Surviving at the Magic Academy

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I blinked quietly. The desolate land stretched out before me.

I cautiously brushed my toes against the ground beneath me. The earth crumbled like a piece of art, falling gracefully into the air.

The clump of dirt was headed toward the sky. I scratched my head in confusion. Something felt off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. The dirt vanished without leaving a trace.

Before I knew it, the ground I scraped was back to its original state. What kind of bizarre place was this? I slowly glanced around. This arid, barren land stretched infinitely to the horizon beyond.

At some point, I found myself standing right here. And in this desolate land, there was no life besides me. Not even a blade of grass; the vast land was only silent.

Of course, there was a slight movement. Just like when I scraped the ground, chunks of earth occasionally fell toward the sky.

Those shards were heading toward the huge sun above. The black sun swallowed them whole. It filled the sky, undulating as if it were about to burst.

A pale light emanating from that sun darkened the ground and painted the surroundings in brightness. I stared blankly at that sun and shook my head lightly.

I couldn’t remember where I was, why I was here, or even who I was. Just a dim haze clouded my mind.

Who am I, and where is this place? As I pondered, I took a leisurely stroll around. Strangely, I felt no urgency. On the contrary, stepping on this land brought me a sense of peace.

But I should probably get moving. I couldn’t stay here forever. So where should I go? Everywhere I looked, it was all just land. There was nothing to serve as a landmark.

Then something began to sparkle. I glanced up at the sky. The sun was shining even brighter. It flickered as if inviting me to follow.

As I took a step toward it, the sun seemed to retreat a little further away, as if it were running from me. Mesmerized, I stepped closer to the sun, slowly chasing after it.

This pursuit dragged on tediously. I was merely moving instinctively. In my dazed stupor, the sun gradually became closer until it finally halted.

Suddenly, I found myself in front of a building. I blinked at it in disbelief. I had no real sense of how long I had been walking. It felt like I arrived in an instant, yet it also seemed like I had walked for ages.

Had there always been a building here? I was certain I hadn’t seen it until now. I had just followed the sun. At the top of the building, the sun lay nestled in the cross that hung there, as if it were the destination.

A tiny crack in the building’s door revealed a glimpse inside. But all I could see was a hazy blur.

To see it properly, I would need to open the door and walk in. The crack seemed to whisper for me to enter. I stood still, observing the building.

This place had an unusual form I’d never seen before. It twisted in the middle and was painted in various colors, resembling a combination of many rooms.

Yet, it seemed to possess a singular rule. Perhaps a will to worship something? I didn’t know how I knew that, but there was a strange familiarity about it.

Carefully, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. A small bell tinkled in my ears. A gentle breeze brushed past me.

Inside the building, the first thing that caught my eye was the colossal pillars. Alongside those pillars, a narrow path stretched onward.

I walked down that path, gradually moving deeper into the interior. The path narrowed and twisted. And at the end of that path, I found myself entering a small room.

I glanced at the sky. Beyond the transparent ceiling, a massive cross loomed overhead. And there, the blazing sun was shining.

This seemed to be the center of the building. I slowly surveyed my surroundings. This must be a chapel, right? A classic structure for a religious facility meant for worship. A place dedicated to honoring something. I cautiously walked towards the center of the room.

As I progressed inward, I noticed a small altar. And before it, a figure bathed in sunlight caught my eye.

Nothing existed on the altar. But the figure knelt with their head bowed as if praying to something.

Their back, stained dark from the sunlight, appeared somehow familiar. It was the form of a small girl. Why was she praying here? I blinked quietly as I gazed at her.

Looking at her back, I felt a strange sense of rejection. Like something impure had entered my insides; it was a disquieting feeling. The more deeply she prayed, the more intense that sensation became.

But that bizarre feeling soon dissipated. Perhaps she sensed my presence, as she stopped praying and turned her body slightly. Her eyes met mine. I couldn’t help but be startled by her face.

Brilliant golden hair and eyes tinged with green. I could recognize her immediately. It was Professor Ilian. Why was she here… But that surprise soon faded, slipping away lightly.

I tilted my head. Professor, who was that? I couldn’t figure it out. My mind completely forgot the initial shock and sank back into a daze.

She approached me slowly, a gentle smile gracing her lips. Her white hat partially hid her golden hair, and a black robe loosely embraced her form.

A nun’s attire, perhaps? It suited her prayerful demeanor perfectly. I tilted my head again. How did I know the name of that outfit?

That thought was halted by her approaching me, tenderly smiling. She placed a hand on her chest, still beaming warmly. Suddenly, I caught a faint scent of roses. A fragrance that soothed my heart.

When I blinked, she tilted her head slightly. Then she smiled at me lightly and gently linked her arm with mine. She gestured toward the void.

“Shall we come this way? I’ve prepared a room just for you.”

She led me slowly toward the altar. Beyond it was a small door built into the wall. Had that always been there? I could have sworn there was only one door connecting this room.

She naturally opened that door and stepped inside. I was pulled along with her. Crossing through the door, a warm energy enveloped my body. A tiny room came into view.

