Morning mist blanketed the east training field. Cool dew glistened on blades of grass as the sun slowly climbed past the academy's marble towers.
Kaleid stood in the quiet stillness, breath steady, hands behind his back.
> "Day two. 1% closer to… what, exactly?"
His Sync had risen to 2%, and the daily quests were steadily sharpening his awareness. But there was still a hole inside him—one he didn't fully understand.
That ache of emptiness was broken by a sudden voice.
"Whoa! You're here early too!"
Kaleid turned.
A girl with fox ears and a high ponytail jogged up the hill, tail swishing behind her with excited energy. Her silver-blue eyes sparkled under the morning light.
She wore the standard Lirian uniform with a few rogue adjustments: sleeves rolled, ribbon untied, and a tiny flame-shaped brooch pinned over her collar.
Kaleid stared, stunned not by her appearance—but by her name.
---
[Observation Mode – ON]
— Name: Rin Asterwind
— Race: Demi-Human (Fox Variant)
— Class: Enchanter (Apprentice)
— Magic Affinity: Wind & Spirit
— Rank: C
— Emotional State: Cheerful, Inquisitive
— Sync Potential: High
— Fate Path: Unstable
---
She extended a hand toward him with a beaming grin.
"I'm Rin. You're Kaleid, right? The quiet guy who dismantled a wand blindfolded yesterday?"
"…Yes," he said after a moment's pause.
"You don't talk much, huh? That's fine. I talk enough for two!"
She laughed, and something about it was… refreshing. Not mocking. Not suspicious.
Just genuine.
Kaleid blinked. "You… know who I am?"
"Of course! You sat behind me during Magical Theory. Also, you gave a perfect answer when everyone else looked like their brains were full of bees."
She gave him a playful side-eye. "I respect that."
> A C-Rank enchanter... talking to me? Voluntarily?
The system pinged silently in the corner of his vision.
---
[New Connection Formed – Rin Asterwind]
> Progress: 2%
Potential Status: Ally/Fated Bond
Condition to Deepen: Earn her trust by aiding her craft.
---
"Wanna spar?" Rin asked, bouncing on her heels. "Light weapons only. No magic, no pressure."
Kaleid hesitated. "I'm not a fighter."
"Cool! Then you won't go easy on me just because I'm cute."
That caught him off guard.
She giggled. "Kidding. But seriously—I want to see how someone like you moves. You've got that 'still river, deep current' vibe."
He couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at his lips.
"…Alright."
---
Training Match – Light Sparring
They each took wooden rods from the rack, about the length of a shortsword.
Rin stood in a loose stance, tail swaying rhythmically.
Kaleid mirrored her with a still, steady grip.
"Three points?" she offered.
He nodded.
"Begin!"
She darted forward like a gust of wind.
Fast—but not reckless.
Kaleid moved on instinct, the system's interface showing faint predictions of her movement trails.
He ducked a sweep, sidestepped a spin, and tapped her side.
"Point one," he said calmly.
She whistled. "Wow. Didn't even flinch."
They reset.
Second clash—this time, she faked a jump and twisted mid-air.
Kaleid blocked, barely. Her rod grazed his shoulder.
"Point one," she grinned.
They moved again, breath light but sharp.
Final clash.
Kaleid closed the distance before she expected it and knocked her rod away, then stopped just before tapping her forehead.
"Point two. Match."
Rin blinked in surprise… and then smiled wide.
"That was fun!"
---
[Connection Deepened – Rin Asterwind: +7%]
> New Bond Perk Available: "Shared Focus" (Minor boost to teamwork when paired.)
---
As they returned the rods, she asked, "Say, do you know anything about enchantment arrays?"
"A little," Kaleid replied, brushing sweat from his brow.
She pulled out a small glowing cube.
"This thing's been glitching. It's supposed to amplify elemental spells—but mine keep misfiring."
She handed it to him.
---
[Observation Mode – Activated]
> Rune misalignment detected. Spirit-thread matrix tangled.
Correction Path: Realign core engraving by 7 degrees.
---
"Here," he said after studying it. "The core's misaligned. Tilt it seven degrees clockwise when you charge it."
She did.
The cube pulsed with a clean blue light.
She cast a tiny wind blade. It zipped through the air like silk—precise, controlled.
Her eyes lit up. "No way! You fixed it! That's amazing."
He shrugged. "Just read the patterns."
Rin paused, then smiled more gently.
"…You're not what people say you are, you know."
He looked at her.
"They call you magicless, NPC, blank-eyed Kaleid. But I see you. You listen more than you speak. You see things deeper than most people ever notice."
There was no pity in her words. Just clarity.
That scared him more than the mockery ever did.
---
[Friendship Formed: Rin Asterwind – Bond Level 1]
> Perk Unlocked: "Soul Thread (Unstable)"
— A nascent link between two incomplete souls. May evolve under pressure or memory restoration.
---
She looked up at the sky. "Hey… can I ask something kinda weird?"
"Go ahead."
"Do you ever feel like you're supposed to be someone else? Like… the you right now isn't all of you?"
Kaleid froze.
That question shouldn't have hit so hard.
"…Yes," he whispered.
She nodded, ears twitching slightly.
"Me too."
A breeze swept past them, stirring her tail and hair like a living memory.
---
[SYNC PROGRESS: 3%]
Your soul responds to mutual incompleteness. First emotional echo recorded.
---
Kaleid looked at her again.
Rin Asterwind.
Cheerful, curious, kind… and hiding something, too.
Maybe she wasn't just a random enchanter girl.
Maybe she was like him—someone written off too early.