I was still stunned by what had just happened.
Everything happened so quickly that it left me completely confused.
"What just happened…"
Before I could think any further, a cold breeze brushed past me, making me shiver.
I hurriedly tried to get out of the small lake.
My legs felt incredibly heavy and weak at the same time, as if this wasn't my body at all. And even though I've felt weak before, I've never felt this weak.
"Why does it feel like I'm carrying ten kilograms on each leg…"
Yes, I was struggling to get out of this little lake, but honestly, I felt completely drained. Luckily, I was almost at the edge.
"Just a little more… w-whoa…"
splash
"…"
I fell, and my shoe got stuck in the mud.
___________________________________________________________
10 minutes.
It took me ten whole minutes to get out, and that was only because I couldn't find that stupid shoe. Embarrassing.
"At least no one saw that…"
As I tried to catch my breath and relax, I collapsed backward, lying on the ground and staring up at the sky.
Bathed in moonlight, I could clearly see the same moon as always, but this one seemed whiter, more beautiful. I wasn't sure why, but I felt uneasy.
"What's going on… wait? My voice changed?!"
I realized too late, but my voice had become softer, less coarse. My hands, which should've been large, were smaller now, like those of a high school student.
"High school?"
Then I looked down at the clothes I was wearing, the dark blue fabric with white trim, it felt familiar somehow.
"This deep blue color with white accents…"
It hit me, wasn't this the uniform of Terra Sol Luna Academy?
No way, that was impossible. It had to be a coincidence.
But one thing convinced me, the golden emblem on my chest.
"The sun in the moon, t-that's impossible."
I was inside the world I had created, Terra Sol Luna.
But if this was Terra Sol Luna, and I was wearing the academy uniform,
Then there was only one conclusion I could draw.
Getting up and running, I could see the academy from where I stood.
It was just as grand as I'd imagined, or maybe even grander. The academy I had created, the one I had dreamed of.
A vast complex, almost the size of a city, located in the capital of the Sol Kingdom.
This was Ardenfield Academy.
The building looked like a palace. Maybe I'd gone overboard when designing it? No, it was perfect.
But my question was, what exactly happened here, and why was this body lying in a small lake?
I'd have to find out later. For now, I should head back to my dorm.
"If I remember right, straight this way, then turn left, and straight again…"
.
.
.
I was lost.
______________________________________________________________
"Finally, finally I made it out…"
I cursed myself for designing the academy to be this massive. What was I thinking, making it the size of a small city?
But I guess it was for the students' sake, still, this was ridiculous.
Forget it. I should just get back to my room.
"You there!"
"!?"
The voice startled me. It was a guard wearing a black uniform trimmed with gold, clearly a royal guard.
"What are you doing out here at night?!"
"Uh… I…"
How was I supposed to explain that I had no idea why I was even outside at this hour?
Should I say I lost my memory? No, that's stupid. What about… I fell asleep? Yes, that'll work!
"I… I fell asleep after returning, and woke up when I fell into the lake…"
"Huh?"
"…"
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly while the guard studied me carefully.
sigh "You…"
Blushing, I bowed slightly to apologize. Then, just as I was about to leave, a thought struck me.
"Excuse me, sir guard."
"Yeah?"
"C-could you show me the way to the boys' dormitory?"
"…."
"…."
We both fell silent.
_________________________________________________________
I'd apologized and thanked the guard, then went straight into the dormitory.
"You're finally back."
An older man yawned behind the front counter, looking tired and utterly unmotivated, though he still waited up.
If I remember correctly, his name is David…
Yes. I remembered now. He was always kind to everyone.
"I'm sorry, Sir David. I promise it won't happen again."
"…Edward, this is the second time you've said that. Last time you—"
Edward? So that's the name of this body's owner…
"Are you even listening to me? Geez, go clean yourself up and get some sleep."
"Yes, sir."
I walked down the long hallway, stumbling a little, when Sir David called out again.
"Edward, where are you going?"
"Eh? To my room?"
"That's the wrong way, it's over there."
"…."
How embarrassing.
__________________________________________________________
I figured out my room number by asking indirect questions, like who lived near my room and what their numbers were, instead of just asking where mine was.
Weird tactic, sure, but it saved me from looking like an idiot again. Still, it was embarrassing to think about.
"101, 102, 103… oh! 107!"
This was my room! Finally, I'd found it!
It felt strangely comforting, more than anything else, to know I had my own space.
knock knock
I knocked just in case someone was awake or doing something inside.
"…"
No answer. I went in.
"So dark…"
I couldn't see a thing, so I groped along the wall until I found a switch.
click
The lights came on, revealing a modest room: one bed, one study desk, a closet, and a small bathroom.
"Lucky me…"
It wasn't as nice as my old apartment, but it was enough. At least I could sleep comfortably.
But first, I needed a shower.
The bathroom looked decent, not exactly cozy, but serviceable. The kind of place where even if I sang, no one would hear me outside.
"Ouch."
Why did that hurt?
Why did putting my clothes on hurt so much?
"Mirror. I need a mirror."
There wasn't a large one, but I found a hand-sized mirror in the closet.
"Good enough."
I tried to look at my back's reflection and froze.
Bruises. A lot of them.
It was terrifying to see, but why hadn't I felt any of it earlier?
Forget it. I needed that shower.
The water felt refreshing, though it still stung a little. Manageable pain, but noticeable.
When I was done, I found some clean clothes and sat down at the desk, looking for something to write with.
"I should have something here…"
Sure enough, a small book fell from the desk, it was a diary.
"Eureka!"
It looked old, but still usable. As I smiled, I caught my reflection in the mirror again.
"…Edward… yeah…"
This boy's name was Edward.
Brown hair, brown eyes, an ordinary face, but trust me, if this face existed in my world, he'd be called a top actor or a magazine model.
"I hate to admit it, but he's way more handsome than me…"
It felt strange, hating a boy who wasn't even alive anymore.
"All right, forget it. Time to write."
I needed to write down everything before I forgot. My memory was like that of a koi fish, and honestly, I'd probably lose to one in a contest.
"First page… oh? It's already written? Let's see…"
Strangely, I could understand the language perfectly.
"Hmm… day one… 'I want to die'… huh?"
Only one sentence?
"Day two… 'Go to hell, Ronie, you bastard'… huh?"
I kept flipping through the pages, thirteen in total, and each one had only a single hateful sentence. But on the fourteenth page, the last one, something caught my eye.
"Day fourteen… 'Enough. I'm ending my life.'"
I froze, staring at the page, then turned toward the calendar on the wall.
Every date was circled, and today was the 14th. Which meant,
"…this boy… committed suicide."
Seriously? after only two weeks, you ended your life!?