“He jumped again.”
“No... Again? Who this time?”
“They say it’s one of the third-year seniors... but I don’t know who it is.”
Drossi shivered as he listened to his friend, Plena's story. How many times had this happened? At this point, he wasn't sure if he could avoid it either.
“What the hell is going on at the Academy?”
Drossi looked out the window with an anxious face. Their dormitory was visible a short distance away from the main academy building.
The most prestigious school in the Luan Empire is Fresia Academy.
It is said that famous scholars, prominent figures, and important figures of the empire were all discovered at this academy, which is the representative aristocratic academy of Luan.
Just by attending the Academy, you become the pride of the Empire and the future of the Empire.
Accordingly, the students’ pride in their alma mater is also indescribable...
Recently, a series of unfortunate incidents have occurred at this academy, increasing students' anxiety.
“At this point, shouldn’t the dormitory be closed?”
“Ugh, isn’t that the dorm’s fault? Starting from the third year, academic stress gets worse. That must be why it’s like that.”
The stress experienced by third-year students at the Noble Academy is too much to even describe.
If the first and second grades are simply for learning, then from the third grade onwards, students must prove their abilities as successors to become the heads of families or as the next runners to lead the country.
Naturally, the stress is bound to be extreme.
But... Drossi didn’t seem to understand Plena’s words at all.
“It can’t be just academic stress. No matter how I think about it, it’s still strange.”
Of course, Drossi knows that the third year is hard. But what's been happening recently is just too absurd to explain.
“And it’s not just the third graders. Not long ago, it was the second graders, and the first was the first.”
Plena also thought something was strange about his words, hesitated for a moment, and then shook his head.
“I don’t know. To be honest, I’m indeed anxious, just like you said.”
Drossi took a deep breath.
“Why are you all like this...”
Recently, there have been ongoing incidents of students jumping from the roof of the dormitory every night at this academy.
At first, it was thought to be a shocking incident and there was an atmosphere of mourning, but when one person, then two, and then a third person jumped to their deaths in the same place, the students began to feel that something was increasingly strange.
No, it's more like fear rather than strangeness.
What on earth is going on that people keep dying?
Some wondered if the dorm was cursed, while others wondered if there was a gang of murderous students there.
As a result, the number of students applying for leave of absence from this prestigious academy is increasing day by day. Some of the seats in Drossi and Plena's classrooms are also empty.
“My parents are also very worried. They said it might be better for me not to go to school for a while.”
“Honestly, I’m a bit worried. My parents said that it would be better not to use the dormitory, even if it’s not for school.”
“...But, you know.”
Plena, who had been looking worried with Drossi, suddenly brought his face closer as if something had occurred to him.
“Drossi, did you hear that story?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Stories about the counseling sessions that dead students gave just before they died.”
At Plena's words, Drossi turned his head back in disgust.
“Ugh, what the heck. I don’t want to hear that. It’s scary.”
Drossi covered his ears. It was already a bad story, and he didn't want to make a joke out of someone else's misfortune.
“No, that’s not it. Listen. Drossi.”
“No. Let’s stop talking about this now.”
As the two people were arguing,
“What are you talking about?”
Two people looked up at him, startled by someone suddenly approaching them and speaking to them naturally.
“Jace?”
“Whoa, what’s going on? You’re the one doing all the talking.”
At Plena's question, Jace smiled quietly and asked again.
“I didn’t mean to overhear, but I heard a conversation. What are you talking about?”
“Oh, oh! Sorry. Were our voices too loud?”
“Ugh... I heard someone died again this time.”
Plena and Drossi's speech became much more cautious.
His classmate, Jace Karl Illeston, is the heir to the famous Illeston family.
But the reason Plena and Drossi were keeping an eye on him was not because he was a descendant of the Grand Duke who had recently become the Emperor's confidant.
A family that was cursed and isolated for 300 years. Even the person who was cursed and had their existence forgotten for nearly 10 years.
They are beings who until recently lived in a completely different world from their own.
They felt cautious and nervous every time they saw him as if they were seeing a character from a history book in person.
Moreover, because Jace is a man of few words and doesn't seem particularly interested in human relationships, many people secretly want to become close to him, but not many people have actually had a conversation with him.
Why was it that Jace spoke first?
Since this is rumored to be a curse, would Jace, the heir to a family infamous for curses, be particularly interested?
Even though another person had died, Jace nodded without showing any sign of surprise.
“I know that much. There was a lot of noise this morning. But Plena.”
“...Jace, did you know my name?”
“Of course. What did the dead students talk about?”
“Oh, that? Are you curious?”
Jace nodded with an affectionate face.
“Yeah, I’m curious.”
Then, Plena made an excited face, cleared his throat for no reason, and said.
“I guess they all had the same dream.”
"Dream?"
“Yeah, they had a dream where they were being chased by someone. They wanted to stop dreaming, but they couldn’t stop. They said that and then, a little while later, on the rooftop... I guess that’s what happened.”
“Do all people who commit suicide have the same dream?”
