After taking a moment to organize her thoughts, Audrey excitedly told Hastur about what she had just gained.
Compared to the two Beyonder items Hastur had obtained, what she received was the knowledge of the Mind Dragon, Beyonder knowledge concerning the Spectator pathway.
From Sequence 9 Spectator all the way to Sequence 3 Dream Weaver.
For her, this was the greatest treasure of all!
"Susie, she still hasn't woken up?" After her excitement subsided, Audrey turned her gaze toward Susie, worry in her eyes.
Hastur reassured her, "Don't worry. Susie is just like you. She fell asleep because she couldn't absorb so much knowledge all at once."
"Huh?" Audrey stared blankly at Hastur.
"Susie also received a gift from this Mind Dragon."
Hastur did not directly tell her that Susie had obtained the Mind Dragon's complete inheritance. He needed to choose an appropriate opportunity.
He was really looking forward to Audrey's expression when she learned the news, especially when she found out that she had lost out to Susie.
If Susie had not entered the mind world with them tonight, then the Mind Dragon's only possible final successor would have been Audrey.
"How long will it take?" Audrey crouched down and gently stroked Susie's head.
"That depends on Susie's learning ability. The faster she absorbs the knowledge, the sooner she'll wake up."
Hastur gave his professional assessment. By his estimation, even after Susie returned to the real world, she would still need to sleep for another three to five days before she could completely absorb this enormous collection of memories.
With Hastur's reassurance, Audrey's worries eased somewhat. After confirming that there was nothing wrong with Susie, she turned toward the place where the Mind Dragon had disappeared and bowed deeply, her face carrying a sense of loss and faint sorrow.
Great creatures like Mind Dragons were nearly extinct in the real world. Personally witnessing their demise gave her the desolate feeling of watching a legend fall.
"Perhaps in the future, we really should establish a Dragon Protection Association."
Hastur's teasing words instantly dispelled Audrey's melancholy. She couldn't help smiling as she said, "Once I return, I'll do everything I can to make it happen. The association's purpose will be to find and protect the few dragons that still exist."
Audrey thought for a moment before adding, "Hmm... We could also include giants under our protection... A Giant and Dragon Protection Association?"
"And elves," Hastur reminded her from the side.
"That's right, and the adorable elves too." Audrey's eyes lit up. "Then let's call it the Legendary Creature Protection Association."
Legendary Creature Protection Association?
Hastur silently repeated the name twice before suggesting, "Wouldn't the Magical Creature Protection Association sound better?"
Audrey seriously considered it for two seconds before rejecting the suggestion.
If it were called the Magical Creature Protection Association, the scope would be far too broad. Legendary creatures, on the other hand, were relatively few in number.
Besides, "magical creatures" was not enough to describe intelligent beings such as giants, dragons, and elves, who had existed since the mythical ages.
Every one of them that had survived into the present era was a legend in their own right.
While Audrey and Hastur chatted casually, the ship had already turned around on its own, leaving the pure-white space that was on the verge of destruction and returning to the vast sea of the mind.
"What a wonderful adventure."
Audrey stood at the bow of the ship, feeling the sea breeze against her face as she gazed at the isolated islands of the mind floating above the vast sea, unable to keep herself from sighing in admiration.
"That's what makes the Beyonder world so fascinating. At some unexpected moment, it will always give you memories you'll never forget for the rest of your life."
Standing beside Audrey, Hastur voiced his heartfelt thoughts.
"Mr. Hastur, I'm glad you were here to explore with me," Audrey whispered softly. If she had been alone, things definitely would not have gone so smoothly.
Besides, how could one person's happiness compare to the happiness shared by two?
"I'm the one who should thank Miss Audrey for inviting me."
"Is Mr. Hastur's life in Southville County always this colorful?"
"There aren't any Mind Dragons in Southville County, but I have seen a legendary phoenix."
"A phoenix? Do legendary creatures like that really exist?"
"Mm. They're even rarer than dragons."
"Then has Mr. Hastur ever seen the elven race?"
"I think I'll have the opportunity to meet them someday."
"That sounds wonderful. I also want to go out adventuring and explore the unknown things left behind by ancient history."
When the ship crossed the sea of the mind and reached shore, Susie was still asleep.
Audrey stared at Susie for quite a while before turning a meaningful gaze toward Hastur.
Hastur glanced at Susie's not-so-small body, sighed, crouched down, and picked Susie up with both arms.
