Beyond the forest and the lake stood a two-story manor: the Dauze Estate.
________________________________
In the early morning, the sun had just begun casting a vibrant golden glow over everything.
From the kitchen, meat was sizzling in hot oil. It caused a rather juicy and comforting aroma.
Birds were singing.
Flowers were in full bloom.
Butterflies wandered everywhere, even through the open window inside—as if they were greeting someone there—the mother of the household...
Sheila Dauze.
Her style was simple—shorts, t-shirt, and apron. Even her kitchen was just wood and peach porcelain walls. But when it came to the smell of her food—it was complex and irresistible, where even wild animals that wandered by would stay to have a taste. Her braided hair extended down to her waist, with streaks of bright blue mixed into the prominent black. It was her defining trait.
Nonetheless, the food wasn't yet done.
Beef! Cut into plate-slices.
Plenty of garlic chopped down in seconds.
Delicious chicken stock, complemented with brown mushrooms and ground peppers.
And of course, not to forget the most important ingredient... love.
"Oh—I forgot," she murmured, before reaching into the low drawer to grab the missing ingredients.
A quick sweep here!
Another there—!
And suddenly, a dozen potatoes were finely cut. After rinsing them in a bowl of cold water, they were left to rest for later's unique dish.
After all that was done, she suddenly struck a pose—one hand resting on her hip, the other holding the knife at eye level. She spoke endearingly and stared straight ahead into the empty kitchen wall. "Only for you, it was I, Dauze, who made this specialty..."
"..."
"...Aha~." She couldn't stop herself from giggling. Her body swerved in embarrassment.
But then...
Creak~!
There were fast-approaching footsteps on wood.
Before she could turn around—
Smooch!
She was already struck with a quick kiss to her cheek!
It was none other than her oldest son—or should I say, myself. I was already fully dressed in the blue uniform then, bag in hand.
Truthfully speaking, I really shouldn't have been rushing that much that day. Maybe then things would've gone differently...
"I'm off, Mom~"
"Mmhm... wait—" she pointed at me. "You can't leave yet, you haven't even eaten breakfast yet!"
Her voice has always been very gentle, though she exclaims a lot.
"I would love to, Mother," I smiled wide before gesturing a thumbs up, "but nobody woke me up!"
"Ah—"
"Your dad impression was pretty good though!" I said, already headed to the front door.
"Hm, hm~! Well, thank you, young man, but wait a minute, you can't just... sigh." Mom tried to tone up her voice, but her dear beloved son was just two shoelaces away from running out the door.
I was already quite late, after all—I think. I had yet to check the time.
"Mother."
"Yes, Zenny?"
"Did Nas and Kana leave already?" I sat on the floor and tied one shoe.
Mom turned back to the cooking station, evidently disappointed.
"They left already. Uncle Aren's son picked them up, though. Honestly, I still can't believe that boy is so nice. He doesn't look the part!"
"Mother, that's mean—but so true." We giggled. "Geez, not even Bino woke me up then?"
"MONSIEUR GAT-TEN!"
"Oh—"
I had finished tying both shoes when a little boy suddenly shouted at me from the sofa in the living room. I approached the peeking little head when suddenly—it was like two other little children spawned sitting there aside from the boy who called me.
These kids are Mom's language students, if I remember. Their huge dolly eyes were staring straight into my soul.
Cute.
"Monsieur Gachizen, vethyagth peccano si zendrah thee~?" the smallest and youngest one, a little girl named Fenee, spoke in fluent Velian despite her age.
"Why are you late?" is what she said.
"Well, I have no idea!" I replied.
The little boy was just giggling for some reason. Bullinard was his name.
"Fido! Fido!!!" shouted the oldest of the three—Sofii. She was the most active and childlike somehow.
"Food! Food!!!"
Wait, if these guys are here then... I'd be damned.
"Hold on, Zenny..." Mom stepped in front of me. "Here, eat this as you go."
She stuck into my hand something uniquely wrapped.
It smelled like bread and ketchup—similar to pizza, but a much different smell.
"I'll just reheat the steak later for your dinner, then you'll be dancing in flavor~" she lilted playfully.
Day by day she's beginning to resemble my Father more.
"What is this? It smells... nice," I asked.
"Ooh, can I have sooome?!" reached in the quick Bullinard, but Mom just hissed at him and scared him off.
