The Dreams of a Lonely Girl

To be honest, except for Nisha, this unique existence, Alice's everyday life isn't much different from that of an ordinary elementary school student.

She needs to study school subjects, do her homework honestly, wake up early, and even play and snack—she must have her limitations...

Moreover, since her father cares a lot about Alice's grades, the girl, who is already dealing with more difficult math problems, still has to worry about those tests she breezed through in elementary school.

Of course, Nisha, like a "ghost" that no one can notice, can help cheat, but Alice is one of the best students in her class.

Even though she has her classmates' answers, she can't guarantee that they're more correct than hers.

Additionally, Nisha doesn't speak, and leaving marks like abcd on tests could end up revealing the cheating...

"I really need to study and put in the effort; otherwise, I won't pass the test my dad gives me at home."

This is a truth that Alice learned long ago.

Whenever she realizes this "harsh reality," she can't help but feel relieved that Nisha doesn't need to worry about complex thoughts, studies, or exams, let alone complicated emotions.

Except for the small "flaw" of not being able to enjoy snacks and video games, Nisha's life is truly very happy.

"You always manage to be so happy and cheerful, while I'm worried about not being able to ride my bike home after school."

Secretly envying her, Alice reached for the box of books and squeezed it, feeling the little ghost, who had a similar body temperature, play around her fingers.

Unknowingly, her mood improved greatly.

Come to think of it, if Nisha doesn't have to worry about her worries, maybe carrying the weight of "wisdom" isn't so bad after all?

“...”

Time always passes quickly, and children are good at forgetting.

In fact, after one or two classes, Alice had almost forgotten her bike problem.

After all, until now, the girl was simply going through the routine of an ordinary elementary school student.

Classes, exercises between classes, complaining to her classmate about the physical education classes that had turned into a tedious analysis of tests, and while eating the most expensive "meat dish" in the cafeteria, she ignored the envious looks from the boys, even though Alice wasn't sure what their true desire was...

It was a school life mixed with a bit of busyness, but it was actually quite peaceful, just like the sun always rises and sets, and the clouds float gently with the breeze.

In fact, only in the afternoon, seeing her classmates getting into floating cars to leave school, did Alice, who a second ago was smiling, suddenly remember that her bike had broken down halfway.

Unlike her normal exits, today she would have to run home!

The residential area of the nobles and the houses of all her classmates, including the teacher's, weren't on the same path.

Now, no one could give the lovely girl a ride.

It's not hard to imagine that from now on, she would have to endure at least an hour of hopeless running.

"Damn, being careless really is a flaw I need to fix!"

She muttered aloud, as Alice felt she was going through yet another moment of growth.

But the price of growth is always high.

Now, with her slender and elegant legs, under the dark and cloudy sky, Alice could only start running with clumsy steps.

It's important to remember that the climate of the Nomeka planet is generally cloudy and rainy.

Seeing the sky darkening so quickly, it's likely there would be a heavy rain tonight.

If it were a normal day, Alice wouldn't mind a little rain since her school bike had good rain coverage.

After all, not even hail would affect her.

But today was different...

After all, the girl didn't have a bike available.

If she couldn't get home before the rain started, she would become a "drenched chicken."

Alice couldn't just let Nisha turn into an umbrella to protect her from the rain, could she?

"Run faster, run faster, get home and tell my dad about the bike! I promised I wouldn't be out, and now this has happened. I'm definitely going to hear a lecture again."

Ignoring the surprised looks from passersby, the girl ran lightly along the sidewalk, like a forest spirit, her hair swaying as she passed under the shop lights that were starting to turn on.

Alice's footsteps were like agile fingers playing a piano.

But no matter how fast and agile the girl was running, her heart was deeply wrapped in an indescribable anxiety.

Perhaps it was the overly cloudy sky or the cold winter air, but the more she ran toward home, the heavier and more anxious she felt.

She always had a strange premonition, as if something was about to happen...

No, it was as if it was already happening! This peculiar feeling in her heart seemed like a mysterious pressure urging the girl to run faster, faster...

She needed a reason to get home that wasn't just the approaching rain or her father's silent disapproval, but something more urgent that couldn't wait.

Like a race against time!

"This is very strange, is this my illusion? Or is it the so-called 'sixth sense' mentioned in books? Getting home a little later shouldn't be a big mistake, should it? But why..."

She frowned, trying to reflect on her day.

Alice really couldn't identify anything that was "wrong."

Clearly, upon leaving school, she was still discussing the latest episode of "Magical Girls" with her classmates.

The homework the teacher had assigned was enough to occupy most of her "free time," and although the grades from the last test hadn't been handed out, she was sure she was among the top ten in the class.

So, if it wasn't something related to school...

Could it be something about her father?

"There's that possibility!"

Alice thought about her father's strangely serious and tense demeanor in recent days, and her heart seemed to skip a beat.

Mr. Elock was a famous doctor in the city, elegant and charismatic, respected even by the nobles who usually thought themselves superior.

In Alice's memory, her dad was amazing at everything, from cooking to helping with homework.

It was hard for an elementary school student to imagine what kind of problem could make this "wonderful dad" show such a deep and worried expression.

But for whatever reason, Alice started running faster, driven by that anxiety, and the little ghost floating around her seemed to sense the girl's unease.

So, at that moment, Nisha didn't fly around Alice as she usually did but decided to silently accompany her, transforming into a tangible form that could interact with the world around her.

As time passed and the girl's breath became more labored, the noble residential area was already very close.