Katrielle found herself in the same setting, chasing the same thing, desperately crying in her dreams again.

Her father was clouded by mist, a shadow receding, and was quick to disappear once Katrielle seemed like she reached him. The girl spun immediately, having long practiced chasing her father in her dreams. Just as she expected, her father's hat disappeared the moment she saw it.

Katrielle felt a bead of water caress her cheek.

It was her tears.

She blinked them away, feeling her feet pick up their pace. Her throat vibrated, indicating that she was now yelling.

It'll be over soon.

Hershel Layton ignored her screams and continued.

He didn't stop.

He kept walking.

And was then gone.

"Lady Layton…? Are you alright?"

Katrielle snapped her eyes towards Ernest, her head as motionless as ever. With a huge sigh, Katrielle slapped a smile on her face in seconds and stretched. Sherl apathetically averted his head away from Katrielle, his ears drooping in boredom.

"Ah, it's so boring! I wish we would have a case soon…" The blue-eyed girl straightened up, heart pressing down on the melancholy that has plagued her since the morning. She planned to bear the burden alone. Not Ernest nor Sherl needed the heavy package, and Katrielle wouldn't have been willing to share it to them anyways.

Ernest furrowed his eyebrows. He pursed his lips, studying his employer to the closest detail; even her rosy cheeks required analysis. Something was off, but Ernest couldn't pinpoint it. He never could. This wasn't the first time that Katrielle seemed a bit less bubbly than usual.

"Ernest, keep staring like that and your eyes will dry up. Am I that entrancing?" Katrielle teased, a lopsided smile tugged at her lips. However, her eyes remained stoic.

The assistant blinked a few times before averting his eyes away. He felt a strange bubble of… of whatever feeling in his chest. It was almost as if Katrielle had just lost a loved one. Ernest sucked in a small but sharp breath.

Oh.

As Katrielle rested her chin on her hands, about to crash from boredom, Ernest saw a shadow of longing and desolation reflect off the window the girl was staring out of.