Chapter 88 - Sleep Deprivation Hangover

My head slowly shifted towards the side, catching a glance of the early dawn.

I guess that weird dream, or nightmare, made me wake up early. 

Though, it didn't change how tired my mind or body was.

After a few seconds of debating, my body forced itself up. My mouth opened wide, letting in a yawn. After blinking a few times, my head shook.

...Well.

Guess it's time to start a new day.

My body reluctantly got off of the bed. After leisurely freshening up, my hand pushed open the door to my room.

My other hand lightly rubbed against my eyes, trying to smother the sleepiness away.

A few seconds later, another door opened. Alyx and Erin walked out.

They seemed to have woken up a decent while ago. While my hair was still a bit ruffled and wet, theirs seemed combed and dry.

My hand waved, with what little energy was still left in me.

"Hey."

Immediately after finishing my greeting, my lungs pulled in a deep yawn. My head promptly shook after.

"Sorry about that."

Erin giggled.

"That's ok!"

Alyx smiled bitterly.

"Oh dear, why did you stay up so long? And also, hi."

An awkward smile appeared on my face.

"Haha... time kinda just passes by sometimes, you know?"

Alyx raised an eyebrow.

"...But there really isn't much for us to do, no? What could've possibly taken so much time that you had to stay up late?"

My eyelid twitched.

Didn't Alyx stay up all night to practice her spell last time? This was hypocrisy!

...Or was it?

She technically didn't do that last time, I guess. 

Ah, whatever.

My hand scratched the back of my head.

"I was just talking with Ned. Before we knew it, time kinda just passed."

Erin tilted her head to the side.

"That must have been a deep conversation!"

My shoulders shrugged while a chuckle escaped me.

"I guess..."

My eyes blinked a few times.

"Anyways... what do we do now?"

Erin puffed her cheeks up.

"Mmm... cook food!"

She spun around a few times.

"Ah, we need to get Ned!"

Alyx sighed.

"...Since he stayed up with you, he's probably going to be exhausted, huh?"

A laugh escaped me.

"Yeah..."

Erin knocked lightly against the door to Ned's room.

There was no response.

She tried again, with the same intensity.

...There was still no response.

Alyx smiled awkwardly.

"...We probably need a more forceful approach to wake him up."

She coughed with her fist in front of her mouth.

"Though, that would probably be a little rude."

Erin hummed.

"...Will we have to wait for a long time?"

Alyx shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, not much we can do about that."

Erin was pouting, but suddenly, a smile broke out on her face.

"If he doesn't want to wake up, he just doesn't have to!"

My eyelid twitched.

Was that how it worked?...

Erin took in a full breath of air, preparing herself. 

Then she let loose.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

My hands darted to cover my ears. As for Alyx, her lip twitched. She didn't cover her ears at first but caved in after a few seconds.

Erin stopped after she ran out of breath. After panting for a few seconds, she pressed her ear against the door to Ned's room.

My ears could barely pick up light shifting sounds, like someone was moving some blankets. A few moments later, Ned's muffled voice came through the door.

"Five more minutes..."

Not even a second after he said that, a snoring sound emanated from the door to Ned's room.

My hand scratched the back of my head.

"Haha... I guess he doesn't want to-"

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

Erin continued her onslaught, prompting me and Alyx to cover our ears.

...Didn't she say that Ned had a choice in the matter? That he didn't have to wake up if he didn't want to?

My head slowly shifted towards Alyx, while Alyx slowly looked towards me.

We shared an awkward look for a few moments before turning back to the door.

Erin ran out of breath once more, panting heavily. After just a few moments, she pressed her ear up against the door.

There was a shuffling sound before a loud bang rang out. A groan of pain came from behind the doors.

It seemed Ned had fallen onto the floor for the second time.

After a few moments, a slow shuffling sound gradually approached the door. There was a click before it slowly opened.

Ned could hardly keep his eyes open. He had a pretty bad bed head while there were dark circles under his eyes. One of his hands held onto the doorframe while the other was on the doorknob. He could hardly keep himself up.

"...Good morning."

He half said and half mumbled that statement.

Alyx smiled bitterly.

"It seems like it was a bad morning for you."

Erin raised her index fingers before lightly tapping them against each other.

"Hehe..."

Ned let out a small chuckle.

"I guess so."

He yawned, stretching his limbs to their limits.

"Anyways, why did you call me up so early in the morning?"

The corner of Alyx's lip twitched.

"Well... this is the time people normally get up."

Ned blinked. His eyes forced themselves open for a few moments.

"Eh, really?"

He let go of the doorknob to rub his eyes.

"Ah, that means it's time to cook."

Ned stumbled forward but tripped over himself.

Alyx and I each hurriedly caught one of his arms, preventing his fall.

An awkward laugh escaped me.

"Um... maybe you should take a break."

Ned smiled.

"Haha, seems like I won't be able to cook much if I'm like this."

My shoulders shrugged.

"Well, it isn't that big of a deal to wait a while."

Ned nodded.

"Well... I'll be catching up on some sleep."

He proceeded to gently shut the door. Light shuffling sounds rang out moments before snoring filled the room.

Alyx laughed awkwardly.

"...It seems he stayed up even longer than you."

My eyes blinked a few times.

"Huh? How do you know that?"

Alyx rolled her eyes.

"I mean..."

She gestured towards me.

"Just look at your condition and compare that with his."

My hand scratched the back of my head.

"Ah... you're right."

My eyebrow raised.

"But why would he stay up for even longer? I remember he said he was dead tired."

Alyx shrugged her shoulders.

"How am I supposed to know? I was the one that originally asked you that question, remember?"

An awkward smile emerged on my face.

"Ah, right."

Erin pouted.

"So... no cooking for now."

Alyx patted Erin's head.

"It seems like it will be that way for now. We will just have to wait."

My mind began to wander.

...Was that vine spell prepared?

My fist was held up in front of my face. Then my throat cleared.

"By the way, do you think that the spell parchments are prepared?"

Alyx turned to me.

"I suppose the only way would be to go check. It's not like we have anything else to do."

Erin nodded.

"Ah, we can learn magic! Hehe."

With that, we made our way down the steps. As we did so, Alyx furrowed her brows.

"...Where are we supposed to go?"

My hand scratched the back of my head.

"Uh..."

My mind recalled that Ela previously taught us magic in the room next to the palace's entrance.

My finger raised in the air.

"How about we check the room next to the palace entrance first?"

Alyx did not ruminate over it long.

"Sure."

We continued to walk. Erin was holding onto Alyx's hand, swinging her arm around and humming a children's song. This seemed to be normal to Alyx, something she had done many times before.

We soon made it to the room next to the palace entrance. My eyes were casted outside.

The sky was a light blue, while a few trees swayed with the wind. As for the village, my eyes could just barely make out a couple of people in the distance.

As for the room we were in, there was a long table with many chairs. Luckily, there were quite a few parchments lying around on top.

Erin raised her hands in the air.

"Yay, we get to learn magic already!"

She skipped over to the table, looking over the spells before settling on one. As for Alyx, she pulled out her spellbook and sat next to Erin.

My eyes scanned over the table, searching for the vine spell. Without too much trouble, I was able to find it.

I walked over and pulled out the seat next to the spell parchment, and began memorizing the diagram.

After doing a quick review of what my mind already memorized, my eyes widened while my expression became dull.

My mind was absorbed into the spell, slowly piecing it together in my mind.