‘This has to be a dream!!!’

Emily was running down a street bathed in the light of the setting sun.

“Kya-hahaha!

Where do you think you're going?” A woman with long black hair was chasing her from behind.

She approached, brandishing a terrifying pair of scissors.

‘No, no, no, I can't take it anymore!’ Emily's terrified eyes took in the woman chasing her as she ran away, tears streaming down her face.

It was the morning after her second death.

‘...Why do these scenes look familiar?’ The scenes that gave her a feeling of déjà vu were not from a dream.

They were from before she died.

They were undoubtedly memories of a day Emily had previously experienced.

“Emily… Are you okay?

You suddenly took a break yesterday.” Marine looked at her with concern.

“Good morning, Emily.” Adrian greeted her with his usual smile.

‘…I know all of this.’ Even the lessons in class were just as she had seen in her dreams.

Ken not attending school was the same, too.

Everything was happening exactly as it had in her dream.

Which means…

‘That woman will be on the way home too?’ The dream's end.

Sinister laughter and unsettling eyes.

A sharp pair of scissors that grazed her neck.

The memory of her body growing cold made Emily shiver.

‘I need to take a different route!’ If today unfolded exactly like that nightmare, everything else would happen just as in the dream too.

In that case, she had to avoid it.

Emily took an entirely different route to the dormitory; one she never usually took.

But, as if by a cruel joke, she encountered that woman again.

“There you are, were you brought here?” Snip.

The chilling sound of scissors snapping shut.

The eerie woman approached along with that sound.

Remembering how she had been covered in blood in the dream, Emily quivered in fear.

“W-Why?

I definitely took a different path…”

But there she was, the woman with long hair, standing right in front of her.

She asked Emily again.

“Where is the Child of Prophecy?” That question echoed what she'd heard in the nightmare.

Bring the Child of Prophecy.

‘If it’s the Child of Prophecy… she means me.’

Before joining the Academy, a high-ranking official from the kingdom had referred to Emily as the Child of Prophecy and gave her a recommendation letter for the Academy.

Even amidst the terror, Emily calmly assessed the situation.

A day unfolding exactly like her nightmare.

That’s why, despite taking a different path to avoid the woman with long hair, Emily ended up encountering her anyway.

That meant she would die by those scissors.

Recalling the vivid pain in her neck, Emily cautiously spoke.

“I-I am the Child of Prophecy.” The woman with long hair froze in her tracks.

‘…Is this, okay?’ If the woman’s business was with the Child of Prophecy, then it was with Emily herself.

In that case, she should give her what she wanted.

If the woman realized she was the Child of Prophecy, perhaps she wouldn’t kill her.

That was Emily’s reasoning.

But then.

“You… the Child of Prophecy?” The woman with long hair muttered in response to Emily’s statement.

Soon, she twisted her lips into a bizarre smile.

“Kya-hahahaha!

You!”

“Eek!” At the sound of the woman’s sudden, shrill laughter, Emily took a few steps back, her body trembling as the nightmare rushed back to her.

“You!

You’re a liar!”

The woman with long hair glared at Emily with eyes gleaming from within her hair.

Emily could sense what was about to happen next the moment she felt that gaze.

She is coming after me.

"Nooo!!!"

"Kee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!

Kyahaha!"

Emily screamed as she turned around and ran.

Just as she feared, the woman with long hair chased after her, laughing horrifically.

‘I have to escape!

I have to escape!’

Emily knew what would happen if she got caught; she had already experienced it in her nightmare.

She ran with all her might.

Tears welled up in her eyes and her legs felt like they would give out, but she continued to run as fast as she could.

I don't want to die.

I don't want to suffer.

She could still feel the sensation of the scissors cutting through her neck.

That's why Emily ran with everything she had.

But the woman with long hair, with her bizarre appearance, was faster than Emily's desperate will.

“Kyaa!!”

“Come hereee.

Kyahahaha!!” As Emily ran, she suddenly felt her hair being pulled, and she fell backward, screaming in pain.

When she opened her eyes after the shock, she was met with a pair of eyes that looked terrifyingly delighted.

