Today, the Dallergut Dream Department Store is relatively quiet. Customers are calmly shopping, and Dallergut is roaming around the lobby with a snack basket under his arm, handing out Deep Sleep Candy to those leaving empty-handed.
“Can I have one more?” says a female customer in a golden lace nightdress, teasingly sticking out her hand.
“Do you have a day off tomorrow?”
“No, I have work, yet again.”
“Then take one only. Two will make you sleep through your alarm.”
The customer looks glum as she leaves the store, her shoulders stooped at the thought of going to work tomorrow.
It’s a relaxing workday for Penny. She idly fills her time wiping and rewiping the same Eyelid Scales, and by the time her shift is almost over, she is just sitting at the front desk with a blank stare. Next to her, Weather keeps filling her memo pad with something and then erasing it, only to repeat the same thing all over again.
The pendulum clock in the lobby says 5:30 p.m.
“Weather, can you start getting ready? I reserved a taxi for 6:00 p.m., and it’ll be here anytime.” Dallergut approaches the front desk, his snack basket now empty.
“Oh my, is it time already? I still haven’t decided on the Christmas decorations yet. I was planning to order them today...” Weather seems impatient, unable to sit still.
“Are you two heading somewhere? And what about the Christmas decorations? Christmas is still months away,” Penny asks, confused.
“You’d be surprised! There’s only one decoration store on this street. If you’re late to the ordering game, you’ll be stuck with leftover items. Last year, I had to buy a muddy tree that looked like it was sloppily chopped down for as much as 100 gordens. I still remember whenever Motail passed by that tree, he’d tease that I had decorated a fire log,” Weather mumbles, her eyes glued to the memo pad.
“So, where are you two heading that requires a cab reservation?”
Hastily, Weather picks up a piece of crumpled paper from the front desk and hands it to Penny. Penny smooths out the paper and starts reading.
Dear all dreammakers and sellers,
This year’s general assembly will take place at Nicholas’s house, located in the entryway to the Million-Year Snow Mountain on the north side. This year’s agenda is “How to tackle the rising number of ‘no-shows.’” We sincerely ask that all members attend.
Best regards,
Nicholas, President of the Dream Industry Staff Association
“Dallergut is invited, and he can take one person to accompany him. It’s a great opportunity to meet famous dreammakers in person. As for me, though, I’ve grown a bit tired of it...” Weather says indifferently.
“How about Vigo Myers? He loves dreams so much, I’m sure he would love to meet the dreammakers,” says Penny.
“Not necessarily. Yes, Myers loves dreams, but he has...rather complex feelings about the dreammakers.” Weather lowers her voice. “He has a bit of a jealousy issue. He was expelled just days before his college graduation, for some reason. He could have become a promising dreammaker had he graduated. And apparently he still holds a grudge. So it’s best not to mention the word dreammaker around him.”
Weather returns to her memo pad, scribbling down “Christmas signature garland x 30 m,” “satin ribbon x 30 rolls,” “cotton wools x 1,000” and “fake antlers x 3.”
“If you’re busy, Weather, I can go by myself,” Dallergut says stiffly.
“You sure?” Weather does not hide her delight.
“Of course. I’ll just shove food into my mouth and stand awkwardly by myself in a room full of dreammakers. I’ll be totally fine.”
Weather’s smile fades.
“Can I come?” Penny chimes in. “I don’t have any plans after work today.” She means it. She’s not trying to be nice; she’s genuinely interested in attending.
“Would you?” Weather says, beaming along with Dallergut.
“I’ll just get my coat. Give me a second!” Dallergut says.
Weather now seems more at ease. Humming an old carol, she adds “Christmas tree lights” to her list.
“I had no idea decorating for Christmas was part of our front desk job,” Penny says, making a mental note to pick up some tips from Weather so she can prepare for next year’s season in advance.
“Nah, it’s for whoever likes to do it. And I like this type of work. When I first got pregnant with my youngest child, I lost myself in a shopping spree to decorate the baby’s room, and when I came to, I was already in my last month! Come to think of it, this was Myers’s job before it became mine.”
“Manager Myers handled the Christmas decorations?”