It was a cramped space, barely large enough for five people. The room was stuffed with wooden blocks. In the center stood a small table. It felt like a place of comfort.

She lightly released my arm and seated me in a chair at the table. Sitting opposite me, she maintained a gentle smile. Then she pulled out a teapot from who knows where and began pouring tea into our cups.

She caught a whiff of the fragrance from the tea, nodded, then offered me a cup. I cautiously accepted it, placing it in front of me and looking at her. She met my gaze and smiled warmly.

“Why have you come here, little lamb? This space is only for us to inhabit, you know. Hehe, it’s quite fascinating to see your face like this.”

I blinked quietly. I had no idea what she was talking about. But she didn’t seem inclined to explain further.

She continued staring at me, then abruptly tilted her head to one side. Her gaze was directed into empty air. As she gazed at that void, she slightly tilted her head in confusion, before nodding softly.

“Ah, I see. It seems you’ve received help from someone else.”

She covered her mouth and giggled. After that, she said nothing more, merely smiling lightly at me. I did the same.

As I quietly watched her, I felt an unnameable affection stir within my heart. In that moment of sipping tea and enjoying the tranquility,

Suddenly—bang! A sound erupted, and someone crashed through the ceiling. A second door had appeared up there. Through that swinging door, a hollow magic flowed.

The newcomer raised their hand, a small axe in it. They swung that axe around wildly, leaping and bounding. The shock sent wooden blocks scattering every which way.

The person, smashing through the wooden blocks, soon struck a triumphant pose, raising the axe high above. You could see their bunny-like ears perked up straight.

“Massacre!”

I stared at the sight. They had a very peculiar appearance. They were dressed as an adorable furry bunny doll.

I blinked, confirming its face. Then I looked at the nun sitting across from me. The one dressed as a bunny had the very same features as her: radiant golden hair and gleaming emerald eyes.

I needed to distinguish between the two. I could just call the new arrival ‘Bunny’ for now. That Bunny exclaimed excitedly, “Massacre! Massacre!” as if reveling in it. Somehow, I feel like I was faintly catching their meaning.

I frowned slightly. ‘Massacre’? I recalled seeing that peculiar phrase somewhere before. But where was that? I couldn’t quite remember.

The nun, sitting before me, stared at the bunny with intrigue. As the Bunny tried to read her face, it stealthily tucked the axe away. Then it turned its gaze back to me.

“It seems the little lamb’s arrival has spread as a rumor. They’ll all come looking for you soon.”

The nun said, lifting her teacup. The bunny nodded happily and snuggled up against me. From it emanated a pleasant fragrance. My head began to feel hazy.

Whether it’s a massacre or whatever, it didn’t really matter, did it? There was no need to think at all. All I had to do was enjoy myself. As I gently patted the bunny’s head.

The nun watched us and let out a light chuckle. Then she presented me with another cup of tea. I took it and sipped it. The tea had no discernible flavor.

“You’ll be heading back soon, so you can rest for a moment. Don’t worry about being tied down here. This place is merely a momentary bubble.”

My body began to sink comfortably into the chair. As I patted the bunny’s head, I gradually started to feel at ease.

Then it happened. “Alright, that’s all for the demo.” A whisper came from somewhere. Along with that, my consciousness began to gradually rise.

Within that space, the door to the room reopened. This time, a door emerged from the floor. The one who entered was ghost-like, transparent. But their face resembled those we just saw.

Leading them, doors began to appear like mad within the room. And women crowded in from all directions. They all had unique appearances. The whispers of those women filled the space around us.

This small room, which I thought could hardly fit anyone, was now stuffed with dozens of women. Along with that, the room shook slightly.

Our gazes met—the nun and me. She smiled gently. That smile didn’t quite suit Professor Ilian’s face. Yes, Professor. Their faces bore striking similarities to hers. I scanned the area with a slightly clearer head.

Did they say the demo was over? As if affirming that, my body began to grow more transparent. The nun waved lightly at me as she watched.

“Someday, I hope we can meet again in another dream.”

With that, the world crumbled. No, the dream did. The surroundings began to darken. Along with that, the building also vanished without a trace. The women did the same. My view was suddenly engulfed in complete darkness.

And simultaneously, the world brightened. My mind, which had been sinking deep within, finally awakened. I felt the twitching of my pupils as I opened my eyes again. The daze slowly began to clear from my mind.

I found myself reclining on a wide sofa. My body, deeply immersed in the couch, felt the magic flow through it. Gradually, I began to awaken. Yes, I had been dreaming until now.

I got up slowly. Inside, I could hardly come to terms with the fact that it had all been a dream. It felt so vivid, almost like reality.

As I steadied myself, I noticed two people sitting at the table in front of me, sipping tea. It was Mira and Koit. They were engaged in a casual conversation with a small crystal ball between them.

“Oh my, you’re awake!”

Mira smiled brightly at me. Her smile felt oddly familiar. Did it resemble the nun’s smile? Or perhaps the opposite? She gazed back at the crystal ball, her eyes sparkling.

“Hehe, to think Ilian would be in such a form. I never expected to see Ilian like this.”

