[Novel] Waking Up in a Dream, Episode 2: The First Night, Part 2

The First Night, Part 2

"You don't remember anything?"
Upon hearing my story, he muttered that and let out a long sigh. After pressing his fingertips to his temples and groaning, he looked at me.

"Your name is Terrastine. You are usually called Terra. If I recall, you were 15 years old. Though, you look about 3 years old right now."
"Terrastine."
I had absolutely no memory of that name.
"Where am I? And who are you?"
"This is inside my dream. I am Camus."

When he waved his hand, a large full-length mirror appeared in the empty space.
Reflected in the mirror were Camus and a three-year-old girl with light blue hair that reached down to her ankles.
"This is me..."
I stepped in front of the mirror and gazed intently at my own face.
White skin and large blue eyes. Long eyelashes. I look like a doll.
Perhaps because of my poor complexion, I look even more like a doll.

I looked up at Camus, who was standing beside me.
"Can you see in that state?"
Ah, he replied, and Camus raised the corner of his mouth.
"Since this is a dream, this wasn't necessary."
Camus removed the cloth that had been covering both his eyes. As he took it off, he covered both eyes with one hand, then slowly removed that hand as well. When his closed eyes opened, red irises were directed toward me.

He narrowed his red eyes as if focusing.
"Was your body stolen? It seems that is not a physical form."
"Huh?"
Camus leaned down and reached out toward my cheek. His hand, brought close, nearly touched my cheek before passing right through it.
Camus's face twisted in dissatisfaction. Seeing this, I tilted my head.
I had just touched my own cheek a moment ago. I could feel its plumpness with my hand.
It seems I can touch myself, but others cannot touch me.

"And your cheeks look so soft, too."
Camus muttered under his breath, and as if he had no choice, he knelt on one knee in front of me and held his hand over my cheek.
His palm glowed faintly, and I felt a warmth on the cheek he was hovering over.
When the light from his palm faded, Camus pinched my cheek just like that.

"Ouch."
"As I thought, it is soft. It feels good to hold."
His hand didn't pass through; he was kneading my cheek. Seeing tears well up in the corners of my eyes, Camus let go.
"I got carried away by a texture I don't often encounter. My apologies."
Camus grinned, and gently kissed the cheek he had just been pinching.
The soft sensation touched my tingling skin.

"!"
As Camus pulled his face away, I covered my cheek and backed away from him.
Did he just kiss me? Why?

As I stood there gasping, Camus waved the hand he had used to pinch my cheek.
"It seems your magical power was stolen along with your body. That is likely why your body has become so small."
Even though this is inside my dream, it seems he cannot return my body to its original state, Camus said.

"To think this would happen the moment I took my eyes off you... How troublesome."
Camus waved his hand, causing a sofa, a table, and tea and sweets to appear on top of it.
"This conversation is going to take a while, so sit down there."
Ignoring me as I blushed, Camus gestured toward the sofa with his gaze.