“Just for a year. He would demand the staff align the branches in perfect symmetry, pick up stray ornaments if they fell, and so on. Driving everyone crazy. Of course, the ever-tidy second-floor staff members were thrilled... But for others, it was madness. So, for everyone’s sake, I decided to take over, because I love shopping. Anyway, I want to make the order today so we receive all the packages in advance and can relax. It’s an important priority of mine.” Weather seems genuinely joyful.
Dallergut comes back out wearing a brown coat with blue rain boots that look entirely out of place.
“Umm, Dallergut. I think the shoes you were wearing before are much better...”
Just then, the taxi arrives with two short honks.
“Shall we get going?” says Dallergut, and they head out to the car.
“Hello, Mr. Dallergut. It’s my honor to serve you today.” A young taxi driver takes off his hat and extends his hand to Dallergut in the back seat.
“You’re too kind! Thank you for making it in time.” Dallergut misses the extended hand, apparently distracted by his boots, which seem too small for him. Looking awkward, the driver raises the radio volume with his rejected hand and starts driving.
The taxi slowly moves through the downtown. Dallergut looks out of the window in silence. Penny feels a bit hungry, having only had a small lunch. Her stomach growls, but fortunately, it’s buried by the sound of the radio.
“By the way, am I really allowed to join you? I assume only VIPs get invited to the general assembly... Weather’s a veteran staffer, but I’m just an unknown newbie.”
“Don’t worry. The general assembly used to be a meeting for authorities to discuss and resolve important issues in the dream industry. Nowadays, it’s just a light dinner gathering. Nobody cares who brings whom. It’s better this way. A light and casual setting allows for more productive and open discussions.”
“But I saw the official invitation. The agenda item is urgent this time.”
“Are you referring to the no-show issue?”
“Yes. I know what it means: customers who preorder their dreams but fail to pick them up on time because they don’t fall asleep.”
“Yes, you’re right. It is indeed a crucial issue. The damage is especially severe for those of us who use the pay-later system.”
“Could it impact our business?” Penny worries that the job she worked so hard to land could be in jeopardy.
“It’s not bad enough to affect our business. We’ve been dealing with this issue for as long as I can remember. Let’s hope some great ideas emerge at the meeting today.”
Through the car window, Penny notices Maxim’s dull studio.
“Will Maxim be there as well?” she asks.
“I’m not sure. He usually spends all his time working on his dreams. He isn’t a regular attendee at this kind of thing. Were you hoping to see him there?”
“Well... It would be nice to see a familiar face.” Penny fiddles with a strand of her hair.
As they pass an alleyway, the streets empty out. Down a highway on the outskirts of the city the Million-Year Snow Mountain comes into view, bright and blindingly white.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to walk the rest of the way. Cars can’t enter here,” says the driver, speaking for the first time after the long, silent drive.
The road to Nicholas’s cabin is unsuitable for Penny’s short ankle boots. Her legs keep sinking deep into the snow. Meanwhile, Dallergut’s walking ahead in his rain boots, oblivious to Penny’s struggles.
“There it is. That’s Nicholas’s cabin.” Dallergut stops.
Passing several trees as big as houses, the cabin—which is more like a mansion—rises out of nowhere. Its little silver decorations sparkle more than the snow surrounding it.
“How come we don’t see this from our village?”
“It’s not visible in the sun; the house is whiter than the snow. This view never gets old!”
“But it can’t be easy to venture outside if you live here.”
“Perfect for the guy. He just stays at home except during the winter.”
Penny scowls. Her socks are soaking from the wet snow. When they reach the cabin, an old man who looks at least twenty years older than Dallergut throws open the door and jumps out.
“Dallergut!” the old man excitedly greets him and grabs him by the hand. His short hair and eyebrows are as silver as the snow.
“Nicholas! How have you been?” Dallergut eagerly returns the handshake.
“You’re first to arrive again! These dreammakers, they hate it when their customers are late, but look at them...” Nicholas clucks with disapproval. “Is this your new staffer? Filling in for Weather, I presume.”
“Yes. This is Penny. Penny, meet Nicholas, the host and the owner of the house.”
“Hello, I’m Penny. I started working at the Dallergut dream store earlier this year.”
