#01: Voile, the Magic Library

– "All right, quiz me on something else."

– "You already know this stuff so well, Renko. Did you really need to study at all?"

– "Ah… you caught me. I just wanted your company, Merry. Looks like it's gotten a little late, though."

Outside the window of Renko's third-floor dormitory, the sun had set and the stars were visible. The aimless study session of the two members of the Sealing Club had been going on for a few hours now.

– "That's right, it's already 9:57. You probably need to go back to your own room soon."

– "Maybe I'll just stay the night. I like sleeping over at your place."

– "Yeah? Do you have good dreams here?"

– "Actually, I do!"

A person's sleeping environment has a distinct effect on dreams. Of course, a stable and comfortable environment allows one to reach the deeper stage of REM sleep where dreaming is more likely. Also, various stimuli from the surroundings can manifest themselves into dreams. Renko's room was a warm, familiar place where Merry's dreams were always pleasant.

– "Say, don't you have an exam tomorrow too?"

– "I already studied, so it's fine. It's sort of interesting to see the things that you study."

The psychology major sat on the floor in a relaxed seiza position, surrounded by piles of thick books, and flipped through the pages of one physics text on her lap.

– "The subjects are pretty different, though. I doubt we could pass each other's tests."

Suddenly, Merry worked up a serious expression and thrust her finger at a page.

– "No, I could do this. String theory."

– "What?"

– "I know all about the string theory."

Whenever Renko started a discussion about string theory, Merry complained that she couldn't follow. But at the moment, her wide eyes were locked on the words with trancelike intensity.

– "The way it goes is, when two people in the world are fated to be lovers, there's a red string…"

Impulsively, Renko was forced to interrupt with a hearty laugh.

– "Well, that's definitely a theory about strings, but…"

Merry's glazed look melted into a smile, pleased with her small joke. If only it were so easy to reconcile magic with science… This was a significant objective of their club, after all.

Just as people find themselves together for strange reasons, threads of otherwise unrelated ideas tend to connect themselves naturally. A few vague words on a page stir up old memories or new discoveries. Still, Merry found it hard to explain why she would be reminded of that particular legend.

Her friend leaned forward to retrieve the book, letting a long lock of dark hair fall in front of her shoulder. Merry's eye fell briefly upon the red ribbon wrapped around the end of the tress.