Elizabeth spoke into empty air, though actually she was addressing her brother. Her voice was carefully projected just loud enough for those nearby to hear. The performance was deliberate, after all, the plan was still in motion.
"Sis, please just stop this nonsense. It's embarrassing."
Her imaginary brother walked beside her, his expression tight with concern. His protests, however, went unanswered. Elizabeth merely smiled and cast him a sidelong glance.
"What are you talking about? Can't you see I'm doing this for my own benefit?" she replied lightly. "Or would you rather I remain uncomfortable during my time at the Academy?"
Cain shook his head.
"No, but still… don't you think you're overdoing it?"
He gestured subtly at the people around them.
Elizabeth followed his gaze.
Despite her efforts to appear unstable, she still drew attention, only now it had shifted. Where once there had been curious glances and people boldly approaching her, they now kept their distance. Conversations quieted when she passed by. The crowd parted around her, forming paths as people avoided her entirely.
'That works for me. As long as no one bothers me.'
"Even that short Sleeper from earlier has stopped causing trouble," Cain added with a sigh.
Elizabeth scoffed.
"He started before me. Of course he's done. I'm just getting started."
She continued her act until a soft vibration stirred against her wrist. The timer she had set pulsed faintly, a reminder that night was approaching. Elizabeth glanced toward the window. The sun had dipped low, casting long, stretching shadows across the ground.
Without hesitation, she slipped away and found a washroom. Luckily, it was empty. Inside a stall, she quickly changed into the clothes she had prepared in advance.
'Even if I turn into a grandma, these should still fit…'
A few minutes later, the transformation came. It was always swift, lasting no more than a second. When it ended, she looked down at herself and sighed.
'…Not a grandma this time.'
Stepping out, she faced the mirror. A young woman stared back at her, perhaps the youngest she had ever been at night. Elizabeth tilted her head, studying her features with quiet scrutiny. She appeared to be around twenty-seven… perhaps early thirties.
After confirming that her clothes fit perfectly, she left.
By the time she returned to the hall, most of the Sleepers had already taken their seats, waiting for the induction ceremony to begin. She scanned the room, searching for somewhere isolated. Without a hoodie that fit her current form and hid her face, she preferred to remain out of sight.
After a moment, she found what she was looking for and smiled.
'He really works fast. It seems rumors have already spread enough for everyone to avoid him.'
The short Sleeper sat alone in the corner bleachers. Others clearly avoided the area, choosing to stand rather than sit near him. At the far end of the bench, however, sat another person a girl. The girl looked delicate and was very pretty. Her clothes were tidy and neat. They weren't very expensive, but still looked well put together. She had pale blond hair, big blue eyes and exquisite face, she looked like a beautiful doll, similar to the ones she used to play with as a kid.
She did not seem to mind the short boy presence. As Elizabeth approached however, she noticed something peculiar about the girl. The girl's eyes were open, but her gaze was strange. It was unfocused, as though it failed to register what it looked upon.
'Ah… she's blind.'
It wasn't natural. No one born blind could have survived their First Nightmare. It had to be her Flaw.
'What a terrible… Flaw.'
Her own was far from kind, yet at least she had discovered that regressing in age did not weaken her. And if she chose to think about it optimistically, her smaller size made her easier to hide and even improved her chances of survival. But blindness… she couldn't imagine it. The mere thought was unsettling. The girl must have suffered greatly.
The short Sleeper noticed her approach and narrowed his eyes in confusion. It was understandable. Someone who looked older than the rest didn't belong among them, unless they were Awakened staff. Yet she wore no uniform.
When Elizabeth sat between him and the blind girl, his eyes widened in surprise and recognition. His gaze lingered on her, drifting more than once to her chest before he abruptly looked away.
'Ah… so the rumors about him being a perv were true…'
She sighed, shaking her head, then glanced down at herself.
'…But can I really blame him? Even I stare sometimes. I still can't believe this is my body.'
She exhaled quietly and pretended to face forward, all while discreetly observing him in return. She began to wonder if she should associate with him. She was almost certain, eighty percent, at least that he possessed a Divine Aspect. And he was one of the first people she had met whom she felt a genuine curiosity toward. There was something they might share in common after all.
'But… how the hell do I approach him?'
