In the world of Hazama, "Sensei" refers to the overseers who manage its affairs. They are known as the "Messengers of the Goddess"—beings who have the rare privilege of directly communicating with the Goddess who reigns at the pinnacle of Hazama. No one else is permitted to even lay eyes upon her.

Each Messenger holds significant authority over their respective domains, commanding many subordinates. Ken, who oversees the Chamber of Regeneration, is one such Messenger, and Tuck and Lucy serve under him.

To become a Messenger of the Goddess is one of the highest honors in Hazama, granted only to a select few. Those like Tuck and Lucy, who work as subordinates, must gain experience through their daily duties, proving their exceptional abilities if they ever wish to walk the path toward becoming a Messenger themselves.

Leaving the Third Subdivision behind, Tuck and Lucy walked past countless doors, making their way toward the highest floor of the Chamber of Regeneration, where the Messenger of the Goddess resided. The dimly lit stairway stretched before them.

Technically, they could use Dream Power to activate the automatic lift, but Tuck refused to do so.

"Tuck, you’re really stubborn, you know that? Making an old woman like me climb over a hundred steps…"

Lucy sighed lightly as she spoke. Being about twenty years older than Tuck, she would have preferred to avoid the physical strain.

"I don’t want to waste Dream Power," Tuck replied with a serious expression.

"Haah… Well, I’ll go along with it for the sake of my health, but I’d appreciate it if you considered my well-being too."

She shrugged, though her expression was warm.

"Sorry."

Hearing his quiet apology, Lucy let out a small chuckle. Her eyes were filled with a gentle affection, like that of an older sister watching over her younger sibling.

In Hazama, the concept of corridors as they exist in the real world does not apply. With each step forward, a path is created from nothing, forming the way ahead as Tuck and Lucy moved forward. The moment they advanced, the space responded, and as they left it behind, the path vanished instantly—as if their very footsteps dictated the shape of the world itself.

This sensation made it feel as though their will and movement were directly connected to the existence of Hazama.

Most inhabitants of Hazama used Dream Power to travel effortlessly, so few chose to walk on foot like Tuck and Lucy. Because of this, the space remained eerily empty, their footsteps echoing sharply in the vast silence.

To Tuck, the sound of their steps reverberating around them felt like it was stirring the doubts and anxieties within his heart. With each step up the stairway, the unease inside him grew.

Right now, Tuck was heading toward the room of Ken, the Messenger of the Goddess.

And deep down, he knew—

That room was a place where his personal feelings meant nothing.