The woman with long hair was looking down at Emily, laughing as she gazed at her.

“N-No!”

“Liiiiar… you need to be punished?”

Snip.

The scissors moved once in front of Emily's eyes.

“W-Wait a moment!

I’ll do everything you ask!

P-Please wait!”

“You need to be punished!”

“Screaaam!!” Pain and terror struck her head.

“No!

No!

Don't, don't do it!” “Keeheeheehee!

Kyahahahaha!” “Ahhh!!

It hurts!

It hurts!

Please stop!

Sob, it hurts!

Please…

No!!

It hurts!!”

Emily screamed in agony.

But there was no one around to help her.

There was only the crazed woman slicing Emily’s body with the scissors.

“Urgh...

S-Save me...

Sob, M-Mom...” Her mind was being consumed by pain and fear.

“Kyahahahaha!

Keeheeheeheehee!”

“Some…one… save...” Her blurry vision saw only the sky, dyed red.

And soon, death came.

“Nooo!” Emily woke up with a scream, sitting up abruptly.

“No, no, my legs, my, my fingers…!

Sob.” Emily, still feeling the vivid pain, fumbled with her body and cried.

But there wasn’t a single scratch on her.

The pain that had seemed to consume her entire body moments ago had already vanished, like a dream.

But now, Emily realized.

“It...

it wasn’t a dream.” Hugging herself and trembling in fear, Emily was terrified by the memory of the pain she had never experienced before.

“I need to escape.” Only one thought filled her mind.

Get out of here.

Emily quickly packed her things and left the dormitory.

She needed to get away from the academy.

As far as possible, and as quickly as possible.

Classes didn't matter anymore.

If necessary, she’d go back home.

The woman appeared around dusk.

So, if she fled now in the morning, she'd be far away from here by then.

With this in mind, Emily ran urgently.

She headed in the opposite direction of her usual path to class after leaving the dormitory.

She was running towards the academy's main gate.

“I… I made it.” She could see the gate and the guards.

If she could just get past that point, she could leave the Academy.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Emily smiled in relief and quickened her pace.

“…Hey, it’s almost time for class!” Ignoring the guard’s attempt to stop her, Emily crossed the main gate.

And then.

“…Where do you think you’re going?” Splash!

Something wet hit Emily’s shoulder.

Feeling the wetness seeping into her shoulder, Emily turned her head, trembling.

“…Hee-hee, you can’t escape, Child of Prophecy.” There stood the woman who had attacked her earlier and the decapitated guard.

Emily sat trembling at her seat in the classroom.

‘What should I do… What can I do…’? The moment she tries to leave the Academy, that woman appears and kills her.

Then she wakes up back in her dormitory room.

She had already tried hiding somewhere until a day had passed.

However, that woman would unerringly appear at the same time, like a ghost, and find her.

And then, with that chilling laugh, she would kill Emily again.

On her last death, Emily had tried to resist directly.

She used magic and swung her sword at her.

But Emily's skills were not enough.

"Kee-hee-hee!

A naughty girl who resists...

must be punished, right?” That last loop’s death was more excruciating than all the previous ones.

She was tormented until she died.

“E-Emily...

a-are you okay?” Marine, by her side, tried to talk to her.

Seeing Emily in such a terrible state, Marine called out to her, but Emily didn’t answer.

Emily just sat there, trembling.

‘What should I do...’ Her mind was solely focused on finding a way out of this situation.

But a clear answer didn’t come to her.

If she gave that woman what she wanted, this torment would probably end, but Emily didn’t know who the Child of Prophecy she was talking about was.

If it were someone, she had knowledge of, she would at least try to find them.

From what Emily knew, she was the only one called the Child of Prophecy in this Academy.

‘What on earth...

should I do!’

Desperate to avoid enduring that terrifying and painful time any longer, Emily frantically tried to think of a solution.

“Good morning, Emily…Emily?” It was a familiar voice greeting her in the morning.

Emily snapped back to her senses and turned her head.

Standing there was Adrian, looking at her with concern.

“…Oh, Adrian.”

“…Emily, what’s wrong?

