Mara Yi is a character from My Delicious Dream Boy, a manhua by Xiyuer. At college he is well-regarded and popular, a facade Mara as a dream demon employs to make it easier to consume human dreams. Capable of generating various powers, at identifying the 100% likelihood of Joel Lin having a nightmare, Mara is exceptionally friendly and doting to him, all for the purposes of inducing sleep in him to enjoy eating the nightmare.
Regarding other dream demons as competition, Mara behaves differently around them when inner frustrations are not kept in check. Due to his upbringing and lack of life experience, he is unsure of what to do in certain situations, but can adapt quickly. It has been some time since he saw his uncle, and consistently Mara has preferred to be around humans for hunting purposes.
Exceptionally cunning, and committed to his prize, where niceness is employed as a tactic to get what he wants, Mara does show genuine kindness. Feeling empathy, Mara can recognize emotions in Joel, and he is also friends with Shane and Shirley. Having adopted a firm humans are prey and nothing more outlook, it would take time and certain instances to gradually alter Yi's patience for acquiring nightmares to something else.
Background[]
Wanting to be around humans to hunt
As a child, Mara answered his uncle who had heard he hit a classmate at dream demon school that they always pick on him, so they asked for it and deserved it. Stating that he did not want to go to school with those losers, Mara desired to go to a human school, in order to hunt. Observing one such school from the window, Mara felt he had to understand his prey. Mingling with other children, it was as he expected, these people do not have any special ability and they do not even know that dream demons exist, so they let their guard down.
By his present age, Mara found just a little bit of sweet talk and they lead themselves to the lion's den. Considering them weak and ignorant, and it a piece of cake, Mara contemplates how he has never had a prey escape. Right after high school, Mara gained his driver's license. Having heard that there are a small number of people who can faintly see dream magic, Mara wonders if Joel could be one of those people. Contending to have an excellent immune system, Mara states it is fine for Jin to take off his mask when he is ill. Knowledgeable about food, Mara can inform Joel that what he is looking at is fried tofu and mentioning how another is oyster, Mara wonders why as a dream demon he knows more about these things than a human. While capable of ingesting physical foods such as chips, Mara cannot actually digest such substances so has to regurgitate them, where often he can hold out for two days. Unable to taste anything, Mara thinks he will say a random flavor when tasting candies. While Mara can consume ice cream even though he cannot taste the flavors, he likes how the coldness feels in his mouth.
Access to his own residence
While he lives in the student dorms, Mara also occupies an apartment that features a swimming pool on the balcony. Where he has roamed about so much every night, Mara had become indifferent to the city lights. Having never taken a selfie with a guy before, Mara states it has always felt a bit weird. Getting along well with other students, Mara had attended karaoke with some where it was said that he was really good at singing. He had heard that someone in their class was sick and requested a month's leave, before finding out that was Joel. His phone's chat list has 36 conversations open.
Concerning other demons, Mara repels any hostile advances, but generally outright ignores them. This extends to family members, where though he has his uncle's phone number, Mara has not contacted him over the phone or physically for a while. After seeking his advice on what might be blocking his powers, Mara abruptly hangs up. Asked about his family by his friends Shane and Shirley, he replies there is nothing much to say, and provides a story that his parents are both overseas so they might not even see each other once a year. Repudiating the idea that they are rich, Mara claims they are just his average family.
Characteristics[]
Presenting a replacement ice cream to Joel
Very friendly, Mara says for him and Joel to exchange contact details. In the future, Mara explains that Joel can always come to him if he does not know something. As he has been here since the beginning of the school year, Mara has gotten pretty familiar with every part of it. Further supportive in how encouraging he is, when other students comment on Joel he remarks it seems like he has become famous overnight. Observing his worry, Mara places his arm around Joel and tells him it is fine, people will not think he is weird. After Lin's comment, Mara explains he has not been here that long, and will get to know more people in the future.
