Sweet Sleep

Inside the building was a friendly atmosphere, but with a classy theme.

『My mom always takes me here to celebrate every now and then! My dad also eats here when he visits!』[Freyana]

『Aaah. Isn't this place expensive?』[Nova]

『Nope! Not at all. Since we all help out in the academy, restaurants and other shops here are more of a hobby than anything.』[Freyana]

『Woah! Really?』[Nova]

A waitress appeared and called the two over.

『A table for two, then?』[Waitress]

『Yes please!』[Freyana]

『Then, this way.』[Waitress]

They were lead to a table by a window in front of the store.

『Woah! It's a great view.』[Nova]

『Isn't it? Let me order this time! I know all the great orders!』[Freyana]

『Yeah! Sure.』[Nova]

Freyana raised her hand and called the waitress over.

『Yes? What would you like?』[Waitress]

『I would like.. This! And this! And this! And all of these!』[Freyana]

Nova was a little shocked.

「I just realized this… but Freyana eats a lot! Last time I was so nervous that I didn't notice!」[Nova]

『Then, what's your special today?』[Freyana]

『Uhm.. Beef stew!』[Waitress]

『That too!』[Freyana]

「And.. It seems she eats meat as well. Well, I guess that's to be expected.. She is still a mage after all..」[Nova]

『Okay! Your food will be right out.』[Waitress]

『Thank you!』[Freyana]

The waitress took their order and disappeared.

Moments later, the table was filled with food.

『We'll bring more out once you finish!』[Waitress]

Freyana immediately began to start digging into a dish, and by the time Nova knew it, had finished one.

『...Aren't you going to eat?』[Freyana]

『...Huh? Oh.. yeah.』[Nova]

He also began to eat, but couldn't keep up with her pace at all.

Before long, their second batch of food came out.

『Oh! This one is my favorite! Here, try some!』[Freyana]

She stabbed a piece of fried shrimp covered in a white sauce and held it out for Nova to eat.

The waitress along with the other patrons stared when she did this, causing her to start to grow red.

『...Then, thank you.』[Nova]

He placed it in his mouth and began to chew.

Her face grew an even deeper shade of red.

『..No. Thank you.』[Freyana]

『Huh?』[Nova]

They finished their meal without incident and moved on to sightseeing, but before long it was already night.

They stood on the outskirts of the town, where nobody was.

『...Tonight was fun.』[Nova]

『..Mmm! I want to go again sometimes!』[Freyana]

『Then.. Let's go again one day!』[Nova]

『..Yeah!』[Freyana]

『Then, I'm going to head back. I'll see you tomorrow.』[Nova]

『Oh! I don't work in the cafeteria every week! I switch with my mom tomorrow.』[Freyana]

Nova had an empty look on his face.

『Then.. I won't see you?』[Nova]

『..I'll come hang out in your room! Is that okay?』[Freyana]

『..Yeah! How are you going to get in though?』[Nova]

She was slightly taken aback by this question before she pulled a key out..

『...I have a spare key to all the rooms..』[Freyana]

「...That explains how she got into my room before..」[Nova]

『Okay, awesome! Then, I'll see you. Good night.』[Nova]

She turned back towards the town, before waving.

『Good night.』[Freyana]

When he made sure she was back in the town, he decided to go back to the tree.

『Area.』[Nova]

A black hole appeared and he was taken to the tree.

「Now, lets see.」[Nova]

He placed his hand on the tree, and it felt like he was sucked into it.

「Woa...WOOOOOAH?!」[Nova]

Before he knew it, he was falling from the ceiling, and landed on the spot in front of the statue.

『Oh.. Area.』[Nova]

A hole appeared below him, and he went back to his room to rest.

Once he was finally in bed, he stopped circulating his mana and closed his eyes.

A flashing symbol appeared on his forehead, and he drifted off into sleep.

-----

『...A dream?』[Nova]

Nova stood floating in a strange place.

It was similar to the hazy place where memories that weren't his flowed into his mind.

Yet it was completely different from the place where he first met Reischneid.

It was a place that shone iridescently from all directions.

A gentle noise of some unknown beast was heard echoing around him.

『...What is that?』[Nova]

After he said that, he heard a sound from all around him that seemed to be getting faster and faster.

After he spent some time looking around, he found that there was a darting shadow that

seemed to get faster and faster.

『Hello? Is anyone there?』[Nova]

The shadow seemed to speed up and get faster and faster before Nova heard a cracking noise.

The dreamy atmosphere he was in was slowly starting to darken, and cracks were appearing far in the distance of his dream.

The shadow started to blend in with his dream's atmosphere.

It sometimes would slow down and Nova could almost make out its silhouette, but it was almost absurd what he saw.

For a moment, he thought he saw something with wings, but then he quickly saw flippers.

He just accepted whatever he had seen as some figment of his imagination.

『Yup. I'm going insane. The lack of sleep must have really got to me. I'm just going to accept my fate.』[Nova]

He sat down and accepted all that was going to happen before he was suddenly hit in the chest by some furry animal.

He opened his eyes and vaguely saw a dog, but by then- everything was going dark.

The last thing he heard before everything faded to darkness again was "Woof!".