“Nice to meet you, Penny. I assume you’ve heard about me.”
Penny has not heard about Nicholas. When she saw the invitation, she just assumed he was one of the association staff members. She meets his eyes with an awkward smile, trying to hide her I-don’t-know-anything-about-you face.
“Hurry up and come on in before your feet get frostbite from those damp socks!”
Penny hesitantly glances at Dallergut before taking off her wet socks. She awkwardly puts her boots back on with the backs folded down and steps inside.
“Please wait here. I’ll get you some food. The ribs today have been grilled perfectly in my brand-new high-quality oven. I’ve also got plenty of liquor to go with them.”
Nicholas leads them to the dining room. Behind a long dining table, a giant arched window gives way to a frosty snow-covered landscape. Perennial plants on the table are decorated with fairy lights, and a sizable pine tree towers over the kitchen. It all seems strangely fitting.
Penny thinks this place could be great for Christmas decoration inspiration. If only Weather were here. She wishes she could take pictures.
“Dallergut, what dreams does the host make? I’ve never heard of a dreammaker named Nicholas.”
“Oh, I see. Yes, his real name might not sound familiar. Do you want to take a guess, having looked around this place?”
“I’d imagine he creates fairy-tale-like dreams. An old grandpa in the Million-Year Snow Mountain... Inside a cabin full of glittering decorations... And a feast... This place feels like Christmas!”
“So you’ve caught on!”
“I’m sorry?”
“You can’t talk about Christmas without Nicholas, and vice versa. They’re inextricable.”
Dallergut stares at Penny as if to say, How many more hints do you need? I basically told you everything.
Thanks to that, Penny gets it. “Is he Santa Claus?”
“Yes, he is. But we usually call him Nicholas here.”
Santa Claus is a famous dreammaker whose skills are on par with the Legendary Big Five—Yasnoozz Otra, Kick Slumber, Wawa Sleepland, Doje and Babynap Rockabye. But he’s only known to sell his dreams at Christmas. He insists on working exclusively in the winter.
That he can still live in such luxury while working only during the Christmas season is a testament to his enormous talent.
“Nicholas has no desire for fame. He is just a simple old man who loves the Christmas season and kids. Oh, and this, too.” Dallergut holds up a fancy-looking silver fork and smiles.
Penny thinks Nicholas has the perfect work-life balance. A life worth aspiring to.
After much rattling in the kitchen, Nicholas comes out with a bread basket and fruit salad. Penny admires his silver hair and matching silver beard. She and Dallergut help him set the table.
By the time the places are set, other guests have started to assemble. The first to arrive after Penny and Dallergut is Babynap Rockabye, the precognitive dreammaker. Maxim is right behind her. Rockabye seems to have chosen him over her usual entourage for today.
Both of them come in with their shoes soaking wet from the snow. Maxim’s big build juxtaposed with Rockabye’s tiny physique makes for a striking contrast. Strangely, though, they exude a similar energy.
Do all these veteran dreammakers share the same unique aura? Penny remembers feeling this same aura from Dallergut when she first met him. It dawns on her how thrilling it is to be among these incredible dreammakers. It makes her feel like she’s one of them. She could get used to occasions like this.
“Hello!” Penny greets Rockabye in an unusually excited tone.
Surprisingly, Rockabye remembers her. “Oh, a new face in place of Weather this time! You’re that adorable lady I saw at the dream store when I brought my last batch.”
“Penny, so good to see you here,” Maxim greets her, almost teary with excitement, much to Penny’s surprise. Could he really be that elated to see her? She knows that can’t be true.
Tears are now running down Maxim’s face. “Oh, this is just because Nicholas’s house is too bright for my eyes. By the way, Penny, after you visited my studio, I changed the black curtains to gray. You pointed out how dark it was...”
“To...gray?”
“Yes. The gray color transmits more sunlight than the black—by three percent.”
“Oh...” Penny doesn’t know what to say, so she just looks back at Maxim, who’s standing there like an overgrown kid, waiting for a compliment, although the bright light warps his features.
“Why don’t you put on some shades, kiddo?” Nicholas taps Maxim on the shoulder, offering him a pair of sunglasses. “And stop making gloomy dreams, would you? Live a merry life, you’re still young.”
