“What does this mean?”
Can you create a character that is even more stupid than this? Maybe but I think this one is at least a contender for being the most stupid.
It's wild cuz the author chose a great plot device that gives tons of control over what the MC knows when and then
still immediately gave the MC way too much information.
Like if they wanted Claire to not realize what was what until she touched the spring it would've been super easy to have the first dream
only reveal that OG Claire
died on the way to the monastery (which would also make her suddenly trying to get away from the coachmen, Vick pretending to know her, and her going along with that make sense) then have those randos mentioning Lindel trigger a second dream about the baptism -> OMG 1 + 1 = 2 I should clearly go to the church at Lindel -> oh no the church is gone -> look! The spring -> gasp it worked!
Super close to what happened only MC wouldn't look like a dumbass wandering around doing whatever.