Popular with other college students
Upfront in discussing matters, Mara feels like Joel rarely talks with people, before asking if he is bad at communicating with others. Stating that Joel does not seem like a shy person to him, Mara addresses are they having a nice talk right now. Taking Jin to the infirmary, Mara says to Shane when the teacher comes, if she is taking attendance, to help them out. Patting Joel's shoulder, while Mara knows he wants to stay in class with everyone, his health comes first. Although Mara thinks Joel should lie down and rest, where he wants to watch a movie with him, he remembers all the times Joel wanted to do stuff together. Thinking no matter what they do he would always want to do stuff with him together, Mara contemplates further that when Joel gets clingy like this, he gets very direct and it makes him feel kind of shy.
Supposing that Joel woke up so early, Mara asks why does he not lay down for a bit and he will wake him up before class starts, where behind the niceness the goal is to have him sleep where his dreams would be able to be eaten. Finding his magic has no effect on him, Mara thinks Joel is extremely fascinating and he will devour him one day. Asking if Joel does not like events with lots of people, Mara speaks how he has not talked to anyone else besides him. With others commenting they are in the same group, Mara remarks it must be fate. Asking students if he can ask them a few questions, with it commented that every day someone new is saying hi to him, Mara states a lot of them he has only seen once or twice. While he knows more people than he did in high school, Mara considers he is not really close with any of them, and is only close with three people, Joel, Shane, and Shirley.
Considering then reacting
Paying attention to what he is interested in, Mara also reacts to changes that would help Joel and ease his mind. Contently observing Joel, at seeing he is crying, Mara holds him and asks what is wrong. Showing concern, Mara uses a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. Reminding him he already said it was okay, plus it was his fault that he took Joel to the karaoke, Mara feels he could not let him have a lot of fun. Hearing about Joel's illness, Mara questions if it is serious. With him coughing, Mara states for him to take his time while patting his back. Finding himself on top of Joel he wonders what is going on, before Mara acts to clarify what happened with others who saw them. When Joel drops his ice cream he buys him a replacement. After Joel delivers a menacing smile, Mara notes it is just like before and wonders if his expression stiffens when he is nervous. With Joel unsure why the atmosphere darkened when he slammed his hand on the table to speak, Mara whispers that he overdid it and came off as a bit aggressive.
Considering himself the strongest dream demon, Mara regards Joel as prey to not let escape. Where his magic fails, Mara changes tactics to warmly approaching a mark to establish a relationship first. Speaking nicely to Joel and asking if he ate breakfast, all the while, Mara considers when Joel lets his guard down does the unwary class mate think he cannot eat him. Observing Joel, he thinks this meal looks more and more delicious. Should he be come across by others when a person is unconscious where he has fed off them, consistently Mara lies that he knows nothing about it, usually before providing a story to placate any concerns. Outside a party, Mara comments that he thinks the unconscious student near him drank too much. Unable to do anything about it, Mara states it does not look like he wants to get off the ground.
Confronting another dream demon, Mara is of the view that he is just some trash who is new to the city, and it is no wonder he does not recognize him. Incapacitating him, Mara speaks how he has some advice out of pity and the goodness of his heart. The area around this university of the city is his territory. Elaborating further, Mara details if the other dream demon wants to live he is to stay away from here. Asked what happened to the defeated demons by Joel, again Mara lies that he was just passing by and saw them lying here. Telling Joel to not worry, they are only passed out, Mara claims to have already called the police. Saying how this place does not seem safe, Mara takes ahold of Joel and states for them to hurry up and leave. When Uncle mentions the human Mara cannot get his hands on, Mara unfurls his magic and questions if he is finally getting sick of living. While he has little patience for even simple requests such as sharing his uncle's number, Mara will seek out other demon's help if needed. Not commenting on Ian asking for Joel's number, Mara just stares at him until he leaves.