Maxim seamlessly takes the sunglasses from Nicholas, as if this isn’t the first time he has worn them. “So many people are oblivious to how dangerous the world is. Warm blankets, warm meals like this and a safe home... They don’t last. I want to prepare people to be strong for the world,” Maxim says solemnly, putting on the oversize aviator sunglasses.
“It amazes me how you worry so much over every little thing, because you don’t look the type. It’s all in your head, kiddo. As far as I know, the world has seen scarier things. Jealousy, inferiority complexes... These are the things to watch out for nowadays, scarier than a wild beast chasing you.”
“That’s actually a good business idea!” Maxim seems interested.
“Sorry to interrupt, but why don’t we save business talk for later? Please take a seat.” Dallergut intervenes and sets the tone.
Rockabye sits right next to Nicholas. Maxim, whom Penny had guessed would sit next to Rockabye, hesitates, then sits beside Penny. Penny fights the urge to read too much into it, but it’s hard to discern his intentions behind the sunglasses.
With everything made from fresh ingredients, Nicholas’s feast is spectacular, even with minimum seasonings. Rockabye is on her second plate of fruit salad.
“This is amazing! Nothing is better than fresh fruit.”
Penny has been waiting for everybody else to arrive before she starts her meal, but when the freshly grilled back ribs are served, waiting becomes excruciating.
“Please go ahead and start,” says Nicholas. “It’s no good when the food turns cold. You can have as much as you want. As we speak, I have another round of food baking in the oven for our latecomers.”
At this, Penny aims her fork at a piece of meat and dips it into the gravy. Just as she is about to put it into her mouth, two new faces appear before her that immediately stop her in her tracks.
Technically, they are familiar faces to Penny, but this is her first time seeing them in person.
Standing before her is a fair-skinned lady with long, beautiful auburn hair. Accompanying her is a middle-aged woman with a short, asymmetric bob, wearing a long, fashionable coat that comes down to her ankles.
“Wawa Sleepland and Yasnoozz Otra are standing in front of me? Unbelievable!” Penny makes a great fuss, unable to hide her excitement.
“You’re here early, Dallergut. And I can see you’re not with Weather today,” says Wawa Sleepland, giving Penny a nod.
“Oh my God, I’ve been a huge fan of yours since I was little! Well, not little, but since my school days, which makes sense, because it’s been less than ten years since your debut, right?” Penny is talking gibberish, mesmerized by Sleepland’s beauty.
“Long time no see, Wawa. You look well. And Yasnoozz, you look terrific, too.” Dallergut greets them with such ease, like it’s just another day.
“Dallergut, did you know my lifelong dream is to have one of their dreams!” Penny exclaims.
Across from Penny sit Wawa Sleepland, Yasnoozz Otra and Babynap Rockabye, all side by side, tasting the back ribs. Penny can barely eat her dish, too busy glancing at them. She doesn’t notice Maxim carefully rotating the back rib platter so that the soft part of the meat faces her.
“Penny, whose dream would you want to have the most?” Dallergut quietly asks.
“For me... It would have to be Sleepland’s.”
“Ah, Wawa Sleepland, wonderful choice! She makes such scenic dreams. I’ve dreamed one of hers before, and it was incredible. I didn’t want to wake up from it. It was set in the Middle Ages, and I was overlooking a city from a fortress in the rain. The sky was twinkling above me, the moon and the stars coming closer the more I reached to touch them.” Dallergut seems lost in thought, his eyes distant.
“I assume they must be costly?”
“Of course. But Yasnoozz’s are even more expensive than Wawa’s.” Dallergut points his shoulder at Yasnoozz Otra, who is sipping wine and making small talk with Babynap Rockabye.
“I’ve heard Yasnoozz Otra’s dreams are priceless. A lot of her dreams are about putting ourselves in others’ shoes, aren’t they? Is there a particular dream that especially costs more?”
“The longer the dreams are, the pricier.”
“By much?”
“By as much as it costs to have an opportunity to live another person’s life.”
“Is that even possible?” Penny’s eyebrows go up.
“Everything is possible in a dream. You work in the business; don’t you know that by now?” Dallergut gently smiles.
