Oz Bezarius just wanted a normal first day of the new term at Latwidge Academy. Instead, he overslept, nearly tripped over a parade of black cats, and arrived at his desk to find a fluffy black rabbit plushie with a name tag reading "Alice" and a serious attitude problem.
The plushie talks. It demands. And according to it, Oz is now its property.
As a member of a family of Storytellers—those who wield Echo Magic to breathe life into objects—Oz knows the strange rules of his world better than m
Pandora Academy: After-School Aviss - The Masked Transfer Student and the Crumbling Everyday
"Wake up, my property! It's morning! Feed me meat!"
A soft, fluffy black weight flopped onto Oz's face. His nose and mouth were smothered—he couldn't breathe.
"You... could you at least wake me up like a normal person—"
Still half-asleep, he scooped Alice up and pushed himself upright. The morning sun streaming through the window glittered off his sleep-tousled blond hair.
Two weeks had passed since Sharon warned him on the rooftop—*that rabbit is a remnant of a story.*
By now, Alice had settled in completely as a resident of the Bezarius estate. In the mornings she rode Oz's face to wake him, at breakfast she monopolized the meat, and on the way to school she burrowed into his bag. Ada would squint fondly and say, "Alice, you're adorable again today," while Oscar declared, "Right then, I'm grilling five times the meat today!" A lively morning had become their daily routine.
"Bacon! Sausages! Ham! Hand it all over!"
Alice bounded into the dining room and hopped up and down on the table. Ada giggled and set a sausage from her own plate in front of her.
"Alice, you're especially energetic today."
"Anyone's energetic when they eat meat! That's a universal truth!"
"I've been hearing that theory every single morning for two weeks now."
Oz laughed and bit into his toast. The scrambled eggs Gilbert had made were fluffy and delicious, as always.
"All right, barbecue again after school today! I'll prepare a mountain of meat so we don't lose to Alice's appetite!"
Oscar laughed heartily. His towering frame—a good six-foot-three—looked enormous against the morning sun.
"Father, a mountain really is too much."
"It's fine, it's fine! When you're young, meat is the only way!"
"You really are a good one. I like you more and more."
Alice thrust a gravy-covered paw toward Oscar. He shook it happily.
Oz watched the scene, his lips curling into a smile.
*(Nothing happened these past two weeks.)*
Sharon's warning. The voice calling for Alice in the middle of the night. Maybe all of it had been his imagination. The days had been peaceful enough to make him believe that.
But.
Something gave a small, sharp throb deep in Oz's chest.
*(Is that really okay?)*
Without an answer, Oz shoved the last of his toast into his mouth.
The fastest route to the academy was along the riverside promenade by the Lumen River.
The morning air was cold and clear, and the river's surface sparkled, catching the sunrise. In the distance, the clock tower of Latowidge Academy floated white against the sky.
"Hey, property. Walk more carefully. You're jostling me."
A muffled voice came from inside Oz's bag.
"Deal with it. You're the one who climbed in."
"Shut up. I'm not coming out until we buy meat buns."
"You're planning to buy out the whole shop again? The owner's started keeping stomach medicine on hand, you know."
"Those meat buns are delicious. I'll eat them all. Naturally."
Oz smiled wryly. For two weeks now, the shopkeeper had been suffering stomachaches thanks to Alice. Today the battle for meat buns would begin again.
They passed through the main gate and changed into indoor shoes at the shoe lockers. The hallway bustled with students arriving for the day.
"Oh, Oz. Your bedhead's terrible again today."
"That's my charm point, isn't it?"
Oz tossed back the joke and headed for his classroom. Inside the bag, he felt Alice shifting restlessly.
Then it happened.
"Hey, did you hear? Apparently there's a transfer student coming."
A few students were whispering in front of the hallway bulletin board.
"A transfer student? At this time of year?"
As Oz tilted his head, Gilbert called out from behind him.
"Oz, did you know? Apparently a transfer student's joining our class today."
