Eve and Mia stepped out of the wooden house one after the other.
The door closed behind them, shutting away the low mechanical hum of the air purifier.
They had barely gone a few steps before Eve felt the heaviness returning to her head.
The ordinary mask offered very little protection. Once she left the clean air inside the house, the drowsiness that had briefly subsided quickly crept back in.
Mia led Eve down a path thick with overgrown weeds. Along the way, Eve asked:
"Is the Nightwatch Apothecary's shop far from here?" Eve asked.
Mia's steps didn't slow, her tone perfectly certain.
"Not really, but we can't take the main road."
She sounded as though she had already planned their route.
"It would be faster to go through Everslumber Street, but after what happened earlier, there are probably still plenty of people watching."
Eve quickly understood what she meant.
She had attacked the Dreamgrave Raven in front of the townspeople. If she went back the same way now, someone might recognize her and draw unwanted attention to them.
They cut through several narrow alleys.
The farther they went, the sparser the houses became.
The surroundings grew so quiet that the only sound left was the soft scrape of their shoes against the stone pavement.
In that silence, Eve could feel the drowsiness slowly growing heavier.
She forced herself to count her steps, occasionally lifting her wrist to check the time, so her mind wouldn't blur without her noticing.
〖11:06 a.m.〗
"Almost there." Mia said suddenly.
She led Eve into an even more secluded, narrower lane.
At the end of it stood a low wooden shop.
There was no sign outside, and the doors and windows stayed shut at all times. Only an old lamp hung beneath the eaves, its dim yellow flame flickering faintly through the mist.
Even during Grayday, the lamp remained lit.
Locals passing the mouth of the lane instinctively softened their footsteps, their eyes always sliding away from the shop door — no one dared look inside for long.
A thick, bitter scent of medicine seeped through the cracks in the door, completely overpowering the mist's sweetness.
Mia placed a hand on the door but didn't push it open right away.
"The Nightwatch Apothecary doesn't help anyone for free."
Her voice dropped, her expression more serious than it had been the entire walk.
"Whatever he asks you, don't tell him everything."
"You've met him before?"
"When I came to buy masks and filters."
Mia pressed her lips together.
"He doesn't look like someone who would hurt people, but Grandpa always says the people who don't look dangerous are the ones you should be most careful around."
Eve looked at the closed wooden door.
"I understand."
Only then did Mia push it open.
Ding-a-ling—
A brass bell hanging behind the door gave a soft chime.
An even thicker scent of medicine washed over them.
Inside, the shop was long and dim, tall wooden cabinets lining both walls. The cabinets held rows of bottles in every shape—some filled with liquids of different colors, while a few glass bottles contained faint, mist-like glows drifting inside.
The light gathered and scattered in turns, occasionally forming blurred shapes of people — like fragments of dreams, trapped inside glass.
Near the corner hung several Anti-Sleep Masks, round filters arranged neatly beside them. On the shelves further back sat black feathers, dried claws, and other monster materials impossible to identify by origin.
Not a single item carried a price tag.
A man stood behind the counter.
He was tall and lean, wearing a dark robe that nearly melted into the shadows, black gloves covering both hands. A black raven-beaked mask covered his entire face, its long point leaving only two narrow slits where his eyes should be.
That mask made Eve think immediately of the Dreamgrave Raven.
He was bent low over a few dried herbs, sorting them.
Only at the sound of the bell did he slowly lift his head.
"Welcome."
His voice came from behind the bird-beak mask, calm and distant.
His gaze landed on Mia first, then shifted to Eve.
"You've brought an unfamiliar guest today."
Mia instinctively moved half a step closer to Eve.
"We're here for Anti-Sleep Masks."
The Nightwatch Apothecary didn't press further, only lifting a hand to gesture them closer.
Eve and Mia walked up to the counter together.
The closer Eve got, the stronger that bitter medicinal scent became. There was no mist in the shop at all, and yet it brought her no comfort — if anything, her body tensed instinctively.
"How many do you need?" the Nightwatch Apothecary asked.
"Two masks, and replacement filters."
"What can you offer in payment?"
Eve didn't pull out the crystal right away, glancing instead at the masks hanging on the wall.
“I don’t deal in Everslumber Town currency.” The Nightwatch Apothecary’s voice came through the mask, giving little away. “Food, medicinal ingredients, or other supplies can all be traded. What you can get in return depends on their value.”