"I believe it's called a sandwich, Aren's bo— Ahem!" She coughed. "Bino made some for you three, and apparently the ingredients are pretty expensive too—it's a Capital delicacy, they say, yahoo!"
"Uhuh..."
I hastily unwrapped it, but careful enough to retain its form.
This... sandwich... it looked extremely appetizing. Although its shape and ingredients are different, isn't this just a weird veggie burger?
"I think I can replicate this." Mom smirked. "With cheaper ingredients too, it's just like a weird veggie burger."
"That's what I was thinking."
Literally.
I looked at Mom's eyes; there was a hint of curiosity. And as for her mouth—a little bit of drooling. I'm excited to learn how it tastes.
But first—I handed it back to Mom.
"Mother, have a taste... hurry~ before I go~"
"Zenny..."
Her eyes seemed to quickly fill with pride. But her body kind of gave in all of a sudden and started swerving around.
"I-I'll take the first bite then!"
Munch~
"Hmm—"
"mhm..."
"Yuh—thats—" she completely filled her mouth, grainy crumbs scattered all over. She then tossed it back into my hand and mumbled, "Eat it, it's good...!"
Hey—what kind of 'taste' was that—it's already half gone.
"I'll try it later," I said.
Mom swallowed loudly.
"Wait—let me walk you to the gate... Now as for you three~" she turned to the kids wiggling around on the couch. "Tell me what the Velian term for the animal—bear—is."
"Unnani?!" immediately replied Sofii.
"Pretty close, Sofii. Unnaani is a bull."
"fuo... fuon irerah nei..." softly spoken by Fenee.
"I... I'm not quite sure I know."
"Are you... sure you don't know?"
"She's already speaking full sentences though?" Mom whispered to me.
I nodded and smiled.
Finally, Bullinard, with his double chin, stood proud with a big grin.
"Hmph, you're both DUMB." He smirked. "Did both of you not read teacher's dictionary at all?! It's obviously Phemmew."
"..."
"Butterfly"
"No."
"Also, mind your language, Bullinard! You can't insult your classmates. Now the term for bear is iba. Sereths en Iba."
"There was a bear."
Bullinard replied fast, "No, you're wro—"
Thump— Mom closed the door.
Now outside, she held my hand. She looked at me with a wide smile as we began walking through the manor's garden.
As expected, the sun was already much higher up the horizon, and the air was warmer.
But the scent here was soul-soothing—a therapy in itself. It makes me not want to leave yet.
The colorful butterflies followed our trail.
And past the garden fences, the birds and crows seemingly greeted us.
Mother gave them names, as with all the other squirrels in the trees. It was because of her that our family was deeply connected with nature. Even the manor was completely enveloped by evergreen leaves and vines.
We reached the front gate.
Mom pushed it open for me as we kissed each other on the cheek.
"Walk safe, Zenny~ I loooove you~!"
"Love you too." I waved at her goodbye and walked away in a hurry, sandwich in hand.
Mom didn't start heading back to the house until the deep shades of the forest blocked me from her sight.
And as she did, she put her hand below her chin in deep thought...
Then she uttered to herself.
"Was he holding his bag...?"
________________________________
Babalooey, this is absolutely divine.
Who in the world would think to mix these sorts of stuff in bread?!
Is there mana in here?
…No, it really is just pure flavor!
Munch...
Never made me slip as much as this sandwich has! Hohohoho!
Munch!
The towering trees cast a dim shade, with small fragments of light passing through its endless foliage. The way I'd describe it, it's like a long tunnel from the house to the town—but instead of cobble walls it was just tree trunks and green.
Even though this path was built not long ago and connects to the town's, it seems we're the only people who use it… Bino's family is to blame. I don't mean that in a bad way.
Ah, there it is.
The Glimmering Statue of Light, the first landmark that tells me I'm going the right way. Though come to think of it, it's pretty ironic how it's obscured by shade, unable to glimmer for the longest time.
I'd say this goes for the next landmark.
Munch—
Oh—no more sandwich. Where's the other half of my sandwich?
Well, I better get running.
The other landmark's just over the corner.
Right—there.
The Lake of the Sun… which, of course, had to be hidden from sunlight, with how the trees have grown over the years.
"Hughh... Eughh..." Sweat was rushing out of my face.