“I don’t know about that... Anyway, I heard that the counseling records always include stories about dreams.”
“...Oh, by the way.”
Drossi, who had been covering his ears with his hands the entire time the two were talking, let out a small exclamation as he remembered something.
“I guess lucid dreaming is popular among students these days.”
“Lucid dream?”
If it's a lucid dream...
Jace rolled his eyes.
Isn't that what Simone experienced before?
He once heard a story about Simone who was trapped in a dream while trying to lift the Emperor's curse.
Is that the same thing?
When Jace remained silent, Drossi opened his mouth again, perhaps sensing that he did not understand.
“A lucid dream is a dream in which you are aware that you are dreaming. I heard that you can do whatever you imagine while you are lucid dreaming.”
In dreams, you may get a glimpse of the future you desire or meet people you wouldn't normally meet.
You can also become lovers with someone you like, go to places you've never been before, and freely achieve your own hidden goals.
“So I heard that lucid dreaming is a trend among students these days. If people keep dying in their dreams, then maybe that has something to do with it?”
Drossi, who had been speaking without hesitation, suddenly realized that Jace and Plena had become strangely quiet, and hurriedly finished speaking.
“Sorry! Did I go too far? Lucid dreams and people dying can’t possibly be related. Sorry. I said something weird.”
“No. That was an interesting story. Thanks for telling me.”
At Jace's detailed words, Drossi finally smiled in relief. Then, Plena, who had been thinking quietly, spoke.
“But really, if by any chance this really is a curse, then what Drossi said isn’t completely nonsense, right?”
Plena looked at Jace without realizing it. It would be much better to hear Jace's answer than Drossi's, who had more knowledge of curses, to support his hypothesis.
But instead of agreeing with him, Jace stood up and stepped back.
The distance that had become closer for a moment while talking suddenly grew distant again.
“Well, if this is a curse, it would be better to run away as far as possible rather than making it a pleasant conversation topic.”
"What?"
“Thank you for telling me. That’s all for now.”
Jace gave a quick greeting and turned around without any hesitation.
It was these days that he realized that curses and the deaths of others were just interesting stories to ordinary people who had nothing to do with them.
He just wanted to hear some interesting stories to tell Simone during their upcoming holiday.
Jace turned his gaze to the cloudless sky.
The strange deaths began half a year before Jace entered school.
Many theories are floating around about this incident, such as the work of a ghost, a curse, or the actions of a student murderer, but Jace, who has lived in an extraordinary world, can be sure.
This is a ghost's curse.
“No... Again? Who this time?”
“They say it’s one of the third-year seniors... but I don’t know who it is.”
Drossi shivered as he listened to his friend, Plena's story. How many times had this happened? At this point, he wasn't sure if he could avoid it either.
“What the hell is going on at the Academy?”
Drossi looked out the window with an anxious face. Their dormitory was visible a short distance away from the main academy building.
The most prestigious school in the Luan Empire is Fresia Academy.
It is said that famous scholars, prominent figures, and important figures of the empire were all discovered at this academy, which is the representative aristocratic academy of Luan.
Just by attending the Academy, you become the pride of the Empire and the future of the Empire.
Accordingly, the students’ pride in their alma mater is also indescribable...
Recently, a series of unfortunate incidents have occurred at this academy, increasing students' anxiety.
“At this point, shouldn’t the dormitory be closed?”
“Ugh, isn’t that the dorm’s fault? Starting from the third year, academic stress gets worse. That must be why it’s like that.”
The stress experienced by third-year students at the Noble Academy is too much to even describe.
If the first and second grades are simply for learning, then from the third grade onwards, students must prove their abilities as successors to become the heads of families or as the next runners to lead the country.
Naturally, the stress is bound to be extreme.
But... Drossi didn’t seem to understand Plena’s words at all.
“It can’t be just academic stress. No matter how I think about it, it’s still strange.”
Of course, Drossi knows that the third year is hard. But what's been happening recently is just too absurd to explain.
“And it’s not just the third graders. Not long ago, it was the second graders, and the first was the first.”
Plena also thought something was strange about his words, hesitated for a moment, and then shook his head.
“I don’t know. To be honest, I’m indeed anxious, just like you said.”
Drossi took a deep breath.
“Why are you all like this...”
Recently, there have been ongoing incidents of students jumping from the roof of the dormitory every night at this academy.
At first, it was thought to be a shocking incident and there was an atmosphere of mourning, but when one person, then two, and then a third person jumped to their deaths in the same place, the students began to feel that something was increasingly strange.
No, it's more like fear rather than strangeness.
What on earth is going on that people keep dying?
Some wondered if the dorm was cursed, while others wondered if there was a gang of murderous students there.
As a result, the number of students applying for leave of absence from this prestigious academy is increasing day by day. Some of the seats in Drossi and Plena's classrooms are also empty.
“My parents are also very worried. They said it might be better for me not to go to school for a while.”
“Honestly, I’m a bit worried. My parents said that it would be better not to use the dormitory, even if it’s not for school.”
