In this situation, where I was retracing even the mories of my first day at the dormitory, Daphne began to wonder how her dreams had brought her here.
‘Could it be… ?’
She recalled hearing that when soone was on the brink of death, mories of their past would flash through their mind like a panorama.
What had she been doing before she started dreaming?
‘…I was kidnapped.’
And then, she got caught in an explosion.
Daphne seriously wondered if she was in a near-death experience.
She wasn’t scared of dying.
After losing her family, she had beco sowhat indifferent to the concept of death.
Knowing it could co at any ti, she no longer perceived it as a special disaster.
More importantly, there were hardly any people in the real world who would miss her.
Yet, sowhere in her heart, she felt a sense of regret.
No, was there truly no one?
Regardless of her will, her mories kept replaying.
“Are you feeling unwell or sothing?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m healthy! Ehehe…”
Violet, her clumsy and unpredictable roommate.
The ti before the entrance ceremony flashed by quickly.
They ate sandwiches together, talked a little.
Short and awkward as it was, it was a bit enjoyable to look back on.
Revisiting mories was fun.
Suddenly, Daphne thought of soone while looking at Violet’s figure.
The mories before her eyes shifted rapidly.
‘This scene… the entrance ceremony day?’
She rembered it vividly.
During the freshman welco party, a monster had intruded. To her surprise, a girl who looked exactly like Violet, wielding a hamr, broke through the window. ŕÅ𐌽∅𝔟Еᶊ
She later learned it was Violet’s clone.
‘In ergencies, the most important thing is to guide the escape route.’
She borrowed the hamr from Violet and widened the space, smashing the remaining glass and covering it with clothes to prevent scratches.
This would allow others to escape safely.
As she stepped back with Violet to catch her breath, the wall exploded, and an interdiate-level monster, Kranos, erged.
The gigantic crustacean, wounded and staggering from the students’ attacks, focused its final desperate energy into its mouth, preparing a concentrated magical attack aid directly at Daphne and Violet.
‘Stay calm, as trained. You can do this.’
Despite her fear, she maintained composure and activated her unique ability.
The blessing unfolded, and a powerful barrier was erected.
The deathly breath attack collided with the barrier, scattering harmlessly.
Although it caused so collateral damage to the surroundings, no one was injured.
“Haa… haa… Thank goodness. I managed to block it.”
Relieved, Daphne caught her breath.
For the first ti, her ability had protected soone.
‘My efforts weren’t in vain!’
Barely containing her joy, she took a step forward.
“Kyah!”
A scream from behind made her turn around. Violet had collapsed. Just as she moved to rush over, sothing fell from the sky.
With a heavy crash, Violet’s figure was crushed under a massive, white object that had fallen before Daphne’s eyes.
Her eyes widened in shock.
An uncontrollable shudder coursed through her.
The day’s disaster overlapped with a past tragedy.
A monster’s attack, her fleeing family,
And her sister struck by a car.
The past she thought she had buried resurfaced, stabbing her heart like a dagger.
“Kyahhhhhh!”
She scread and ran.
‘This ti, I’ll save her!’
But again, she was too late.
There was no need to check for a pulse.
Violet had been killed instantly by the air conditioning unit.
Even so, she poured out her magical power again and again.
No, this ti she could save her.
She had to save her.
Nothing happened.
Daphne realized she had failed once more.
She hadn’t known Violet for long, but those monts were enjoyable. Her kind and cute roommate—Daphne hadn’t been able to save her.
The old wound deep in her heart, thought to have healed, reopened, unleashing a torrent of regret.
“Ahh! No! Rugilinn! This ti too…! Aaaah! Aah…”
She had trained and practiced for monts like this, yet she was utterly powerless.
“Sniff…hic… I’m sorry… Even now… I…”
Even now, I couldn’t do anything. Please forgive …
As Daphne helplessly held the girl’s lifeless body, a miracle occurred.
“Kaahng…!”
The girl, thought to be dead, let out a brief groan and sat up.
Daphne’s mory recalled the girl’s words about her unique ability.
“Ah…um…so, this is Miss Rugilinn’s clone… her unique ability, right?”
“That’s probably it..? I’m not sure, but it must be!”
So that’s what it was.
Though she didn’t fully grasp the situation, one thing was clear. The girl—Violet—wasn’t dead.
By the ti she regained her senses, Daphne found herself hugging Violet tightly, crying her eyes out.
Thank you. Thank you for being alive.
From that day on, a part of Daphne’s heart, which had always been empty, began to fill without her realizing it.
