Chapter 58: My Dear MemoriesAs I drifted into the darkness, I heard the chime of a school bell. I couldn''t move my body, or open my eyes, but I could hear my surroundings.

    ("Is... Is this what sleep paralysis is like?") [Solace]

    I struggled to move my arms and eyes, only for my efforts to be in vain.

    ("Move damn it, move!") [Solace]

    Pushing even further than before, my eyes opened.

    "...Huh?" [Solace]

    My eyes widened in surprise. I was no longer in Vincent''s classroom, but a classroom I was all too familiar with.

    ("I''m... back?") [Solace]

    I stood in a classroom similar to my previous world. Earth''s classes to be precise. A whiteboard covered a single wall, desks lined the room, and the native language labeling the classroom door.

    "There''s no way... Wait, my clothes!" [Solace]

    Looking down at myself, I found myself dressed in a different uniform. A disgusting green shirt with khaki pants, a strange color pattern my school used to have as their image.

    "So? Is this what the spirit world looks like?" [???]

    I turned to my right, startled by a voice.

    "Who...? Eh? Master?!" [Solace]

    Vincent sat on one of the many desks, wearing the same uniform as me. He tugged at his clothing with a look of curiosity, while also wearing an expression of distaste.

    "This... uniform isn''t very... how do I say? Fashionable?" [Vincent]

    "Er... Master? What are you doing here?" [Solace]

    Vincent looked at me with expectant eyes, but he didn''t say a word.

    "It''s obvious, no? Piece it together for me." [Vincent]

    "Can''t you just tell me the answer?" [Solace]

    "I cannot. A man who does not beget the rod, does not string the fish." [Vincent]

    Whipping out some kind of cryptic nonsense, my master left me confused.

    "...What?" [Solace] Sёarch* The N?vel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Go on. Piece it together." [Vincent]

    Nodding towards me, he expected an answer.

    ("...Whatever. Let''s get this over with.") [Solace]

    To begin with, the question was why my master was here. The last thing I remember was him poking my forehead and everything turning dark.

    "This is... an illusion?" [Solace]

    "As expected of my disciple. Well done." [Vincent]

    Applauding me with a slow clap, he gave me a nod of acknowledgement.

    "So you put yourself in your own illusion?" [Solace]

    "Not quite. The magic I used is an advanced form of illusion magic, but it is not the same. Your consciousness and a part of my own, are drifting through your past memories at the moment." [Vincent]

    "M-my memories?" [Solace]

    I began to sweat at the thought.

    "Does that mean you uh... You''ve seen all my memories?" [Solace]

    "Indeed." [Vincent]

    The sweat increased. There were some things I simply didn''t want people seeing in my memories.

    "So uh... Did-did you..." [Solace]

    "Hm? You''re sweating quite a bit." [Vincent]

    Noticing my anxiety, my master laughed.

    "You must be worried about me seeing your "nightly activities". Don''t worry, it''s fine. It''s natural for people to do that." [Vincent]

    "..." [Solace]

    That wasn''t something I wanted to hear. Frankly, I wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

    "The art in your world is quite developed. It''s surprising that the drawings themselves can move! I can see why you would be attracted to them." [Vincent]

    "Please stop..." [Solace]

    These are the kinds of moments I would suddenly remember while just relaxing. I''m sure many could relate to suddenly recalling absolute cringe and then wanting to die.

    "C-can we just talk about something else? You told me that you would buy me time to get stronger." [Solace]

    "Ah, that. I almost forgot." [Vincent]

    Freezing up for a moment, my master slowly put aside an anime body pillow.

    ("...Where did he get that?") [Solace]

    "Ahem... The time that passes within your memory will be very slow compared to reality. It will not increase your physical strength, but your mind and skill." [Vincent]

    "Uh-huh..." [Solace]

    My master waved his hand, which somehow made all the desks in the room vanish.

    "With the amount of time here, we can make a day go by here for every hour that passes in the real world. It''s similar to the chamber in dragon orb z." [Vincent]

    "How do you know that anime?" [Solace]

    "Your memories." [Vincent]

    "Oh, yeah. I forgot." [Solace]

    My master walked to the whiteboard, picking up a marker and listing numbers.

    "Now, cite me the gentleman''s rules." [Vincent]

    "Again?" [Solace]

    "You''re not learning how to fight until you can recite all one hundred." [Vincent]

    "What?!" [Solace]

    My master pointed to the first one and stared at me.

    "Gentleman''s rule number one." [Vincent]

    "Master, we don''t have time for this!" [Solace]

    Vincent looked at his wrist condescendingly and glanced back at me.

    "One day is an hour. I believe we do." [Vincent]