#09: A Land Resplendent with Nature's Beauty

Instead of being blinded, a new world instantly materialized.

Through this shared vision, Renko could still feel the cold from the real world, and hear the sounds of the wind in abandoned Kyoto, but the scene that unfolded in three dimensions around her was clearly a new place. Snow was falling. The silhouette of a shrine was visible on the horizon. And before her stood an enormous tree - not an artificial pine like in the shopping district, but a live Mongolian oak with a grand oriental aura.

– "Is this... your dream world?"

– "That's the thing. We call it my dream world, but it's not really mine. This world belongs to someone else. Though, I have been here a lot recently to set this this up."

Renko's eyes fixated intently on the tree. Countless icicles, shining and sharp, hung in chaotic patterns from the tips of branches. The snow on the leaves reflected the sun ten times brighter than should be possible. Beyond these enhancements by the forces of nature, she could also tell that the tree had been hand-decorated with a number of unique objects.

– "Ha... I get it now, why you were late to our meeting. You were oversleeping... and busy!"

Back in their clubroom, they had accumulated a small collection of treasures from Merry's dreams: a bamboo shoot from a forbidden forest, an ancient stone from a graveyard of gods, a mysterious saké bottle of forgotten origins.

In contrast, this tree was decorated with simple earthly treasures that hardly passed for decorations, let alone treasures: for example, colorful miniature parasols that had been distributed with their favorite drinks from the café. Various cell phone charms they had considered lucky items whenever they passed a test while using them. Wooden wishing plaques from an outside shrine that had failed all readings as a paranormal hotspot.

And long strands of leftover red thread, wrapped around the branches like a garland, contrasted with the powdery white snow that clung to the leaves underneath.

– "I want to say that you've been hoarding too much, Merry, but this is great stuff. It all has such nice memories."

– "They're the most precious memories I can offer. You see, we take souvenirs from this world all the time. I started to think it's only fair to leave some behind as well."

– "You're right, I guess that's fair. In fact, it might even be necessary..."

– "We seem to have the same theory. Yes, I believe this boundary is able to hold because of a balance on both sides. I'd like to make sure it doesn't disappear... if only for a selfish reason."

– "What's that?"

– "So our club will never run out of adventures."