“...But, you know.”
Plena, who had been looking worried with Drossi, suddenly brought his face closer as if something had occurred to him.
“Drossi, did you hear that story?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Stories about the counseling sessions that dead students gave just before they died.”
At Plena's words, Drossi turned his head back in disgust.
“Ugh, what the heck. I don’t want to hear that. It’s scary.”
Drossi covered his ears. It was already a bad story, and he didn't want to make a joke out of someone else's misfortune.
“No, that’s not it. Listen. Drossi.”
“No. Let’s stop talking about this now.”
As the two people were arguing,
“What are you talking about?”
Two people looked up at him, startled by someone suddenly approaching them and speaking to them naturally.
“Jace?”
“Whoa, what’s going on? You’re the one doing all the talking.”
At Plena's question, Jace smiled quietly and asked again.
“I didn’t mean to overhear, but I heard a conversation. What are you talking about?”
“Oh, oh! Sorry. Were our voices too loud?”
“Ugh... I heard someone died again this time.”
Plena and Drossi's speech became much more cautious.
His classmate, Jace Karl Illeston, is the heir to the famous Illeston family.
But the reason Plena and Drossi were keeping an eye on him was not because he was a descendant of the Grand Duke who had recently become the Emperor's confidant.
A family that was cursed and isolated for 300 years. Even the person who was cursed and had their existence forgotten for nearly 10 years.
They are beings who until recently lived in a completely different world from their own.
They felt cautious and nervous every time they saw him as if they were seeing a character from a history book in person.
Moreover, because Jace is a man of few words and doesn't seem particularly interested in human relationships, many people secretly want to become close to him, but not many people have actually had a conversation with him.
Why was it that Jace spoke first?
Since this is rumored to be a curse, would Jace, the heir to a family infamous for curses, be particularly interested?
Even though another person had died, Jace nodded without showing any sign of surprise.
“I know that much. There was a lot of noise this morning. But Plena.”
“...Jace, did you know my name?”
“Of course. What did the dead students talk about?”
“Oh, that? Are you curious?”
Jace nodded with an affectionate face.
“Yeah, I’m curious.”
Then, Plena made an excited face, cleared his throat for no reason, and said.
“I guess they all had the same dream.”
"Dream?"
“Yeah, they had a dream where they were being chased by someone. They wanted to stop dreaming, but they couldn’t stop. They said that and then, a little while later, on the rooftop... I guess that’s what happened.”
“Do all people who commit suicide have the same dream?”
“I don’t know about that... Anyway, I heard that the counseling records always include stories about dreams.”
“...Oh, by the way.”
Drossi, who had been covering his ears with his hands the entire time the two were talking, let out a small exclamation as he remembered something.
“I guess lucid dreaming is popular among students these days.”
“Lucid dream?”
If it's a lucid dream...
Jace rolled his eyes.
Isn't that what Simone experienced before?
He once heard a story about Simone who was trapped in a dream while trying to lift the Emperor's curse.
Is that the same thing?
When Jace remained silent, Drossi opened his mouth again, perhaps sensing that he did not understand.
“A lucid dream is a dream in which you are aware that you are dreaming. I heard that you can do whatever you imagine while you are lucid dreaming.”
In dreams, you may get a glimpse of the future you desire or meet people you wouldn't normally meet.
You can also become lovers with someone you like, go to places you've never been before, and freely achieve your own hidden goals.
“So I heard that lucid dreaming is a trend among students these days. If people keep dying in their dreams, then maybe that has something to do with it?”
Drossi, who had been speaking without hesitation, suddenly realized that Jace and Plena had become strangely quiet, and hurriedly finished speaking.
“Sorry! Did I go too far? Lucid dreams and people dying can’t possibly be related. Sorry. I said something weird.”
“No. That was an interesting story. Thanks for telling me.”
At Jace's detailed words, Drossi finally smiled in relief. Then, Plena, who had been thinking quietly, spoke.
“But really, if by any chance this really is a curse, then what Drossi said isn’t completely nonsense, right?”
Plena looked at Jace without realizing it. It would be much better to hear Jace's answer than Drossi's, who had more knowledge of curses, to support his hypothesis.
But instead of agreeing with him, Jace stood up and stepped back.
The distance that had become closer for a moment while talking suddenly grew distant again.
“Well, if this is a curse, it would be better to run away as far as possible rather than making it a pleasant conversation topic.”
"What?"
“Thank you for telling me. That’s all for now.”
Jace gave a quick greeting and turned around without any hesitation.
It was these days that he realized that curses and the deaths of others were just interesting stories to ordinary people who had nothing to do with them.
He just wanted to hear some interesting stories to tell Simone during their upcoming holiday.
Jace turned his gaze to the cloudless sky.
The strange deaths began half a year before Jace entered school.
Many theories are floating around about this incident, such as the work of a ghost, a curse, or the actions of a student murderer, but Jace, who has lived in an extraordinary world, can be sure.
This is a ghost's curse.
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