“Hey, you, Dallergut! I was meaning to stop by your store,” says Yasnoozz Otra from across the table as she reaches for the pepper shaker.
“Oh, what did you need? I can have my staff take care of it for you. You’re a very busy person all year round.”
“It’s fine. Yes, I’m busy, but I do enjoy some time off, too, you know. I only make a couple of dreams a year, anyway. It’s just that they’re all too long... Speaking of which, will my products be up at your store soon?”
“I’m sorry, but your price is a bit over our budget... You always require advance payments,” Dallergut says.
“Of course. Gorgeous coats like that one won’t just sit there waiting for me to make enough money to buy them. They’d be long gone.” Otra glances at the long coat hanging on the coat stand in the corner and brushes the glittering crystal brooch on her blouse with her hand. “Can you at least consider selling my new short-length dreams next season? That should be a happy medium.”
“I’d be honored.”
Otra winks at Dallergut as she sprinkles pepper all over her plate. After filling her glass with the extravagant wine that Nicholas offered, she seems satisfied.
Nicholas is counting the number of outstanding guests who have yet to arrive. “Is Bancho bailing out? He’s such a workaholic. Must be working on something worth more than a little coin. Or he has got so carried away feeding wild animals that he lost track of time—”
Bark, bark, bark!
Nicholas is interrupted by the barking sound.
“Hello, guys! Sorry I’m late!” shouts Bancho.
“Speak of the devil,” Nicholas clucks.
A young man walks in carrying wet shoes, followed by dogs as big as wolves, sniffing his wet socks. “Winter comes so fast in the mountains. It’s already freezing, so I got delayed trying to prepare. I had to get the fire logs and fix the beds for this gang, you know.”
The unpretentious man takes off his washed-out quilted jacket, hangs it on the coat stand and grabs a seat.
“Animora, come over here by the fireplace, or you’ll catch a cold,” Dallergut offers thoughtfully.
Penny’s taking in the gathering of the dreammakers. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Her eyes meet Bancho’s. She tries to laugh away the awkwardness, but to her surprise, Bancho kindly introduces himself.
“Hi, happy to meet you! You must be here with Dallergut. I always feel bad I’m not able to visit his store more often... It’s just that I rarely leave the mountains—I’m busy taking care of a lot of animal friends. Oh, my name is Animora Bancho. I create dreams for animals. I believe they’re on display at Dallergut’s dream store on the fourth floor. I owe Mr. Speedo big time.”
His jovial introduction sets Penny at ease.
“Hello, I’m Penny, I work at the dream store. We have many adorable furry customers, thanks to your dreams. We owe you big time!”
Few dream stores sell dreams for animals, as their emotions—while the animals do feel them—are not as dramatic as a human’s. But Dallergut always buys Bancho’s dreams in bulk. Dallergut must have high regard for Bancho, Penny thinks.
Bancho pays close attention to his dogs’ growling, as if he is communicating with them. With a nod, he thanks Nicholas for the food, and slices the unseasoned part of the lean meat to hand out to the dogs first. He wipes his steak knife on his worn-out shirt, which is more or less a rag.
Nicholas clucks at the sight of him. “I know there’s virtue in staying away from money, but you should at least try to maintain your dignity. Can you please get rid of those old clothes and buy yourself some new ones? How can you create good dreams when you’re on a tight budget? Dreams are all about creating fantasies that don’t exist in reality. Dream and fantasy always go hand in hand, you know. And you can’t make fantasy dreams when you’re strapped for cash,” Nicholas admonishes.
“I’m fine. Everything I need is in the mountains, and these guys never leave me bored. I rarely spend money anywhere. It’s been my dream to live a life like this.”
Bancho seems to mean it. But he also looks rather shabby compared to all the other elegant and glamorous dreammakers.
Their chatter continues, but is interrupted by the clinking of glass. A swarm of glowing creatures are headbutting the window.
“Looks like they’re here,” Nicholas mutters as he pushes open the kitchen window, and tiny silver-winged creatures flood in—the Leprechauns.
Instead of taking a seat, a dozen Leprechauns gather around the breadbasket in the center of the dining table with their wings folded.
