Chapter 54: Time Remaining Until the First Class – 1 Day
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After coming out as a Dream Demon, Pink-Haired Lesbian’s attitude changed slightly.
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Uh, with milk.”
Should I say it felt like she was taking a bit more care of me? Or should I say that the barrier between Pink-Haired Lesbian and me felt a little thinner?
When it was just the two of us, Pink-Haired Lesbian’s fashion became more relaxed. She insisted on wearing a full suit with all the buttons done up when going outside, but indoors, she would unbutton a few and even take off her suit jacket.
I interpreted that behavior as… an expression of trust.
The effort to break free from the racial limitations of a Dream Demon must have been frustrating. I mean, I previously thought it was madness when I saw her sleeping in a full suit, but it wasn’t madness, it was conviction and effort.
Coincidentally, I also had a solid safety device thanks to Yuna called Sexual Desire Suppression Magic.
I hoped Pink-Haired Lesbian could feel comfortable around me, at least. Just like everyone else, in casual clothing.
“Here you go.”
“Uh, thank you… Wait a minute.”
“Excuse me? Did something happen?”
“Where did your suit pants go?”
Pink-Haired Lesbian’s lower half was completely bare. The suit pants had mysteriously vanished, leaving only a pair of black stockings. The white panties were all too visible through the black.
“Oh, it was uncomfortable.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian replied nonchalantly.
I mean, I wanted her to feel comfortable, but not to this extent!
As I stood there dumbfounded, feeling like I had taken a hit to the back of my head with a hammer, Pink-Haired Lesbian plopped down on the sofa in that very state. And then, flaunting her long legs, she started to wave them around.
“Did I forget to turn off the magic circle…?”
No, I hadn’t. Moreover, I had completely remodeled the magic circle. It wouldn’t affect the Academy until I activated it, and even if it did, I had made the necessary exceptions just for Pink-Haired Lesbian.
Did some unknown entity realize the fact that the magic circle was tampered with and create a new one to activate it within a day? No way! Even an Archwizard would find that a bit challenging!
As I racked my brain trying to make sense of the situation, Pink-Haired Lesbian delivered an additional blow.
“Don’t you want to hit it?”
“What? Hit what?”
“My butt.”
“Wait, what? Ever since that time, what are you even saying?!”
As I leaped up in utter terror, Pink-Haired Lesbian wore a mischievous grin. You know, those narrowed eyes and the corners of her mouth curling up. While still lying face down, she said:
“Because you said you’d see me as a friend.”
“…….”
Oh! I see! She was just messing with me!
Like one would joke around with a friend, it seemed Pink-Haired Lesbian was feeling playful. Honestly, whenever Pink-Haired Lesbian pulled these kinds of tricks, hadn’t I been rolling forward and backward trying my best to escape this horror?
The delicate balance of our ongoing neurotic warfare… had crumbled. Pink-Haired Lesbian had me pinned down, launching an indiscriminate assault that I couldn’t escape from.
I kinda understood her excitement. After all, she had lived without friends as a Dream Demon, so meeting a friend who could wield Sexual Desire Suppression Magic must be incredibly thrilling for her. But being on the receiving end of this kind of unprovoked attack was not exactly enjoyable.
What wasn’t enjoyable, you inquire? Well, my mood was plummeting. I felt miserable!
I wouldn’t just sit around and take it.
“Overlay: Genderbender.”
“?”
If you’re looking for a duel of seduction, I’m game!
I swept my hair to the side, rearranging it. My long black hair flowed dramatically. I had long since determined that Pink-Haired Lesbian was weak to zettai ryiki.
Just as I was about to initiate a seduction war, starting with the motion to take off her stockings beneath her skirt, I suddenly heard a distinct but sharp meow from nearby.
“Meooooow!!”
A yellow cat puffed up all its fur in annoyance. Tears of sorrow were streaming from its purple eyes. I quickly canceled my transformation and dashed over to it.
“What’s wrong, Kaaluk? Why do you keep calling for Daddy?”
“What is with this cat?”
“Oh, I picked it up yesterday. For some reason, I felt attached to it.”
I started petting Kaaluk, soothing its scattered fur. Being a wild cat must have made it jumpy at first, but soon it began to nuzzle against my hand while purring.
The seduction war had been postponed, but my grudge was not forgotten. Just you wait, Pink-Haired Bastard!
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The time had come.
Tomorrow, the first lecture of ‘Countermeasures to Illusion Magic’ would be held. And I wasn’t a student, but the professor. I was a bit nervous since this was something I had never done in my life.
But it was okay. After all, I had a magic spell that could dissolve all my worries and jitters.
This is… a TRPG.
It was the same when I had job interviews in my past life. If I framed the situation as a TRPG and thought of myself as a character, the words would flow. It was a tried-and-true method.
