Chapter 1: The Burden of Dreams
A man sat at a desk piled high with papers, his long hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall of fire. A playful, almost mischievous smile tugged at his lips as he adjusted his crisp, dark suit. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he tapped a pen against the table, staring at the endless paperwork before him.
"That's a lot of paper!" he muttered in an exaggerated, dramatic tone. "Why is this guy complaining about what he dreamed of?
To me he seemed happy in the dream!"
A small, adorable metal cat , named Lippy, hovered nearby, its metallic frame glowing faintly with a soft blue hue. "Mister, mister Dremo!" Lippy's voice was energetic, almost frantic, as if it had urgent news.
Dremo, still grinning, stretched lazily before standing up. In one swift motion, he kicked the side of his desk. The entire office began to disassemble, vanishing piece by piece into a swirling void as if it had never existed. He kicked it again for good measure, watching as the remaining fragments crumbled into nothingness.
"What a terrible machine. Everything needs to be kicked to work!" he declared proudly, placing his hands on his hips before turning to Lippy. "There you are, Lippy. What are you up to?"
Lippy responded in a cheerful voice. "Yes, my lord! I wanted to tell you—"
Before Lippy could continue, Dremo waved a sheet of paper in the air. "Look at this! Another dreamer complaining! He wanted to be rich and we all know what you need to have to be Rich you need to start collecting every coin in the world one by one, so I gave him a dream where he collects coins every single day for months! Now he says his condition is worse and he feels bad and down on living his days. I don't understand people! I tailor their dreams perfectly, yet they keep whining!"
Lippy hesitated, spinning slightly in the air. "My lord, I think he meant something else. The time there is different. He needs more than just coins."
Dremo's eyes widened in disbelief. "More than coins? What a greedy people exist out there! Our budget is limited! These coins come from my own pocket as a gift from me to them. Do they think we're running a charity here? Everything has a Brice?"
Lippy pointed to another complaint. "And this man—he wanted more stocks."
Lippy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Stocks? What are stocks my good lord?
Dremo replied Honestly lippy, I don't even know what stocks are, but when I asked and search on it, they told me they look like arrows that used in battle what a big weirdo arrows send by army in a dream he added with a dramatic voice?. So, I made him dream of facing an army and getting a ton of arrows! As he asked for he asked for a lot of arrows so i just gave him a lot of arrows that was the weirdest guy i never met there someone want to get hit with a tan of arrows do you believe it lippy,And still, he complains what should I do with this kind of people ohh my dear Lippy."
Lippy sighed, oh my good Lord and he started looking down,
And the most terrifying thing I've ever read is this lady complaining and throws the paper away and tells lippy to read it but don't do it no out loud
I'm going to hide while you read it just looking at it is terrifying me.
Lippy sighed after he looks at the paper and tells dremo what have you done to this lady that makes her complain that she will not never and never sleep again because she doesn't want to dream again in her entire life time.
Dremo raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "She wanted to be more beautiful, but when I looked at her, she was already pretty. So, I did some research about beauty in her world and that time and place she lives on it . Turns out, people with big mouths and lips are considered valuable and pretty. So, I gave her a dream where she had the biggest lips in the world! Even bigger than a duck She woke up screaming! Her entire house woke up. Poor people!" Remind me later to gave them a good normal dream in Green land, and beautiful flowers .
Lippy fumed. "Always the same, my lord! These people don't know what they want and then blame us for helping them!"
Dremo smirked, shaking his head. "Exactly, Lippy."
Before he could continue, a young boy stormed in, his expression filled with frustration. "Hey, you little metal thing! You left me waiting in the room! I want an explanation! Why am I here?!"
Dremo blinked, turning to Lippy. "Who is that?"
Lippy explained, "This is our new dream worker. He'll be working with you."
Both Dremo and the boy shouted in unison. "Me? Work with him?! Not in his wildest dreams!"
Dremo huffed. "Hey, you stole my line! I was supposed to say that."
Lippy cleared his throat. "We were looking for someone who understands the dreamers and what they truly want."
Dremo studied the boy. Messy hair, a beautiful face, and an air of defiance. "Alright, the night is here. Let's test him with these three dreamers."
The boy crossed his arms. "We'll see."
Dremo smirked. "Let's go."
Into the Dream Realm
The three of them stepped out of the office into a breathtaking world. The air smelled fresh, like early spring. Vibrant greenery stretched endlessly beneath a sky that shimmered with shifting hues of blue and violet. Floating lands hovered above, waterfalls cascading from them like ribbons of liquid silver. A massive frog played in the floating pools, splashing joyfully.
Dremo struck the ground with his staff. Instantly, the land they stood on lifted, soaring toward a grand castle. The boy yelped as he tumbled between Dremo's legs.
Dremo laughed. "Scared of flying? You'd better get used to it. What's your name, boy?"
The boy dusted himself off. "Felly."
Dremo grinned. "I'm Dremo."
Felly's attention drifted to the frog nearby. A frog with a scar croaked. "Stop looking at my wife, boy."
A red-mouthed frog crooned. "Jealous, are we?"
Dremo chuckled. "Don't stare at the frogs. They're shy and might attack you."
The frog with a scar on his face glared. "How's your hair, human?"
Dremo replied to him with a serious look at your scar frog.
then dremo waved his staff, sending them flying. They passed through floating flowers like red Sea on the sky felly just keep looking at it after a while they find them self reaching the magnificent castle before they know it, a grand fortress reminiscent of the 16th century, its white walls shimmering under the starlit sky.
