A shadowed prophecy — Lisve reveals a glimpse of fate
Silence fell thick as velvet in the Dean's spacious office, broken only by the gentle ticking of an ornate golden clock on her wall. The great owl Lisve — feathers like woven dusk and dawn — sat motionless on the back of a high-backed chair, his eyes half-lidded, as if lost in some fathomless distance.
Then, at last, he stirred.
"Curtine," he said, his voice deep and impossibly calm, echoing like wind in cathedral rafters. "Listen carefully to what I am about to say."
The Dean — Curtine — instinctively straightened, her hands folding together as if in prayer. Lisve's rare solemn tone set her heart beating faster.
Lisve's pupils shrank into dark slits, and for a moment a soft gleam — like moonlight refracted through a thousand prisms — rippled through his irises. Then his voice fell lower, heavy with a weight older than stone.
"He whose fate is not in his hands… shall ascend to a realm where no mere mortal can understand him."
Shock in the Dean's chest — a truth too heavy
For a heartbeat, Curtine simply stood there, her mind blank.
Then the weight of those words crashed down, knocking the breath from her lungs. She lurched back, hands clutching the edge of her desk, her face drained of color.
"What…? Lisve, what are you—?"
But her mana beast only watched her with steady, ancient eyes. He had spoken as one who had glimpsed something behind the veils of destiny, something perhaps even he wished he had not seen.
Curtine's mind raced. Lisve was no ordinary familiar. His "Eye of Fate" — a gift bordering on divine — let him perceive glimpses of destiny's hidden threads. For him to utter such words… it couldn't be false.
Her heart gave a tremor. "…Who is this boy?" she whispered under her breath.
A cryptic dread — even Lisve unsettled
Lisve ruffled his wings slightly, feathers shivering as if stirred by some wind only he could feel. Then he spoke again, quieter this time, yet each word was a heavy bell toll.
"I am not sure if we should rejoice… or tremble… that he has entered our academy."
Curtine's head snapped up, her eyes wide with alarm. "Why? What have you seen, Lisve?"
The owl's beak clicked softly. His shadow stretched long across the desk, distorting in the dim light. Then he exhaled — if such a creature could sigh — and muttered, almost to himself, "I do not know the full shape of it. Only that there is something vast, hidden even from me. And that alone is troubling."
The Dean's frantic logic — but Lisve shatters it
Curtine slammed her hand on the desk, leaning forward as if to force sense from the air itself. "Lisve — that's absurd. He's just a non-mage boy! Clever, yes, unusually skilled perhaps, but still only—"
"—And that," Lisve interrupted, his voice taking on a dark gravity that pinned her words in her throat, "is what makes it so terrifying."
He fixed her with that eerie, fathomless stare. "Have you ever seen a non-mage like him? In all your long years here? At such an age, to defy odds that would crush seasoned artificers, to brush aside hurdles that should take decades of study? Recall it all clearly — beating Lucas in open contest, humiliating the president of the Year Five Chosen Ones, shaping mechanisms that leave even your top scholars silent. And all of it with such… ease."
Curtine opened her mouth, then closed it again. The memories flashed one by one, undeniable. Her shoulders drooped. "…It's true," she murmured. "Everything you say. It's been like this since the moment he arrived."
A final cryptic charge — a riddle for the ages
Lisve's feathers settled back, but his eyes never softened. In a voice almost like reciting from some cosmic decree, he intoned:
"A blessing upon the just… a curse upon the vile. Thus whispers fate, with breath like winter steel."
Curtine repeated the words under her breath, each syllable a chilling echo inside her skull. "You shall be good to those who are good… and you shall be bad to those who are bad…?"
She stood still, gripping her robes as her mind reeled. Thoughts of Aether — smiling so easily, working with such humble calm, yet occasionally casting glances sharp as daggers — spiraled through her.
"A devil or an angel… come cloaked in the shape of a boy," Lisve finished in a low rumble, as if confessing a fear he dared not shout.
Then, softer still, he added, "Curtine. Check the boy's background again."
The world intrudes — Vivien's gentle knock
A knock at the door shattered the fragile spell. Curtine startled, eyes darting to the office entrance. "Oh—!"
"Come in," she called, struggling to steady her tone.
