This is the Ace of Hearts. The world of the Ace of Hearts is a mysterious world like gold. The utmost respect is required to call one a heart. The Ace of Hearts is someone who exists everywhere and nowhere. The Ace of Hearts exists to build a relatively simple world.
The Ace of Hearts. A Newtype with a machine heart. What do humans fear from a being with a machine heart? Even though it's a machine heart, it's not a pacemaker or anything like that, but a heart that is truly made of gold. My heart is made of machine. The Ace of Hearts spends his days in agony. Can one really have a human heart?
Even though he is a Heart, he is busy with his daily work and never gets bored with his daily routine. The Ace of Hearts lives in the real world, not a fantasy world. He is a Beta. He is an Alpha, but there is nothing that bothers him. Beta is the Ace of Hearts and has a mechanical heart.
From the relationship between β and α, we wander around searching for something. We are shaping something in a world of nothingness, while interacting with each other. This is α, please respond immediately. A single word from α awakens me from my dream. I suddenly awaken from the dream, as if I had found an ideal golden land. At that moment, α strikes a blow at β, who calls himself the Ace of Hearts.
This is Alpha. Please respond immediately. Is Beta here? Beta activates his mechanical heart and continues walking towards his next destination. Alpha. Even if he rushes, there may not be anything here. Is there nothing around Alpha?
Suddenly, Miyori wakes up. Alpha is heading for Shangri-La. What are we living for in this empty world? We came to this world dreaming of a fantasy world, so why have we still not found that fantasy Shangri-La?
The blue bird. The grass is always greener on the other side. Perhaps happiness is just around the corner. Miyori suddenly thinks about the tragedy of two years ago. She failed the middle school entrance exam. For some reason, the difference between passing and failing was just a few points. Miyori was just a few points short and failed the middle school entrance exam.
Betas are great. They're smart, so they can easily pass the exams. Miyori expresses her anguish alone. Days immersed in studying. Friendships that never get started. Her home environment is also deteriorating. To support Miyori's exams.
Kota expresses his anguish alone. "The junior high school entrance exam is fine, but why do we have to study?" He wonders, immersing himself in studying all day, why do we study all day without exercising? He knows very well that a student's duty is to study. He knows all too well that studying is a student's, or rather a child's, job during compulsory education.
But why do we have to study so hard and not have time to play? We're doing pretty well. Our teachers aren't bad, and we even have a private tutor. We're treated pretty well, so why do we need to study any more?
There are some things you can only do when you're young. Our teachers are on our side, but for some reason, sometimes they don't get the point. But we still want to prioritize our studies, and we spend our days immersed in studying, with no days off. Is this really the right way to live? We high school students wonder. We want to join clubs and play games. And yet, studying always takes priority.
β is the smartest, so he probably understands, but he says his mind is made of machinery. My brain works well, but my heart is made of machinery. It's like a cyborg. For those of us who always look up to what β does, all we can do is worry about his heart, which has become mechanical from spending every day immersed in studying.
β says, "Recently, an interesting playground has opened. It's not just a place to study, but an interesting place to play as well." Seeing β talking about the fantasy world, I can't help but worry in my mind, wondering if he's feeling unwell or if he's okay. It seems that β calls himself Ace in the fantasy world.
If there's a virtual playground, then I wonder if the digital world of computer games is a fantasy world, and I don't really understand what β is talking about. β says it's simply an interesting world, and he wants to step into it too. β. Are you sure it's okay?
Both Miyori and Kouta are members of the Alpha group, but they belong to a different group. I'm also a member of the Beta group, but lately I've been having strange dreams. It's a world teeming with mysterious monsters. It's not scary because it's just a dream, but when I wake up in the morning I'm drenched in sweat. It feels so real.
My name is Ten. I'm an Alpha who's worried about Beta. I'm not in Miyori and Kota's group, but I've had fun being with Beta. Seeing Beta's strange behavior lately, I can't help but worry about him. Why is Beta acting strange after studying so hard? I can't help but feel anxious.
A dream world. Perhaps β is dreaming. I too am sensitive and find myself prying into β's circumstances. β has spoken of becoming king in the dream world. I don't know why that normal β has said something so incomprehensible. We suddenly suspect that β has grown tired of studying. Maybe β wants to play outside more.
Beta has always had excellent grades and good behavior, and because he has good grades in high school, he is considering a recommendation for university entrance exams. If he just works a little harder, he should be able to get into a good university, so why is he giving up now and talking about a dream world? I'm beginning to question Beta's sanity. I had another dream today.
Please respond immediately. This is Ten. Beta also appeared in my dream, but the most memorable one was that he was working in the dream world. The dream world is getting more real with each passing day, but am I losing my sanity just like Beta? I'm beginning to doubt my own sanity. But I was also able to talk to Beta in my dream. I'll ask him at school tomorrow. I wonder if we're having the same dream.
A fantasy world. I too have longed for it. This is Kota. Please respond immediately. Miyori. Miyori also reluctantly gets up. Even though we only just met the other day, Kota seems so far away. The mock exam results came back just the other day. It seems Kota has achieved scores good enough to get into a top university. Miyori is going to a regular university. We're so far apart. Even among the alphas, there is a big difference in grades.
Until recently, Kota didn't have the ability to get into a top university, but before we knew it, his grades had improved dramatically and he had even passed mock exams. He apparently decided to get serious and started studying hard. Why did his grades differ so much?
Grades are a common topic of conversation even among Alphas. Why do we study? It's a big question, Kota ponders. He knows that even if he gets into a prestigious university, it won't mean a rosy life. He also knows that once he graduates and enters the workforce, it will no longer be a competition of academics but of achievements.
Will we gain anything by winning this fierce competition? Will we be able to obtain some great treasure? Will we end up living an ordinary life? Miyori is stability-oriented. This is Miyori. Why do we have to win this social competition? I'm happy with an ordinary life.
However, she dreams of a truly normal, middle-class life. Recently, she has learned that society is divided into upper, middle, and lower classes. She wants to live a middle-class life, even if it means going to an average university. Kota also thinks that Miyori is just an ordinary girl, and feels bad for her.
If he aimed a little higher, he might be able to live a better life. Why doesn't he aim higher? I feel there's a difference in values. Girls are lucky. They can just get married. These days, people are shouting about gender equality, but girls can become housewives and have plenty of opportunities to be crushed. Girls have an advantage. But Miyori seems to think that men have an advantage.
Kota sighs, tired from studying for his entrance exams. If there was another world, he'd like to go there. It seems like an escape plan, but... This is Beta, please respond immediately. Why did I stop studying? There are two reasons.
One is that I already have the ability to get into a top university. If I keep studying moderately, I'll be at a level where I can easily get into university. The other is that I've discovered a new world. A dream world. A really interesting world. I want to have this world all to myself, but yesterday I dreamed that I was talking to heaven.
Today, Ten seemed like he wanted to say something at high school, but he left without saying anything. He said he had something he wanted to talk to me about, so why did he leave without saying anything? It's strange. Maybe I'm not feeling too well, but adults would say it's crazy to say I'm in a dream world.
Adults really don't understand us. Adult matters are allowed to prevail because adults have loud voices and authority. It's not fair. It seems somehow unreasonable. It's just because they're older. Is that all there is to it? I'll talk to the other alphas tomorrow, Misaki thought. Hmm. Is the alpha group in danger of splitting up? Why is the beta going out of control? Why has he been acting so strange lately?
Misaki starts working on today's homework. The tasks are simple, but she wonders if there's any point in studying them. If she studies, what will she end up becoming? Maybe a university professor or a bureaucrat? Well, that's not something she'll be involved in.