“Nicholas, can you chop the food into bite-size pieces for us?” asks a chubby Leprechaun who looks like the leader, his voice like a clattering crystal bead. He’s struggling with a piece of bread bigger than himself.
“How impudent, you little scamps. I told you not to call me by my name when I’m at work! Only my work name—Santa Claus. Remember?”
“But you only work at Christmas, Nicholas,” chuckles Babynap Rockabye.
“I have to work twenty-four seven, all year round, to study every kid’s tastes so that I can have their dreams ready before Christmas Day. Do you know how capricious they are? You think I lounge around in the mountains doing nothing?” Nicholas steams.
“Okay, Nicholas. Why don’t we start our discussion now that everyone’s here?” Dallergut asks.
“Kick Slumber isn’t here yet. It might take a while before he arrives, given the rough road... Why don’t we wait for him?” says Nicholas.
“Actually, he won’t make it today,” Wawa Sleepland chimes in, elegantly spreading honey butter on her bread. “He’s gone to Kamnik Cliffs for product research.”
“That far? No wonder I couldn’t get hold of him.” Nicholas seems disappointed.
“Wawa, how do you know that?” Otra asks, genuinely curious.
“Well... His fans post his every move on the internet. I happened to see a picture of him there on social media,” Wawa Sleepland says vaguely, her face turning red.
“By the way, I see Doje is not here again this year.”
“Doje rarely comes out to events like these. He must be training again, somewhere far away,” says Otra, opening a new bottle of wine.
“Now then, let’s get started with our agenda,” says Nicholas as he stands up. “Why don’t we first discuss how big the loss was from no-shows last month.”
“We lost fifteen percent of our projected profit. It was on our contract that we wouldn’t be able to receive payments for the unsold dreams from no-shows,” the leader of the Leprechauns says, munching on a piece of cheese. Five of them are all feasting on the same slice.
“In fact, most of you famous dreammakers can’t relate to this. All the products on the first floor of the dream store sell out in a flash. We indie dreammakers are the ones that have to pay the price,” grumbles a Leprechaun in a pink puffed blouse.
“That’s nonsense! I have so many customers who don’t take my conception dreams. Dallergut, tell these little ones what happened to that dream I had asked you to handle,” Babynap Rockabye rebuts.
“So... There was a couple who didn’t pick up their conception dream for two weeks,” Dallergut says, pausing to refresh his memory. “We tried to send it to their friends or parents, but even they didn’t show up. We ended up giving it to the wife’s best friend’s sister, who I imagine must’ve been puzzled because she hadn’t seen the couple for a long time—plus she was single. But I had no choice. I was running against the deadline.”
“But you’re rich, Rockabye. The damage is insurmountable for poor dreammakers like us,” the Leprechaun leader grunts, his golden watch sparkling on his wrist.
“I told you to do some marketing,” Nicholas clucks. “We Santa Clauses have been spreading rumors since ages ago, one of which was: ‘Santa won’t have presents for kids who go to bed late.’ Marketing is all about storytelling. Kids these days go head over heels for good stories. Slipping in presents when they’re asleep...what a fantastic idea our ancestors came up with!” He shrugs his shoulders in pride.
“And thanks to that rumor, poor parents have been suffering the consequences, hustling to get presents in time for Christmas Day. And who made up the story about hanging stockings? Now everyone has to sleep with their stinky socks by the bedside!” Babynap Rockabye rebukes Nicholas. She seems especially sensitive when it comes to matters involving kids and parents.
“I mean, it’s not technically a rumor. We do bring presents when they’re asleep!” Nicholas says defensively. “It’s just that our presents happen to be good dreams, not some transforming cars. And if you’ve ever taken those sleeping socks from the Noctilucas, you’d know how long the ankle is. It’s roomy and you can hold on to them like a handle. It stretches really well, too...” Nicholas realizes he’s rambling on and on. He quickly changes the subject. “Anyway! To get to the point: I would like to suggest having the sellers partially pay for the damages incurred from no-shows.”
Suddenly, all eyes swivel to Dallergut, including Penny’s.