I was aiming to portray the role of a professor. What kind of professor should I be? What kind of character would suit this situation best? Perhaps a slightly mysterious persona would do the trick.
I’m talking about those shady characters that give off a suspicious vibe. Those characters who are calm and collected, but when chaos ensues, they unleash their hidden power.
This character trait had its perks. I could suddenly whip out a map detailing where a Demonic Sword was buried or nonchalantly spout unverifiable rumors like, “Did you know? The Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon is hidden within the Academy…”
Strangely enough, I was already suspicious. The Saintess who had gotten the Demonic Sword was on my tail. Since I was already in the suspicious zone, I might as well go all the way and become opaquely mysterious!
Great, moving on.
How should I run the first class? Let’s simplify the objectives of this lecture:
1) Increase the prestige of the Purple Magic Tower by making Illusion Magic go viral
2) Spark curiosity about the ‘Otherworld Exploration’ lecture
3) Ensure students are aware of Illusion Magic, and learn countermeasures
4) Supplement practical experience
Mm.
Something clicked. I felt an idea forming that could satisfy all these conditions. I called out to Pink-Haired Lesbian, who was idly lounging beside me.
“Hey, Pink-Haired Lesbian.”
“Yes, Unni.”
“Okay, Babe. As a Dream Demon, you can enter people’s dreams, right? How does that work?”
“Oh, my dear Husband. Sneaking into dreams is possible because of our racial traits. With the ability to navigate between reality and illusion, we transform ourselves into information clusters and latch onto the target’s body.”
“Thanks for explaining that, Darling.”
“Anytime, Oppa.”
Why does she always seem to have the last word?
Anyway, I got the gist. It wasn’t so different from Illusion Magic. The magic circle seemed versatile, but this time, I decided to employ it as a power source and loudspeaker.
Since it could influence the entire Academy, any magic cast here could reach all the students with one click of a mouse.
I vaguely pieced it together. A fantastic friend who could enter other people’s minds and show them beautiful dreams. I infused it with a modicum of intelligence and stripped it of most autonomy. A cluster of information that would follow my commands. I named it after a classic.
“Sandman.”
In a way, it could also be seen as an artificial spirit.
I deliberately lowered the intensity of the Illusion Magic shown by Sandman. Sensitive individuals would be able to recognize it as an illusion. After all, that’s how things had to be for the class to function, wouldn’t you agree?
I recalled the memories from my past life, the first days of the semester. The face of the teacher who handed out quizzes to assess our levels as soon as we arrived at our assigned middle school was still vivid in my mind. I resented it then, but looking back now, it made sense.
Sandman would fulfill the role of that quiz. It was time to assess how prepared the students were against Illusion Magic. I activated the magic circle.
Gray mist was drawn into the center of the magic circle. After a brief wait, the replicated Sandman would disperse throughout the Academy, seeking out the preselected students and showing them the dreams they desired.
Now, a ghost is roaming the Academy──.
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Bennett opened his eyes.
“…….”
He threw back the covers, got up, opened the back door, and fetched a bucket of water from the well. He splashed his face lightly, giving his damp hair a shake. However, the somewhat dazed feeling lingered.
What day was it today? Ah, right, he had to attend the Countermeasures to Illusion Magic lecture. School was back in session. Academy life was starting again.
Bennett had been managing well up until now. He had infiltrated the Academy, become a disciple of Alexon, and was now entering his second year without revealing his true identity. The time for patience was about to come to an end.
The pretense would also end here. Whether it was seeking teachings from Alexon or chatting with familiar faces at the Academy, this would be the last time. D-Day was early July, just before the Academy’s final evaluations.
Until July, he would continue to stoke fear and anxiety as much as possible.
Once the Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear cast Nightmare Summon, a new world would emerge. The Black Wizards would accomplish their goals, and Bennett would reap the promised rewards.
He dressed properly. Donning the Academy uniform, he strapped two daggers and a longsword to his belt. Then, he stepped out of the dormitory. The Countermeasures to Illusion Magic lecture was scheduled in an auditorium capable of accommodating all the enrolled students.
He walked. Fellow students brushed past him. Their features appeared hazy today. An unwelcome sense of unease crept in.
Blink.
When he reopened his eyes, he found himself in the auditorium. Time truly flew by quickly. Sometimes, walking in a daze felt as if he had teleported.
He chose a suitable seat near the back— not too close, but not too far, located near an exit of the building. Bennett was always cautious.
A wizard ascended the podium. He wore a hood. Oh right, they had formed a group to hunt that person down. Saintess Tara and Niolle. They were certainly supposed to be in this lecture as well, but they were nowhere in sight.
The wizard broached the topic of how to cook spaghetti. Bennett listened with one ear while letting it slip through the other. Soon, the wizard’s voice faded into the background, barely registering.
