It was a warm summer afternoon when Fuji first spotted Rei. He sat near a sunlit window, lost in thoughts of her beauty. Only when a sharp voice cut through the room did he realize he'd been daydreaming.
"Fuji!" the teacher barked. "Were you listening at all?"
Startled, Fuji jerked upright. "S-sorry," he mumbled, glancing guiltily toward Rei's desk. The girl turned and gave him a gentle smile, but Fuji forced himself to look forward.
"Again, Mr. Fujimori," the teacher said, using his last name with a thin smile. "Is today's lesson really so boring? If you're going to dream, take it outside." She folded her arms. "Your parents pay for your education, after all."
Fuji flushed and straightened in his chair. "Yes, ma'am. I'll focus now."
The teacher watched him for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Now, let's review." But as soon as she spoke, the classroom door slammed and the bell rang loudly. Fuji jumped; summer vacation had begun.
His homeroom teacher grinned and began tidying papers. On the board she scrawled "Enjoy your summer holiday!" ""Don't forget your holiday homework!" she added over her shoulder, causing Fuji's heart to sink.
He turned to his friend Kim, who was packing up his notebook. "Bro, what was the homework again?"
Kim tapped his finger on his chin. "Oh, that? It's a group project—got to interview people in town about their dreams and ambitions."
"A group project," Fuji echoed, relief and excitement surging. "Who's in my group?"
Kim pointed down the hall. Four students were collecting their things. "See those three kids over there? You, me, Rei, and Alice."
Rei caught Fuji's gaze and smiled softly. The corners of his mouth twitched upward. *He realized he'd been staring. * Kim snickered. "Why do you look so happy, Fuji?"
Fuji cleared his throat. "Uh, nothing. I'm just hungry," he lied weakly.
Kim grinned. "Sure you are." He gave a friendly slap on Fuji's back as they headed out of class.
Fuji suddenly remembered something and patted his wrist. "Shoot—what time is it? My watch isn't moving."
Kim shook his head, frowning at his own frozen watch. "Mine's dead too."
Fuji sighed. "Forget it. I need to go pick up my sister." He slung his backpack over his shoulder.
"Alright, man. Later," Kim waved, and Fuji jogged out the door.
Outside the school, dark clouds had gathered far too quickly. A cool wind picked up and heavy raindrops splashed onto Fuji's arms. A prickle ran down his spine. *Why is it raining so suddenly? *
He hurried toward his bicycle, but a flash of lightning split the sky and the air turned eerily still. Fuji fumbled with his kickstand, then slipped on a slick puddle. Falling hard onto the pavement, he gasped for air.
His head snapped up. The world around him seemed to slow. The rain froze in midair, pounding on the ground without sound. Heart thundering, Fuji turned his gaze skyward and froze completely.
A horrible creature towered above. It had a long, sinuous body coiled high in the clouds, like a gigantic snake. Countless human arms sprouted from its torso, their pale hands writhing and clutching. The thing's face was a twisted mockery of a man's—lips peeled back on jagged teeth in a cruel grin. It looked as if it were about to give birth to something monstrous.
Fear paralyzed Fuji. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped his throat. His vision blurred with terror as the demon's gaze met his. Everything went black.
A thunderous voice echoed in his ears: "Stop fooling around. She said no. Wake up already!" Fuji's eyes fluttered.
He found himself lying on a cold stone floor. Panicked, he sat up and gasped. The sky above was gone. In its place stood soaring colonnades and swirling airships.
"Wake up already!" repeated a mocking voice.
Fuji looked to his left. A tall young man with messy red hair stood grinning. "Nice dreams, huh?" the stranger said."That girl said no ages ago. Forget about her — she's mine now."
Fuji's heart hammered in his chest. He shook his head. *School… where is my school? *
He stood slowly, every muscle trembling. Around him were people walking below and even gliding on gentle breezes. In the distance, ornate towers and Gothic buildings rose like a castle.
"Did I teleport? Is this some kind of dream?" Fuji whispered to himself.
Then a calm, mechanical voice spoke inside his head:
[SYSTEM: Hello, Host. Your consciousness has been transferred; think of this body as your new avatar. ]
[SYSTEM: You are now in the Kingdom of Alberta, at the Magic Institute of Alberta. It is not a dream.]
[SYSTEM: (Important: This body is that of a boy named Mirel De Krmlain. His father is a Noble, and his mother is also from a noble family.) ]
[SYSTEM: For further information, extract this body's memories.]
Fuji's mouth went dry. He hesitated, then found a glowing button in front of him: [Extract Memories]. With trembling fingers he pressed it.
In an instant, the world spun. Dizzily, Fuji saw flashes of another life: a young boy laughing at a feast, a woman in elegant robes (his mother), and a strong-looking muscular man. Voices of strangers, the scent of roses in a courtyard, the taste of tea—Mirel's memories poured into him.
Moments later a clear chime sounded. Extraction complete.
Fuji—Mirel—gasped and sat up straighter. He felt…different. There was an emptiness where his old life had been, but he was undeniably alive in this new flesh. He pinched himself; pain shot through his hand. The experience was real.
A terrible unease settled in his gut. *What about my world? Did I die back there? * His mind raced, but he focused on his arm and took a deep breath. In the sky above, the enormous demon from before still writhed among storm clouds, coiled around a giant dark egg.
Instead of panicking, Fuji felt a strange calm. The monster's eyes were as vacant as ever, but Fuji no longer trembled. Something inside him had shifted; he would play the part he needed to in this world, at least for now.
He studied the others in the courtyard. Ahead stood three well-dressed boys and a girl, all a few years older. One of the boys had sandy blond hair, another was dark and stout, and the third had the same red hair and sneer as the boy who had taunted him. The girl stood slightly apart, coolly watching Fuji with alert dark eyes. From the flood of memories, Fuji realized who they were: they were Mirel's peers, and that girl was Lady Adela, the young noble to whom he was promised.
Swallowing, Fuji straightened his shoulders as he approached the group. The red-haired boy rolled his eyes. "So you're actually awake. Took long enough," he said, smirking.
Fuji tried a confident smile. "Sorry guys, I was just joking around before. I know Adela wouldn't care for this promise anyway." He glanced at Adela. "To be honest, I don't buy the idea of forcing people into marriage."
Lady Adela shrugged a little and gave him a faint, teasing smile. "Fine by me, clown," she replied softly, amusement in her tone. "If that's how you really feel, then no one's stopping you."
The tension in Fuji's chest eased. He couldn't fully explain his new feelings, but hearing her call him "clown" with a smile made him feel strangely at ease as the image of a certain person flashed in his mind.
He stepped away from the group, the weight of his confusion replaced by a flicker of excitement. The world around him was bizarre and unknown, but something in his veins warmed. *I'm alive. I'm here.* For now, he would make the best of being Mirel Foolie.