A pale young girl hummed a soft melody as she walked through the bustling street, her footsteps light amid the busy crowd. People rushing past her occasionally shot curious glances, but Aria didn't mind. In fact, their stares only made her smile. Today was, without a doubt, the best day of her life. After five long years, it had finally arrived.
A yawn slipped from her lips, and her gaze wandered down to the empty coffee cup she clutched in her hand. She had been so absorbed in the rhythm of her own thoughts that the time had slipped away from her.
"I should probably hurry," she murmured to herself, the words barely escaping her lips as she stretched her arms above her head, the soft crackle of her joints making her feel momentarily more awake.
With a slight tilt of her head, she tossed the empty cup into a nearby bin and quickened her pace. To her surprise, the coffee in this world wasn't nearly as bad as Sunny had claimed it to be—in fact, it was rather pleasant.
As she approached the police station, she slowed to a stop just before the door. The weight of the moment settled on her chest, a strange sense of calmness pooling inside her. She took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs, and glanced around at the city once more. The towering buildings loomed over her, their glass windows reflecting the early morning sunlight, she yawned again, stretching out the weariness that lingered.
"Being infected by the Nightmare Spell sure is tiresome," she muttered with a wry smile.
As Aria stepped inside, her long black hair cascaded around her shoulders, contrasting against her pale complexion, almost as if she were a shadow among the sterile surroundings. Her green eyes seemed to shimmer with both excitement and a hint of mischief.
She was greeted by bright lights and a sleek black reception desk. The faint sound of rapid typing drifted from behind it, where an officer, his dark circles betraying his exhaustion, stared intently at a bright screen, typing away without even noticing the young girl who had entered.
As Aria stepped inside, the quiet hum of fluorescent lights was the only sound that filled the space.
"Uhm, excuse me, officer?" Aria's voice broke through the silence.
The officer jumped, startled by her sudden presence, his hand flying to his chest in shock. His wide eyes locked onto her for a moment before he quickly scrambled to recover.
"God!" he coughed awkwardly, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Ah, yes—hello! What can I do for you, miss?"
Aria's lips curled into a bright, almost mischievous smile. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding with excitement. This moment—this was what she had been waiting for. She could hardly believe it, even as the words tumbled from her lips.
"As demanded by the Third Special Directive," she announced, her voice steady, "I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."
The officer's jaw dropped, his eyes wide. "What?"
Aria had been infected by the Nightmare Spell. And was now happily announcing it at the police station.
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Five years ago, after being transmigrated into this world, Aria had been preparing for this moment. The day she would step into her first nightmare. She had always adored stories of brave heroes and their daring adventures. So when she woke up in the body of an eleven-year-old girl inside one of her favorite novels, it didn't take her long to adjust to the strange reality. Of course, she'd been horrified at first, but once she realized she could gain superpowers, her excitement knew no bounds.
In preparation for this day, she had pushed herself beyond the limits. Running every day, training in the cold, enduring extreme heat, suffering through pain, hunger, and exhaustion—whatever it took. Physically, it wouldn't matter much in the First Nightmare, since she wouldn't be in her own body, but she knew it was all about mental fortitude. Knowledge and preparation were key.
Aria wasn't a legacy or a high-ranking citizen. She didn't come from a noble family or have any advantages. In fact, she had no family at all—not in the conventional sense. Orphaned at a young age, abandoned by her parents who left her to die. It was cruel but in many ways, growing up an orphan hadn't been as bad as it seemed. The orphanage was very nice. She had friends, the freedom to explore the world online, and even a small allowance. She wasn't rich, but it didn't matter. All she needed was a wooden sword to practice with and the knowledge she could find in books and on the internet.
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The officer finally regained his composure, his professionalism kicking in.
"Are you sure? How long have you been infected?"
Aria yawned, stretching as if the whole thing were no big deal.
"My first symptoms appeared yesterday... so, about 18 hours, I think."
The officer's eyes widened once more.
"Alright, give me a second."
He pressed a button on his terminal and then bellowed into the intercom.
"Code Red! Attention! Code Red in the lobby!"
Within moments, officers flooded the room, swiftly placing Aria in restraints. She was then escorted down to an underground bunker, where she was strapped into a contraption that resembled a mix of a hospital bed and a torture device. Police officers armed with automatic rifles stood in tight formation around her, creating an environment far from comfortable. But Aria barely noticed. All she could think about was how desperately she wanted to fall asleep and enter her first nightmare.
Well, correction: leave her first nightmare. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little nervous, but the reward that awaited her was too tempting to let fear take hold.
Staring up at the cold, sterile ceiling, an officer began briefing her on the Nightmare and all its horrors. Aria wasn't paying much attention—she already knew most of it by heart. Besides, she was too tired to focus. Her eyelids grew heavier by the second.
As if on cue, a familiar voice echoed in her mind.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial...]