I approached the spot, it was quite a distance away from the mushroom mountain but I already had plotted out the route of safety.
And then there I saw her. Wearing the academy's uniform was a pink-haired girl whose twin tails sway with the wind. Her eyes fully focused on me. The leaves of the [Lullaby Tree] glow a white-blue hue around her. She showed a smile that is only meant to be mine.
Although I have seen this before, I have come to learn to enjoy these moments. After all, you only get a few moments till the roller coaster comes crashing down.
Sirena approaches me and speaks in her soft voice, "Shinji, you have changed a lot since I last talked to you. Shutting yourself off from the rest of the world while making your mech, not even bothering to meet me. Now here you are in the academy given this insane power."
2 months ago I concentrated fully focused on passing the entrance test of the academy. I had cut off all contact since then. Sirena, who I talked to every day through online communication, was really worried and couldn't come to the Nil Kingdom because of her duties as a member of her father's Magic Tower.
Once she heard the news of me passing the academy's test, she used learning as an excuse to transfer to this academy. Now she came to this academy shocked by my overall change.
"Can you stop your monologue? I'm here to give you my top-tier therapy session!", She held me in an embrace.
She whispers to me, "Rest here in my arms, well have enough time to talk in our dreams."
She sits down under the illuminating tree as I lay my head on her lap. She kisses me as she activates her power [Mind Connection] that required physical contact like Mantis from marvel.
It's a power that connects both mind and emotion where she has the power to decide whether to share thoughts or emotions. The power is limited to connecting 5 people. Of course, it could still improve...she could use it to calm my mind...*yawn*
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[Nightmare Galore (Dreamland Fantasy)]
Out of my 4 abilities [Nightmare Galore] is an ability that sucks a person's mind into a dream. As it is a new ability, I could only do it to one person at a time. That person also has to be less than a rank higher than me.
Certainly, Sirena's love works wonders to attain such height in her ability.
Anyway, In this dream, I could manipulate it into anything I want and time flows twice as fast as the outside. Shinji is here to convince me why I shouldn't kill that b*tch Dongmei.
I manifested a candlelight dinner on an open field. It was under the midnight stars with the moon shining its spotlight on us.
Shinji takes a bottle of wine, pours it into his cup then takes another bottle of juice and pours it into mine. I didn't mind that much since this juice is Shinji's concoction made of several different fruits that I mixed in together.
On this 'attempt' apparently, he wanted to drink [Vermillion Touch] a wine made from the fruits growing near the [Vermillion Hawk].
"Sirena, this place could have a touch of music.", Shinji says to me as he takes a seat.
"You're always a perfectionist Shinji.", I pout
"I think it has gotten worse.", he laughs at his current situation
"Shinji, this is very serious. Your emotions of dread are overflowing!", I try to reason with him. Why is he doing so much just so that we could get along?
"I can't have any of you two dying this week."
"I've already seen your thoughts, Dongmei and I can just work temporarily to face the situation!", I protest
"I can't have that you'll both make me choose between you."
"Then choose between us. I can take the answer that you'll choose her over me. Just so your mental stability is ensured, I don't want you to suffer this agony anymore.", I stay determined
"No no, you won't let me choose her. She won't let me choose you either.", Shinji shivers all over.
He isn't referring to me. He is referring to all the souls of all the previous deaths of both me and Dongmei. They whisper, scream, and pester Shinji about his choices.
'I' apparently shout at him as a liar and fake for not keeping our promises and 'Dongmei' torments him for her sacrifice of love being thrown aside like garbage.
Unlike me who froze in such danger, she sacrificed herself decisively. I didn't even have enough time to know why she decided on that. Was it her the responsibility she worked her life to uphold or was it the love she hoped to protect at the end of it?
Even if I did the same in this cycle, my rank wouldn't allow me to do the same as she did.
"Isn't this a worse condition for you to live with? 'They' will both torment you on this middle decision!", I say
"I have resolved myself on this. No more death and no more contemplation. The torment gets even worse the more I stall for time. Both of 'You' kill me over and over but I can't stand to see you two die. I need both of you with me."
Shinji grasps my hand as he says, "I have already been consumed by guilt and despair. I don't even know if I love you both anymore for the things I experienced. but... BUT, I know this one thing. Deep inside my mind, the right solution would be for both of you to survive and for all three of us to be together. I know that the torment will be worse but the guilt will pile up like a mountain that I won't ever overcome."
I knew what was the answer already. I feel his torment and how desperate he was. No one could even imagine how much he experienced. I couldn't be selfish now.
