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  I fell asleep in a stranger’s room, chasing a ghost’s scent through the night.” That was the last thing I remembered before the world faded.

  And yet, it wasn’t darkness that greeted me.

  It was... something else.

  A vast indigo expanse stretched beyond the horizon, where the line between sky and ground blurred into nothing. Stars shimmered in and out of existence, and I stood on—something. I couldn’t feel gravity, but I wasn’t floating either. Normally, this would be where I saw a prophetic dream. But not tonight.

  Footsteps echoed—sharp, deliberate. The click of leather shoes across the void.

  "Hey. Finally managed to catch you."

  A voice—familiar, though we’d never met.

  A man stepped out from the starlight. He wore a long black coat and a silk hat, like an old-time detective pulled from a noir film. With a soft, knowing smile, he spoke like he already knew me.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  "Nice to meet you, Rat. You can call me the Dream Traveler. I’ve been meaning to drop by, but I’ve been busy. Instead, I’ve been sending you visions. Hope that makes up for it."

  He felt whimsical, laid-back, even kind. Strangely comforting for someone who just appeared in the middle of a dream.

  "This place… is it really a dream?"

  "Yeah. But not just any dream."

  He raised a finger and traced it through the air. Streaks of stardust followed, coalescing into the shape of a small flower—like a sunflower blooming in space.

  "You’re searching for something, aren’t you? Following the scent of a case. But you’re lost in the fog."

  I nodded, silently. Aria. The necromancer rumors. I was chasing shadows and lies, unsure what to believe.

  "So tonight," he said, tilting his hat, "I’ll leave you with a hint."

  His gaze locked with mine.

  "Dog."

  "…Dog?"

  "Yep. In your world, they’re famous for their noses. But that’s not all they’re good at."

  His words were cryptic. Was he talking about scent? Sound? Behavior?

  "You’ll understand when the time comes. A hint isn’t always clear from the start."

  He turned, walking across the void as stardust scattered beneath his steps.

  "Well then, see you next time. Maybe we’ll go a bit deeper."

  "Wait—are you connected to Yatagarasu?"

  He raised one hand in farewell, never looking back.

  "I’m just a traveler in dreams. That’s all you need to know for now."

  The sea of stars swallowed him whole. The dreamscape shattered—

  And I woke up.

  ＊

  I gasped and sat up, heart pounding. The ceiling loomed overhead. Aria’s room, still wrapped in night.

  It had been a dream. And yet, every detail lingered—etched into my memory.

  The Dream Traveler. His words. Dog—

  “What the hell was that…?”

  I muttered as I sat at the edge of the bed.

  The case. Aria. The manager I hadn’t even met yet. Something about it all felt... off.

  The man said the dog was the key.

  —What does the dog know?

  I pressed my fingers to my forehead and stared into the dark. That dream hadn't just been a dream. And I was right.