I'd say it's been well over ten minutes. I can almost see the town's walls from here! I just have to sprint all the way down the... Zhayan Groves, and I'll be there. It's the darkest path with, apparently, the oldest trees in the entire world.
I ran through it in just two minutes, record time.
Alas, I... have reached... the front gate of the city—
"PHEW..." I exhaled out loud.
But really, they should rename those places.
I sat on a bench in front of the town's gates and decided to rest for a bit.
"Ah..."
"..."
Still, it looks beautiful, don't it?
I can see the overflow of mana from here. It makes me feel my curse—a blessing—that giant dungeon floating way up high above the town: Asofus Atopuscele, the Sky Dungeon.
________________________________
I stood and walked with elegance into the town of Zhaya; of Azura, town of wind and shade.
To be a proper student of the CEA, I am required to walk in gentle and calm strides, all while maintaining a perfect form in every step—be a symbol of discipline and composure.
But...
How am I supposed to do that—there's way too many people!
Traffic upon traffic of Capitalfolk and their giant vehicles on the main roads and in narrow alleys. People were shouting their promotions and merchandise, people were meeting with business plans in the cramped coffee shops, people were flaunting their Capital emblems that seemed to correspond to their varying authorities. Even with lamps that completely illuminated the shaded streets, the sheer number of people in the crowd made it hard for one to see or move.
Though, they sure were able to spot my uniform almost immediately, their faces plastered with cold judgement. Don't mind this model student—he's just a little late.
But as I neared the destination, the atmosphere shifted.
The ambience of a busy economy brushed past me the moment I stepped into the base of a small flower hill. Before I knew it, I was the only person walking on such a spacious road.
For it was the path to the Capital Entrance Academy.
The townspeople and their visitors knew to respect its solemn peace, which lay in its extreme silence—where the only audible sounds were the aeolian winds from the ocean outside the town walls and my footsteps that echoed.
The building was visible from here. It was long and spacious—a minimalistic design of pure white—not even a logo or a title was present on its face. It stood out the most in this town, for it was the only architecture of its design—typical Capital architecture.
But I couldn't just head inside as easily—no. No. No.
It wouldn't be Capital architecture if they didn't make anything so condescendingly high and hard to get to—this one's shtick lies in the staircase that's literally taller than any building I've passed by—and a bench that lit up beside me, as if it were mocking me.
What's it to you, bench? Mind your own business.
Nobody ever uses it.
|| It's my favorite spot to rest.
But for a boy with overdue attendance, I can't afford to sit on it today, but rather...
I dashed up the stairs and skipped through steps.
But just halfway through, I was already forcing every ounce of muscle in my legs to move up just one step.
I grunted.
Exhaled loud.
The acids in my stomach had just about spiraled and punched the edges of my belly—I had a feeling I might die.
But through perseverance, I managed to run all the way through—albeit being the opposite of calm and composed in the very same area where one was required to be.
But hey—nobody's looking.
I rested on my knees immediately and turned to the grand entrance.
I could already see the pale, endless halls with doors upon doors inside, each symmetrical and of a luxurious white and peach pattern.
Scattered traces of mana and Pulkk fluctuated inside—a clear sign of Lodiac activity.
As I regained my breath, I observed the mounted clock above the entrance...
Tick, tick, Gachizen.
________________________________
I wandered into a void of solemnness and quiet, filling it with the echoes of my footsteps.
The halls were long and pale, so much so that the concrete panes on the walls looked like they started to turn and look down upon me with disgrace.
It was weird seeing this place empty for the first time—so spacious, like a white castle—almost liminal.
But I had only two minutes, and I was very near the lecture room—thank the heavens for having it be on the first floor.
Suddenly...
I noticed.
This empty feeling on my shoulders—a thundering thought that barraged through the heart.
One could say this feeling is of a student that left his bag at home.
Kill me now.
How could I forget? It's literally the only thing I had to bring. Worst academic day of my life!
Panicked thoughts started flooding into my mind; most of it leaked out of my body in the form of sweat—I didn't even notice the man in front of me.
Uh, there's a man in front of me.
As I tried to pass him, he stretched his arm and blocked me off—I immediately noticed the Capital mark on his hand.
I looked him in the face, but to no avail—a white mask with strange patterns around the supposed 'eyes'.
"Excuse me," I whispered and bowed slightly, but there was still no way for me to move past.
