Hearing the name "Academy" reminded her of the novel "Kyudai Genso Academy," which she had once read, but she still couldn't recall the storyline.
''Kyudai---- Kyudai--, wait! Why can't I remember anything about this novel?''
Evalynn let out a long, heavy sigh, feeling the weight of her emotions as she cast her eyes over the paper that her mother had thoughtfully set down on the table.
After a moment's hesitation, she turned away and exited the room, her thoughts still lingering on the unexamined document. Once outside, her curiosity got the better of her, and she reached back to pick up the paper, eager to delve into the details it contained.
"Ishi...gami? Why does that name sound familiar?" she wondered aloud, voice tremulous and eyes on the verge of tears. The name vibrated in her memory like a half-remembered song, so close and yet so out of reach.
The jumble of feelings growing inside her finally forced Evalynn to collapse onto her bed. Exhaustion pressed down on her, both physical and emotional. She found herself staring at the ceiling, chasing mental ghosts until her vision blurred and sleep swept her under, mercifully deep and soothing.
But peace was short-lived. She was quickly swept up in a vivid, haunting dream: a ghostly mist swirled all around as Evalynn wandered without direction. Suddenly, she caught sight of a girl standing beneath a sprawling, ancient tree. The figure seemed to radiate a strange familiarity and warmth—impossibly, the girl almost looked like her own reflection.
The dream-girl smiled gently, her encouragement more felt than heard.
"You don't need to cling to memories of my life. Just focus on doing your very best when your moment comes!" Mischief glinted in her eyes as she leaned closer, adding,
"Don't let your idol Evalynn down by making the wrong choice!"
That line settled into Evalynn's subconscious, a burden and a comfort all at once. What did it mean to not let herself down? What if she already had?
Awakening—if that's what it could be called—came slowly. Maki, once someone else, now bearing the name Evalynn, blinked away the vestiges of sleep. It was as though the remnants of a previous life had been delivered to her in the space of a single heartbeat: disjointed yet undeniably hers.
A lingering voice drifted in her thoughts: _"She is always there by your side, Maki, no matter what happens!"_ The warmth and certainty of the promise lingered long after she opened her eyes and forced herself upright, surveying the unfamiliar room through the haze of confusion.
_"I think I remember now—her name was Ishigami Sei. She was the main character in Kyudai Genso Academy... but what was it about her that mattered so much?"_ Evalynn's thoughts spiraled, tangled, and thick, as she sat quietly piecing together the echoes of past and present.
Finally, she buried her face in her hands and groaned.
"This is all too much! I can't keep up. My brain's spinning in circles and—ugh—it feels like my skull's about to explode!"
''Eva!!-----,'' A sudden voice called out to her, slicing through the quiet of the room and catching her completely off guard. Startled and overwhelmed by the unexpected sound, she let out a piercing scream,
"AHHHH!" The sheer intensity of her reaction was enough to bring the maid rushing into her room in a hurry, concern etched on her face as she wondered what could have possibly frightened Eva so much that she burst through the door.
"Milady! What's happened?" she gasped, eyes wide, scanning the room for any signs of danger. The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to mock the sudden chaos, casting elongated shadows that danced ominously across the walls.
Eva, still trembling, pressed a hand to her chest, her heart racing like a wild bird trapped inside a cage.
"What did you hear?" she asked gently, her tone softening as she approached Eva, who still clutched the edge of her bed like a lifeline.
"It was… it was a voice!" Eva exclaimed, her eyes darting around the room, trying to capture the source of her unease. "It called my name, but… it felt wrong. Like it came from nowhere!"
The maid's brow furrowed as she considered her young mistress's words. "Perhaps it was just your imagination, Milady. The house can be quite eerie sometimes," she suggested, though there was a trace of doubt in her voice.
"No!" Eva shook her head vehemently, her breath quickening. "I'm certain! It wasn't just my mind playing tricks." She felt the weight of uncontrollable fear swell within her. "It was as if someone— or something—was trying to get my attention!--- And I---- it's okay, you can go now, it's just my dream!''
The maid just glanced at each other and left Evalynn alone.
Evalynn relaxed her seat on the bed, and her eyes looked up. She reminded some memories of her dream with Ishigami Sei and the way that girl talked to her---
She clutched her arms, trying to ward off the chill that crept down her spine.
''It means Sei was in my dream, indicating it's been 1000 years since her time! So, now, I reside in the Peculiar Realm in the God of Stone's Ishigami Sei,--- But if Sei received that rank, why did she come into my dream?--- What about Evalynn by staying my side?''
''That's because Sei chose to save every Yuma instead of killing them!'' The same voice from before loudens up, and the voice's body shows in front of her eyes,
She saw herself standing and gazing at her.
''Hi, I'm Evalynn, your guardian!''