Gilbert had his black hair loosely tied back, his golden eyes narrowed slightly. Always walking a step behind Oz—his servant and his best friend. Something about his expression looked wary.
"Oh, sounds interesting! Wonder what they're like."
"...I don't know. But transferring at this time of year is unusual. There might be some circumstances."
"Gil, don't be so stiff. A transfer student's just someone to get friendly with."
"...You're always like this."
Gilbert heaved a deep sigh.
The homeroom bell rang.
The chatter in the classroom fell quiet all at once.
The homeroom teacher stood at the podium and began taking attendance as usual. Then, after calling every name, he paused a beat and spoke.
"Starting today, a new classmate joins us. Come on in."
The classroom door opened slowly.
In that instant, Oz felt it.
The air changed.
On a summer morning, a chill like opening a refrigerator came crawling up from his feet.
*(What...?)*
Deep in Oz's chest, an alarm bell began to ring.
The one who entered was a single male student.
Tall and slender. His uniform was worn properly, but on his head sat a black hat far too large for the setting. Its brim was wide, hiding the upper half of his face.
"I'm the Mad Hatter. Pleased to meet you."
His voice was strangely bright, strangely light.
But.
Oz's skin was crawling.
*(This guy... something's off.)*
The Mad Hatter slowly surveyed the classroom from the podium. An unsettling smile clung to his lips.
"Wow, what a nice classroom. Everyone has such nice faces. ...Ah, and one more thing."
He stopped moving entirely.
His gaze settled on Oz's bag.
"Well, well. There's a child here carrying something interesting."
Oz's heart gave a heavy thud.
*(Does this guy notice Alice?)*
"Huh, what? What do you mean?"
"Fufu, don't mind me. Just talking to myself."
The Mad Hatter laughed as he said it.
To Oz, that smile looked like a snake running its tongue over its prey.
Homeroom ended, and break time began.
Oz grabbed his bag and left the classroom. He wanted to keep Alice away from that hatter.
"...Hey, property. Who is that guy in the hat?"
Alice's trembling voice came from inside the bag.
"I don't know. But he noticed you. No doubt about it."
"...He knows about me. I get that feeling."
Alice's voice wasn't its usual stubborn tone.
Oz hugged the bag tight.
"It's okay. I'll protect you."
"...Don't say things like that so lightly."
"I'm not saying it lightly. I mean it."
Oz smiled.
But deep in his heart, unease churned.
*(Who is that guy?)*
After school.
Oz took Alice to the academy's back courtyard.
To get her out of the bag, away from prying eyes.
"Phew, finally out. It was cramped in there."
Alice hopped about, darting across the grass.
"You're a rabbit and you hate the bag?"
"I'm not a rabbit! I'm Alice!"
Alice bit Oz's leg.
"Ow! Don't actually bite me!"
"Shut up. It's because you say stupid things."
Oz rubbed his bitten leg and laughed.
Then it happened.
"Well, well."
A voice.
Oz instinctively scooped Alice up.
At the courtyard entrance stood the Mad Hatter.
From beneath the brim of the black hat, glittering eyes fixed on Oz and Alice.
"What do you want?"
Oz's voice was colder than even he expected.
"Fufu, don't be so wary. I was simply curious about what you're carrying."
The Mad Hatter approached slowly.
One step, then another.
"Stay back."
Oz hid Alice behind his back.
"Ah, scary, scary. Don't glare at me like that. I only want to say hello."
The Mad Hatter stopped right in front of Oz.
And then, toward Alice hidden behind his back, he whispered.
"Well, well. You've been asleep for quite a long time, haven't you, princess?"
The moment she heard those words.
Alice's body jerked violently.
"...What?"
Alice's crimson eyes flew wide.
"You were waiting for someone, weren't you? For a long, long time."
"...Stop... it..."
Alice's voice trembled.
"Do you remember now? Who was it you were waiting for?"
"...Stop it...!"
Alice clutched her head and crumpled.
"Hey, stop it! What did you do to Alice?!"