He didn't move a muscle, even for a few seconds—he just stared me down inches from my face. I couldn't even hear or feel his breath through that mask.
He was tall and dressed formally with a pure leather jacket, ornamented with white feathers and adorned with seemingly pure gold all throughout. His hair was slicked back, as his poise screamed of elegance, formality—and ignorance.
Just let me pass already, you mysterious tall man.
I looked where his eyes were supposed to be through that mask.
"Can I pass through, please?" I asked politely.
Then he replied, with a quick, "Why should you?"
His voice was so...
I don't know.
I felt an indescribable uneasiness.
"I just... need to mark myself present."
We stared at each other for a while.
"Aren't you... that Shiitake?" he asked, fingers resting on his chin.
Shiitake? Was he referring to Bino?
He's so ridiculously suspicious right now, but so far, his mana activity seems to be normal.
"Ferobino Shiitake—that's me, so what's it to ya?" I replied in a deep, carefree tone.
"So you are?"
He turned to the watch hidden beneath the cuff of the loose glove on his wrist.
"It's 7:19. What occurred to you that made your—oh, nevermind, not even my words will be enough to correct the inadequacy of your generation."
"Get straight to the point, please."
"Fine." He pointed his finger at me. "You have something on you that I want."
"What d'ya want then?" I took a step back.
"It's on you as of this moment." Yet he approached closer.
"Just tell me what it is."
"Allow me to retrieve what is already in front of me."
"Doesn't hurt to say what, no?"
"I need not."
"H-hey, stop—"
"..."
"What... what did you—"
He started walking past me—proud in his every footstep—and all he did...?
Grab a leaf that was stuck on my shoulder.
What's his problem?
"Hey!" I raised my voice, which echoed through the silent hall. "What was that—who are you?"
He didn't even turn back to face me, but he stopped walking for a moment.
"Kou."
It was a familiar name, as if I'd heard of it a thousand times before...
"And yet you remain oblivious—nescient to who I am. Are you really the future of the Capital?"
His wording sure was elegant. Too bad it was filled to the brim with narcissism.
"Do me a favor, will you, Shiitake?" he started walking away, raising up the leaf with his hand and inspecting it. "Don't think too much of our short exchange. In a simple word—forget. Don't cause me any hassle."
Wish I had.
…Then he's gone, just like that. I was left speechless, staring into the long hallway, watching as the strange Capital man descended down the staircase of the Academy.
It wasn't long before my ears started to pick up on the ticking of the clock at the end of the corridor.
And it was already 7:25.
"Oh—what?!"
I rushed to the room and slid the door open. I felt relieved at the sight of normal people, even if they looked at me strange.
As soon as I stepped in, the mood and temperature changed to welcome me. It was warm and vibrant in contrast to the majority of the Academy.
The room was heavily influenced by Lodiac design—there was simulated sunlight through the windows that didn't actually connect to the outside. The floors and the walls flooded my eyes with natural vibrant colors, as the potted plants soothed my feelings with the purest green.
Even here, there were stairs extending up through elevated rows of desks that faced the board in front of the room. The roof was glass-paned, an actual window, that revealed the bottom edge of Asofus Atopuscele and the pastel blue sky.
As long as there were stairs, it would scream—Capital.
At the very back of the class, at the highest altitude, was the professor.
I walked toward him.
"Professor Rura Yoshi"—the nameplate displayed on his desk.
"Good morning, Professor."
"Mhm—Huh?" He looked quite surprised.
"I apologize for being late."
"Monsieur Dauze, you're not late, you're—"
"Absent, yes," I interrupted him. "But there's a good reason for that."
"No, no, you're actually—"
"I accept my mistake."
"No—"
We both softly murmured over each other's sentences, such that one of the students looked back in confusion. You can't blame him, the room itself was just as silent as the halls outside—only with the artificial ambience of nature.
"I already wrote you down as—"
"I know, Professor, but you got to listen to what I have to say, I was—"
"Gachizen."
I stopped.
"Listen to me. It's rude to talk to your professor in such a manner—what has gotten into you?"
"...It's an off day for me, apologies."
He coughed.
"As I was saying..." He leaned forward on his desk, hands covering his mouth as he whispered toward me. "I already marked you present."
Then he slouched back onto his chair.
"What? Why? Doesn't that kind of... isn't it... unfair?"
