The Boundary of Dreams (2)
By the time I finished my daily routine, the sun had already sunk low, ushering in a late evening wrapped in deepening shadows. I slipped onto the dormitory grounds, careful to avoid prying eyes. The path to and from Yeon Minha’s room had grown familiar by now. I remained cautious, but with the headmaster having cleared away the guards and caretakers, the risk of discovery was virtually nonexistent. What stopped me in my tracks, however, was the unexpected scene unfolding just outside the entrance.
“...What are you doing?”
“...Hik.”
At the sound of my voice, Yeon Minha—who had been crouching at the dormitory entrance—jerked her head up. Her face was deathly pale, like a child caught in the middle of mischief. And at her feet lay a small cat of familiar appearance, sprawled on its back with its belly shamelessly exposed.
-Myaong!
As if it had been waiting for me, Ttangkong sprang up at once, raced over, and began rubbing its body against my leg. The motion sent a fresh spike of pain through my already aching head. Why was Ttangkong here? Had it followed my scent again, just like last time?
“I-is that your cat…? But animals aren’t allowed in the dormitory… not without my permission…”
Yeon Minha belatedly composed her expression and rose to her feet. Her attempt to salvage the dignity of a senior was almost painfully earnest. Yet even as she trembled, unable to meet my eyes, it was obvious she had been stroking Ttangkong’s belly only moments earlier. Perhaps beneath that icy exterior toward people, she harbored a soft spot for animals.
-Myaang!
Ttangkong looked up at me, making little climbing motions against my leg as if demanding to be petted like always. But my mind was occupied by an entirely different problem. Fortunately Yeon Minha seemed unaware, but Ttangkong’s official owner was someone else—the very person she loathed with every fiber of her being. Of course, calling the cat mine wasn’t entirely inaccurate, yet revealing the truth to her now was out of the question. It could become ammunition for future trouble.
“No. I’ve never seen that cat before. Get rid of it.”
-Myaang!?
After careful deliberation I shook my head with finality. But in that instant, Ttangkong’s eyes widened as though it had understood every word. My chest tightened. The look in those round eyes felt heavy with betrayal and shock.
Ttangkong stared at me with wet, reproachful eyes for a moment, then darted through the bushes and vanished. It couldn’t have actually understood and gotten sulky… could it? I’d have to treat it to something tasty later.
“Ah…”
Yeon Minha reached out toward the spot where Ttangkong had disappeared, her gesture tinged with regret. But after a quick glance in my direction, she slowly withdrew her hand.
“…”
Only awkward silence stretched between us. Given our relationship, that was only natural. Yeon Minha stole one last glance at me, then turned and shuffled back toward her room.
-Thud!
“...Hic.”
In that moment she staggered, tripped over nothing, and collapsed to the floor with a loud clatter. Whether from the shame of showing such an undignified sight before her junior, she remained seated, body trembling violently. After a long moment Yeon Minha struggled back to her feet. With heavy, lifeless steps she entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her without a sound. Her face throughout had been etched with the profound suffering of someone gravely ill.
The same sounds had echoed from the next room every night for days: the crash of floating objects colliding in midair, the sharp shatter of something smashing against the floor, and the terrified sobs of a girl begging for mercy from whatever haunted her dreams.
“…”
When I turned my gaze, a similar scene greeted me—pencils and articles of clothing drifting and weaving through the air. They would drop, then float back up, painting the room in an almost surreal tableau. It was the classic poltergeist phenomenon said to occur around powerful mages pushed to their limits.
When I first entered this dormitory, the utter chaos had left me momentarily stunned. No one would imagine that the room of such a refined young lady—always impeccably dressed—could be littered with cups, coats, and every other item scattered across the floor. At first I even wondered whether she had a temper that drove her to destroy things when anger got the better of her.
But seeing it now, it seemed she had simply lost all will to clean up after the nightly disturbances.
-Hic… stop… please stop…!