The door swung inward, and a familiar lilting voice answered, "Hello…"
At once Curtine's tension eased, a small, genuine smile spreading over her face. "Vivien! My dear, come in."
Her granddaughter entered, radiant even in her simple uniform, a calm grace in her steps. When Lisve saw her, he gave a pleased hoot and swept from his perch to land neatly on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek with surprising fondness. Vivien giggled and stroked his head.
"Ohh Vivien," Curtine said warmly, "I heard you've become the new president of the first year's Child of Lights. Congratulations."
Vivien dipped a graceful bow. "Thank you very much, Grandmother."
A breath of normalcy — the Dean's secret relief
As the two spoke lightly, something gentle and hopeful returned to Curtine's chest. Watching Vivien beam under Lisve's feathery affection, the Dean let out a soft sigh. She didn't come to resign the position after all. That alone says she's growing. My granddaughter… is changing.
For now, all those ominous threads around Aether could wait. He's just an exceptionally talented boy, she told herself. Though I will have his records checked again, just to be sure…
For now, she would savor this quiet moment with Vivien. And Lisve, settled like a content cat on Vivien's shoulder, seemed to allow it.
✦✦✦
Aether's big reveal — rallying the class
Meanwhile, down in the bustling halls of the non-mage wing, Aether made his way to his classroom. He pushed open the door with a casual shove — and found all his classmates already inside, chattering or fiddling with prototype gadgets.
Perfect, he thought. He cleared his throat loudly.
"Alright everyone — gather up! I've got something important to tell you."
At once the class stilled. Heads turned. Aether was rarely this formal; even Morgan set down his spanner, eyebrows raised.
Dropping the bombshell — points and prestige
Aether waited until he had their full attention, then smirked. "Our first official project has arrived. Straight from the Dean."
Silence. A few confused looks. Someone scratched their head.
"…What kind of project?" piped up Shanny from the back.
Aether crossed his arms, tapping his foot theatrically. "We're to design and build mechanisms for the upcoming Familiar Choosing Event. Specifically, devices that measure the attack power of mana beasts. Big order, tight deadline. Those who help will earn…" He paused dramatically, scanning the room.
"Twenty thousand contribution points each."
For a heartbeat the class went deathly still.
Then —
Exploding excitement — a workshop's heartbeat
"TWENTY THOUSAND?!"
"HELL YEAH!"
The classroom erupted. Tools clattered, chairs scraped back. Even reserved kids were high-fiving each other, while Morgan practically jumped onto a table, pumping his fists. "Who cares about the points, we're being recognized by the Dean herself! That's even bigger!"
"But can we even pull it off?" someone else fretted. "This sounds crazy…"
Aether's confident smirk deepened. "Hmph. As long as I'm here, there's nothing we can't do. I'll make sure every one of you knows exactly what's needed."
A cheer broke out. Morgan punched the air. "That's our Aether! If you're with us, we can take on anything!"
Aether flushed, ducking his head a little at the praise, though a smile tugged at his lips. Then he raised his voice again. "Alright — tonight we start prepping materials and plans. Meet in the mechanical lab after hours. Oh, and this stays between us. Not a soul outside this class should hear about it."
Everyone nodded vigorously. The room practically buzzed with eagerness.
A quiet thought — pride and hidden purpose
As the noise settled into excited scheming, Aether stood by the door for a moment, hands tucked in his pockets, watching them laugh and sketch and start discussing blueprints.
Good for them, he thought, a small, secret smile lighting his face. They'll gain more experience than any textbook could offer. And maybe… just maybe… this'll be fun for me too.
His eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint, already plotting new innovations.
✦✦✦
The gears turn — and so does fate
Far above, in the Dean's quiet office, Lisve's words still hung in the air like the echo of a bell long after it had rung.
A devil or an angel… in the shape of a boy.
Below, Aether laughed with his classmates, his eyes bright with challenge, never knowing how many eyes — human and not — watched him now. And outside the academy walls, shadows stirred, drawn inevitably to brilliance like moths to flame.
The Familiar Choosing Event would come swiftly. And when it did, every thread of destiny Lisve glimpsed would begin to tighten — around Aether, around Vivien, around all who unknowingly stood on the cusp of something vast and strange.