He felt numb, as if submerged in water.
At that moment, someone sat down beside Bennett. Dark green hair fluttered. It resembled a toxic plant blooming in a rotten swamp; its ominous color felt addictive just to look at.
Bennett recognized her. He knew her very well. She was the Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear. A Black Wizard executed in the past but had come back to life.
What was she doing here? As Bennett pondered, she spoke in a sweet, gentle voice.
“The plan succeeded, Bennett.”
“……What does that mean?”
“Just as it sounds. Thanks to your hard work, we have gathered enough fear. Honestly… I wasn’t planning on keeping the promise. But because you worked so hard, I’ll keep it.”
What a relief. Bennett had thought there was little to no chance she’d willingly fulfill her promise. But a miracle occurred. Bennett’s efforts had borne fruit.
Deceiving others, sometimes killing innocents, and using magic by tearing apart his own soul over the past years was not in vain. He received his reward. It was overwhelming.
“I’ll return it now.”
“Yeah, quickly. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long…”
His heart raced. He’d finally be able to meet her again.
The green color slowly drained from the hair of the Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear. It returned to its original shade, a slightly lighter hue than Bennett’s. Silky ash-colored hair. Finally.
The Corpse Flower that Consumes Fear, which had revived by taking his sister’s body, stepped out.
Bennett, suppressing the surge of emotions, cautiously called out his sister’s name.
“……Verda.”
“………”
“……It’s me. Bennett. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Oppa has been doing well. Yeah…”
“………”
No response. As Bennett looked more closely at his sister’s face, there was nothing there. It was to be expected. It had been over five years since he last saw his little sister. An ample time to fade into the void of memory.
Bennett lowered his gaze.
“As expected, it was a dream.”
This wasn’t new. This was a dream. And a mental assault. Was there a Dream Demon hiding within the Academy?
Bennett had desperately hoped for his little sister’s return. She was his only remaining family in this world. It seemed the Dream Demon had sensed that desperation. Lost in disappointment, self-loathing, and anger, Bennett drew his sword.
“……Get lost.”
The entity that wore his sister’s appearance tilted its head in confusion. Then, its mouth grotesquely tore open.
How did you know?
Bennett awakened from the dream.
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Those affected by a Dream Demon often struggle to distinguish between dreams and reality. Bennett sat up, gripping his head. His eyes were wet. Was this a dream or reality?
He yanked open his drawer and pulled out his diary. A Dream Demon’s dreams couldn’t capture details accurately. He read through the diary. It remained logical and coherent, with no inconsistencies. This had to be reality.
He dressed, armed himself, and stepped outside. He needed to go attend the Countermeasures to Illusion Magic lecture.
He shook off the unsettling sense of déjà vu by shaking his head. Walking along the main road, he heard murmurs from the crowd.
“Are they trying to catch the Dream Demon?”
“That’s part of it, but mostly, it’s about arresting Black Wizards.”
Bennett turned his head toward the voice that responded from behind. Standing there was Saintess Tara, appearing particularly haggard today. Her usual embarrassing attire made her seem even more worn. Sorrow glimmered in her eyes. Had she, too, been affected by the Dream Demon?
“Arresting Black Wizards?”
“Yeah, a whole group is causing a ruckus, talking about some plan’s success or whatever. I don’t know what’s gotten into them, but it’s fortunate in a way. Besides the damned nightmare, it’s a beautiful day.”
“…….”
Bennett’s head began to throb. Had something gone wrong with their allies at such a critical time?
Tap, tap, tap.
Having seen Bennett and Tara, Niolle came rushing over while holding a whiteboard high. Unlike the two battling nightmares, she appeared positively ecstatic and cheerful.
“Good morning!”
“You look really happy. Did something happen?”
“I had a wonderfully happy dream.”
“…….”
“Let’s leave the commotion to the Paladins for now. Let’s head to class. The uproar was merely caused by some lowlifes, so there’s no need for anyone else to get involved.”
The Saintess waved her hand.
“Is something the matter?”
“Let me elaborate again…”
Saintess Tara and Niolle continued their conversation as they made their way to the lecture hall. Bennett followed closely behind.
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One by one, students began gathering in the lecture hall. Some wore smiles, looking genuinely happy, while others, like Bennett and Tara, wore gloomy expressions. This strange commonality filled Bennett’s mind with suspicion.
“……Could it be?”
The chaos that kicked off first thing in the morning was…
Thud, thud.
A wizard wearing a hood ascended the podium. Long black hair cascaded from beneath the hood, with red eyes gleaming even in the shadows.
The wizard stood on the podium and casually greeted everyone.
“Did you enjoy your dreams last night?”
“…….”
Silence. The lecture hall froze instantly.
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