"That's just terrible!" Lucy the little maid asserted furiously after hearing Richard's words, puffing out her cheeks. "Master, you should teach them a lesson so that they never dare to provoke you again."
Richard initially smiled at her response, then shook his head.
Lucy was taken aback, her impatience rising. "What's the matter, Master? Aren't you going to teach them a lesson? They were really wicked towards you! In the knight novels I've read, it's always said that grievances should be repaid…"
Hearing this, Richard couldn't help but chuckle, then quickly adopted a stern expression and turned away from Lucy, chiding her, "You should read fewer of those knight novels. There's hardly anything useful in them."
"Is that so…? Fine." Lucy pouted a bit dejectedly but then stubbornly asked, "But isn't it right to repay grievances? Master, why aren't you punishing those who went after you?"
Looking at the little maid who seemed determined to get to the bottom of things, Richard sighed and said, "It's not that I can't do it or that I'm afraid. It's just that I don't want to waste my time on them."
"Huh?"
"Seeking revenge is certainly justified," Richard continued. "However, my time is precious, and I'd rather spend it on important matters rather than wasting more of it on retaliating against them. At least for now, as long as their actions don't go too far, I'll simply eliminate all the people they sent after me, without leaving a single one alive. But I won't go looking for trouble. I have more important things to focus on."
"More important things?" Lucy asked, her brows knitting together as she thought deeply. "Master, what exactly have you been busy with? It seems like you're not really focusing on one thing."
"Previously, I was collecting plants and minerals, conducting all kinds of experiments, but now I've started researching spells, and I hardly go into the laboratory for days," she said, somewhat complainingly.
Richard, hearing her words, let out a rare chuckle. Afterward, he responded, "You're right; what I do isn't very specialized. I have been doing experiments, studying sorcery, previously collecting plants and minerals, and even researching species evolution. However, none of this was random. I'm working on a much larger plan. This is something I've been doing from the beginning, throughout the past, present, and even into the future—it's the only thing I aim to accomplish."
"What is that?" Lucy exclaimed, her curiosity piqued.
Richard hesitated before answering, his expression shifting slightly as if recalling something significant. He turned his attention toward the tent entrance, peering through a small crack to catch a glimpse of the night outside, the raindrops cascading softly.
"Patter, patter…"
The rain fell steadily to the ground, and then Richard suddenly turned to Lucy and asked, "Lucy, have you ever thought about whether there exists another place similar to our world?"
"Huh? An almost similar place? What do you mean?" Lucy replied, looking a bit confused.
"I mean… a place that, despite some minor differences, is almost exactly like ours. A sort of replica, a clone."
"Master, are you talking about other countries like Myron?" Lucy asked tentatively, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.
"No," Richard shook his head. "I'm talking about the entire world, including Myron and all the countries within this continent. In other words, is there a place of similar magnitude to our century that doesn't belong to this world?"
Lucy felt even more bewildered, furrowing her brows in thought before responding, "Master, are you talking about dream realms or something?"
"Um, that…" Richard paused, taken aback. After a moment, he responded with a rueful smile, "You could call it a dream, but in reality, it feels much more tangible."
"Does such a place really exist?" Now it was Lucy's turn to ask.
"Of course it exists." Richard answered without hesitation, and after a slight pause, he added, "In fact, I come from that place."
"Ah!" Lucy's eyes widened in astonishment. "Master, you came from… from a dream?"
"More accurately, I come from a place that resembles a dream. That realm has similar landscapes, oceans, air, mountains, hills, rivers, and even identical types of plants, animals, minerals, and the most basic chemical elements," Richard elaborated, concluding with a sigh, "The similarities are so staggering it's hard to believe!"
"This…" Lucy was at a loss for words, her confusion only intensifying.
"Lucy, you need to understand that the formation of a world or planet is determined by many random factors, and these random factors shape everything that exists now." Noticing Lucy's perplexed expression, Richard deliberately slowed his tone to explain, "During the initial formation of a planet, even a slight difference in rotation speed could lead to drastic variations in structure and composition. Yet now, I discover that two different worlds have almost identical environments—it's simply unbelievable!"
"Moreover," Richard took a deep breath, continuing to gaze outside the tent, "what is even more astonishing is that all it takes is for you to close your eyes and open them again to transition from one world to another."
"Isn't that similar to dreaming?" Lucy asked innocently, scratching her head.
"It's not dreaming; I told you, it's merely somewhat similar to dreaming." Richard shook his head. "In reality, it involves moving from one existent world to another in the blink of an eye. During this process, consciousness remains intact, while the body undergoes a transformation—changing into that of a newborn baby."
"Is that… is that really possible?" Lucy inquired, her eyes wide.
"Logically, it seems impossible," Richard squinted. "At least based on all the scientific principles I've mastered, it's difficult to rationalize. The only thing that begins to explain it are certain novels I have read."
"Novels? Knight novels?" Lucy's eyes gleamed with sudden understanding.
"Something like knight novels," Richard replied vaguely. "In those stories, this phenomenon is often referred to as 'time travel.'"
"Time travel?" Lucy's confusion resurfaced.
"Yes, exactly, time travel." Richard slowly explained. "When you suddenly enter another world through unimaginable means, that's called time travel. In those novels, there is often a protagonist who, for various reasons, falls into despair, and unexpectedly, they just cross over without reason."
"And then?" For some reason, Lucy seemed to grow more eager.
Richard continued, "Then comes the illogical plotline: the initially downtrodden protagonist finds themselves in this new world, one characterized by strict hierarchies and power dynamics where the weak are subjugated by the strong. The strong might arbitrarily abuse or slay the weak without reason.
To survive, the protagonist strives hard to grow stronger, undergoing all sorts of adventures and fortunate encounters which lead to rapid growth, becoming the strongest individual in that new world in no time."
"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed quietly, imagining the thrilling plot Richard described, finding it much more exciting than any knight novel she had read. "That sounds amazing!"
"It is amazing," Richard smiled without arguing against her enthusiasm. However, he then shifted his tone. "But being amazing doesn't guarantee that it makes sense."
"Huh?"
Richard continued, "In reality… what world isn't hierarchical or power-driven? It's just that in some places, it's more overt while in others, it's more hidden. Some express it through sheer brute force, some through the number of soldiers, and others through wealth, power, and influence. Is there a fundamental difference among them?"
"Uh, Master, well…"