Hearing this, Eve took off her backpack, unzipped it, and pulled out the gray-white crystal.
The moment it left the bag, the faint gold light drifting inside it lit up her fingertips.
The Nightwatch Apothecary's gaze fixed on it.
Even behind the beaked mask, she couldn't see his expression — but Eve noticed all the same that his hands, which had been sorting herbs, had gone still.
She set the crystal on the counter.
"Would this work?"
The Nightwatch Apothecary picked it up, holding it up to the light to examine it closely.
The ash-grey surface reflected the dim glow, the strands of pale gold light inside still drifting slowly.
"Very fresh."
His thumb brushed lightly over the edge of the crystal.
"This Dream Crystal only formed today."
"Dream Crystal?" Eve repeated.
The Apothecary lowered his gaze.
"When a Dreamgrave Raven devours a dream, some of the undigested power gathers inside the dream-core. When the core shatters, whatever power remains can sometimes crystallize into a Dream Crystal."
He turned the crystal over in his hand.
"Not every Dreamgrave Raven leaves one behind. That's what makes it far more valuable than ordinary monster materials."
Eve watched his fingers, which still hadn't let go of it
"How much is it worth?"
"Two Anti-Sleep Masks and two replacement filters."
Mia's expression changed slightly.
She looked as though she wanted to say something.
But The Nightwatch Apothecary turned his head toward her.
There was no emotion visible through the bird-beak mask.
Mia's lips parted, then closed again without a word.
Eve took in both of their reactions.
"How long does each filter last?"
"Depends on the mist's concentration. Staying in Everslumber Town, you'd usually get about half a day out of one."
Two filters wouldn't even be enough to keep her and Vera safe for two full days.
Eve didn't agree right away.
"If the Dream Crystal is this valuable, it's only worth this much?"
"The price is decided between buyer and seller." The Apothecary said, unhurried. "You're free to refuse."
"And leave wearing an ordinary mask?"
"Of course."
His tone was cold, without the slightest hint of a sales pitch.
"As long as you think you can find someone else willing to trade before you lose consciousness."
Eve studied him.
He knew she needed the masks badly. He knew she had no other options.
But if he genuinely believed the Dream Crystal was worth no more than two masks and two filters, he wouldn't have needed to explain so much — and he certainly wouldn't still be holding onto the crystal, even now.
"Two Anti-Sleep Masks. Four replacement filters." Eve said.
The Nightwatch Apothecary didn't respond.
"And one dose of something that can hold off drowsiness, temporarily. Plus three questions."
"You're asking for quite a lot."
"Because you want this Dream Crystal."
The shop fell silent for several seconds.
The Nightwatch Apothecary studied her from behind his mask.
Eve didn't look away, though she felt far less calm than she looked.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
She was gambling.
Gambling that the Dream Crystal was worth more than what he'd offered, and that he wouldn't turn hostile over a little haggling, not yet.
After a moment, he finally loosened his fingers around the crystal.
"Two Anti-Sleep Masks. Four replacement filters. And one bottle of Wake Tonic."
He paused.
"And answers to three questions."
"Deal."
The Nightwatch Apothecary reached to put the crystal away.
"Wait."
Eve looked at him.
"Answer the questions first."
His hand stilled above the crystal.
A faint, barely-there laugh seemed to drift out from behind the beaked mask.
"Careful."
"I simply don't like paying before I get what was agreed on."
"Ask."
Eve had already decided on her first question.
"Where do Dreamgrave Ravens come from?"
The Nightwatch Apothecary was silent for a moment.
"The sleep mist has existed in Everslumber Town longer than any living resident."
"Wherever there's mist, something that feeds on dreams will naturally take root."
The answer sounded reasonable enough — but it hadn't actually answered her question.
Eve fought down the urge to press further. She didn't want to waste a question on this.
"Second question. Why are you the only person in Everslumber Town who can make Anti-Sleep Masks?"
"Because the filters require processed sleep mist, special medicinal ingredients, and power extracted from Dream Crystals.
The Nightwatch Apothecary's gaze moved toward the crystal on the counter.
"The amount of each ingredient and the order of preparation must be exact."
"I am the only person in Everslumber Town who knows the complete method."
Eve continued,
"You seem to know a lot about Dreamgrave Ravens and Dream Crystals."
"Knowing how to use materials left behind by monsters doesn't mean those monsters have anything to do with me."
The Nightwatch Apothecary tilted his head slightly.