Mira remarked. The small crystal ball before her emitted a faint glow. I approached slowly, and I could see the scene within. There was my own reflection in it.

My dream world, with Professor Ilian flitting around. I was buried within those Professors, and everything that had just happened replayed endlessly within that crystal ball.

I smiled faintly. I hadn’t realized my dream looked like that. I glanced at Koit. He had said he would help me have the dream I desired. Did that imply this was it?

“Oho, interesting. So many outfits I’ve never seen before. I’d say this could be great for reference. That bunny outfit girl, I think it’d sell pretty well.”

Koit looked at the crystal ball with an expression full of intrigue. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. His physique had noticeably slimmed down compared to before. After staring at the crystal for a moment, he diverted his attention to me.

“So, what exactly are you nurturing inside your body? I never imagined I’d meet figures from a dream.”

What a loss! He remarked lightly, glancing down at his slim figure. I scratched my head at that comment. The Professors I dreamt about mirrored the magic of the treasured bounty within my body. I hadn’t expected that contamination to manifest even in dreams.

The nun amongst them was probably a reflection of her own magic. I took a peek at Mira. She was giving me a mischievous smile. It seemed she, too, inferred who the nun was based on.

“So, how does it feel to walk through your dreams? Were you able to find what you were looking for?”

I sighed lightly at that. Then I shook my head. The desire to enter my dreams arose from the quest to find the roots of my obsession. Koit had said that dreams were places where my inner desires unfolded.

So I thought that maybe there would be traces left in that world. I encountered all that, and Koit chuckled, lightly patting his belly. He laughed heartily.

“Well, I guess that makes sense. It was just a demo! But still, it was fun. Is this what a doll manipulator does? To fill that many varieties with just one being. I have to try harder!”

Koit clapped his hands lightly. At his signal, a doll, waiting in a corner of the room, approached gracefully. It was a stunningly beautiful woman.

Koit examined her closely, then lightly tapped her shoulder. The outfit instantly changed to the bunny costume Professor Ilian previously wore in my dream. He nodded as he admired her.

The doll smoothly nestled into Koit’s embrace and shared a light kiss. Koit observed her closely, then clapped his hands again. The woman received his signal and departed once more.

“Hmm, animal costumes. This opens up new horizons I hadn’t thought of. This could be fascinating. I could make a nest of monsters into a dream. I bet quite a few people would love that.”

As he mumbled, he pulled out a pen and began scribbling something down. Soon, he filled a whole sheet of paper with black ink and then put the pen away. He checked the content, nodding in satisfaction.

Having finished all the notes, he turned his gaze back to the crystal ball. There, the nun was smiling at us with her gaze lifted. Koit scratched his head as he watched that scene.

“But like you said, it does feel strange. It feels like there’s a peculiar magic swirling around. It seems this dream isn’t solely yours.”

Koit mumbled that, stroking his chin. He glanced at me, eyes sparkling with intrigue.

“Well then, this is now mine. That was the agreement after all.”

“Yes, please feel free to take it.”

It was an agreement to give him the dream I had, and this was the promise I made while accepting his help. Of course, it hadn’t been a significant help like this.

The main reason I had come to this Dream Theater was due to Mauro, the doll manipulator I had visited before recommending this place. He mentioned that I’d find the root cause here.

Other doll manipulators had occasionally spoken of such tales too. Thus, I came to visit with the hope of resolving my issue, to fulfill promises with Mira.

But now that I was out of the dream, it all felt so bewildering. How exactly was I supposed to resolve my issues? It seemed like only more questions had arisen.

As those thoughts brewed, Koit licked his lips slightly. He glanced back down at his now slimmer figure and let out a soft sigh. That breath carried fragments of magic.

He waved his hand, and the magic began to swirl from his fingertips, forming like fluffy clouds. That magic flowed toward the crystal ball, a dreamlike essence oozing through.

Inside that magic, the crystal ball slowly began to dissolve. The magic returned to Koit’s hands, almost as if it had captured the contents of my dream. He opened his mouth cautiously, gulping it all down in one go.

With that, his body began to swell once more. He let out a light burp, a satisfied smile spread across his face. He patted his belly and whistled.

He winked at me, clearly pleased with my dream.

This was my first time witnessing a Dream Eater feast. I had only learned of Koit being a Dream Eater when I visited this place.

Now I finally understood why this place was named Dream Theater. He had cast me into the recent dream using a unique magic derived from his tree.

Dreams. Thinking back, my last dream had also been created by the Dream Eater. Before coming to the university, that beer he made had led me into a nightmare. I felt a similar sensation in the recent dream.

“But now that I’ve eaten it, it’s certainly clear. It looks like I might be able to dig deeper into it.”

Koit muttered. I froze at that. Was he implying he grasped the cause? He looked at me, eyes gleaming with curiosity. He rolled his fingers into a circle.

A hundred thousand! I froze at that number. How many points did I even have right now? I thought of the Mirror Bug. It had shown me my score.

Eight thousand points, barely scraping by due to the ongoing ritual magic for creating treasures. It was far too little to cover the cost. Seeing my expression, Koit grinned maliciously.

 

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