“Nicholas, I don’t think this is quite the right place to discuss this. I’m the only seller here,” Dallergut counters calmly, with a steady gaze. “To discuss fines for the sellers, we’d need to gather all the sellers from the industry, and I can guarantee you the discussion will take all night. For tonight, shouldn’t we instead try to find the root cause of the issue?” He pivots tactfully.
“I agree. It’s excessive to ask the sellers to take responsibility for no-shows to reduce our dreammakers’ damages,” Wawa Sleepland defends Dallergut. “We need to continue our respected partnership between dreammakers and sellers, regardless of mere profit.”
“Then what do you all think is the reason for no-shows? My business is seasonal, so I can’t really suggest a reason myself,” Nicholas says.
“It’s not so simple. No-shows are intertwined with complex personal issues and national events,” responds the smartest-looking Leprechaun. Penny thinks their voices are very loud for creatures with such a tiny build. But on closer examination, she notices they are each wearing a mini wireless microphone.
“It should be common knowledge to all of us that when customers struggle with personal issues, they don’t come to pick up dreams until dawn.”
Everyone nods in unison.
“And setting aside personal issues, let’s say we have the World Cup in Europe. Oh, don’t get me started with these World Cups. I mean, I hope everyone here has done at least a basic study on the customers,” the Leprechaun says haughtily. “So, everyone in Asia will stay up all night to watch games happening in Europe, right? The issue is that these worldwide events are increasing, as are the number of live-streaming channels.” The Leprechauns seem to be very knowledgeable.
“I see. Penny, I think a young lady like you might have something to say to shed light on this?” Nicholas gives her the floor.
“In my opinion... The exams can also play a role.” Penny manages to recall the no-show student customer whose dream product Motail snuck in. “There are many customers from Korea during my shifts... They all go through the same exam period at once. And when they do, they usually stay up all night. But this is not a long-term issue. They only stay up for a night or two before the exam. Apparently, cramming for exams is something that happens worldwide.”
“That makes sense. How about you, Maxim?”
Maxim, suddenly thrust into the spotlight, is caught off guard. His words catch in his throat, and he has a coughing fit. When he finally manages to settle down, he speaks in a low, solemn tone. “In my case, I’m not really affected much. At least you all have customers preorder dreams. I don’t have many customers to begin with, so...” He blushes. “The only stock I produce is for Dallergut, who buys it directly from me. So, I don’t get enough preorders to have many no-shows in the first place.”
“No wonder you were able to enjoy the food,” Nicholas jokes, and everyone bursts into laughter. Penny sees Maxim’s face go even more scarlet and is intrigued to catch this unexpected side of him.
“How about you, Bancho? Are there any damages on your end?” Babynap Rockabye asks with a worried look. Animora Bancho has not been eating his food, seeming preoccupied with feeding the dogs and slicing the bread and meat for the Leprechauns.
“Bancho is so sweet,” Penny mutters. Maxim grabs the breadbasket and starts grinding the bread into smaller pieces too.
“No, I’m great. Animals sleep a lot by comparison. And there aren’t many things they find worth trading their sleep for,” Bancho says, his eyes fixated on the dogs lying flat by his feet. One with black scruff is sleeping peacefully, resting its head on Bancho’s foot.
“That’s right!” shouts the clever-looking Leprechaun, startling Penny. “Bancho is correct. There are so many entertaining things that keep people up all night.” The clever Leprechaun flies around a plate. “Playing video games, scrolling through their smartphones, talking the night away with their partners... They put off sleep to enjoy the present!” The Leprechaun is now on Nicholas’s shoulder, his wings folded. Nicholas is annoyed, but doesn’t shoo him away.
“I agree,” Otra adds. “They’re a different kind from the ones pulling all-nighters to cram for their tests. The latter’s no-show is temporary. What we need to worry about are the voluntary bedtime procrastinators.”
The Leprechauns munch on the bread, satisfied to have the others’ agreement.
“Maxim, why did you grind the bread into crumbs? You should have cut them into bite-size pieces. You know how things are done. What’s wrong with you?” the Leprechaun in the puffy pink blouse rebukes Maxim, who turns red again.
“Well, then what can we do to make them go to sleep on time?” Nicholas contemplates. “Can we do something with your Sleep Candy, Dallergut?”
“Those candies only work on those already asleep.” Dallergut shakes his head.