Shinji sits down and sighs. He looks up at the moon, "You don't need to force yourself because of myself. Love is a mysterious and precious thing no matter how much it's overplayed. You don't have to fully agree on this, just accept that Dongmei is going to be there. I can't just manipulate your heart to happily agree on this for my sake"
He was on point, no matter how much I felt his emotion, it couldn't come as close as the original. My power only lets me feel only to an extent of what the other has. I couldn't just hand him over, even his definition of a 'yandere' in his head wouldn't allow another on their loved one's mind.
I even find it surprising that he didn't even take me as someone responsible and blamed it on us. He took our problems and decided to solve them himself even if he had his own.
Shinji turns to me, "I just hope you won't see me as selfish for trying to get both of you."
He thinks that he is selfish?
I quickly respond, "N-no! I understand where you are coming from. There is no way I'll think of you as selfish...I-I will think about what you said and give you an answer."
Shinji smiles brightly at me, "I know this is very sudden for you in your timeline, one moment you were hoping for a romantic dream with your mechanic prince then the very next you are forced to share this mess of a scumbag with someone else you barely even interacted with."
Shinji, you have really changed. Your demeanor and facade became more fluent. the thoughts you hide in your mind don't even coincide with your actions. Your heart yet still longs for love like you have always have.
I still see it, you want our hearts even if your own is lost.
Shinji suddenly says, "I think I have said enough, too much convincing will only yield low results. I'll show you through my actions."
He started to eat. I didn't even realize that we finished our drinks.
Shinji starts another topic, "The night is still young, we should at least enjoy tonight by ourselves, don't you think?"
"What are we gonna talk about now that our romantic mood is ruined?", I question
"I'm sure a ballroom dance will suffice, as long as you give me the power to summon a song here then we could get to it.", he states
I snap my fingers and the scenery changes. We stand atop the clouds as moon dust scatters and sparkles around.
Shinji then snaps his fingers together and a band of instruments appears. They play a melody that I have never heard of before.
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[ [Insert Japanese Here] ver.dong dang / Honeymoon Un Deux Trois starts playing]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8i6JnznAi8]
Their clothes changed, Shinji wore a fully black tuxedo. Sirena wore a dress that was white snow.
Shinji held Sirena's hand as the song flows, he led her feet with her heart in tow.
The moonlight followed them wherever they went, The song felt right even if she didn't know what it meant.
It was only him and her in that ballroom, it felt like forever swaying in that tune.
"Why are you looking all dazed? Didn't you want a dance with me? Are you that amazed?", Shinji calls out to Sirena. She was in a trance.
It was customary for the gentleman to ask the lady for a dance rather than the other way around. Shinji didn't bother asking for a dance.
Sirena smiles at the guy she has fallen deeply for. She comes close for a kiss. Shinji responded with more.
Step, Turn, Sway, Sing. They enjoyed every little thing.
It was a dream all for themselves. A dream that had to end itself.
Time passes as the song ends. It was long yet it felt too short like all the good things people experienced.
Sirena sighs, "It seems that this is the end?"
Shinji jests in a prince-like voice, "Indeed it has."
"Haha, very funny. Bring back my mechanic lover.", She rolls her eyes
Shinji goes back to normal, "It was fun, we could still have more of this after we fight back against the organization."
"And it will be with Dongmei...never mind that. I'll accept her, you considered me very much even though you suffered.", Sirena finally made her decision.
He smiles, "I think it's a very normal thing aside from the killing. Both springs welled up and couldn't find the heart to let go. I know both of you mean well. I...think I once had that feeling as well"
Sirena hugs him, "I'm sure you feel it again."
Shinji hugs back, "My heart has gone cold but it never stopped looking for some warmth."
They both woke up
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I, Sirena Brise, am the daughter of the 10th Magic Councilman Allard Brise
Like other girls, I always liked the thought of a brave prince in shining armor. Although it was a bit different, I thought of fighting by the prince's side as a mage like how my father was with my mother, who was a knight.
When my mother heard of my dream she cheerfully approved of it on the condition that I truly find someone that fits the name of someone brave. That was when I learned the difference between Arrogance, Bravery, Recklessness, and Cowardice.
I was enlightened about what bravery is. It isn't always to face the danger and it wasn't having no fear under the pressure of it.
One shouldn't overestimate their ability because that is arrogance.
One should take into account the danger unless they are reckless.
One shouldn't always run from the problem because that is cowardice.
I kept it in my heart as I grew older, becoming 10 years old.
Then at a certain banquet that was held for King Nero's son, I attended, as usual, to socialize with the upper-class nobles and royalty. It was much larger than the other banquets since it was made to celebrate a royalty becoming 10 years old.
I didn't like it that much other than the benefit of making connections. If I were to point out something entertaining, other than the kids my age who boasted of their superiority of riches, then it would be Shinji who was called the [Banquet's Fool].
He was once called the [Banquet's Jester] but he insisted that the [Bangquet's Fool] was better. I didn't see what made it better. Why didn't he mind people calling him names like this?
