Chapter 03
I’m screwed.
Was it because I fell asleep thinking about hot springs?
In the dream I had that day, there was a hot spring with warm steam rising in billows.
Wow, if I soaked myself in there and worked up a good sweat, it feels like all my fatigue would just melt away.
Just looking at that clear hot spring made my body feel pleasantly languid, and I wanted to jump in right away.
But my body, floating in midair, wouldn’t move the way I wanted, as if it were bound by something invisible.
Not somewhere else—this is my own dream, and I still can’t do what I want?
That I can’t stand!
Burning with the determination to enjoy a hot-spring bath at least in my dream, I struggled with all my might.
At that moment, a massive whirlpool of water rose up, and a huge silver dragon with jewel-like shining scales appeared.
“A dragon….”
A real dragon showed up.
I covered my mouth with both hands and let out an exclamation of awe.
At twenty-three years old, this was the first dragon dream of my life.
If it’s a dragon dream, isn’t that a total jackpot dream?
Should I buy a lottery ticket or something?
After being dazed for a moment, I soon pulled myself together.
There’s nothing to think about.
It’s a dragon dream, after all!
As soon as I wake up, I’ll run straight to the convenience store and buy an X-Lotto.
While happily running my imagination wild on my own, I gazed blankly at the silver dragon radiating a halo.
But for it to really be an auspicious dream, shouldn’t the dragon come into my arms?
Why is it just staring at me?
It seemed to be a dragon that was very shy around strangers.
“Come on, come here and give me a hug!”
For the bashful dragon, I took the initiative and spread my arms wide.
As if it had been waiting, the dragon surged toward me with powerful, wave-like movements.
That’s right! Good job.
I beckoned to the dragon as if coaxing a child taking their first steps.
It closed the distance without hesitation, so I thought it would come straight into my arms, but it stopped right in front of me.
Is it trying to play hard to get with me right now?
I can’t believe I’m playing push-and-pull with a dragon—something I’ve never even done with a boyfriend.
I felt a bit of existential whiplash, but if I had to prioritize, a dragon that could bring me a sudden fortune came before a boyfriend who might not even exist in this world.
While I was wondering how to seduce the dragon into letting me hug it, the dragon suddenly spoke to me.
“Would you like to become the owner of our hot spring?”
The dragon talks?
I was so shocked by the fact that the dragon could speak that I didn’t properly hear what it was saying.
“If you wish to become the owner, take this key!”
Still muttering to itself, the dragon pulled out a golden key from its bosom.
A golden key! That’s irresistible!
If it’s handing me a golden key like this, it’s definitely first prize!
If I win first prize in the lottery, what should I do first?
First, I’ll get my own house that I can live in for the rest of my life… and buy a car so I can go anywhere.
After that, I’ll set up a hot spring in a quiet place and enjoy a calm, peaceful life.
If that happens, I won’t have to be chased by reporters and have my livelihood cut off like I do now.
…Right, this isn’t the time to just stand here.
Grabbing the golden key comes first.
Thinking I had to seize my good fortune before waking up, I grabbed the golden key the moment—
A bright light burst from it, and unfamiliar windows popped up one after another.
[You have obtained the ‘Hot Spring Master Key’ from the guide ‘Yeonggye’.]
[By obtaining the ‘Hot Spring Master Key,’ a contract with the constellation ‘Ruler of Hot Springs’ is automatically concluded.]
[The constellation ‘Ruler of Hot Springs’ is startled and searches for the ‘Hot Spring Master Key’.]
[The constellation ‘Ruler of Hot Springs’ rages that it will turn ‘Yeonggye’ into samgyetang.]
What is all this?
[You awaken as ‘Owner of the Parched Hot Spring (F)’.]
Wasn’t this supposed to be a dream about winning the lottery?
A guide and even a constellation are showing up.
Could it be that I really awakened or something?
I stared at the window and grew serious for a moment, but then waved away the creeping anxiety with my hand and laughed it off.
Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that I really did awaken.
But not only am I F-rank, I awakened as a hot spring owner of all things?
I’d never seen or even heard of an awakened person whose job was “hot spring owner.”
Which means this is a dream created by my desperate desire to become a hot spring owner and live an easy, quiet life.
Given how much I’d been harassed by reporters lately, it was understandable that I’d have a dream like this.
“This dream feels incredibly real, almost like reality. Times change, so even dreams evolve, I guess. Right, Dragon?”
“I am not just a dragon.”
Apparently displeased with the way I addressed it, the dragon made a petulant face.
“If you’re not a dragon, then what are you?”
“As for me, I am the great Yeonggye.”
