As Sir Francis group rushing out of the mine. At the academy, in Aki's room, Vidia lay sprawled across the center of his bed, looking like a small doll against the vast mattress.

"Ahh…" she sighed, letting out a quiet burp after finishing the last of Aki's loaf of bread.

Sitting at his study chair, Aki watched her with a mix of amazement and disbelief. For such a small body, she really can consume a whole loaf of bread… twice her size, he thought, his expression hovering between amusement and concern.

Vidia burped again, scratching her stomach contentedly, and Aki’s mind drifted into doubt. Is she really going to be my guide? he wondered, a hint of worry creeping into his face, along with a small drop of sweat forming at his temple.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Aki stood up from his chair, walked over to the bed, and crouched beside her.

“Uh… Vidia,” he started gently, “sorry to bother you, but there's something I need your help with.”

Vidia let out a drowsy yawn, her eyes half-open and unfocused, glancing at Aki with a sleepy gaze.

She mumbled a barely audible, “Yeah, yeah…” before turning over and settling herself more comfortably, seemingly unbothered by his request.

Aki blinked in surprise, murmuring a soft, “Eh…” as he realized she wasn’t paying him much attention.

But then, as if jolted by a sudden thought, Vidia’s eyes snapped open, and she shot up from the bed, her wings flapping rapidly as she hovered in the air.

“Oh! Yes, yes—I’m supposed to teach you about this world, aren’t I?” she stammered with a shy, slightly embarrassed laugh.

She scratched her head with one arm, a drop of sweat forming on her own temple as she avoided Aki’s gaze, looking very much like someone who’d just remembered an important task she’d forgotten.

“Alright!” Vidia exclaimed, her posture suddenly full of confidence as she hovered in front of Aki. She straightened up and began to circle around him, scrutinizing him from every angle.

One hand pressed against her chest while the other held her chin thoughtfully, she zipped from side to side, her sharp gaze assessing every detail.

Aki, standing with his hands slightly raised in confusion, felt increasingly uncomfortable as Vidia continued her curious inspection.

“Um… Vidia, what are you doing?” he asked, his tone hesitant.

Vidia paused directly in front of his face, holding up two fingers. “Twenty years,” she declared confidently.

“Twenty years?” Aki repeated, clearly puzzled.

“Yup! Twenty years to fully grasp the concept of magic and master it completely.”

“Eh? But that’s too long…” Aki began, only to be cut off by Vidia, who spoke with a matter-of-fact tone.

“Well, I’ve scanned your stats, and it seems you possess unimaginable magical potential—almost infinite, actually. But…” she tilted her head, her tone shifting to a hint of pity, “your mental strength and physical adaptability to magic are at the lowest possible level. Like… bottom of the barrel.”

Aki’s shoulders drooped. “If Athia’s word about Nishay’s resurrection coming closer is true, I can’t afford to be unprepared. I can’t spend twenty years trying to master magic if that’s what’s coming,” he murmured, his expression growing somber. “And twenty years… that’s too long if I ever want a chance to get back home.”

Vidia drifted closer, tapping Aki's forehead lightly.

Aki blinked in surprise, meeting her mischievous smile.

“I know that, silly,” she said playfully, hovering back. With a hand on her hip, she continued, “I was just stating the facts. You were born in a world without magic, so your mind, body, and spirit need time to adjust.”

“Then… is there any way I could adapt faster?” Aki asked quickly, hope creeping into his voice.

Vidia’s face lit up with a mischievous grin.

“You’re looking at Vidia—the pride of the fairy clan. The goddess Athia didn’t choose me for nothing!” She puffed out her chest, her tone laced with pride, while Aki looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief, wondering what she was getting at.

Vidia flew gracefully toward an open space in front of Aki's bed, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was following.

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Aki, still puzzled by her plan, trailed behind her with curiosity. Once she landed on the wooden floorboards, Vidia crouched down, pressing her small hands against the surface as if to check its sturdiness.

"This should do… seems sturdy enough," she muttered to herself.

Then, without warning, she darted over to Aki's desk.

After a quick scan of the supplies scattered across it, she grabbed a piece of white chalk from among his writing tools.

Aki watched her, his gaze never leaving her tiny form as she flew back down to the floor and carefully began to draw a perfect circle on the floorboards. The circle was just big enough for one person to sit within.

"What… what is this, Vidia?" Aki asked, leaning down to inspect the circle.

She grinned widely, motioning to the chalk-drawn boundary. "Now, step inside. Sit within the circle."

Aki hesitated for only a moment before carefully stepping inside and crossing his legs, making himself as comfortable as possible.

Vidia set the chalk down before hovering up into the air, drifting closer to Aki.

"Close your eyes," she instructed, her tone unusually serious. Despite his curiosity, Aki obeyed, his eyes fluttering shut.

He could hear Vidia’s soft chanting as she began to weave her magic. Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation—a lightness, as if his body was floating, his breaths deepening and clearing. It was as if he were being lifted, weightlessly drifting, until he settled again.