Irate at missing a chance
Surprised at Shirley and her friend snoring, Mara thinks how it scared him. Also jumping at the phone ringing, Mara further panics at Joel's call, unsure of what to tell him yet. Navigating uncertain scenarios, with Joel reacting to his presence, Mara thinks why. Apologizing, Mara questions whether he scared him. Asking where Joel lives, Mara mentions he has not heard of anyone from their major moving into the dormitory. Anger is only ever shown around other demons, such as his Uncle when Mara said he could handle the Ian Chung incident by himself. Stating it is no big deal, Mara tells Uncle to stop meddling in his business. Having not tasted any nightmares for so long, Mara is mad he was so close to eating Joel's nightmare but failed. With his mood commented on by friends in class, Mara gives an excuse that he was just staying up late playing games and his team mates were bad. Peeved at being called fragile by Shane, he is further aggravated that he would not have to send Joel home if only this idiot did not come alone. Regarding Joel as a meal right in front of him that he has no way to eat, Mara finds it unpleasant. Thinking how he left Joel's side a bit and now a dream demon has already laid eyes on him, Mara asserts that boys must protect themselves when they are in public. While his face does not show it, Mara is furious that he was distracted by other dream demons that he was almost noticed by humans in what he considers a low-level mistake. When Joel is speaking about returning the money he gave to that man around others, Mara reminds him he said there is no need to return it.
Viewing particular dreams as absolute treasures
Viewing humans as food, Mara tells himself to stop having useless thoughts when viewing a photo of him and humans together. Looking at Joel's face, Mara considers that to humans his looks are above average. Dropping someone to the ground unconscious, Mara finds he had a normal dream which he finds disgusting. Asked what kind of things does he like, Mara thinks he was too obvious about his emotions today, then guesses (correctly) that Joel wants to get him a gift to cheer him up. While his intuition is good, having never dealt with anything like this, Mara is troubled how he will explain biting Joel to him. With Joel feeling pain from his injection, to alleviate the discomfort, Mara raises the topic of massaging his butt. Noticing he is getting sleepy as they watch a movie together, Mara rests Joel's head on his shoulder and places a blanket over him.
Aspirations[]
Almost certainly bumping into Joel on purpose, to catch him so as to appear benevolent, Mara targeted Joel due to his 100% chance of having a nightmare. Finding him in his lecture hall, Mara grins. Taking a seat next to Joel in the lecture hall, Mara comments he has never seen him here before to strike up conversation. Producing release magic which can make the target sleepy, Mara sets about acquiring what he wants, at once.
Keen to show fondness for Joel
Questioned if he wants to go to karaoke with others tonight, Mara replies sure. Asked to come and sit next to Shirley, he gives the pretext that the seat is the center of class, where it is too close to the front. Instead he elects to sit next to Joel and offers to share contact details. Later seeing Joel arrive, Mara announces to others that he is changing seats to join him. Claiming that he also took the marine civilization class to be able to sit next to Joel, he thinks since he did not choose this it is fine if he does not pay attention during the lecture.
Agreeing to head to the cafeteria together with Shane, he then asks if Joel wants to eat with them. With Shirley questioning is Joel not attractive, Mara agrees, yet it is in regards to perceiving his 100% chance of dreaming and having a nightmare. Commenting that it has been a long time since he has seen such pretty numbers, Mara flies to District D's student studio apartments where he feels at this time, humans should be sleeping. His craftiness extends to requesting that Shane try and take down a talisman he cannot touch by stating it probably is not a real talisman, and that these types of stickers have been trending lately. Seeing that Shane is affected, Mara guesses that only specific people can touch the talisman in Joel's room. Finding the university sporting festival to be so boring, Mara does not get why humans like this kind of weird activity, then is baffled at why the crowds are so hyped up. Where others are supporting the event, Mara wonders if they are not tired from all this work. There are no benefits to it, and Mara regards it as just self-torture.