The dragon lifted its head proudly, exuding confidence, and snorted arrogantly.
“Yeonggye? As in the yeonggye you use for samgyetang?”
Even in a dream, the image of a plump, snowy-white chicken for samgyetang came to mind, and my mouth watered.
Samgyetang is delicious.
You tear off a big piece of meat, put it on your spoon with the milky broth, and take a bite… ah!
Just thinking about food made me suddenly feel very hungry.
Isn’t it about time for some restorative food anyway?
I eat tonkatsu often, so I’ll save that for next time—how about samgyetang for lunch today?
As I was thinking I should wake up quickly and order lunch, since I could even feel hunger in my dream, the dragon suddenly exploded in anger.
“Samgyetang?! To compare me to such a paltry creature! Listen well! The ‘yeong’ in my name is written with the character for brightness (瑩), and the ‘gye’ with the character for shining (暩). Yeonggye means ‘brightly shining.’ I am not some mere young chicken!”
“Yes, Dragon-nim. Thank you for your wise words. I think I’ve received everything there is to receive, so I’ll be waking up from the dream now.”
Having little interest in the dragon’s name, I absentmindedly picked at my ear with my pinky and looked at the golden key in my hand.
Its shimmering hue felt vividly real.
They say the more realistic a dream feels, the more auspicious it is.
Imagining myself grabbing a huge sum of money, I clenched the golden key and stifled a laugh.
Time to wake up! I’m too hungry to sleep any longer.
Driven by hunger, I raised my right hand and slapped my cheek mercilessly.
I thought it wouldn’t hurt since it was a dream.
“Ah! @#$%! It hurts!”
Damn it! My cheek throbbed painfully, like it was about to fall off.
All kinds of curses I couldn’t quite spit out swirled around in my mouth.
“Why does it hurt so much if this is a dream?”
“Why do you think it hurts?”
Clutching my swollen cheek with a tearful expression, I glared angrily, while Yeonggye looked at me with a pitiful gaze and asked.
“Why does it hurt, then?”
“Because it’s reality. When I found you, you were already asleep, so I had no choice but to borrow the scenery of a dream, but still.”
So this is reality, borrowing my dream?
“So you’re saying I really awakened? And as a hot spring owner, no less?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
The pain was far too vivid to be a dream, and I began to think that everything that had happened so far might really be real.
“No, who decided to sign a contract on their own? Just because you’re a constellation, you think you can force a contract and throw your weight around? Did I ever say I’d agree to a contract? You didn’t ask for my consent, so it’s all invalid! Invalid!”
Awakening meant stepping onto the path of a hunter, whether you liked it or not.
And a hot spring owner as a profession? That’s absurd.
Come to think of it, I’d heard something before.
That among the constellations, there are some with a strong con-artist streak.
They might have sweet-talked me using my dream to sign a contract, then say something different later.
“Changing your tune now is useless. I clearly asked for your intention from the start. I asked whether you wanted to become the owner of a hot spring. After hearing the explanation, it was by your own will that you accepted the Hot Spring Master Key.”
Yeonggye showed no sign of backing down from the contract.
Now that I think about it, the dragon did say something like that…
I was just completely blinded by the golden key and dreams of sudden wealth and didn’t listen at all.
“Besides, the one who truly forced a contract was the other side…”
“What did you say?”
Muttering something under his breath, Yeonggye coughed as if to brush it off.
“Ahem, no. In any case, a contract that’s already been concluded can’t be undone.”
“This is ridiculous… This is a dream.”
Please, someone tell me I’m dreaming!
Tell me it’s just a nightmare!
“If you can’t believe it, I’ll show you myself. As a hot spring owner, you’ll be busier than you can imagine from now on.”
Yeonggye lightly tapped the golden key in my hand with his sharp claw.
[Using ‘Hot Spring Master Key’.]
[You will be forcibly transported to the portal leading to ‘Parched Hot Spring (EX)’ shortly. Remaining time: 5 seconds.]
“We’re going just like that? Like this?”
I had been asleep, wearing my sleepwear, looking completely disheveled.
“I’ll go on ahead.”
Yeonggye swayed his long tail smugly and disappeared beyond the portal.
[Remaining time: 4 seconds.]
Find the cancel button, the cancel button.
[Remaining time: 3 seconds.]
No matter what, there has to be a cancel button somewhere on the window.
[Remaining time: 2 seconds.]
I rolled my eyes frantically, but all I could see was the time ticking away mercilessly and a confirm button.
[Remaining time: 1 second.]
[Remaining time: 0 seconds.]
I’m screwed.
[You are moving to the hidden field ‘Parched Hot Spring (EX)’.]
