Hiroshi found himself waking up, but not in the cozy inn room where he had drifted off. Instead, he was standing in a strange, dreamlike world. The air was warm and still, the ground beneath him glowing softly as if made of light. The sky above was an endless swirl of stars, and the landscape around him felt both familiar and surreal.
Confused, Hiroshi started walking. "Where... am I?"
As he wandered through the dreamscape, a voice, soft and familiar, called out to him. "Hiroshi."
He froze. That voice... He turned, and there she stood—Aiko, his childhood friend. She looked just as he remembered, her dark hair framing her kind face, a gentle smile on her lips.
"Aiko?" Hiroshi blinked, his heart skipping a beat. "Is that really you?"
Aiko nodded, her expression calm and serene. "It's me, Hiroshi."
Hiroshi's mind raced with questions. "Where have you been? How did you...?" He stopped himself, unsure of what to even ask first. He wanted to know everything, but something about the dream-like setting made him doubt he'd get all the answers.
Aiko smiled softly, as if understanding his confusion. "I know you have many questions. But I can only answer those related to this world. Other things..." She paused, her gaze turning distant. "They must wait."
Hiroshi furrowed his brow. "This world? You mean the one I'm in right now?"
She nodded. "Yes. I came to help you understand more about it."
"Then... what can you tell me?" Hiroshi asked, still uncertain but deciding to go along with the strange dream.
Aiko's eyes brightened. "I can teach you magic."
Before Hiroshi could react, Aiko raised her hand, and suddenly, glowing magic circles appeared around her, hovering in midair. One, two, ten—soon there were hundreds of intricate magic circles, each pulsing with power. With a graceful movement, Aiko pointed toward the sky, and the circles surged forward, combining into a massive spell. The energy gathered and exploded in the distance like a nuclear blast, the sheer power of it leaving Hiroshi awestruck.
He stared, speechless, as the residual energy faded away. "How... did you do that?"
Aiko turned to him, her smile encouraging. "It's easier than it looks. I can guide you, but the rest is up to you."
Hiroshi hesitated, then nodded. He focused, raising his hand like she had. He felt the energy stirring within him and tried to summon the magic circles. One by one, they appeared—faint at first but growing stronger. However, instead of the hundreds that Aiko had created, Hiroshi could only manage five, flickering in and out of existence.
He clenched his teeth, frustrated. "Only five?"
Aiko stepped beside him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "For your first attempt, that's remarkable. You'll grow stronger with time."
Hiroshi took a deep breath, calming his mind. "Five... it's a start, I guess."
Aiko smiled at him. "You'll improve, Hiroshi. But remember, magic isn't just about power—it's about understanding the flow of energy, the world around you, and yourself."
Hiroshi sighed, relaxing a bit. "Thanks, Aiko... But, it feels like something's still missing."
She nodded knowingly. "I can help with that too." Her gaze softened as she spoke, and she took a step closer. "Let me give you some of my magic energy, or mana. It'll help you on your journey."
Hiroshi tilted his head, curious. "How... are you going to do that?"
Without a word, Aiko leaned in swiftly, surprising Hiroshi. She pressed her lips to his in a sudden, firm kiss. For a few moments, Hiroshi felt everything around him dissolve as he fell into the kiss, warmth flooding his body as if her mana was flowing into him.
His mind spun, caught between the shock and the strange sense of calm and energy pouring into him. When Aiko finally pulled away, he was left breathless, his heart racing, still feeling the lingering magic she had transferred.
Before he could react further, the dream world around him began to blur, and the next thing he knew—
Hiroshi jolted awake, gasping. His eyes shot open to find himself back in the inn room, the familiar dim light of early morning filtering through the window. He felt his body tingle from the vivid dream, his heart still pounding.
But before he could gather his thoughts, a chuckle echoed through the quiet room. Hiroshi stiffened, realizing there was someone else here.
He looked down, and to his shock, saw the succubus from the forest sitting on his chest, her lips curling in an amused smirk. "Quite the dreamer, aren't you?" she teased, her voice sultry and mocking.
Before Hiroshi could react, she rose effortlessly, her wings spreading wide as she flew toward the window. With one final glance back at him, she giggled and disappeared into the night.
Hiroshi sat up, confused and groggy, his mind still processing what had just happened. But his exhaustion soon overtook him, and he flopped back down onto the bed. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes once more, too tired to make sense of it all. Sleep quickly claimed him again.
The room fell silent, with only the gentle breeze drifting through the open window.
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The first light of dawn peeked through the window, pulling Hiroshi from his slumber. He groaned, rolling over in the bed and blinking as memories of the night before came flooding back—the strange dream with Aiko, the succubus's eerie visit. It all felt surreal, like something his tired mind had conjured, but the lingering warmth in his body told him it wasn't just a dream.
