"Alright then..."

Noting the person and the bull who clearly didn't want to speak the truth, Fredri couldn't help but roll her eyes, and turned back, too lazy to entertain their nonsense any longer, and went straight to the point:

"So, what is it you called me for a walk to talk about? Want to ask how much my trust in you has increased?"

"Not this time."

Seeing that Fredri didn't press further, Leon hurriedly shook his head and said:

"I came to find you today mainly to ask you a question... Do you still retain the memories from when you're awake?"

"?!!!"

Hearing Leon's words, Fredri's heart couldn't help but give a faint jolt, then she immediately frowned and retorted:

"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean memories from when you're awake?"

Sure enough, she's always been "awake"! 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Watching Fredri, who was behaving seamlessly yet unconsciously slipped an idiom, Leon took a deep breath, subconsciously glancing in the direction of the old yellow bull.

Based on the information he extracted from the bull's mouth, Fredri has a little habit she isn't aware of; she subconsciously uses idioms when lying, typically manifested in these habitually slipped idioms.

Although theoretically, this should just be a dream derived from her memory and shouldn't exceed the scope of her memory, these "NPCs" in the dream shouldn't know things even she doesn't understand.

But the dreams he and she had experienced were real to the point of being unusual, seemingly beyond this limitation.

In times when not influenced by themselves and her will, the people in the dreams seemed to have their own "thoughts" and logic, knowing a lot of things even the dream owner doesn't understand and would make many strange choices.

For instance, when he borrowed money from Suzuki Fuzi to bribe a member to arrest Kuro, and then there was a black-skinned traitor who reported on the distillery worker; or when he, Shiwan Ang as himself, joined Squad Five and inexplicably attracted a strange god of death eager to join to get close to Aizen...

All in all, the dream journey had many issues and absolutely couldn't be taken as a pure dream; the information obtained from Fredri's dream shouldn't be overlooked either!

Deciding to trust the old yellow bull for once, Leon turned around and stopped, gazing steadily at the girl version of Fredri under the cool moonlight, and spoke with intensity:

"You're lying!"

"I..."

"Fredri! You have been awake the whole time! You have never lost yourself in the dream!"

Seeing Leon's firm demeanor, Fredri inwardly thought this wasn't good, yet as she believed she hadn't shown any flaw, she persisted in not admitting, instead she frowned and said:

"I don't understand what you're saying at all. Are we still walking? If not, I'll go back; I have to get up early tomorrow..."

"Wait!"

Seeing Fredri about to leave, as his intelligence wasn't fully confirmed yet and he was in a "weaker position" in this dream, Leon had no choice but to temporarily give up, gently persuading:

"It's not easy to get out, let's continue walking."

"Alright then."

Taking a look at Leon who seemed to have temporarily put down his suspicions, Fredri hesitated for a moment, then slightly nodded and said:

"But if you're going to walk, do it properly, and don't ask me those odd, nonsensical questions anymore."

"I won't, I won't."

After giving a grin to the frowning Fredri, Leon reached out and patted the old yellow bull's rump, laughing and saying:

"Speaking of which, now that there's no one around, do you want to go have a ride and reminisce about your childhood?"

"You?!"

Upon hearing Leon's words, Fredri's cheeks slightly flushed, and she couldn't help but glare angrily at the old yellow bull:

"You even told him this?!"

"Moo... (I just said it casually...)"

Returning Fredri's slightly awkward gaze, the guilty old yellow bull glared begrudgingly at Leon with its cow eyes.

Receiving two cigars for helping with so many tasks, even leading to the kid's complaints, this time your buddy Bull really got a raw deal... can't we add a bit more compensation?

Add! Definitely add!

After silently tallying up, confirming there's still quite a bit of tobacco found while sun-drying medicine, Leon decisively gave the old yellow bull a thumbs-up.

Add two more!

No way, two is too few.

Unpleased, the old yellow bull slightly shook its head, then secretly extended its right foreleg.

Soon, I'll have to carry her up the mountain, this is all manual work, considering the labor fee you should at least add this amount... oh well, two it is then!

Looking at Leon's puzzled expression and the two slightly apart hooves on its foot, the old yellow bull couldn't help but sigh, simultaneously mulling over why bulls only had two toes, knelt down on the grass and turned to moo at Fredri with a fawning tone.

Oh, Fredri~ since you grew up, I haven't carried you, right? It's been a long while now, hasn't it?

"..."

Not a good while, it's been many years... and actually, now is just a dream, why not ride once more?

Looking at the old yellow bull's broad and sturdy back, recalling memories from her childhood, Fredri pursed her lips and ultimately couldn't resist, lifting her skirt and climbed onto the old yellow bull's back.

Leaning slightly forward, hands resting on the bull's back, feeling the coarseness of the short fur beneath her palms, a smile unconsciously crept onto Fredri's delicate face as nostalgia brimmed in her bright eyes.

It really has been a long time... Ever since the sanctuary was destroyed by the Four Pillars God, and the Sacred Bull died... no, wait!

Suddenly thinking of something, Fredri instinctively turned her head, looking toward Leon who had just helped her onto the bull, and as expected, met a pair of unblinking eyes.

It's confirmed, she indeed possesses "real" memories!

Watching Fredri's emotional upheaval disrupt her once tranquil Heart Lake, Leon calmly spoke:

"A tinge of shyness, traces of nostalgia, and a wealth of childhood joy are the emotions you should have in this dream.

But now in your Heart Lake, only a small part is related to joy; the rest are like scars of old sadness and overly intense reminiscence for the dream version of you... Fredri, do you still plan to deny it?"

"..."

"Seems besides the [lifespan] and the Old Soil's situation, you have more you're hiding from me."

Gazing at Fredri, whose Heart Lake was instantly cleared of agitation and returned to a pristine state, Leon patted the puzzled old yellow bull standing up, then looked up at the silent Fredri riding on the bull, with a tone of admiration:

"Remarkably, you can forcibly suppress all emotional fluctuations solely with pure willpower, even perfectly mimic corresponding emotions, so much that even I, who mastered the powers of the Heart Lake, couldn't discern any issue. The Taurus Pavilion certainly underestimated the strength of your will.

Using the [Dream Butterfly] for dozens of dream transitions still falls far short of your limit. Had it not been the dream battle greatly weakened your will, compounded by this sudden surge of emotions surprising you, I would still be kept in the dark.

Fredri, now please tell me, why do the Old Soil's inhabitants still retain the [lifespan]? What happened to Director Amendo and Aries Director? Moreover... What exactly are you all planning?"

"..."

It's clear I managed to fool everyone along the way, yet faltered at this last moment?

Watching Leon's gaze, although not intense, yet exuding a chilling aura, acknowledging that not answering these questions was not an option, Fredri sighed, then helplessly asked back:

"Mr. Leon, you have been prying into my dreams since the beginning, and now questioning me within my dream, isn't this inappropriate?"

"But our suspicions aren't wrong, right?"

Seeing Fredri still trying to pull back, Leon raised a hand to stabilize the gradually collapsing dreamscape around, emphatically articulating each word:

"Miss Fredri, honesty forms the foundational basis of collaboration. Indeed, I have been prying into your dreams, yet you seem to first conceal more crucial information, and if we can't establish even the most basic mutual trust..."