Is there a problem?” Seeing Emily’s expression, Adrian's face immediately hardened as he asked about her condition.

It was clear to anyone that it was a dangerous situation.

Emily’s expression was that troubled.

Seeing Adrian's concern, Emily had a sudden realization.

‘Adrian is the second most skilled in our grade after Raphne!’ With his strength, he could surely stop that woman.

“A-Adrian… help me!”

“Of course, don’t worry.

Emily.

First, explain what’s going on.” Relieved by Adrian’s reassuring words, Emily felt her heart ease.

She cried out of relief and quickly explained everything to Adrian.

Adrian’s reaction was subtle after hearing the explanation.

“A strange woman is trying to kill you...

And if you die, the day starts over again from the morning?”

Adrian had a skeptical expression.

It was understandable.

The idea that the day starts over if you die was hard even for Emily to believe.

Regardless, Adrian still followed her.

Even though it was hard to believe, he stayed by Emily's side to help.

“…Thank you, Adrian.

It must sound strange.”

“Haha, indeed, it does.

Anyone else would think it’s insane.

...But I don't think you're lying.” Adrian gave her a warm smile.

That smile reassured Emily.

The situation that seemed hopeless just a moment ago suddenly felt manageable.

She was confident he could handle that woman.

Everything will be resolved now.

'...It's going to be okay.' Emily waited with Adrian for the woman to appear.

The location was the tile-paved path leading from school, where it all began.

The sun soon began to set.

As the familiar twilight scenery emerged, "Heeheehee!"

Snip.

The woman appeared in front of Emily.

"Kyaaahaha!

Did you bring him?

The Child of Prophecy...

did you bring him?" The woman always appeared saying the same words.

Seeing her again, fear crept back in, and Emily's body began to shake.

The sound of the scissors closing triggered painful memories, and tears started welling up in her eyes.

"...Emily?"

"Ah, Adrian...!

Th-there.

...She appeared over there!" But she wasn't alone now.

Next to her, she had a reliable ally.

And Emily pointed at the woman as she spoke to Adrian.

"L-look over there!" Even without pointing, there was only one path paved with tiles.

In the open space, the eerie woman was impossible to miss.

But Adrian didn't look that way.

"Emily." Adrian just looked at her with a troubled expression.

"There's nothing there." Emily's mind went blank at Adrian's words.

"...Huh?" It took a moment for her to grasp what he meant.

She soon turned her head to look at the woman.

"Kyaaahaha!

Keeheehee!" Snip.

Emily clearly saw the woman's figure.

"...W~whooo~?" Slowly.

She approached without stopping.

Her eyes, glaring ominously through her hair, scanned Emily and Adrian beside her.

"Oh, so you're not the Child of Prophecy?" As the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile, Emily felt a chill run through her entire body.

"...E-Emily!

Are you okay?"

"N-no, no...!

D-don't come near me...!"

Adrian called out to Emily, worried about her strange behavior, but his voice didn't reach her ears.

Her trembling legs gave out, and she collapsed on the spot.

And the woman who was approaching slowly...Before they knew it, the woman had reached right in front of them.

"...Emily." Seeing Emily trembling, Adrian sensed something was wrong and turned his gaze toward where she was looking.

But there was only an empty street.

‘...Is there something there?’ Knowing the kind of person Emily was, Adrian didn't doubt her hastily.

Therefore, he stepped in front of Emily to shield her.

He raised his hand and conjured a flickering flame.

"I don't know what it is, but Emily..." Adrian extended his hand forward, ready to incinerate whatever lay ahead with the fire.

Not knowing who or what the adversary was, he began to gather a considerable amount of magical power in his hand.

Preparing for an attack, he glanced at the collapsed Emily.

"For now, you need to get up and run." But before he could finish, the woman with the long hair went on the offensive.

Slash!

A fountain of blood burst forth.

Red droplets splattered across Emily's face.

"...Ah, aah." In front of the despairing Emily stood Adrian, his head severed.

"Kyaaahahahaa!

That expression is perfect!

Keeheeheeheehee!"

Having lost her last hope.

Emily.

She sank to the ground, consumed by despair.

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