Nevertheless, the things he showed and made were always enchanting and cool. But they only had flare and didn't actually have any practicality. When the other kids realized this they stopped their praises and changed to making fun of him.
I didn't interfere, I barely knew him and it would be very bad to offend a lot of backgrounds just for a mere son of a marquess of a fallen kingdom. It was commendable that Shinji didn't make a fuss over others' ridicule.
What was annoying though was those kids that were offended just because Shinji ignored them. They felt like they were the center of the world even though Shinji was the center of attention a few banquets ago.
Shinji was better than them, his status of attention was turned into mockery and yet he didn't bother, no... it was like he was bored. He found no use in their mouths of insult.
One would say, "You think you're better than us just because you ignore us?!"
You just answered your question.
...And the kids became pissed and one of them threw a punch. I send a magic signal for guards to come. These idiots trying to cause a ruckus at a royal banquet will surely have their prestige damaged. Unfortunately, Shinji's household will also lose prestige if he can't handle the situation well.
He took out a gun that looked like one of the weapons we saw at a banquet. The banquet was held by the head scientist of the Nada Kingdom. The Nada Kingdom is the only high-level kingdom today after the Nil Kingdom fell.
The gun was made to use laser bullets rather than electromagnetic ones. They almost look the same but I knew Shinji didn't have the resources nor the blueprints to make that weapon.
He successfully made them back off with a threat. The adults wouldn't even mind it as it is just a fake after all.
He took the brunt of mockery knowing full well the consequences of making a fuss. He held back from attacking because he knows his strength and weaknesses. He handled the situation confidently with the risk of it failing.
He... was brave. My mechanic prince.
I approached him, "Those nobles don't really know the value of technology. What you did there was commendable. If you don't mind, can we be friends?", I raised my hand.
Shinji looked at me and accepted it and smiled.
That was the beginning of our friendship and the blooming of my love.
He's changed a lot since then and I couldn't keep up. The change was abnormal and abrupt and yet he still was himself through all that torment.
He wasn't reckless in choosing the middle path. He knew this was the best outcome.
He wasn't arrogant for choosing us both. He had an intricate plan in his mind.
He wasn't a coward since he never gave up on a problem he never deserved to face.
He is still that person that made my heart beat. The one I vowed to fight beside with.
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I pry my eyes so I can see~
The girl that's waiting up for me~
That I call my own~
I have awoken from such a great sleep. I see Sirena looking down on me as I still lay on her lap.
Shinji get up! You can't just keep freeloading on her. But they're so soft...
I stand up as I get to the [Lullaby Tree]. It was morning so the tree must have opened its trunk.
[Lullaby Tree] is a rank 5 monster that is indestructible as a rank-6 on the day. It doesn't attack though so it's great.
At night, its defense drops to rank-4 and it will kill any monster or race near it if it hasn't come with another of its kind. Exceptions that will be spared are lovestruck, heartbroken, or lonely people. Instead, they will be calmed by the glow of the tree's leaves.
I bet you know where to propose under now. Once you find your other half.
"Ok, so the plan now is for you to increase the number of people you can bring into your dreams. You will use this fruit to help you. I'll also have to go travel with my team since we still need more points to get first place.", I say as I take a 3-Star [Blooming Heart] from the trunk.
This flower's pollen has a hallucinogenic effect that affects the mind. Usually, all Espers have an immunity power at rank 2 so this will be helpful for Sirena to train.
She takes the flower and nods to me, "After this, I'll go inform the headmaster of an incoming invasion of the Kagai-sha Organization?"
"Yes, the Kagai-sha are targeting the nobles of the empire with the reason of revolting. They have stationed a ship nearby with the latest cloaking technology. It even has a 5-Star Qi formation to stop headmaster Hideo from even noticing. The location of the attack is always random but they will surely deal with the headmaster first to buy them time to annihilate the students."
"It's horrifying to know that someone at the peak of rank 9 is still vulnerable.", Sirena sweatdropped.
"I saw 5 figures flying and keeping a formation stable just to keep the headmaster inside. I think all five of them are probably rank 9.", I inform her
"Never mind then, the headmaster is a monster. I'll inform him of an incoming ambush. What do I say if he question's the authenticity of this incident?", She questions.
"As long as he casts a lie detection spell and finds it as the truth then he'll find enough reason to start preparing. He cares about the students no matter how cold and ruthless his threats may seem to be.", I affirm
"Ok, I'll get going then. One more question before we separate."
I nodded at her to continue.
"I'm your first kiss right?"
I roll my eyes, "Yes, yes. Happy now?"
Sirena smiles cutely, "Very happy!"
Yanderes, they are happy about small gestures of love, the sweetest ones as long as you don't cheat. I sigh as she left. Half of them down.