Chapter 75: Self-Suggestion

Chapter 75: Self-Suggestion

East Chester County, inside a manor belonging to the Hall family.

Audrey sat before her dressing table and lit a candle.

Then, through the faintly swaying flame, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her emerald eyes gradually grew deep and secluded, making it difficult to look away, as though even one’s soul might sink into them.

“Audrey, remain lucid in your dream tonight,” she said softly to herself in her beautiful voice.

This was a simple form of psychological suggestion.

The old ballad she had heard at dusk had given her inspiration, causing her to entertain the idea of exploring her own dreams to see whether she could use them to enter the sea of subconsciousness and the sky of spirituality shared by all living beings.

This was an attempt other Psychiatrists had never thought of—or at least, among the reference experiences provided by the Psychology Alchemists, there was nothing similar: suggesting to oneself, exploring one’s own dreams.

Perhaps I can discover traces of the mind dragons there, perhaps even the City of Miracles, Liveseyd… Audrey withdrew her gaze, removed Lie, which had transformed into a ruby necklace, and placed it inside her jewelry box.

She feared that this mystical item, capable of amplifying emotions, might affect her dream self and cause unnecessary harm, so she cautiously dealt with it in advance.

After finishing all this, Audrey subconsciously glanced at herself in the mirror and discovered that her appearance had regained a tiny flaw.

When wearing Lie, she had felt that her own beauty was enough to make even herself fall into fascination.

“Wake up, Audrey. That was only a lie!” She lifted her right hand and gently stroked her cheek.

At that moment, she felt especially glad that she had named the mystical item “Lie,” because it would constantly remind her to stay vigilant. Otherwise, one day she might come to depend on it completely, refusing to face her true self. If she then lost it, she might very well lose control directly.

“For girls with more ordinary looks, once they wear Lie, modify their appearance, and obtain a nearly perfect transformation, perhaps they will never again be willing to take it off. They might prefer death just to preserve that beauty… A corresponding Beyonder also must not possess such a state of mind…” Audrey sighed softly and stood up.

Wearing a smooth silk nightgown, she walked lightly and expectantly through the room, warm as spring, back to the soft, comfortable bed that also gave elastic support. Then she pulled a cord at the bedside.

Her personal maid, Annie, opened the door and entered, moving gently as she extinguished the lights.

It did not take long before Audrey truly fell asleep.

In the hazy, indistinct world, she suddenly shivered and realized that she was dreaming.

With great interest, she looked around, silently muttering to herself:

“So this is what psychology calls a lucid dream?

“There is a similar concept in mysticism as well.

“It really worked. Relying on simple psychological self-suggestion, I successfully entered a lucid dream. Audrey, you really are a genius—no, no, no. This is mainly an application of Beyonder powers. You cannot be proud.”

By then, Audrey had already figured out what her current dream was.

She was walking along a gloomy, narrow road. Around her stood a dark forest, and ahead of her was a castle with towering spires.

From every direction came the drawn-out howl of wolves, the slow and terrifying sound of breathing, and sharp, intermittent screams, brewing a dangerous, oppressive atmosphere.

I still feel afraid because of Duke Negan’s assassination. Afraid that, one day, many Beyonders will suddenly come to attack Father, Mother, and my brothers… Audrey analyzed her own dream from the perspective of a Psychiatrist.

She walked forward slowly, heading through this unusually realistic dream toward the castle that was almost identical to the Hall family’s ancestral home.

As she…