“What if we generate profits from other streams to make up for these no-show losses? We’re more than happy to share our insights,” the leader of the Leprechauns brags.
“Where would we generate those profits from?” Penny asks. She remembers her first tour of the Dallergut dream store, when Mogberry vented about how deceptive the Leprechauns could be. She’d said that the Leprechauns used dirty tricks to maximize dream payments.
“You’ve all been wondering how we were able to expand our business enough to move to the center of the main street.” The leader walks to the middle of the table. “If you sell a ‘Flying Dream’ to a hundred customers, about sixty of them will submit dream payments. We usually get Freedom or Wonder as payment. But we also get Regret and Loss, because when you wake up in reality, you realize you can’t actually fly. As you all know, these negative emotions don’t convert to good money. So we came up with an idea!” The leader steps aside to give the smart Leprechaun room to speak.
“From our internal research,” the clever Leprechaun says, “we have found that paralysis dreams are more profitable than flying dreams. The kinds of dreams that make you feel incapacitated, where your feet feel heavy like steel when you’re trying to run forward, or your body feels sluggish when you’re trying to fight back against a bully... When our customers have such dreams, we receive way more payments of Freedom. They feel liberated when they wake up from those dreams and are able to move again!” He pulls out a calculator and taps the buttons. “As you can see here, the results show way more profits. This will easily offset the no-show losses.” The clever Leprechaun proudly shows off his calculations, but they’re met with a lukewarm reaction.
“You guys are not getting this... There’s a reason why our business is thriving,” he continues. “Hey Maxim! How about we collaborate with you on your nightmares? If we team up and make a dream of being chased by scary thugs, but your legs don’t move, it could be our biggest hit ever! You’re in a chase the whole dream, and it ends right when you’re about to get caught. I already hear the payments coming in,” the Leprechaun coaxes Maxim from a perch on his broad shoulder.
“I don’t play such silly games with my customers!” Maxim picks up the Leprechaun with his fingers and puts him down on the table.
“Ha ha, Mogberry was right about you guys.” Dallergut gives a cold smirk. “I heard a rumor that the Leprechauns were fooling around, putting the wrong labels on their dreams. So, that was true. How dare you trick us into this and meddle with our customers?” He doesn’t raise his voice at all, just calmly admonishes them, but he’s clearly furious.
“I-I’m sorry.” The leader apologizes, seeming to sense the gravity of the situation.
“If I ever catch you doing such sneaky things again, your contract will be canceled,” Dallergut warns the Leprechauns.
“Dallergut is right. We all know this kind of trick can work, but there’s a reason none of us use it as you did,” Otra says as she takes a last gulp of her wine and puts the glass down. “Now, let’s not distract ourselves with all this unhelpful talk. Why don’t we start wrapping things up and get to a solution? I know everyone’s busy. What’s your conclusion, Dallergut?”
Dallergut straightens his collar and clears his throat. “First of all, please don’t be offended by what I’m about to say. I’m just an old seller offering a straightforward and simple view.”
“Eh, you always have such a long preface,” Nicholas says to him.
“I believe we already have reached a conclusion. As Bancho and the Leprechauns mentioned, people put off going to bed because they have things to do that they think are more fun than sleeping. How about we twist this perspective?” Dallergut chuckles, as if it is such an easy and obvious fix.
The Leprechauns are giving Dallergut their full attention, sitting upright.
“The solution is to make dreams even more entertaining than the things keeping people awake. I believe you dreammakers all have the talent to make it possible.”
After a beat of silence, the room breaks into bright laughter.
“So you’re saying, at the end of the day, it’s all because our dreams aren’t entertaining enough? You got us, Dallergut.” Nicholas gives a hearty laugh.
“I didn’t say it in that manner, but if you must put it that way, I’ll have to admit you’re right,” Dallergut responds sociably.
The Leprechauns clap among themselves in agreement.
“On that note, I think this wraps up our discussion. Shall we raise our glasses and enjoy the rest of our dinner?” Otra holds up her newly refilled glass.
“Good idea!”
Everyone else raises their glasses.
Nicholas stands up and shouts, “Let’s eat well, sleep well and have sweet dreams!”