Eldritch

Let's see.
I want to find those Oroi worshippers.
Seriously, it's absolutely astonishing how hard you can tell people that they shouldn't do exactly this, and they still do.
It's absolutely beyond me how some, against all better evidence, swear an oath to someone who is so clearly opposed to their interests.
I literally told them that I would harvest their souls and destroy their civilization, so how come they think to support that?

As I start turning my inner eye towards the town, I'm literally jostled out of it when something comes up.
My mother entered my room and starts stirring the body I left behind.
As I won't let her wait, I directly transfer my consciousness back into it.

"Oh good! I already thought I'd have to call Kuri as you'd again be in this perma-sleep state." (S)

"Wha-, No, sorry. I was just a little occupied. I realized there's a lot to catch up on in my dream world. While I was over there, I basically put this body on hold." (I)

"Right… Well, you've had stranger stuff going on. Yet as weird as the situation may be, even if you literally can't sleep, I still think you should plan in proper rest periods for the night. You know, times when you allow your mind to catch up on everything that happened. It doesn't bode well if you stay active day and night without the slightest break." (S)

A rest period?
How would that even look like in my case?

"I'm not sure how feasible that is." (I)

"Now, at least try not to stay up all night, troubling yourself about all the possible issues that may exist. You still need to get some rest in." (S)

"You know that I can't sleep, Mum." (I)

"Well, you made progress in this regard. Yet in the first place, I only meant that you should, during those times, only do things that help you recover. Not solving all the problems of the world. Which includes your own, as getting too bogged down like this only leads to frustration. Keeping things in balance is important after all." (S)

She probably has a point.
I'm not sure if I can grow exhausted in the usual sense, maybe not even mentally anymore, but I've had plenty of times when I felt down.
All work and no rest at all seems like the perfect recipe to get riled up.

"Though, I don't think you should do anything too exciting all the time. Maybe you could try meditation or something. I'm a bit reluctant to tell you what you should experiment with." (S)

"I guess I can try." (I)

"Sounds great. As long as you keep a healthy rhythm and are present by morning, unlike this time." (S)

By morning?
Strangely enough, sunlight is coming in my window, but it can't be that late.
I didn't even do all that much.

"I was barely gone." (I)

"Iori, it's past midday." (S)

"Midday!?" (I)

How can it be midday?
It can't have been that long.
Talking to Soraja and my generals?

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
That can't have taken longer than an hour or so.

If not...
The spa estate!
I went into my dream to somehow occupy my mind and spend the night, so the estate turned this desire so that the night would definitely be over upon my return.

"Yes, it is. I wouldn't just enter your room, so I knocked before. I wanted to wake you up for breakfast, but your father argued that it's a part of youth to sleep in on Sunday, so I waited. Maybe also a bit because I kinda expected one of your shenanigans in here." (S)

"Right..." (I)

I know she doesn't mean it in a bad way.
Rather, she anticipates by now that I'm dealing with all my stuff on my terms.

"Well, I left you a bit to eat in the living room. Get yourself ready and join us." (S)

There's not much to argue in this regard.
I get a change of clothes from my wardrobe, which by now probably consists mostly of things that decisively don't consist of cloth, and get to the living room.
After all, regular meals help to at least maintain a semblance of normalcy.

"Hey, my little dreamer. Tried to give that nickname honors today, did you?" (Chr)

There sits Dad, right on the couch, and he, ehm...

"Uh, Dad? Why are you looking so haggard?" (I)

That's still putting it nicely.
Gaunt may be the more fitting expression.
Deep sacs below the eyes, his features fallen in, a little bit pale.
And I'm the one being reprimanded here about my nighttime activities?!

At this, he and Mum exchange a glance that supposedly carries a deeper meaning.

"Ah, you see, your mother and I, we celebrated a little last night." (Chr)

Celebrated?
He doesn't look like he'd have a hangover.
Rather, as if he ran a marathon that went far too long.
As if someone sucked the very lifeblood from him, or something else, like...

Ooohhhh...

I look at my mother, whom I now notice might make a slightly bashful face.

Oh no, oh no, oh no!
I absolutely didn't have to know about this!

Now Dad leans even over and gives Mum a smooch.

"Christian! She's here." (S)

"Awh, come on, don't be so stiff. It's not like she wouldn't know about this stuff. I remember you saying you had the talk with her. Also, didn't she learn about this in class? They teach that at school, right?" (Chr)

They do!
But that's absolutely no reason to provide practical examples!
And Mum is even giving in!
Is that what the rest of my family means when they call Dad a defiler?

"Ahem, should I leave you to... this?" (I)

Seems highly intimate to me.

"You know, your father is only here for his vacation. In a few weeks, he'll have to leave again." (S)

Seriously, stop!
I get it!

"It's just... The day before, things were a little heated, Iori." (S)

"We noticed that you were upset on Friday, so the mood wasn't quite right to... celebrate." (Chr)

Yeah, even now I'm not quite sure how to take my parents openly making out.

"I think maybe we should hold back a little, Christian." (S)

You don't say?!

"Nonsense. Despite what she claims here, your Mum can be a real demon." (Chr)

Wasn't Mum supposed to be a bit more traditional in her ways?
And if that isn't ironic wording.
Wait, is that why he's looking so drained?
Did future me intentionally exclude this case from his reality field?!
What for, future me?!!

Then, Dad starts looking with a bit more seriousness at me, which, given the state of his face, gets its very own gravity.

"Iori, if you ever come to really love someone, and they reciprocate it, don't ever hold back, or you'll regret every second you couldn't fully make use of." (Chr)

I don't even want to imagine what that would entail in my case!
Just good that I put those seals on myself, or this episode could have laid my dream again to waste.

At least, at my pleading gaze, Mum and Dad finally decide to drop the issue.

"But well, now that you're here, why not go about my other favorite pastime? Let's make it a gaming day!" (Chr)

This is something I can get behind.
For someone in my position, recreational activities are as important as everything else.
I mean, I get constantly told that I shouldn't let my thoughts wander too much, so keeping my mind occupied should be the way to go.

Thus, we play all the different board games we have, and then even some video games.
I'm quite surprised how Dad doesn't collapse on the spot.
Though it might be that this truly has a positive effect on him and he's recharging.
After dinner, he seems to already be back to normal.

Since things are settling down now, I decide to retire as well.

"Ahem, if it's alright, I would like to go back to my room now. There's a bit of stuff I need to take care of." (I)

Mum looks knowingly and then adds:

"Alright, but don't let it become too long. Just as we talked about." (S)

"She's right. Don't forget you've got school tomorrow." (Chr)

Right.
For Dad, I'm probably still the chronically lethargic one.
I should therefore make sure to get up on time.
And I certainly will.
Yet despite Mum's real intention, to keep me from spending all my nights doing random stuff that will rile me up and in the end leave me a nervous wreck, right now, there's still time.
Before I was woken up, I had plans.

So, how to track down a cult?