Dream Ability

Counseling Room.

A space that shouldn’t normally exist within the Academy.

I think it’s become sufficiently known to students by now.

Considering students keep visiting whenever they’re about to forget this place exists as the Counseling Room, I suppose that’s not entirely wrong.

Though I’m not sure if I should credit my initial persuasion of Orca… Things resolved much more easily than I expected.

Orca, Leo, Anastasia, Stella.

I’ve already made contact with four children.

In gaming terms, wouldn’t you call this an 80% collection rate?

…However, the last child.

That one gave me headaches since they’d never come here voluntarily.

How on earth could I meet them?

“Hmm…”

“Hmph, hmph…! This time I’ve truly won! What are you doing, Teacher Ophelia? Make your next move already!”

“Ah, yes.”

Perhaps because I was lost in thought too long? Stella became triumphant, thinking I was struggling with my next move.

…That’s not it though.

After briefly scanning the board, I moved my piece and declared:

“Check.”

“?!”

“Now it’s Your Highness’s turn.”

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

She must not have anticipated my move. That’s why she was so confident of victory.

But as I mentioned before, I have a strategy guide for the Princess’s playstyle in my head.

No worries about it being discovered either – it’s safely stored in my mind.

As long as she doesn’t abandon her characteristic playstyle, I can’t possibly lose.

Even while distracted like this, I can play without issues.

“Ugh, hmm…”

…Now where was I? Damn. I forgot.

Once my concentration broke, my previous thoughts vanished like blank paper.

Ah, whatever. It’ll come back later.

“…Tch. Can’t continue. I lose.”

“Well played. Another round?”

“No, that’s fine. The result would likely repeat.”

“Haha.”

To think even Stella would react like this.

Seems my chess skills have been acknowledged.

…Better keep it a secret that this only works against her.

“Any recent worries?”

“…Why the sudden creepy question?”

“Creepy…? I am the counseling teacher, you know.”

“Ah, right. You are.”

“…”

How cruel. Do you only see me as a chess opponent to defeat?

Her completely unexpected response when I asked about her worries wounded me.

“Other students tend to have more worries around this time. I wanted to listen if Your Highness had any concerns too.”

“…Do worries increase at this time?”

“Yes, naturally.”

It’s already been nearly two months since I was assigned to the Academy.

Time flies… I arrived shortly after the students enrolled, and already two months have passed.

“Everyone seems quite tense around this time. Anxious.”

“…Why?”

“Because it’s exam period?”

Right.

Two months since the students enrolled.

This marks the arrival of exam period – universally dreaded by students.

Only about a week left now.

Students exhausted by academic stress keep visiting.

…Though I still don’t quite understand why they confide in me. It’s not like I can help them study.

All I can offer is comfort.

Fortunately, students seem to appreciate it. Not sure why they keep clinging to me though.

“In that case, I’m fine.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ve already mastered much of the material. Unlike other students, I have less to study.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“So instead of worrying about me, why not focus on those two? They seem to be struggling.”

Following the Princess’s gaze, I looked at the distant table.

Two corpses-like figures slumped over open books.

Orca and Leo.

Leo at least clung to his book, but Orca had completely closed hers.

The sight made me sigh involuntarily.

I expected this, but still…

“Then, Teacher Ophelia. I’ll take my leave first so as not to disturb them.”

“Ah, yes. Farewell.”

“Until next time.”

After Stella left, silence filled the Counseling Room.

Orca, having completely abandoned her book, stared blankly at the ceiling.

Leo tried to study but clearly struggled.

Perhaps neither had much affinity for academics? They looked utterly miserable.

“Here, drink this while studying.”

“…Ah, thank you. Teacher.”

“Thanks, Teach…”

“Are you alright?”

They answered with actions rather than words.

…Yeah, I know. You clearly look terrible.

“Dammit, why do we have to do this… Practicals would be fine…”

“Because this is an Academy, not a military training camp. Basic theory is necessary. …Actually Orca, yours should be easier? Leo’s curriculum might shock you.”

“What? Let me… Whoa, holy shit.”

As predicted, Orca recoiled after glancing at Leo’s book.

His material must be several times harder than hers. Obvious without looking.

“Orca’s fine since she’s not majoring in magic, but Leo has a Double Major. …Are you okay?”

“Sa…save me… I’m dying…”

“Oh dear.”

“Why did I do this… Why?!”

Pity welled up inside me.

The tragic end of one trapped in the Double Major swamp, you might say.

With much more study time than others, exam period must be brutal.

Just like the game. When exam season approached during other character routes, Leo would disappear.

I’d suspected this reason, but seeing it firsthand made my heart ache.

“I can help.”

“R-really?!”

“What nonsense? How could you help? Write answers for us? You’d get caught. Teach us? Doubt that’d help much.”

Hmm, expected reactions.

Half-conscious Leo clung to me like a drowning man to straws, while Orca seemed skeptical.

Well, normally Orca would be right.

The Academy strictly monitors cheating.

Getting caught means more than just punishment – expulsion.

Some extra student got expelled for that once…

Tutoring posed problems too.

They likely think I can’t help much as a counseling teacher.

More fundamentally, I should be learning from them.

I still don’t understand why mana exists in the air…

I accept it as is, but examining it closely reveals too many contradictions.

Divine power created mana? Seriously?

That directly contradicts basic scientific knowledge.

If I couldn’t use hypnosis, accepting mana might have taken much longer.

“Hmm, then I won’t help Orca.”

“W-wait! I never said I didn’t want help!”

“…Understood.”

However, even if I can’t teach them, that doesn’t mean I can’t help.

I’m more confident than anyone that I can help them.

“…So? How will you help?”

“Simple.”

“Simple?”

I smiled at their tilted heads, clearly wondering how.

I know that feeling well – when sitting becomes unbearable and headaches pound.

Countless personal experiences.

Each time, I always craved one thing:

A superpower to make studying easier.

Of course, that craving never helped, and I’d study fueled by coffee and sugar.

But now?

I possess the dream superpower to make studying easier.

“…”

“Wh-what? Why stare like that? It’s uncomfortable…”

“Orca, Leo.”

“Yes…”

“From now on, studying will be enjoyable.”

I whispered into the ears of the two frozen students locked in eye contact with me.

To solve their troubles.

“Until exams end, studying will feel strangely fun. Like you’ve become exceptionally brilliant geniuses.”

“Geniuses…”

“Sitting won’t feel uncomfortable anymore. Textbook content will enter your minds easily.”

Orca being smart…

Imagining her in a suit with documents tucked at her waist, pushing up angular glasses, made me chuckle.

…Slightly rude, but it looks terribly mismatched.

Confirming the hypnosis took effect, I clapped loudly to awaken them.

“Good. Shall we resume studying now?”

“Huh?!”

“You’ve rested enough, right? Back to studying.”

“Eh? Did we rest…?”

“No excuses! Study quickly!”

“Ugh, please…”

Watching them resume studying, I thought:

I wish I’d had this ability when I was a student…

Hypnotizing myself to find studying and exercise extremely fun would have made self-management so easy.

Though I have dream abilities now, it’s regrettable I no longer need them for myself.

T/N: ahh I want to have this ability too