Amid the purposeless mories replaying, the present Daphne ca to an important realization.
‘Miss Rugilinn resembles my younger sister.’
An unpredictable and unstable personality, with a large appetite. Yet she wasn’t greedy.
“Look! Daphne, Daphne. I brought so delicious food.”
Especially her obsession with sweet treats, her childlike innocence, and her pure nature.
“Sorry! It wasn’t who ate it; it was my clone… I was just so hungry.”
When Violet stole her snacks, she found it impossible to get angry.
‘I understand. She must have been so hungry to do that.’
Watching Violet eat the snacks deliciously reminded her of soone who loved sweets and had a big appetite.
And when she saw Violet crying in her sleep out of pain and fear, she unconsciously thought of Laurel as a child, searching for their parents in bed.
She couldn’t ignore such a pitiful cry for help.
That’s why every night, she used her healing abilities over Violet’s head to take care of her.
At the ti, she acted purely on impulse, but looking back now, she understood why she did it.
That’s right, I might have been overlapping Ms. Rugilinn with my younger sister.
At first, it was out of sympathy.
It was too hard to watch you in pain, and you reminded of my little sister who used to call out for our parents every night.
So, on the day you pushed off the bed, the words I said to you were sincere.
“Thank you for forgiving for pushing you earlier. Daphne, you really are a good person!”
“…I’m not that good of a person…”
I, Daphne Grace, am far from a good person.
All the things I’ve done might have just been shallow acts to comfort myself.
I was just a foolish girl caught in the trap of the past.
But as ti went by, my thoughts about you began to change.
Still innocent, fond of food, impulsive, and reckless. Yet, you knew how to admit your mistakes and get angry about things that didn’t even concern you.
You were a good person.
When I think about it, the ti I spent with you over the past month was always joyful.
There were silly monts and frequent accidents, but I think it was the best ti I’ve had while staying at this academy.
All thanks to you.
Yes, I understand now why I got lost in this dream.
I had been kidnapped.
By so bullies in the school.
The blessing of my azure eyes was on the verge of breaking after hours of relentless attacks.
I was scared.
There was no one around .
And then you appeared.
You bravely scolded the bad guys and saved , even shielding from the fireballs.
Am I dead? Or did I just faint? If I’m dead, I hope you don’t bla yourself. You were so brave.
My one and only friend. Violet.
Thank you so much.
At so point, Daphne’s reminiscence started to blur.
The world around her began to turn white. She realized it instinctively—this was the end of the dream.
“…!”
She ca to her senses, opened her eyes, and looked around.
It was a hospital room.
Back to the present.
Daphne gently patted Violet’s trembling back.
At this mont, Violet wasn’t the playful, mischievous schoolgirl.
She was rely a helpless, frightened, and exhausted girl.
Violet, who had been seeking comfort, slowly began to explain to Daphne what had happened while she was unconscious.
“Well, actually…”
She recounted how, with Irene’s help, she had taken Daphne to the hospital, how she had flipped out and challenged Martina to a duel, and what had transpired in the duel.
She didn’t bother to ntion the ssy details of how she dealt with the Perian siblings or the gang.
Daphne hugged Violet tighter with sympathy. How difficult it must have been, how scary and painful.
“It must have been really hard for you. Co here…”
“…Thank you…”
Violet slowly withdrew from Daphne’s gentle embrace. Suddenly, a question arose in Violet’s mind, and she spoke.
“Daphne.”
“Yes?”
“What would you do if you found out so bad people were planning sothing terrible? And it was going to happen in our neighborhood. If I went up against them, I might lose. What should I do?”
Violet was thinking about the evil sches of the council.
She envisioned the disaster that would occur three months later.
After nearly losing the duel, the weight of it all felt even heavier.
What can soone like even do?
Daphne, surprised by the sudden question, thought for a mont before responding.
“Standing up to them would be the right thing to do, but if you lack the strength, running away would be the wise choice.”
“Run away? But… wouldn’t that make a coward? Isn’t fighting back the right thing to do?”
Daphne pondered. It must be because of that duel she ntioned.
Violet’s expression was dark despite her victory.
Daphne had only heard bits and pieces, but Violet’s choices seed reckless.
Even Violet herself appeared deeply conflicted.
‘Ms. Rugilinn seems like she’s lost her way. Maybe it’s not the decision itself but the fear of making one that’s scaring her.’
After a brief pause, Daphne replied.
“Well, I think Ms. Rugilinn might be overlooking a few things.”
“…?”
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