Rarely, anger related emotions such as a mild annoyance are shown, yet they are always restrained as Mara seeks to maintain his masquerade. Smiling for someone to be careful next time after he is accidentally drenched by a hose, Mara is cursing him in his mind. A mortified sense of outrage is seen when Shane and a friend walk away having come across him on top of Joel, where Mara orders them to get back in here to clarify it is not what they think. Walking away from Ian without others looking, Mara raises his middle finger at him.
Pondering matters to himself, Mara considers a human with a 100% nightmare rate, with the power to repel dream demons spread around his building that he aims to infiltrate is definitely not a coincidence. Since he cannot eat Joel's dreams near his apartment, Mara decides he will do it while they are in the classroom. Considering the karaoke gathering a good opportunity to let Joel sleep outside, Mara considers his expression and wonders out of concern and in seeking to understand him does he not like these kind of events. Questioning if he is going to sing, with Joel not knowing how, Mara speaks he will duet with him if he picks a song. Despite seeing him cry, and consoling him, Mara is still set on bringing Joel to another place to eat his dreams.
Enquiring if he has any plans for today since it is the weekend, Mara asks Joel if he wants to watch a movie. Having chosen a movie that looked and that he finds boring, Mara considers with only a few people watching it, and where it is quiet, it is the best place for hypnosis. Where he is the one becoming sleepy, Mara finds resting on Joel's shoulder to be really awkward. Wondering if he should keep pretending to be asleep or wake up, Mara decides to wait a bit longer then it will not be as weird. When the time comes he will just say thanks and this will be over with.
All his friendliness a tactic in order to eat Joel's dream
Hearing he is Joel's first friend, Mara reflects on the words before asking if he wants some tips on how to make friends. If he teaches him, Mara asserts Joel will definitely get to know more people his age. This is done to know more about Joel to increase the chances of eating his dreams. Mara thinks the relationship between dream demons and humans is like predator and prey, it is impossible for them to be friends. As he speaks on how there are different ways to make friends, Mara thinks he is sorry to Joel. Speaking to the lecturer, Mara acts to have him place Joel in the same group assignment as him.
Volunteering himself for interviewing people, Mara thinks when the group goes out he has to find an excuse to have Joel stay in the same room as him for the night. Asked which sculpting clay figure he would like, Mara affirms they are all great so how about Joel pick one for him. Mara is taken aback at being handed Joel's favorite clay statue as he is his favorite person. When relationships are raised, Mara told Shane he is not interested in one right now. Telling Joel he is pretty good at singing, Mara says maybe he should learn a couple of songs so he can sing with him in the future. After being soaked, since they are right by his dorm room, Mara says for them to go and change their clothes there. After acquiring a dream from a stranger, Mara considers the quality of them in this area have not been great recently. Seeing that a target's chance of having nightmares are even lower than the previous guy, Mara thinks how boring. In considering how Joel looks pretty stupid and easy to trick, Mara wonders maybe there is something wrong with his technique.
Expanding his methods, Mara contacts his uncle to detail what could be the cause of hypnosis not working on a human. Learning that Joel could have a protective talisman on his person, Mara feels as long as that leaves his side the rest will be easy. Just as he thought, Joel has one, and in asking to see it, Mara is zapped, yet passes it off as a buildup of static electricity. Unable to touch the amulet directly, Mara needs to find a way for Joel to take off his backpack in order to move the amulet away from him. Alone with Joel, after asking if he has any plans, Mara suggests how about they go to the snack street to eat some food. Contemplating how he can make Joel stay with him until late at night, Mara wonders would an Internet cafe work. Thinking of drinks instead, Mara declares he is going to buy two cans before instructing Joel to stay here and not wander off.
