Yuuto stood at the center of the dusty warehouse, the floor covered in grime, sunlight slipping in only through thin cracks in the ceiling.
He checked the area to make sure it was safe, then pressed the call button on his flip phone.
Beep…
"Oh, my student," Merlin's cheerful voice drifted out, light and airy like magical wind from Avalon's tower.
"Have you arrived?"
"Yes, sensei. I'm here. So… can we continue the training?"
"Hmmm~ of course," Merlin's tone softened, becoming more serious.
"For the next phase… we enter Elemental Understanding."
Yuuto furrowed his brows. "Elemental… Understanding?"
"The ability to perceive the fundamental elements of the world—this is the foundation of almost all high-level magecraft," Merlin explained.
"And before you can create a proper Bounded Field, you must be able to sense the elements that form the very structure of space."
Yuuto fell silent and listened carefully.
"In our world, 'elements' aren't merely fire, water, wind, earth," Merlin continued.
"The true ones are metaphysical principles that shape the patterns of existence.
Among modern magi, the five standard elements taught are:
Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, and Ether/Void.
But…"
Merlin's tone shifted—prideful, as always when revealing something important.
"Arthur, and now you, possess a unique connection to Earth and Sky, what we call Dual-Affinity."
"Dual… affinity?" Yuuto repeated.
"Yes. Your body, with a Dragon Core, can access elemental patterns that normal magi cannot even touch."
Merlin went on:
"To train Elemental Understanding, you must:
1. Sense the flow of elements in the air.
2. Distinguish which ones form the 'structure of space.'
3. And which ones are merely 'free-floating energy.'
A Bounded Field manipulates these elements to separate space from the outside world."
Yuuto swallowed.
"That… sounds complicated."
"Hahaha, of course."
Merlin's proud, teasing tone returned.
"That's magecraft. Thousands of magi have died simply because they couldn't understand this part."
"…Thank you, sensei. That's very comforting," Yuuto muttered sarcastically.
"Hey, but you're different," Merlin answered quickly.
"You have a king's body, a knight's memories, and you're being taught by me, the greatest magus ever.
All that's left is simply… well… willpower."
Yuuto looked at his hands and exhaled slowly.
"All right. What do I do first?"
"First, sit down in any position you like—
you're not in a Chinese cultivation novel, you know."
Yuuto rolled his eyes.
"Now, repeat the basics: calm your mind.
Slowly let go of your tension…
and feel the natural state around you."
Yuuto closed his eyes.
"Feel the elements themselves, my student."
A faint smile could be heard in Merlin's voice.
"Feel the structure of the world, and the world will reveal its secrets to you."
---
Click.
A soft sound of a door closing came from the room next door—Yuuto Kido's room.
Mahiru had just locked her own door; she was preparing to leave for school.
But she stopped when she saw a boy in a school uniform step out of the room beside hers.
His footsteps were light, his expression neutral but polite, and he walked straight toward the stairs without glancing back.
Mahiru froze, her eyes following his back until he disappeared around the corner.
"…Huh?"
She had never seen him before.
Mahiru knew the resident of that room—Yuuto Kido—the boy who had greeted her and walked with her yesterday.
But this boy…
"Who… was that?" Mahiru whispered.
She looked back at Yuuto's door, her brows slightly knitting.
"Why did he come out of Kido-san's room?"
A possibility surfaced in her mind.
Sakura's words from yesterday echoed:
'Your brother—the one with short black hair and a face full of acne.'
Mahiru considered it.
"Maybe… that was his brother?"
But she quickly shook her head.
"…No. They didn't look alike at all. Even their way of walking felt different…"
Kido-san she met yesterday—though only briefly—had an aura that felt gentle yet strong.
The boy just now felt… blank. Neutral. Plain.
And one more thing bothered her:
"His hair… different. His face too.
And Kido-san's build… he looked like a European… but that guy…"
Mahiru tightened her grip on her bag strap.
"I'll just… ask Kido-san later."
She exhaled softly, walked forward again, and descended the stairs toward school—still confused, but choosing to ignore it for now.
---
Kenji lay sprawled on their cheap bed, his face swollen and bruised purple-blue.
Every small breath sent a sting of pain along his skin.
"Sa–sak… ow, ow—Sakura! Slower, damn it!"
He winced as Sakura pressed an ice pack to his cheek.
Sakura rolled her eyes sharply.
"I am being slow. You're the one being dramatic."
Kenji grunted and slapped her hand away roughly.
"I'll do it myself! You're making it worse!"
Sakura pulled her hand back, irritated.
"Oh, so now I'm the problem? I'm trying to help you!"
She crossed her arms, glaring at his battered face—the result of Yuuto's wrath last night.
Sakura sighed hard.
"This is your fault too, you know."
Kenji snapped his head toward her, face twisting with pain and anger.
"What did you say?! This is clearly that brat's fault! He attacked me for no reason! I'm the one who should be mad! I was disturbed, OK?!"
His voice rose despite his trembling body.
Sakura shot him a sharp look.
"That's because you think using nothing but the head below your waist, Kenji. He must've heard everything you said."
Kenji fell silent, jaw clenched tight.
Sakura continued, her voice low:
"And he might have known we were talking about his brother. That's why he got angry."
Kenji muttered under his breath, still unwilling to accept it.
"Fine, then let's just report him to the police!" he shouted.
"He attacked me! That's a crime! I could get compensation!"
Sakura instantly grabbed his hand—tightly, like someone desperate.
"No!! Let's end it here!"
Kenji narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"…Why are you defending him so much?"
Sakura bit her lip, then quickly looked away.
"I—I just… don't want more trouble, okay?! That's all!"
Silence lingered for a few seconds.
Then Sakura abruptly stood up after glancing at the wall clock.
"Oh shoot! I'm late for work! And listen—if you report him, we're done!"
She grabbed her bag and rushed toward the door.
"Sakura! Oy—Sakura! I'm not fin—!"
BRUK!
The door slammed shut before he could finish.
Kenji fell back onto the bed, alone in the stuffy room, staring at the ceiling with anger, pain… and a hint of fear he refused to admit.
"…What the hell is wrong with everyone lately…"
Sakura's footsteps echoed softly as she walked down the apartment hallway, dragging slightly.
The morning felt heavy—not only because of Kenji's injuries, but because of the thoughts spinning endlessly in her mind.
"…Was I really defending him too much?"
"…Kenji will get suspicious… but why did I…"
She shook her head to chase away the thoughts.
But her steps stopped when a short, cold, sharp voice cut through the air from behind.
"Oy. Move."
Sakura flinched.
She turned — and her breath caught.
A young man stood there, hood pulled low over his eyes.
Golden blond hair peeked from beneath the fabric, and his sharp, cold gaze pierced through her like a blade of ice.
Sakura recognized that gaze.
Recognized that stance.
Recognized that aura.
It was… Yuuto.
Sakura froze.
"Are you deaf?" Yuuto's voice was flat, laced with disgust.
"I said move. You're blocking my way."
His tone—calm, low, but cutting—made Sakura's knees nearly buckle.
"Y–yes…" she stammered.
She stepped aside quickly, clutching her handbag as if it could protect her.
Yuuto walked past without another word, without even glancing.
Only the faint scent of soap and a chill in the air remained as he passed.
The silence afterward crashed down on her.
She leaned against the wall, exhaling shakily.
Her face slowly reddened — not from fear or anger.
But because her heart… was beating too fast.
"…Wh-what was that just now…" she whispered, covering her mouth.
Sakura lowered her head, her cheeks burning hotter.
"…why am I like this…"