"Mana... she really gave me some of her magic energy," Hiroshi muttered to himself as he stretched. Pushing the thoughts aside for now, he remembered what he had to do today: check the entrance exam results at the academy.
Hiroshi quickly dressed and left the inn, the cool morning air waking him up as he made his way to the academy. The streets were bustling with people, most of them academy candidates like him, nervously making their way toward the large building where the results would be posted.
As he arrived at the academy, Hiroshi spotted a crowd gathered in front of the main announcement board, students jostling for a better view of the exam results. Hiroshi wasn't too worried—after all, the written exam had been almost comically easy for him. Still, a part of him wondered about the combat exam and how his performance was evaluated.
Pushing through the crowd, he scanned the board for his name. After a few moments, he found it—Hiroshi Matsumoto, listed under the accepted candidates. He let out a breath of relief, smiling.
"Looks like I passed," he said to himself, feeling a sense of accomplishment. But before he could dwell on it further, he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Hiroshi?"
He turned to see Aria, standing a few paces away with a bright smile on her face. She looked relieved to see him, her eyes lighting up when their gazes met. "I was wondering if you'd made it."
Hiroshi grinned, shrugging. "Of course. Was there any doubt?"
Aria giggled softly, shaking her head. "Not really. I'm glad, though. It would've been boring here without you."
Hiroshi smirked at her teasing comment. "You sound like you're happy I'm sticking around."
Aria's cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked away, flustered. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"
Before she could say more, Hiroshi turned to check the board again when he heard a sharp voice cut through the air. "Tch. You passed? I guess they really are letting anyone into this academy."
Hiroshi turned to see Selene approaching, her arms crossed and her usual haughty expression firmly in place. She glanced at Hiroshi with mild disdain, clearly still annoyed from their combat exam.
"Morning, Selene," Hiroshi greeted, trying to be polite.
She rolled her eyes, her lips curling into a smug smile. "You should call me Lady Selene. After all, it's only proper for someone of my stature."
Hiroshi blinked, suppressing a chuckle. "Sure, Lady Selene. Whatever you say."
"I don't understand how a foreigner like you managed to pass," she continued, ignoring his sarcasm. "But I suppose the standards have lowered recently." She looked away, pretending to be disinterested, though it was clear she was still bothered by how their fight had gone.
Hiroshi couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at her attitude. "Good to see you too, Selene."
Selene shot him a glare, her eyes narrowing. "Don't get cocky just because you got accepted. I won't lose to you next time."
With that, she turned on her heel, her posture stiff with frustration as she walked away, leaving Hiroshi and Aria to exchange glances.
Aria watched her leave, shaking her head. "She's... intense."
"Yeah," Hiroshi agreed, scratching the back of his neck. "But she's strong. I'll give her that."
Aria nodded but stayed quiet for a moment, looking down at her hands. Hiroshi noticed her shift in mood and gave her a curious glance. "Everything alright?"
"Y-Yeah," Aria stammered, her face flushing as she quickly forced a smile. "It's just... today's a big day for all of us. I was thinking... maybe we could spend some time together before the results ceremony."
Hiroshi smiled. "Sure, why not? I've got some time to kill before the ceremony."
Aria's face lit up, and the two of them set off to explore the academy's vast campus. As they wandered through the main halls, admired the beautiful architecture, and even stopped by the library, where Aria excitedly pointed out some of the rare magic tomes stored inside, Hiroshi couldn't shake the feeling that he was growing closer to her with each passing moment.
"Let's see what else the academy has to offer!" Aria said, her excitement infectious as they made their way outside to the gardens.
As they strolled through the blooming flowers, Hiroshi couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected friendships forming around him. Today was just the beginning of an adventure he never could have imagined.
The two of them chatted about their hopes for the academy and what they wanted to achieve. Hiroshi found himself laughing at Aria's enthusiasm, feeling as though he had finally found a place where he belonged.
Their time together passed quickly, filled with lighthearted banter and shared dreams. The sun climbed higher in the sky, and as they made their way back toward the academy, Hiroshi couldn't shake the feeling that something special was blossoming between them.
As they approached the entrance, Hiroshi turned to Aria with a genuine smile. "I had a great time today."
Aria's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, and she looked down, fidgeting with her hands. "I... I did too."
Just then, the sounds of the academy began to swell with chatter, signaling that the results ceremony was about to commence. Hiroshi and Aria exchanged glances, anticipation bubbling in the air around them.
"Let's head inside," Aria suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
With a nod, Hiroshi followed her into the building, ready to face whatever came next in this new chapter of his life.