Viewing other demons as competition
Interceding on Joel's behalf when Uncle is speaking with him, Mara confiscates his phone to prevent him giving his contact details, and hands cash to settle the matter there. Rich, Mara explains when Joel meets these types of scammers, it is better to settle it quickly and make them leave or else it will get troublesome the longer they keep him. Dealing with potential competition, at seeing someone observing Joel he addresses him as trash and questions what he is doing sneaking around. Lately, he has been spending all his time on Joel so feels it is time to clean this place up a bit. While wondering if he should prepare a gift to bring to Joel's house tomorrow having been invited to dinner, Mara sees on his phone how he has finally found the trash. Faced with the dream demon from earlier, backed by three others, Mara knocks the backup out at once.
At a karaoke session with Shirley and Shane he says for Joel to put his bag down so he does not get tired. Singing a song with lyrics involving falling in love, and was it not noticed, Mara then affectionately caresses Joel's face while purporting to be getting an eye lash off his face. With a wave of his hand, Shirley and Shane are asleep. Critically, as is Joel where Mara at last fulfils his goal. When at last he succeeds in inducing sleep in Joel, he licks his lips and regards him as an absolute treasure. Due to impracticalness, Mara did not deal with the electronic devices such as the phone that woke those in the room. With his chance disrupted, Mara finds eating another person's dream to be disgusting. Seeing a chance to get Joel to come out, Mara wonders how he should ask him. Imagining asking Joel to come for a sleepover, Mara feels he will sound like a pervert. Instead of Joel getting a gift, Mara says how about he come take a walk with him. With Joel calling to say he is free, Mara thinks he took the bait.
Firm in regarding humans as food, after Mara graduates he thinks everything will go back to normal and he will not have contact with them. After seeing the message from Ian asking Joel out, Mara acquires his phone and says to let himself talk to him. Telling his friends that this idiot upperclassman was bothering him at the beginning of the school year, Mara cannot believe he is hitting on Joel now. Succeeding in having others regard Ian negatively, Mara messages him to warn him not to steal his target, before assuring Joel that he has blocked him on his behalf. Understanding Shirley's call, Mara arrives to inform Ian that clearly Joel is rejecting him and it is rude to keep asking. Remembering he told Ian to stay away, Mara feels anyone else would have understood by now. Arriving at the coffee shop to speak that Ian is bothering them, Mara orders him to scram.
Resolute in his thinking, the only minor things that causes this to falter are finding out that Joel's medication is not for some cold and might be more serious than he thought. Using his power to see that Joel is medically fine, and seeing his charm is not on him, Mara considers this could be a perfect chance to feed on his dreams. When Joel answers Shane that he would like to return to the sports festival to cheer them on, Mara thinks he will not do that today. Where it appears to be a genuine concern in asking if Joel wants another layer of clothes, at seeing him blush, Mara feels this atmosphere is dangerous. Having his chance to consume the dream interrupted, Mara gives thought to how Joel really speaks his mind and that feeling of knowing someone cares about him is not so bad. After almost biting him under the effects of an appetite potion, Mara considers how after so many years Jin is his first friend who is the same age as him. Remembering how Joel gave him his favorite carton character sculpture, Mara feels he is such a pure-hearted person and he felt a jerk after doing that to him, even though it was not on purpose. A second chance to eat Jin's dreams comes after they reconcile, yet after being hugged, Mara thinks for him to have a good rest tonight and flies him home.
Compromised by an appetite potion, when regaining his senses, Mara flies at once to his uncle's office seeking an antidote. Feeling he was careless, Mara thinks he will never forgive Ian yet he will deal with him later, right now explaining all this to Joel is the most important thing. When his uncle means to send people to get rid of Ian immediately on his behalf, Mara reiterates there is no need, he will take care of this himself. Not replying to Joel's messages, Mara is unsure how to explain it so resolves to continue to play dead. Finding him at the arcade when Mara is with, he says for him and Joel to speak inside. Unable to believe that Joel cares so much about hearing from him, Mara needs to find an excuse first. At first thinking to lie about having his phone stolen with his message history, asked if he does not like him anymore, Mara is honest that he just did not know how to explain what happened that night. Sharing that he rushed to a relative's place to get some medicine, Mara adds he did not mean to leave Joel at the cafe alone. Hearing that Joel was worried about him, Mara thinks isn't Joel the one who he unwittingly assaulted, and that he is the victim here. Feeling such a jerk when Joel was sad, Mara affirmed that no matter what happens he will never dislike him. Saying it was all his own fault, Mara was prepared for Joel to hate him.