Fortunately, aside from her fluffy fur, she wasn't very heavy.
"Very suitable." After saying that, Audrey turned her back to him. The slight trembling of her shoulders betrayed the fact that she was secretly laughing.
Actually, inside this dream world, there was no need for everything to follow the rules of the outside world.
For example, Hastur could tie a rope around Susie and fly her through the air like a balloon. But that sight would be far too conspicuous.
Their journey back along the original route was much faster than before. Soon, Audrey and Hastur once again passed by the wishing lake.
The lake water that had suddenly vanished earlier had once again filled the empty crater.
Audrey walked to the lakeside and softly called out to the spirit in the lake, wanting to see whether she had returned along with the water.
After calling four or five times, ripples finally appeared across the calm surface. Amid the undulating waves, the lake spirit emerged from the depths.
She first curiously looked Audrey and Hastur over, then lowered her head to examine her current condition. Resting her small hand against her chin, she pondered for a moment before actually flying out from the surface of the lake.
She truly looked like a miniature elf fluttering back and forth through the air.
She flew from the lake surface to the top of the forest, then dove downward, skimming close to the ground. With another beautiful turn, she pulled herself upward again and steadily stopped in front of Audrey's head.
Wherever she had passed just now, the earth seemed to awaken, sprouting fresh, tender green grass.
Even the forest, which had originally been dark and deathly still, now carried a trace of vitality.
"You... can leave the lake now?" Audrey asked curiously. She extended the index finger of her right hand, wanting to touch the tiny spirit.
But before her finger could reach her, the lake spirit giggled, flapped her wings, and plunged back into the lake, leaving only her small head poking above the surface.
"I have a name. Moira." The lake spirit smiled. "The next time you come, you can call me by my name."
As she spoke, the lake spirit's body completely merged into the water. Then, the lake before them vanished once again.
"Moira, Moira..." Audrey repeated the name several times, a sweet smile appearing on her delicate face. She really liked developments with this sort of fairy-tale charm.
Throughout the journey away from the wishing lake, Audrey remained in an exceptionally good mood. She was only a step away from humming a tune and dancing.
When they returned to the Tower of Silver, Audrey reached out and lightly poked Susie's still-sleeping head a few times.
"You. I told you not to follow us, but you insisted. If Mr. Hastur hadn't carried you back this time, I definitely would've left you on the ship to fend for yourself."
Although Audrey spoke such seemingly heartless words, she still couldn't keep the worry for Susie's condition from showing in her eyes.
She couldn't help asking Hastur about Susie's exact condition again.
"Audrey, are you sure you want to know why Susie has remained asleep this whole time?"
Hastur felt that he was still quite kind. At the very least, he was giving Audrey a chance to choose.
"Is there something wrong with Susie's condition?" Audrey suddenly had an ominous feeling.
"You received the Mind Dragon's knowledge. I obtained the two Beyonder items it left behind. Susie also received a gift of her own."
"What gift?" Audrey suddenly didn't really want to ask this question anymore.
"Between you and Susie, that Mind Dragon ultimately chose Susie to inherit all of its memories. That includes not only the Beyonder knowledge of the Spectator pathway, but also the bloodline inheritance of the dragon race. In other words, Susie is the successor ultimately chosen by the Mind Dragon."
"..."
Hastur's casual words easily shattered all of Audrey's worry and sympathy for Susie.
Now, Audrey felt far sorrier for herself. It turned out that she had been the clown all along.
She had actually lost to Susie without even knowing it... No wonder Susie had such a strong learning ability yet remained asleep until now. It turned out she had absorbed far too much knowledge and too many memories.
Most importantly, once Susie woke up after receiving the Mind Dragon's lifetime of memories and knowledge, just how extraordinary would her learning and wisdom become?
Perhaps by then, Susie would even be qualified to become her teacher.
The moment Audrey imagined Susie wearing gold-rimmed glasses and patiently teaching her Beyonder knowledge, both her cheeks began to feel burning hot.
"Mr. Hastur, is it too late for me to throw Susie away now?"
...
After leaving the dream world, Susie was still fast asleep, completely unaware that Audrey had nearly abandoned her just moments ago.
"Sigh..."
Lying on her bed, Audrey turned onto her side and looked toward Susie, who was sleeping soundly in her dog bed. She let out another heavy sigh.
There was no way she was going to fall asleep tonight.
Every time she closed her eyes, her mind filled with images of Susie teaching her Beyonder knowledge.