"Gachizen Dauze—never once absent, never twice late, even in elementary or preschool years—and I've taught you since. What am I supposed to say when I'm the first professor you've missed?"
"That's not on you, Professor Rura."
"Oh, that's definitely on me. I had sweat, and it's all dried up...!"
"I'm... sorry?"
"Would you really want your perfect record to be tainted, especially when you're already nearing recruitment?"
"Professor, this would ruin Capital integrity."
"Personal advice, lose that conscience for once. Accept this opportunity in lieu of your mistake."
"Hmm..."
"I've never seen you make one before, but it's a relief to know that you're also capable of making one."
"I've made a lot of mistakes behind your back, Professor."
"And where did you take them?"
"I carry it with me, and I'm still capable of carrying more."
"Well said, young Capital... Where's your bag?"
Ehe.
"Are you really Monsieur Dauze? What happened?"
"Things, Professor, many things."
"...Take your seat and read through pages 317 to 321 of the textbook. We'll finish by today at... mana embeds."
I nodded and bowed.
Then I sat at my desk at the far right of the room, with my expectations for the day slightly changed.
"What happened, Gaten?" whispered my seatmate. I forgot her name.
"I woke up late somehow, heh."
Somehow.
Albeit everything that happened earlier, nothing else seemed to be different for me.
["Mana properties can be embedded into a material so long as it has sufficient enough content of Pulkk—"] Professor Rura was discussing.
I'd read the textbook, learn in the next lectures, and wait to go home, be the same as always.
Time would pass until the bright orange sun rose past the dungeon and shone through the glass roof upon the wooden floor, and the Lodiac windows would dim. The lanterns shortly after would deactivate to make way for natural lighting.
Then, sounds would begin to pour in as all the students were freed from the confines of the silent void that is the CEA.
In an instant, the entrance would be filled with lines upon lines of students that were enthusiastically waiting to go home.
I stood there, lightheaded, staring up into the beautiful orange sun.
But my eyes never hurt. I could see the mana emanating from the dungeon—that was slightly blinding.
As the students gathered all their things from their lecture rooms and started to share moments with their groups of friends, I alone stood at the top of the staircase.
Bump—! Another student bumped into me.
"Oop—sorry, Gaten!"
"It's alright... uh..."
I forgot his name.
I fixed my bag onto my shoulders and looked for my wallet inside.
It was there, with plenty of money... how did Bino get a hold of my bag?
My bag...
How do I have this?
________________________________
"Isn't that GATEN!!!" shouted a familiar, broad and high-spirited voice.
I turned around, lightening up as if all my wits just came back to me.
"Bino! How are you—"
SQUEEZE~~
nnnNGGHHHH—
"B—BINO—GET OFF—"
"You were LATE, weren't ya?!" he shouted, before finally letting me go.
"Bino—why?"
"Why, I MISSED ya!"
Immediately, the crowds of students walked away from us—their conversations became less of talking and more of whispers or murmurs.
I don't blame them, Bino was a lot bigger and taller. But despite the looks—he's only a month older than me.
I looked him in the eyes; they were deep blue like the morning sky, and filled with light and optimism. With his hair always brushed up, the splendid features shone—genetics is something else.
"Bino, you know what happened earlier?"
"Tell me ALL about it... LATER~!!" he shouted.
"Hey—you're still in the building—keep it down...!"
"Eh, they don't care. What're THEY gonna do—punish their source of money? Hah—"
--The benefits of a top student.
"Now we gotta look around for a place to eat while we WAIT!"
"Wait...? For what?" I asked.
"...?" He stepped back, surprised. "Like... huh?"
…Oh!
Kana and Nas.
I have to pick them up in two hours.
"Ah... So about what happened earlier—"
"Save it for when we start eating, I'm STARVED."
So was I.
"OFF TO THE NOON PLAZA!!" he shouted to the top of his lungs.
The Noon Plaza, a place of shops that only operate under the sun.
Another student passed by and clicked their tongue.
"Hm?" Bino locked eyes with the poor dude. "What's it to you, dweeb? Cat got your tongue?!"
"Eek—!" Then the student ran down the stairs.
Alright, that was just plain rude!
"Bino?!"
"That—so he had negative intent, I'm sure of it. Well, are we gonna go or what?"
"Hm."
I wonder if our favorite shop is open.
"I can't help but feel nostalgic today..." I started going down the stairs. "Don't you feel the same?"