"Would you suspect a blacksmith of every stabbing simply because he knows how to forge a blade?"
Eve's eyes narrowed slightly.
She hadn't voiced her suspicion directly.
Yet he had already understood what she was really asking.
The Nightwatch Apothecary raised one black-gloved finger.
"You have one question left."
Eve raised her wrist.
She turned the watch face toward the counter.
Dark gold light glowed beneath the glass, and lines of text surfaced.
[Entry-Level Management Commission]
[Location: Everslumber Town]
[Objective: Locate a sustainable food source.]
[Objective: Recover the restaurant's missing power core.]
The Apothecary's gaze settled on the watch.
This time, he stayed silent longer than before.
"I see."
His tone remained calm, as though this didn't come as much of a surprise.
"The Long Night Hotel finally has a new manager."
Mia looked at Eve in surprise.
"Eve, you're the manager of the Long Night Hotel?"
"Only recently."
Eve offered no further explanation.
Her attention remained fixed on The Nightwatch Apothecary.
"Third question. Where is the Energy Core missing from the hotel's restaurant?"
The Nightwatch Apothecary seemed to have been waiting for her to ask.
"Go to the old clock tower."
"The Sleep Bell of Everslumber Town has never needed anyone to ring it. It operates on its own."
His voice was still calm and cold.
"The thing that keeps The Sleep Bell ringing is the Energy Core you're looking for."
Eve frowned slightly.
If he was telling the truth, then the Energy Core had already become part of what kept The Sleep Bell functioning.
Bringing it back to the hotel wouldn't be simple at all.
All three questions had been asked.
But Eve didn't look away.
Her gaze lingered on the bird-beak mask covering his face, then moved to the neatly preserved black feathers inside the cabinets.
"You came to Everslumber Town not long after the Dreamgrave Ravens first appeared."
The Nightwatch Apothecary didn't correct her.
"You know how they harvest dreams. You know about Dream Cores and Dream Crystals. And you're the only person in the entire town who knows how to use what they leave behind to make Anti-Sleep Masks."
Eve paused.
"What exactly is your connection to the Dreamgrave Ravens?"
The shop went strangely quiet.
Mia tugged anxiously at Eve's sleeve, silently urging her to stop.
The Nightwatch Apothecary stared at her through the mask for a long time.
He didn't seem angry.
Nor did Eve sense any killing intent.
He simply reminded her, calmly, "That's your fourth question."
Eve understood — he wouldn't answer it for free.
Even if she offered more, there was no guarantee it would buy her the truth.
"Fine."
She didn't push further.
"Let's finish the trade."
He retrieved two Anti-Sleep Masks, four circular replacement filters sealed inside small bags, and a tiny dark-brown glass bottle.
Inside was only a single mouthful of dark green liquid.
"The Wake Tonic can only be used once," he said. "After drinking it, your body will be forced to remain awake for a short period."
"How long?"
"Depends on the person. An hour, perhaps less."
"Side effects?"
"Once the effect wears off, all the fatigue you've accumulated will hit you at once."
"You may also experience headaches, hallucinations, or temporary mental confusion."
The Nightwatch Apothecary placed the bottle on the counter.
"Treat it like an ordinary energy drink, and you might not wake up the next time."
Eve packed everything away, one piece at a time.
Mia picked up one of the masks and fitted the filter into it for her.
"The filter goes into the slot on the side. Turn it clockwise until it locks."
She pointed to the pale gray center of the filter.
"The darker it gets, the more sleep mist it has absorbed."
"Replace it before it turns completely black."
Eve removed her ordinary mask and put on the Anti-Sleep Mask.
It sealed tightly around her nose and mouth.
At first, it felt uncomfortable.
But after her first breath, the cloying sweetness that had followed her for so long faded almost entirely.
Her mind didn't clear instantly, but the heavy weight pressing on her consciousness gradually eased.
At least now, she wouldn't have to spend most of her energy just fighting off sleep.
She tucked the second mask and the remaining filters into her backpack.
"The trade's complete." the Nightwatch Apothecary said.
She shouldered the bag and looked back at him once more.
"Hope the fourth question won't cost this much, next time we meet."
The beaked mask turned slightly toward her.
"As long as you're still alive to come back here, I'll make sure the price is fair."
Eve didn't answer. She turned and left with Mia.
Ding-a-ling—
The brass bell chimed again.
The door swung slowly shut.
The Nightwatch Apothecary stood behind the counter, watching the wooden door in silence.
