Chapter 47
T hi s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i ng m t l . or g
Dream’s Boundary (2)
By the end of the day’s activities, it was already late evening, and the sky had darkened. I quietly made my way to the dormitory grounds, avoiding prying eyes.
I had grown quite familiar with the route to Yeon Minha’s dormitory. Though I remained cautious, the headmaster had cleared the guards and caretakers, so there was little worry about being caught.
However, what stopped me in my tracks was the unexpected sight before the dormitory entrance.
“What are you doing here?”
“Hik.”
Hearing my voice, Yeon Minha, who was crouching at the dormitory entrance, looked up abruptly. She appeared as if she had been caught doing something wrong, her face pale.
At her feet lay a small, familiar cat, belly up and sprawled out comfortably.
– Myaong!
As if it had been waiting for me, Ddangkong immediately got up and ran over, rubbing against my legs.
The already throbbing pain in my head intensified. Why is Ddangkong here? Did it follow my scent again like last time?
“Is that your cat…? But pets in the dormitory… without my permission…”
Yeon Minha stood up, trying to maintain her composure. Her effort to uphold her seniority was quite touching.
But she couldn’t even make eye contact while trembling, and it didn’t help that she had just been petting Ddangkong’s belly.
She might be cold to people but kind to animals.
– Myang!
Ddangkong nudged my leg, urging me to pet it as usual.
T h i s w a s c o pi e d fro m k i n g m t l .o r g
But all I could think about was how troublesome this situation was. Fortunately, Yeon Minha didn’t seem to know, but the official owner of Ddangkong was someone else.
The very person Yeon Minha despised.
While it’s not entirely wrong to say it’s my cat, I couldn’t reveal the truth to her now. Doing so might lead to more problems later.
Th is w a s c op i e d f r o m ki n gm t l . or g
“No, it’s a stray I’ve never seen before. You should send it away quickly.”
Thi s wa s c op ie d f ro m k i n g m t l. o rg
– Myaang!?
After much consideration, I decided and firmly shook my head.
But at that moment.
T h is wa s c o p i e d f r o m ki n g m t l . o r g
As if understanding my words, Ddangkong looked up at me with wide eyes.
I felt a pang of guilt. Its eyes seemed filled with betrayal and shock.
Ddangkong looked at me with a watery, resentful gaze for a moment, then dashed into the bushes, disappearing from sight.
I hope it’s not really upset. Maybe I should give it a treat later…
“Ah…”
Yeon Minha reached out regretfully towards where Ddangkong had disappeared but quickly retracted her hand, glancing at me.
“…”
An awkward silence settled between us. It was only natural given our relationship.
Yeon Minha briefly glanced at me, then turned around and headed back to her room.
-Thud!
“Hik.”
Suddenly, she stumbled, tripped over her own feet, and crashed to the ground.
Perhaps out of shame for showing such an unsightly display before a junior, she sat there trembling.
Yeon Minha struggled to her feet and dragged herself to her room, quietly closing the door behind her.
Her face was filled with the deep sorrow of an ill person.
***
-Crash!
-Clang!!
-Please… go away… sob…
The sound of objects clashing in mid-air.
The sound of something shattering on the floor.
And… the desperate, tearful plea of a girl frightened by something in her dreams.
For several nights, these same sounds echoed from the room next door.
“…”
Turning my gaze, I saw the same surreal scene of pencils and clothes floating and moving in mid-air.
They would drop and float repeatedly, creating an almost surreal scene around me.
It was the classic poltergeist phenomenon said to occur when a powerful mage is in extreme distress.
When I first entered this dormitory, I was taken aback by the chaotic mess.
No one would have expected the dorm room of a noble lady who always maintained a neat appearance to have cups and clothes scattered all over the floor.
Th i s w a s c o p i e d f ro m k i n g m t l. or g
Initially, I wondered if she had a temper that led her to throw things around.
But now I thought that she might have lost the will to clean up due to the nightly occurrences.
T h is w a s c o p i e d f r o m kin gm t l .o r g
-Please… stop… stop…!
“This is driving me crazy…”
Her desperate pleas were my biggest concern now.
I had considered performing a few more “tasks.” But surprisingly, Yeon Minha’s capitulation happened sooner than expected.
Th i s w a s copied f rom ki n g m t l . or g
Regardless of her true feelings, she no longer openly displayed malice and arrogance towards me. At most, she would briefly show some pride before giving up.
For the past few days, there had been no talk of her in the Cradle.
My sisters always said those who seem strong on the outside are often the most fragile inside.
Maybe Yeon Minha was one of those people… but that wasn’t the main issue.
After a few days of this, I was sure. The real problem tormenting Yeon Minha was her excessive connection with the spirits, as I had initially suspected.
By night, when the moon and stars heightened particle sensitivity, she would be plagued by terrible nightmares, crying and suffering in her sleep, just like the sounds coming from the next room right now.
Thanks to the poorly soundproofed walls, I hadn’t slept properly for days.
I had initially intended to just check on her condition and sleep in my own dormitory, but I couldn’t ignore the sounds from her room.
On the first night, she didn’t sleep, likely because I was in the next room. But due to chronic fatigue, she couldn’t hold out for long.
So, I had planned to wait and see.
We didn’t have the kind of trust where I could reveal the existence of the powers I possessed.
But her condition seemed worse than I had expected.
I had seen her suddenly get scared, staring into empty space and cursing at something invisible.
Such behavior was far from normal.
Even though it had only been a few days since I entered the dormitory, her condition had visibly deteriorated.
Her face was gaunt with dark circles, and she looked so weak that she tripped over nothing and fell.
-Clang!
-Sob… sob…
“…”
I was deep in thought again today. Her condition seemed worse than the previous day. She looked like she could drop dead at any moment.
Even if I didn’t like her, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy seeing her like this.
“…”
I felt it was time to end my hesitation.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t see another solution. I couldn’t leave her in such a pitiful state.
And I needed to see if my power could calm her nightmares.
…Let’s give it a try. If I get caught, I’ll find a way to talk my way out.
I made up my mind.
Then, I focused my will on something near my heart, spreading it outward like a ripple.
-Crash!
Soon, the sound of objects falling to the floor echoed throughout the dormitory.
After blocking the surroundings with a barrier, the poltergeist phenomenon, which relied on particles, could no longer manifest.
I wondered if the noise might wake Yeon Minha, but her room remained silent.
Before long, I heard someone’s gentle, rhythmic breathing.
-Snooze… snooze…
It was a deep, peaceful breathing sound I had never heard in this dormitory.
It works. It definitely works.
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, and with the quiet instead of her sobs, I felt a bit of pride and peace.
I couldn’t be sure if this success would lead to full recovery, but maybe I could get some sleep tonight.
As the tension eased, a wave of drowsiness quickly overtook me.
If I get caught… I’ll just talk my way out…
***
T h is wa s co p i e d fro m k i n gmtl.org
-Chirp chirp!
Woken by the sound of birds outside the window, Yeon Minha groggily opened her eyes.
She tilted her head in confusion, lightly frowning.
Though still half-asleep, she felt a strange sense of disquiet.
“…?”
Yeon Minha soon realized why.
Warm morning sunlight filled her room.
Those malicious, mocking whispers that normally plagued her at dawn were absent today.
Her head, usually pounding with pain, was clear and calm, and her body felt light as if it could float away.
There wasn’t a trace of last night’s terrible nightmares.
“What is this…!”
Yeon Minha quickly checked the clock.
And she was speechless.
T h i s w a s cop ie d f r om ki ngmt l.o r g
Today was the first day she had overslept.
End of Chapter