"... Argk!" Epherene gasped awake, flinching as her eyes flew open and quickly scanning her surroundings.0

It was the office of Head Professor Deculein, high on the 77th floor of the Mage Tower—a room of perfect order, immaculate and spotless, where not a single particle of dust dared settle.0

“What just happened?”0

I was in the Imperial Palace—with Deculein, Adrienne, and Ihelm—in some weird white room, Epherene thought.0

“… Hmm.”0

Somehow, it felt oddly familiar—and yet, there was something undeniably familiar about how it was all playing out.0

“Was it a dream?” Epherene muttered, pressing her hands against her cheeks.0

At that moment, Epherene felt someone's eyes on her. Of course, it was Deculein, watching her with that same look of unimpressed disdain.0

“Wipe your drool,” Deculein said.0

“… Huh?”0

“Not even the sense to grab what spills.”0

"Crab? That seafood, the sideways little thing? They were pretty tasty."1

“… Should I just kill her.”1

Epherene blinked, confusion tightening across her brow at Deculein's reaction, unsure what to make of the look he gave her.0

And…0

Wait, did I regress again?0

Epherene checked the calendar, but the date remained unchanged. Yesterday had come and gone. Today was just today.0

"Then it must be just a dream..." Epherene muttered, turning back toward Deculein, whose brow furrowed. "Professor, I dreamed of going to an event.”0

“Dream?”0

"Yes. I dreamed we were at the event, but everything around us was a white space. Adrienne was there, Ihelmet too, you, Professor, and me. Then you started saying something about a death variable or something? You kept repeating it, and then I woke up.3

“What’s a death variable? Did you come up with some new theory or something?" Epherene said, letting out a big yawn as she pulled out a pocket watch from her belt, its hands gleaming and flickering with sapphire light.0

Deculein looked at Epherene for some time, then rose from his seat, pulled on his coat, and gripped his staff with one han...0