Dremo led them into a massive chamber. Chains descended from the ceiling , each one holding a small, glowing star. Inside the stars lay coins, clothes, words—everything the dreamers desired.
"Here's our first task," Dremo declared. "Let's see what we can do for these three complainers."
Felly's eyes sparkled. "This place is beautiful!"
Dremo handed him three stars. "One wants more coins, one wants to be pretty, and one wants arrows. Your job? Make their dreams fulfill."
Felly scratched his head. But how? I don't know a thing,"
"Start with research," Dremo said, winking.
[Scene: The Library of Lucid Lore]
Felly slipped out of the hall and found a massive golden door with swirling runes. Inside was the dream library—books floated midair, shelves climbed into the stars.
He pulled down a heavy tome titled Mystery of Wealth & Wishing. The book glowed and flipped open.
Felly said to the book that I want to know more about those, people who wish this kind of whiches and he put the paper on the book.
First image: a paper with arrows on it.
Felly tilted his head. "Wait... it's not real arrows. It's arrows on paper?"
The book shimmered, showing people trading, shouting, celebrating.
He flipped the page.
Second image: paper with an old man's face.
"Ah. That's the 'coins' they want what a weirdo over there. Makes no sense."
Before the book could show more, he shut it. "No need to see the lips one. I get the idea."
Tucking the papers under his arm, he ran back through the glowing halls.
[Back in the Dream Chamber]
After a while, three massive mirrors appeared in the sky, slowly descending toward the ground. They stopped just above them, shimmering with a magical light.
Dremo sighed. "Again, is everything in this place supposed to be kicked?"
He picked up a rock and threw it at the chains holding the mirrors, causing them to sway and shift.
Felly blinked in confusion. "Why did you throw a rock at the chains, not the mirrors?"
Dremo smirked. "Look and learn."
The mirrors slowly began to move again. Inside the reflective surfaces, three figures appeared. Each mirror showed a different dreamer.
Dremo pointed to the first mirror. "This one wanted coins. But why is he so happy about collecting pictures with an old man's face on them?"
The man in the mirror tossed the paper, smiling. "He's happy because he believes that paper is valuable," Dremo explained. "The people there—well, they value paper with an old man's face on it. It's strange, but it's their way of seeing wealth."
Felly raised an eyebrow. "Paper with an old man's face? That's... odd."
"Exactly," Dremo said. "Now, look at the second mirror."
The second mirror showed a man dancing with joy, clutching a piece of paper with arrows drawn all over it.
"He's happy because he wanted arrows. He doesn't even realize that he was dreaming about paper arrows," Dremo remarked.
Felly frowned. "But... isn't that just paper? Why is he so happy about it?"
Dremo chuckled. "Because he asked for arrows, and that's exactly what he got. They don't always realize they're not getting the real thing."
They moved to the third mirror. It reflected a lady, smiling as other girls stared at her with envy.
"She wanted to be pretty, but it looks like what she really wanted was attention from others," Dremo said.
Felly studied the scene. "It's not about how she looks... it's how others look at her."
Dremo gave a satisfied nod. "Exactly."
Then, the mirrors began to change. In the first mirror, the man started collecting the paper furiously, stacking it as if it were an endless treasure. In the second mirror, the other man began mocking those who didn't have the arrows drawn on their paper. And the lady in the third mirror began to feel increasingly uncomfortable as everyone around her stared at her jealously.
Felly shook his head, realizing it was dawning on him. "So, you gave them what they wanted... but now they just want more. It's never enough."
Dremo smiled, his eyes gleaming. "Good try, Felly. You're starting to understand. That's what happens when you give people everything they think they want. They only end up craving more. So, remember this lesson: Sometimes, the dreamer's desires are far from what they truly need."
Felly asked, then what should I do
Dremo patted his shoulder. "Watch and learn. From now on, I'll teach you how to craft dreams the right way."
Dream Economy
Lippy's inner thoughts whispered with relief:
Finally... a worthy worker with a mind like my lord's. Maybe now I can get some proper rest. Maybe even…
He sighed dreamily.
Yes. A day off. Just one day. That's my final dream… a day off.
Dremo clapped his hands. "Alright, let's see the budget. Catlin! Where are you?"
A beautiful lady in a flowing white dress appeared. Her presence was graceful, her golden hair shimmering under the glow of the floating lanterns.
Dremo crossed his arms. "You're late."
Catlin smirked. "I'm not late. You just didn't notice my shoes. They're shaped like a watch, so I'm always on time."
Dremo's eyes sparkled. "Great idea! I'm definitely stealing that one!"
Catlin giggled. "We spent 100 coins."
Dremo's face twisted in shock. "That's a lot!"
Felly turned to Catlin. "Hi , I'm Felly. How do we even get paid for this?"
Catlin raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You're the new boy?"
Dremo answered for her. "We use their coins, of course! Sometimes they forget a few coins in their world, sometimes they waste them on stupid things. Either way, we collect."
Felly grinned. "That's genius! So, they never even realize?"
Dremo nodded proudly. "Exactly."
He stretched his arms and turned to Lippy. "Alright, I'm off to deliver these bills. You go with Lippy Let him meet with the dream worker, Felly. Welcome to the dream business and don't forget the dream is also a way of learning!"