She couldn't simply say, "Hey, since we both have Divine Aspects, want to be friends?" Was that how it worked? The last time she had tried to make a friend had been in middle school.
'How did I even become friends with Tessie?'
She thought for a moment, then sighed. They had bonded over grief and trauma.
'…That doesn't help.'
What could she even say? "Hey, is it true you faced an Awakened Tyrant in your First Nightmare? Must've been rough."
'Ugh… I give up.'
She wasn't built for this. And the short Sleeper didn't seem any better, he hardly looked like someone who initiated conversations.
She let out a quiet sigh. Making friends would have to come later; she didn't really have the luxury to socialize at the moment. The month ahead was bound to be busy.
Suddenly, laughter echoed in her mind.
"That last one wasn't bad, though. I mean, look around you. Most of the Sleepers are bonding by sharing their Nightmares. You could try."
Elizabeth sighed again and forcibly silenced her brother's voice.
Then, abruptly, she felt a gaze upon her. She turned, locating the source almost instantly. It was the blind girl beside her.
Her expressionless stare unsettled Elizabeth. The girl held it for a moment, blinking rapidly, before turning back toward the podium.
'What was that?'
For a fleeting instant, it had felt as though she herself were being examined. but that was Impossible. The girl was blind… wasn't she?
But then again what kind of Aspect would accompany such a flaw?
Before she could dwell on it further, the room quieted down. Laughter and chatter faded into silence.
A moment later, a figure stepped onto the podium.
A tall man in a dark blue uniform. Not merely tall, he loomed, almost like a giant. His piercing gaze swept across the room, pausing briefly on their corner before he spoke.
"I am Awakened Rock. Sleepers, welcome to the Academy."
The remaining whispers died instantly. All attention turned to him.
'Awakened Rock… what a strange name.'
"In less than a month," he continued, "you will be summoned to the Dream Realm. Some of you may believe you are prepared. You are wrong."
His voice was calm, yet unyielding.
"The Spell is merciless and cunning. The moment Awakened begin to overestimate themselves, they die. I have seen countless Sleepers lose their lives. I have seen Masters fall. Even Saints are not guaranteed survival."
Elizabeth watched as faint smiles faded from faces around her.
"In the coming weeks, we will do everything possible to increase your chances. You will train under the best instructors in the world. But do not be deceived, your survival depends on one person alone."
He paused as he looked around the room.
"You."
A silence followed.
"You are no longer children. Though you should be. The Spell has decided otherwise. You've survived your First Nightmare so i am sure you already know the truth. Your parents, your teachers, your friends… they cannot help you anymore."
Elizabeth sighed.
"Jeez… it's the same speech from years ago."
Her brother appeared beside her, taking a seat.
"Exactly the same as the recording you watched back in school," he added.
She nodded. Having seen it countless times, she let part of her attention drift. Instead, she began considering her classes. She had a month before the Winter Solstice. She needed to choose wisely at least two courses that would improve her odds.
'Sorcery is a must.'
Beyond that, she wasn't quite sure yet. After a moment of consideration, she settled on combat training. She needed to refine her Aspect, grow accustomed to it, and sharpen her instincts and movement to be even better than before the nightmare spell took her. She was also curious about the tips an Awakened combat instructor might give her. Even though Tessie, a Saint had trained her, additional guidance couldn't hurt.
"That is all for today," Awakened Rock concluded. "Follow the instructions on your communicators to locate your dormitories. Afterward, proceed to the cafeteria. Interviews will follow to determine your curriculum. Get some rest. Training begins tomorrow."
Elizabeth snapped back to attention as the speech ended. She rose slowly, glancing at her vibrating communicator.
'Sweet. they do Solo dorms here.'
Relief washed over her. After everything she had done today, sharing a room with someone else would have been… awkward. She switched off the device and followed the stream of Sleepers heading toward the cafeteria.
'Interviews, huh…'
She couldn't help but sigh at the luxury of the Academy. Back home, Sleepers were simply thrown into rigid schedules with no choice at all.
The moment she stepped inside, the scent of food hit her. Her stomach growled loudly.
Only then did she realize, She hadn't eaten all day.
'…It's an all-you-can-eat buffet, right? Surely they won't charge me… right?'