“This is driving me insane…”
The pleas drifting through the wall represented my greatest concern at the moment. I had wondered how many more “sessions” would be required. Yet Yeon Minha’s surrender had come surprisingly early. Whatever she felt inside, she no longer openly displayed that venomous, arrogant attitude toward me. At most she would briefly attempt to reclaim her pride, only to abandon the effort moments later. In recent days there had been almost no rumors about her circulating through the Cradle.
The older girls had always said that those who appear strongest on the outside are often the most hollow within, and therefore the easiest to break. Perhaps Yeon Minha was no exception. But that was not the real problem.
After several days of observation, I understood clearly. Just as I had initially suspected, what tormented her most was her excessive synchronization with spirits. When night fell and the moon and stars sharpened her sensitivity to particles, she would be plunged into horrific nightmares, crying and writhing in her sleep. Exactly like the sounds coming from the next room now.
And thanks to the poorly soundproofed walls, I too had been unable to sleep for days. My original plan had been to check on her condition and return to my own dormitory to rest… but those pitiful cries made it impossible to leave.
On the first night she had seemed to fight off sleep, perhaps because she knew I was in the adjacent room. Yet her chronic exhaustion eventually won out. At first I had intended only to observe her for a while. There was still no foundation of human trust between us that would allow me to reveal the existence of my Authority.
But her condition was far worse than I had imagined. She would suddenly stare into empty space with a look of pure terror. From a distance I had even seen her hurl curses at things no one else could see. None of it looked like the behavior of a sane person.
Moreover, although she had only been living in the dormitory for a few days, her decline had been shockingly rapid. Dark circles ringed her eyes, her face had grown gaunt, and she had begun stumbling and falling from sheer lack of strength, just as she had earlier.
-Crash!
-Hic… sob…
“…”
Once again I sank into deep thought. Her condition today looked even worse than yesterday. Her complexion was so poor it would not have been surprising to find her dead by morning. Even though I held no personal affection for her, seeing her like this stirred an unavoidable flicker of pity.
“…”
It seemed the time had come to put an end to these worries. No matter how I turned the problem over, no better solution presented itself. I could not simply leave her suffering like this. Besides, I needed to confirm whether my Authority could truly soothe her nightmares.
…Let’s try it. If I’m discovered, I’ll find some excuse.
I made up my mind. Gathering my will around the power coiled near my heart, I sent it spreading outward in every direction like gentle ripples.
-Crash!
Immediately the sound of every floating object in the room tumbling to the floor at once echoed throughout the dormitory. After all, the poltergeist phenomenon was also mediated by particles. By deploying the Blockade to seal the entire area, I had cut off its source of power. I wondered whether the noise might wake Yeon Minha, but the bedroom next door remained perfectly still.
Before long, the only sound was the soft, rhythmic breathing of someone sleeping deeply.
-Hooo… huff…
It was a deep, peaceful breath I had never once heard since first stepping into this dormitory. There it was. The effect was undeniable.
A strange sense of accomplishment rose within me. The peaceful silence that had replaced those heartbreaking sobs brought a small measure of satisfaction and tranquility to my own heart as well. Whether this success would continue all the way to her complete reformation remained uncertain… but at least tonight, I might finally get some sleep.
The tension draining from my body made me suddenly, overwhelmingly drowsy. If I get caught… I’ll just make an excuse then…
The cheerful chirping of birds outside the window stirred Yeon Minha from sleep. She opened her eyes slowly, then tilted her head in confusion, brows furrowing slightly. Even in her half-awake state, an odd sense of dissonance filled her nerves.
“...?”
She soon realized why. Warm morning sunlight flooded the room, gentle and comforting. The malicious, sneering laughter that usually tormented her at dawn was strangely absent today. The chronic headache that always plagued her had vanished, leaving her mind clear and tranquil. Her body felt so light it seemed it might float away. Not even the faintest echo of last night’s nightmare remained.
“What… is this!”
Yeon Minha whipped her head toward the clock. For a long moment she could only stare in disbelief. Today was the first time she had ever overslept.