The final bell rang.
For the first time in months, Kaien didn't have to worry about waking up early for class the next morning.
Summer break had officially begun.
Students poured out of the academy, talking about vacations, training plans, parties, and everything else they had been waiting to do.
Kaien simply adjusted the strap of his bag.
Mira looked at him.
"So, sheep."
Kaien sighed.
"Please don't."
"What are you doing this summer?"
"Training."
She stared at him.
"That's it?"
"And working."
"You're fifteen."
"And?"
Mira shook her head.
"You seriously don't know how to relax."
Kaien smiled.
"I'll figure it out eventually."
"Sure."
She walked away.
"See you next semester, sheep."
Kaien watched her leave.
"...I'm never getting rid of that nickname."
That evening, Kaien returned to the Veiled Crown.
He wasn't returning as a visitor this time.
He was staying.
Seraphina had already arranged everything.
His room was waiting for him.
The metal plate on the door read:
MSG.
Kaien opened the door.
His room was simple but spacious.
A bed.
A desk.
A weapons rack.
Storage cabinets.
A training area.
And a large reinforced section of wall where he could practice his abilities without destroying the entire hideout.
He placed his bags down.
"Home for the summer."
He looked around.
It felt strange.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
But comfortable.
For the next several weeks, this would be where he lived.
His summer routine started immediately.
Wake up.
Mana training.
Breakfast.
Weapon training.
Monster hunting.
Return to the Crown.
Assignments.
More mana training.
Sleep.
Repeat.
His goal was simple.
Increase his mana capacity.
He wasn't trying to unlock some new ability.
He wasn't trying to become ridiculously powerful overnight.
He simply wanted more mana.
Because there was something he had been thinking about ever since the expedition.
The system had shown him something.
Not a skill.
Not yet.
Just the possibility of something much bigger.
But he still didn't know what the Level 25 milestone actually was.
The system hadn't told him.
There was no quest.
No objective.
No reward.
Nothing.
So Kaien couldn't unlock anything from it.
He couldn't even assume reaching Level 25 was enough.
He simply had to wait.
For now, he focused on what he could control.
His mana.
Weeks passed.
Kaien's control improved dramatically.
He could circulate mana through his body without wasting nearly as much.
His pistol shots became more efficient.
His physical reinforcement lasted longer.
He could maintain his concentration while moving.
And most importantly—
his mana reserves were growing.
One night, Kaien sat cross-legged on the floor of MSG.
He slowly drew the mana around him inward.
His breathing remained steady.
His entire body felt warm.
Then—
[Maximum Mana Capacity Increased.]
Kaien opened his eyes.
He smiled.
"Nice."
It wasn't enough.
But it was progress.
He looked at his hand.
"Thirty seconds."
He whispered it to himself.
"That's all I need."
He didn't know exactly when he'd be able to do it.
But someday, he'd have enough mana to summon something massive.
Something that could change the outcome of a battle.
He just didn't know what that thing was yet.
One afternoon, Seraphina entered the training room.
Kaien was practicing his shooting.
Three targets.
Three shots.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
All three hit.
Seraphina nodded.
"Improving."
"Trying to."
She looked toward the hallway.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"Someone's arrived."
Kaien lowered his weapon.
"Who?"
Seraphina didn't answer.
That alone made him curious.
They walked through the hideout.
Past the training area.
Past the storage room.
Past the main hall.
Eventually, they reached a door Kaien hadn't seen opened before.
Seraphina stopped.
"You've met everyone except one."
Kaien immediately understood.
"Envy."
She nodded.
"She's finally back."
Seraphina opened the door.
The room was dark.
Not because there were no lights.
Because the curtains were closed.
Someone sat beside the window.
A girl.
She looked around Kaien's age, perhaps slightly older.
Her long, dark-green hair fell loosely down her back, with several strands framing her face.
Her eyes were an unusual pale turquoise, sharp enough to make Kaien feel like she was studying every detail of him.
She wore an oversized dark jacket over a simple shirt and shorts, with black stockings disappearing into ankle boots.
Nothing about her appearance screamed danger.
If anything—
she looked ordinary.
Almost too ordinary.
She turned toward them.
Her eyes immediately moved to Kaien.
She stared.
Kaien stared back.
Neither said anything.
Finally, she spoke.
"So you're Gluttony."
Kaien nodded.
"Apparently."
She looked him over again.
"You're younger than I expected."
"You're not exactly ancient."
Her eyebrow twitched.
Seraphina covered a smile.
The girl looked back at her.
"He's annoying."
Kaien blinked.
"We just met."
"I know."
She stood.
She was slightly shorter than Kaien, but carried herself confidently.
Seraphina gestured toward her.
"Kaien, this is Envy."
The girl crossed her arms.
"My name is Nyra."
Kaien nodded.
"Kaien."
She stared.
"I know."
"Right."
Silence.
Kaien looked at Seraphina.
"Is she always like this?"
Nyra answered before Seraphina could.
"Yes."
Kaien nodded.
"Good to know."
Nyra's expression barely changed.
But the corner of her mouth moved slightly.
Almost a smile.
Almost.
Later that evening, the entire group gathered in the main room.
For the first time, all seven positions of the Veiled Crown were represented.
Pride.
Wrath.
Greed.
Lust.
Sloth.
Envy.
And Gluttony.
Darius leaned against the wall.
Lucien sat at the table.
Selene was talking to Nyra.
Noah was asleep.
Seraphina stood at the center.
Kaien sat quietly, watching them.
Seven people.
Seven marks.
Seven Sins.
The organization was still small.
Barely established.
Nobody outside the Crown knew they existed.
And that was exactly how Seraphina wanted it.
For now.
Nyra looked at Kaien.
"You've been training a lot."
Kaien raised an eyebrow.
"How do you know?"
"I heard."
"From who?"
She smiled faintly.
"That's my business."
Kaien narrowed his eyes.
"You're nosy."
"You're secretive."
"Fair."
Nyra looked away.
For some reason, Kaien had the feeling that getting along with Envy was going to be difficult.
Not impossible.
Just difficult.
Which was probably fitting.
After all—
she was Envy.
And summer had only just begun.