Oz lunged to grab the Mad Hatter by the collar.
But.
His hand closed on empty air.
The Mad Hatter had lightly sidestepped and slipped around behind him.
"The real question is—are you someone who should be near her?"
The voice whispered at his ear.
"Have you forgotten who you yourself are?"
A cold chill ran down Oz's spine.
"...What are you talking about?"
When Oz spun around, the Mad Hatter was already gone.
"Alice!"
Oz rushed to the crumpled Alice.
"...I remembered... I was waiting for someone. But that someone is already..."
Alice murmured that much, then collapsed limply.
"Alice! Hey, Alice! Snap out of it!"
Oz held her small body close.
Alice's body was cold as ice.
"Damn it...! That hat bastard...!"
Oz's fist struck the ground.
That night.
Oz had laid Alice on the bed in his room at the Bezarius estate.
She still hadn't woken.
"...Alice."
Oz gently stroked her head.
"Oz, you okay?"
Gilbert stood in the doorway.
"Yeah. But Alice..."
"Tell me everything about that transfer student. That man is no ordinary person."
Gilbert's golden eyes shone with seriousness.
Oz told him everything that had happened that day.
"The Mad Hatter... never heard the name. But from the way he talked, he knows about Alice's past. No doubt about it."
"He whispered something to Alice. And then she suddenly started suffering..."
"...Oz. Maybe that man is connected to the Grimheart shadows."
"What?"
"Those shadows in the black mist. They were after Alice. And that transfer student is fixated on her too. That can't be a coincidence."
Oz clenched his fist.
"...If he's after Alice, I'll take him down."
"Oz, don't be reckless! What can you do on your own?!"
"Even so, I'm the one who protects Alice! She's my property!"
Oz's voice rang through the room.
Gilbert was speechless for a moment.
Then he heaved a deep sigh.
"...Jeez, guess I've got no choice. I'll help too. I can't let you fight alone."
"Gil..."
"Putting up with your recklessness is my job, isn't it?"
Gilbert said it with the faintest smile.
Oz's chest grew warm.
"...Thanks, Gil."
"Shut up. Don't thank me."
Then it happened.
Outside the window went pitch black.
No—that wasn't it.
Black mist had swallowed the window whole.
"What the—?!"
Oz rushed to the window.
Outside was filled with black mist.
"...The Grimheart shadows...!"
Gilbert's face went pale.
The black mist seeped through the gaps in the window, creeping into the room.
"Damn it! They're after Alice!"
Oz lifted Alice from the bed.
"Oz, we're running! I'll clear the way!"
Gilbert drew two pistols from his coat.
He pulled the triggers at the black mist.
Gunshots rang out.
But.
The bullets passed straight through the mist.
"It's not working...?!"
The black mist swallowed the bullets and swelled even larger.
"Gil, it's no good! Physical attacks don't work on these things?!"
"Damn...! Then what do we do..."
At that moment, the door burst open.
"Both of you, this way!"
A man with silver-tinged white hair tied back—Break—stood there.
"Break?! What are you doing here?!"
"The young lady sensed danger, you see. I came in a hurry. Now, quickly."
In Break's hand was a slender sword.
Oz and Gilbert bolted from the room, following Break's lead.
In the hallway stood Sharon.
"Oz, is Alice all right?"
Her chestnut, softly curled long hair swayed, and her pale violet eyes shone with determination.
"Yeah, she's unconscious but safe."
"Thank goodness. ...But this black mist—even my Echo magic can only barely hold it back."
Sharon raised her palm.
A faint light pushed the black mist back.
But the mist surged forward again at once.
"Well, well. This is a bit troublesome."
Break flashed his sword.
The black mist was torn apart for an instant.
But it recovered immediately.
"Young master, this mist is different from ordinary story remnants. It has a will. And its target is Miss Alice."
"I know! That's why I'm protecting her!"
Oz ran, still carrying Alice.
He burst out through the front entrance.
But.
Outside was worse.
From the direction of the academy, an
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