Considering Joel's rarely shown expressions
Noting that Joel smiled, Mara thinks about how usually he does not have a lot of expressions. With that, Mara also remembers Joel's reactions from his physical contact and wonders why is he thinking that. When Joel is said to be experiencing a fever, Mara takes him by the arm and states he will go to the infirmary with him. Feeling pity for Joel since he is to have a shot in the buttocks for his fever, Mara thinks they are both men so why is he turning away. Intending to head back to class, gathering that Joel wants him to stay with him for company, Mara asks if he can. As he thought, Mara does not want to stay in Joel's house for too long, the talisman is blocking all his powers and it is making him feel really insecure. Having thought that, Mara considers that talisman is something that makes Joel feel safe. With notions ingrained into him, Mara tells himself he is waiting for Joel's energy levels to reach a normal level so he can have a good meal.
Powers[]
Powers for his firm humans are prey mindset
Assuming his demon form grants Mara horns, a tail, and useable bat demon like wings. Capable of flight, Mara finds that the power around Joel's apartment only nullifies the dream magic itself, yet notes he can still physically enter the building. While saying that he might not be able to acquire prizes in a claw machine, through magic or skill, Mara can get two, one each for Joel and Shirley. For resistances, Mara finds his magic weakens or even disappears whenever he is near Joel's house. While unable to fly in such cases, at a certain distance Mara can still use his abilities where he described the scent of a nightmare. Capable of perceiving magical based castings, Mara can make out that a building has magic that repels dream demons. Able to tell when someone is starting to dream, a delicious aroma is emitted. Affected by the nightmare's flavor, Mara wonders why it is so concentrated and is this the flavor of a 100% nightmare ratio.
Discerning probability based information, Mara can see a harmless fiery blue aura surround multiple targets with text indicating a person's chance of dreaming and chance of nightmares by the percentage of likelihood. In terms of finding a dream, as long as Mara can sense the origin of the nightmare there is a chance he can find Joel within his studio block. Consuming dreams or nightmares involves physically holding a person and inhaling through his mouth with magic enshrouding them both where the human is unconscious. With it being a dream he consumed, Mara does not get to decide what is absorbed. The ratio of dreaming to nightmares is averaged out over a month. This will change continuously depending on their physiological status and their mental health. Where someone had a 40% chance of dreaming, with a possibility of nightmares at 80%, at having a dream Mara considers it tastes disgusting.
A differing perception where he can ascertain a person's health is available. A yellow aura enveloping a person features a gauge that indicates their health. While Mara can discern that Joel's health condition is pretty normal, this evidently does not take into account his in actuality serious medical state. On another occasion involving a fever acquired though, Mara can see that Joel's energy level has dropped below normal.
Dream demon powers afford Mara the ability to create magic invisible to humans, and have it grant him valuable insights. On his back in the shoulder region, Mara has a violet mark in three parts. Release magic that can make a target sleepy can seemingly be non-verbally casted, where streams of pink smoke can materialize. Long ribbon like extensions can make physical contact even to humans who cannot see them, and strike multiple targets simultaneously. Dexterity can be used to have individual extensions seal windows, and smash apart security cameras where the power to a building can also go out. Multiple shadowy black hands emerging from a wall can be used to physically grasp a person within a nightmare. Registering that Joel can see the sleep inducing smoke he conjured, Mara wonders how that is possible as ordinary people cannot see dream magic. Being a dream demon, Mara does not dream himself.
Images[]
