"That's not me..." Vale softly muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of confusion and unease. The vivid memories of the dream were still fresh in his mind.
He couldn't shake off the lingering sense of disconnection.
The intimate moments and profound conversations they shared in the dream felt foreign to him as if he had been a mere observer of his own actions. It was as though someone else had taken the reins of his consciousness, guiding him through the dreamscape.
Vale held his head as if it would help him think of what had happened.
"Not good…"
As Vale tried to make sense of it all, a wave of anxiety washed over him. The realization that he had been an unwitting participant in this shared dream left him questioning his own identity and the boundaries of his own thoughts.
'If it's not me, then that's…' Vale had an idea what had happened, but he shook his head. There was no way that the real Kyle still existed… After he took over this body, he never felt any signs of its owner.
However, he couldn't just ignore the strange feeling he had.
"I felt... different," Vale admitted to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I had no control over my own actions. What if the dream revealed a hidden side of me that I didn't know existed? Darkness Possession? No... Is there still another soul inside me?"
Doubts plagued his mind as he grappled with the unsettling notion that perhaps the dream had unveiled a part of him he had suppressed or ignored.
The fear of losing control and succumbing to the unknown thing gnawed at his core.
It took him a long time to calm down as he decided not to overthink his dream for now. He felt a headache just by thinking about it.
***
On the next day, as soon as Vale woke up, he checked the seal of his Golden Pocketwatch. It was kept hidden in his wardrobe under his clothes.
'Tsk…'
Vale immediately stepped back as he felt that his Stormbringer had started reacting on the golden pocketwatch.
'Should I also use my Soul-Bonding Method on the Pocketwatch?' Vale thought to himself before closing the wardrobe.
He already confirmed that the seal was fine and didn't require any more sealing. Based on his observations, the Golden Pocketwatch was regaining its powers faster and faster.
Before, he only needed to seal it every three months. Then it changed to every two months and over the past few weeks, he realized that he might do it every month from now on.
Anyway, Vale continued his routine as he cleaned himself before going out to have breakfast.
Since there were no classes today, he considered visiting the Club Room afterward. However, as he was having his meal, he saw Professor Gale Evans in the corner of his eyes. She had already attracted a lot of attention since she was certainly one of the most attractive professors in the Academy.
Some students started having conversations about how they wanted to be together with Professor Evans, even if it was only in their dreams.
At this point, Vale couldn't help but recall what had happened in his dreams last night.
"About that dream… Is it a premonition? Did she bring me to her dreams? Or perhaps it's the desire of the previous Kyle?" Vale shook his head as he felt that the last part was a ridiculous thought. The previous Kyle would never have a chance of encountering the Professor.
It means that the dream he had was probably his own or influenced by the Professor.
'Is there even a spell to make us meet in our dreams?' Vale thought to himself as he considered the possibility. In this world of mysticism, there wouldn't be any surprise if the Professor could really do that…
Perhaps the Professor noticed his gaze as she actually turned her head to look at Vale's direction and gave him a gentle smile before she left completely.
Of course, there were other students beside him, so many of them also considered the possibility that it was them being eyed by the Professor.
Vale heard their excitement, but he just sighed at this and continued eating.
After a while, Vale started hesitating about what to do… He was afraid that that dream would happen once again, and this time, his secrets might be revealed to her. He had a strange feeling that revealing his secret in his dream would also let the Professor know about it.
'I need to get to the bottom of this…' Vale silently thought. He was now filled with determination. He would confront Professor Gale Evans.
'I'm not sure if the Professor influenced my dream… It's better to ask her… However, I need to make some preparations.'
He knows very well that confronting the Professor might be a trap. If he failed to resist her charm, Yvaine may no longer choose to protect him.
Vale made his way to the Contribution Points Exchange Hall, scanning the shelves filled with mystical items or artifacts.
His eyes fell upon a small amulet, shimmering with a protective aura. The description indicated that it granted immunity to Charm Spells or any Mind-Controlling Spells for a limited time. According to the book, the strength of the amulet relies on the user's Spirit Strands, which is the perfect item for him.
Although the Professor had an effective way to bypass his defenses, Vale had confidence that he had a higher Spirit Strands than her.
Drawing on his accumulated Contribution Points, Vale exchanged them for the Enigma Amulet for 10 Contribution Points.
It was that expensive since it was a Low-Grade Noble Rank Item…
'I can't believe I'm using my hard-earned Contribution Points for this.' Vale thought to himself as he received the amulet.
As he fastened it around his neck, a surge of reassurance washed over him. He knew he had taken the necessary steps to safeguard his mind and emotions.
With the protective amulet in place, Vale finally felt ready to seek answers from Professor Gale Evans.
Well, with the addition of his strong Phantasm State, Arcane Armor, and Spell Dispersion, he believes that he would be fully protected against her.
Soon, he approached the Professor's office, still wary but determined to uncover the truth behind that strange dream.
Knocking on the door, Vale entered the Professor's office.
Professor Evans looked up, her eyes meeting Vale's with a mixture of curiosity and warmth. However, Vale noticed a flicker of surprise in her expression, as if she had expected a different reaction from him.
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