The conversation with Audrey concluded quickly.
Before leaving, Audrey told him that if the other side agreed, she would come find him at the library that afternoon.
Afterward, she departed first.
Mozo remained seated in the private booth for a while before eventually leaving Rose Pavilion under the watchful eyes of countless students from the university.
As he stepped out of the pavilion, however, he suddenly felt something and glanced down the street behind him.
There was nothing there.
After scratching his head, Mozo left in a cheerful mood.
Only after his figure disappeared around the corner did a window on the second floor of a nearby apartment building open.
Kurt, now wearing the pure gold brooch once more, leaned against the window frame and stared in the direction Mozo had gone.
A wound on his fingertip.
Exceptionally sharp instincts.
There was no mistake.
If one of the two was a supernatural being, it was most likely that young man.
At the same time, Kurt had already constructed a reasonable explanation in his mind for how a commoner had managed to attract Audrey's attention.
Obviously, the fellow had used some sort of supernatural ability to put on a display for the Tulip of Flower Court.
Using supernatural powers to attract girls wasn't particularly common here.
Outside the Special Zone, however, it happened all the time.
So should he report it to the Inspectorate?
Kurt stroked his chin thoughtfully before arriving at a conclusion.
Better not.
The restrictions would be lifted after the Holy Night Festival anyway.
These wild supernatural beings had endured enough over the years. There was no need for them to fall right before dawn.
Besides, if he reported Mozo and had him arrested now, what was he supposed to use to replace the headline of the Tulip of Flower Court being stolen away by a commoner?
There was no way another story could compete with a scandal involving one of Flower Court's Three Great Beauties.
Especially one as entertaining as a swan ending up in a toad's belly.
As the editor-in-chief of the university paper, and the mysterious Party Guest of legend, failing to provide the public with explosive news would be a grave dereliction of duty.
With that thought, Kurt chuckled and closed the window.
Only after the window shut did Mozo emerge from a blind spot beside the building.
He had deliberately circled around to approach the apartment from an angle Kurt couldn't see.
After glancing at the now-closed window, he quietly left the way he had come.
Kurt of the Noble Academy.
Second son of a Count.
Even among the aristocratic students, he stood at the very top of the pyramid.
Those were merely his public identities.
Privately, Mozo also knew that Kurt was the most influential and mysterious Party Guest on campus.
A man capable of providing an endless stream of gossip and scandals every single week.
Although his pen name was Party Guest, students preferred to call him the Marshal of the Newspaper Club.
As for how Mozo knew this?
The answer was simple.
Party Guest was a rather famous internet term back on Earth.
The name had immediately made Mozo suspect that the man might be another transmigrator from his homeland.
As a result, from the moment he first learned of Party Guest's existence, he had spent two and a half years investigating.
Only recently had he finally confirmed the man's identity.
So he's been watching me because he's gathering material for next week's front page?
After all, while Audrey's image had completely collapsed in front of him, she was still one of the university's most famous beauties.
Any gossip involving her would attract enormous attention.
But could he be one of the official people Audrey mentioned?
He is a noble, after all.
After some thought, Mozo dismissed the possibility.
Surely the Empire's official supernatural agents weren't spending their days chasing celebrity gossip.
The Empire couldn't possibly have fallen that low.
Still, if this guy really printed stories about him and Audrey in the school paper...
Just imagining it gave him a headache.
---
After returning to his small apartment, Mozo began reviewing everything that had happened that day.
Audrey's appearance had proven that the Dream World was real.
Yet all his previous attempts to verify its existence had failed repeatedly.
His current theory was that the problem stemmed from him not being a supernatural being.
Of course, it might also have something to do with the Special Zone Audrey had mentioned.
But if the Dream World was truly real...
Then everything he had done there should have been real too!
The moment that thought surfaced, Mozo became so excited that it took him quite some time to calm himself down.
Then his expression suddenly changed.
Wait.
If everything in the Dream World was real...
Doesn't that mean all the people I've offended actually exist too?
Forget everything else.
Back when he had been Cromwell, he had made enemies of a tremendous number of nobles.
True, many of them had ended up on the guillotine.
But plenty had escaped.
If those noble families, or worse, the old monsters from that era, ever discovered who he really was...
Wouldn't he be completely doomed?
And because of the nature of the Dream World, Mozo hadn't merely offended nobles, mocked the Church, and smashed the plans of evil gods.
He had also gotten involved with a remarkable number of women.
After all, wasn't a dream the perfect place to do whatever you wanted?
If you're already dreaming, why would you hold back?
Of course you'd do whatever pleased you.
And among those women...
There were several goddesses.
Instinctively, Mozo remembered the blonde girl.
Cold sweat immediately broke out across his body.
If there had only been one or two of them, he could probably explain everything away with some excuse about resurrection contingencies or secret plans.
Who knew?
Maybe he'd even end up living the life of a true winner.
But what if there were many of them?
Then he'd just be a scumbag who toyed with women's feelings.
For a moment, Mozo felt as though he could see Makoto Itou floating in the sky of another world.
The legendary headless victim was smiling and waving at him.
He had even thoughtfully saved a seat beside him.
Mozo sucked in a sharp breath.
This was bad.
Very bad.
Not only were those women troublesome beyond belief, but his enemies were equally terrifying.
After a brief review of his past actions, Mozo made a horrifying discovery.
Without realizing it, he seemed to have somehow walked straight onto the path of becoming the world's public enemy.
Absolutely.
Absolutely no one can discover my true identity!
Having established this grand strategic principle, Mozo staggered toward the communal bathhouse on weak legs and took a cold shower.
Only after cooling down his overheated body and mind did he return to his bed.
Honestly, it would've been better if I'd never learned the Dream World was real.
The thought lingered in his mind.
Then another idea suddenly struck him.
If the Dream World was real, then he would have to make much better use of his future dreams.
Based on his previous experiences, as long as he handled things properly, he might still be able to turn the situation around.
With renewed determination, Mozo found the sleeping pills he had prepared earlier, swallowed them, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep full of fighting spirit.
The next morning, Mozo sat upright in bed with a completely bewildered expression.
The Dream World stopped working?!
My last chance at a comeback is gone?!