Chapter Text
Ugh…
Marin Mizusaki's head throbbed as unnerving visions filled her mind. Still asleep, she groaned at the heavy sensation that seemed to weigh on her head; it was as if someone had been stacking rocks onto it. Murmurs buzzed in her ears, sounds of unfamiliar voices, followed by flashes of light in blue and red, sometimes green. People appeared next, their faces foggy and blurred, making her unable to identify who they were.
The buzzing and the voices soon stopped when a resounding knock echoed from somewhere. She forced her eyes open, only to be met with a tiny ray of sunlight peeking through the gap in the curtains.
It was finally morning. Even though she had been sleeping, a wave of fatigue weighed her body down in bed. The pain in her head slowly subsided, fading away all those strange dreams.
She was no stranger to nightmares. She’s had them constantly since she was young, and more often than not. She was always on guard at night, too scared to fall asleep because of the nightmares waiting behind closed eyes. Even on nights she didn’t have any dreams, she often woke up randomly in the middle of the night, more than once or twice, until her body shut down by itself.
She hoped they would at least get better, especially now that she’s been living more peacefully than she has in the last two years. But after her magical awakening a week ago, they only seemed to take on a different form.
For some reason, her nightmares would sometimes turn into strange dreams. Those dreams showed her different things, and they never lasted long. She once dreamt of a dragon attacking a carriage, killing some poor soul with a foggy face, then a goblin attacking her, wielding some form of dark-red magic, and then… well, many things. Some of them lingered; others vanished from her memory.
She had an inkling that they were more than just dreams. They felt more like visions. The more she thought about them, the more confused she became. They have had to be visions, because normal dreams wouldn’t return even after she had forgotten them…do they?
She could never determine what they were about in the end, and they did nothing but frighten her. It seems that the more she yearned for peace, the farther it would slip away from her.
…When will it end?
As she clutched her heavy head in her hands, a knock came from the door.
“Marin, are you awake?” It was Akatsuki Kyonei, her guardian and boss for two years.
“There’s someone here to see you,” He said.
“I’m awake! I’ll be down in a bit.” She pushed herself off her bed to get ready for the day.
While her room wasn’t exactly a mess, anyone who took a look at it could easily tell its owner lived a life of constant activity. Opposite her bed was a desk and a large bookshelf overflowing with books on a wide range of subjects— horology, industrial machinery, astronomy, botany, fine arts, linguistics, cooking, combat disciplines, and even classic literature. The wall over her desk was overflowing with botanical drawings, anatomical studies, detailed escapement designs, and even random clothing designs she drew whenever inspiration struck.
On the foot of her bed sat a large open chest filled to the brim with assorted items— a repaired antique telescope, a box of common mechanical parts, a worn toolbox, scraps of fabric, a sewing kit, and some old art supplies. She gave it a brief, embarrassed glance and silently reminded herself to organize it later.
She then wondered about her visitor. Was it their neighbor, Rubin Craig? He had been visiting her more often since her awakening, but if it were truly him, then Akatsuki would have said so.
As she laced the bodice of her dress, Marin’s eyes landed on the letter on her desk, next to a pile of architectural sketches and the dagger Yukichi had given her.
…It arrived yesterday morning when she was making breakfast.
If the visitor wasn’t Rubin, then she had a bit of an idea of who their visitor might be.
Once she was ready, she pocketed her treasured pocket watch and walked downstairs. The dining room and kitchen were just behind the bookshop Akatsuki ran. There was a separate table where she and Akatsuki packed up books for delivery, and it was relatively more organized today than it usually was.
When she turned to the kitchen, she spotted Akatsuki sitting at the dining table with a middle-aged man who wore peculiar clothing.
“Ah, Marin, there you are.” Akatsuki smiled as he gestured at the man in front of him.
“Meet Professor Eleazar Fig.”