiful dream was to have him all to herself.

This was an obsession caused by loss.

And what she had lost was something that didn't need pondering.

Unable to bear watching any longer, Kagura Hikaru pursed his lips and looked away. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire

After this situation ended, he would have a good talk with Chiyoko Ayakoji.

However, he truly didn't know how to console her, since there was nothing more absurd than an offender sympathizing with a victim.

This was why he didn't want to casually probe into others' inner thoughts.

It was too easy to become emotionally disturbed by just a few words, just a couple of images.

And what was worse was accidentally finding out some secrets that shouldn't be known.

That could make interactions between people very awkward, not knowing how to face each other.

Kagura Hikaru's mind was in turmoil, feeling so confused that he didn't even need to act, perfectly mimicking the demeanor of someone caught in a beautiful dream—bewildered, vacant.

Until a sharp clap jolted him awake.

He and everyone else below the stage suddenly snapped out of it, looking up towards the stage.

The one clapping was Master Tanaka, who lowered his hands and smiled at everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen, did you have a good dream?"

Everyone below the stage slowly regained their senses, their expressions varied as they discussed animatedly.

"I just saw my wife, really, I've dreamt of killing her, and I just did it!"

"Really? I dreamed about my son, he grew up, and he was as happy as me."

"Why are your dreams different from mine? I became a star, traveled around the world, and even dated a foreign actress."

"Why would we suddenly have such dreams? How did they put everyone to sleep at the same time? Hypnosis gas?"

"No, this is a miracle!"

Everyone was very excited.

In their dreams, they had indeed experienced things they had long wanted to do but were unable or might never accomplish, fulfilling their own desires.

Just as Master Tanaka had said, it was a tangible 'Beautiful Dream'.

Beautiful fantasies, dreamlike states.

And the Happiness Cult that made it happen, along with the Shrine Maiden Komori Ai who performed the miracles, suddenly took on a mysterious and elusive stature in their minds.

Some who had barely maintained their sanity, being skeptical, began to waver in their longtime adherence to materialism as they pondered.

Some people suggested that they had been inhaling some kind of hypnotic gas since entering the hall, which had caused them to fall into the dreams.

But the counterargument was persuasive, as human physiologies differ, making it impossible to control over thirty people of varying ages and genders to enter dreams simultaneously.

Nor was it possible to wake up simultaneously at the snap of fingers.

If they had inhaled hypnotic gas, they would have felt discomfort upon awakening, yet they didn't feel such sensations; instead, they opened their eyes in their seats as if they had simply been dreaming, feeling light-hearted save for a slightly stiff neck.

With all possibilities eliminated, only one truth remained—this was supernatural power.

This was still the line of thought among the more rational ones.

The other half, already driven mad, having experienced a 'miracle' firsthand, started to worship the Sect Hierarch of the Happiness Cult and the Shrine Maiden Komori Ai devoutly.

Some were praying with hands clasped non-stop, some were dancing and gesticulating wildly, some knelt on the chairs.

It was a complete chaos.

In comparison, Ayakoji Chiyoko was among the calmest, but she was visibly shaken, her pupils dilating, her gaze trembling, a mix of rage from having her inner thoughts probed and greed for the Beautiful Dream flickering repeatedly across her face.

Kagura Hikaru gripped her shoulders firmly, and she suddenly snapped back, turning her head to look.

"Kagura?"

"Stay calm, don't be influenced," Kagura Hikaru said calmly, "That wasn't a miracle, nor was it supernatural power, just a hypnotic technique."

"Hypnosis? But it clearly....."

"It is indeed fake; it probably began from the moment we boarded the bus, sing songs, view landscapes, tour, continuously reinforcing impressions. It's like ancient sorcerers who used chemical reactions to deceive people, same idea."

Kagura Hikaru mixed false speculations with genuine knowledge of hypnosis, coaxing Ayakoji Chiyoko to gradually believe that it was a deliberate ruse by the Happiness Cult.

"Could it really be so...?" Under his continuous persuasion, Ayakoji Chiyoko also became bewildered.

"Yes." Kagura Hikaru said, "So, no matter what you dreamed of, it might have felt comforting, but it might not represent your true self. Stay calm, remember this is a tactic of the cult, don't let these vile deceivers succeed."

Ayakoji Chiyoko's expression subtly changed, pondering on her own.

Seeing her doubtful look, Kagura Hikaru quietly sighed in relief.

That Beautiful Dream, perhaps truly reflected Ayakoji Chiyoko's desire, but it was not a good future, was not normal.

For now, he could only stabilize Ayakoji Chiyoko with his words, and continue to guide her slowly in the future, now wasn't the time.

Kagura Hikaru fixed his gaze on Komori Ai on stage, she was watching this way all along, and tilted her head slightly when she saw him look over.

Their little interaction earlier had proven that Komori Ai's mind had not been influenced by the Happiness Cult, she remained herself.

This made him all the more eager to confront her for clarity.

Why she was being used by the Happiness Cult, whether it was voluntary or forced.

And, if Komori Ai was coerced, then how exactly did the Happiness Cult control a supernatural power user.

He hoped that the next time he saw her, all his questions would be answered.