“Now, open your eyes,” Vidia's voice echoed.

Aki’s eyes opened slowly, and his jaw dropped. He was no longer in his room.

They were now standing in a vast, open expanse—an ethereal world between worlds.

Above them stretched a dark sky, not of clouds but of infinite, swirling galaxies, stars glimmering like diamonds against the velvet expanse of space.

The ground beneath him wasn’t solid, but a perfectly calm, dark surface that mirrored the sky above, giving the impression of standing on an endless ocean without waves.

"Welcome to the world in-Between," Vidia announced, her voice carrying a sense of pride as she hovered over him.

Aki could only gaze around in astonishment, his reflection visible on the glass-like water beneath him, his surroundings endless in every direction.

"This… this is incredible," he managed, still wide-eyed.

Vidia drifted down to meet his gaze, her expression shifting from playful to determined.

"This," she said, gesturing around, "is where you will train."

Aki was in disbelief, the vast expanse unfolding before him felt like a dream—a world too surreal to be real.

“Where am I? What is this place?” Aki asked, his gaze sweeping over the breathtaking view surrounding him.

With a proud tone, Vidia placed her hands on her waist and replied, “This is the world in-between—the realm that lies between the waking and the dreaming, the human world and the eternal realm, the world of the living and the dead.”

Hearing her explanation, Aki’s amazement deepened. He slowly spun around, taking in the vast, starry expanse and the calm, dark waters beneath his feet, his reflection shimmering faintly. Vidia continued, “In two months’ time here, I’ll teach you the fundamental principles of magic.”

Aki snapped out of his awe, a look of puzzlement crossing his face. “Two months?” he repeated, uncertain.

Vidia nodded. “Yes, two months here. You’ll be training to master the basics of magic.”

Aki’s eyes widened. Though it was much shorter than the original twenty-year timeline, the thought of staying here for two months without food or water seemed absurd. “Um, Vidia, I don’t think I’ll last two months here without anything to eat or drink.” He said with a worried tone.

Vidia smiled reassuringly. “You don’t need to worry about that here,” she said.

Aki’s expression grew even more confused, so Vidia elaborated. “Time works differently in this place. Two months here is roughly the same as ten minutes in the human world. So, you won’t feel hunger or thirst—just focus on your learning.”

Aki took a deep breath, letting the air settle in his chest as relief washed over him. The sooner he could harness his magic, the sooner he’d have a chance to prevent Nishay’s resurrection—and maybe even find a way home. “Very well, let’s do this,” he declared with determination, his gaze steady. Vidia’s face brightened with a wide grin, nodding in acknowledgment of his enthusiasm.

Just as they were about to begin, Aki paused, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “Vidia... if time works so differently here, why limit my training to just two months? Wouldn’t a longer period be even more effective?” He ask.

Vidia let out a small sigh, giving him a look as if he’d missed something obvious. “Two months,” she replied, “is about as long as you can stay here before your mind turns to mush.”

“Eh?!” Aki gasped, his expression shifting to shock and disbelief.

Before he could react further, Vidia continued, “You’re still human, Aki, even if you’re destined to be the savior.

“Spending a year here is equivalent to an hour in the human world,” Vidia explained, her tone serious.

“If you were to go back to the human world after that, your mind would be years ahead of your body’s natural capacity to handle it.” Vidia watched Aki’s reaction closely, letting her words sink in. She then continues saying, “your mind would have matured to the point where your body couldn’t keep up, and that kind of strain could have some... severe consequences.”

Aki’s face shifted from confusion to alarm. “Severe consequences? You mean...?”

Vidia nodded, and said, “Yes. Your mental state would surpass your physical limits, which could lead to extreme disorientation, memory loss, or worse. Your mind could be permanently damaged. That's why two months is the limit here.”

Aki’s eyes widened. “Wait—so, you’re saying my brain is getting fried right now?” he stammered, a bead of sweat tracing down his temple.

Vidia hover closer and, with a small charge of energy in her hand, she slapped Aki’s forehead lightly but firmly.

Aki blinked, momentarily startled, but the gesture helped him refocus, his expression a bit sheepish under her stern gaze.

“Don’t be silly. Listen up,” she said, her voice taking on an almost parental firmness. “With your current mental state, I’ve estimated that two months is safe enough for you to manage without frying your brain.”

Aki, still processing, then glanced at Vidia, puzzled. “And what about you?”

Vidia smirked proudly, crossing her arms. “We fairies are entirely different. Our mental resilience is waaaayyy beyond that of humans!” She floated with her head held high, clearly enjoying the emphasis.

With a dramatic flourish, Vidia lifted her finger, summoning a sand timer that appeared floating in mid-air, the grains already trickling down. She turned back to Aki, fixing him with a steady gaze. “Time is ticking, Aki. Are you ready or not?”

Swallowing hard, Aki clenched his fists and met her gaze with unwavering resolve.

“I’m ready.” He said.