Vid was resting his chin on his hand, casually surveying the room furnishings.
Upon noticing the commotion, he turned his head, his brows raising slightly in surprise.
Although daydreaming can be exited at will, being able to leave this customized daydream within minutes was quite unexpected for Nicolas Flal.
Then Vid understood that while he was sitting beside him, Flal naturally wouldn't weave the daydream he truly longed for.
So he probably just wrote a mundane dream... perhaps strolling along the beach?
But then, he saw a tear slide from the corner of the old man's eye, rolling down his pale skin, then wiped away by Flal.
"It was a good dream... quite a remarkable invention," Flal said sowhat sadly: "I saw so friends who left long ago... those tis are truly nostalgic..."
Vid said curiously: "I thought you would... well, 'reminisce' a while longer."
"I wouldn't dare indulge in it," Flal carefully placed the quill in its box, covered it, and patted it, saying: "I'm afraid I'd beco too addicted, forever unwilling to return to reality."
"It can last no more than thirty minutes," Vid said.
"But after each thirty minutes, there can be a second, a third, countless thirty minutes, until the end of life."
Flal looked into Vid's clear eyes and laughed: "Child, you're still too young. If you have lost many important people like I have, you'd understand the damaging power of such dreams."
Vid fell silent.
He had also lost important people.
After the Daydream Quill was crafted, he was naturally its first user.
Vid wove all sorts of dreams, and for those two or three days truly subrged himself in them, unwilling to wake.
However, after that phase, waking from the last dream, he suddenly felt a great emptiness, like a silent wasteland left behind after the tide recedes, not wanting to pick up the Daydream Quill ever again.
Just like one sumr holiday during school when he was so engrossed in video gas, he couldn't pull himself away, with even his parents lifting restrictions allowing him to keep playing.
But after weeks of non-stop gaming, he suddenly experienced a feeling of "What am I doing?" a void, even guilt, as if all the ti and effort he'd invested had been swallowed by an invisible black hole.
Upon reflection, not knowing why he was addicted, nor realizing what he had gained besides a few numbers in the ga, excitent, thrill evaporated, and even mories of the ga blurred, leaving only self-questioning, "Where did all the ti go?"
From then on, he never overly indulged in gas, only occasionally playing a round to kill ti when bored.
The Daydream Quill was the sa.
Under the magic's influence, even within dreams, he distinctly knew it was all fake.
A gentle, caring family, promising school life, wealth, beauty, status, power, adventures in otherworldly realms, standing alongside historical figures...
All illusions crafted by magic, holding the most for thirty minutes, with despair and emptiness rising upon waking.
Different dreams are difficult to string together; wanting continuity requires detailed, extensive writing each ti, consuming more ink, and waning enthusiasm during the process.
So may desperately nest in illusions like drinking poison, but Vid felt an inner disgust and fatigue, unwilling to continue.
To him, it was akin to a desensitization process in gas, far easier than Nicolas Flal presud.
Perhaps noticing Vid's slight disagreent in his eyes, Flal said: "Vid, I rember you have a collaboration with a Magic Shop?"
"Yes," Vid said: "It's Machioni's Aslan Magic Workshop."
"Are you in great need of money, child?"
"Not really, I suppose I'm quite well off."
"Then... it might be presumptuous..." Flal slowly said: "Could I ask you not to sell such quills in the shop?"
Vid said: "I'm not concerned about making money... but why? The Daydream Curse is a very ordinary spell, many people know it."
"How can random dreams compare to dreams of one's heart's desire?"
Flal sighed and said: "Most people can't remain clear-headed like you, to them, the Daydream Quill is more terrifying than drugs."
"Alright, I can agree," Vid said: "But I think it could be used positively, such as assisting therapy for people with psychological disorders; allowing those who lost loved ones to see them again, relieving longing; it can also be used to learn knowledge or practice skills."
Flal smiled lightly and said: "Sure, making imagination tangible is a double-edged sword, with adverse effects and benefits, it depends on how people use it."
He paused, and added: "Maybe we shouldn't abruptly ban the Daydream Quill, we just need to add so restrictions... Could I offer you so suggestions, child?"
Vid promptly said: "Of course, it's my honor."
Isn't it just an anti-addiction system? He was quite familiar with that.
Vid said: "We can use chira structures to add restrictions, such as a magic that limits usage, causing the Daydream Quill to enter hibernation after three uses, unable to awaken for at least twenty-four hours afterward."
"Not enough, ardent users would just buy more quills," Flal said: "It needs a spell that can sense the user's emotional and ntal state, turning from dream to nightmare when in deep addiction, forcing them to wake."
"Isn't that bad... this could also be used on patients with ntal disorders, sudden scares might worsen their condition?" Vid refuted.
Flal reconsidered: "Then how about solidifying the dreams into a very boring mode?"
"Boring mode..." Vid touched his chin, his eyes suddenly lit up with a mischievous smile, saying: "Why not turn it into continuous exams? Endless exams, all ultra-difficult questions, none solvable."
"Exams?" Nicolas Flal was silent for a while before laughing: "That idea is... truly splendid..."
He and Vid exchanged a glance, filled with mischievous and hopeful light within the wrinkles.
User Comments
0 comments from readers