From somewhere deep in the dim shop, the sound of wings beating suddenly broke the quiet.
A black shape dropped down from above, landing on his shoulder.
An ordinary-sized black raven.
Its feathers so dark they reflected no light at all, while a pair of dark silver eyes stayed alert, almost coldly so.
The very same raven that had stood on the rooftop the whole time, watching Eve kill the Dreamgrave Raven.
"She asked too much."
Corvus opened his beak, and a clear human voice came out.
The Nightwatch Apothecary pulled off one of his gloves, revealing long, pale fingers, and slowly stroked the raven's cold feathers.
"I know."
Corvus tilted his head.
"Should I have the Dreamgrave Ravens deal with her?"
A low chuckle sounded from behind the bird-beak mask.
"No."
The Nightwatch Apothecary picked up the Dream Crystal Eve had just traded him.
Pale golden threads of light continued to drift within it, reflected across the black surface of his mask.
"It's been a long time since I've met someone this interesting."
Corvus said nothing more..
His dark silver eyes followed Eve and Mia through the window as their figures slowly faded into the Sleep Mist.
Meanwhile, at Mia's home.
The air purifier continued humming softly in the corner.
Vera sat beside the bed, holding the old family photograph in her hands.
"So mushroom and minced meat porridge wasn't actually your specialty?"
"That's only a simple home recipe."
Edmund leaned against the headboard.
He still looked exhausted, but he was doing his best to remain awake.
"When I was younger, banquet dishes were my specialty. Whenever someone in town was getting married, they'd come looking for me half a month in advance."
"How many people did you have to cook for at once?"
"Dozens of tables for the smaller ones."
"For the larger banquets, over a hundred."
As he spoke about the past, a little more light returned to the old man's clouded eyes.
"When Mia was little, she loved sneaking into the kitchen to steal food."
"I'd finish frying a batch of meatballs, turn around for a second, and two would already be missing."
Vera glanced at the younger Mia in the photograph, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.
"She still looks like she'd do that."
Edmund couldn't help laughing.
But the laughter faded quickly.
He lifted a hand, rubbing at his temple.
"I still can't remember."
"Last night?"
"Mm."
Edmund looked toward the window.
"Mia says I left home to find food. But I don't remember any of it."
His fingers curled slowly.
"Losing an entire piece of your memory all at once feels like someone carved a hole into your head."
"You know something is supposed to be there."
"But no matter how hard you reach for it, there's nothing."
"Maybe it's only temporary."
Vera didn't tell him that the missing memory might never return.
"Don't force yourself. When Eve and Mia come back, we'll figure it out together."
Edmund nodded.
They kept talking, drifting back through old recipes.
Before long, a very faint sound of footsteps came from outside.
Vera's words faltered, just slightly.
The footsteps came fast, with no hesitation at all — as though whoever it was knew this road and this house intimately.
Edmund lifted his head too.
"Is that them? Back already?"
Vera looked toward the door.
Eve and Mia had only just left. There was no way they'd be back this soon.
The footsteps stopped outside the door.
The next instant, the lock gave a soft click.
Click.
The door was pushed open from outside.
A young man stood in the doorway.
Tall and lean, dressed in simple, dark clothes. Compared to the faintly smiling teenager in the family photo, his features had sharpened, and something watchful had settled into his eyes — the kind honed by a long time spent somewhere dangerous.
His gaze swept the room in an instant.
Edmund, pale-faced, lying in bed.
The medicine and bloodied gauze still sitting out on the table, not yet put away.
And Vera, sitting by the bed — someone he didn't recognize.
No Mia anywhere.
The man's eyes turned cold in an instant.
Vera had barely risen from her chair when the figure in front of her vanished.
She didn't even see him move.
A cold sensation had already pressed against the side of her neck.
The man had circled behind her without her noticing, one hand clamped on her shoulder, the other holding a short blade.
The sharp edge rested right against her skin.
Vera's body went rigid at once.
She didn't scream, didn't struggle recklessly — she could only make out, in the faint gleam of reflected light, the man's eyes: cold, wary.
"Who are you?"
The man kept his voice low.
The blade pressed a fraction closer to her throat.
"What did you do to my grandfather?"
Edmund finally recognized him.
His expression changed immediately.
"Stop! She's—"
But the man's gaze had already swept across the empty room.
Mia wasn't there.
His fingers tightened.
And when he spoke again, his voice was even colder than the blade.
"Where is Mia?"